Tractor for haying?

[Blee25]

I have a question for you guys who have experience with hay. I am considering upgrading my JD 3320 and am looking at tractors in the 35-40pto horsepower range. I would like the tractor to be able to allow me cut my own hay in the future. I would like to cut and rake, then have someone come and round bale it. It would only be a about five acres all flat land. I would be looking to use an older 6 or 7 foot sicklemower/conditioner. In your guys opinion would 35-40 pto horsepower be sufficient?

Also I understand it would make more financial sense to just pay someone to do it all, but it's about my enjoyment not the money.

Thanks for your thoughts in advance.

Blee

[JiminGa]

5103 is 38 pto hp and should be plenty for a 6 ft mower.

[aczlan]

my father in law has a Kubota 3830 (~38 hp) which he uses on his New Holland Mower Conditioner and his NH Baler, he hasn't had any complaints about lack of power in the 2 years he has had it...


Aaron Z

[Egon]

What will you do with the hay.

[jimg]

The hp range you spec'd is plenty for all the implements mentioned. I think it might also be enough for a 4x4 rd baler too. My neighbor has either a hi-end L series or lo-end M series Kubota and he runs a Hesston 4x4 baler w/ it. For sure his tractor is in the hp range youre looking at. To my knowledge he doesnt have any problems pulling it over his fields (which are relatively flat).

[Farmwithjunk]

Depending on what sort of baler you choose, 40 to 45 hp can be plenty. Some bigger balers will tax that sort of power output, but there's plenty that will work with less power. A 7' sicklebar mower takes next to no power. Sicklebar mower CONDITIONER will take a little bit more but still not a real power robber. I've pulled a rake with a Suzuki 4-wheeler before. No sweat for a 40 hp tractor. Some smaller compacts, while having enough muscle, they fall a little short in the muscle mass catagory. A baler can be a real shock load on a pto drivetrain. You want enough tractor to handle that. Don't under-rate yourself there. Also, haying isn't just about power. It's maybe even more so about TOWING a heavy load. Some balers and just about any loaded wagon will shove a tractor right on down a slick hillside or drag you backwards going up any significant hill. Throw in a little "wet" and you have the recipe for disaster. You need enough bulk in a haying tractor to deal with those towing loads. That doesn't mean a 15,000lb ballasted 4wd, but a 4000lb compact towing a wagon with 120 bales of alfalfa can be an instant thrill ride.

From what I see on todays market, the best buys in a tractor in the size/power/weight class I'd suggest would be either the Deere 5X03 series OR 500 series Massey Fergusons. A lot of tractor for the money and built for general farm utility work, both priced very competitively.

[slowzuki]

I hear the JD 5103 is now a synchro tranny but be aware the older ones are not, which is a huge pain for mowing and baling.

[Robert_in_NY]

If you are looking for a mower/conditioner look for a 7' unit as it would be a perfect size for that size tractor. A rake doesn't use much power at all.

To add another tractor to what FWJ recommended looking at there is the TT line from New Holland.

And if you do decide in the future to buy a baler a small utility tractor will run a small round baler or lighter small square baler just fine on flat ground. If you are on hills you might want a heavier tractor.

[Blee25]

Thanks for the advice. I have looked at the JD 5x03 and the NH TT series. Both look like nice tractors. Right now I am leaning towards the CaseIH dx45 or Dx55. I am a little biased towards IH. I won't be doing the baling just cutting a rakeing.

blee

[flusher]

I have a question for you guys who have experience with hay. I am considering upgrading my JD 3320 and am looking at tractors in the 35-40pto horsepower range. I would like the tractor to be able to allow me cut my own hay in the future. I would like to cut and rake, then have someone come and round bale it. It would only be a about five acres all flat land. I would be looking to use an older 6 or 7 foot sicklemower/conditioner. In your guys opinion would 35-40 pto horsepower be sufficient?

Also I understand it would make more financial sense to just pay someone to do it all, but it's about my enjoyment not the money.

Thanks for your thoughts in advance.

Blee

I'm doing the same thing on my 10 acres that you're planning to do. Figured I need at least 40 hp (pto) to handle the square baler. Also need to rip with a subsoiler, plow and disc (my flat pasture hasn't been farmed in decades and has considerable compaction).

My solution: bought a new Mahindra 5525 (55 hp engine, 45 hp pto) from Dave of Dave's Tractor. Dave delivered it yesterday.



It has 2WD, partial constant mesh transmission (8F/2R), power steering and it's heavy (5370 lb without filled tires, excluding the FEL). These Indian tractors are built really stout and trace their lineage to the IH B414 diesels of the 1960s.

The brush hog is a 6-ft Hawkline with 50 hp gearbox and slip clutch, made in Ohio. It's equivalent to a KK mower.

Traded my 2005 Kubota B7510HST/LA302 FEL as part of the deal



Dave welded chain hooks onto the bucket



and installed triple remotes





Spring tractor sales are in full swing now and Dave made me an offer I couldn't refuse. With the trade-in and 0%/48 month financing, my monthly tractor payment has actually dropped about $100. Too good a deal to pass up.

It's hard to justify the cost of haying just 10 acres but, like you, it's not about the money, it's about the fun of the challenge to do something that you've always wanted to do.