# How many acres of alfalfa can I cut with two swathers a day.?



## fmfracer44 (Jan 19, 2012)

I currently have one 2450 sickle swather and an hw320 sickle swather both are 14ft cut headers. I wanna know how many acres of alfalfa I can cut a day roughly if I cut for about 12 hours straight


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## gradyjohn (Jul 17, 2012)

Knock off one foot for each and gives you an average of 26 feet at 5 mph = 130 acres in 10 hours. 12 hours would be 156 acres. Of course that is if you don't stop to ??? width x speed = acres in 10 hours.


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## Teslan (Aug 20, 2011)

Maybe less then 156 acres because there is the time to turn around and then you probably will break a section or get plugged up because that's what sickle machines do.


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## hog987 (Apr 5, 2011)

Also remember it takes a little bit of time to stop and pee every once in awhile.


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## jrcrumiI (Jun 10, 2013)

You young fellers always in a hurry....lol....


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## dbergh (Jun 3, 2010)

Those numbers never quite come true for us. We could count on 50 to 60 acres per machine on average days with no major problems. 40 acres is probably closer to our average year in and year out. Mind you that is not pushing real hard as far as length of days. Probably about 10 hour days on average. Laying hay down is a lot easier than getting it back up. Make sure you have adequate baler capacity to keep you on schedule.


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## Teslan (Aug 20, 2011)

dbergh said:


> Those numbers never quite come true for us. We could count on 50 to 60 acres per machine on average days with no major problems. 40 acres is probably closer to our average year in and year out. Mind you that is not pushing real hard as far as length of days. Probably about 10 hour days on average. Laying hay down is a lot easier than getting it back up. Make sure you have adequate baler capacity to keep you on schedule.


Yes this seems more reasonable then 156 acres a day with 2 sickle machines.


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## Colby (Mar 5, 2012)

I'd say 80-120 acres a day depending on crop conditions and breakdowns and productivity


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## jrcrumiI (Jun 10, 2013)

I have seen half a section done in a day with three machines but they were bigger draper header sickle machines... they were laying down in front of two choppers..


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

I've done sixty acres in a day with my discbine, some for me, some for other people with a lot of driving. Didn't take near ten hours either. I used to figure 5-7 acres an hour with my 12' haybine.


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## endrow (Dec 15, 2011)

mlappin said:


> I've done sixty acres in a day with my discbine, some for me, some for other people with a lot of driving. Didn't take near ten hours either. I used to figure 5-7 acres an hour with my 12' haybe.


Same here


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

You guys must take a lot of Pee breaks.  Or have small fields. :mellow:

I get 10 acre per hr with 13'4" discbine on the 1/2 mile long fields.5-7 on small odd shaped fields.

@ 7 mph.


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## Gearclash (Nov 25, 2010)

Field shape and conditions will make a huge difference in acres per day. My brother can easily knock down 2 40 acre pieces of alfalfa in a day, with an HW325, 14 ft sickle.


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