What machine, or equipment, can mow an uneven grassy pasture the fastest? Zero Turn?

[newbury]

Sheep.

 

[Notforhire]

I have a 3ac pasture that I've been mowing with a Ferris mower for the last 3 or 4 years. I cut it once a week with no issues. The suspension takes the jarring, so it's more like riding a horse. I used to use a non suspension Ferris to mow the same field. It worked but it was a rougher ride.
I sold the ridged frame Ferris to a neighbor and he trims along his fences (as well as mowed his lawn) with it. That mower is 20+yo and still works fine. (It did get new spindles about 7 years ago.
So much depends on how rough the pasture is. My friend/neighbor grazes cattle on another pasture of ours. It's rough enough that I needed a seat belt to keep me on my L47 while bush hogging it.
Bottom line, it depends.

 

[zzvyb6]

Mine were bumpy caused by previous owner plowing the field but never leveling/discing it. An old 9' NH 479 sickle mower tends to chop down the dirt clumps, ant hills, and pits. As long as there are no large stones. Even works on my lawn roughed up by frost heaves, mole hills, and dog digs.

 

[Too many Kubotas]

I have plenty of bumps and holes, but with an M-series tractor (large diameter tires) and a 10' mower it's both reasonably comfortable and quick.

When using the L3800, obviously with only a 6-foot mower, I have to go a lot slower, mostly because of the dinky front tires.

 

[MountainBuck]

The new Ventrac45RC is radio controlled. That could be fun to just mow like a video game..

 

[plowhog]

I have multiple pasture areas, 15ac, 4ac, 4ac, 2ac. About 25 acres total.

A lot of it is reasonably flat and smooth. But then, as you are mowing along, *wham* you hit a hole or something. Rarely any rocks. I'm really interested in a flail/finish mower plus removing the front grapple and maybe also the loader arms for a better ride.

But, still, with 25 acres to mow, it's a time consuming thing to do. I'm hoping to cut that time down so I can mow it all in less than a full day.

I know a finish mower can cut to a much lower height than a ZTR or rotary cutter. What I do not know is-- does this mean I can extend the time between mowings just because it is cutting it shorter?

 

[lman]

I mow with a 12 ft. batwing finish mower pulled by my 40 hp tractor. I don't move very fast but I still cover quite a bit of ground with this unit.

 

[2manyrocks]

Mowing Calcuator | How many acres can I mow in an hour

www.landscapecalculator.com

Field roughness, terrain, and obstacles can limit mowing speed to roughly the speed of a person walking which I believe is about 4 mph. This leaves the only practical way to speed up mowing sometimes is to increase the mower width which depends on the tractor HP and ability to handle a larger cutter. If the vegetation is kept cut relatively speaking, it would take less HP to cut it than if it is allowed to grow 6' tall. But that could add to your overall mowing time if add up all your mowing during a year.

 

[mikester]

100HP tractor with big wheels and a 24' batwing mower

I don't mow pastures. Personally speaking I'd put the field under crop or hay or get sheep/cattle before trying to make more lawns.

 

[chim]

I know a finish mower can cut to a much lower height than a ZTR or rotary cutter. What I do not know is-- does this mean I can extend the time between mowings just because it is cutting it shorter?

My yard gets cut when it looks like it needs it. Right now that runs around 4 days and cutting 2-3 inches off. If something interferes with getting to it for a couple days, it's just longer the next time. If the grass gets crazy tall the mower doesn't distribute the clippings well.