Mowing - tractor vs mower

[SerenaGinger]

I’m in the market for a tractor, and I’m wondering if I should buy a mid-belly mower deck for the tractor, or a bush hog attachment, or buy a separate riding mower? I have 5 acres, split into 3 pastures and the area around the house with almost an acre of pond. I’m in south Florida, so mowing pretty much year-round, at least weekly in the summer, and the property can get wet enough in the summer that a riding mower can get stuck.

It looks like mowers move faster, but maybe that’s an illusion since they’re smaller? Do I want a mowing deck wider than 60"? The pastures are not rectangular so some maneuvering is needed. Any input would be helpful, thanks!

[stb]

I have a tractor with a bush hog and a zero turn mower with a 60" deck. The only time we use the tractor to mow is in brushy stuff, like under a power line or in a semi-wooded area. The zero turn is faster, much more maneuverable, and much easier to mow with than the tractor is. No comparison.

[stb]

I should also add that my property is very similar to yours. I have 9 acres, but some of it is wooded. I have 6 acres within a perimeter fence and about an additional acre around a pond. I have about 4.5 acres of pasture which is split into 4 pastures, and a small yard around the house. I’m in SC, so mow a lot here too - though not as much as you do. I would advise you to get the biggest, baddest zero turn you can afford. We have a large, commercial grade diesel Kubota and I’m thankful for it every time I use it.

[moving_to_dc]

I agree with the zero turn… We have a 60" Ferris and a 42" John Deere. Both have their purpose, and both run constantly. The Ferris is used for “wide open” spaces, and those with challenging terrain or slopes. The JD is awesome for fitting thru 4’ gates to get into the back yard, the round pen, the goat pens, etc. The 60" Ferris will not fit into those areas. We also have a 7’ bush hog for maintaining pastures.

[Bluey]

For pastures and field edges, a brush hog is better, a mower may get beaten up too much.
Here a regular mower would not even start to work in the tall weeds, it chokes down.

Mowers are intended for landscaped terrain and as finishing tools.
Brush hogs are more rough, would not leave what you mow so short and pretty, but will last longer thru rough mowing.

We have a big bush hog mower on the PTO of the big tractor, to shred around fields and bar-ditches and a zero turn hefty mower for the yard and around barns and in pens.

I do think that the belly lawnmower JD sells, the little tractor even has a bucket and other such tools, is meant to be almost as good for a regular lawn and also stout enough for not too bushy pastures?

That question could be answered different ways, hard to tell without seeing what you have there.
Another poster seems to have similar terrain to mow, I expect her advice would fit your situation well.

[danacat]

IMO one of the perks of a pull behind brush hog type mower is that you can back up and guide it into those hard to reach places. Can’t do that with a mid-belly mower.

I had a 5 ft. pull behind – but traded it in for a 6 ft. – that extra foot of cutting really adds up when you have acres and acres to mow. The bigger the better – cuts your mowing time down a lot.

I only use my riding mower for lawn areas and along fence lines – it gets bogged down or has to work too hard to mow pastures especially if they are a bit overgrown + a very bumpy ride if there are hoof depressions, clumps of dirt, etc. Tractor is more comfortable, faster – but can leave tire tracks/ruts in those ‘wet’ areas. I avoid those until they dry up.

[gumtree]

I’m with the Zero turn crowd. 5 acres isn’t a lot to mow. We had/used a small riding mower. Got a 61 commercial grade Scag which blows the doors off of the riding mower. I can mow 5+ acres in half the time. Wish I bought a Zero turn to begin with. The amount of extra money I spent paying people to mow with the Rider could have bought a really good vacation. Or more equipment.

Plus IMO a Zero Turn is much more fun to operate. Yes, some places can get very bumpy but a good seat makes it reasonably comfortable. The Ferris referenced has a suspension. My Z-T deck can be raised to 6" most are 5". So you kind of have to stay on top of things. I have mowed very high thick stuff with mine. Just have to go over it twice to “clean” it up.

You should get one in the upper HP range, over 25 HP. Commercial grade is a must IMO. If buying used make sure the hours on it are reasonably low. The main wear and tear parts that fail are the Hydro-pumps and there are 2 of them. They can cost over $600+ each plus installation and should be replaced in pairs. Pretty easy DIY. The wheel pumps usually last a lot longer. But cost about the same to replace. The second wear parts are the deck spindles that the blades attach to. They are an easy DIY and cost about $150++ each. Parts are usually much cheaper bought on line than at your local repair place.

Direct drive deck, ones that have a drive shaft to the mower deck is superior to a deck that is driven by a belt to the engine. Ones that have a hydraulic oil cooler are even better. They run stronger in very hot weather and the pumps will last longer. Hydraulic oil coolers can be bought and are a fairly easy DIY to install.

Small utility tractors have their place but good ones are pricey. IMO unless one has a fair amount of other uses for that type of tractor other than mowing. A Z-T is a much better choice for mowing. MUCH. A hitch can be mounted on some Z-Ts for towing stuff. But don’t over load the cart. Lots of heavy loads can and does strain/stress the hydro-pumps which can lead to premature failure.

[Palm_Beach]

The zero turns don’t get too beat up from mowing bumpy terrain?

[Jim_in_PA]

I originally mowed with our Kubota tractor, but since I use that tractor for a lot of landscaping and ground maintenance, it was a pain having that mower deck either on the tractor or going through the exercise of the on/off process for a 300 lb deck and no hard surface to do it on. So I sold the mower deck and bought a ZTR to mow. Zero regrets on the zero-turn! They are made for mowing and do the job very well. Mine is a SCAG Freedom-Z with a 54" deck. The tractor deck was 60", but I don’t miss those 6" of width at all given the ZTR can mow at about twice the speed.

Please note that my tractor far pre-dates the newer designs that offer drive on/drive off mower deck install…

[Guilherme]

I’ve got a 23 hp. tractor and can put an 84" mowing deck or 6’ bush hog on the back. Which I use is dictated by what I have to cut. We are also quite hilly and the extra power of the tractor makes a big difference (along with the selectable 4WD).

Mowers are generally more manueverable and can win in areas where there are obstructions (trees, gardens, etc.) but in “open country” I’ve yet to see a consumer grade mower that will outdo the tractor/implement combo.

G.

[Bobuddy]

I have an older well used Grasshopper 928D zero turn - 2500 hours and counting. I love that mower and it cuts everything from pasture to wooded trails. If it blows up tomorrow - I will get another one. I pull the grass seeder and 4 foot pasture drag with it - so far have only needed a tractor a few times in living here 13 years.

[SerenaGinger]

Thank you all for your experiences! I do need a bucket, so I need a tractor regardless of mowing. I was looking at the Scag Cheetah and it looks like it’s around $10,000± new!!!

My pastures have a weed called white head broom, an invasive species, and the only thing found to kill it is Round Up It grows taller with less leaves at the bottom than the grass so I’m hoping to mow often to keep it short and see ifI can get the grass to take over instead of going the dramatic route of spraying, discing, and replanting.

So I need to mow often, which would be best with a quick mower, but if it stays wet for too long, and not mow-able, the vegetation does get tall around the ponds, maybe too tall for a mower? So best of both worlds would be both, huh?

[foggybok]

@SerenaGinger

Thank you all for your experiences! I do need a bucket, so I need a tractor regardless of mowing. I was looking at the Scag Cheetah and it looks like it’s around $10,000± new!!!

My pastures have a weed called white head broom, an invasive species, and the only thing found to kill it is Round Up It grows taller with less leaves at the bottom than the grass so I’m hoping to mow often to keep it short and see ifI can get the grass to take over instead of going the dramatic route of spraying, discing, and replanting.

So I need to mow often, which would be best with a quick mower, but if it stays wet for too long, and not mow-able, the vegetation does get tall around the ponds, maybe too tall for a mower? So best of both worlds would be both, huh?

We have both. JD mower does the yard (2 acres), Tractor does the pastures (except when I sneak the mower in there-hubby doesn’t want me to use it because he says it’s too hard on it). Tractor and brush hog is very quick, but since we use the tractor for other things. it’s not always attached and it’s kind of a pain to do it alone… But if it’s already on, then it really is much better in the pasture… We have lots of rocks and uneven ground…

[Guilherme]

You might not really need the mower you think; you might need a “weed wiper.” These are devices that you can use with a broad spectrum herbicide, like RoundUp, but only get tall weeds. Google “weed wiper” and “DIY weed wiper” and you’ll get many options, from kits you can add on to an existing spray rig for about $600 to dedicated units that are pretty pricy.

This can get you started with commercial options:

http://www.forestry-suppliers.com/product_pages/products.asp?mi=7159&title=Smucker+Super+Sponge+Weed+Wiper+ATV+Herbicide+Applicator#

http://www.qualitymetalworks.com/products/10_weed_wiper_cart.htm

Some DIY information:

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/build-yourself/277294-atv-rope-wick-mount.html

http://www.agrisupply.com/string-wing-rope-wick-chemical-applicator/p/71934/&sid=&eid=/

Specialty mowers, like zero turns, are nice but commercial grade machines are expensive. IMO for most uses you’re better off with a tractor and an appropriate implement. It won’t be as efficient as the specialty machine but will do more jobs and if you need those jobs done then it might be a better choice and a barn full of specialty machines.

Good luck as you go forward.

G.

[TrotTrotPumpkn]

I can’t imagine mowing my pastures with a riding mower (zero turn, etc.). I use a bush hog. I have very lush, thick grass though. In one low stretch water-weeds grow (not quite reeds, but very heavy). The grass there has even choked the rough cutter and it can cut little trees. So I think the thickness of your grass is an important variable. I vote tractor for pastures.

For the yard (which is probably 2-3 acres) I am lusting after a big zero turn.

[DHCarrotfeeder]

@Palm Beach

The zero turns don’t get too beat up from mowing bumpy terrain?

In my experience, the non-Ferris models will result in your body taking more beating than the mower.

I use a Ferris with suspension seat and it’s worth it. The suspension bushings need regular greasing and they wear out from time to time but still worth it. When I hit an invisible dip at full speed it’s more of a bounce than the spine-crushing slam I get from a solid frame mower.

I speak from the experience of borrowing a new Kubota ZTR while my Ferris 3100z was in the shop last year. Night and day - I was mowing at half the speed. I’ve also mowed with a Ferris 1500 and although it couldn’t mow as fast the ride was reasonable for the ground speed it could do.

Another downside to a tractor is weight and ground damage. Not sure of your tractor but mine weighs 4500lb and tears tracks in soft ground. The zero turns have turf tires and much lower lb/in² on the grass.

Not sure that a full commercial grade mower ($10k) is required but it is a good investment IMHO. The mid-grade mowers with suspension ($5k) ride nicely but they won’t cover ground as quickly. I bought a commercial grade in good used shape and saved a few grand. Just be sure to get the engine checked out if it’s used - commercial users tend to burn out engines.

[Guilherme]

Our JD4310 weighs in a 2600 pounds and we use the R4 “industrial tire.” More aggressive that a “turf” tire it’s much less so than a true ag tire. I’ve never had trouble with damaged turf although I’ll admit that if we’ve really been “blessed” with a series of “frog stranglers” there are places I won’t go! Of course those places also would be mostly out of the question for most mowers so I’m not sure what the difference would actually be.

The JD is reasonably comfortable over average ground.

G.

[Bobuddy]

We purchased our Grasshopper very used - off Craigslist. Yes, the new ones are upwards of 15K. But you can find used ones if you keep your eye out. Our grasshopper has a suspension seat - we bought ours 13 years ago with 2000 hours on it already - and it is night and day above the brand new Scag my parents bought. I mowed their property one time with theirs - and I hated the Scag - I felt beat up after getting off of the mower. My dad has used ours and he loves how it rides even though it now has 2500 hours on it. I have heard really good things about the Ferris mowers - and I would love to try theirs also. I purchased a pull behind weed sprayer from Tractor supply - worked just fine. You can even get a blade for it - but not a bucket. I do wish I had a bucket tractor from time to time though…

[DHCarrotfeeder]

I would NOT put a blade or other “pull” implement on a zero-turn mower. The hydro motors can’t handle much torque.

[Zu_Zu]

@stb

I have a tractor with a bush hog and a zero turn mower with a 60" deck. The only time we use the tractor to mow is in brushy stuff, like under a power line or in a semi-wooded area. The zero turn is faster, much more maneuverable, and much easier to mow with than the tractor is. No comparison.

^ I agree wth this ^ :yes: