How big of tractor.

[trappertim]

Hey guys I got bout 60 acres of crp to mow and 10 acres of food plots. How many horse tractor do I want? I'd like to buy a tractor mower and disc for under 12 if possible. Thanks!


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[trappertim]

Half is tall natives and half is short natives. Thx


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[Bill]

A pretty small tractor,would probably do it but I'd want 40 plus.

HP is really going to depend on the mower. A 4 foot mower takes much less than a 10 footer.
I will add more difficulty to your search. I had a 7 foot 3 point mower. Like all 3 point mowers it would bottom out at the bottom of a gully. Mowers going down while the tractor is going up. Worst case you stall or sheer a pin, best case you make a bare spot and move on.

Now I've got a pull behind, makes all the differance in the world.

 

[tooln]

I'd say nothing under 40.

 

[MRBB]

a good ball park is, you want 7 hp for every ft of mower, 5 ft mower, 35 hp, then it will run thru things NOT taxing it
yes smaller HP can do it, but it has to run harder to do so

60 acres, I would want a MIN of about 75 HP if it was me, and a decent mower to boot
but good luck finding one for under 12k in decent shape!
so with that I'd buy the biggest one in decent shape you can find!

That or just pay someone to mow for you, might be cheaper, as a BIGGER tractor mower can knock it out in a shorter time and till you spend 12 k, that pays for a LOT of mowing and food plot work!
NO up keep and NO maintenance to worry about!


unless you have a LOT of time to kill, its going to be long hrs mowing 60 acres with a 6-7 ft mower on a 45 hp or so tractor, or even more on a smaller HP tractor and a smaller mower!
for you!
as thats a LOT of passes on a 60 acre field!!

tractors are like gun safe's
its never big enough!

 

[Freeborn]

Typically CRP is not mowed all in the same year. Most contracts want you to spread it over 2-3 years so the wildlife (quail/Pheasants) don't go from having 50 acres of cover to none. I have about 50 acres of CRP and can mow it over 3 years. I have a JD 3520 with a 6' brush mower and a 6' flail mower. If you cut your mowing in half you can get your tractor size down and probably find something closer to your 12k budget.

 

[Jordan Selsor]

If you gonna mow 50 acres I would say 50hp an minimum 72" bush hog be ideal.
Can you burn crp? It's much easier to keep perimeter trial mowed which can then be disked/bladed for burn lines!
Step back an light her off an enjoy the show!

 

[Mortenson]

How about a 120 hp cih 1066 that gives you room to grow and a jd 6' rotary chopper. Shop right and you could get that for 10ish K. Then search the auctions and dealers for the disc that suits your remaining budget.

 

[yoderjac]

We only have 20+ acres that are currently plantable. It was less than 15 when we started. The first year, I plant 7 acres with a B2400 and quickly convinced myself I needed more. Picked up a Kioti DK45 4x4 with FEL and a Cab. It was a much better fit, but it wasn't long before I wish I had gone for 65 instead of 45. I'm still using the DK45, but if I was going to buy today, it would be 90.

If you don't have a day job and you are young enough for your body to handle the wear and tear, you can really get a lot done with a small tractor. There area also jobs where a small tractor is very nice to have. My partner had a 16 hp Ford that I use all the time for some tasks. However, if you are a weekend warrior and need to get a lot done in a short time, size does matter.

Whatever you decide to get, you will likely wish you bought bigger. Tasks seem to grow to exceed the machine...

Thanks,

Jack

 

[Freeborn]

One thing I would recommend you ask yourself is what you are going to use the tractor for. If your land is wide open and all you will do is work in an open field then bigger is better but if you want to do any work in the woods bigger is not always better. The best situation would be 2 tractors.

 

[Boll Weevil]

If your land is wide open and all you will do is work in an open field then bigger is better but if you want to do any work in the woods bigger is not always better.

Excellent point and absolutely agree. I do a lot of work in the timber/tight quarters with my little 65hp New Holland which is far more nimble than a bigger tractor.

 

[Rlsbowhunt]

How about a 120 hp cih 1066 that gives you room to grow and a jd 6' rotary chopper. Shop right and you could get that for 10ish K. Then search the auctions and dealers for the disc that suits your remaining budget.

I think you have plenty of tractor for your bushing.

 

[Freeborn]

One other item to keep in mind is how you will transport the tractor. If your buying a tractor for under 12k someday it will need repairs and unless you are a mechanic or have access to a gooseneck trailer and large diesel truck you will be hiring someone to pick up your tractor.

Mowing is also not complicated, your buddy, wife, or hired neighbors farm kid can mow so having someone help might be a good option.

 

[yoderjac]

The problem is that no matter what I think I'm gonna do with a tractor when I buy it, things change and I actually end up doing a lot more with it than I had originally envisioned. This is especially true if you get a FEL on it.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[rocksnstumps]

Plenty of 70-90hp tractors out there for under $10K with any Ag in your neighborhood. Sure 2 WD, 25+ years old and probably no loader but they were built for real farmers and when you start talking about way back pre 70s are more like $6K-7K. Trailering not an easy task however with likely already loaded tires. Checkout tractorhouse.com for a general feel for prices and throw in a few grand for a wider used brush hog

I'm in the 40hp class but loader is huge for me (yes added $$ and gotta have 4wd)and mow less than a couple miles of trails. No way I'd wanna do 60 acres with my rig and besides at less than 20 years old it is still slightly above your price range with no mowing attachment either.

 

[buckdeer1]

I am surprised you are mowing CRp at all the only time we can mow is for fire breaks.I would also buy a farm tractor with a bucket.I don't worry too much about hauling a tractor for repairs as around here it's only around 3.00 a loaded mile so not really even worth buying a trailer big enough to haul one.

 

[Bill]

I am surprised you are mowing CRp at all the only time we can mow is for fire breaks.I would also buy a farm tractor with a bucket.I don't worry too much about hauling a tractor for repairs as around here it's only around 3.00 a loaded mile so not really even worth buying a trailer big enough to haul one.

My neighbor mows and bails his every other yearo_O:rolleyes:
Says it to keep the cedars and locust from growing.

 

[Freeborn]

In Minnesota most contracts require a minimum of a mid term contract mow to keep thatch under control. You can mow more often if you want you just can't mow during nesting season. You can also mow strips in the grass which provides tall thick nesting grass near shorter grass. This will help brooding and promote different grasses and forbs. Depending on what your trying to promote diversity is a good thing in prairie grass.