What kind of rotary mower do you like?

[Cucumber35]

I'm thinking of upgrading rotary mowers before next year and I'm not 100% sure what to get. Currently have a John Deere 709 which is a 7' 3pt mower. Works ok, but I hate how it doesn't follow the contour of the ground very well. If you go over a knoll or through a dip it either rides up and leaves the grass high or scalps the ground. I've used a buddy's pull type and it seemed to follow the ground better, or at least was easier to raise or lower for obstacles. Also it takes way too long to cover any amount of ground and I find it difficult to keep up with 50 acres of pasture. I'm leaning towards a 10' pull type, I think a batwing is overkill for what I have and would be too clumsy on some of our rough ground, tight areas, and hills. Not to mention too much extra maintenance and moving parts to break. So what does everyone use or like and why? Tractor is 115hp 4wd so I can run whatever but I'm not trying to do it all in 15 minutes either... Thanks.

 

[dun]

I use a 15 foot bat wing and an 8 foot 3pt. The 3 pt is handy for odd and hard to manuever areas, the bat wing is better for the larger areas. Trying to back up a pull type in small areas is a real PITA and you end up not being able to do as neat and complete job in some spots.

 

[Bigfoot]

Rhino used to make a good one, but they may have been bought out idk. Land Pride makes a nice unit.

Edited to add:

All rotary mowers do as your describing. Years ago, they made pull types with wheels on the side, and not the back. They followed the ground.

 

[cfpinz]

I have a 2615L Bush Hog 15' batwing, just rebuilt the wing cylinders this afternoon. It's been an excellent machine and follows the ground much better than a 10' machine. Just leave the wing levers in the float position and it's basically three 6' mowers floating over your field. Plus it fits thru a 12' gate.

 

[Atimm693]

Shulte, Land Pride, and Bushhog is about all you see around here. Those three are all built pretty similarly.

We have a JD HX15 and HX20. Fine for clipping pastures, but the decks aren't built heavy like most. I also don't like the pneumatic tires, solid is the way to go.

We also have a Bushhog 2615 that has been very good. Never put anything on it but blades, and it has a lot of hours.

I agree that a batwing is best. I'm not positive, but I think a folded up 15 footer is narrower than a 10' pull type. Keep things greased and the drive line on a batwing will go for a long, long time.

A batwing can also mow ditches and go under trees a lot better than a small pull type, since the wings hang beyond the tractor wheels.

Additionally, if you're a good operator, you can weave the wing underneath an electric fence.

 

[RiverHills]

I wouldn't consider anything but a batwing. I think land pride makes a 12' light duty. It will do a much better job and get into almost the same places as the 10'.

 

[Cucumber35]

So maybe I should look a little harder into a batwing and keep the 7' for the small stuff?
Do most batwings require 3 remotes? I only have 2.

 

[dun]

So maybe I should look a little harder into a batwing and keep the 7' for the small stuff?
Do most batwings require 3 remotes? I only have 2.

I have JD and mine only requires 2

 

[Atimm693]

So maybe I should look a little harder into a batwing and keep the 7' for the small stuff?
Do most batwings require 3 remotes? I only have 2.

Just two, you can tee the wing lines together if they don't come that way already. Most are just a single acting cylinder so it's pretty straight forward.

 

[littletom]

We have a 15' john deere bat wing. And 10ten foot bush hog. The john deere does a better job in pasture. The bush hog does better in brush rough stuff. If you can drive over it will cut it. It is 20 years old had one gear box and 2 shafts. But a rough life. The Deere nothing.

 

[Farm Fence Solutions]

I have a Woods 12' offset. Nice machine, but I only use it a couple days a year to clean up the ditches and banks. I've got a neighbor that's likes an air conditioned cab so much that he'll bring his own tractor and 8' mower for $35/hr. Whatever brand he has is my favorite. Lol

 

[Brute 23]

I'm thinking of upgrading rotary mowers before next year and I'm not 100% sure what to get. Currently have a John Deere 709 which is a 7' 3pt mower. Works ok, but I hate how it doesn't follow the contour of the ground very well. If you go over a knoll or through a dip it either rides up and leaves the grass high or scalps the ground. I've used a buddy's pull type and it seemed to follow the ground better, or at least was easier to raise or lower for obstacles. Also it takes way too long to cover any amount of ground and I find it difficult to keep up with 50 acres of pasture. I'm leaning towards a 10' pull type, I think a batwing is overkill for what I have and would be too clumsy on some of our rough ground, tight areas, and hills. Not to mention too much extra maintenance and moving parts to break. So what does everyone use or like and why? Tractor is 115hp 4wd so I can run whatever but I'm not trying to do it all in 15 minutes either... Thanks.

The Bushhog 10', pull behind, solid deck is a good piece of equipment. We have one and I have mowed a lot of ground with it. It's just the right size where you feel like you covering ground but not too big you can't get a lot places.

I think they make some 12' batwings also. They are not any more to keep up with. They fold up and haul or store a smaller area than that 10' flat deck.

You will like getting away from that 3pt mower. They are a PIA.

 

[bigbull338]

we only have bushhogs.tryed another brand new and it was trash after 2yrs.wont use nothing but bushhogs now.have 2 a 6ft 3pt.and a 14ft ridgid pull type.

 

[J&D Cattle]

We have a Rhino 12' batwing and a Rhino 10'. If I could get a decent price for it I'd sell the 10' in a minute and upgrade to another batwing.

 

[jltrent]

Woods, Rhino, Bushhog and Land Pride. For me probably in that order. All would be good. A neighbor had a nice almost new JD out of warranty and one of the gear boxes went out. He had to buy the complete gear box for his JD as he couldn't get parts. He wasn't happy $1500.

 

[jltrent]

Here is bout the best rotary mower you can get. Spray you fields once or twice a year, have enough cattle to eat you grass down and the Bush Hog will be parked. I have not had mine out in a couple years. Those stubble's and ground up grass can be hard on the cattle's feet from my experience and Bush Hogging the pasture down and it sets in dry makes it a lot worse. Also running a Bush Hog is very hard on a tractor, burns a lot of fuel and in rough grown a lot of repairs on the equipment required.

 

[shaz]

Is that thing very efficient?

 

[Cucumber35]

Thanks for the replies. Local dealer has a couple used Bushhog 2615s on the lot I may have to look into, they seem to have good reviews. Have a good relationship with them, I'm sure they would let me try one out to see how I like it.

 

[Bigfoot]

Here is bout the best rotary mower you can get. Spray you fields once or twice a year, have enough cattle to eat you grass down and the Bush Hog will be parked. I have not had mine out in a couple years. Those stubble's and ground up grass can be hard on the cattle's feet from my experience and Bush Hogging the pasture down and it sets in dry makes it a lot worse. Also running a Bush Hog is very hard on a tractor, burns a lot of fuel and in rough grown a lot of repairs on the equipment required.

I have long been a proponent of spray over mechanical control.

 

[shaz]

Can you really avoid clipping and just spraying every year?