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Choosing the Right Hay Mower
Harvest Season is already stressful enough without having to worry about the right equipment. If you’re not sure which equipment is best for you and your hay operation, take a look at this Hay Mower Buyer’s Guide. We’ll outline the benefits of three popular types of mowers: Disc Mowers, Drum Mowers, and Sickle Bar Mowers.
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Disc MowersWhen it comes to cutting hay, disc mowers are by far the most popular style of cutter in the hay business. Their incredible versatility and durability make them the number one choice for medium to large hay operations. |
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Disc Mower Pros:
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| Versatile: Disc Mowers are designed to be an all-purpose hay cutting machine with capabilities to harvest any variety of hay crop in diverse terrains at high speeds and power. | ||
| Durable: Most models of disc mowers feature a break-away device to prevent damage on rough terrain and around tight corners. | ||
| Easy to Transport: Most disc mowers are equipped with a hydraulic folding system for easier transport and storage capabilities. | ||
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Disc Mower Cons:
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| Demanding: Disc mowers typically require higher horse power and hydraulic levels than sickle bar and drum mowers. | ||
| Expensive: Disc mowers are usually the most expensive types of hay cutters. |
Sickle Bar Mowers are ideal for smaller hay operations with less acreage. Their individual (scissor-like) teeth produce a much cleaner cut than disc mowers and drum mowers.
 Sickle Bar Mowers |
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Sickle Bar Mower Pros:
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| Versatile: Sickle Bar Mowers can easily be adjusted to follow the contours of the ground. For level terrain, a lower cutting angle can be used, but for rougher terrain, higher cutting angles ensure the best cut possible. | ||
| Low Maintenance: Sickle Bar Mowers require much less horsepower to operate, making them a popular choice among small hay operations. | ||
| Great Cut Quality: The individual teeth cutting style of sickle bar mowers produce a very clean cut. The cut quality is especially superior when cutting straight stemmed hay and alfalfa crops. | ||
| Easy to Use and Transport: Most Sickle Bar Mowers are belt and hydraulically operated, meaning you can easily raise the cutter bar for easy transportation. | ||
| Sickle Bar Mower Cons: | ||
| Limited Use: Typically, sickle bar mowers tend to struggle when cutting dense, wet, or matted hay. | ||
| Time Consuming: Sickle Bar Mowers are typically not capable of cutting at the higher speeds disc and drum mowers are used to. | ||
Drum Mowers:Drum Mowers are a very diverse type of mower. They vary greatly in sizes and models, which makes them a great tool for small and large operations alike. Drum mowers tend to be more popular in East Coast and European hay operations. |
Drum Mower Pros: |
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| High Speeds: Typically, drum mowers are built to operate at higher speeds, making sure you get the job done in no time. | |
| Consistent: Drum mowers tend to be more consistent in their cutting quality. They are great at cutting through any type of forage and in any conditions. | |
| Low Maintenance: The design of drum mowers make it easy to replace blades if needed. | |
Drum Mower Cons: |
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| Short Width: Typically, drum mowers have a shorter cutting bar, compared to the other types of mowers. | |
| Heavy Weight: Drum mowers tend to weigh more than other types of mowers, making them more bulking, and requiring more horsepower to operate. |
When it comes time to cut hay, Mutton Power Equipment has everything you might need along the way — from sickle bar mowers to disc mowers. Visit our online store today.