Why John Deere 348 Balers
are the Right Choice
When it comes to baling hay, there are a number of factors to consider- but one of them should never be brand. John Deere makes the most dependable and productive balers on the market and the 348 small square baler is no exception. Sitting at the top of the John Deere small square baler range, the 348 has a number of features that make it the go-to choice. Swing by any one of C & B Operations’ 37 locations across South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Montana, Wyoming and Idaho and let our experienced staff show you why the John Deere 348 small square baler is right for you.
Bale production with the 348 starts with 74-inch-wide pickup, offset ten inches from the baling case. This ensures that the full width of the pickup can be utilized without having to work around the tires of your tractor. Closely spaced pickup teeth run the whole width and narrow-channel strippers work together to churn through large, heavy windrows while keeping bale quality as high as possible.
A deep flighted auger quickly and continuously moves hay away from the pickup teeth, minimizing leaf loss while also precompressing the crop to enable more uniform bales. The auger is free floating as well, enabling it to dynamically respond to changing crop loads.
The 348 baler produces bales that are 14×18 inches in cross section, with a length of anywhere from 12 to 50 inches depending on your preference.
This small, easy-to-handle bale size means you won’t need to purchase any extra equipment to haul and store your bales. They can be loaded and stacked by hand and are easily transported from place to place, making these balers ideal for livestock shows and smaller farms.
The 348 works incredibly well when paired with a capable tractor. With a PTO requirement of just 35 hp and a recommended tractor weight of 3000 pounds, most utility sized tractors will fit the mold fairly well.
At the smallest end of the spectrum are the 52 hp and larger 4 Series compact tractors. These tractors meet both the PTO requirement to run the baler while also providing enough weight to not get dragged around by the baler if attempting to climb rolling terrain. This is ideal for owners of small plots, who may already own a 4 Series for other tasks but don’t want to have to buy a brand new tractor just to run a baler.
If you’re going to build your baling endeavors from the ground up, however, a full sized utility tractor such as the 5 Series or 6 Series would be a more ideal selection. These tractor lines feature more than enough PTO power to run the 348 and enough weight to haul up even the steepest of hills. Better yet, should your hay operation grow or you decide to change balers, the high end of both the 5 and 6 Series tractors can handle those upgrades with power to spare.
More Hay & Forage Information
If you’re looking to start hay baling for your own use or want to offer smaller bales in addition to your larger round bales, the 348 is the baler to use and it can easily be pulled behind tractors you likely already or would make an excellent and versatile addition to your farm. Swing in to your C & B Operations location today and let our expert staff help you put together the best combination of John Deere 348 baler and tractor today.