advice needed for purchase of heavy-duty mower for 25 acres

[danielcuilhe]

Hello,
I am faced with my first purchase of a tractor/mower and would like to ask for your opinions. Here is my situation:

- 25 acres of rolling ground with slopes (5 to 15%, with only a couple of areas a bit steeper to a maximum 20%)

- I will need to mow almost monthly during the season, in order to mechanically control aggressive blackberry shoots (the blackberry was set back with a Gyro Trac GT 25 and new shoots will need to be mowed as soon as they get to be about a foot high, and this will be repeated until the blackberry root system will be exhausted)

- I assume I'll be out there at least 5 hours at a time, 5 times a season, for the next 5+ years

- this season the entire 25 acres are an open field, but starting next season there will be rows of plants spaced about 13 feet apart

I should also add that I am mechanically-impaired, so I would prefer to deal with simpler systems and with those under warranty (which means that I'll have to buy new equipment). Thank you for any suggestions you might be able to offer.

Dan
Portland, Oregon

 

[daBear]

A nice Bat Wing bush hog behind a 100 hp tractor will do it very nicely and in a lot less than five hours, but you said nothing about your budget? You can spend way over a $100,000 on that setup.

 

[greggh]

I have a question, What type of plants are going to be 13 feet apart? That would eliminate a 15 ft bat-wing mower. If the plants are trees then I would suggest an orchard tractor, this is a tractor with the exhaust under the tractor. The mower can be anywhere from 5 ft. to 10 ft. Another factor is how much maneuving you are going to require around the plants. The smaller the mower the more maneuverable. There are so many possibilities that it is hard to determine without more information. But with the information that was provided I woould say a utility tractor (40 to 60 HP) with a 6 to 8ft mower. Please remember this is a suggestion with incomplete information.

 

[MikeInEburg]

I'd probably look at a 7' mower that would allow you to get between rows in two passes with one foot overlap. Hopefully the rows are oriented in such a way that you're not mowing across the side of a hill. If so, a wide stance is important. To run a 7' mower, you'll probably want 40HP+, especially if you need to do this five times a year - you'll want enough power to move right along.
Mike

 

[Soundguy]

Here are some numbers for you.

I mow a 10ac piece of my pasture frequently.

with a 30ish hp tractor and 5' mower, figure 5hrs of mowing.

with a 70hp tractor and 10' fixed deck 3pt mower, figure 3 hrs.

with a 95hp tractor and 15' flexwing mower, figure 2 hours.

if you want to mow 25ac in 5 hrs. then you will want the 15' mower!

a 5' mower may take as long as 12-13 hrs. I wouldn't use a 10 or 12' fixed deck mower on a place that had slopes and grades as you would have the possibility of scalping some areas if you were in low spots.. etc.

You can get 10' v-wing and 12' batwing mowers.. so those are viable options.. figure 7-8 hrs on a 10' mower, and 6.5 or so on a 12' mower.. all of course depending on how rough the ground is, and obstacles to mow around. i tend to look at those numbers ad near flat, ideal, wthout difficult circumstances.. etc.

No mention of budget or the machines you might want to use.

5' and 6' 3pt mowers can be had in the 700-1200$ range depending on make / model. new ( half that or slightly less for used )

10' and 12' fixed deck mowers can be had inthe 2500$ - 6500$ range new. ( as low as half or slightly more for good but used )

flex wing mowers get pricey. event he 1o' v cut mowers. I'd figure 8k$ to 15k$ for a 10'-15' mower new.

tractor.. will need / want a 30ish hp model for a 5'/6' mower

will want a 50-70hp model for a 10'.. and 65-80' for 12', and 85+ for 15' in general, using round numbers.


I run a NH 7610s ~95 hp tractor and a JD1517 15' batwing. that nh tractor cost about 28k new, but i bought mine slightly used ( traded back to the dealer by owner for a smaller model less than a year old ), and with some cosmetic damage to the fenders and canopy... got a good break on price. that mower was used at a horse farm, and i got a wonderfull deal on it for 2000$.. cost me 500$ in parts, and about a month of afternoons and weekends to get her back into 85% shape. had to do a couple hundred in repairs after the first year on a side wing hinge. but she is holding up good for a well used batwing.. she needs tires bad.. but they still hold air so I'm not replacing them!. I see other batwings in useable condition used in the 2500-6500$ range.

A used older tractor say from the 60's to the 80's will be pennies on the dollar.. probably find something inthe 50-110 hp range for 6500$ - 8000$.. just got to watch what you buy. don't want to buy junk... get a model that has been serviced and is in good working order, and one that has good parts support. you will pay more for it.. but have less hassles than a cheap beater or orfaned offbrand.

new 2nd and 1st teir 30ish hp tractors with a mower will likely be in the 11-15k$ range. and then it gets scarry for the new 50-100hp units.. farm with junk can tell you more about those prices..

thus.. if buying used, at the upper end of your size range, you can expect to invest on average of 12k$ to get going.. and if new.. I'd expect you will be paying around 50K$



soundguy

Hello,
I am faced with my first purchase of a tractor/mower and would like to ask for your opinions. Here is my situation:

- 25 acres of rolling ground with slopes (5 to 15%, with only a couple of areas a bit steeper to a maximum 20%)

- I will need to mow almost monthly during the season, in order to mechanically control aggressive blackberry shoots (the blackberry was set back with a Gyro Trac GT 25 and new shoots will need to be mowed as soon as they get to be about a foot high, and this will be repeated until the blackberry root system will be exhausted)

- I assume I'll be out there at least 5 hours at a time, 5 times a season, for the next 5+ years

- this season the entire 25 acres are an open field, but starting next season there will be rows of plants spaced about 13 feet apart

I should also add that I am mechanically-impaired, so I would prefer to deal with simpler systems and with those under warranty (which means that I'll have to buy new equipment). Thank you for any suggestions you might be able to offer.

Dan
Portland, Oregon

 

[Farmwithjunk]

The 13' rows have me curious.....Grapes maybe?????

But, whatever the crop, you'll need something that'll work with-in those parameters. Odds are you won't be able to mow 13' in one single pass. I'd look at 7' or 8' mowers and two passes. That'll require something in the 50 to 75 hp range most likely. That may take you north of $45,000 for a basic tractor. 7' or 8' mowers will mow roughly 3 to 3-1/2 acres per hour in normal conditions. Mowing around a cultivated crop will slow that down somewhat.

Take a look at Massey Ferguson 500 series tractors. From all I've seen, there's you best bang for the buck in todays market. Start with the 573.....


I've got 3 newer 95hp Deere's with 15' batwings that represent approx. $94,000 per rig invested. 2 newer 583 MF's w/15' batwings that were around $72,000 per. (All have special lighting, ect, to mow along busy highways....adds to price somewhat)


And for whatever it's worth, I live on a 45 acre place. I take care of it with one tractor, a 47hp 2wd. I use a 6' mower. I mow in stages, never mowing everything at one go. I have no trouble at all keeping up with the grass even now in peak growing season.

 

[daBear]

Well Danielcuilhe where are you? Some folks took quite a long time answering your question. Have you fainted from sticker shock?

 

[budlite]

I think you could get a new 50-60 HP tractor and 7-8 ft bushhog for around $35K or less.

 

[TerryJ]

Bush Hog makes a 12" batwing that would fit your application perfectly, model 2612. I've seen these in action and they are very impressive for a 12 footer. From what you have described, this sounds like it would be a good fit. A brand new 2612 runs about $9800.

 

[Soundguy]

12' mower and 13' plant spacing... I blieve someone will be threading the needle!

I have a new barn that I placed 11' from my fence so i could mow by it with my 10' mower. lets just say that i tried it once, backed out in creeper gear and will wait till my 5' mower can get in there. having only 6" on a side with a multi-thousand dollar building on one side, and 3 board cresote and no climb wire on the other and well.. 6" a side ain't enough clearance when you are on a big tractor!!..

a 10' v-wing may be a better choice..

soundguy