Quad or Utility

Cran

My system with the sheep is based simplicity, and outdoor lambing. I'm lucky that the land is fairly dry and just close any of the wetter fields for the winter.
I've always use the jeep for traveling on the land and has worked well until now, problem this year is 6 weeks out from lambing land is close enough to non-travelable with the jeep. So have decided I need a quad, probably should have had one before but couldn't really justify it and I'm attached to the heater in the jeep:) also like most part-timers I'm out alot at night...

Question I have is would a Utility vehicle be a better investment than a quad? Do they travel as well on wet ground or are they more a groundcare tool than a farming one???? just wondering if anyone has one after having a quad and what they think....

reilig

Cran wrote: »

My system with the sheep is based simplicity, and outdoor lambing. I'm lucky that the land is fairly dry and just close any of the wetter fields for the winter.
I've always use the jeep for traveling on the land and has worked well until now, problem this year is 6 weeks out from lambing land is close enough to non-travelable with the jeep. So have decided I need a quad, probably should have had one before but couldn't really justify it and I'm attached to the heater in the jeep:) also like most part-timers I'm out alot at night...

Question I have is would a Utility vehicle be a better investment than a quad? Do they travel as well on wet ground or are they more a groundcare tool than a farming one???? just wondering if anyone has one after having a quad and what they think....

Utility vehicles travel ok on wet ground. They are a bit heavier than a quad so therefore won't always go where a quad will go. Many will have a cab or a cover which may offer some protection from the weather and they will have load space for carrying whatever you want to carry. A neighbour has one and he is quite happy. His is a Kawasaki Mule ( I think) and its a petrol. Parts are very expensive for it though.

DaNiEl1994

no experience with quads, but have got to use a john deere gator tx recently and they're really good simple to use, more power than you'd think and good pull on them, they also have a hydraulic tipper, very handy underrated machines IMO.

the one i used was open top no cab, if you were to go for a cab get a goot metal one, those plastic ones are flimsy as **** i hear.

Cran

DaNiEl1994 wrote: »

no experience with quads, but have got to use a john deere gator tx recently and they're really good simple to use, more power than you'd think and good pull on them, they also have a hydraulic tipper, very handy underrated machines IMO.

the one i used was open top no cab, if you were to go for a cab get a goot metal one, those plastic ones are flimsy as **** i hear.

Thanks guys might go and look at both tomorrow

Hugh 2

Cran wrote: »

Thanks guys might go and look at both tomorrow

Any decision made since?

I have had quads for many years but after getting a spin on a Kabota recently I am considering a utility vehicle

The Kabota is diesel and hydrostatic ( not sure if I am a fan accelerate it goes take your foot of the accelerator it stops - fast )

It is meant to be real light on diesel ( quite an advantage in my opinion )

If your land is hilly I would suspect you would be better with quad but you can't really carry mutch on them
I have a tool box on the front of mine and a sprayer on the back
If I need to carry a bag of feed I end up sitting on the bag

weatherbyfoxer

Have a quad here for past 6 years and for the sheep i dont know how i go without it, i lamb indoors and have a small car trailer with a ramp and high sides for putting lambs and ewes out to grass 2-3 days after lambing..if you have a sick ewe you can bring her in from the field or a sick ewe that might need a injection just tske the trailer off and catch her in the corner of the field with it

Also great for spot treatment in the field for maggots and footrot..have a 60L sprayer with a lance that is ideal for sheep dip for treating fly strike or light spraying the whole flock to prevent maggots for 7-10 days

Mines a honda 350 2wd..2wd is fine if your not pulling big weights in soft/hilly ground and is more nimble and safer than a 4wd when trying to manover at resonable speed around animal as the back end will slide where the 4wd will catch grip in the front giving it a better chance of fliping

Like yourself i have a jeep to but if you get a bit of wet weather around lambing time it will make gaps very mucky where the quad wont even mark the ground.The mule and gators are grand machines but very exspencive and nowhere near as agile or light the quad

frazzledhome

Have both here and quad wins hands down.

Kubota Utility good for carrying stuff, easy on diesel, very loud and slow. Useless on hills

Quad is fast, hook on trailer if needed and drive over wires. Hard on petrol though. Will go a lot of places Utv won't.

Quad €7k Utv €14k, ours sh 2yo €10k.

Have a 250cc dirt bike aswell and that's the business, most used vehicle. Much safer as you're much more tuned in when using it. Can't tow and no payload

C0N0R

frazzledhome wrote: »

Have both here and quad wins hands down.

Kubota Utility good for carrying stuff, easy on diesel, very loud and slow. Useless on hills

Quad is fast, hook on trailer if needed and drive over wires. Hard on petrol though. Will go a lot of places Utv won't.

Quad €7k Utv €14k, ours sh 2yo €10k.

Have a 250cc dirt bike aswell and that's the business, most used vehicle. Much safer as you're much more tuned in when using it. Can't tow and no payload

Should get one of the farm bikes they have in New Zealand. Wee tray on the back is a great job for a couple of bags of meal but agreed bikes are so handy once your used to them.

ganmo

weatherbyfoxer wrote: »

Have a quad here for past 6 years and for the sheep i dont know how i go without it, i lamb indoors and have a small car trailer with a ramp and high sides for putting lambs and ewes out to grass 2-3 days after lambing..if you have a sick ewe you can bring her in from the field or a sick ewe that might need a injection just tske the trailer off and catch her in the corner of the field with it

Also great for spot treatment in the field for maggots and footrot..have a 60L sprayer with a lance that is ideal for sheep dip for treating fly strike or light spraying the whole flock to prevent maggots for 7-10 days

Mines a honda 350 2wd..2wd is fine if your not pulling big weights in soft/hilly ground and is more nimble and safer than a 4wd when trying to manover at resonable speed around animal as the back end will slide where the 4wd will catch grip in the front giving it a better chance of fliping

Like yourself i have a jeep to but if you get a bit of wet weather around lambing time it will make gaps very mucky where the quad wont even mark the ground.The mule and gators are grand machines but very exspencive and nowhere near as agile or light the quad

We've a 420 here 2/4wd selectable, have had to put it into 4wd in a few spots. Ya definitely notice when she's in 4wd, bigger turnin circle and more sluggish

The cost of the utv would put me off getting one.

dar31

C0N0R wrote: »

Should get one of the farm bikes they have in New Zealand. Wee tray on the back is a great job for a couple of bags of meal but agreed bikes are so handy once your used to them.

Anyone know where you can get them bikes in Ireland. Have looked and enquired to no avail

trixi2011

dar31 wrote: »

Anyone know where you can get them bikes in Ireland. Have looked and enquired to no avail

Dont think you can buy them new but a suzuki dr or a honda xr trail bikes can be bought and you can get the a sprocket and cain from nz or oz to gear them down 4 farm work

trixi2011

We have a few quads on the farm and they are seriously expensize to run if your using them alot . Once you hook a trailer on you can see the fuel droping.

yellow50HX

Friend of mine had a quad on her place, used it for checking sheep on the hills and also for going out to the horses in winter. 1st one they had was 2wd and was a dinger but struggled when the trailer was put on for bringing in the sheep or taking out feed so they got a 4wd. Had a few lucky escapes but eventually it rolled breaking her leg. Once she recovered she traded it for a utility and is much happier. Not as fast as the quad but much more suited to her needs for every day work as she doesn't need to pull a trailer either. Got herself a trail bike for when they are looking to round up the sheep, better then the quad and safer too.

Wildsurfer

frazzledhome wrote: »

Have both here and quad wins hands down.

Kubota Utility good for carrying stuff, easy on diesel, very loud and slow. Useless on hills

Quad is fast, hook on trailer if needed and drive over wires. Hard on petrol though. Will go a lot of places Utv won't.

Quad €7k Utv €14k, ours sh 2yo €10k.

Have a 250cc dirt bike aswell and that's the business, most used vehicle. Much safer as you're much more tuned in when using it. Can't tow and no payload

Jaysus frazz do you get any exercise on the farm at all!

frazzledhome

Wildsurfer wrote: »

Jaysus frazz do you get any exercise on the farm at all!

Don't know if pulling 500kg of milk to calves would constitute exercise or insanity