Combine costs.

[farmaholic]

Now you throw makes and models into the equation and a whole new debate starts

[Guest]

1600/class 8
one very important diff is daylight hours . guys like farma prob harvest a lot in August-sept, we do most in sept/October . 4 hour days in late October , all combines are small ! November is worse

[farmaholic]

1600/class 8
one very important diff is daylight hours . guys like farma prob harvest a lot in August-sept, we do most in sept/October . 4 hour days in late October , all combines are small ! November is worse

Can you imagine farming in each other's area....I think you would adapt here better than I would there. ....I'm always one issue away from the rubber room as it is....LOL.

[Guest]

yea that's interesting to think about . had never thought much about it until a fellow showed up here from southern Alta . to manage a retail . he is just amazed at the stress and planning required to farm here . he laughs and tell his neighbors in the south that farm 20k acres that they couldn't farm a thousand here , lol . don't think it's quite that bad , but just seems we're always behind here . had a taste of harvests in an easier climate this fall here . actually said one day that we could just do it the next day or the next , lol, that usually never happens here . we're always sitting on the edge of the seat just hoping we can get it done before the snow without any breakdowns or problems

[hobbyfrmr]

Can you imagine farming in each other's area....I think you would adapt here better than I would there. ....I'm always one issue away from the rubber room as it is....LOL.

Exactly. One moment its going as planned, you're the smartest guy in the world, the plan gets knocked sideways and you're thinking about selling the entire farm lock, stock and barrel.

I run an old 1688 over 1200 acres and it works fine until it breaks down. Not uncommon to sacrifice 2 days for parts run and fixing. Aeration with heat and OPI cables have made me a lot of money in the last decade. Im basically too scared to borrow on a newer better combine. Eventually the income tax bill is going to have to get offset with a good piece of machinery.

It "looks" like about 3000 acres per new combine Usually complimented with at least 1 properly automated grain dryer around here.

[LEP]

That seems like a lot to me. No hiccups?

First of all, I am cheap. But ya, there have been plenty of hiccups. From time to time I have had the neighbors do alittle custom work. But I couldn't pay for another machine with all the custom work I have had done.

When we did 3200 a machine on our class 6 combines we didn't even have a trucker. Just my brother and I filling trucks until they were almost full and then one guy shutting down until they were empty. We averaged 500 engine hours a year. We couldn't afford downtime so we Green lighted them every second year. Our dealer was shocked at the hours we put on.

[GDR]

First of all, I am cheap. But ya, there have been plenty of hiccups. From time to time I have had the neighbors do alittle custom work. But I couldn't pay for another machine with all the custom work I have had done.

When we did 3200 a machine on our class 6 combines we didn't even have a trucker. Just my brother and I filling trucks until they were almost full and then one guy shutting down until they were empty. We averaged 500 engine hours a year. We couldn't afford downtime so we Green lighted them every second year. Our dealer was shocked at the hours we put on.

I like the hours per year comparison. Old timers here say max is 150hours on a machine so you need to have a size or multiples to make that work. Like someone said depends a lot on time of year. Lots of guys talk bu per hour or day etc but that slows down huge in tough conditions. We're normally October harvesters.

We run a class8 on 1100ac and that's ok but wouldn't want much more.

I'd be even more interested in equipment overhead value per bushel or gross revenue. Bet that would vary a lot. We would have a good gross per acre here but also likely have higher equip costs per acre too.

I'm likely known as a cheap ass on equipment too, but do like to have some jingle in the jeans at the end of the year.

[AlbertaFarmer5]

1400 acres with 2 class 6. Just figured out, total cost of ownership including purchase price of combines and headers works out to $6.30 per acre.

90% of cereals through these have been flat on the ground, and yielding accordingly. Since it never rained all summer, I had the pleasure of combining most the first wheat field this year standing. What a difference in productivity. Then it snowed and every crop was flat on the ground as usual, easily takes twice as long per acre, dirt, rocks, slower travel speed, having to run all of the straw through, vs. just clipping the heads.

Our harvest window can be incredibly short, and always late in the year. Last year, our harvest window was 3 or 4 very poor days in September, and a few more days in mid November.

[macdon02]

I'm sliding down a 100ft pole covered in razor blades using my balls for brakes. Got caught last year in the snow with way too much out till spring. But till then been over 4000 and as high as 5500 with 1 class 8. Called in a neighbor this year and he did less then 500 for me. Pre sell a bunch and it goes early. Hold the dry till last and use air to keep the close stuff in condition. First in the bag, first out. I should probably own a truck. Paint depreciates. Payments suck. Own the DOW.

[Rareearth]

We have lost a lot over the years, grade, weight, yield etc
Math was my worst subject, but I try.

$500,000 combine payments or depreciation what ever you want to call it, should be about $50,000 year +/-

So if you want another combine that’s the number you need to be close to.

100 acres x 50bu crop = 5,000 bu of production

If you loose a $1.00 per bushel due to grade, weight, snow, rain, ducks, mice, snow etc
5000 bu x $1 bu = $5,000 for every 100 acres potential loss or income maintained ( Insurance?)
- plus you have to figure in man power, trucking, fuel, auger etc ( I’ll leave all that aside )

So if you need help, due to # acres, poor weather, bumper crop, etc. And that last 1000 acres is tough to harvest then multiply:
100 ac x 10 = 1000 acres
$5000 x10 = $50,000 or target justification number

Twist the numbers any way you need to, right or wrong, affordability, risk, etc