Flail Mower Let's talk flail mowers

[aclarke]

Hi folks. I’ve been wondering if a flail mower is right for me. We’re rotationally grazing sheep over about 17 acres, although next year it’s going to be about 60. We tend to mow after we move the sheep, just to keep uneaten vegetation from going to seed and encourage new growth. Last year and this year we’ve been mostly using our 60” mower deck on our John Deere 1025R, or our 60” rotary mower on our Kubota L3130. The JD mows a little lower than we’d ideally like, even at its highest setting. It’s OK this year, but isn’t going to “cut it” next year when we’re moving 4 acre paddocks every 4 days. Too much time spent mowing. The rotary mower leaves a semi-windrow as it passes and doesn’t distribute the cuttings well, which tends to inhibit new growth where the cuttings lay.

We also mow occasionally around the horse pasture, and the rotary mower isn’t great there for the same reason.

Is a flail mower the right tool for cutting grass after sheep? It’s usually not hard work as the sheep have ideally eaten most of it. The more mulching/shredding it does, the better, both for sheep and horses. On a semi-related note, I just paid a neighbour >$1000 to chop 32 acres of cut hay as it got ruined by rain. It would have been slow going with my 31hp Kubota, but $1000 would have gone a long way towards buying me a nice mower.

I’m just looking for ideas on whether I should be getting a flail mower/shredder, or some other type of mower. Then, is 72” about the max for my tractor or could I safely go wider? I guess I have more research to do too on the different types of blades for each application. Thanks.

 

[Gator6x4]

Hi folks. I’ve been wondering if a flail mower is right for me. We’re rotationally grazing sheep over about 17 acres, although next year it’s going to be about 60. We tend to mow after we move the sheep, just to keep uneaten vegetation from going to seed and encourage new growth. Last year and this year we’ve been mostly using our 60” mower deck on our John Deere 1025R, or our 60” rotary mower on our Kubota L3130. The JD mows a little lower than we’d ideally like, even at its highest setting. It’s OK this year, but isn’t going to “cut it” next year when we’re moving 4 acre paddocks every 4 days. Too much time spent mowing. The rotary mower leaves a semi-windrow as it passes and doesn’t distribute the cuttings well, which tends to inhibit new growth where the cuttings lay.

We also mow occasionally around the horse pasture, and the rotary mower isn’t great there for the same reason.

Is a flail mower the right tool for cutting grass after sheep? It’s usually not hard work as the sheep have ideally eaten most of it. The more mulching/shredding it does, the better, both for sheep and horses. On a semi-related note, I just paid a neighbour >$1000 to chop 32 acres of cut hay as it got ruined by rain. It would have been slow going with my 31hp Kubota, but $1000 would have gone a long way towards buying me a nice mower.

I’m just looking for ideas on whether I should be getting a flail mower/shredder, or some other type of mower. Then, is 72” about the max for my tractor or could I safely go wider? I guess I have more research to do too on the different types of blades for each application. Thanks.

Flail mowers, Rotary Cutter and mid mount lawn mower and well as a rear PTO lawn mower all like 5 PTO horse power per every 1 foot or 12 inches of width.

Your JD 1025R is rated at 17.2 PTO Horsepower.

Your Kubota is rated at 25.5 PTO Horsepower.

You are already pushing the limits for a 4 foot flail mower on the JD and just comfortable for a 5 foot flail mower or rotary cutter on the Kubota.

You are short 5 HP on the Kubota for a 6 Foot Rotary Cutter or Flail Mower. I doubt the JD would pick up a 6 foot rotary cutter or flair mower and it is way short for the required horsepower to operate either a 6 foot rotary cutter or flail mower.

 

[DieselBound]

Vendor of my 7' flail said 60hp minimum. I didn't tell my 55hp Kioti! I can run fairly fast in lighter stuff but heavier stuff I have to slow down in: my property has lots of trees and isn't real smooth in which case speed isn't something that is all that possible anyway. I've mowed 7' tall reed canary grass with my flail, not very often but did so just to see if it could; my observation is that it did every bit as good as my 6' rotary (clumping is a big issue with it), both had to run slowly.

6' flail on your Kubota going over light stuff won't be an issue. Biggest decision is what kind of flails, and that depends on what the material is that you have to cut (and thus, also, what the finished look is expected to be). If not real rocky and with woody stuff to cut up, Y grass blades should be fine. I am running hammer flails because I have lots of woody debris and I don't have a big concern over finished look: I do use my flail around the house area from time to time and it doesn't do too bad. I'll note that in some three seasons running my flail I have yet to break a flail: I once sucked up a chunk of cedar root that jammed the flail and killed the tractor (first time that has ever happened); had to drill the root piece to break it up in order to extract it; no damage to the flail (or, thankfully, the tractor).

Think about whether a hydraulic side-shift would be useful. Can't retrofit one. This is what has made my flail a great tool for me: along ditches and working around trees.

 

[ning]

Hi folks. I’ve been wondering if a flail mower is right for me. We’re rotationally grazing sheep over about 17 acres, although next year it’s going to be about 60. We tend to mow after we move the sheep, just to keep uneaten vegetation from going to seed and encourage new growth. Last year and this year we’ve been mostly using our 60” mower deck on our John Deere 1025R, or our 60” rotary mower on our Kubota L3130. The JD mows a little lower than we’d ideally like, even at its highest setting. It’s OK this year, but isn’t going to “cut it” next year when we’re moving 4 acre paddocks every 4 days. Too much time spent mowing. The rotary mower leaves a semi-windrow as it passes and doesn’t distribute the cuttings well, which tends to inhibit new growth where the cuttings lay.

We also mow occasionally around the horse pasture, and the rotary mower isn’t great there for the same reason.

Is a flail mower the right tool for cutting grass after sheep? It’s usually not hard work as the sheep have ideally eaten most of it. The more mulching/shredding it does, the better, both for sheep and horses. On a semi-related note, I just paid a neighbour >$1000 to chop 32 acres of cut hay as it got ruined by rain. It would have been slow going with my 31hp Kubota, but $1000 would have gone a long way towards buying me a nice mower.

I’m just looking for ideas on whether I should be getting a flail mower/shredder, or some other type of mower. Then, is 72” about the max for my tractor or could I safely go wider? I guess I have more research to do too on the different types of blades for each application. Thanks.

FWIW, I don't think the flail would've cut your ruined hay.
Would you consider goats as a clean-up crew post-sheep?

 

[workinonit]

My personal opinion is that those HP ratings for flail, finish mowers and bush hogs is straight up hooey. I pulled a 21 foot finish mower with a 55 HP JD in economy PTO for years until I got the tractor I have now. Also pulled a 10' bush hog. I have a 10' flail now and what I can say is that I think the limiting factor is the weight. Thing weights 2000 pounds. My old tractor would not have wanted that much weight.

 

[Ricn]

Are you saying next year you will be mowing 60 acres? If so, you need a bigger HP tractor that will mow fast enough to save time. Smaller 25hp unit with 5ft flail will take a very long time and I say this having mowed 20 acres with that setup several times for the neighbors, L2501 and Woodmax 5ft flail. This setup works great for my needs but 60 acres would take me a long time, especially in real tall stuff like 4-6 ft grass that while cutting it down with great results requires me to run the tractor pretty slow.

 

[apkMainer]

I jut bought a Ironcraft FL-165 to cut about 7 acres of overgrown pasture. It has been so wet this summer in Maine, haven't been able to cut with my bush hog. Bogs down the tractor. Flail came with hammers installed but also came with Y blades. Should I change blades for first cut or just go with the hammers? The grass is about 5-6 ft tall and very green.

 

[Ricn]

I jut bought a Ironcraft FL-165 to cut about 7 acres of overgrown pasture. It has been so wet this summer in Maine, haven't been able to cut with my bush hog. Bogs down the tractor. Flail came with hammers installed but also came with Y blades. Should I change blades for first cut or just go with the hammers? The grass is about 5-6 ft tall and very green.

You bought a 6ft ditch bank mower but don't say the tractor HP you have. Y blades are best for grass IMO - they leave a clean cut going thru grass like butter! You may get some stems showing pending the type of grass you have and if like mine having lots of weeds I get some but not many unless I wait to long to mow. The wheels flatten down the weeds but the mower sucks them back up for the most part before cutting. Nice looking mower BYW-

 

[LouNY]

I believe that your mower will not be able to handle growth of that size. It looks to be a light duty unit.

From another mowers manual "
The cu􀆫ng height can be set for longer grass by simply raising the hydraulic li􀅌 arms on
your tractor or/and by adjus􀆟ng the rear roller and skids on the machine to increase or
decrease the blade clearance as required [ see sec􀆟on on adjus􀆟ng the cu􀆫ng height].
The working speed of the machine should always be at a walking pace, depending on
the working condi􀆟ons. Overgrown grass and weeds should be cut at a much slower
pace for the best cut and to avoid any damage to the mower"

Some of the more heavy duty mowers have recutters that can be raised and or hear hatches that
can be opened to allow material to exit the mower faster.

Good luck.

 

[Ricn]

LouNY makes good points, I think it remains to be seen pending your type of grass pasture, the size of the tractor, and how you set up the mower. Were you able to discuss your situation before buying the mower, did the dealer help you make the choice? I have cut grass taller than my tractor hood but have to mow slower than normal. Once cut though it became very easy the next time when much shorter.