I use the JD oil because that is what is included in the John Deere Spring Service Kit which can be bought from you JD dealer and includes two quarts of the JD oil.

I do this because even not considering the oil, I can not buy the parts in the kit at the big box store for what I can buy them for in the kit from John Deere.

The kit includes

2 quarts Turfguard oil
• 1 JD oil filter
• 1 JD air filter
• 1 JD fuel filter
• Air precleaner
• Spark plugs(s)

Deere's logic doesn't always follow the engine manufacturer's. Say if you have an LA125, it has a Briggs and Stratton engine and most would use an SAE 30 oil for summer use. You can use a 10W30, but it is accepted than better engine protection against heat plus lower oil consumption + 80 degrees F with the straight grade. Briggs also recommends a 5w30 /10W30 synthetic for year round use.

Can the other non JD engine oil for car oil change be used for the tractor?

As long as you use the same rating 10W30 and it is marked as meeting the SAE standard, it would be acceptable for use in your John Deere. (no fudging, like similar to the standard, we know about the SAE standard etc.)

The large oil companies make a batch of oil to meet the SAE standard and then it is packaged out in to the retail containers, as is required by their sales.

They make a batch of 10W30 oil to SAE standards for that grade of oil. They will fill and label the retail containers as needed. Fill for Shell, then filling from the tank for Walmart, the next for John Deere, and so on. When the tank is empty they make the next batch and continue filling as required by their sales on that day.

You may see some difference between the manufacturers in the little things. One manufacture may add blue color to the the oil. The next wants it natural. Bottom line is they are all the same regardless of the vendor if they meet the SAE Standard.

Same goes for gasoline. There is a large gasoline terminal near us, a couple of dozen 500,000+ gal tanks. The gas from these tanks go to all of the gas stations in the area, regardless of brand.

This works the same for many items. One of my favorite memories when working through college, was listening to a customer explain for 15 minutes that the store brand milk was so much better, than that from the local dairy. If she had only known the difference between the store brand milk and the local dairy was the container into which they were filled. The milk came from the same tank and the dairy filled to meet the demands of the customer. She was so sure of her facts, and I knew the customer was always right.

My 2 cents , is within new Tractors to use the Engine Manufacturers Synthetic Grade for the Region the tractor will be utilized. If the Tractor has been used by a prior owner with Mineral Oil primarily , I usually go with a Semi Synthetic Blended Multi Grade oil with conditioners & cleaning agents to assist with cleaning carbon from the engine components that have accumulated over the previous years of use. In this manner you can obtain the best of results for both New and Old Tractor Engineering . I concur with tomplum that the Engine Manufacturer is the deciding factor ...aka Ewalk .