Steve Griffith is a multi-generation dairy farmer out of Jefferson County, Ohio. Over the years, he has run lots of different equipment to feed and care for his herd. Along with being unafraid to try out different equipment, he doesn’t shy away from giving his honest feedback. That’s why Griffith was an ideal candidate to test out the 504 Pro G4 baler before it even hit production lines.

For Griffith, he was impressed by the performance of the 504 Pro G4 right away. “I have been really pleased with the way it eats hay,” he said. Along with the baler’s productivity, Griffith noted the quality of the machine itself. “You can tell right away when something’s built well,” he said. “The attention to detail on this baler is impressive.”

Want to tackle wet and dry hay? No problem

Griffith typically works in his hay fields from May to October, depending on weather and crop conditions. “We try to get approximately four to five cuttings of alfalfa, mixed with some orchard grass, for our silage hay,” he explained. “For grass hay, we get three cuttings, sometimes four if we’re lucky.”

Every hay producer knows that efficiency is critical to get the crop baled and off the field as quickly as possible. Most farmers and ranchers can relate to the feeling of always trying to race impending rain or bad weather to get their crops in. With the 504 Pro G4, you’re able to bale both wet and dry hay with ease. Not only can this alleviate stress around the weather reports but can help reduce weather damage to your crops.

“We have easily switched from wet to dry hay and have had no issues. The baler handles the large wet windrows very well. We have very little plugging issues. The pickup head is aggressive, and the teeth are heavy. It just keeps going.” Griffith explained. “The dealer actually made me plug it to show me the drop floor feature, and it was so easy and quick to unplug. You don’t have to get out of the cab at all.”

The drop floor flexes during baling, to help the crop navigate into the chamber with ease. If a plug does occur, operators can clear the plug by simply using tractor hydraulics to lower the floor and pass the crop through — all done right from your tractor seat.

Silage-friendly features

For even more feeding options, the Pro G4 balers robust design and innovative features make it exceptionally effective for silage. A heavy-duty pickup system, aggressive teeth and advanced rotors help you efficiently handle wet, heavy windrows.

With a 17-knife chopping system, you can even choose your preferred cut length of the forage depending on your herd needs. Right from the Atlas Pro control system, you can select eight or nine knives for a moderate cut length, or all 17 knives for maximum processing. If you want to bale without chopping, you can easily lower both knife banks.

“The knife system is very, very well designed,” Griffith explained. “Using all 17 knives is really nice when we put them in the mixer wagon to grind up for the milking herd. They’ll be pretty much chopped up already, so it will save time.” For Griffith, he takes into account preferred bale density, silage quality, feed mixing and herd digestibility when deciding the number of knives to use with the 17-knife chopping system. “I like the fact that you can run zero knives in dry hay, eight, nine or all 17. We have run pretty much all four,” Griffith said.

For farmers and ranchers who consistently put up silage bales, tackling wet and heavy hay can often be hard on the baler. For Griffith, he found that the 504 Pro G4 was built heavier than any models he has ran before. “This baler is durable. Pickup, teeth, everything is built heavy. It’s a heavy machine,” Griffith noted.

Simplified technology for any operator

To promote data tracking and ease of operation — your one-stop-shop for all your baler information is the Atlas Pro™ control system. The Atlas Pro monitor is standard on most Vermeer baler models, including the 504 Pro G4.

For Griffith, the monitor is one of his favorite features on the 504 Pro G4. “My son and I both use it, and he’s a bit more tech-savvy than me, but I had no trouble getting the hang of it,” Griffith explained. “You can switch between functions, adjust bale size, control the knives and if you do happen to plug, you can drop the floor, turn the PTO back on, and the hay goes right in. It all can happen with the touch of a button.”

Along with the adjustments Griffith mentioned, the baler monitor can track just about any piece of field data you could imagine for up to 50 fields. View real-time data, moisture levels, crop statistics and control components like the knife bank, drop floor and net tension — all right within your cab.

After running the 504 Pro G4 to feed his dairy cattle, Griffith is ready to put his machine to work even more. “I’ve run a lot of different equipment over the years, but this baler stands out,” Griffith said. Whether you’re looking to bale nutrient-dense silage or dry bales, the Pro G4 was built to produce premium forage for your herd.

For more information on the 504 Pro G4 baler, get in touch with your local Vermeer dealer.