Please pick me a tractor

[WantedWolf]

Thank you to all the TBN posters keep it up, this is valuable archive you've built and I'm still amazed at how many google searches on all my questions lead to these forums. And I have ALOT of questions. My wife grew up on a hobby sheep farm and my father raised bison. We tried the city thing and are very done with that so now are working at building our first sheep farm, and buying our first tractor, and building our first barn... of course all as soon as the house sells. For the tractor have a preference towards an older kubota(90's) and a requirement of 4wd (frog + sheep farm). on the wish list is a larger 75hp hay monster but for my first tractor am thinking 25-40 hp (Is 25hp a little light to load large round bales on stock pickups? Or to pull the baler?). all the standards like FEL, 3pth, pto. Im not picky about a cab but will need it to plow the driveway. My lease hay land is quite rocky so manuverability is a priority. Im not to worried about the time it will take to put up the hay with small equiptment but I dont want to stress a machine that is to light. Any recomendations and past experiences to get me on the right track for a model that meets all these specs would help alot. Your advice will help me pick up the slack lol. I spent all my PC time reading the rural living forum.

Thanks again

 

[teg]

I'm sure you have a budget... or plan to finance? That would be a good starting point. Can you turn a wrench? basically, mechanically incline? How much land are we talking about?

 

[dex3361]

Thank you to all the TBN posters keep it up, this is valuable archive you've built and I'm still amazed at how many google searches on all my questions lead to these forums. And I have ALOT of questions. My wife grew up on a hobby sheep farm and my father raised bison. We tried the city thing and are very done with that so now are working at building our first sheep farm, and buying our first tractor, and building our first barn... of course all as soon as the house sells. For the tractor have a preference towards an older kubota(90's) and a requirement of 4wd (frog + sheep farm). on the wish list is a larger 75hp hay monster but for my first tractor am thinking 25-40 hp (Is 25hp a little light to load large round bales on stock pickups? Or to pull the baler?). all the standards like FEL, 3pth, pto. Im not picky about a cab but will need it to plow the driveway. My lease hay land is quite rocky so manuverability is a priority. Im not to worried about the time it will take to put up the hay with small equiptment but I dont want to stress a machine that is to light. Any recomendations and past experiences to get me on the right track for a model that meets all these specs would help alot. Your advice will help me pick up the slack lol. I spent all my PC time reading the rural living forum.

Thanks again

Welcome WW to TBN and you are so right I found this site by doing research myself and its addictive. I do not hay farm but most of the hay makers will tell you that 50 HP is about the minimum for runing the round balers and for loading and handling the larger bales. you can run a square baler with a little smaller tractor but I am not sure how much smaller. Most of time people buy to small and then buy up. Take your time and buy the right machine the first time and it will save you cash in the long run. Go try out and testdrive a lot of machines. Or you could do what a lot of us do buy 2 or more tractors. If you need a back up with the wife we at TBN will write a thread about how we need 2 or more tractors LOL, I can hear it now "honey these guys are the experts and I probably should do what the recomend" and there ya go x number of tractors and it wasnt even your fault.LOL Seriously though there is good info here and soon you feel like you know some of these people like they are your neighbors.

 

[Bird]

I do not hay farm but most of the hay makers will tell you that 50 HP is about the minimum for runing the round balers and for loading and handling the larger bales.

That's been my experience. I wouldn't even consider anything smaller than 50 hp for a round baler, or for moving the bales around. In fact, I'd be looking for 75-100 hp.

 

[Egon]

It may be advisable to mull over the whole tractor - equipment situation before making decisions. Sorta match them all together at one time and then built up your machinery stock. Larger tractors can handle smaller equipment but the reverse is not always true.

A larger tractor will give more freedom of choice when accumulating your other equipment.

Note that all large bales are not the same size and will require different equipment to handle.

When choosing the equipment do lots of shopping and look around lots. Familiarize yourself with all of it and do not rush into the purchases.

 

[art]

To look at the M-series around the 60 horsepower size plus or minus would be best for you! That size tractor would easily clear driveways as well as pull all hay tools except for maybe on a larger disc mower or large round baler with a fixed chamber.

To have a larger older two wheel drive in the 75 horsepower range could pick up the rest.

You didn't say how much land you are playing with but you basically are about right in sizing just a little small at 25 horsepower.

 

[N80]

I'd think an M6040 would be about right, 7040 even better. As mentioned, there are different sizes of round bales. I feel certain that a light 45 HP tractor like my L4400 is not adequate to handle large round bales in the 5-6' range. The ones I've helped my B-I-L move (with his tractor) probably weigh well over 1200 pounds when wet. On the other hand, the small round bales could probably be handled by a 45 hp tractor if ballasted properly.

I doubt anything less than 50 hp would be adequate for a round baler.

 

[johan3400]

It seems to me you may be getting the cart ahead of the horse. what size acreage do you have? How many sheep will you raise? Why big round bales and not settle for smaller 700 or 800 pound round bales? What breed of sheep will you raise? It is not advisable to put wool breeds on big round bales as the wool gets contaminated by the chaff. The other guys are on track for the size and model of the tractor to handle larger round bales, I just would look at other things first.

 

[WantedWolf]

good advice. keep it coming.

A few more details should be added i guess. I had in mind to upgrade to a larger 75 horse for the serious work, but assumed a smaller tractor would always have its place on the farm (getting in the barn , gardens and fuel of course ). I had hoped that a small 25, 0r 35hp tractor would buy me the time working with smaller cutting and baling equipment to really get a feel for the land and my requirement in a tractor. with more experience on small stuff I would surely make a wiser decision on the higher price tractor and equipment.

We realize this cannot happen overnight, although excited we are trying not to rush. We are planning to expand over five years to a 500 head capacity. The breed of sheep will be romanov suffix cross and maybe future experiments with others. Bison may even be in the future. The lease land is 240acres but apx 90acres workable wild hay. The deeded farm totals 800 acres broken down to 2 quarter sections of bush, 2qs hay and 1 of graze/lake. There are no hills to mess with but along lake areas are very rocky and wet.

I hadnt really considered a difference between large and small rounds related to wool contamination. I figured the cleaning process would have the same result. Shouldnt clean shelter and clean healthy watering areas should make the biggest quality difference (breeding aside). I did just have a large round damage my truck box a little so the ease of handling smalls is attractive. BY the way its surprizing what a 4runner will do when theres no tractor.

There sure is a budget with so many things to do its important to get it right the first time a higher price for higher quality is expected. I want a keeper for whatever tractor(s) we get. I hope the kubota will have a similar spirit to my land cruiser and just never die. But as I mentioned all when the house sells, we need the piece of mind that that is done before anymore large purchases are made. Which could cause a kid in a candy shop on allowance day scenerio if I dont do my homework ahead of time .

As for the mechanically inclined part that will echo into all aspects of the farm and I really believe that I am, although inexperienced with tractors. I have taken pride in maintaining my own equipment from chain saws to the ram 3500 and have built 1 1/2 nice land cruisers. Just for the experience I obtained my class 1 licence (CDL). I do all my own welding mig and stick no ticket yet but i learned from my father who had 18yrs+ bpres.
?.. wait.. first all explain why I have "dabbled" in so many other "job" paths My now 8 year career has been in residential landscape/garden irrigation rolleyes:fool thing to study when at least half the year is under 6inchs of snow. lol but ive loved it since high school.) anyway it has allowed me to experience during the winter considerable sheet metal work, a great job with an arborist, interior finishing, and sewing which cant be discarded for guys ive made tents, boat tops and even truck interiors with the skills I picked up.
Over the last few months Ive actually had the almost sinfull job of demolishing what I consider to be a heritage farm. I can only amagine I will take 20 years if Im lucky to establish such a wonderfull farm as it was.Developing postage stamps.

Now ive went of topic but what i guess i am getting at is I know successfull farming is not a job it should be a way of life. I have always had ties to farming thru family and friends as does my wife and we know we are able to do it from scratch with there help and TBN. We have no significant debt and if the grass would green up enough to sell our house will have enough to move and make some key purchases to get the ball rolling.

I could go on and on but horses need some water trough tending. I will look into a 50hp/ 60hp and those mentioned above but please keep the advice coming. thanks again

 

[WantedWolf]

As for the help with the wife, i might need you to tell her farmers dont ramble on and on.

 

[johan3400]

WW
with the added information. I think a smaller tractor could work for you. If your goal is a 500 head flock you will need more than one tractor in the long run. I would suggest either a tub grinder for you bales or maybe start with an unroller. The sheep will use the bales best if they do not have it coming down around their head. I think many of the name brand tractors would fill the bill of being tough enough to keep on working. I am partial to my Bota and just purchased a second one. You may look at an MX 5100, good workhorse. After you get established you would need to look hard at a larger tractor. I think if you are going to have all those sheep and a larger acreage your wife will be out with you often so you would need his and hers tractors anyway. I think other said it, go and drive a few, have fun with it.

 

[easygo]

I can't speak for tractor size as I have no experience on the large scale you are talking about. As it was said before most all major brands will work great, but(!!!) try what fits you the best. Really. I went to the dealers and set on several makes of tractors to see how things are layed out. Does your shoe fit in and amongst the pedals. In the winter those heavy boots are even more in the way. I love manual shift cars, but I didn't buy a gear tractor because the forward-reverse (shuttle) shifter is on the left side. Sounds stupid, but I'm used to shifting with my right hand and steer with the left it never failed to confuse me a little. When you turn around in the seat (you will do that a lot) does your elbow bump into a piece of steel?
These were things I looked for after I decided on the tractor size. Will they all do the work? You bet. Happy hunting

 

[WantedWolf]

Thank you very much for the replys.

"Sounds stupid, but I'm used to shifting with my right hand and steer with the left it never failed to confuse me a little. When you turn around in the seat (you will do that a lot) does your elbow bump into a piece of steel? "


thats very helpfull advice. The dealers lot will be a very different enviroment from the field and I need to try not to overlook the "little things" that I will have to live with daily when comparing similar tractors. Putting myself "in the field" on the lot seems tough with little tractor experience, so any advice helps alot.

For sizing im still unsure. but leaning towards a good used 60-70hp for a starter tractor it seems mid 90s are the keepers. And when able pick up an older 40-50 to help out. I need to consider offloading the trailer during the move and some crates might outweigh a large bale.

Merry christmas and happy holidays to all.

 

[pitt_md]

I grew up on a small farm in MI. We had 300 head of sheep and I don't think you want to mess with small bales. 300 head took a LOT of hay to get through the winter. As for the size of tractor I would start in the 70hp + range. You should be able to find a good used one these days for the price of a new smaller one. You have a lot of land to work and time is money.

 

[WantedWolf]

I grew up on a small farm in MI. We had 300 head of sheep and I don't think you want to mess with small bales. 300 head took a LOT of hay to get through the winter. As for the size of tractor I would start in the 70hp + range. You should be able to find a good used one these days for the price of a new smaller one. You have a lot of land to work and time is money.

very true thank you iam liking what I see in the 7040 but at that size should I just start looking for the big tractor in a 90 - 100 hp and wait on a perfect 40 - 50hp for backhoe and little bucket jobs

 

[easygo]

should I just start looking for the big tractor in a 90 - 100 hp and wait on a perfect 40 - 50hp for backhoe and little bucket jobs

Last summer I talked to a farmer who has beef cattle. He does his haying with a 100hp 2wd tractor. When all is cut and bailed he uses a 65HP machine with a loader to get the round bales onto a truck and move the bales around at his farm. He let me try it and the old 4wd Deutz-Allis (spelling?) 65hp seemed to have handled the bales fine. I was working for him just for the fun of it for an hour or so running the tractor. He said he used to cut hay with that tractor before buying the 100hp 2wd. I forgot how many acres he cuts but it was in the neighborhood of 150-200.

I just remembered this and thought this might help a little in making your decagon.