# Best small swather?



## TreeHogger (Jun 23, 2015)

Greetings -

(Two-part question here)

1) *What is the best small swather for mowing hay? *

The situation is that I picked up a Owattona MoCo and repaired the thing, and it works great (conditions too) - but it is way too long with the tractor for all the small areas I have, and of course is time consuming to back up for the myriad of small spots I can not mow in a linear manner... I feel like I should understand the best swather, and look for it, and once purchased, sell the MoCo to pay for it. (Thinking I could get a $1,000 for the Owattana, and perhaps buy a 9' or 10' swather for $1,000 to $1,500.)

2) I will be putting in a couple of acres of alfalfa this fall. *Do feel for this small acreage, that I could get by without a conditioner???*

Thanks,
Mark


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## 1oldphart (Aug 20, 2014)

I had an Owatanna back in the 70's and cant imagine a field so small you couldn't cut it. Many times in heavy first cutting that pos could not go slow enough to cut even with the conditioner wide open. the Wisconsin V4 was WAY underpowered. maybe you need a sycle mower...paul


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## idaho2 (May 6, 2014)

Bought a 1980 IH 5000, drove it 50 miles since it would not fit on my friends tilt commercial trailer. Turns on a dime and makes a 43" wide windrow from the 12' sickle with dual auger. I elected not to get the conditioner and my timothy hay was dry to bale in less than two days. How many acres are you cutting that a moco is to large.

Idaho2


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