Cutting Hay - Implement / Attachment Requirements?

[bhartzer]

I've got about 8 acres that I want to cut for hay. Square bales would be fine, and I don't think I'll be doing it but 3-4 times a year. So, do I really need to spend thousands of $$ for baling equipment or can I get by with something cheaper?

I have a new Kubota L2600DT; would I need a larger tractor or are there implements/attachments available that I could use on this tractor? Help!

 

[gws]

Will you be using or selling the hay? Around here they are getting 50-100 square bales/acre. * 8 acres * 75 bales * 3 cuttings/year * 2 dollars bale for resale. Lots a variables but
ends up with about $3600 in sales. Dont forget the labor and unless your going round bales you need more than 1 person to do the work.


You should be able to find a thread on what equipment you will need. but basicly you need a mower, crimper/conditioner, Wheel Rake/tedder , bailer, and a wagon. Your tractor might be small on HP for haying depeding on the bailer you get.


Used equipment is available, but where is your break even point. New is available but bailers alone can run $15k

 

[HayDR]

Your tractor is the biggest factor in what equipment you can use. The Kubota L2600DT has 22.5 PTO HP. With only 22.5 HP you will be looking at a mower choice of the following:
Sickle bar mower Single action- $950
Sickle bar mower Double action- $1700-2500
Drum mower-T135- $1800
Disc mower- not available for less than 30 HP

Rake New:
3 point wheel rake- $400

Baler Used:
You likely do not have enough HP to use a baler.

 

[bhartzer]

Thanks for your replies, Gary and CCI. Right now I've been using a 6 foot bush hog to cut these 8 acres, and was wondering if it's going to be worth it to invest in the baling equipment for square bales. I'll probably use most of them myself, but will consider selling them if I end up getting the equipment. Sounds like I'll definitely need more horsepower, too, so I'll take a look at that, too.

Too bad someone hasn't come up with a baler "system" for us folks who have smaller acreage. I would bet that there's a lot of people out there like me who love to cut their smaller lots and bale it; even if it produced smaller bales.

 

[gws]

I would hate to see 8 acres of land just bush hogged. See if you can find someone who will bale it for you. Your got enough land to make it worthwhile for someone. Put an ad in the paper or post it at the co-op. I only have a little over an acre and it not justifyable to buy anything. At 25 cents a bale, it beats the 2-3/bale I would have to pay and I can swap bales for payment so I shold have a zero cost on my hay this year. 1 cutting is going to be a little late but the llama's are not picky about what they eat, Second cutting should be nice and will sell most of that, 3rd cutting will be sold as well. 1/2 of 1 cutting will go to pay baling cost either in direct swap or sell/payout