The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Smallholding => Land Management => Topic started by: Moleskins on August 29, 2012, 09:36:18 am

Title: Topper, flail or finger bar.
Post by: Moleskins on August 29, 2012, 09:36:18 am

On the assumption that you can't afford any sort of mower but realise you've got to do something which one do you get, topper, flail or finger bar.
The land is hillside, too steep in parts. There's a patch of bracken which is spreading slowly. A patch of reeds, which are spreading quite quickly and some thistles. The grass is often too long for the sheep, am I right in thinking would be more nourishing if it were fresh growth.
The tractor is 30hp.
Any thoughts ?

Title: Re: Topper, flail or finger bar.
Post by: robert waddell on August 29, 2012, 10:03:34 am

first thing is safety  your safety  if it is is hilly you need a very well maintained tractor as in very good tyres and brakes with 4 wheel drive  with roll over protection     finger bar mowers are not very good for clumps of rough grass  the breakaway mechanism works to often and if you override it you bend the finger bar      a normal turbo mower set higher works better but that is side mounted and plays havoc with the centre of gravity and the tractors stability   safety again
you are correct in that the grass is more nourishing when short and kept short    the only and safest way is a rear mounted topper   and only topping when it is dry wet grass even dew can be a killer on hills :farmer:

Title: Re: Topper, flail or finger bar.
Post by: Moleskins on August 29, 2012, 10:14:57 am

Thank you Robert, the tractor is a Kioti CK30 only done about 140hrs so it's essentially new. Has 4 wheel drive which is used even reversing a trailer of sheep sometimes.
I've harrowed some of the field and the way I did that was to reverse up, harrow down, reverse up again and so on.
Frankly the thought of tipping the tractor over is paramount in my mind,  you're absolutely right to make that the first point.
If it's to be a topper, is there a make to go for?

Title: Re: Topper, flail or finger bar.
Post by: robert waddell on August 29, 2012, 10:38:08 am

a British one for a start spares will be easier  and get to try it first and if second hand don't just accept their price haggle    the recession is starting to affect this sector as well :farmer:

Title: Re: Topper, flail or finger bar.
Post by: Fowgill Farm on August 29, 2012, 11:54:15 am

I have a wessex topper if thats any help. Very robust little beast as we have clumoy grasses in our front field and some is very uneven where the pigs have dug and its regrown.
Just google Wessex there are some on e-bay.
HTh
Mandy  :pig:
 

Title: Re: Topper, flail or finger bar.
Post by: belgianblue on August 31, 2012, 09:01:08 pm

my advice is to buy a topper or flail to any make, and also where you can go and get spare parts like shear bolts.
stay away from old makes where spare parts are non existance cos you be wasting your money.