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Central Kansas | The academic folks have worked out several tables demonstrating what acreage can justify various Mo-Co devices. A side pull (non-pivot) is indicated for total yearly hay acreages of up to about 200-300, a pivot tongue for up to 500 acres or so, and a self propelled for acreages above that. Now...having said that, used SP's can be purchased for about the same as a newish pivot tongue for the same acreage. I have owned three SPs, and good ones...and now do my hay with two pivot tongue machines (got both for the SP...gives me a backup machine I spot 10 miles from home base). I only cut what I can bale in one evening or early morning...so that is from 10-20 acres. I move from field to field, take my accumlator fork tractor with the pivot tongue so it is in every field. I can use the same tractor to pull the V rake if necessary. With a SP, you are either roading it, or have to have a trailer and PU to pull it. You have another engine to take care of, need a place to park it, have service on another A/C, etc. I just find it simpler for my purposes to use a current A/C'd tractor for multiple purposes.
PROS of the SP from my perspective: most of my land is terraced and I do not swath over the terraces...so...I DO MAKE A LOT of TURNS, and it takes a couple more windrows (6) on the ends to do that well with the pivot tongue. The SP is much handier on point lands, etc. Overall, the SP is a faster machine than most pivot tongues (disc mo-cos might be the exception) simply because turning and getting back 'on' is simpler and faster. A good used SP might be just the ticket for you, they lined up for my last one.
My 63 y.o. neck doesn't mind looking at the header....not nearly as bad as looking back at a round baler...which I rarely use. At least you get to look back on the right side going, and the left side coming. You can buy a really nice NH 1475 sickle type for $12-14k out here. | |
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windrower: pivot tongue or SP?
