Best Tractor for small operation

[passin thru]

You can get a reliable loader tractor for un 10k and if you didn't want to big of a one somewhere around 5k.

Having a tractor so you can do what needs to be done when you need it, instead of waiting till the neighbor gets around to it. Plus if you have a good one you will find new uses all the time for it. Maybe even get a job doing the neighbors.

Another thing you might consider is a threepoint bale unroller(you can move also) for under a thousand. That way you can unroll just what you need. This would work in conjuction with a loader on a tractor or by itself.
I think one place is called...worksaver.com

 

[HAY MAKER]

You can get an old JD 2020 with a 143 loader that will move hay. I got mine for $4000 and have run it for 10 years feeding hay all winter and raking hay in the summer.
A 3020 with a loader would be a much safer tractor to move hay with though and there are a lot of them still out there running so you can get parts from JD.

Winter in Alabama is a little different then up north.

Yes ,it sure must be,northern ranchie is feedin 500 head and dont even own a tractor LOL :wink: ...............good luck

 

[Jason]

My loader is a New Holland skid steer. It is definately my right arm. Whether I unroll bales or put them in the processor, haul buckets of grain to feeders, scrape corral areas, plow roads, haul firewood etc I use the loader.

In my opinion there isn't a safe way to handle some of the monster bales idiots make nowadays. 2500 pound round squashers are just too big. I like to limit my bales to 1500 if possible, but the odd 1600-1800 can still work. 1200 pounders are great but get expensive to haul.

Some iron well maintained can actually make money, everything has a cost associated with it.

I'd sure rather let the skid steer dig post holes than do it the old fashioned way.

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

You can get an old JD 2020 with a 143 loader that will move hay. I got mine for $4000 and have run it for 10 years feeding hay all winter and raking hay in the summer.
A 3020 with a loader would be a much safer tractor to move hay with though and there are a lot of them still out there running so you can get parts from JD.

Winter in Alabama is a little different then up north.

Yes ,it sure must be,northern ranchie is feedin 500 head and dont even own a tractor LOL :wink: ...............good luck

He doesn't own one but that doesn't mean one doesn't get used.

 

[Manitoba_Rancher]

I agree with Northern Rancher you get an old tractor for moving bales and its trouble. I know of lots of JD's that like to break front spindles in the winter time. As for us we can damn near put 6000 hrs on our chore tractor in just over 3 years. Our MX110 has that many hrs on it now and is damn near wore out!! Cant afford to buy a new one so I guess we will keep running this one. :wink:

 

[IL Rancher]

We have a NH skid here as well. Used it to load the mixer wagon and things like that.. Also works great, and I mean great for cleaning out pens and such, amazing how much manure the cull cows put down in the two weeks I had them in a pen before I could get them shipped, yikes.

We have a big loader as welll, a JD 7410. This is what we used to use for handling hay and the like and I prefer it for field feeding over the NH because it is a bit more stable and doesn't get stuck very easy (It has been done ) but it guzzles the fuel.

The skid can't really handle bales over 1800 very easily. The Loader cna get up in the 3k range but I almost prefer 1200-1400 pound bales as I can spread out the feed areas a little better with the smaller bales thus less tonnage overall in a limit hay type situation.

 

[alabama]

You can get an old JD 2020 with a 143 loader that will move hay. I got mine for $4000 and have run it for 10 years feeding hay all winter and raking hay in the summer.
A 3020 with a loader would be a much safer tractor to move hay with though and there are a lot of them still out there running so you can get parts from JD.

Winter in Alabama is a little different then up north.

And a big thank you to God too.

 

[Northern Rancher]

Denny the day you can harrow what I plough in a day you can start chirping. For the little waste there is from bale grazing wouldn't pay for the grease for your loader. My A'I' business more than makes my truck payments sunshine so watch your lip.

 

[Northern Rancher]

Boy heaven forbid a guy runs his cattle a bit differant than the status quo-don't worry I'm sure the iron pimps will survive without my minor bit of business. As far as the equipment thing I've been there done that-it's right up there with calving in the snow as things I'll never do again. Judith I still think you'd be better off renting than buying for the amount your going to use a tractor-shoot me in the guts if I'm wrong lol. As for bale size-if your buying and getting them hauled very far-the bigger the better-light bales getting hauled very far get costly. Now I'm going to go play some more in the plus 90 with the 400 heifers left to A'I-want to join in Denny-it'ssssssssssssssss FUNNNNNNNNNNNNN CITTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTY LOL.

 

[Denny]

Denny the day you can harrow what I plough in a day you can start chirping. For the little waste there is from bale grazing wouldn't pay for the grease for your loader. My A'I' business more than makes my truck payments sunshine so watch your lip.

Man your testy if someone does'nt agree with you off go your gloves,500 Cows can't buy 1 pickup?????Grease don't cost that much,Of course if a guy makes the cows rifle thru the turds they will eat the waste.Or put some hungry horses out there they darn sure will.

 

[Judith]

Northern, I'm not gonna shoot anything.
You havent taught me to hunt yet at camp Northern. I have to know how to load the thing before I go shootin!
Plus I'm half blind so not sure I would actually hit anything even if I did get it aimed in the right direction. Too darn arrogant to get spectacles just yet. When I start walking into walls I will know the time has come. I think renting a tractor is a great idea.
The one good thing about a 9N is that you can fix em when they break. I think the new tractors require alot of technical ability. I could be wrong.

On to the truck debate. The work truck is just that a work truck. It's a 86' Chev heavy half. She is pushing 350 K and still going strong, blowing a bit of blue but not too bad. I could never justify the 700-900.00 a month truck payments that people now have. Plus i'd be afraid to get the pretty new ones dirty! I do however have the expence of insuring and driving my other vehicle but it is still cheaper than buying new. But I hear that insurance in Sask. is going to be a bit nicer than I am used to. Currently pay 1500.00 for the old girl and that is with my %45 Gold Star discount. I don't know how people can afford to drive with a few accidents under their belts.

 

[efb]

Judith, any 45 - 50 hp tractor that isn't over 25 yrs. old and wore slap out should do anything you want to do. I don't see how anyone other than NR can run a ranch without a tractor. Since I can no longer lift anything over 300 lbs :lol: I use my tractor and loader several times every week and almost daily in the winter.

Northern Rancher, a friend of mine that runs around 3,000 cows feeds his hay very nearly like you do. He places the hay in the pastures he will use in the winter in bunches of about 100 rolls. He uses biodegradable string, puts a hot wire around the rolls, just high enough for the cows to feed under the wire. He just keeps raising the wire until the cows have eaten through the pile. They don't waste any more than mine do in hay rings and he only handles the rolls 1 time. He does have two John Deere 4020's and two 6410's though, so he still isn't as effecient as you. :wink:

 

[Northern Rancher]

Not saying we never use a tractor i just don't own one which I see is sacrilege in the famous ranching state of minnesota-I don't remember seeing to many thin cows in any pics I've posted on here there Denny san. It's nice to see a guy 1500 miles away knows more about my horses,cows and management practices than I do. It might amaze you but there are more outfits than me than run things that way. Besides I thought this thread was about a tractor for Judith not about you get your knickers knotted over the truck I drive and my lifestyle-ohh by the way you haven't seen the gloves off yet lol. I've done the used tractor thing in -40 for too many years-I'd just as soon hook up a team if need be. Once again Judith you'd be better to rent than buy.

 

[Texan]

I would like to purchase something big enough to trench, haul around round bales, and to push dirt around. Thoughts on this one? I would like a "girly" easy to handle tractor this time around

I've had good luck with the older International diesels. I've got a 674 and a 484 that both have plenty of hours and lots of use on them. They're really easy to operate and easy to work on. My wife rakes hay with the 484 and she would rather use the 674 to spray with than our cab tractor.

I don't have a loader on either of them, but the 674 is plenty big enough to handle one. Either of them will handle a tight 5x6 roll of grass hay really well on the three point. If you have the parts availability for the IH's in your area, they might be a cheaper option worth considering.

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

When figuring costs of wasted feed ect, I just saw a article that you get $9 worth of Nitrogen, ect out of feeding a bale in the feild over feeding in the corral then having to haul manure out. I don't bale graze as I am a little tight with the hay but I sure don't like cows in the corral either.

 

[Red Barn Angus]

I have a JD 2350 tractor (60 hp) with a loader which is pretty handy for moving round bales and putting them in the bale rings. In muddy weather it's a little light on the rear end but if you carry a bale on the three point spear there is plenty of weight and traction. I think it is a 1986 model and might be worth $12,000 or so. With a bucket for the loader and a blade for the back there are lots of chores you can do from cleaning pens to cleaning snow from driveways etc.

 

[Jason]

When figuring costs of wasted feed ect, I just saw a article that you get $9 worth of Nitrogen, ect out of feeding a bale in the feild over feeding in the corral then having to haul manure out. I don't bale graze as I am a little tight with the hay but I sure don't like cows in the corral either.

I played with that deal a bit this past winter. I fed out on a field we are now haying. You can tell when you come across the area I fed on, it is heavier.

No weeds came in the hay either, so I will do more of it this year.

 

[DiamondSCattleCo]

Judith, forget the green paint when snooping around. Up here in Canuckville, its just far too much money for what you're getting. Do yourself a favor and look for a 730/830/930 Case tractor. Try to stick to either the 730 or 830, as they use a dry clutch with easy clutch pressure. The 930 will kill your leg. They have lots of hydraulic pressure to run a good loader with a grapple, and are very easy/cheap to fix. I've got 13,000 hours on my 930. It fed 50 cow/calf pairs, cleaned pens, fenced, cleared brush for years, and never once bit me, much less hurt me. All for the staggering investment of $2750 (with loader).

Another good route is an 1100 Massey. Very tough, dependable, and extremely maneuverable. Quite a bit bigger than you're used to, but also available for reasonable dollars. I see Leon 707 equipped 1100s selling for $6000 - $7000 in excellent condition. I bought my 1130 with 707 Leon, in excellent condition, for $6500.

As far as leasing a tractor on a per use basis, I can't even imagine having that pay. By the end of the year, I'll have close to 2000 bales to haul home. Thats a solid week of hauling with B-train and loader. Just out of curiosity, how much does it cost to lease per day, NR?

Rod

 

[passin thru]

You hit on it......... for the lease price of a tractor(most likely newer model) you could have bought the tractor Rod talks about. The second year is money in the bank.
When the snow flies I can't imagine not having a tractor (my insurance)

 

[Manitoba_Rancher]

As far as I m concerned the best place for a 730,830,930 Case is as far in the bush as you get it. .......... a good small chore tractor would be a 674-685 IH with a loader. Would make a perfect tractor for you Judith.