# What to buy for cutting hay?



## marksj82 (Jul 6, 2013)

Hey guys. I've been cutting hay with a friend of mine for several years now and have been around tractors and farming all of my life. I've decided that next year I'm going to buy my own equipment and start doing it on my own and I'm trying to figure out what tractor to buy. I've priced several and I've got to say I'm leaning towards the 6110 cab mahindra. It's considerably cheaper than kubota & john deere and the dealership is much closer to my land and home. Any input on this would be appreciated. Thanks


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## Hoodoo Valley (Nov 14, 2006)

In my area, I've never even seen a Mahindra, much less a dealer, but from what I've read about them, they do seem to be an excellent buy. Kioti is another brand that's sort of under the radar that has an excellent following as well.


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## Mickey (Aug 14, 2010)

How many acres are you cutting? What kind of equipment do you intend to use?

Think that comes first before size and brand of tractor is considered. Maybe you already know that but from this end, we don't and making uninformed recommendations doesn't always work out.

Is new equipment all you are considering? Yrs back I had a small custom haying business and my baler was the only new piece of equipment I had. The only equipment I had problems with was the baler.


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## marksj82 (Jul 6, 2013)

We cut around 200-300 acres and turn down more all the time. We typically bail around 1,000 round bails a year lately bc we haven't gotten much rain the last couple summers and this year is looking about the same. I use an 8' mowing machine and 16' rake.


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## Mickey (Aug 14, 2010)

Thanks for the additional info and it looks like you have a sizable operation. Been too long since I was in the hay business to make any specific recommendations. I would recommend your main tractor be at least 60HP and larger could be better depending upon lay of the land so to speak. For that much acreage, any reason you are limiting your mower to 8'? Oh, are you limiting yourself to one tractor? Seems like for the amount of hay you are doing a second tractor would come in handy for rake duty while the main tractor is cutting and baling.

Wish you well in your endeavor.


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## marksj82 (Jul 6, 2013)

The guy I work with has a 70 horse tractor that we use as well. And all the acreage isn't together so the 8' mowing machine in very sufficient. Thanks for your input


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## ben70b (Aug 29, 2012)

U looking at new tractors?


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## marksj82 (Jul 6, 2013)

Yes I am. I'm definitely open to used ones as well but I just haven't seen many on Craigslist and I'm unsure of other places to look. I don't really want to drive a long ways to look at one..


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## ben70b (Aug 29, 2012)

It seems like a lot of the hay guys around here use the John Deere 4020 and 3010/3020 for hay tractors, they are an older tractor with the reputation for being reliable and tuff. I see alot of farmall m and Deere 3010 on hay rakes around here. Come to think of it all the hay guys I know use older tractors


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## Country Boy (Mar 18, 2010)

If you are just starting out, I'd look into a good used tractor before buying new. Look around at your local equipment dealers for tractors. I don't like buying tractors or equipment from private parties because the times I have, I've ended up with a basket case. My 1066 ended up needing a rebuild on the engine and the baler I bought from a local guy ended up needing the knotters rebuilt. When you buy from a reputable dealer, they tend to check things over and at least point out the flaws if they don't fix them. If something breaks, you have some recourse to get it fixed because many dealers will help you out if you bought it from them and it fails in a reasonable amount of time.

As for tractors, I'm partial to older IH tractors as you can tell from my signature... My 766 is 90hp and runs my 12' New Holland 499 Haybine with ease. Another thing to think about is 2wd vs 4wd. For making hay, I'd go with the 2wd because you can turn much tighter than with the 4wd tractors. If you are working in smaller fields, it comes in very handy. Voice of experience here. Had to rent a tractor one year for the Haybine before I bought my 766. It was 4wd and I ended up nearly putting it through the fence line on the end of the field because it had such a much larger turing radius.


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