compact utility or utility tractor

[Robert_in_NY]

a lot more then the L4610. I don't know the exact figure but it should be between 6500 and 7000 lbs

[MikePA]

<font color=blue>So what's a 5520 weigh?</font color=blue>

2WD 5730 lbs, 6630 lbs with cab
MFWD 6140 lbs, 7040 lbs with cab

[rf33]

Hayden, I think that most square balers weigh in at around 3000 to 3500 lbs, so I think that you are probably in the ballpark of how large a tractor is required. I really think that Doc has hit it on the head when he said that it is just a matter of safety and of wear on the tractor. The weight and HP requirements of a baler are pretty high, so to be safe, a larger tractor is often better. I think that you could certainly square bale with your tractor, perhaps the MoCo is out, but you could certainly cut it with a disc cutter or sicklebar, and then rake it into rows. You might want to consider working with someone local who does custom baling and you could cut and rake and let him bale, just to get the feel for how things work. Haying equipment is also pretty darn expensive to buy and maintain for cutting only 25 acres too, so you might also want to check out the economics of it. You might just want to talk to some local custom hay balers, and see about cutting the hay on shares. Most balers around here will do it, and if you were to cut and rake it, the share they would take to bale it would probably only be about 1/4 of your hay.

Having said that, if you really want to do it yourself, you might try to find out if any other people in your area have similar haying needs, and try to do either baling for them with your equipment or to do some type of a cooperative purchase.

p.s. I think that with my loaded tires and the loader on the front (which I never take off) my 5520 weighs in at around 8000 lbs. My comment was not meant to offend anyone about their tractor not being capable, just trying to impress upon people that the demands of running haying equipment on a tractor are pretty high, and that there really is a good reason that the hay farmers do not bale with 20-50HP tractors. Believe me, if a $35,000 tractor worked just as well as the $60,000 tractors they use, I bet most of them would be using the cheaper ones. The primary reason they use these larger Ag tractors is that it is safer, and the smaller tractors will just not hold up to the heavy demands that the haying equipment requires. (Also gives them something to show off at the feed store[img]/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif[/img]) Perhaps if you have a chance, you could arrange to take your tractor to a dealer, and try out running a square baler behind, and see what you think. It all depends on your level of comfort, and how you feel it might affect the longevity of your tractor.

I hope not to deter you from wanting to cut and bale hay, but rather to make sure that everyone stays safe and that both you and your tractor are around a good long while.

[DocHeb]

Haying is way out of my area of experience. Would smaller hayfields and smaller tractors work with <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.agriquip.com/star/>Smaller Hay Equipment</A>?

[rockyridgefarm]

Those are definately within the CUT HP range. But around here, I can buy a lot of bales for what ANY equipment might cost. But then again, last year, I almost couldn;t buy them for any price...

[rf33]

I have no experience with this smaller equipment, but it certainly stands to reason that it would work. I think that their specs can be again a little misleading. They show square balers to only require 15HP, which is I am sure true, but they weigh 1500lbs. Try taking a 1500 lb trailer and pulling it behind a 15HP tractor on hilly terrain, and I think you will get the idea that you need a bigger tractor than 15HP. These look pretty neat. A few possible downsides might be
1. A limited dealer network might mean difficulty finding service / parts
2. Unusual bale sizes might be harder to sell
3. Low production volume might mean higher costs

and some pro's
1. More seat time
2. Satisfaction of "do it yourself"
3. Better timing of grass for small pastures (many times a custom operator is too busy with his big customers and the smaller ones don't get the best cuttings
4. See #1 above

Tough choices.....

[Anonymous Poster]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I will not try to bail with a compact utility tractor, I'm just wondering how much I will regret it it I start out with a 5420/5520 instead of a CUT. I don't plan on clearing land per se with it, but I will be doing a lot of box blading behind a dozer. I probally will clear trails with it though.

FWIW, JD's smallest round bailer is rated at 45 hp, and it goes up gradually from there. I want 10 more hp than required, at a minimum. I'll have to look at MoCo, I didn't think they were as demanding as bailers.

[cowboydoc]

Jeb,
The moco or haybine will be more demanding than the baler for sure.

[cowboydoc]

I just looked and the smallest moco that JD makes, the 916, requires a minimum of 55 - 75 hp. It goes up from there as you get into the bigger models.

[Woodbeef]

Yep, the mower/conditioner will throw a lighter tractor around quite a bit,even a 7' one.