Bale Accumulators / Movers For Sale in Ireland

An attachment rather than a machine in its own right, the bale grab comes in a wide variety of sizes and designs to handle both round and square bales. Size is a major consideration when choosing a bale grab, and the machines come in dimensions that can handle numerous bales in one go or lift high-density bales. The bale can typically be lifted and rotated to allow stacking in the desired orientation. Another consideration when choosing a bale grab is the connectivity it offers with other farm plant. Typically, the machines can be used with tractors or telehandlers, and compatibility with existing machinery must be ensured. Bale grabs may have rotating rollers with reinforced tines to strengthen the grip. Such attachments can be used for carrying a single bale of silage or, alternatively, a number of bales of straw or hay. Bale grabs may feature a simple spike operation to allow for two bales to be carried at the same time. Alternatively, more complex units will have hydraulic controls to securely hold the bale, making it safe to transport and reducing the danger of dropping the bales even when operating across rough or uneven ground. Designs exist to handle conventional bales, with hydraulic controls and a number of steel claws or tines to safely restrain the bale. There are also outsize bale handlers to accommodate big bales, and there are units specially designed with wide wheelbases to allow transport of bales by a tractor with limited horsepower.

The wide range of bale grabs on the market also extends to a simple spike construction, where the bale is impaled on the spike for transporting. Other bale gripper units are available to suit wrapped bales; this allows the machines to be used for handling silage bales. There are also bale grabs with adjustable pivoting arms to allow for the handling of different sizes of bales.

Clearly, there are a number of different choices to consider when choosing a bale grab. The market encompasses everything from simple spike attachments to far more sophisticated and hydraulically powered machines. Typical manufacturers include Hawk, McHale, Strimech, Browns, Slewtic, Farmhand, Manitou, Man, Parmiter and Cherry. Each manufacturer has its own strengths and limitations, and they tend to target a specific segment of the market.

Bale grabs are generally robust pieces of kit, and a used bale grab can be bought with confidence. For basic unpowered and static units, such as a spike mechanism, a simple visual inspection should give you a good clue as to the condition of the attachment. Here you will simply be looking for evidence of corrosion or damage that has impacted the structural integrity of the machine. For more complex machines, such as those with hydraulic power and moving parts, a more careful inspection is required. The unit should be tested in conjunction with the tractor, telehandler or other machine that it will be operated with. All joints and hoses should be checked for integrity, and the machine should be tested under load to ensure its efficient and safe operation.