25 horsepower vs. 30 horsepower

[powhatanpete]

I have the option of buying a 25 hp with a loader bucket vs. a 30 horsepower without the loader bucket for the same price.

My primary use will be mowing an acre field with some small slopes with a 5 foot finishing mower and/or 5 foot bush hog. I really don't want to spend any more time mowing then necessary. Will I notice a difference in the horsepower?

 

[TractorLegend]

What brand of loader?
I assume your comparing CK25 to CK30?
HST? or gear?
I really like having the 72 in mower its easier to mow around stuff and edges when its wider than rear wheels.
Nobody ever went to their death bed regretting too much horsepower. HST will "suck" up a little power but is ultra convenient for mowing---mower stays spinning during direction changes.

 

[DK35vince]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( HST will "suck" up a little power but is ultra convenient for mowing---mower stays spinning during direction changes.
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Gear machines with live or independant PTO will also keep the mower spinning during direction change.
For example- On my DK 35 (gear with Independant PTO) my PTO turns on with a switch on the dash. Once the PTO switch is turned on, my mower will run forward/reverse, clutch in or out, it does not matter, the mower will run till I turn off the switch.

 

[DrewL]

Yes you will notice a difference. I recently mowed 25+ acres with a 5' brush mower and noticed it stain from time to time with my CK30HST. That being said, if I had 25 hp I would not have been able to do it.............this stuff was that think

 

[KiotiJohn]

I'm assuming you mean that one had a Front end loader, the other not. You have a loader, and that loader gets different buckets, but I think you mean no loader on one.
That said, with a 5 foot mower or any size for that matter, if the growth is thick enough and high enough, most tractors in that HP range will occasionally bog down a little, but in general, either of those models will mow just fine with 5'.
I wouldn't hesitate to use a 6' mower on the CK30 if doing regular hogging where the growth doesn't get really high, and is not terribly thick.
Remember that one can always take a smaller cut in growth that is high, and then, with regular cutting it wouldn't be necessary.
The CK25 will probably do just fine for you. I would want the Front End Loader (FEL) myself, but I think I'd work a deal to get the CK30 with a FEL.
John