Michael John O’Sullivan is a second-generation agricultural contractor who has built his business largely around the making and drawing of round bales.
With his family in the round baling business since 1984, Michael John bought a McHale wrapper in 1989 just after he finished his Leaving Cert.
Currently, his fleet includes three fresh McHale Fusion 3 Plus combination balers clocking up in excess of 40,000 bales each year. 
Michael John runs three Claas Liner 2700 twin rotor rakes.
A lifetime of baling
It was his father, Michael senior, who bought the family’s first baler in 1984. This was a used John Deere 410 variable chamber belt baler which was imported from England.
At the time, Michael explained that it was a huge change of mindset for farmers to move from making square bales of hay to round bales of silage.
He added that for a while, farmers would only wrap the bales if the weather didn’t allow them to make hay.
Three years later, the original John Deere baler was traded for a Welger RP12 fixed-chamber baler.
Michael John bought his first McHale machine in 1989 just after he finished his Leaving Cert. This was a Silomac 991.
“Although McHale were a company in their infancy at the time, they knew their opposition’s weaknesses. They got their wrapper design spot on.
“The big advantage McHale had was their cut-and-tie system. It was a very simple, fixable machine that worked very well,” explained Michael John.
At the time, the O’Sullivan family were looking after the full job including the stacking of the bales which wasn’t common practise. This was carried out using a Massey Ferguson 50B backhoe loader and a Brown’s (English-built) trunk-type stacker.
By the early 1990s, the O’Sullivans could see a good future in round bale silage. A new Welger RP200 twine baler was purchased in 1992, with a subsequent new net version purchased in 1993.
Michael John added that the move to netting vastly increased output. Although the brands remained the same, the balers and wrappers were often updated over the years. However, it was in 1999 that the family made the move to a John Deere 575 fixed-chamber baler.
“The Deere baler at the time was a step ahead of the Welger. It had a reversible rotor to clear blockages, a better pickup and a better netting system. From 1999 to 2002, we bought two new balers each year.
“By then, John Deere had moved to the 578. This was a step backwards in my opinion. It gave us countless bearing and switch gear trouble,” explained Michael John.
In 2003, Michael John bought a new McHale Fusion 1 and a new F550 fixed chamber baler.
The move to McHale
In 2003, Michael John bought a new McHale Fusion 1 and a new F550 fixed-chamber baler.
“The Fusion was a game changer. It was a really well built simple machine which did exactly what it was marketed to do. It had some minor flaws, such as difficulties in baling straw, but it was really ahead of its time. My main baling man Donal Clancy put 22,000 bales on the new Fusion 1 that year.
“We could see the labour saving straight away and we let the single baler and wrapper go in 2005 when we bought our second new Fusion. In 2008, we made the move to a third Fusion and have maintained three combi baler fleet ever since.
“The Fusion 2s were an even better machine and came with an improved netting system and a modified bale transfer system. This meant it could bale straw at its ease, which was a massive step up.
“The only weakness I could ever see with the Fusion 2s was the pickup. We ran three Fusion 2s for a long time and sold our last one with 128,000 bales on the clock. They served us very well.
"We ran three Fusion 2’s for a long time and sold our last one with 128,000 bales on the clock. They served us very well”.
“We first moved to the Fusion 3s in 2015 when we bought two new ones, followed by another new one in 2017. Some of the early Fusion 3s gave us some small electrical issues we hadn’t seen before.
“I still felt the pickup was the weakest link, but this has all changed with our three latest balers (2x2019 and 1x2020), which all feature camless pickups. This is a major step forward for the Fusions. The camless pickup is far superior to the cam track pickup.
“We clocked over 20,000 bales on our new baler last year and only broke three tines. I think they are the only way to go.
“In fairness to McHale, I can’t pick any fault whatsoever with its latest Fusion 3 machines. They have been bulletproof for us.”
Other brands
“We have tried other brands over the years. Last year alone, we tried both Pöttinger and Goweil combination balers.
“I loved the knife system on the Pöttinger and the military build quality and achievable forward speed with the Goweil. However, I came to the conclusion that the Fusions I had in the yard were superior machines, so I can’t see myself changing brands anytime soon.”
With so much experience of operating McHale Fusions, we asked Michael John where did he think the Mayo manufacturer could possibly improve the existing machine.
He explained: “I think the addition of two more film dispensers on the wrapping unit is the next step to try and further increase machine output.
“From an operator point of view, I’d like to see the pickup guide wheel move to be controlled from the cab rather than manually, perhaps by using electric rams.
“I think the crossbar and steel pipes over the pickup should be repositioned and the oil reservoir made larger. However, that’s only minor stuff. In fairness to McHale, I have to say they hit the nail on the head with the current Fusion range.” 
Today, Michael John runs four Herron bale trailers to shift bales from field to farm.
Bale transport
Michael John transports and stacks the majority of the bales he makes and has provided this service since the beginning.
As previously mentioned, this started using a Massey Ferguson 50B backhoe loader and a Browns trunk-type stacker, which was used to load a John Deere 2130 and bale trailer.
The 50B was upgraded for a Cat backhoe loader before a John Deere 6400 took over the reins.
Today, Michael John runs four Herron bale trailers to shift bales.
He explained: “Every job is different and different methods will suit different contractors. Over the years, we have tried almost every possible way of transporting bales and ended up going back to the way we started.
“Trailers and/or tractors with double bale handlers on the rear and front-end loaders have worked best for us. We have tried bale chasers, but we draw a lot of bales in winter and felt that trailers are the best all-rounder for our system.”
Alongside the trailers, Michael John has equipped three of his loader tractors with JM Agri Design TR-3 elephant trunk bale handlers.
He is a fan of the concept, as he says it is in contact with the bale in one central point instead of the two sides.
This means when you’re loading or unloading trailers, there’s no risk of damaging other bales.
He added: “When stacking in tight yards, you can start to turn the tractor and loader as soon as the bale is released, whereas with a bale squeeze, you need to be fully backed out of the bale before turning or you’ll burst it.” 
Tractors: Fendt 716; five John Deeres (6430, 6150R, 6155R, 6175R, 6195M); Claas Ares 836; Renault Ares 836RZ.
Equipment: Three McHale Fusion 3 Plus combi machines; two John Deere 630 trailed mowers; Samasz front- and rear-mounted conditioner combination mowers; a Pöttinger 10-rotor 10.11T trailed tedder; a Samasz six-rotor mounted tedder; three Claas 2700 liner twin rotor rakes and four Herron bale trailers.
Fusion 3 Plus likes
Reliability.New monitor setup.Camless pickup.Build quality.Dislikes
Can’t see bale from the cab when wrapping.Crossbar and pipes over the pickup should be relocated.Film-on-film system.
Michael John O’Sullivan is a second-generation agricultural contractor who has built his business largely around the making and drawing of round bales.
With his family in the round baling business since 1984, Michael John bought a McHale wrapper in 1989 just after he finished his Leaving Cert.
Currently, his fleet includes three fresh McHale Fusion 3 Plus combination balers clocking up in excess of 40,000 bales each year.
Michael John runs three Claas Liner 2700 twin rotor rakes.
A lifetime of baling
It was his father, Michael senior, who bought the family’s first baler in 1984. This was a used John Deere 410 variable chamber belt baler which was imported from England.
At the time, Michael explained that it was a huge change of mindset for farmers to move from making square bales of hay to round bales of silage.
He added that for a while, farmers would only wrap the bales if the weather didn’t allow them to make hay.
Three years later, the original John Deere baler was traded for a Welger RP12 fixed-chamber baler.
Michael John bought his first McHale machine in 1989 just after he finished his Leaving Cert. This was a Silomac 991.
“Although McHale were a company in their infancy at the time, they knew their opposition’s weaknesses. They got their wrapper design spot on.
“The big advantage McHale had was their cut-and-tie system. It was a very simple, fixable machine that worked very well,” explained Michael John.
At the time, the O’Sullivan family were looking after the full job including the stacking of the bales which wasn’t common practise. This was carried out using a Massey Ferguson 50B backhoe loader and a Brown’s (English-built) trunk-type stacker.
By the early 1990s, the O’Sullivans could see a good future in round bale silage. A new Welger RP200 twine baler was purchased in 1992, with a subsequent new net version purchased in 1993.
Michael John added that the move to netting vastly increased output. Although the brands remained the same, the balers and wrappers were often updated over the years. However, it was in 1999 that the family made the move to a John Deere 575 fixed-chamber baler.
“The Deere baler at the time was a step ahead of the Welger. It had a reversible rotor to clear blockages, a better pickup and a better netting system. From 1999 to 2002, we bought two new balers each year.
“By then, John Deere had moved to the 578. This was a step backwards in my opinion. It gave us countless bearing and switch gear trouble,” explained Michael John.
In 2003, Michael John bought a new McHale Fusion 1 and a new F550 fixed chamber baler.
The move to McHale
In 2003, Michael John bought a new McHale Fusion 1 and a new F550 fixed-chamber baler.
“The Fusion was a game changer. It was a really well built simple machine which did exactly what it was marketed to do. It had some minor flaws, such as difficulties in baling straw, but it was really ahead of its time. My main baling man Donal Clancy put 22,000 bales on the new Fusion 1 that year.
“We could see the labour saving straight away and we let the single baler and wrapper go in 2005 when we bought our second new Fusion. In 2008, we made the move to a third Fusion and have maintained three combi baler fleet ever since.
“The Fusion 2s were an even better machine and came with an improved netting system and a modified bale transfer system. This meant it could bale straw at its ease, which was a massive step up.
“The only weakness I could ever see with the Fusion 2s was the pickup. We ran three Fusion 2s for a long time and sold our last one with 128,000 bales on the clock. They served us very well.
"We ran three Fusion 2’s for a long time and sold our last one with 128,000 bales on the clock. They served us very well”.
“We first moved to the Fusion 3s in 2015 when we bought two new ones, followed by another new one in 2017. Some of the early Fusion 3s gave us some small electrical issues we hadn’t seen before.
“I still felt the pickup was the weakest link, but this has all changed with our three latest balers (2x2019 and 1x2020), which all feature camless pickups. This is a major step forward for the Fusions. The camless pickup is far superior to the cam track pickup.
“We clocked over 20,000 bales on our new baler last year and only broke three tines. I think they are the only way to go.
“In fairness to McHale, I can’t pick any fault whatsoever with its latest Fusion 3 machines. They have been bulletproof for us.”
Other brands
“We have tried other brands over the years. Last year alone, we tried both Pöttinger and Goweil combination balers.
“I loved the knife system on the Pöttinger and the military build quality and achievable forward speed with the Goweil. However, I came to the conclusion that the Fusions I had in the yard were superior machines, so I can’t see myself changing brands anytime soon.”
With so much experience of operating McHale Fusions, we asked Michael John where did he think the Mayo manufacturer could possibly improve the existing machine.
He explained: “I think the addition of two more film dispensers on the wrapping unit is the next step to try and further increase machine output.
“From an operator point of view, I’d like to see the pickup guide wheel move to be controlled from the cab rather than manually, perhaps by using electric rams.
“I think the crossbar and steel pipes over the pickup should be repositioned and the oil reservoir made larger. However, that’s only minor stuff. In fairness to McHale, I have to say they hit the nail on the head with the current Fusion range.”
Today, Michael John runs four Herron bale trailers to shift bales from field to farm.
Bale transport
Michael John transports and stacks the majority of the bales he makes and has provided this service since the beginning.
As previously mentioned, this started using a Massey Ferguson 50B backhoe loader and a Browns trunk-type stacker, which was used to load a John Deere 2130 and bale trailer.
The 50B was upgraded for a Cat backhoe loader before a John Deere 6400 took over the reins.
Today, Michael John runs four Herron bale trailers to shift bales.
He explained: “Every job is different and different methods will suit different contractors. Over the years, we have tried almost every possible way of transporting bales and ended up going back to the way we started.
“Trailers and/or tractors with double bale handlers on the rear and front-end loaders have worked best for us. We have tried bale chasers, but we draw a lot of bales in winter and felt that trailers are the best all-rounder for our system.”
Alongside the trailers, Michael John has equipped three of his loader tractors with JM Agri Design TR-3 elephant trunk bale handlers.
He is a fan of the concept, as he says it is in contact with the bale in one central point instead of the two sides.
This means when you’re loading or unloading trailers, there’s no risk of damaging other bales.
He added: “When stacking in tight yards, you can start to turn the tractor and loader as soon as the bale is released, whereas with a bale squeeze, you need to be fully backed out of the bale before turning or you’ll burst it.”
Tractors: Fendt 716; five John Deeres (6430, 6150R, 6155R, 6175R, 6195M); Claas Ares 836; Renault Ares 836RZ.
Equipment: Three McHale Fusion 3 Plus combi machines; two John Deere 630 trailed mowers; Samasz front- and rear-mounted conditioner combination mowers; a Pöttinger 10-rotor 10.11T trailed tedder; a Samasz six-rotor mounted tedder; three Claas 2700 liner twin rotor rakes and four Herron bale trailers.
Fusion 3 Plus likes
Reliability.New monitor setup.Camless pickup.Build quality.Dislikes
Can’t see bale from the cab when wrapping.Crossbar and pipes over the pickup should be relocated.Film-on-film system.
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