Most balers on the market are built for big operations — big tractors, big fields, big bales that need a tractor with a loader just to move. For a small farm running a handful of acres and a dozen head of cattle, that kind of equipment is overkill, and it prices a lot of small producers right out of owning their own baler. That’s the gap the Takakita RB511 is built to fill.
Sized for the Small Farm
The RB511 is a Japanese-built, commercial-grade mini round baler designed specifically for small to mid-size operations. Instead of a full-size tractor and a barn full of specialty attachments, it asks for a modest amount of horsepower and produces a bale one person can handle without help — small enough to load on an ATV or a utility trailer, big enough to actually feed a herd.
• Bale size: 20″ × 29″ (51 cm × 74 cm)
• Bale weight: 30–60 lbs
• Capacity: up to 100 bales per hour
• Required tractor power: 18–30 PTO HP @ 540 RPM
• Pickup width: 36 inches
• Machine weight: 850 lbs
• Mounting: 3-point hitch
• Hydraulics: self-contained (no rear remote valves needed)
• Twine: standard poly or organic twine, no proprietary supplies
What Sets It Apart
Where most round balers rely on rollers to form the bale, the RB511 uses a forming chain instead. That difference matters in real field conditions — it lets the machine handle grass, legumes, corn stalks, and other tougher or uneven material that can give roller-style balers trouble.
The self-contained hydraulic system is another feature small farm owners appreciate. Because the baler doesn’t depend on rear remote outlets, it works behind older or smaller tractors that were never built with modern hydraulic remotes in mind — which means more farmers can put a tractor they already own to work. An automatic chain lubrication system keeps the machine running smoothly without extra maintenance steps in the middle of a hot afternoon in the field.
The Bottom Line
At 18–30 horsepower and 850 pounds, the RB511 isn’t trying to be a full-size commercial baler — it’s trying to be the right baler for an operation that doesn’t need one. For the small farm owner who’s tired of waiting on a custom baler, or who’s outgrown borrowing a neighbor’s equipment, the RB511 is often the first real step toward putting up their own hay, on their own schedule, at their own quality standard.
Small Farm Innovations carries the RB511 along with the rest of the equipment needed to build a complete small-farm hay package — mowers, rakes, and accumulators included. Give the team a call to talk through whether the RB511 is the right fit for your acreage and herd.
