If you're thinking about getting a tractor and later using it to pull hay equipment, you have a difficult choice ahead of you.

If all you'll ever do is pull a sickle mower, a hay rake and a small square baler, you might get by with a larger compact tractor. Because of the light weight of compacts, you'll feel all the vibration from the baler and that will be fatiguing. Also, the weight of a baler can push you down a hill if there's some dew on the ground. If you ever decide you want a disc mower, you won't have enough horsepower to pull it.

You'll probably be moving up to the utility tractor size for hay baling. Many manufacturers are building "economy" utility tractors and premium models. They tend to push the cheaper ones because they're the big sellers, it's a price-driven market. Dealers generally won't even stock the premium utility tractors because it takes so long to get them retailed. The premium utility tractors are designed for the customer who uses the tractor a lot, and will have many extra comfort features, like better seats and operator areas, better transmission options, and usually, bigger hydraulic pumps. The inexpensive tractors will have a lot of older technology and won't be as comfortable to operate and be as productive.

If the two tractors were parked side-by-side on a dealer's lot, the premium model might be priced $10,000 above the economy one and most people will take the lesser-priced one. Most dealers don't bother to talk about the premium tractor because they don't want to confuse you, or appear to be upselling. If you're baling hay, you may want the full-feature tractor.

If it were me and I could afford it, I'd go ahead and move up to a mid-range cab tractor, which is what most people buy when they're planning to put up hay. There will usually be several horsepower options in the 65-90 range, with the same frame and lift capacity. The lower end may have naturally aspirated engines, the higher end may be turbocharged and after cooled. Get the most horsepower you can because hay equipment takes a lot of horsepower and an air conditioner will suck about 8-10 hp out of an engine.

In the end, if I were thinking about putting up hay someday, I'd get a minimum of an 80 hp tractor with all the bells and whistles, air ride seat, buddy seat, the best transmission offered, a front end loader and probably 4wd and I'd be ready to add the baling equipment later on.

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