For farmers who want to do their own hedge cutting and have the time to do so, we spoke to a number of dealers to see what stock of secondhand hedge cutters they have.

The business end of any hedge cutter is the head and all the machines we looked at were fitted with 1.2m to 1.25m flail heads.

Also, all three machines were fitted with steel rollers to the rear of the rotor allowing the machine to follow any contours during work.

As it is still some time away from the start of the season, 1 September, the dealers we called said it was still early for hedge cutter sales. Nonetheless, we got a taste of what secondhand machines are on the market.

The question every prospective customer needs to ask themselves is, would it be cheaper to do the work with their own machine or get a contractor to do it for them.

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Special focus: hedge-cutting 2017

MCCONNEL PA5000T

This McConnel PA5000T is being sold by Alexander Mills, Benburb, Co Tyrone. Alexander Mills sells a lot of hedge cutters per year and on the day we were in contact had in excess of 40 machines on hand from new to secondhand. The machine we were particularly interested in was a PA 5000T. It is specified as follows:

  • Horizontal reach 6.07 metres (22ft).
  • Cutter head width 1.25 metres (4ft).
  • Tractor hp requirement – 90hp+.
  • This machine has the longest reach of all three we looked at. For this reach, axle brackets are required for extra stability when the machine is at full stretch along with attachment to the three-point linkage. Another interesting feature of this machine is the Orbitor head angling bracket.

    This allows the head to tilt in such a way that allows it to work behind the tractor within the tractor’s width. Where space to the left hand side of the tractor is limited, the main arm can be swung back and the head can still operate.

    This could be particularly useful when trimming that narrow cow passage or lane where there is not enough room to operate the head beside the tractor’s left-hand wheel. The head on this machine was in particularly good condition.

    There were no dents in the top cover from stones being caught in flails and the paintwork was in good condition apart from general wear and tear. For the specification of machine, the McConnel is well priced at €7,800 including VAT at 20%. All machines we looked at were in generally good condition.

    FERRI TP61

    Atkins of Cork has the Ferri agency. Ferri is an Italian manufacturer and has machines in its range available for farmers right through to contractors. On the day we called, Atkins had both a Ferri and a Bomford machine traded in. The Ferri was a 2008 TP61. The specifications are as follows:

  • Horizontal reach 5.91 metres (19.39 ft).
  • Cutter head width 1.2 metres (3.93 ft).
  • Tractor hp requirement 75-95hp.
  • This machine could be readily described as a farmer’s machine, with cable controls and a flail cutter head. It’s straightforward to attach to the tractor, with three-point linkage. Two adjustable stay bars make it simple to put on or remove. Out of work the machine sits on four jacks which can be stored on it. The head was in good condition considering its age and is fitted with T-shaped flails which handle anything from briars to grass to general overgrowth. This machine would suit a farmer who wants to tidy his farm passages once a year and trim unwanted weeds under electric fence wire. The price is €9,000 including VAT.

    BOMFORD B49

    The other machine we saw in Atkins was a Bomford B49 with a new flail head attached. The first question that springs to mind was why the new head? Atkins said it was cheaper to replace the old head than repair it. Unlike the Ferri, this machine was controlled with a joystick. The machine was in good presentable condition and has the following spec:

  • Horizontal reach 4.9m (16.1ft).
  • Cutter head width metres 1.25m (4ft).
  • Tractor hp requirement – 55hp.
  • It has an interesting feature not seen on many machines – a crooked arm. This allows for better visibility of the head in work and access around poles, fence posts and other obstacles. It also means the operator is not turning their head over their shoulder as much as the cutter head sits that bit further forward during work.

    This machine also has joystick controls and is attached to the tractor by three-point linkage with no further brackets required. Again, it is quick to mount and demount from the tractor. The Bomford is on the market for €10,000 including VAT.