Tractor Bale Spear - Lifting Silage Rolls and Hay Bales

In short: A bale spear is a steel spike on a frame that's pushed into the round bale and used to lift it. It's a fast, simple and light solution for moving hay bales, but it pierces the wrap and net, which matters for silage bales.

What is a bale spear and how does it work?

The spear mounts on the tractor's front loader boom the same way as a bucket or forks. The bale is lifted by driving straight into it - the spear pierces the bale and the bale stays carried on it.

• Fast gripping: no locking or adjustment needed, just drive into the bale.
• Simple and durable: few moving parts, little maintenance needed.
• Light: adds less weight to the front of the tractor's boom than a hydraulic grapple.

See the range on our tractor bale spears page.

When is a spear enough?

• Dry hay bales: which carry no wrapped packaging, so piercing doesn't affect quality.
• Simple storage and loading: bales move quickly from one place to another, no precise rotation needed.
• Smaller budget and less hydraulics: doesn't need hydraulic gripping.

When should you consider a grapple?

• Wrapped silage bales: a hole in the wrap means air gets in and silage quality declines.
• The bale needs precise placement or turning: for example lining it up neatly in storage.

You'll find that solution in our tractor bale grapple article, which explains in more detail when a hydraulic grapple makes more sense than a spear.

What should you think about before buying?

• Spike strength and length: must withstand repeated lifting of the typical bale weight.
• Mount compatibility: the spear must match the tractor's front loader mount, see our tractor attachments.
• One or two spikes: a two-spike spear holds the bale more stable than a single central spike.

The same consideration applies to skid steers too - see the comparison in our bale spear vs bale grapple for a skid steer article.

We'll help you choose

Tell us what type of bales you handle and how often. We'll recommend whether a spear is enough, or a grapple is worth considering. Get in touch via our contact page.