Which tractor for haying 15-20 acres?

   / Which tractor for haying 15-20 acres? #1  

Gary_in_Indiana

Elite Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2002
Messages
3,388
Location
Fort Wayne, IN
Tractor
John Deere 4200 MFWD HST w/ JD 420 FEL w/ 61" loader bucket & toothbar & JD 37 BH w/ 12" bucket
I'm going to be haying 15-20 acres and my current tractor is too small for the job (4200) but I'm not sure how big I need to go. Admittedly, I've always been one to go one step above what is supposedly the perfect spec'ed equipment for whatever I do but am lost as to what that would be for this.

Ideally, I'd like MFWD, HST, FEL and a backhoe as that's what I have currently. I don't have a cab but wouldn't be opposed to one. I'll likely be looking at the used market for whatever I decide to pursue so your suggestions need not be limited to current models. Any thoughts?
 
   / Which tractor for haying 15-20 acres? #2  
Before AKfish beat me to it I will ask what kind of hay equipment are you considering and what are the tractor pto requirements for this equipment?
 
   / Which tractor for haying 15-20 acres? #3  
ok you want to hay 15 to 20ac,but you didnt say what type of baler rd or sq.so ill give you a 1 tractor for both.an thats a MX5100 HST 4x4 w/LA844 quick tatch loader.its 52hp an can pull a sq or 4 by 5 rd baler an a 8ft disc mower as well as a rake.but if you kept your JD tractor it could pull a rake.
 
   / Which tractor for haying 15-20 acres? #4  
Before AKfish beat me to it I will ask what kind of hay equipment are you considering and what are the tractor pto requirements for this equipment?

And do you have a price range trying to stay around?
 
   / Which tractor for haying 15-20 acres? #5  
If your current tractor does everything you need the cheapest option would be keeping it and adding a 40-60hp 2wd utility tractor to handle the haying (5000 series). Really no need for anything larger for a small hay operation. A 40 PTO hp tractor can handle a haybine, sickle bar mower, rake, tedder, and square baler without any trouble. If you want to step up to a disc mower and a small round baler then 60 PTO hp is about minimum.
 
   / Which tractor for haying 15-20 acres? #6  
When I baled a couple years back I used a 2001 John Deere 5410 4wd with a 541 self leveling loader. Perfect combo. 81HP and 65 PTO HP. Cut, raked, and baled the small square bales with a mid 60's New Holland baler and mower. I also tend to over kill as well. My rule of thumb is to spend as much as you can on the tractor that has the most HP on the frame that suits you best.

As others have said though what size tractor you need depends on what kind of bales you want to do and the rest will fall in place.:thumbsup:
 
   / Which tractor for haying 15-20 acres? #7  
Also a big part is how much you want to spend!
 
   / Which tractor for haying 15-20 acres?
  • Thread Starter
#8  
Greatly helpful replies here. Thanks to everyone. It sounds like I may have started at the wrong end of this thing and need to look at what I want as my finished product (bale type) then determine the attachments I'll need to get that product. Once I have those first two questions answered, the tractor question will be easy.

On a side note, I have to kind of laugh at myself on this. In my business, I'm always telling customers to start with the load they want to move, then get the trailer that will allow them to do that in the manner they wish and only then worry about the truck to pull it. Once those first two things are established, figuring out which truck is needed is easy.

You'd think I could have made that analogy before posting here, wouldn't you? LOL
 
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   / Which tractor for haying 15-20 acres? #9  
Greatly helpful replies here. Thanks to everyone. It sounds like I may have started at the wrong end of this thing and need to look at what I want as my finished product (bale type) then determine the attachments I'll need to get that product. Once I have those first two questions answered, the tractor question will be easy.

On a side note, I have to kind of laugh at myself on this. In my business, I'm always telling customers to start with the load they want to move, then get the trailer that will allow them to do that in the manner they wish and only then worry about the truck to pull it. Once those first two things are established, figuring out which truck is needed is easy.

You'd think I could have made that analogy before posting here, wouldn't you? LOL

You've more or less -- really nailed most everything down!! :thumbsup: Might add one more equation to the mix, though.

Has to do with hay type - grass or alfalfa/legume hay - and the amount of moisture you normally receive where you live. The answer to this can determine the type of mower and/or mower-conditioner you might consider.

Horsepower requirements for a MOCO is considerably more than either a sickle mower or a disc mower. Of course, the style of mower conditioner (roller or finger) is best determined by the type of hay you want to bale.

AKfish
 
   / Which tractor for haying 15-20 acres? #10  
Find you an older 2WD tractor on the cheap...
Old D-17 Allis comes to mind...
Get one with a 3 pt. hitch...
Only caveat is that the gas burners use a lot but they are good tractors with good parts support...
 
 
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