# vicon disc mower for grass hay



## raptor660jarhead (Jul 19, 2010)

I am pretty new to hay equipment and was wondering if you really need to condition hay or can you just cut it and let it dry that way. I am just starting out and been looking at equipment. I want to spend as much as I can on the sqaure baler as possible but, still be able to get a means of mowing the hay. I have found a self propelled windrower JD 2320 I think for 2 grand but I have also found a NH 320 for 3 grand and triing to stay under a budget. I found a vicon disc mower for 900 bucks that looks and runs like new but its design has no rollers. I know the self propelled mower is a big investment when your talking hay equipment but I don't plan on growing anything else and I don't want to stress out our only tractor which is a mostly restored 1958 Ford 801 powermaster. But, the other thinking is that the NH 320 is too much for that tractor anyway and should stick to a 273 NH baler. I know 3 grand for that 320 is way cheap for the condition its in. I know this is alot of variables and I don't plan on pulling huge wagons with this tractor and baler combination. The fields I do are mostly grass hay. Until I get enough cash for great lake hay seed. Not, say there the best but, can't be far from it. I am not growing for feed more profit. Any help would be great and farming out of mid michigan. 
Thanks yah,
Jarhead


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## sedurbin (May 30, 2009)

Conditioning is not required but I would think that in mid Michigan that it would be helpful for getting the hay cured between all those summer showers. I sometimes use a Vicon disc mower and find it works great for cutting and you can cover a lot of ground. Any disc mower is going to work the heck out of your 801. If you are just cutting grass, you may want to consider a sickle mower; they are cheap and don't use much hp


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## raptor660jarhead (Jul 19, 2010)

Well I was looking at the new Vicon disc mowers and talking to the shop that has the one I found for sale. Both tell me that all I need is a 35 hp or more for that 9 ft mower. I have heard the same about needing alot of power but, this one doesn't have rollers and thought maybe that was the reason for the low hp numbers to run just the disc. I also run a 6 ft flail mower with that tractor and it doesn't start straining til the grass is well over the height of the front tires. I even thought about just using my flail or the sickle bar. I already have those but heard that the sickle bar can cause really bad jams in a baler. Never heard of anyone using a ford flail mower for hay. Does great on yards and fields. Chops it up really nice and lays it flat and wide behind the mower. I also have a old horse drawn rake converted to tractor drawn and pics the grass from the flail perfect and makes huge windrows. Just kinda was hearing that I needed to get a regular haybine because of the crimpers. But, just starting out on this and don't know that much. Thanks for your input guys.


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## Blue Duck (Jun 4, 2009)

Most 9ft disc mowers would take more like 75hp to run effectively. Or are you talking about a drum mower? Depending on how many acres you are going to cover I think a sickle mower and a tedder would be a good option but might be more then you want to spend.


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## Greyhorse (Jun 22, 2009)

I would look for a haybine or a sickle mower for the tractor you have. I have a 9 ft NH disc mower and a 60 hp tractor will run it but your speed is limited and weight is a big factor for my mower..... around 1500 pounds.


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## gman1772 (Mar 20, 2010)

All of the previous posts are spot on. A 7' sickle is a good match for your tractor.


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## gording01 (Sep 17, 2009)

Blue Duck said:


> Most 9ft disc mowers would take more like 75hp to run effectively.


*Rule of thumb:*
Disc mower: 5 Hp/disc
Disc mower with flail conditioner: 10 Hp/disc
Roller conditioner --> have no idea if they are harder or easier to pull than flail conditioners....

Note that these are the general PTO power requirements! So for pulling the tractor and machine forward you'll need some more Hp, depending on the field conditions.

- Peter


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