Disc cutter or Conditioner

[5nehemiah]

I am trying to get into haying slowly. I have a few pieces of equipment. However, I still need to purchase a cutter. Would I be better off getting a conditioner (sickle bar type) or disc cutter. I have two different used pieces of equipment I am looking at. Not sure which way to go.

 

[Tx Jim]

What type of hay will you be cutting? One needs to be very careful buying a used hay cutter as they can be a money pit.

 

[oldnslo]

How much HP do you have? Disc bines are power hogs.

 

[Lou66]

I prefer a disc cutter over the sickle cutter or drum cutter but like Jim said.. it depends on what you are going to be cutting,,Lou

 

[5nehemiah]

will be mostly cutting bahia. I am just getting into this. I have about 40 acres right now i need to cut. I have the opportunity to cut several hay fields. I am not going to jump in over my head however.

 

[5nehemiah]

i have a 50hp kubota tractor

 

[Lou66]

your good on a 9' sickle or 7' disc or 6' drum.. you could use a 9' disc but with Bahia not cutting when it ready.. with pull your 50 horse down.. I know for sure on this one.. I use a 7' Kuhn that works well with my 57 horse,, 50 at the pto.. they only make a 6' drum that I know of.. Lou

 

[BeeferMan]

The decision as to whether a conditioner would outweigh the faster cutting will depend mainly on your weather conditions. If you have periods of good dry weather long enough that you really don't have issues drying then the conditioner won't needed that badly. If you are constantly trying to get hay dry before the next rains come through (that's the way it is up here in NE) then the conditioner will be invaluable. Have a look at what others in your area are doing, that is the best hint.

 

[bigbull338]

your tractor can only pull like an 8ft disc mower.

 

[Bigfoot62]

Along the Gulf coast, we generally have long enough days with high enough temperatures, that curing hay isn't a problem. You can cut that bahaia and be ready to bale it in 2-3 days. If it's extremely dry weather, like we have here now, you can cut one day and bale the next.

I'd recommend a Kuhn GMD 600 (or JD 265, same mower) 7'10" cut. They are relatively easy to find. As long as it hasn't been abused and it's been reasonably maintained, it should still last for years. With sharp blades, it will cut about as fast as you can hang on to the steering wheel. I usually mow at about 5mph ground speed.
I don't think you want to mess with a sickle mower. In our part of the world, fire ant mounds would just clog it up.