No more drawbar testing from Nebraska?

[Verticaltrx]

I'm hoping to be in the market for a new utility tractor soon and was disappointed to see that the Nebraska tractor tests no longer give drawbar HP, drawbar fuel useage, or even drawbar pull. I was looking at the specs for a Deere 5055d last night and all they give now is PTO power and some meaningless 3pt hitch geometry/measurements. I guess they figure no one uses this size tractor for farming anymore so PTO and 3pt hitch performance is all that maters. I realize drawbar HP is kind of a bygone measurement, but I like to compare the max drawbar pull and hp numbers to other tractors I'm familiar with to know how good a tractor will be at ground engaging tasks (moldboard plowing, discing, box blading, pulling a small dirt pan, etc)

Anyways, just a bit of a rant, I'm not sure if they still give the drawbar figures for the larger tractors or not, but I was disappointed that they don't for utility class tractors. Based on what little info they do give about the 5055d I'm guessing it would pull about as much as a 2040/2150/2155 Deere if properly ballasted, but I have no way to know. Also it seems like they are testing fewer models than they used to, but that may not be true.

 

[JoeinTX]

" I guess they figure no one uses this size tractor for farming anymore so PTO and 3pt hitch performance is all that maters...."

I bet you're probably right. These size tractors anymore are far more used for utility tasks rather than actual ground engaging ag work. Small farmers 50-60 years ago were actively using 30-60hp tractors on a regular basis for plowing, discing, planting, etc.........things where actual drawbar output was still a big deal for them. Today it's more about 3pt capacity, attachment compatibility, FELs, and ability to tailor a rig for your own specific needs.

True, there are food plotters and hobby hayers still doing small scale ops with these sized tractors but it's nothing like the use they had decades ago.