Mower needed for heavy hay and light brush

   / Mower needed for heavy hay and light brush #1  

arksdad

Bronze Member
Joined
Aug 14, 2009
Messages
56
Location
PA
Tractor
IH656 - NH T2310 - Country Clipper 60" ZTR
I need a mower to use on CREP land. Heavy, matted hay that only gets mowed every two or three years. Some of which has a lot of multi-flower rose. HP is not an issue. Thinking something at least 7 or 8 ft wide. Thinking 3pt disc mower, flail, or pull type rotary cutter. I have a 3pt 6ft rotary mower now. The problem I have with it is it doesn't do a very good job picking up material the tractor runs over. End up with a lot of junk sticking up after mowing is done.
 
   / Mower needed for heavy hay and light brush #2  
A flail would work, but your ground speed might be too slow for your liking.
An outboard mower like a sicklebar, disc mower or drum mower would minimize the problem you have with lodged hay. However, sicklebars have clogging problems in heavy matted hay.
Disc mowers would allow you to work at high ground speed, but these mowers are pricey.
I'd go with a 5 or 6 ft wide drum mower ($3-4K new) for a speedy solution to your problem.
You might be tempted to mow the CREP land more frequently with a drum mower since these mowers can handle high ground speed mowing.

Good luck.
 
   / Mower needed for heavy hay and light brush #3  
I need a mower to use on CREP land. Heavy, matted hay that only gets mowed every two or three years. Some of which has a lot of multi-flower rose. HP is not an issue. Thinking something at least 7 or 8 ft wide. Thinking 3pt disc mower, flail, or pull type rotary cutter. I have a 3pt 6ft rotary mower now. The problem I have with it is it doesn't do a very good job picking up material the tractor runs over. End up with a lot of junk sticking up after mowing is done.



About your CREP land,

You should visit www.tractorhouse.com as a new or used flail shredder
used for heavy stubble is just what you should buy.
 
   / Mower needed for heavy hay and light brush
  • Thread Starter
#4  
Thanks for the reply. You're not allowed to mow CREP ground more frequently. As for drum mowers, Don't they have a tendency to windrow the hay, rather than lay it in a wide swath?
 
   / Mower needed for heavy hay and light brush #5  
Thanks for the reply.

You're not allowed to mow CREP ground more frequently.
As for drum mowers, don't they have a tendency to
windrow the hay, rather than lay it in a wide swath?



I do not believe they do as the cut rows still need to be
windrowed/piled up for harvest and drying.



I would purchase a good used flail shredder chopper if you
have the horsepower or a good used flail mower with
a finish mower rotor which has 4 rows of side slicer knives.
 
   / Mower needed for heavy hay and light brush #6  
You need a flail mower, as already suggested. You said that HP does not matter. Well it does. You can get a flail mower that needs 40 HP, or you can get one that needs 120+ HP, so how much HP does your tractor have?

I use a flail mower for cutting heavy grass and rushes. The cutting width is just under 8 foot and the tractor handles it fine, except for the really thick rushes. I need to lift it a bit and then go over again. Mine also has a hydraulic offset, which comes in very handy to get close to fences.

With enough power a flail mower can cut really low. You can get light duty and heavy duty ones.

IMG_1017_zps8f76435f.jpg

IMG_0982_zpsb81922b9.jpg

The pictures don't show it very well, but these are very thick rushes

IMG_0965_zpseb7ce1cc.jpg

This is brambles and all other kinds of weeds

IMG_1018_zps775d2462.jpg

And then

IMG_1020_zps50e7cddc.jpg
 
   / Mower needed for heavy hay and light brush #7  
I would use a sickle bar mower and set it as high as you can. It will cut those saplings and other brush stuff and look much better than a rotary or some other mower that you drive over the plants first.

The advantages to the sickle bar are: 1) Low Cost, 2) Fast mowing (although not as fast as a disc mower), 3) lays it flat and evenly, 4) low horsepower or fuel consumption, and 5) you don't drive over it first.
 
   / Mower needed for heavy hay and light brush
  • Thread Starter
#9  
65 PTO HP
 
   / Mower needed for heavy hay and light brush #10  
 
 
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