Buying Advice New here. Need help on figuring out what tractor to buy

[Russman16]

Hello all, I am new to this forum and new at buying a tractor. I purchased 85 acres in Larue County Kentucky. It has about a 15 acre field according to the apps I've used to outline the field. I'm having a hard time figuring out what size tractor and what kind of tractor to buy.

I will only be bushhoging about 12-13 acres of the field once a year or once every 2 years. My intentions are to let the field grow up some for deer and rabbit hunting. I will keep the other few acres either mowed down monthly or in food plots.

Now my question is what size tractor should I buy and maybe what brand or what brand to avoid if any? I think I want something that'll pull a 5' bushhog easily with only being mowed once a year or every other year. And maybe a 4' bushhog would be fine, just don't know how long either would take me to mow.

I will be driving this tractor in the woods some so I don't want anything too big. I definitely want a 4x4 with a loader. A cab would be a plus, but not 100% sure I really need 1 or not sure if I'm running the A/C during the summer if it'll cut down on the hp I'll need bushhog.

Also, any recommendations on what kind of bushhog to buy.

Any help will be greatly appreciated!

Thank you Jason

 

[jeff9366]

I will be bushhoging 12-13 acres of the field once a year or once every 2 years. My intentions are to let the field grow up some for deer and rabbit hunting. I will keep the other few acres either mowed down monthly or in food plots.

I want something that'll pull a 5' bushhog easily with only being mowed once a year or every other year. And maybe a 4' bushhog would be fine, just don't know how long either would take me to mow.

Here is a mowing calculator. Mowing once per year will require a tractor speed of around 4-mph. Mowing every second year will limit tractor speed to 3-mph due to density of vegetation.

Mowing once per year will require 40 - 45 tractor horsepower to operate a 60" HD bush hog = 2 acres per hour.

Mowing once per year will require at least 50 tractor horsepower to operate a 72" HD bush hog = 2-1/2 acres per hour.

Your full operating cost will be about the same = $25 per engine hour.

Allowing for a 6" overlap, a 48" bushhog mows only 42" per swathe. Ugh!

Mowing Calcuator | How many acres can I mow in an hour



Kentucky has a lot of hills in parts, which strongly influences tractor width required for tractor stability.

Do you have hills to tractor? Are your fields on a slope?
Are potential food plots on flat or sloped ground?

Tractors are inherently unstable operating on sloped ground. Tractor rear wheel/tire spread, adjustable on the MX series, is a critical factor increasing compact tractor stability working sloped or uneven ground. Rear axle is the tractor component on which rear wheels/tires mount. A 6" to 10" wider rear axle substantially decreases tractor rollover potential. Tractor width is an approximation of rear axle width.

Given the limited info you have provided in your opening post I suggest a cabbed Kubota MX5400 tractor of 4,250 pounds weight including 600 pounds for cab, 53-horsepower net, 66" width, capable of pulling a 72" heavy duty Rotary Cutter weighing 1,100 pounds through tall grass, tall weeds and brush.

Cabbed Kubota MX5400 tractor/'SSQA' Loader/4-WD/HST transmission = $42,000.
Land Pride by Kubota HD 72" Rotary Cutter/RCR2672 = $4,000.
​

Every tractor producer has models with above specs. This is a high sales volume category.

John Deere pricing for equivalent equipment will be the same to 5% more expensive. Other tractor brands such as very fine Kioti, LS and Branson, all three produced in Korea, are available for 5% to 10% less than Kubota.

KUBOTA LINK: Tractors - Utility - MX Series | Kubota

A quality dealer, reasonably close, available for coaching, is important for tractor neophytes. Most new tractors are delivered with a glitch or two requiring correction, often safety/cutout switches which require adjustment to operator weight. My Kubota dealer is six miles away. I feel my local dealer continues to add value to my equipment after seven years. Dealer proximity is less important for those experienced with tractors and qualified to perform their own maintenance.


When considering a tractor purchase bare tractor weight first, tractor horsepower second, rear axle width third, rear wheel/tire ballast fourth.

BUY ENOUGH TRACTOR​

 

[Blue Mule]

Hey there fellow Kentuckian. I'd recommend a MINIMUM of 40 horsepower. If you can swing it, the more horsepower the better. In your case I'd want to run at least a 6' and probably a 7' mower as a minimum so that you aren't there for a week when you do decide to mow it. If the terrain is open with few trees, a bat-wing style mower may actually be even better.

 

[fried1765]

Hello all, I am new to this forum and new at buying a tractor. I purchased 85 acres in Larue County Kentucky. It has about a 15 acre field according to the apps I've used to outline the field. I'm having a hard time figuring out what size tractor and what kind of tractor to buy.

I will only be bushhoging about 12-13 acres of the field once a year or once every 2 years. My intentions are to let the field grow up some for deer and rabbit hunting. I will keep the other few acres either mowed down monthly or in food plots.

Now my question is what size tractor should I buy and maybe what brand or what brand to avoid if any? I think I want something that'll pull a 5' bushhog easily with only being mowed once a year or every other year. And maybe a 4' bushhog would be fine, just don't know how long either would take me to mow.

I will be driving this tractor in the woods some so I don't want anything too big. I definitely want a 4x4 with a loader. A cab would be a plus, but not 100% sure I really need 1 or not sure if I'm running the A/C during the summer if it'll cut down on the hp I'll need bushhog.

Also, any recommendations on what kind of bushhog to buy.

Any help will be greatly appreciated!

Thank you Jason

As usual, jeff9336 has it completely nailed down for you!
You will not be unhappy if you follow his recommendation to the letter!

 

[dodge man]

The vague rule of thumb is 5 hp per foot of mower. If you use that Jeffs numbers are a little high, but when you figure not mowing very often his numbers are probably better. If you had 2 or three acres a 4 foot wouldn’t be bad. For as much as you are talking I would want a 5 foot minimum and 6 foot would be better. There is nothing saying you have to mow it all in one day. You could also look at paying to have it done. A nearby farmer with a big batwing could knock it out pretty quick and then you could buy a smaller tractor for the other stuff.

 

[metalbender]

What other uses do you have in mind for the tractor? Is this a residential property or just playground? If it's just hogging, farm it out and grab a refreshment of you choice, sit back, relax and watch.

 

[buck12]

I have a 72 acre rural property and have similar uses you have described. I started with a smaller tractor and currently have a 54 horse power tractor with a six foot bush hog. I could pull a larger cutter but the my ground is very not level and the six provides a good cut. You will likely find a front end loader very useful. You will get all types of opinions on brands. I have had Mahindra and now Kubota and have been pleased with both.

The big choices are gear versus hydro and tire type and needed horsepower. Decide the work you want to do then select the implements to do the work. Then match the tractor to the implements.

 

[jeff9366]

The vague rule of thumb is 5 hp per foot of mower. If you use that, Jeffs numbers are a little high......

Cab adds 600 - 650 pounds.

 

[3gunr]

Dont even consider a 4 or 5 ft cutter for that much ground , I have a 10 acre field i am converting to crp but last yr i mowed it twice with a 6 ft cutter and it took a good 8 hrs, With that much property i would be looking at 50 hp min.Fel with loaded tiresand 4x4. Any major brand will have good tractors in that range, The options from the factory can be a big difference in what you need or not.

 

[Russman16]

What other uses do you have in mind for the tractor? Is this a residential property or just playground? If it's just hogging, farm it out and grab a refreshment of you choice, sit back, relax and watch.

Metal bender, I'll mainly be using the tractor for mowing and hauling things in the bucket. This is just a playground for hunting and kids to ride dirt bikes and stuff.