Still no hay

[boondocks]

Aug. 8. Still no hay. Went tractor shopping today. What does everyone think of mahindras? We have an old Massey Ferguson (needs some work) and a newer John Deere that is undersized for our needs if we're going to make hay. Looked at a Mahindra mPower 75 today. Usually we try to buy US-made products but given the tangled supply chains these days (and I know some JD's are made overseas), we're exploring all options. IF we try to do our own hay next year, we will probably stick with small squares to keep the initial equipment price down.

 

[wbvs58]

I think Mahindras are pretty good. They have kept away from electronics and seem to be good strong reliable tractors. I don't have direct experience with the tractors but I do drive a Mahindra Pikup and I have no complaints with it.

Ken

 

[wbvs58]

For what it is worth, I started doing hay about 3 years ago and my first purchase was an International B-46 square baler that goes back to the late 1960's for $600 then a rollerbar rake for $800 and a drum mower for $800 and the whole set up has worked flawlessly, the baler is amazing to watch and ties knots very reliably. Bear in mind that our 2nd hand prices are a lot dearer than yours. I now have a NH chain baler that net wraps which I picked up for $1200 which works well apart from having to replace the occaisional bar that bends but I cut off the ends and weld on new pipe so cost is minimal but the that does require turning a few tools. I think a small square is the way to go and get a trailer to tow behind it to load the bales straight off the baler.

Ken

 

[M-5]

What size is the massy and JD , you can run a sq baler with a smaller tractor . like Ken said 60's technology works very well and fairly cheap. Fwiw you can pick up a used 60 to 75 HP tractor with no fel for 5 to 6 almost anywhere , balers are gonna be around 1k on average for a good one. Side rake about the same. If your willing to drive to Florida I'll make you a heck of a deal on a 8 wheel lift rake.

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

Can run a small square baler with 25~30 horsepower but the more weight the better.

 

[boondocks]

Can run a small square baler with 25~30 horsepower but the more weight the better.

That about the HP of our current JD. But we need a bigger one anyway, as we buy wrapped round baleage to feed and they are at the weight limit of what we can safely handle. At times we have had to drag them.

 

[ddd75]

saw a JD dealer in TN advertising new 5065's no loader 4x4 for 23,995 ! I think 5055 with loader and cab for 28,995 and a 5075 no cab or loader but 4x4 for 27,995..

best prices i've ever seen and no other tractor on the market would beat those tractors out when compared to reliability and resell.

 

[boondocks]

saw a JD dealer in TN advertising new 5065's no loader 4x4 for 23,995 ! I think 5055 with loader and cab for 28,995 and a 5075 no cab or loader but 4x4 for 27,995..

best prices i've ever seen and no other tractor on the market would beat those tractors out when compared to reliability and resell.

thanks. I think we need more like 70hp and gotta be 4WD. Willing to give up the cab for sure. They're for sissies :hide:

 

[ddd75]

saw a JD dealer in TN advertising new 5065's no loader 4x4 for 23,995 ! I think 5055 with loader and cab for 28,995 and a 5075 no cab or loader but 4x4 for 27,995..

best prices i've ever seen and no other tractor on the market would beat those tractors out when compared to reliability and resell.

thanks. I think we need more like 70hp and gotta be 4WD. Willing to give up the cab for sure. They're for sissies :hide:

5065 is 67hp and the 5075 is around 72hp or 75hp.

 

[True Grit Farms]

http://www.tractordata.com/farm-tractor ... 5083e.html

A way better tractor and made here instead of in India. I own a 5400 with the 3 cylinder turbo charged engine and the engine is the weak link.

 

[Bright Raven]

http://www.tractordata.com/farm-tractors/005/7/9/5794-john-deere-5083e.html

A way better tractor and made here instead of in India. I own a 5400 with the 3 cylinder turbo charged engine and the engine is the weak link.

Vince,

The 5083E has been replaced by the 5085E. I don't know where they are made but they have it beefed up over the 5083E.

 

[Stocker Steve]

The 5083E has been replaced by the 5085E. I don't know where they are made but they have it beefed up over the 5083E.

Where is the beef?

 

[Bright Raven]

The 5083E has been replaced by the 5085E. I don't know where they are made but they have it beefed up over the 5083E.

Where is the beef?

Not much. 4.5 L 4 cyl engine. 85 vs 83HP. PTO 70 vs 68. Base weight is same but comes in a configuration that adds 800 pounds.

Btw. It is made in India. Vs Georgia.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Well, we got 16 acres of our first cutting baled, dry big bales. Got 7 bales to the acre. Mostly dead OG. Show string will not eat it - errr. Smells good, cows will eat it when the snow flies. LOL
We are grazing 10 acres and totally ignoring another 16 acres of wet ground on dry years.

 

[farmerjan]

saw a JD dealer in TN advertising new 5065's no loader 4x4 for 23,995 ! I think 5055 with loader and cab for 28,995 and a 5075 no cab or loader but 4x4 for 27,995..

best prices i've ever seen and no other tractor on the market would beat those tractors out when compared to reliability and resell.

thanks. I think we need more like 70hp and gotta be 4WD. Willing to give up the cab for sure. They're for sissies :hide:

I have to take a little exception to the idea that the cab is for sissies. I am not a big fan of cabs in general, and don't care much for the air conditioning and stuff but when we are round baling and the dust is smothering you then they have their place. BUT, in the winter, which you have plenty of, the cab will make it at least more pleasant to have to be out there doing feeding or whatever. A FEL will make getting the snow moved less of a freeze your A$$ off and enable you to maybe help someone else that needs it; without you getting so cold or frostbit that you can't feel your fingers toes or anything else. Get a little bit older, and you will find that you can continue to farm longer because the machine is making it a little easier on your tired body. Just keeping the cold wind and driving snow, or cold blowing rain and sleet, out of your face and off your body is definitely worth something.

i still like my older, non-cab tractors for most normal field work, but I am not sorry we have the one 4 WD tractor with the cab for some of the cold and usually WET conditions in the winter here.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

CAB is an absolute necessity here in NY if you need to spend more than an hour out feeding cattle. It gets brutal. I know, we never had a cab first 20 years out here. Double BRUTAL.

 

[boondocks]

CAB is an absolute necessity here in Y if you need to spend more than an hour out feeding cattle. It gets brutal. I know, we never had a cab first 20 years out here. Double BRUTAL.

We are weird people and sort of enjoy the cold (up to a point! The big March snowstorm was overload!). We feed square bales from inside the barn, through the wall to a square bale feeder. We alternate that with big round bales, but the tractor is just a few yards from the feeder for most of the winter. Not counting warm-up time for the tractor, it only takes maybe 10 min to feed the round bales. So, while a cab would be nice a few days a year, it would be a detriment much of the rest of the year. We enjoy being outside and I know I would feel very cooped up in a cab.

Finally got one field cut today--yay!

 

[boondocks]

saw a JD dealer in TN advertising new 5065's no loader 4x4 for 23,995 ! I think 5055 with loader and cab for 28,995 and a 5075 no cab or loader but 4x4 for 27,995..

best prices i've ever seen and no other tractor on the market would beat those tractors out when compared to reliability and resell.

thanks. I think we need more like 70hp and gotta be 4WD. Willing to give up the cab for sure. They're for sissies :hide:

I have to take a little exception to the idea that the cab is for sissies. I am not a big fan of cabs in general, and don't care much for the air conditioning and stuff but when we are round baling and the dust is smothering you then they have their place. BUT, in the winter, which you have plenty of, the cab will make it at least more pleasant to have to be out there doing feeding or whatever. A FEL will make getting the snow moved less of a freeze your A$$ off and enable you to maybe help someone else that needs it; without you getting so cold or frostbit that you can't feel your fingers toes or anything else. Get a little bit older, and you will find that you can continue to farm longer because the machine is making it a little easier on your tired body. Just keeping the cold wind and driving snow, or cold blowing rain and sleet, out of your face and off your body is definitely worth something.

i still like my older, non-cab tractors for most normal field work, but I am not sorry we have the one 4 WD tractor with the cab for some of the cold and usually WET conditions in the winter here.

Meant it tongue in check. I hate feeling cooped up. But I've never baled---do squares kick up a lot of dust? I still don't like the idea (or expense) of a cab for our little operation but maybe a respirator...I can tell when I feed squares in the winter that my respiratory system ain't happy with me (dust)

 

[Rafter S]

You didn't ask me, but I'll answer anyway. Square balers create a significant amount of dust, but nowhere near the amount a round baler does. Then, if the hay had been rained on between cutting and baling, you can probably double that. I can remember baling rained on hay, looking back, and barely being able to see the baler.

My father's partner in the hay business died from respiratory issues in his early '70s. I've often wondered if breathing in all that dust for years caused it.

 

[farmerjan]

Rafter S is right. There is some dust with square baling, but it is nothing like the round baler. Part of it is that you are traveling a slower speed with a square baler and as it kicks up some dust, it will settle faster if it isn't really a big dust storm. Think of going 20 down a dirt road on a hot dry day and the dust, and then up it to 45 or 50 and the amount of dust created.


There is one other thing about a cab on a tractor. We use a discbine and NEVER EVER operate it with a non-cab tractor. The speed that the blades operate at, is phenominal....and if one is "thrown" by the housing it is attached to, it can hit you and kill you in a second. They are great for speedier cutting, for getting through thick and down hay as they tend to "pick it up" as it cuts. But it is a cardinal rule that you do not use the discbine on any non-cab tractor. No one ever expects for those kind of accidents to happen, but they have. A cab has been credited with saving a few lives of farmers by stopping the blade that has broken off the discbine and been hurtled forward into the cab of the tractor.

Not trying to scare you, and you most likely will use a simple mower or even a haybine with the cutter bar....but it is something to take into consideration.

See some people with the little masks over their mouth and nose while baling so yes, anything will help. I also don't like the cooped up feeling of a cab, but the older I get, the more I can appreciate the cab when I have had reason to use that tractor.