Can You Bale Hay With a Compact Tractor? | Options for Small Farm Hay Production

Built around a viewer question about using a Bobcat CT555 (43 PTO hp, hydro, cab/AC) on 35 acres of hay, this video walks through practical horsepower tradeoffs, AC load estimates, sickle-bar vs. disc-cutter limitations, square-baler minimum tractor size, hydro durability concerns in heat, and used-market sizing advice in the 50-85 hp range. No hands-on footage, it's a conversational Q&A. Best for small-acreage owners weighing whether their compact tractor is up to hay production.

Tractor Mike is a longtime tractor-industry insider with decades of hands-on experience in the equipment business. He built his channel to help first-time and rural buyers make confident decisions, and his guidance comes from that deep, long-term background rather than a sales pitch.