Hay, Bales & Better Data
Hay Tools & Soil Sensors Help Guide Field Decisions
Efficiency in hay and forage production often comes down to timing, field conditions and the ability to make informed decisions as conditions change. From hay rakes designed to manage windrows and drying to bale accumulators that streamline field handling, today’s equipment reflects a growing emphasis on labor savings and workflow. At the same time, soil sensors and baling automation tools are adding another layer of field insight and operational consistency.
Hay Rakes
Rake Windguards
To increase productivity and minimize raking losses, rake wheels fitted with Rake Windguards prevent hay, grass, sudangrass, sorghum, cornstalks, alfalfa and forage from wrapping in windy conditions.
Features:
- Compatible with 55-inch and 60-inch rake wheels
- Constructed from 1/8-inch thick black poly material
- Smooth, lightweight disc design allows for even crop flow across the wheel
- Installs in minutes using heavy-duty cable ties
- Helps minimize material loss during raking operations
- Available in multiple diameter options (31.75, 34.75 and 36.75 inches) to match wheel size
- Fits a range of rake brands, including New Holland, Sitrex, Frontier, Tonutti, H&S, Enrossi and Vermeer
- Sold individually (one windguard required per rake wheel)
Hygrade Engineering, LLC | www.hygradeengineering.com
Golden Eagle Wheel Rake
The Golden Eagle Wheel Rake from Circle C Equipment is a wheel rake for hay production that features a fold-in design meeting highway-legal width for transport and is used for efficiency, transportability and field performance.
Features:
- Available in raking widths ranging from approximately 25 to 50 feet, depending on model
- Equipped with 18-spoke heavy-duty rake wheels for durability in demanding field conditions
- Each wheel features 18 double, rubber-mounted tines for improved crop handling
- Depth band technology limits tine contact with soil to significantly reduce ash (dirt) content
- Independent, flexible frame design helps absorb terrain changes and reduce stress on components
- Fold-in frame for compact transport, paired with a telescoping hitch for gooseneck towing and efficient movement between fields and highways
- Wheel dampening system and single-point float control support consistent ground contact
- Designed for low-maintenance operation, including grease-free pivot points
- Optional hydraulic pump package and additional accessories available
“The Circle C rake is pretty slick. I can have people with varying degrees of experience on the rake. Because of the rake’s simplicity, with a little bit of instruction, they can easily understand how to use its controls and are able to make manual adjustments precisely and quickly,” — Courtney Calaway, Circle C Equipment Customer
Circle C Equipment, LLC | www.circlecequipment.com
1500 & 1700 Series
Built to handle hay turning, fluffing and merging in a single pass, the Fair Manufacturing 1500 and 1700 Series Hay Rakes are designed to help producers manage drying conditions and windrow formation during hay production.
Features:
- Available in 15-wheel (1500 Series) and 17-wheel (1700 Series) configurations with 60-inch rake wheels
- Three-in-one functionality allows operators to turn, fluff and merge hay windrows
- Centralized frame designed for maneuverability and tighter turning on end rows
- Up to 28-foot (1500) or 31-foot (1700) raking widths with adjustable windrow widths from 30 to 70 inches
- Weatherproof control panel operates with one tractor remote; dual spring wheel suspension designed for ground contouring and flotation
Fair Manufacturing, Inc. | fairmfg.com
AR2208 8-Wheel Action Rake
Designed to help shape clean windrows while maintaining crop flow through the field, the H&S AR2208 8-Wheel Action Rake combines adjustable raking settings with a high-clearance frame for hay operations.
Features:
- Eight 60-inch rake wheels with greaseable tapered bearings
- High-clearance frame with wide wheel stance for transport stability
- Adjustable rake wheel pressure for ground contouring
- Raking width from about 16 feet, 6 inches to 17 feet, 8 inches
- Adjustable windrow width and single-remote hydraulic operation
H&S Manufacturing Company, Inc. | www.hsmfgco.com
Bale Accumulators
AE18
When small square bales start adding up, the Norden AE18 Bale Accumulator is built to group and arrange them into organized 18-bale packs for handling and transport.
Features:
- Handles bales from 32 to 40 inches in length
- Arranges bales in 18-bale groups, six wide by three long
- Twisted chute turns bales onto edge during loading
- Stainless steel deck designed for sliding in dirt and moisture conditions
- Gravity-driven gates and automatic rear gate manage bale release and reset for the next group
AC 4108
During hay season, when timing matters, the PhiBer AC 4108 Accumulator organizes bales in the field and releases them in controlled groups to streamline pickup and hauling.
Features:
- Fully automatic operation with up to three eject patterns plus hold mode
- Handles bales from 4.25 to 9 feet in length
- Designed for dry hay and baleage applications
- Powered by tractor hydraulics and compatible with open center, closed center and load-sensing systems
- Accommodates 3- to 4-foot-wide bales with a 6,000-pound capacity and optional scale system
PhiBer Manufacturing Inc. | phiber.ca
Bale Baron 5250P
The Bale Baron 5250P is a tractor-assisted in-field pickup bundler designed to help larger hay operations manage bale collection and bundling while keeping pace with up to two or three balers.
Features:
- Full ISOBUS connectivity provides in-cab visibility and control over the bundling process, including bale tracking and counting in both automatic and manual modes
- Lower-to-the-ground bale pickup and extended vertical rollers improve surface engagement and pickup performance
- Wider wheelbase and dual heavy-duty caster wheels are designed to improve stability and flotation
- Wide 19/45-17 10-ply Euro-style rear tires help improve traction and flotation
- Large twine cabinets store up to 16 balls of twine, supporting bundling of more than 5,000 small square bales before refilling
- Greaseless nitrided pins, composite bushings and gas shock-mounted access panels are designed to simplify servicing and maintenance access
- Capacity ranges from 400 to 1,000 bales per hour, depending on hydraulic flow, with compatibility for multiple hydraulic system configurations
Marcrest | www.marcrestmfg.com
ForStack
Working alongside the baler in real time, the ForStack bale accumulator is designed to collect and vertically stack square bales in the field for direct placement and pickup efficiency.
Features:
- Stacks up to five square bales vertically before field placement
- Operates on the same line as the baler for continuous collection
- Compatible with multiple square bale sizes, including small bundles
- Independent hydraulic system with its own variable flow pump
- Two operating modes: accumulating and dispersing bale stacks
Tech Tools
IntelliSense
New Holland’s IntelliSense Bale Automation system integrates swath guidance, feedrate control and LiDAR-based windrow sensing to automate key functions during large square baling operations.
Features:
- SmartSteer provides operator-assisted tractor and baler guidance along windrows
- IntelliCruise II adjusts tractor speed based on baler feedrate targets
- LiDAR sensor detects windrow shape and position ahead of the tractor, including low-light conditions
- Reduces operator input during baling by automating steering and speed adjustments
- Compatible with select ISOBUS tractors and New Holland BigBaler models (MY2022–MY2023)
New Holland Agriculture | agriculture.newholland.com
Python Weave Automation
John Deere’s weave automation for select round balers adds automated lateral hitch movement to help guide baler positioning along windrows while reducing the need for manual steering adjustments during hay and forage operations.
Features:
- Weaving hitch system provides up to a +38-degree swing from left to right
- Operator places windrow between tractor front tires for automated baling operation
- Helps align baler movement with tractor travel along varying windrow shapes
- Designed to reduce manual steering input during baling
- Aims to improve bale uniformity and reduce material contamination from driving over windrows
- Supports more consistent operation across varying operator skill levels
Case IH Baler Automation
Baler Automation from Case IH integrates tractor and baler functions to adjust speed, manage bale formation and handle key baling steps automatically for both round and large square balers as field conditions change.
Features:
- Automatically adjusts tractor speed to match windrow volume and maintain consistent throughput
- Coordinates bale wrapping and tailgate ejection on compatible tractors during round baling
- Uses LiDAR sensor technology to monitor windrows and support hands-free steering capability
- Aims to maintain consistent bale length, weight and flake count in large square baling
- Designed to reduce repetitive operator input while optimizing cycle timing and fuel use
Sensors
Vertex 4 (V4)
The Vertex Soil Sensor is a fourth-generation, all-in-one in-field device designed to deliver multi-depth soil measurements and field data collection through a streamlined, self-contained setup built for use in varied field conditions.
Features:
- Measures soil moisture, electrical conductivity and temperature at multiple depths
- Includes a removable antenna and removable, rechargeable lithium-ion battery
- Internal telemetry supports data transmission and remote connectivity options
- Spiral, tapered design with installation pole slots and depth offset lines for placement guidance
- Built for in-field monitoring with multi-sensor configuration and cloud/app-based data access
EnviroSCAN
EnviroSCAN is a deep-profile soil monitoring probe used across agricultural and environmental settings to track multiple soil conditions at varying depths for in-field decision support.
Features:
- Measures soil moisture, salinity temperature and humidity
- Monitoring range from 0.5 metres to 30 metres (100 feet) depth
- Up to 16 sensors at 10-centimeter (3.94-inch) intervals with adjustable placement
- Customizable probe length and field-adjustable configuration
- Serviceable design allows sensors to be swapped or adjusted
- Access tube supports long-term installation with two cap options (flat or screw)
Sentek Technologies | sentektechnologies.com
Multi Depth Sensor
Tracking moisture movement through the soil profile in real time, Sensoterra’s Multi Depth sensor provides layered volumetric water content readings from a single wireless device for in-field crop monitoring.
Features:
- Measures soil moisture at six depths within a single device
- Includes an additional temperature sensor at -10 inches
- Wireless LoRaWAN connectivity with cloud-based data transmission
- Hourly measurements with a battery life of six to eight years
- Hammer-in installation designed for minimal soil disturbance and no tools required
- API-based data access with web and mobile platform integration
