Washington Farmer Designs 'Quadbaler' to Swath and Bale in One Pass

New attachment allows tractor to use draper header to swath and bale wheat stubble simultaneously on steep terrain.

Apr. 18, 2026 at 5:38am

An abstract, sweeping color photograph of a large agricultural tractor pulling a baler attachment, the vehicle reduced to vibrant streaks of motion that convey the speed and engineering challenges of steep terrain farming.Seney's custom 'Quadbaler' setup blends the power of a Quadtrac tractor with the efficiency of a draper header and square baler to tackle the steep slopes of his Washington farmland.Dayton Today

A Washington no-till farmer named Byron Seney has designed a custom attachment that allows him to use a 30-foot-wide MacDon draper header on the front of his Case IH Steiger 535 Quadtrac tractor to swath and bale wheat stubble in a single pass, even on the steep 20-30% slopes of his farmland. Seney has dubbed this setup the 'Quadbaler' and says it helps him quickly and efficiently remove residue after harvest to avoid interference with spring planting.

Why it matters

Seney farms on some of the steepest terrain in the world, making traditional swathing and baling methods difficult and inefficient. His custom 'Quadbaler' attachment allows him to tackle the challenging slopes while maximizing productivity during the busy harvest season.

The details

Seney's 'Quadbaler' setup uses a 30-foot-wide MacDon draper header attached to the front of his Case IH Steiger 535 Quadtrac tractor, which then pulls a New Holland BB960 3-by-4 square baler. He designed a custom lift attachment that looks like a 'hollow feeder house' to help the header and baler stay stable on the steep 20-30% slopes of his farmland. Seney says the tractor's Quadtrac design also helps it stay grounded on the hills, unlike smaller wheeled tractors that can get pulled around by the baler.

  • Seney farms winter wheat near Dayton, Washington.

The players

Byron Seney

A Washington no-till farmer who has designed a custom 'Quadbaler' attachment to swath and bale wheat stubble in a single pass on his steeply sloped farmland.

MacDon

The manufacturer of the 30-foot-wide draper header that Seney uses as part of his 'Quadbaler' setup.

Case IH

The manufacturer of the Steiger 535 Quadtrac tractor that Seney uses to pull the baler in his 'Quadbaler' system.

New Holland

The manufacturer of the BB960 3-by-4 square baler that Seney pulls behind his tractor as part of the 'Quadbaler' setup.

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What they’re saying

“This was a function of getting something that would stay on the hill and carry the load. Wheel tractors won't stay on the hills. With smaller tractors, the baler pulls the tractor around on the slopes.”

— Byron Seney, Farmer

“You can get a swather and use it on flatter ground, but it drives like a Bobcat loader and doesn't work on hills.”

— Byron Seney, Farmer

What’s next

Seney says he hasn't decided whether to go into production with his 'Quadbaler' design, but he continues to work with Case IH engineers to refine the setup.

The takeaway

Seney's custom 'Quadbaler' attachment demonstrates the innovative spirit of no-till farmers who must adapt equipment to tackle the unique challenges of their local terrain and maximize productivity during busy harvest seasons.