Minimum PTO HP for haying and associated implements

[Hayseed Andy]

Hello, all. Giving some thought to doing hay work (as well as other chores) around some acreage I have acquired. It is 5 acres, with the possibility of 5 more. What would I need as far as a tractor and implements to do the job properly and without being underpowered? I lean towards Kubota, with John Deere as a runner up. At some point, I could see it becoming a side-gig to help pay bills. Thanks.

 

[jeff9366]

WELCOME TO TRACTORBYNET.


I do not hay myself, but hay is raised around me.

Haying requires multiple expensive implements.

I speculate it takes sixty (60) acres to break even raising hay on a hobby basis, assuming two harvests per year, in Florida.

Equipment is available:

VIDEO: Tractor Tools Direct - Haymaking Packages for Compact Tractors - YouTube

IBEX TX HOBBY HAY PACKAGE DEMONSTRATION VIDEO - YouTube

Good luck to you.

Giving thought to a tractor for five acres I have acquired, with the possibility of 5 more. What would I need in a tractor?
I lean towards Kubota, with John Deere as a runner up.

LINKS (2): tractor for five acres site:tractorbynet.com - Google Search

tractor for ten acres site:tractorbynet.com - Google Search


VIDEO: Kubota BX Series VS. B Series - YouTube




There are several well developed threads in the T-B-N archive on the cost of operating a compact tractor. Owners that keep meticulous records calculate the full cost of operating a compact tractor WITHOUT IMPLEMENTS, with the owner performing routine service but purchasing OEM parts and fluids at circa $25 per engine hour. I concur.

(Subcompact/compact tractor =1,700 pounds to 4,500 pounds bare tractor weight)

I have numerous implements. I fuel and grease my tractor, the Kubota dealer or the welding shop perform all other maintenance and repairs, including transportation. I calculate my operating cost at $35 per engine hour.

 

[M5farms]

Squares are more labor intensive but can be very profitable . If your handy with a wrench you can get older equipment very cheap. Cutter rake and baler for around 5 or k . most all of this type equipment can be handled with a 40hp tractor. The coop can fertilize for you or rent you a buggy. 4 or 5 cuttings can be done if weather cooperates just a little . 5 Acres is easy to get done in 3 days. Its better to cut every 28 to 30 days . your yield will be lower each cutting but quality will be higher and if you can squeeze in 4 or 5 cuts the qty will be the same as the guy that only cuts 2 times and you will double the TDN and protein of that guy. Make the kind of hay you would feed to your animals and you will not have any problem finding customers. I bale hay for personal use and sell the excess. I have had to turn down 3 people this past week needing hay because I have already committed what I have to customers . Word of mouth gets around pretty quick if you make good product. I do a 700# round and 90% of what i sell is 1 roll at a time to folks that have a few horses. Its hard work but I look forward to hay season like most people look to go on vacation.

 

[Hayseed Andy]

Thank you both for the input and links. I have been watching a lot of YouTube videos to try and get an idea of what to look for. I find this line of work fascinating. I can see it as a side gig, and then eventually something to do during retirement.

M5farms, what does TDN stand for?

 

[M5farms]

Thank you both for the input and links. I have been watching a lot of YouTube videos to try and get an idea of what to look for. I find this line of work fascinating. I can see it as a side gig, and then eventually something to do during retirement.

M5farms, what does TDN stand for?

Total Digestive Nutrients

Understanding a hay analysis puts you in the driver seat when dealing with hay customers that think looks and color are the determining factor when buying hay. Knowing the TDN and protein content a person can determine what supplementing needs will be according to the animals they are feeding.

 

[Jchonline]

M5farms how many acres do you hay?

 

[Jchonline]

Andy I only have experience in TX, but I will say there are a number of folks interested in small hay operations on this forum. Here are my thoughts. For 5-10 acres you will likely never see a return on your investment (ok maybe in 40 years). So if you are doing this for profit, my advice is dont. However, if you have money to burn then go for it. I suppose haying can be a hobby if you wish. It is certainly rewarding to have many excited and thankful customers if you produce a quality hay product. In East Texas there are many that bale weeds and still sell them. Don’t be that person!

For tractor size, it really depends on what type of bales. If small squares only, you can get buy with a smaller machine. If you want to go large round then you need big machines. For your property size I would go square, but perhaps talk to others in the area to see what they suggest. Once you decide this we can talk specifics about machines.

 

[M5farms]

M5farms how many acres do you hay?

I cut and bale 105 acres 3 to 5 times a year. 20 acres is Tifton 85 Bermuda (going to plant another 12 acres this spring ) It can be cut every 30 days when the weather is cooperates. This is what I feed along with some bahia and crabgrass hay.

 

[flusher]

If you're interested in baling with a two-twine small square baler, you can run one of these with a small CUT with about 20-25 hp (pto). Here's a video showing a Farmall Super A baling on a level hayfield with no problem. The baling portion of the video starts at the 5 minute 45 second mark. The Super A has about 16 hp (pto).

FARMALL Super A - YouTube


Good luck

 

[Oldoak]

Keep in mind, while a CUT tractor may pull and operate a baler efficiently, what control of the tractor do you have when you also hook a wagon behind the baler? Unless you elect to discharge the bales on the ground and manually load them on a wagon. It will be like the tail wagging the dog. Compound the situation if baling on a hillside. Weight and traction of the tractor play a key roll in a safe operation.

 

[joeu235]

Hello, all. Giving some thought to doing hay work (as well as other chores) around some acreage I have acquired. It is 5 acres, with the possibility of 5 more. What would I need as far as a tractor and implements to do the job properly and without being underpowered? I lean towards Kubota, with John Deere as a runner up. At some point, I could see it becoming a side-gig to help pay bills. Thanks.

When I was a teenager, I worked on a 1500 acre ranch and the biggest tractor was a Ford 3600, 48 HP. The rancher had probably 200 cattle and fed them all with square bales that I picked up and stacked in the barn.

You could probably be all in for $15K if your willing to hunt around and fix equipment, but you really want your baler to be reliable.

Tractor - $5k
Cutter - $3k
Rake - $2k
Baler - $5k

 

[joeu235]

Compound the situation if baling on a hillside.

Good luck finding a hill in central Florida.

 

[joeu235]

Andy, checkout me making squares on 50 acres in central Texas.

 

[Hayseed Andy]

Thanks again for all the insight and info. Here is what I am thinking. I am truthfully not sure how good the quality of anything growing on my acreage is at the moment. It has a dozen or so cattle that come and graze regularly. The previous owner of the land had an ag exemption agreement with a local to allow his cattle on the property, and I enjoy seeing them when I visit the place, so they are welcome as long as the land is vacant. I do plan on doing what is necessary to make the product on the field better. I also plan on putting a house on the acreage. If, and it is a big if, I could find others locally that needed help with haying, I was thinking that is where I could get a side-gig going. It is rural where the acreage is, and I do see a decent amount of tractors around. At the end of the day, I will need to do some research and see if there is a need or if most do it on their own. As far as hills, Lake County is about as hilly as you can find in the Central Florida area, and my land has a slight slope. But nothing that would come close to posing a challenge to a tractor. LOL.

 

[Hayseed Andy]

joeu235, that is a heck of a setup you've got there. If Florida keeps getting whacky like it has been for the past decade or so, when it's time for retirement I may pack up the family and head to TX. Oh, and I am glad you missed your camera at the end of the video.

 

[ddbackhoe]

Andy, checkout me making squares on 50 acres in central Texas.

About 3:20 in the video, tell me some more about that trailer and loader please. Ive never seen an accumulator/elevator like that.

 

[joeu235]

The trailer is just an old 32' flat bed. We load from the middle because if there is too much hay in the back, the trailer lifts up from the hitch, if there is too much hay in the front, it overloads the JD 4020.

I google searched for the hay elevator but didn't find anything useful. My dad bought it from the local Deere dealership many moons ago. I have no idea what brand. If your really interested, I can take some pics next time I'm near our hay fields.

 

[ddbackhoe]

I google searched for the hay elevator but didn't find anything useful. My dad bought it from the local Deere dealership many moons ago. I have no idea what brand. If your really interested, I can take some pics next time I'm near our hay fields.

If its not too much trouble, that would be great. Looks like it does a great job, beats the heck out of picking off the ground by hand.

 

[kenmac]

Good luck finding a hill in central Florida.

Beat me to it :laughing:

 

[Hayseed Andy]

Beat me to it :laughing:

I'm telling you, they exist in certain areas. LOL. But they are nothing to write home about.