Woodstock, Ont. — Handling small square bales just got a little easier thanks to recent changes Morris made to their 12SR Bale Scoop.
“This is a piece of equipment we’ve had out for a number of years,” said Lisa Gaskin, ProAG product manager.
“It’s used to pick up three-by-three, three-by-four and four-by-four large square bales, but this year we modified it so that now we can also pick up the bale bundles of 21 small square bales that is packaged in about a three-by-four-by-eight size.”
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The bale bundles of 21 small squares are being produced by equipment such as the Bale Baron and the Bale Band-It.
The 21-bale-bundles capacity of the 12SR allows it to haul 168 small square bales per load.
Additional graphite-coated supports on the deck were installed to help keep the bale bundles intact, and a new grapple system was developed to enable operators to pick up two bale bundles per loader cycle.
“Once you come into the first bale and our loader arm squeezes the bale, the grab hooks here are going to come into the bale and are going to lift it off the ground, so you’re not dragging that bale or that bundle at all. Then it’s going to hold that bale snug to the loader and you’re able to open up the alignment arms and go into the second bale, to pick up, squeeze, and rotate up,” Gaskin said.
She said operators can put on and unload a full load in approximately four minutes.
The 7,600-pound bale scoop sits on two 600 series tires with an axle rated for 22,000 pounds.
There are no electronics on the machine.
“It is run off of three remotes out of the tractor, it’s really simple. Basically it’s steel, tires and cylinders on it,” Gaskin said.
She said the implement will be a good option for producers considering diversifying and helping to supply the small square market that can be relatively lucrative, especially in areas with a lot of horse owners.
Morris also producers two larger models of large bale stackers, as well as round bale carriers.
