Haybine,Disc or Sickle

[Galloways1]

I use my JD 3010 diesel with my Kuhn 7 ft and JD 260 7 ft disc mowers.

 

[High Cotton]

A 4020 should tote most 9' cutters with out a problem. I run a 9' krone AM323S on a JD2840 which is pretty close to a 4020 maybe a touch smaller and a kubota 8540.

 

[ironpeddler]

Yea, I am looking at my wallet now ...I think a haybine may be the way to go... I also work off the farm and have to cut at night and during day when im off... I have enough lights to light up my work area like a combine when I cut at night.

You will not be using a hay bine in thick hay at night. Once the dew falls you have to go to the house. You need to look a drum mower or a disc mower. They will mow hay in any conditions. First you need to match the mower to your size tractor. Tractor weight is just as important as PTO HP. Pictured is a drum mower that sell new for $3,600.

 

[1wlimo]

I have cut 100's of acres with a drum mower iornpeddler, wonderfull machines where you have a small tractor (40hp), and or very rough ground. Very good to cut slough grass, or to try and tame wrough land. But they do not come very wide, I would think that most people are better off with a disc mower.

If the tractor is a little light or a 3pt disc mower then you could add wheel weights to the outside wheel to balance the tractor up. I would be very careful buying a second hane one. You may be like Dunand find a good one, but the are a lot of units that are shot. A disc mower will not last like a sickle will, they also used more fuel.

 

[Farmerjon]

Had never heard of a "drum mower" so did a quick google search.
Here is a new one in your $5,000.00 range. http://smallfarminnovations.com/compactdrummowers.html

Interesting concept.

 

[dun]

We had a 8 foot reese drum mower, maintenance was redicuklaous and for some reason it ate belts about every hundred acres. Dumped it and got a disc mower and have never looked back

 

[B&M Farms]

I use a NH451 sickle to cut about 50 acres of hay meadows 3 times a year. I like the disc mowers because you can start with a dew on the grass, but could never justify the cost for 50 acres. Ive seen repairs on a disc mower cost as much as a good sickle and I can keep my sickle going for alot less. But if I was in the custom baling business I would look for something faster.

 

[skyhightree1]

I used a New Holland 1431 discbine today man that thing was lovely... A friend of mines dad is a farmer I have known for about 18 years had one I never knew he had one he bought it this year. My friend aka farmers son asked could he use my lil jd450 dozer I told him yes for as long as he needed it. So I took it to his dads farm when I got there thee NH 1431 was sitting outside he was changing the blades I told him I wanted one pretty badly he told me thanks for letting them use my dozer and for me to come back and take the NH1431 anytime I needed it. I said ok can I take it today came back got it and used it to cut 15 acres of fescue in no time. I love it I think its 13 foot wide swaths.

 

[1wlimo]

I used a New Holland 1431 discbine today man that thing was lovely... A friend of mines dad is a farmer I have known for about 18 years had one I never knew he had one he bought it this year. My friend aka farmers son asked could he use my lil jd450 dozer I told him yes for as long as he needed it. So I took it to his dads farm when I got there thee NH 1431 was sitting outside he was changing the blades I told him I wanted one pretty badly he told me thanks for letting them use my dozer and for me to come back and take the NH1431 anytime I needed it. I said ok can I take it today came back got it and used it to cut 15 acres of fescue in no time. I love it I think its 13 foot wide swaths.

They are a nice machine when they are new. Not to bad to swap out a broken unit when it sees a rock in the field, but put 10,000 acres on them and they are about shot. They also do not like running on wet ground. The soil builds up underneath you need to keep cleaning it. I was never really able to cut that much more ground in a day than those with a haybine next door. You really need leavel rock free ground to get the best out of them.

 

[skyhightree1]

They are a nice machine when they are new. Not to bad to swap out a broken unit when it sees a rock in the field, but put 10,000 acres on them and they are about shot. They also do not like running on wet ground. The soil builds up underneath you need to keep cleaning it. I was never really able to cut that much more ground in a day than those with a haybine next door. You really need leavel rock free ground to get the best out of them.[/quote]


I used it on my clearest most level field so I didn't tear anything up..lol I liked it so far but then again I cut with a sickle bar so that was like a day at the amusement park to me. I think I will look for a NH used haybine probably until can afford to get a nice new disc mower.

 

[CDH Cattle]

i assume you have a good hay rake since you have a sickle, so no point in a "bine". you dont need it windrowed. get a 3pt kuhn. deffantly. i bought one and have been more happy with it than all the other cutters i have wore out

 

[skyhightree1]

I have a NH 256 that I use. I will be looking at the Kuhn's and others in the spring. How many acres of hay do you cut with yours?

 

[IL cow man]

Sorry i never got back to you. The 4020 will handle any of the nine foot disc mowers fine. Keep the cover in good shape because I assume you do not have a cab. These covers are for your protection as the mowers can really throw rocks and other debris.