Hay Making Equipment: What Size Tractor?

[Streetcar]

Weight of tractor is important for hay equipment and on hills. Older 45 or 50 hp tractor would be good. Smaller tractor would beat itself to death on hay and hills

 

[MountainMomma]

Does this sound like a good deal, for instance? (Is there a Kelly Blue Book site for tractors?)

2010 NEW HOLLAND T1520 4X4 TRACTOR, 35 HP DIESEL ENGINE, 9/3 TRANSMISSION WITH FRONT END LOADER AND 68" BUCKET. 1,066 HOURS ON TRACTOR, R4 TIRES.. $12,500 FIRM

 

[newbury]

Okay... so, there are several Deeres for sale on CL in my area. Is 45 hp better than 35 hp, or will it require bigger attachments all along the line?

Also, what is a reasonable ballpark number on hours (the odometer of tractors, as I see it) on a used tractor? (I know there must be nuances, like what kind of hours; how well maintained, etc. but give me a ballpark, please?)

DO NOT trust the odometer on tractors. Odometer cables break and don't get fixed. Then fix the cable before you sell it. Also not all tractors count hours the same way. My 50HP Kubota goes by PTO speed. If I run it for one hour at PTO speed (2,000 rpm?) it records one hour. If I just poke along on the flat or leave it idling at 1,000 rpm it only records a half hour. Many tractors record whenever the engine is running. I've read of some tractors that record as long as the key is switched on, even if the engine is not running.

Go by appearance and if you are dealing with Craigs List and the like also judge the appearance of the seller. Better yet find a tractor mechanic to give it a once over.

Thank you so much! I will keep you in mind. If we buy newer (not new) equipment, how hard is it all to maintain? We are not mechanically gifted!

No actual experience with hay equipment in the last 40 years but reading on TBN it seems lot's of little things can go wrong, which has dissuaded me from even thinking of haying my land.

A good source for comparative asking prices is TractorHouse.com A good place for selling prices is ebay finished listings, but it's sometimes hard to find a comparative model.

 

[LouNY]

That is only a 2500# tractor with a live pto, it might pull a baler but thats about it.
If you have any kind of hills I'd want at least a 5000# tractor with independent pto,
when baling and you shove in the clutch because of a wad of hay you don't want the pto stopping.
Going down hill with a baler you want enough tractor to be able to stop and even if you don't go with a kicker baler it's nice to be able to tow the wagon with the baler and have someone stacking while baling will save a lot of time and labor.

 

[atsah]

Does this sound like a good deal, for instance? (Is there a Kelly Blue Book site for tractors?)

2010 NEW HOLLAND T1520 4X4 TRACTOR, 35 HP DIESEL ENGINE, 9/3 TRANSMISSION WITH FRONT END LOADER AND 68" BUCKET. 1,066 HOURS ON TRACTOR, R4 TIRES.. $12,500 FIRM

Nope, not enough weight to that tractor. Can you give us an idea of what you want to spend on just the tractor?

 

[searcyfarms]

also what model of ford do you have and what do you NOT like about it that you would want in a replacement tractor, that might help us also chime in with models that would fit your needs

 

[zzvyb6]

Yes it does, but what would really count for me is how close a New Holland dealer is to you for parts and maybe service. If filters, oils, and hydraulic fittings are very far away, then a TSC or a Rural King is a second choice, but I want OE parts on a tractor because it has to run on hay days, not when an ebay delivery happens.

The loader is easily removable, then you will have hydraulic hose connections available for al least 2 cylinders on hay attachments (as in header lift on a mower and tongue swing all baler and mower). You need this capability to operate the cutter and get through typical 12' gates.

No being mechanically inclined is a problem, IMHO. Almost all hay equipment has a lot of evil built into it. There should be stickers all over it that says "THIS MACHINE WANTS TO KILL YOU". A large tractor may be hard to maneuver to hook up the mower, rake and baler. The reel on a sickle type mower and on the baler could drag you into it if you try to feed it manually and step on a stray baler twine loop. Backing up a tractor with a baler on the hitch (offset to the right side) and with a bale wagon on the back of the baler is an enviable skill.

I often run into a situation where my mower and baler are offset to the right, but my NH stack wagon pickup head is offset to the left, If you forget or have a senior moment, some fence gate is going to need replacing.

Falling off a hay wagon is no fun (and getting run over) either. The people involved need to work as a team not competitors.

Once hay is baled and picked up (manually or automatically) you need to take it to a storage area. That means unloading a wagon or machine and putting it somewhere (usually UP in a mow or a shelter). That can be hard sweaty work unless your place is air conditioned and has a refrigerator handy. Bales can fall off elevators because of careless placement and hit people, animals and hired teenagers (texting while haying is a new crime at my place).

Repairs and adjustment to equipment may be necessary out in the field (bale length and density), flat tires, missed twine ties, wet hay problems, etc.

With that much property, you can make more hay than you want or need. So, boarding other horses, storage for a few thousand bales, what to do with old hay, how to estimate your needs and how to sell any old or excess via "social media" or a local hay auction. Facebook and Craigslist are notorious with morons who are "interested" and "like" your product ("I'll be right there"), but never show have bad checks, no cash ("will you take a debit card?") and other inconsiderate, lazy, helpless ("can you deliver it next week ?"), and quite a few other problems associated with "horse people" that you WILL get to know about. If you have guns, lock them up before they show up.

Because "Hay Days" tend to be hot and humid with pending thunder storms, you can get in a hurry and get dehydrated and exhausted easily. That can break your spirit REALLY FAST. And maybe threaten your health.

Bottom line from me to you would be to hang around a few experienced hay producers and offer to lend a hand for a season. Maybe you could hire them to do your field(s) and get close to the operation. Certainly driving around the county and watching the process can be interesting, useful, fun and life saving. Neighbors who can do hay are good at collaborating and helping out ("One hand washes the other" kind of thing.

But believe me, when you toss that first "I made it myself" bale into a feeder and Old Smokey gobbles it up, you will feel accomplished !

 

[atsah]

If I was contemplating a small haying operation such as you are, I would be looking for older 50-60hp heavy two wheel drive tractor, John Deere and many others made perfect tractors for what you will be doing with it. Today’s 45hp tractors aren’t heavy enough to pull a baler and a hay wagon up and down hills, you’re looking for a simple rugged tractor and a nice one can be had in the 10-12 thousand range.

 

[Turbys_1700]

My personal preference is for a 4000 or 5000 series Ford. We used D17 Allis Chalmers and they are good tractors but love gas. Used New Holland balers, rake, and haybine along with a stacker. Later upgraded to a round baler with a 185 Allis. Made hay for 95 head on 3 farms.

 

[MountainMomma]

Yes it does, but what would really count for me is how close a New Holland dealer is to you for parts and maybe service. If filters, oils, and hydraulic fittings are very far away, then a TSC or a Rural King is a second choice, but I want OE parts on a tractor because it has to run on hay days, not when an ebay delivery happens.

The loader is easily removable, then you will have hydraulic hose connections available for al least 2 cylinders on hay attachments (as in header lift on a mower and tongue swing all baler and mower). You need this capability to operate the cutter and get through typical 12' gates.

No being mechanically inclined is a problem, IMHO. Almost all hay equipment has a lot of evil built into it. There should be stickers all over it that says "THIS MACHINE WANTS TO KILL YOU". A large tractor may be hard to maneuver to hook up the mower, rake and baler. The reel on a sickle type mower and on the baler could drag you into it if you try to feed it manually and step on a stray baler twine loop. Backing up a tractor with a baler on the hitch (offset to the right side) and with a bale wagon on the back of the baler is an enviable skill.

I often run into a situation where my mower and baler are offset to the right, but my NH stack wagon pickup head is offset to the left, If you forget or have a senior moment, some fence gate is going to need replacing.

Falling off a hay wagon is no fun (and getting run over) either. The people involved need to work as a team not competitors.

Once hay is baled and picked up (manually or automatically) you need to take it to a storage area. That means unloading a wagon or machine and putting it somewhere (usually UP in a mow or a shelter). That can be hard sweaty work unless your place is air conditioned and has a refrigerator handy. Bales can fall off elevators because of careless placement and hit people, animals and hired teenagers (texting while haying is a new crime at my place).

Repairs and adjustment to equipment may be necessary out in the field (bale length and density), flat tires, missed twine ties, wet hay problems, etc.

With that much property, you can make more hay than you want or need. So, boarding other horses, storage for a few thousand bales, what to do with old hay, how to estimate your needs and how to sell any old or excess via "social media" or a local hay auction. Facebook and Craigslist are notorious with morons who are "interested" and "like" your product ("I'll be right there"), but never show have bad checks, no cash ("will you take a debit card?") and other inconsiderate, lazy, helpless ("can you deliver it next week ?"), and quite a few other problems associated with "horse people" that you WILL get to know about. If you have guns, lock them up before they show up.

Because "Hay Days" tend to be hot and humid with pending thunder storms, you can get in a hurry and get dehydrated and exhausted easily. That can break your spirit REALLY FAST. And maybe threaten your health.

Bottom line from me to you would be to hang around a few experienced hay producers and offer to lend a hand for a season. Maybe you could hire them to do your field(s) and get close to the operation. Certainly driving around the county and watching the process can be interesting, useful, fun and life saving. Neighbors who can do hay are good at collaborating and helping out ("One hand washes the other" kind of thing.

But believe me, when you toss that first "I made it myself" bale into a feeder and Old Smokey gobbles it up, you will feel accomplished !

You know, those are REALLY helpful words you wrote there. Thank you VERY much. Good food for thought and prayer. I was really beginning to think that making hay is beyond us. This pushes me in that direction further, but the final decision isn’t made. Again, thanks.