Hello, I am trying to find out what tractor(s) would be best suited for the jobs I have to do. The things needed to be done are:
Mow 47 acres of rough mole hilled pasture
Mow 5 acres of lawn
Push large amounts of heavy snow
Bury deceased livestock
Maintain 2 riding arenas
Level and maintain a problematic driveway
Handle large square and round bales
That's all that I can see being needed done right now (of course there could be other things in the future that could come up.) plus to keep into consideration it does need to have a cab on it cause I have a skin condition where my skin is paler and more sensitive to the suns uv rays than normal causing me to burn even on clouded winter days. Also keep me out of the elements cause when younger I got very sick and the treatment caused me to have pretty much no immune system (I do have one but it is way weaker than normal.)
It is already determined that for the smaller things the BX2660 with a cab would be the best tractor for the job, but what about the bigger jobs?
Please let me know the tractor, why you recommend that tractor and the features it would have to help me.
Thank you
A tracked M8540 will be fine with what you want to do as it has a hypo allergenic air filter system pressurised cabin that is designed around its use in orchards and vineyards with spraying and fogging fruit crops as the primary use and the tracks are best because of thier low ground pressure and the higher traction in both hilly and flat areas.
The M8540 on tracks will allow excellent stability and traction for moving round bales using one or two bale spears on the front and or rear with its low profile and the tracks offer a smoother ride due to the low ground pressure.
The low profile of the M8540 makes it ideal for orchards as well as it is both narrow and very stable especially with the track drive. The rubber track drive will allow for a 13 M.P.H., travel speed on asphault as well.
The M8540 could be mounted with a three point hitch backhoe and a front end loader which is is an available option for it.
The thing is you would be out in the weather digging- here is another possible option for consideration;
The use of a three point hitch scoop bucket is a viable method for digging especilly with the tracks of the M8540.
The three point hitch will allow you easy digging and dumping with a hydraulic top link and the available rear remotes-I dont remember the number of standard remotes that are offered for it.
It will take longer with a digging bucket on the rear and is less complicated but it keeps you out of the elements.
You can break the ground with the rear scoop and then judge when you can shave the dirt with the front end loader bucket once the ground is opened up. The use of the front end loader ofr this will make it wear out much sooner though than if a rear scoop is used to dig the holes as a wide incline will allow you safety in excavating it as the slope will be low in the angle of decline.
The sloped ditch can be mucked out with the scoop, and the animal laid to rest with the front end loader, then buried from the opposite side by simply pushing the dirt over the cut. It will be deep enough that animals will not bother with it as long as you pour a lot of hydrated quick lime over the carcass.
This method eliminates the use of a hired back hoe and concrete panels but the cut must be filled in quickly to avoid any possibility of pedestrian or animal injury or death.
An easier option could be simply hiring a backhoe to excavate a number of holes annually and cover the burial holes with precast concrete panels with lifting eyes and hooks cast in the concrete.
You would be able to lift the panels off, then set them aside and bury the dead animal with the soil excavated by the back hoe having left the dirt near the hole using the front end loader.
About snow etc., the thing is you want to get rid of it period and a rear mounted snow blower by Pronovost using
the P-992 TRC model and uses a rotating impeller drum which aids in fast snow removal directing the snow where you want with out leaving snow banks without the using the chute for snow removal
You can use the front end loader for close in cleaning easily and simply dispose of it with the snow blower after dumping it out of the way.
The above model is one of many Pronovost models which are rated for the M8540 and its P.T.O., horse power.
My personal preference is the Pronovost snow blower simply because I am very familiar with their quality of workman ship and full length welds and thick steel used in thier line of snow blowers all the way down to the PUMA models for your BX2660 as well.
The use of mirrors and back up cameras are a blessing for tractors with rear implements and they save lives and prevent equipment damage.
The M8540 wil provide you will provide you with a very large field of view with the standard mirrors even though it has a low profile.
The very large wheeled York brand rake can accomplish your ground leveling needs for the roads and arenas.
A rear blade with hydraulic swing and tilt will be able to do all your grading jobs and it avoids the need to constantly adjust the rear blade manually by relocating the swivel pin and depth control angles with the other pins for the bevel angles.
If the right lower link has a hand crank to adjust the the right link it will aid in using the blade and rake as well.
Your mowing situation is not unique and can be handled with a flail chopper shredder rated for 85 H.P. which will handle anything and everything in your pasture land.
About the BX2660 selection:
The standard cab offered for the BX 2660 will not provide you with the filtration you need and a properly pressurised cabin unfortunately.
You will need to order the Lauren Elite model cab for the BX2660 as it has the pressurised filtration and cab top air conditioner for it versus the under the roof models offerded by some which are problematic in many instances due to poor sealing and dust entering the cabin through the floor.
Short of that the use of a Racal air stream hard hat and battery pack will provide the filtered air you need with standard BX2660 cabin as the powerd fan pack pushes a wide screen of clean air in front of the person wearing the hard hat.
The Racal Air Stream filtration hard hat system has been in use for 30 plus years now and has an excellent history.
