Mowing Hay question

crowbar032 · Apr 18, 2012

For years my Dad mowed hay with a New Holland 451 sickle mower. I've searched high and low for a conditioner/crimper to pull behind it with no luck. I need to upgrade to something with a conditioner. So now I'm asking dumb questions. I see lots of new disc mowers around, but do they have a conditioner in them or is it just the 21st century sickle mower and you still have to wait a week to cure? Is there a disc mower with a conditioner? Should I just look for a good mower conditioner? What are the more reliable mower/conditioners to look for? I have a MF 150, a TO-35, and a JD 5065E coming this week so pulling a 9 ft whatever shouldn't be an issue and it will rarely be on the paved roads. I appreciate any imput.

DJ54 · Apr 18, 2012

Google "discbine". They do take some HP to run them. Maybe check new models, to get an idea on how much HP to run one, per size of swath.

A buddy of mine has a New Holland, and runs it with a JD 4000. It will mow/condition alfalfa as fast as you can run, although not really advisable.

Robert_in_NY · Apr 18, 2012

There are straight disc mowers and just like there are straight sickle mowers. Then you also have them with conditioner rolls (both disc and sickle). John Deere called theirs MoCo's (mower/conditioners) where as New Holland called theirs Haybine (for the sickle mower with conditioner rolls) and discbine (for the disc/with conditioner rolls).

I pull a 9' gehl 2340 discbine with my TN65 (52 engine hp) but it is underpowered for that size cutter. It handles it fine on flat ground but on hills you will be slowed to a crawl.

The sickle mower/conditioners don't take anywhere near as much hp as the disc mower/conditioners so it may be an option if your limited on horsepower.

crowbar032 · Apr 21, 2012

Wow, didn't realize that the discbines took so much hp so apparently I don't have enough tractors to pull a 9 foot. I think I'll start browsing for a haybine, I should be ok with a 9 foot one of those.

Robert_in_NY · Apr 21, 2012

Your 5065E has more hp then my TN65 so if your on flat ground you can get by with it. You can also look at what the new discbines require as they may have a more efficient unit out there now that doesn't take quite as much hp to run. Otherwise the haybine would be a cheaper alternative and if your not working a lot of acres then you will be happy with it anyway. The disbine is great because of the increased speed at which you can cut and if your baling a lot of acres it adds up fast but if your under 30 acres I don't know if it would really matter that much. I usually cut 15-20 acres a day with my 9' discbine but thats because I cut close to 100 acres so a haybine was too slow for my liking.

sweettractors · Apr 21, 2012

crowbar032 said:
For years my Dad mowed hay with a New Holland 451 sickle mower. I've searched high and low for a conditioner/crimper to pull behind it with no luck. I need to upgrade to something with a conditioner. So now I'm asking dumb questions. I see lots of new disc mowers around, but do they have a conditioner in them or is it just the 21st century sickle mower and you still have to wait a week to cure? Is there a disc mower with a conditioner? Should I just look for a good mower conditioner? What are the more reliable mower/conditioners to look for? I have a MF 150, a TO-35, and a JD 5065E coming this week so pulling a 9 ft whatever shouldn't be an issue and it will rarely be on the paved roads. I appreciate any imput.

A straight disc mower and hay tedder will work well if you are in grass type hay. Ken Sweet