NEWS for North Dakotans
Agriculture Communication, North Dakota State University
7 Morrill Hall, Fargo, ND 58105-5665
September 28, 2000
Fall is often the season for gathering and moving big round bales, and in many areas of the region, there is a bumper crop of bales.
But the size and weight of those bales make them dangerous, says a farm safety specialist at North Dakota State University. So caution and safety practices should be used.
A common way of moving a big bale is with a large spike mounted on the three-point hitch or on the front-end loader. The mounted spike is driven into the bale with the tractor, then the bale is lifted with tractor hydraulic power and moved to a new location.
"The weight of the bale creates a hazard when it is being moved if the tractor has not been ballasted correctly to compensate for the bale," says George Maher of the NDSU Extension Service. "Insufficient ballast can make steering and braking difficult and dangerous in the field and on the road."
Another common way of moving the big bales is with the front-end loader on a tractor.
"There are two problems with using a front-end loader," Maher notes. "The first is that the center of gravity of the tractor gets higher as the load is raised. With this load centered on the pivot of the front axle and wheels, the tractor tips much more easily."
The second problem is the risk of the bale rolling down the arms of the front-end loader and injuring the tractor operator, whether he is in a cab or not.
"These bales should be moved only with a front-end loader that is designed for the job, one with grapple forks or jaws that grip the bale, preventing it from rolling down," Maher says. "Use the right type of loader when moving large round bales, and keep the load as low as possible to prevent tipping. Don't take chances with this kind of work. Accidents with big round bales are often fatal."
The large round bale system can save a lot of time and labor compared to some other forage handling systems, Maher says. "The key is to work safely and take the necessary precautions. Lift and move the bales carefully. Keep the load and speed low. Lift only when needed. Display the slow moving vehicle sign when transporting bales on the road."
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Source: George Maher, (701) 231-8288
Editor: Tom Jirik, (701) 231-9629