A skid steer is only as useful as what you bolt on the front of it — the machine supplies the muscle, the attachment does the job. The right skid steer attachments turn one loader into a grapple, an auger, a brush cutter and a snow pusher, which is why so many farms run one year-round.
The trouble is choice. Not every attachment will run on your machine — some need more hydraulic flow than a standard loader can give, others are cut for a mount plate your skid steer doesn’t have. This guide sorts 20 of the most common attachments by the job they do — material handling, land clearing, dirt work and everyday ag chores.
We’re a directory, not a dealer. farmpages.com/ won’t sell you a coupler or a cutter, but it will help you find and compare the suppliers who do — across Western Canada and the US Upper Midwest.
Quick answer: Most farms start with a bucket, pallet forks and a grapple, then add seasonal skid steer attachments such as a snow pusher, auger or bale spear. Before buying, confirm the mount plate (most machines use the universal quick-attach) and hydraulic flow: standard flow, roughly 17–24 GPM, runs everyday tools, while mulchers, stump grinders, large brush cutters and most snowblowers need high flow of roughly 30–45 GPM.
1 Before You Buy: Mount Plates and Hydraulic Flow
Two things decide whether an attachment will even work on your machine, and neither has anything to do with the tool’s job. Get them wrong and you’ll pay for it.
The mount plate. Most modern skid steers use the industry-standard “universal” quick-attach plate, and the large majority of attachments sold today are cut to match it. The catch is older and some compact machines, which can carry proprietary plates that need an adapter. Measure your coupler or confirm the plate style before you buy.
Rule of thumb: a “universal quick-attach” listing fits the vast majority of North American skid steers. If your machine is 15-plus years old or a small-frame import, verify the plate first.
Hydraulic flow. Attachments with moving parts — cutters, augers, mulchers, snowblowers — run off your machine’s auxiliary hydraulics, rated in gallons per minute (GPM). Standard-flow and high-flow are two different worlds:
Standard Flow
Roughly 17–24 GPM on most machines, as of 2026. Runs the everyday kit: buckets, forks, grapples, augers, angle blades, snow pushers and lighter rotary cutters — chores and material handling.
High Flow
Roughly 30–45 GPM, usually a factory option you pay extra for. Required for forestry mulchers, stump grinders, large brush cutters and most snowblowers. Run one on a standard machine and it’ll be gutless, or overheat.
Watch the couplers, too. High-flow tools often use larger fittings and a case-drain line, so matching GPM isn’t enough — confirm coupler size and whether a case drain is required.
2 Material-Handling Attachments
The bread-and-butter category — pallets, feed, bales, gravel and yard cleanup. Almost all of it runs on standard flow, and most farms start here.
1. General-Purpose Bucket
The default tool. Dirt, gravel, grain, snow, silage — a good bucket does the lot. Toothed edges dig; smooth edges spare turf.
2. Pallet Forks
Turn the loader into a rough-terrain forklift for pallets, totes, seed and fertilizer. Weigh rated capacity and fork length against what you actually lift.
3. Grapple
A skid steer grapple — root, brush or grapple bucket — adds a hydraulic top jaw to clamp rocks, brush, logs and debris a plain bucket just spills.
4. Bale Spear
Single or double spear for round and square bales. Simple and tough, no hydraulics — just mind your rated lift on hills.
3 Land-Clearing Attachments
Reclaiming pasture, knocking back bush on fence lines, clearing a new site. This is where flow starts to matter — several are high-flow only.
5. Brush Cutter
A brush cutter skid steer setup — a heavy rotary deck — mows saplings, tall grass and light brush a mower won’t touch. Lighter decks run standard flow; big cutters that chew wrist-thick saplings want high flow.
6. Forestry Mulcher
Grinds standing brush and small trees into mulch in one pass. The heaviest-hitting clearing tool going — and firmly high-flow.
7. Tree / Brush Shear
A hydraulic blade that shears trees and posts off clean at the base. Quieter and tidier than a mulcher for fence-line and shelterbelt work.
8. Stump Grinder
Chews stumps below grade to reclaim the ground. High-flow and hard on the machine, but cheaper than digging.
4 Dirt Work and Site Prep
Digging, grading, levelling and trenching. A skid steer won’t replace an excavator, but for yard prep, drainage and post holes it earns its keep.
9. Auger
A skid steer auger drills clean post holes for fencing, decks and pole barns. Swap bits for diameter; rocky ground wants a heavier drive head and rock teeth.
10. Trencher
Cuts consistent trenches for water lines, power and drainage — faster and neater than a bucket, with chain length set to depth.
11. Dozer / 6-Way Blade
Angle and tilt to push, backfill and rough-grade driveways, lots and spoil piles.
12. Box Blade / Leveler
Scarifier teeth rip hardpack, then the box spreads and levels it — the go-to for driveways and pad prep.
13. Land Plane / Grader
Smooths and reshapes gravel lanes and yards, cutting washboard and filling ruts.
14. Rock / Skeleton Bucket
A slotted bucket that sifts rocks and roots out and keeps the dirt — a back-saver on stony ground.
5 Everyday Ag and Yard Chores
The jobs that come around every week or winter. Most run on standard flow — and this is where a skid steer quietly pays for itself.
15. Snow Pusher / Blade
Box pusher or angle blade to clear yards, lots and lanes. No hydraulics on a straight blade — the fastest winter add-on there is.
16. Snowblower
For deep drifts and where snow needs throwing clear, not just pushing. Most farm-size blowers want high flow.
17. Angle Broom / Sweeper
Sweeps yards, shop floors, alleys and driveways — dirt, light snow and debris. Easier on concrete than a bucket.
18. Post Driver
Pounds T-posts and larger fence posts straight and fast. Fence any real length and it pays for itself.
19. Manure Fork / Scraper
Grapple-topped fork for bedding, manure and silage pack — corrals, feedlots and barn cleanout. A daily-driver in any livestock operation.
20. Power Rake / Harley Rake
Preps and levels seedbeds, breaks up sod and windrows rock for lawns and paddocks.
6 Matching Skid Steer Attachments to Your Machine
Get honest about your machine’s rated operating capacity, its hydraulic flow and its plate before you shop. A tool that out-muscles your loader is hard on the machine; one that under-uses it is money left on the table. Still choosing a base machine, or weighing a skid steer against a loader tractor? Our guide to the best compact tractors for 2026 is worth a read alongside this one.
| Attachment | Main Job | Typical Flow | Watch For |
|---|---|---|---|
| General-purpose bucket | Material handling | No aux needed | Toothed vs smooth edge |
| Grapple | Handling & cleanup | Standard | Needs aux hydraulics |
| Brush cutter | Land clearing | Standard–high | Deck size sets the flow |
| Forestry mulcher | Land clearing | High flow | Case drain, fuel burn |
| Auger | Dirt work | Standard | Bit size, rock teeth |
| Snowblower | Winter chores | High flow | Confirm before buying |
| Snow pusher / blade | Winter chores | No aux needed | Ballast on grades |
Run this quick check before you spend a dollar:
- Confirm your coupler style — universal quick-attach or proprietary — before you buy.
- Match the tool’s required GPM to your machine’s rated flow; don’t guess.
- Check rated operating capacity so the loaded attachment stays inside your safe lift.
- For high-flow tools, verify coupler size and whether a case-drain line is needed.
- Line up parts and service before the busy season, not during it.
Attachments and machines you’ll see across the FarmPages directory include: Bobcat John Deere Case IH New Holland Kubota Vermeer Danuser Wheatheart Highline
Once you’ve matched job, flow and plate, find a supplier who stocks the tool and stands behind it. FarmPages lets you compare attachment suppliers by region, so you buy from someone who can get you parts in a hurry. And if your yard leans on standby power, our PTO generator sizing guide covers matching a generator to your tractor’s PTO.
7 Skid Steer Attachments FAQ
Are skid steer attachments universal?
Mostly, yes. The great majority of modern machines and attachments use the universal quick-attach plate, so a tool that fits one brand usually fits another. The exceptions are older units and some compact or import machines with proprietary plates. Always confirm your coupler first.
What’s the difference between standard-flow and high-flow attachments?
Standard flow (roughly 17–24 GPM as of 2026) runs everyday tools like buckets, forks, grapples and augers. High-flow (roughly 30–45 GPM) is needed for mulchers, stump grinders, large brush cutters and most snowblowers, and running one on a standard machine leaves it underpowered.
Which skid steer attachments does a farm actually need?
Most operations start with a bucket, pallet forks and a grapple, then add seasonal tools — a snow pusher for winter, an auger for fencing, a bale spear for feeding. Buy for the jobs you do every year first; rent the specialty clearing tools.
Where can I find skid steer attachments for sale near me?
Use a directory. FarmPages lists equipment, parts and service suppliers across Western Canada and the US Upper Midwest, so you can find skid steer attachments for sale from dealers who stock for your region.
Can I run attachments made for a different brand of loader?
If both use the universal plate and your hydraulics meet the tool’s flow and coupler requirements, generally yes. Brand matters less than plate style, flow and rated capacity — match those three and most tools run.