Tractor Sizing 10 acres of horse pasture - tractor size and budget

[GuiltySpark]

G'day Mate and welcome to TBN from Downunder.

I'm going to give it to you straight up, 'cause I also have a horse property and I feed out round bales... You are going to need at least a 40hp tractor.

The reason for that is the round bales. A smaller hp tractor can handle everything all of the usual day-to-day tasks but you'll need the the 'extra' hp for handling, moving & stacking the bales. A hydrostatic (HST) is also a very nice thing to have, especially for quick FWD/REV movements and if you're not familiar with shifting gears.

I have a JD 4105. JD doesn't make them anymore but there are some still available. My 300CX Front End Loader (FEL) has the capacity for round bales (and a bit more) but there are more 'robust' loaders available. A lot of tractors are easily maintained by inexperienced owners, so don't be intimidated if you've never done that sort of thing.

Talk to your neighbours who have tractors and take their advice on-board. Talk to the tractor salespeople (honestly) about your tractor needs. Have a seat (test drive if possible) on as any different tractors (any 'colour') to see if it 'fits' you and your partner. You've got a tractor, so you know what I'm talking about.

Enjoy the site.

I would be very interested to hear more commentary about your 4105, how you like it, and how it handles the weight. I'm basically in the same market as the OP, but was about to drop $30-35k on a new one (probably Kubota). I have a good lead on a very nice 4005 with a 300CX, which is basically your tractor with a gear transmission. I had written it off, since I thought it was too small spec wise to stack and handle a 1200lb round bale and allow for some safety margin.

John Deere 4005 w/Loader

Here is what an $18,000 budget will get you ...

$18,750 - Indianland - 2014 LS 4047 tractor with front loader. Hydrostatic transmission. 4x4. 258 hrs. Single owner. Runs well. Go to LS website for more pics and specs. Tractor - farm & garden - by owner - sale

$15,900 - Richlands - john deere 4400/loader is in excellent condition with 500hrs, 4x4, shuttle-shift with power reverser, 37hp john-deere 44/loader - farm & garden - by owner - sale

$17,900 - Greer - John Deere 5303 tractor with loader,quick attach bucket and bale spear,joystick control,diesel,3 ph,power steering,rear remote,independent pto,roll guard,diff lock,field ready,can delve,may be able to help with financing John Deere 533 Tractor W/Loader - farm & garden - by owner - sale

$16,925 - Hickory - John Deere 4410 35hp 4x4 like new only 14 Hrs power steering 35hp Power Shift NO EMISSION ENGINE Loader this tractor is like new always garage kept 4x4 John Deere 441 35hp Loader Power Shift like new only 14 Hrs - farm & garden - by owner - sale

I would be all over a couple of those. Prices in the DFW area are a bit crazy right now. See my CL post above, and that's the first one that meets my criteria. I've shopped myself to death looking at new, so I swung back through the used market this week and found this 4005 and a MX5100 package ($9k more) that make me comfortable enough to buy without a warranty.

 

[TheMan419]

I maintain 18 acres with horses (only 3 right now more to come). I have a 25 hp New Holland (built by LS). I can do every thing I need EXCEPT the round bales. Lift capacity on the 3 point is 1400 pounds at the ball. I paid like $13K for the tractor (which includes FEL) but no other attachments. I bought new because I do not have the ability to do major work myself on the tractor.

The FEL is really important in my mind for work. Moving horse poo is so much nicer. It can run a 5 foot cutter no problem for your pastures. If I was going through REALLY heavy stuff I'd have to slow down or take a smaller pass. I can go through waist high weeds no problem.

I suspect with the FEL you could push the round bales to where you want them much like you do by hand now. Also there are plenty of 3 point bale spears you can use. You would need weight on the front. If I were maxing out the rear lift on my Boomer 24 I would want the FEL full of material (I'd probably just grab a bucket full of manure out of the "pile").

If you do not need to stack the rounds you would be near or at max capacity of my Boomer 24, but I bet you could get it done. Of course in INdiana the terrain is dead flat.

You want 4x4 for the muddy season.

EDIT: We feed small squares to round bale has not been done on my Boomer.

 

[Bavarian]

If you choose the right tractor now, you won't have another baby in the future. No time for IT.
Good luck

 

[Wagtail]

I would be very interested to hear more commentary about your 4105, how you like it, and how it handles the weight. I'm basically in the same market as the OP, but was about to drop $30-35k on a new one (probably Kubota). I have a good lead on a very nice 4005 with a 300CX, which is basically your tractor with a gear transmission. I had written it off, since I thought it was too small spec wise to stack and handle a 1200lb round bale and allow for some safety margin.

I am very pleased with my 4105 however it's the only tractor I've ever owned/operated so I've nothing to compare it with. When I talked with my Dealership's salesman (a farmer himself) we discussed everything that I needed a tractor to do. The 4105 fit the bill, even though there were more expensive options.

My tyres are not loaded (fairly flat property) and I use a ballast box when handling round bales. The 300CX FEL handles round bales with no complaint & I can stack 2 high. Mind you, that's about the 300CX lifting limit... but, as I said, that's all I need it for and what it's designed for.

That being said, I annually help a 'neighbour' bring in his round bale crop (which is where I buy my rounds from). My task is to gather the rounds, assemble them into 7 bale collection groups and then load the flat-bed lorry. It's a 7 day endeavour and I can do this for hours, on some pretty steep grades, with no complaints from the tractor or the FEL. (Tractor FUN!)

The 4105 is a bare-bones set-up. It has worked out perfectly for me.

 

[fishheadbob]

I also am thinking you should look for a larger, lightly used tractor. Many years ago I picked up a nice tractor/ loader with under 200 hours. 50 HP, optional hydraulic pump, 7000 pounds. I probably got 20 to 25% off the best deal I could get on the same thing new. It's still my go to tractor for bigger jobs and has served me very well with no expenses other than routine maintenance and a set of front tires.
Some guy bought it to landscape his dream house, do a driveway, and similar jobs. When he was through he listed it, I bought it , paid off the loan and gave him a few thousand. Win Win.

 

[WM75Guy]

I would go at least 40 HP. We have 14 acres and 3 horses. I have a Boomer 8N 50 HP tractor and a TC40DA 40 HP tractor. The Boomer 8N is used for mowing and occasionally tilling. The TC is used to drag the arena, dirt work, and to lift pallets and round bales. The TC can lift 1500# at the pins so it handles round bales fine but is a little weak on 2000# pallet loads of sawdust pellets that we buy. I have to throw some bags off before lifting.

As I get older it becomes harder to do things like stack hay. I want to get a 10 bale hay grapple to unload square bales off the trailer and stack them in the barn. The TC doesn't have capacity with a load that far out in front of the FEL. I also want an air ride seat and a cab so the Boomer 8N will probably get traded in for a 75 HP NH T4.75 or Case Farmall 75C in the near future.

 

[Turbys_1700]

Spot on advise here. Of the used ones listed I would look at the 5303. Contact your local Farm Credit branch. With good credit financing is a non issue.

 

[RSKY]

Whatever you get if you lift bales with the loader be sure you get the rear tires loaded. I am with the others here that shopping for a larger used tractor rather than a smaller new one.

 

[newbury]

We have about 10 acres of pasture to maintain plus a 1500ft gravel driveway. I have a Massey 135 diesel but it keeps having issues. Blowing freeze plugs, clutch not working with pto and 3pt raising by itself.

I need to bush hog the pasture and take care of the driveway and landscape, so a loader is a must. We feed round bales (16 at 4x5) a year.

We are havaing another baby soon and I won't have time for tinkering or fixing much so I'm looking at getting a new tractor. I'd like to keep it under $18,000.

We have established John Deere, Kubota, and Mahindra dealers nearby (Monroe, Nc) and an LS dealer not much further (30 miles). There is also a Kioti dealer nearby that just started selling tractors but is an established lawn mower / commercial dealer.

Any recommendations?

Well now a lot more TBN'ers have chimed in and it seems very few recommendations for new under $18K. Back in 2012 I realized I needed a bigger tractor for jobs I had not foreseen. SWMBO and I agreed on a budget of $15K and I needed to be able to lift 1,000 lbs with the FEL and have 4WD.

I found this

at a local government online public auction for $11.5K in early 2013.

Kubota M4700 w/ ~1400 hrs on it. Way more power (~50HP) than I thought I needed.

So far for

tinkering or fixing

I've had to replace 4 hydro lines (?$200?), the front tires ($600), get a FEL cylinder rebuilt ($40) and buy about $7K worth of attachments

If you can find a well maintained tractor maintenance should be minimal.

 

[conkli48]

im with you on the finance thing, I looked at used and I just couldnt justify buying one for the outrageous prices I found. I found i could justify the 3000-4000 extra for brand new over a used tractor. Finance options are better and you get some semblance of warranty. I dont quite have as much going on as you do, I just have 4.5 acres 2.5 is pasture and 2 is woods. With give or take small lawn. I mainly use my tractor for cleaning stalls to make it easy to get in barn, I had dimension requirements. I landed at a kioti as I have an established dealer with almost 10 years selling them. I looked at subcompact and quickly realized i wanted more tractor as I never know if I will want to buy more acreage or anything like that. So i went with a ck2610, got a quote of 16500 or so delivered.Kioti at least did have 0 down 0% interest for 72 months. with a 6 year warranty. That is why i didnt buy a used. The Ck is a compact but has 25, 35 and 40 hp options. There is a smaller kubota b sized ck2510 that i thought about for my needs but the ck2610 has same horse power but more displacement and is a tuned down motor from their ck 35 line. The 35 and 40 were more money, i almost went for the 35 it was around 18000 price quoted. The 35 and 40 have a 1800 lbs loader lift capacity while the ck 2610 has a 1250 capacity. In hind sight I wish I would have ponied up the for the 35. but o well, the 2610 is more than enough for me for now. "The DK series the bigger yet frames, my dad was looking for a 45-55 horse tractor and he looked at dk 4510 he got quoted 21000 that is without tax as it is for farm use. but he ended up going wih a kubota mx5200. A very nice tractor but it was out the door at 29000 he did get remotes and a few small addons tho. But the DK came with 2 remotes and a
"free loader discount" I think that is was so much cheaper. In talking to my father, who is a seed salesman (part time) he wishes he had more weight on the tractor itself. The kubotas are very well made, but the rear ends are more refined and slender. The kiotis, mahindra, LS and Tym, you compare and they are chunky, probably because it is easier to cast and less to machine. he weighted down the tires, but he still has problems with a 2400 lb pallet, some he does fine but we are going to make a ballast box out of a 55 gallon drum and concrete to counter the weight and make it more capable.


In the end I dont want to sound like a kioti fan boy, but personally that is what my experience lies with. A used kubota is a great machine and parts are plenty. But as i found, Kiotis finance options were almost top tier in the market. And made it so i could buy a new tractor. Other than that, You can find nice older 60s and 70s tractors much like your massey,(but without issues) for between 5 to 8000 dollars. I have seen some that were in fantastic shape. I would have went this route, but again. unless you got the cash or alot of equity. It makes it tough to fork out the cash. Being young I dont have a ton in my name, a house, and a truck is all. I dont have 30 years of house ownership and land equity to borrow against. So Finance is king to me.