Tractor Sizing What is the right size for 50 acres?

[ToadHill]

My place is 87 acres and I do everything I need with a Ford 8N and a Kioti DK35. I have about 20 acres of hay but my neighbor bales it. I used to have a MF85 to run the baler but the smaller tractors could do everything else. I figured why feed a elephant when a horse can do the work.

 

[Soundguy]

What happens when your neighbors 'elephant' is busy, and your 'horse' ain't up to the 'elephant' sized taske you need it for? Then you 'feed' the elephant.

soundguy

 

[Mickey_Fx]

From the sound of it, it sounds like you have 30A that could be worked on a reg basis. Eddie has give some real good things to think about.

Several others have suggested something in the 50+ HP range. My personal thought is 50 HP could most likely get it all done for 30A spread.

Many yrs ago I had a small haying business and had a 50HP MF165D, used a mower conditioner and sq bailer. Typ field yieded 4T/A and never felt I was underpowered. At that time had a friend and he and his brothers farmed about 100A, hay, grain, sweet corn and all the tractor work was done with a pair of 50HP tractors. They did all their own work and had harvesting equip to handle those chores. Don't think they ever felt their tractors weren't up to the tasks.

I would ask around your locale and see what the experienced farmer has to say about tractor size really needed to get the job done in your area.

Oh, I'd not be too worried about starting out with used equip IF it is in good condition. Bought my MF used and only thing ever needed or done to it was to replace the PTO oil seal. Same kind of experience with my current Yanmar. 20 yrs old, never had a problem and never give thought whether it isn't going to get the next job done.

 

[ToadHill]

If the neighbors elephant is busy it's probably busy cutting my hay, he has 15 acres and boards horses. My hay is what he feeds them.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Currently I have 45 acres. I take care of it with a 47hp 2wd tractor. More'n enough.... For 35+ years, I farmed from 190 to 225 acres with 60hp 2wd as the biggest tractor on the place most of those years. More'n enough.... No reason to get caught up in a testosterone driven MORE POWER frenzy. That can be a waste of resources AND still not get the job done right.

Remember, with higher HP, your implement cost goes up accordingly.

My suggestion for 50 acres? 50 to 60 HP, 2wd OR 4wd. Anything beyond that is over-kill.

You can find jobs for more HP than you really need, but bigger has it's liabilities also. (ie Less manueverability, higher fuel usage, higher initial cost, higher impliment cost/lack of availability of impliments for "small jobs", ect)

Too small is too small. Too big is too big. Either are OK if you have 2nd or 3rd tractors to fill in the gaps. Wanting ONE tractor? Get something "middle of the road" in regards to physical size and HP.

 

[greggh]

With most utility tractors that have category II. You can utilize category I or II implements. If you buy a CUT you only have the option of category I. This makes the utility tractor a little more versatile in the use of implements.

Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[MODiesel]

...but bigger has it's liabilities also. (ie Less manueverability, higher fuel usage...

That's a good point. I've bumped up three times as the amount of property we own has expanded. I've gone from 29HP, to 40HP, and now to 50HP. Puttering around, there's not a huge amount of difference in fuel usage. But running at PTO RPM, the 50HP sucks noticeably more fuel than the 40HP tractor and about twice as much as the lil' 29HP unit. Granted, I can now run a larger mower, or mow a bit quicker, so there are some efficiency gains. But with $4+ fuel, every little bit starts to add up.

 

[Soundguy]

That's a good point. I've bumped up three times as the amount of property we own has expanded. I've gone from 29HP, to 40HP, and now to 50HP. Puttering around, there's not a huge amount of difference in fuel usage. But running at PTO RPM, the 50HP sucks noticeably more fuel than the 40HP tractor and about twice as much as the lil' 29HP unit. Granted, I can now run a larger mower, or mow a bit quicker, so there are some efficiency gains. But with $4+ fuel, every little bit starts to add up.

I'd wager it is a tad easier all around to run a bigger mower on a bigger tractor, vs running a smaller mower and smaller tractor when you look at fuel and time resources.

Sure.. a 25hp tractor may use half the fuel of a 50, run a half or smaller mower, and take 2x or more time to mow.

That's when you need to find out what your time resource is worth, as fuel will be essential equal for most well maintained units when you look at gallon per hp-hour. ( there are exceptions to this.. some units are known to be fuel misers.. and some are gasguzzlers.. )

soundguy

 

[Farmwithjunk]

I'd wager it is a tad easier all around to run a bigger mower on a bigger tractor, vs running a smaller mower and smaller tractor when you look at fuel and time resources.

Sure.. a 25hp tractor may use half the fuel of a 50, run a half or smaller mower, and take 2x or more time to mow.

That's when you need to find out what your time resource is worth, as fuel will be essential equal for most well maintained units when you look at gallon per hp-hour. ( there are exceptions to this.. some units are known to be fuel misers.. and some are gasguzzlers.. )

soundguy

I've NEVER found bigger tractors to be as efficient with fuel as a smaller one when put to the test. (per acre, per hp/hr, ect) BTDT. Am there now and still DOING that. You will save some time (in some situations) with a bigger tractor/mower. In some situations, having a bigger tractor and mower will COST you time. (ie wooded ground, need to move equipment from place to place, small fields, ect) The trick is to get one that's the RIGHT size for the majority of one's needs.

"Big" tractors don't lend themselves to general "around the barnyard" utility work quite like a medium sized utility tractor will. It sure isn't very practical to have a 100 hp tractor (and the matching implement) to till the garden, or to build a fence.

I've got tractors now of 47 hp, 60 hp, two of 80 hp, and one 95 hp. In ALMOST every "chore" job I have, I grab the 47 hp tractor first. Mid-sized is just handier. If a person is to own ONE tractor, I'd make certain it's the "handiest" I could get.

 

[putt_putt_green]

2 tractors

A used cheap 50+ HP 2 wheel drive tractor for haying.
A 30HP CUT for doing everything else (it'll be better in the woods).