Fuel Crunch: Bigger Tractor???

[Drawbar]

I guess we were surprised by all these facts more then we thought. As everyone knows, dairy farming is being as impacted by the high fuel prices as anyone else. In talking with my Uncle today, I found he made a few purchases over the winter to beat the fuel costs.

The first and biggest purchase was a combination 400 horsepower tractor coupled to a 33 foot disc harrow. In putting 300 acres of corn this year (with another 120 to go) it has consumed just 300 gallons of fuel. We all figured it would burn more and those over the long run ended up costing more in fuel. Instead its dramatically cut down on fuel consumption by getting so much more done, so much quicker.

The third purchase was for a haybine. The old one was only 10 feet wide while this new one is 16 feet wide. For every two rounds we make now, the old one would have required three passes. Considering the acreage we knock down (both for ourselves) and for custom chopping, this is a HUGE reduction in fuel.

With the FSA Loans being dwindled down to nothing this year, it means a sizable chunk in capital investment (debt) but milk prices are rising and the milking cows are over 400 head now, so it should pan out.

I got a chance to drive the new tractor today, and while it was just pushing haylage, it was sweet!!

http://www.railroadmachinist.com/images/New_Tractor_II-small.JPG

http://www.railroadmachinist.com/images/Tractor_on_Haylage_Pile-small.JPG

[hardrock]

Hey Drawbar......

Somebody tricked ya......that thing's supposed to be painted GREEN! (J/K) ;)

Hard to imagine a fuel savings, but it's just like you said.....
It all comes down to acreage vs runtime.
Think in terms of gal. per hr. per acre

The fella that farms my ground has a couple articulated JD's
about that size and 2 more Versatiles that can barely get turned around in some of my fields.
I told him he needed smaller tractors......he told me I needed bigger fields!!! ::)
He's working around 4000 acres total between his own and some leased ground.......he needs every one of them big rigs to cover ground as quickly and effectively as he can at both ends of the season.
Actually, they can't cover all the same ground as smaller, older equipement can. We're getting rounded corners and straighter "straightaways"??? That big stuff just can't tuck in the nooks and crannies like the little tractors did.

I did ask him one time though, "If the equipment is so big that you can no longer farm all the tight spots, how can that be a good thing?"

He told me............"Volume."....."Economy of scale." ;D ;D