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Tractor costs per acre to fall plant UPDATED!! #2106567
05/04/17 03:52 PM
05/04/17 03:52 PM
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Posts: 394
Auburn, AL
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Antlerfluke Offline OP
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Antlerfluke  Offline OP
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Auburn, AL
Ok, you have 2500 acres and 35 acres of food plots. Average acre of food plot is 2 acres and plots are spread out evenly around your 2500 ac.

It's August 1st and the food plots have grown up.

How many tractor hours is it going to take to prepare the food plots (I mean a good seed bed!), (if you need to spray gly, then that's part of your preparation and calculate that time in your final figure) spread and cover the seed? Costs of seed is not in the equation. Just how many tractor hours. Travel time to food plot IS considered in the time calculation.

Oh, the tractor. Well, it is a 50 or 60 hp tractor with 6' disc. Nope, I am not going to drill. Not a bad idea, but we're disking.

EDIT and UPDATE:

I just bought a 60 hp tractor (4X4) and a TuffLine 8' pull-behind disk.

The food plots have been deep disked and planted last fall so this ain't virgin food plots.

Last edited by Antlerfluke; 05/05/17 08:38 AM.
Re: Tractor costs per acre to fall plant [Re: Antlerfluke] #2106581
05/04/17 04:01 PM
05/04/17 04:01 PM
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Alabama
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oldbowhunter Offline
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Alabama
35 acres with a 6 foot 3 pt. hitch disk?

I'd say figure 8 hours per field. That should cover bushhogging, breaking,
planting and covering.

It will depend on how well the fields were broken last time too.

Re: Tractor costs per acre to fall plant [Re: Antlerfluke] #2106584
05/04/17 04:01 PM
05/04/17 04:01 PM
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Remington270 Offline
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I'd bet 2 hours per acre total, at least. Bushhogging 35 acres with a 50hp tractor in August is going to be an acre an hour at least.

Re: Tractor costs per acre to fall plant [Re: Antlerfluke] #2106651
05/04/17 05:08 PM
05/04/17 05:08 PM
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george county ms
johndeere5036 Offline
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Depends on how thick or how bad the plots are. Hard to say without seeing them

Re: Tractor costs per acre to fall plant [Re: Antlerfluke] #2106719
05/04/17 06:38 PM
05/04/17 06:38 PM
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North Alabama
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Wiley Coyote Offline
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Depends on how hard the ground is too. It might take 3 hours to disc a one acre plot that's hard as concrete.


I firmly believe that a double gallows should be constructed on the East Lawn of The White House. Politicians who willfully and shamelessly violate their oath to uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States of America should be swiftly tried and, upon conviction, publicly hanged at sunup the day after conviction. If multiple convicts are to be hanged they can choose with whom to share the gallows or names shall be drawn from the hangman's hat to be hanged 2 at a time.




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Re: Tractor costs per acre to fall plant [Re: johndeere5036] #2106730
05/04/17 07:48 PM
05/04/17 07:48 PM
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Al
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Breadwinner1 Offline
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Al
Most are 45 dollars an hour with a minimum of 4 hours.plus time starts when tractor is loaded up to get there until loaded when finished most add cost of fuel.alot of people come out better offering amembership

Re: Tractor costs per acre to fall plant [Re: Wiley Coyote] #2106748
05/05/17 12:24 AM
05/05/17 12:24 AM
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Old Florida
Geno Offline
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Originally Posted By: Wiley Coyote
Depends on how hard the ground is too. It might take 3 hours to disc a one acre plot that's hard as concrete.


Yep. Lots of variables that can affect time per acre.


Whoever is happy will make others happy too. Anne Frank
Re: Tractor costs per acre to fall plant [Re: Antlerfluke] #2106759
05/05/17 01:03 AM
05/05/17 01:03 AM
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Posts: 2,777
alabama
outdoors1 Offline
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Consider bushhogging with any clearing in summer. Maybe disking first time plots really good and deep. Go in 2 weeks to month before planting and disk area just enough to turn over soil to kill weeds. No gly needed ready to plant in August or September.

Re: Tractor costs per acre to fall plant [Re: Antlerfluke] #2106818
05/05/17 02:25 AM
05/05/17 02:25 AM
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PDL, Fl
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timbercruiser Offline
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Another thing to consider is how many rocks or stumps are in the plots.

Re: Tractor costs per acre to fall plant [Re: Antlerfluke] #2106850
05/05/17 03:12 AM
05/05/17 03:12 AM
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Clear Springs, Al
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stl32 Offline
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Clear Springs, Al
Bush hog 35 acres with 6' mower @ 4mph = 2.6 acre/hr

What most people forget to include is travel time from field to field. That is when most of your equipment gets tore up bc you are in a rush to get to the next spot. Also most club roads are pretty tough on equipment. Anyway you should probably just mow the road. So that will add a good bit of acreage to what you are mowing. I would say it would take 2, 8 hour days.

Spraying, if you have a tank that fits in a utv that is the fastest way, 4 wheeler sprayers work too they just dont have much capacity. Also how far is the water source? That task will take another day at least.

Disking, If you are looking for a "good seedbed" you will need to cut it, then cross cut it. OR Cut is with a heavy cutting disk then come back with a leveling disk. This is VERY time consuming. 3, 8 hr days

Then are you going to let it rain and settle the "fluffy" dirt or broadcast seed and lightly disk, Or are you going to culti pack and use a planter? You have a couple different options depending on what kind of equipment you have access to. This could vary from 1 hr per acre to 3 hr per acre.

Lots of factors come in to play, My guess would be 120 hours. Plug your own labor and equipment rate in.

Re: Tractor costs per acre to fall plant [Re: stl32] #2106897
05/05/17 04:07 AM
05/05/17 04:07 AM
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Posts: 9,111
B'ham
Goatkiller Offline
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I can give you a number you aren't going to like but I think the answer probably lies in the other information you haven't given. Do you own this tractor or are you looking to hire this out? Do you or other club members have the time to do this over several weekends, have you done it in the past, are you looking to hire labor only it driving equipment you personally own or is this someone with their own equipment?

In general.... with 1 tractor and 6 foot equipment. Time estimate = several weekends. Figure 2 days PER STEP. Around 2 acre per hour per step with travel time in between plots and overlap and other downtime.


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Re: Tractor costs per acre to fall plant [Re: Antlerfluke] #2106925
05/05/17 04:43 AM
05/05/17 04:43 AM
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abolt300 Offline
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First thing I'd do, with a 60 hp tractor, is invest in a bigger disk. You'd be amazed in the difference in the way that a 6' and an 8' cut. It'll reduce your disking time by at least 30-40%.

Re: Tractor costs per acre to fall plant [Re: abolt300] #2107018
05/05/17 06:16 AM
05/05/17 06:16 AM
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Posts: 4,135
Ramer
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2 acres per hour is pretty ambitious. This week I mowed a 3.5 acre plot prepping for i and c peas. It wasn't too badly grown up, it was planted last may. I was mowing most of the time in low range 3rd gear(a pretty good pace, about as fast as I normally mow) and it took close to 3 hours. If I had more time, I'd spray it, wait until it dies and then burn it off, but I want to get it planted before it gets hot and dry.
Without spraying and burning it will probably take at least 3 passes with the disc to get it like I want it. I can usually disc with one pass at about an acre/hr. I have a 43 hp tractor and a fairly heavy 6' 8" disc. The soil is a fairly sandy clay loam right next to a creek. You can do the math and this ain't my first rodeo, I've been doing this for about 30 years

Re: Tractor costs per acre to fall plant [Re: Antlerfluke] #2107109
05/05/17 07:50 AM
05/05/17 07:50 AM
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Sumter County
sumpter_al Offline
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That is a lot of ground for a small tractor.

We plant a little more than that but I have larger equipment. I am at a point in my life where time is more important than saving a couple of dollars. I could do it with a smaller tractor but trying to get everything done when it needs to be done is hard when working around work (the paying kind) and the weather.

I will mow everything on the first part of September. I will wait about 10 days or 2 weeks and spray all fields with Roundup and a little 24d.

Wait 2 weeks and break fields and plant.

I can mow in a full day (8-10 hours)
I can spray in 7-8 hours

Planting takes longer. I usually allow 3 days for disking, cultipacking and planting.

But Hell, I like sitting in a tractor. Its therapy. Cell service is spotty there and I dont have anyone asking me to do anything.


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Re: Tractor costs per acre to fall plant [Re: Antlerfluke] #2107152
05/05/17 08:48 AM
05/05/17 08:48 AM
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Auburn, AL
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Antlerfluke Offline OP
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Antlerfluke  Offline OP
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Auburn, AL
I know it's a broad question. Goatkiller, thanks for asking but it really doesn't matter if I do it or it's hired out or if there are 100 tractors on the job... it is still going to be the same "tractor hours" if all the tractors are 60 hp with an 8' pull behind disk. I'm going to spray with gly in the fall and burn off the debris and then disk and prepare the seed bed then broadcast seed and cultipack in.

Ave 2 acres per food plot scattered about 2500 acres and it's not virgin soil and there are no stumps in the food plots and the roads are pretty decent.

I know... it is a tough question!! smile But I need some gauge on how many tractor hrs it'll take. Thx!!

Re: Tractor costs per acre to fall plant [Re: Antlerfluke] #2107160
05/05/17 08:57 AM
05/05/17 08:57 AM
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Remington270 Offline
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Well, is the tractor green or orange?

Re: Tractor costs per acre to fall plant UPDATED!! [Re: Antlerfluke] #2107166
05/05/17 09:06 AM
05/05/17 09:06 AM
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Posts: 394
Auburn, AL
A
Antlerfluke Offline OP
4 point
Antlerfluke  Offline OP
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Auburn, AL
Remington270, that's some funny stuff right there!!! rofl

Orange!! I think they get a little more per hr!!!! HA!!!!!

And I'm going to pee from the tractor and not stop. Dangerous I know.

Last edited by Antlerfluke; 05/05/17 09:10 AM.
Re: Tractor costs per acre to fall plant UPDATED!! [Re: Antlerfluke] #2107210
05/05/17 10:11 AM
05/05/17 10:11 AM
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Posts: 9,111
B'ham
Goatkiller Offline
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Goatkiller  Offline
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B'ham
Here are the 2 formulas you need.

Theoretical Capacity (acres/hour) = (Speed (mph) x Machine Width (feet))/8.25

Effective Capacity = Theoretical Capacity x Field efficiency

............

All 60hp tractors are not created equal. All equipment is not created equal. Is it a 4x4 compact tractor with a 60hp engine or a real tractor with 60 pto horsepower? Sounds like a compact if it has Orange paint. Makes a difference. Will your tractor pull the disk 5mph or only 4mph to get a good cut. We don't know. Will it take 1 pass with the disk or three. We don't know.

You'll have to take the tractor out and figure it out.

Did you get a 6 foot cutter? Take it back if you haven't used it. You need a bigger one.

............

After you figure it out come back to the formulas.

You should be able to bushhog 4mph and get a good cut with good blades. But we don't know your equipment. You may get more or less. But if you aren't close you need to figure out what's wrong with your setup.

Disking you should pull faster 5-6mph. Get the owners manual out and see if they recommend a speed. If you go much faster than 6mph it might ridge. Might not. You'll have to see if you can even pull it that fast.

You'll have to take the tractor out and figure it out.

At the same time you'll hopefully figure out how many passes it will take.

I can't tell you your ground speed with the sprayer. You'll have to figure that out on your own or give us additional detail on that setup such as mix, GPM and sprayer coverage

For field efficiency in the above formula figure 65-70% for inexperienced operator. And that may be generous considering drive time between small plots.

Let me know if you have any more questions and good luck.


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Re: Tractor costs per acre to fall plant UPDATED!! [Re: Antlerfluke] #2107250
05/05/17 11:27 AM
05/05/17 11:27 AM
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Auburn, AL
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Antlerfluke Offline OP
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Antlerfluke  Offline OP
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Auburn, AL
I have a 6' Woods Hvy Duty rotarycutter. Best RC I've ever seen.

Anyway... yes, I have an orange Kubota 60 hp M6040 and I have been food plotting for 11 years.

The reason why I was axing was to get other food plotters' opinions... as random as they may be.

I could come up with my own answers but I wanted "general" opinions from food plotters on Aldeer so I could go to a group of hunters without tractors and give them a general idea of how long it would take to disk 35 food plot acres over a course of 2500 acres. Everything would be an estimate. There are Aldeer members who have 5000 acres and 70 acres or 1200 acres and 15 or so acres. I am just looking for and educated guess from members that have done it on their property and if they have twice as many acres as I'm asking about, I'm assuming that they could take their time and cut it in half or calculate some figure given average percentages.

I would imagin that if a member has a 100 hp tractor with batwing disc, he would appreciate the difference and not offer an opinion. I'm sure there are some hunters here that are in the 50-70 range hp that could give an estimate. An estimate. It doesn't have to be exact as I'm holding no one accountable.

I don't have stumps in my food plots and conditions of weather, soil, rain, etc... should be considered on a "given year" and not drought nor flood.

If a 60 hp Kubota takes 15 mins longer per acre than a JD 60 hp, then an opinion would be... say... between 1 hr and 1 hr and 15 mins.

My acceptability of average hours range is very flexible.

But I'd rather my buddies hear the estimate from Aldeer members than me. Or just me. Oh, consider the tractor rider is of an experienced level and won't make a sharp right hand turn in hard soil and warp his disc.

But really, thanks for attempting to answer the best you can. I love this website and its people. Pretty much everyone is willing to help and I'm appreciative.

Last edited by Antlerfluke; 05/05/17 11:44 AM.
Re: Tractor costs per acre to fall plant UPDATED!! [Re: Antlerfluke] #2107254
05/05/17 11:38 AM
05/05/17 11:38 AM
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Remington270 Offline
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Just get on the tractor and go. Unless you're looking to get a new tractor or disc, you're stuck with what you got.

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