With cattle prices maintaining their strength and hay producers looking to maximize efficiency, the timing couldn’t be better to introduce the reengineered lineup of round balers designed to improve productivity and bale quality. Under cloudless Midwestern skies at the 2025 Farm Progress Show in Decatur, Ill., New Holland showcased its Roll-Belt 1 Series round balers to farmers.
The series includes three models — the 451, 461 and 561. The 451 and 461 models are positioned for standard dairy and livestock operations, while the 561 is classified as a “specialty crop plus” baler designed for more demanding applications including wet hay processing and cornstalks.
Technical improvements
A newly designed single-roller windguard now comes standard on all OverShot Feeder pickup models. The roller diameter has increased by 60% to 8.4 inches, which New Holland states improves crop compression and feeding.
The Roll-Belt 561 offers an optional dual-roller windguard system that pairs the 8.4-inch front roller with a 6-inch rear roller. These rollers can operate independently or be locked together depending on crop conditions.
“Both of those roles do float independently. So depending on your condition, you can unlock them or if you really want to compress that crop, maybe like a straw, you can tie them together,” explains Alex Berwager, livestock and dairy business manager for New Holland North America.
New Holland reports a 16% increase in feeding capacity for the 561 model when handling cornstalks, claiming an improvement from 43 to 50 tons per hour.
The series features several durability enhancements, including thicker, seamless bale-forming rolls.
Technology integration
The 2026 models mark the first time ISOBUS Class III connectivity comes standard across New Holland’s round baler lineup. Two monitor options are available:
IntelliView IV Plus with color touchscreen interface
IntelliView 12 with multi-touch capability and FieldOps platform integration
The Roll-Belt 561 introduces a weight monitoring system called ActiveWeigh, which uses load cells in the axles and front tongue to measure bale weight during formation. This system pairs with moisture sensing capability to provide data on each bale produced.
“As the bale is being built, we’re actively recording that weight. So you can see the weight grow with the bale,” Berwager says.
Avery Elsing of New Age Custom Farming, who tested the 561 model, noted the practical benefits of the weight monitoring system and cab integration: “I like the load scale on it that tells the bale’s weight and how easy it is to change the settings on the baler from the cab.”
Straw bales baled with the 561 on Elsing’s farm were on display at the New Holland booth alongside the baler during the farm show.
Data management
All models connect to New Holland’s FieldOps platform, which provides location tracking for bale drop points and data collection for bale characteristics like size, wraps, moisture and weight.
This integration allows operators to identify bales with specific characteristics, such as high moisture content, for appropriate handling. “You could then move all the high-moisture bales off to the side to let them cool before storage,” Berwager says.
All three models are scheduled to be available through New Holland dealers in late 2025. The Roll-Belt 561, with its specialty crop capabilities and advanced features, carries a list price of $96,000.