Bush Hog Acres per Hour Calculator

Bush Hog Acres Per Hour Calculator

Calculation Results

Productivity Rate: 0 Acres/Hour

Estimated Total Time: 0 Hours

function calculateBushHog() { var width = parseFloat(document.getElementById('cuttingWidth').value); var speed = parseFloat(document.getElementById('travelSpeed').value); var efficiency = parseFloat(document.getElementById('efficiency').value); var totalArea = parseFloat(document.getElementById('totalAcres').value); if (isNaN(width) || isNaN(speed) || isNaN(efficiency) || width <= 0 || speed 0) { var hours = totalArea / aph; document.getElementById('totalHours').innerText = hours.toFixed(2); document.getElementById('timeEstimateRow').style.display = 'block'; } else { document.getElementById('timeEstimateRow').style.display = 'none'; } }

How to Calculate Bush Hogging Productivity

Estimating how long it will take to clear a field is crucial for planning fuel consumption, labor, and maintenance. The "Acres Per Hour" (APH) for a bush hog depends on three primary factors: the width of your deck, the speed of your tractor, and how efficiently you navigate the field.

The Formula

APH = (Width in Feet × Speed in MPH × Efficiency Percentage) / 8.25

Key Factors Explained

• Cutting Width: This is the actual width of your rotary cutter. Common sizes range from 4-foot "finish" mowers to 15-foot batwing cutters.
• Mowing Speed: Most bush hogging occurs between 2 and 5 MPH. If the brush is thick or the ground is uneven, you will need to slow down to maintain a clean cut and protect your PTO.
• Field Efficiency: You rarely mow in a perfect straight line without stopping. Efficiency accounts for turning at the headlands, overlapping paths to ensure no streaks are left, and slowing down for obstacles like rocks or stumps. A standard efficiency rating is 80%.

Practical Example

If you have a 6-foot bush hog and you are traveling at 4 MPH with an efficiency of 80%, the calculation would look like this:

1. 6 (width) × 4 (speed) = 24
2. 24 × 0.80 (efficiency) = 19.2
3. 19.2 / 8.25 = 2.33 Acres Per Hour

If you have a 10-acre field, it would take approximately 4.29 hours to complete (10 / 2.33).

Tips for Maximizing Efficiency

• Check Blades: Dull blades require more horsepower and slower speeds to achieve a clean cut.
• Path Planning: Mow in long straight lines rather than small circles to minimize turns.
• Height Adjustment: Setting the deck slightly higher can allow for faster ground speeds in light brush.

Bush Hog Size	Speed (MPH)	Est. Acres/Hour (80% Eff.)
5 Foot	3 MPH	1.45
6 Foot	4 MPH	2.33
10 Foot	4 MPH	3.88
15 Foot (Batwing)	5 MPH	7.27