3510H or 3520h?

[txguy]

First post here. I’m looking to get new tractor soon to maintain my 20 acres of slightly rolling hills. I have been looking at the Branson 3515h and 3520h (also the Kioti DK4210 and TYM 394). There is a $3-4000 difference between the two Branson tractors.

My main needs are:

Need to do a good amount of erosion control (not bulldozer work, just general washout and gully control)
Maintain a 300 foot driveway
Mow the land

I am also looking to get some cattle on the property and the issue of round bales came up. I would more or less just have a bare minimum of cattle (just enough to get an ag exemption); I am not going to be a professional farmer. I am assuming I might go through one or two round bales a month, 4x5 mainly.

So I would need my tractor to be able to lift the round bales off a utility trailer and move them across the property. Since we are only talking 1-2 bales at a time, I would be okay with having to ballast the back of the tractor to get the bales off the trailer and then change over to a three point bale spike to move them across the property.

The 3515 loader says it does 2200lb at the pins, but is only a 3000lb tractor. Will a 3515 do, or am I going to regret it?

 

[K5lwq]

Welcome to TBN! For the things you listed weight is your friend. I would recommend the 20 or 25 series Bransons. 15 series can do these task but will be much slower and challenging. Good luck in your search!

 

[ptsg]

I agree with K5. That 15 series will do the job but you might need some ballast for increased stability.

The 20 or 25 series should do it easily with its extra weight and width.

 

[Aquamoose]

The name of the game is to get the heaviest tractor with strong lifting capacity you can get. The 3520 did well for me.

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

Do you know how much the 5x4 round bales will weigh? The 2 biggest demands on your new tractor will be moving/feeding these round bales, and your "good amount of erosion control". Both of these *may* require a heavier tractor than your other tasks.

Do you already have a plan for what erosion work needs to be done? How much dirt needs moving, and what implements will you have to work with? A good heavy, big, angled back blade will do a lot of dirt work, but requires a heavier tractor to not get shoved around by the blade. A box blade or land plane will be less demanding, if sized correctly to your tractor, but each will be more limited in the amount of dirt you can relocate.

Round bales. 5x4 bales are obviously lighter and easier to move than the 6' large bales. Are you going to be lifting these and dropping them into a round bale feeder, or just setting them on the ground (to feed) and letting the cows climb around in the bale?

My cabbed 25 series weighs 4100 lbs bare tractor weight (no FEL, ballast or attachments), and with FEL, filled rear tires, and box blade (or 6' brush hog), it weighs 7100 lbs. That is weighed on a certified CAT scale, and not a guess.



This is me moving and feeding a rather heavy 6' round bale. I'm guessing 1600-1800 lbs range (it was also a little soft). And it was all that tractor wanted to lift and move. I had no issue dead lifting the bale into the air, but carrying it across open ground and turning into the corral, you could really feel the weight big time. I also had no problem lifting it up and over the side of the feeder, but again, you could really feel it, and I was on very flat ground. This is using an SSQA bale spear on the FEL. Even with the filled rear tires and box blade on the back, I was lighter in the rear than I wanted to be. Next time I used the brush hog as ballast and it was a little better (about the same weight, but puts it further back for more leverage). I think 5x4 bales would be a snap for me, but I don't have any bales that size to try.

I think you'd be in the same boat with a 15 series tractor and the smaller 5x4 bales. You'd probably be "able" to move them, but it would be all, or maybe more than you'd want. Where as the 20 series would give you the extra tractor mass to deal with them safer.

If you're willing to carry bales on your 3pt, I guess it depends on how far you have to haul them, how flat and smooth is the ground you're going over, and do you need to stack them or not. And the question about using a bale feeder, or feeding on open ground. I would personally not feed on the ground without at least a round bale feeder. So if you have to lift bales over a fence, or into a feeder, an SSQA bale spear for your loader becomes necessary. Again, personal opinion, I wouldn't want to have an SSQA bale spear AND a 3 pt bale spear. Not if I was only working with 1 or 2 bales a month. Now if I was bringing bales in from a field, then sure. One bale on the 3 pt, and a bale on the FEL, and bring them in.

So, TL;DR

I would recommend the 20 series, ballast in the rear tires, attachments sized for your tractor, and have at it.

 

[Branson Bob]

Slowpoke Slim has it covered pretty well. I've been told that a large round bale (depending on moisture) weighs around 800 lbs so theoretically either tractor should be able to handle one though the higher you lift, the less your capacity. My 3520 is a beast but I haven't operated a 3510.

Here's the tractor data sheets for both:

TractorData.com Branson 351 tractor information

TractorData.com Branson 352H tractor information

It looks like the 3520 is heavier and better at lifting. You should err on the side of bigger and more powerful.

 

[LouNY]

You don't list your area, so the slope of any hills, mud conditions, snow? carrying a heavy bale on the front will you need chains, the strength of the front axle.
Many of the new tractors do not have clearance for chains ( new being less then 15 years ).
Manure clean up, hauling composting, fencing, corrals.
Once you have cows vacations may be non existence, are you going to buy feeders, have a bull on site, have to work though calving.
Can you get your ag exemption thru hay sales or share cropping with a farmer,
some places have gone from getting rent to paying someone to manage and take the hay to maintain the exemption.

Also if you are regularly feeding round bales adding ballast by an implement can and is done,
it is much easier and to me much better to have enough tractor to just run out and grab a bale with a grapple or spear and not have to add an attachment first.
I also realize that many people can't justify that much tractor or want that much tractor.
Also unless you only have one or two cows you will need more then 1 or 2 bales a month,
and you will need high quality and digestible hay if you have any intention of eating your beef.
Unless you have high quality pasture with adequate water year round.
my:2cents:

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

Lou,

I'm assuming from his screen name, that he's living somewhere in Texas. So, where you and I would have to feed hay all winter long (as in *way* more than 1 or 2 bales a month), I'm guessing he's just supplemental feeding and letting them graze on grass somewhere.

 

[K5lwq]

That depends on where in Texas. Some places very little grass grows even in the summer. If all he wants is AG exempt, a few bee hives will get that done with a lot less hassle.

 

[LouNY]

Lou,

I'm assuming from his screen name, that he's living somewhere in Texas. So, where you and I would have to feed hay all winter long (as in *way* more than 1 or 2 bales a month), I'm guessing he's just supplemental feeding and letting them graze on grass somewhere.

Your most likely correct, and not much snow to worry about unless he's up in the panhandle.
Good pasture would have to be south east Texas from what I saw down there, unless it's irrigated.