How Big A Tractor Do I Need To Pull Hay Equipment

If you're thinking about getting a tractor and later using it to pull hay equipment, you have a difficult choice ahead of you.

If all you'll ever do is pull a sickle mower, a hay rake and a small square baler, you might get by with a larger compact tractor. Because of the light weight of compacts, you'll feel all the vibration from the baler and that will be fatiguing. Also, the weight of a baler can push you down a hill if there's some dew on the ground. If you ever decide you want a disc mower, you won't have enough horsepower to pull it.

You'll probably be moving up to the utility tractor size for hay baling. Many manufacturers are building "economy" utility tractors and premium models. They tend to push the cheaper ones because they're the big sellers, it's a price-driven market. Dealers generally won't even stock the premium utility tractors because it takes so long to get them retailed. The premium utility tractors are designed for the customer who uses the tractor a lot, and will have many extra comfort features, like better seats and operator areas, better transmission options, and usually, bigger hydraulic pumps. The inexpensive tractors will have a lot of older technology and won't be as comfortable to operate and be as productive.

If the two tractors were parked side-by-side on a dealer's lot, the premium model might be priced $10,000 above the economy one and most people will take the lesser-priced one. Most dealers don't bother to talk about the premium tractor because they don't want to confuse you, or appear to be upselling. If you're baling hay, you may want the full-feature tractor.

If it were me and I could afford it, I'd go ahead and move up to a mid-range cab tractor, which is what most people buy when they're planning to put up hay. There will usually be several horsepower options in the 65-90 range, with the same frame and lift capacity. The lower end may have naturally aspirated engines, the higher end may be turbocharged and after cooled. Get the most horsepower you can because hay equipment takes a lot of horsepower and an air conditioner will suck about 8-10 hp out of an engine.

In the end, if I were thinking about putting up hay someday, I'd get a minimum of an 80 hp tractor with all the bells and whistles, air ride seat, buddy seat, the best transmission offered, a front end loader and probably 4wd and I'd be ready to add the baling equipment later on.

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[nedtrox]

With 18 acres here in Oregon, I use a Ibex TM67C drum cutter and a New Holland 565 small square baler. Both only requires PTOs of 35 hp. The 2 tractors I use are my Ford 4630 (65 hp with 55 hp at the PTO) and my Massey Ferguson 2607H (74 hp with 64 hp at the PTO).

[lkjg]

Two questions that need to be answered are (1) how many acres are you planning to hay and (2) what type of bales (square or round) are you planning to make?

[Goofyoo]

I have baled with a New Holland TC30 (25hp PTO) and a Hesston 5530. It ran well. I have 15 acres of hay field that has about 30 feet of elevation change and terraces and the small tractor still did well. I also used this tractor to cut. I have a FDM-165 drum mower. The 25hp was plenty of power for this cutter. All that said, I did upgrade to a TYM T654 67hp cab tractor. Now I can run this same hay equipment in "economy mode" and run much lower rpm and cut/bale in the AC.

[theBakersonafewacres]

I have a 40hp Massey 1740m, with 29 PTO hp. I use a NH 467 haybine, and a NH hayliner 68 baler. I haven't had any issues. I can only feel the baler plunger when I am stopped, I don't feel it while I'm baling (or afterwards) I also didn't notice any fatigue. I am happy with my setup for what I'm doing, but could see advantages to having a little bit bigger tractor, but I definitely wouldn't say it was necessary.

[rpercifieldjr]

In my hay experience using a Haybine, Wheel Driven Rake, and Round Baler my tractor that I previously owned was rated at 73HP. It was PTO capable of driving both the Haybine and Baler. The Haybine was very difficult to pull, and moved the tractor when switching from side to side. I could not get a Diskbine because my tractor lacked the HP necessary to drive a reasonable sized one. Due to unforeseen circumstances I was in the market for another "utility" tractor. The one I found was a 106HP with a larger frame and heavier unit. My new tractor I bought used now runs everything with ease, and the air seat makes the ride much more comfortable.

I agree with Mike buy the most HP you can afford, with an enclosed cab, and the necessary remotes to run everything. Your comfort in the cab will pay off when it is hot and humid out.

[RedIron]

Pulled a Vermeer 504G with a Farmall M for a couple years. Slow going, but it got done.
It’s much happier with square baler behind it now that I have a 656 to round bale with.

[chrisperry]

depends on the size of equipment and terrain. I hay'd using a 12' haybine, 1968 vintage square baler, mostly level to rolling, various rakes/tedders. 35hp Kioti about 3400lb.
I'd not go smaller than that. TO run a square baler you need more HP.
Now i'd cut/rake our 12 acres and it took hours....we now share the land with a guy with 100hp deere...he's there 2 hours or so it seems!

The old time/money deal!

[marka]

Right on Mike. I started with a good cab Case 2096 and never looked back with regret. If your doing round bales that size is good then you can use any baler behind it.

[chrisrexroat]

I run a New Idea 5407 disc mower behind my JD 4044m. In first cutting it can bog down in thick hay, I just drop a gear and go on. In second cutting typically I can mow in B4 or C1. I round bale with a JD 457SS and use my dad's NH TT75A, which is also a little short on power at times. That being said, my tractor won't be less than 80hp and it WILL have a cab.

[jamesbrooks]

I used a 10 foot sickle mower conditioner 65 hp was barely enough no cab ac square baled and raked with ac wd45 hp

[toyotahilux]

I baled up to 1300 silage bales a year with a 75 engine Hp tractor for 30 years, that would be the absolute minimum you could get away with, it struggled and would sometimes stall at the end of making the bale. Hay was no problem for it though. Im now using a 130hp tractor, but with a new chopping baler thats a lot heavier and makes heavier bales

[genewilliams]

Mike is right……. My three haying tractors are two cab NH T6050’s @ 125hp each weighted to 18, 500 lbs and a Massey Ferguson 5711 Dyna 4 @ 110hp. Weighted to 16, 500 lbs All are power shift transmissions and I wouldn’t bale a single bale with out a power shift transmission period.

[gibblespascack]

There was a time when a 35 hp tractor was heavy enough to do almost any job that you needed on a small 300-acre farm. It baled, it chopped, and could run the combine. Now you need the 80-100 hp tractor in order to get the weight necessary to do those same chores. And at $1000/hp, it gets expensive real fast on the newer tractors.

[chadbinette]

For years my grandfather did 1000s of square bales every summer with two old farmalls, sickle style cutter, rake and Deere square baler with kicker, those couldn't of been more than 35-40hp? Eventually he upgraded to round bales and got a conditioner cutter and got a deere 4020 (I believe) and intentional harvester 584 (60hp) which I still have, that Deere was more hp but gas vs the diesel international that would out pull the Deere anyway. I got my skid steer stuck and my 4x4 3/4 ton truck wouldn't budge it, that 584 dragged it out like nothing, putting power to the ground is just as important as pro hp to me. That 584 with 60hp made easy work of pulling out the skid steer that my 300hp +/- truck couldn't budge. I know it's not haying but gotta be able to put horsepower to the ground in most cases, if not all. Some.new tractors are just far too light in weight to be able to use all their horsepower.

[davidleehotaling]

I have been thinking about this for when I buy land and for me I think an open station would make the most sense as I grew up around them cab tractors are generally bigger and weigh more something to consider too is can haul it in for repairs yourself? I know my f250 gas truck is too small to haul most tractors I would use for baling with 14k towing capacity. And that's in flat ground it struggles to pull my travel trailer in the mountains. I think you touched in subject okay but there's a lot more that goes into it than comfort.

[KevinJD]

70hp is more then enough to pull a decent size mower. Also you can easilly run a baler with it

[reeceedwards]

I’m feeling that plunger looking at you and not on a tractor

[Dave-focb]

Ford 3910 is plenty of tractor to do hay with; it will run a square baler and haybine no problem.

[getrdidred]

Not Mahindra. They don't weigh less. They are heavier than John Deere. And if he's got to ask those questions. Then he is a city farmer and you are too. There are so many compact tractors been being used at OSU and other farmers for over 25 years.

[johnt]

Get 400 hp and let that be the end of that