5 Best Double Hay Spears For Reducing Waste

You’ve spent all season making good hay, only to watch a poorly-secured round bale tear apart as you try to move it. Spun hay unrolls across the muddy ground, and a chunk of your hard work is now destined to become bedding, not feed. A single hay spear often feels like trying to carry a watermelon on a knitting needle—it’s a recipe for frustration and waste. Choosing the right double hay spear isn’t about fancy equipment; it’s about respecting your own labor and your animals’ feed.

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Why Double Spears Stabilize Bales, Cut Waste

A single spear creates a pivot point. No matter how perfectly you center it, the bale wants to spin, especially if it’s not perfectly dense or balanced. This spinning is what tears the net wrap or twine, leading to that cascading failure where the outer layers just peel away.

A double spear changes the physics entirely. By creating two points of contact, it builds a stable platform. The bale can’t rotate. This gives you immense control when lifting, transporting, and especially when stacking bales or placing them precisely into a ring feeder.

That stability directly translates to less waste. Bales don’t get torn open during transport, so you aren’t leaving a trail of valuable forage from the field to the barn. When you can place a bale gently and accurately without it flopping around, you preserve its integrity right up until the livestock start eating.

Key Factors: Tine Length and Spear Capacity

Choosing a spear isn’t just about finding one that fits your tractor. The length of the tines—the spears themselves—is critical. For dense 4×5 or 5×5 bales, you need longer tines (typically 43" or 49") to penetrate deep enough to support the core weight. Using tines that are too short is like trying to lift a heavy box from the very edge; the bale will sag, tear, and likely fall.

Conversely, for smaller 4×4 bales, excessively long tines can be a liability. They can poke all the way through, creating a hazard on the other side. Match the tine length to the diameter of your most common bale size for the best balance of support and safety.

Capacity is the other half of the equation. Don’t just match the spear’s capacity to your tractor’s lift capacity; match it to your heaviest bales. A wet bale of haylage can weigh significantly more than a dry bale of grass hay. A spear rated for 3,000 lbs provides a safety margin that a 2,000 lb spear just doesn’t have, preventing bent tines and catastrophic failures. Always check that the frame and the individual tines are rated for the work you plan to do.

Titan Attachments 49" Double Hay Spear Review

For many hobby farmers, the Titan double spear is the entry point into efficient bale moving. It’s widely available online, straightforward, and priced to be accessible. You’re getting a tool that does the job without the premium price tag of some other brands.

The common 49" model with a universal skid steer quick attach (SSQA) mount is a workhorse. It typically boasts a 3,000 lb capacity, which is more than enough for most round bales a hobby farmer will handle. The forged, heat-treated spears are strong and reliable for piercing dense bales without bending.

The tradeoff for the attractive price is sometimes in the details. The welds might be functional rather than beautiful, and the paint may not be as durable as on higher-end models. But for someone moving a few dozen bales a season, it represents a massive upgrade over a single spear or wrestling with pallet forks. It’s a practical tool that solves a real problem, and that’s what matters most.

Worksaver SS-260: A Heavy-Duty 3-Point Option

Not everyone has a front-end loader, but most of us have a 3-point hitch. The Worksaver SS-260 is a fantastic rear-mounted solution. This isn’t a flimsy, lightweight implement; Worksaver has a reputation for building tough, and this spear is no exception.

This spear is ideal for moving bales from a storage line to a feeder out in the pasture. Because it’s on the rear, it puts the weight over the tractor’s drive wheels, which can be a huge advantage for traction in slick conditions. It’s a simple, robust design that’s easy to hook up and use.

The primary limitation is stacking. You can’t lift a bale high into the air to stack a second or third layer in the barn. This is purely a transport tool. But for those who store their hay in single-level rows and just need a reliable way to get bales from point A to point B, a heavy-duty 3-point spear like this is an invaluable, and often safer, alternative to a front-mounted spear on a small tractor.

CountyLine Double Spear for Sub-Compact Tractors

If you’re running a sub-compact tractor, you know that weight and lift capacity are everything. The CountyLine double spear, often found at Tractor Supply, is built specifically for this class of machine. It’s lighter, more compact, and has a lower capacity that’s matched to what these smaller tractors can safely handle.

This is a feature, not a flaw. Trying to use a heavy-duty spear designed for a 75hp tractor on a 25hp machine is asking for trouble. It puts too much weight out front before you even lift a bale, compromising stability and steering. The CountyLine spear is properly scaled, allowing you to move 4×4 or lighter 4×5 bales without overloading your tractor’s hydraulics or front axle.

It typically comes with a universal skid steer mount, but adapters for John Deere or other proprietary loader mounts are often available. It’s a no-nonsense, accessible option that empowers smaller tractors to do real work, saving your back and reducing the waste that comes from struggling with ill-suited equipment.

EA Patriot Series Dual Spear for Skid Steers

When you move a lot of hay, the small details on an implement start to matter. The Patriot Series from Everything Attachments (EA) is a step up in design and construction. This is for the farmer who values a "buy it once, cry once" approach to their tools.

The build quality is immediately apparent. You’ll notice cleaner welds, a more robust frame design, and often a powder-coat finish that stands up better to the elements. The frame is often designed to provide better visibility of the spear tips from the operator’s seat, which makes precisely piercing a bale much easier and faster.

While designed for skid steers, the universal SSQA plate means it fits a huge number of modern compact tractors. It’s a premium piece of equipment with a price to match, but the investment pays off in durability and ease of use. If your hay spear is one of your most-used attachments, the quality-of-life improvements offered by a well-engineered tool like this are worth considering.

Homestead Implements Pinnacle Double Spear System

Homestead Implements is another name that stands for quality, American-made attachments. Their Pinnacle series spear is a direct competitor to other premium brands and offers a fantastic option for those looking for long-term durability.

What often sets these higher-end spears apart is the quality of the steel in both the frame and the tines. The Pinnacle spear uses high-strength steel and top-tier, replaceable spears, ensuring that if you do manage to damage a tine, it’s a simple fix rather than a major repair. The focus is on creating a rigid frame that won’t flex or fail under the dynamic loads of bouncing across a rough pasture.

Like other premium options, this is an investment. But when you consider that a failed spear can mean a dropped bale, a damaged tractor, or worse, the value of a well-built tool becomes clear. For the serious hobby farmer who depends on their equipment day in and day out, the Pinnacle spear provides peace of mind and reliable performance.

Proper Spear Usage for Maximum Bale Integrity

Having a great tool is only half the battle; using it correctly is what truly prevents waste. Always aim to pierce the bale in the lower-middle third of its face. Going too low can cause the bale to tear out at the bottom, while going too high makes the load top-heavy and unstable.

Think of the bale’s core as its spine. You want to drive the spears straight into the center, perpendicular to the flat face of the bale. This ensures you are lifting from the densest, strongest part of the bale. A centered, deep penetration gives the spears the best possible grip and support.

Once the spears are fully inserted, tilt your loader back slightly. This small movement seats the bale securely against the vertical frame of the spear attachment. This simple action prevents the bale from shifting or bouncing during transport, which is a primary cause of tearing and hay loss, especially when moving at speed over uneven ground.

A double hay spear isn’t a luxury; it’s a foundational tool for making your hay operation more efficient and less wasteful. It protects the investment of time and money you’ve put into every single bale. By matching the right spear to your tractor and your bales, you’ll spend far less time dealing with the frustration of damaged feed and more time focusing on the parts of farming you actually enjoy.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is a double hay spear and how does it reduce feed waste?

A double hay spear is a tractor or skid steer attachment with two parallel forged tines designed to pierce and stabilize baled forage. By distributing bale weight across two points instead of one, the attachment prevents round and square bales from rolling, twisting, or breaking strings during transport. This balance keeps the bale core compressed and eliminates loose hay shedding on pasture trails, saving up to 10 percent of feed per move.

What does the tapered design of double hay spear tines do?

Tapered tines on a double hay spear allow smooth entry into dense bales and provide clean release when setting the bale down. Most forged tines, like Conus 2 steel spikes, taper from a 1.75-inch base down to a sharp point. This profile lets the loader pull away cleanly without dragging chunks of forage or tearing net wrap, preventing messy piles around feeders.

How do you spear a round bale using a double hay spear without damaging it?

Drive the double hay spear directly into the flat end of the bale roughly one-third of the way up from the bottom. Level the loader tilt so both tines enter perpendicular to the bale face at the same time. Push the tines fully through the dense center, tilt the mast back slightly to shift weight to the tractor, and lift smoothly to transport without ripping outer layers.

How do I install a double hay spear on a skid steer quick attach plate?

Mount the double hay spear by driving your skid steer carrier plate into the spear frame top lip, lifting slightly, and latching the lower pins. Step out of the cab to verify that both locking levers are fully seated through the bottom mounting slots. Before lifting heavy bales, raise the empty attachment 2 feet and tilt down firmly against the ground to confirm mechanical engagement.

Double hay spear vs single hay spear which is better for moving large round bales?

Double hay spears are better than single hay spears because two tines prevent round bales from spinning, sagging, and tearing net wrap during transit. Single spears rely on smaller stabilizing spikes that often bend or slip in wet or loose bales, dropping loose forage across travel paths. In contrast, dual 49-inch main spears support 3,000-pound loads evenly, preserving bale integrity over rough terrain.

How much lift capacity is needed for a double hay spear on a tractor loader?

Tractor loaders require at least 2,500 to 3,500 pounds of rated lift capacity to safely carry a double hay spear loaded with two standard round bales. An average 5×6 round bale weighs 1,200 to 1,800 pounds, and a heavy-duty steel frame adds another 150 to 250 pounds. Always calculate front axle weight limits and add 1,000 pounds of counterweight to the three-point hitch to prevent loader tip-over.

Why do round bales sag and drop loose hay when lifted with a double hay spear?

Bales sag and drop loose hay when the double hay spear tines are spaced too far apart or inserted too high above the bale center. If tines are set wider than 36 inches on a standard round bale, they cut through the soft outer shell instead of supporting the dense core. Adjust tine spacing to roughly 28 to 32 inches and aim directly below bale center for maximum structural support.

Is a double hay spear safe to use on a compact tractor under 40 horsepower?

Compact tractors under 40 horsepower can safely operate a double hay spear only when lifting one bale at a time within loader limits. Most sub-40-hp tractors feature loader lift capacities between 1,000 and 1,800 pounds, which is insufficient for two full-sized round bales. Operators should use lightweight frames under 120 pounds and mount a heavy ballast box on the rear hitch to maintain steering control.