Mower output 3m to 6m (front and back).

box

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
NZ
I'd love a front mower but I just can't justify the $$$$$ of a front linkage/PTO and mower, and the added cost of running and maintaining two mowers.

I run a single 2.8 rear mower (no conditioner) because I'm too cheap to buy something bigger, mow about 12 hectares between milkings (so about 10 acres an hour), mow over two days, no tedding, rake, bale & wrap on the third day (starting with the stuff that was mowed on day 1). If the weather is very warm and dry with no dew, mow during the day between milkings, finish mowing that evening after milking, raked and baled the next day.

Since we're talking about mowers....

At what point does a single rear mower (no conditioner) become "too big"? Looking at rear/horizontal folding 3.8 and 4m mowers, but they look like they'd be pretty long and awkward to manouver while in the transport position. I suspect I'll clip overhead powerlines with vertical folding machines that high so they're no use to me unless I plan to end up in the "Wreckers" thread.

I assume I can expect output to increase proportionally to the cutting width provided forward speed can be maintained.
 
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Sid

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
South Molton
I got 200hp
Mowing with a 3.2 mowco used 3liters a acre
Add a 2.8 on the front and down to 2l acre

I'd love a front mower but I just can't justify the $$$$$ of a front linkage/PTO and mower, and the added cost of running and maintaining two mowers.

I run a single 2.8 rear mower (no conditioner) because I'm too cheap to buy something bigger, mow about 12 hectares between milkings (so about 10 acres an hour), mow over two days, no tedding, rake, bale & wrap on the third day (starting with the stuff that was mowed on day 1). If the weather is very warm and dry with no dew, mow during the day between milkings, finish mowing that evening after milking, raked and baled the next day.

Since we're talking about mowers....

At what point does a single rear mower (no conditioner) become "too big"? Looking at rear/horizontal folding 3.8 and 4m mowers, but they look like they'd be pretty long and awkward to manouver while in the transport position. I suspect I'll clip overhead powerlines with vertical folding machines that high so they're no use to me unless I plan to end up in the "Wreckers" thread.

I assume I can expect output to increase proportionally to the cutting width provided forward speed can be maintained.
You may also need 200hp as well.
Which is OK if you have other uses for it.
There becomes a stage where rear mower are built lighter to compensate for the width. Will they last ?

Know of someone with a 4m straight mower, can't fold it straight up as it hits branches so compromise is to have it at an angle not locked into transport mode on the road.
 

DairyGrazing

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
North West
You may also need 200hp as well.
Which is OK if you have other uses for it.
There becomes a stage where rear mower are built lighter to compensate for the width. Will they last ?

Know of someone with a 4m straight mower, can't fold it straight up as it hits branches so compromise is to have it at an angle not locked into transport mode on the road.

Next doors 4m folds backwards horizontally.
 

Ali_Maxxum

Member
Location
Chepstow, Wales
We've 2 tractors with FL and PTO now, but only used for our front flail. Knowing how much a single straight cut 8ft disc mower is, is enough to put you off even considering a front one, too.

The amount of small fields we do I fear it would spend as much time parked up than out working. Would like to go to a 9ft straight cut but the additional height in transport (unless any manufacturer wants to make one that folds over centre and not weighing as much as a bungalow) means we just can't do it.

A lot of the steep ground we do could prove interesting as well.
 

v8willy

Member
Mixed Farmer
I'd be bored of taking back one off before the front. But why are you taking it on and off a couple of times a day nearly every day?
I'm not, but if you have only 1 tractor that is big enough to do certain jobs, say mowing & baler or wagon, fine if your own work & doing the whole job in 1 hit, but if contracting then it can be needed to do both each day as customers require.
 

box

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
NZ
Next doors 4m folds backwards horizontally.
My neighbours 4m Krone folds backwards, looks great stuck to the back of a big old bus of a Massey, but it does look very long and awkward to turn in off a narrow farm track and into an even narrower gateway, especially with rear duals.
 

spitfire

Member
Location
wales
Out of interest what is the current TFF mowing men view on “to condition or not condition”? As far as we can tell it’s 50:50 roughly speaking from our demo’s and enquiries. Plain mowers leave a flatter swath so tedding is more tricky because you ha e to run the tines closer to the ground and watch forward speed to make sure all is being picked up.
Went from conditioners to plain and back to conditioners ,the plain mowers leave a very dense swath which needs tedding to dry where as with conditioners you don't always need to ted dealer back up was our main problem.
 

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