By Raymond Langstaff
Bookcliff Conservation District
Like any business, a rancher or farmer has to balance the cost of doing business when determining the success of each growing season. My last column touched on the price of hay. To provide a fuller picture of the economics of agriculture, I thought I would share some of the costs that agricultural producers encounter.
Water
The source of the irrigation water influences the cost of the water. An irrigation canal supported by a ditch or canal company may include charges for a ditch rider to cruise the ditch opening and to close headgates as well as funds for annual cleaning that require a backhoe and operator. Repairs on the ditch may be assessed separately.
Equipment
In this part of the state, a producer may have several tractors ranging in size from 25 to 30 horsepower (hp) to 150 hp or more:
*a small tractor rakes hay
*a larger tractor is required for a large 3’ X 3’ baler
*a 65 hp or larger tractor is required if one is using a pull behind windrower/cutter
*a 40 hp or larger tractor is needed for a small square baler
*a larger tractor is used for a towed stackwagon
*a no-till drill requires a tractor with at least 50 hp.
Most producers will have the following:
*a ¾ or one ton pickup or truck
*tractors
*windrowers/swathers/disc cutters or a sickle bar
*balers - small squares, round bales, large squares (or may have one of each)
*trailers - flatbeds, stock trailers, a bumper pull stock or horse trailer
*rakes - side delivery, wheel rakes (horizontal or upright)
*a front-end loader for tractors with various attachments such as a bucket, pallet forks, and spears (for picking up the round or large square bales)
Producers may also have:
*a post hole auger and an attachment to drive posts
*a skidsteer
*a tedder which is used to fluff and turn windrows to help dry the hay before baling
The direction I am headed with this discussion is what the costs will likely be to acquire these pieces of equipment. Without going all out and writing a term paper or a book, a list with several examples of used equipment will illustrate equipment expense.
Tractors
*1988 John Deere (J.D.) 2355 2 wd 67 hp tractor: $17,000
*2014 Massey Ferguson 4wd 99 hp tractor: $52,000
*1976 International Harvester (IH) 2wd tractor: $30,000
*2020 Deutz Fahrenheit 101 hp 4wd tractor: $69,500
*2013 J.D. 6170 170 hp tractor: $98,900
*Case IH 180hp 4wd tractor: $106,900
Cutting equipment
*9 ft. Hesston rotary disc, $17,995,
*2016 Krone 32 ft. swather, $175,000,
*2018 Case IH pull type mower/conditioner, $25950,
*Kuhn 2013 9 ft., $6850,
*2020 Kuhn 12 ft. cutter, $18,000.
Rakes
*2012 Pequea TS-24 13 to 24 ft horizontal rotary rake, $21,000,
*2015 Bush Hog 12 wheel V rake, $5,000,
*2019 Kuhn 11’ rotary, $9,800,
*10-wheel Kuhn V rake, $6,000.
Balers
Small square balers (14” X 18” x 36” long) range from $2000 to $6000 for older used models. Models from the late 80’s to 90’s are $10,000 to $16,000. 2000 and newer used models are $15,000 to $20,000. A 2019 baler listed for $28,500, and a 2022 baler was priced at $41,700.
Large square bales (3’ X 3’ X 8’) range in price from $22,500 for a 2007 model to a 2021 baler listing for $130,500. Round baler prices are in between the small balers and the large square balers.
Fuel
Fuel costs are significant part of the season. A smaller operation will use around 100 gallons of diesel fuel, a larger operation with 200 – 300 acres of hay will likely use 1,000 gallons or more. At $4.30/gallon, the little guy will spend nearly $400, and the larger producer will spend over $4,300. This expense doesn’t include fuel for the trucks, pickups and UTVs.
Taxes, parts for repairs, hand tools, gloves and other sundries are all part of the financial mix that a producer tracks every year.
Picture below left to right: Kuhn 11' rotary rake, Beaver Slide for loose hay, Krone Large Square Baler
