60 HP tractor big enough for 200 acres?

vanskills · Mar 7, 2017

Howdy,

I have been reading this site for a few months before joining, really like this community so hello!

I purchased about 200 acres in Montana a few months ago and never had a tractor before, im pretty handy and can run equipment but never owned a tractor.

Property is about 50% wooded and 50% pastures with some rolling hills here and there...I plan on doing some hobby farming (in the future/maybe), food plots for deer, build and maintain some roads, clear snow, move rocks, logging (lots of logging) and just whatever else comes up

I currently leaning towards the Kioti NX6010 but am fairly open to a good machine at a decent price. The reason i stoped looking at bigger than 60 hp is the lack of Hydrostatic transmisions on them, once o drove the hydro i knew i HAD to have that, I want my wife to be able to use it also, hydro is MUCH easier

included a few pics of the property so you can see what ill be dealing with

TSO · Mar 7, 2017

There's a member on here, "Onceacop" that has a similar setup in Minnesota to yours. He does it with a Massey 1758 ... Same size as the NX6010. You should be OK with that size.

Check for his threads/posts.

vanskills · Mar 7, 2017

Massey is one of the tractors i havent looked at yet, ill take a look this week

Massey dealer is pretty close to me (70 miles in Billings Mt) I live pretty deep in the country, haha

The Kioti dealer is 2.5 hours away

Luke'sScreenName · Mar 7, 2017

Gosh that is beautiful country!
The NX6010 would be an great choice IMHO. The comparable Kubota would be the L6060. Find the best dealer. You'll need good dealer support (esp on the phone).

TSO · Mar 7, 2017

I've personally owned Massey and Kioti (and others...) and i feel that Massey (actually, Iseki in Japan builds these machines for Massey/Agco) are of higher quality than the Kioti. But that's not saying anything bad about Kioti, they're both nice machines. Good luck.

nybirdman · Mar 7, 2017

Plenty of tractor at 60HP.I wish some-one would make one 75-80 HP with the HST.

Deerherd · Mar 7, 2017

I have been down this road. That will be a nice tractor until you save up for what you really need. You have 100 acres of pastures and you are getting a 40 something HP at the PTO tractor?

I really don't know what everyone on here thinks is so hard about a power shuttle. Push or pull a lever in the direction you want to go and you don't even need a clutch. No high pitch whine to deal with (at least from the tractor, your spouse may vary...) You want 70 hp min at the PTO, the more the merrier.

If you are really smart you will get a small tractor with HST with R4's with a backhoe that you and momma can run around the homestead digging holes and planting posies.

For planting food plots, cutting pastures, plowing and discing, running a forestry winch and grapple, building and maintaining roads (all things you say you want to do) get the bigger cabbed tractor.

That's a great looking place!

jeff9366 · Mar 7, 2017

SPECS: TractorData.com Kioti NX6010 tractor information

Over 4,000 pounds, bare tractor.

FINALLY, someone considering ENOUGH TRACTOR at time of initial purchase.

Consider a PTO powered Logging Winch early on: tractor logging winch - Google Search

vanskills · Mar 7, 2017

jeff9366 said:
SPECS: TractorData.com Kioti NX6010 tractor information

Over 4,000 pounds, bare tractor.

FINALLY, someone considering ENOUGH TRACTOR at time of initial purchase.

Consider a PTO powered Logging Winch early on: tractor logging winch - Google Search

That PTO winch is awesome, thanks for that info

Rustyiron · Mar 7, 2017

I'll back up Deerherd with the transmission question. Todays "gear tractors" with a hydraulic shuttle have no clutch! They are almost as simple to operate as a hst, only your using your hand to reverse and a tractor (in that HP range, your foot on the throttle). Unlike a hst, you are locked into a gear unless you shift up or down, but again in that HP range, you're generally have a pretty wide speed range (in each gear) with your throttle. Try one out, this will free up your HP constraints if you can do without the hst transmission. I would also guess that in your area, if you were to want to up size (sell/trade it) or what ever, a gear tractor might be preferred by the "old school" farmer/rancher that view a hst tractor as an overgrown garden tractor just because of the pedal transmission *(like me)

I believe that the higher HP tractors are not offered with hst by the manufacturer's for a reason. They likely have 16 or many more gears or a CVT trans. but not a hydrostatic.:2cents:

* I would like to have a 40hp tractor with a hst myself, just not my only tractor for 200 ac.!

audsp98 · Mar 7, 2017

Simply with 100 acres of pastures you're going to need 80+ PTO for a 10-12 ft cutter...with a cab.

audsp98 · Mar 7, 2017

Also as others have said, you may be in the market for 2 tractors. One for the maintenance of your large acreage and one for your homestead life. Probably 30-40 hp.

AKfish · Mar 7, 2017

vanskills said:
Howdy,

I have been reading this site for a few months before joining, really like this community so hello!

I purchased about 200 acres in Montana a few months ago and never had a tractor before, im pretty handy and can run equipment but never owned a tractor.

Property is about 50% wooded and 50% pastures with some rolling hills here and there...I plan on doing some hobby farming (in the future/maybe), food plots for deer, build and maintain some roads, clear snow, move rocks, logging (lots of logging) and just whatever else comes up

I currently leaning towards the Kioti NX6010 but am fairly open to a good machine at a decent price. The reason i stoped looking at bigger than 60 hp is the lack of Hydrostatic transmisions on them, once o drove the hydro i knew i HAD to have that, I want my wife to be able to use it also, hydro is MUCH easier

CH]

Beautiful place you have! Congrats on the move for you and your family.

I support your Hydro option. Great choice for others to safely learn tractor skills. And a real plus towards enlisting your wife to help you get some of the field work done.

However, I don't think either a cab tractor or a farm type, large-frame compact tractor is the machine that is best suited for many of the chores you have outlined.

Logging... Lot's of logging...; No. Rock work, road clearing... No. That kind of work will break and beat the snot out of a cab, large-frame compact tractor. This is not to slam a Kioti, or Massey, or any of the brands. But, heavy dirt-rock work and logging will wreak those tractors in short order.

Invest in a mid-size tractor-loader-backhoe; TLB. Kubota makes a construction grade TLB with a Hydrostatic transmission that will stand up to the kind of work you will need to do with your new place.

Best of luck.

AKfish · Mar 7, 2017

Added question for you... Is your pasture/ meadow big enough that a neighbor would be interested in baling the hay or renting it for grazing?

You might work out a deal for a half a beef every year or some cash rent!

Surreal001 · Mar 7, 2017

I agree with AK. If your pasture is really 50% of your property, a bigger cab tractor is nice to have. I've cut 40 acres with a 30hp open seated JD 1020 and a 6ft rotary cutter. It can be done, but sucks. I still think you are on the right track with the 60hp tractor. Small enough to get in the woods and still big enough for a 10ft cutter. Find good dealer support and negotiate a deal for tractor and some implements. Sometimes you have to balance out the budget and needs and find the best balance. Don't let us spend your money for you, unless you need me to take delivery for you...

Gary Fowler · Mar 7, 2017

It is all a question of timing. DO you want to spent many days or weeks cutting your pasture with a 6 or 8 foot cutter or would you rather spend a small fortune on a 15 foot batwing mower and a 90+ HP tractor to pull it with and finish in a couple of days. We mowed the 42 acres at the brother in law and my place with a 650JD 2WD and turf tires and 4 foot mower. It took at least a month to get it all done, at least the parts we could get to without getting stuck. Finally I got a 45HP 4 WD with 6 foot bush hog and it was a bit faster with two tractors but still took several days of mowing to get it all done.

I now have my Kubota B26 TLB and my LS P7010 for my 11 acre parcel. Even with only 11 acres, I wouldn't want to be with only one tractor. I keep my TLB with the backhoe on all the time for dirt work and other chores involving grading and or digging. I use my LS for mowing, tilling, disking and larger dirt work activities. My brother in law has a 40 HP New Holland for mowing and moving round bale hay. This works out pretty good for our combined 42 acres.

For 200 acres I wouldn't look at anything less than 2 tractors to maintain it especially if you are "out in the sticks" as you say. If you want the wife to be able to use one with HST, look at something in the 40-60 HP size and then get something in the 80-100 HP to mow and move snow etc with.

moriboy · Mar 7, 2017

When you are dealing with large property, there never seems to be a one size fit's all tractor. I think you are on the right track looking at a 60HP machine to start, but if it were me, I would really consider bumping up to a 75-85HP size. The added weight and PTO horsepower will come in handy. The power reverser that you will most likely find is simple and reliable. It took us a few years to build up our equipment inventory, but we now have 6 tractors in various sizes that have specific chores on our ranch. Smallest being 28HP, largest 135. Our most used machines are a 70HP and an 85HP.