Massey Ferguson 5M Series Gains Ground in NZ’s 95–145hp Utility Tractor Market
Since its official release to the New Zealand market in July 2025, the Massey Ferguson 5M Series has steadily solidified its position.
Designed to clear large areas quickly by producing dense well-formed bales, the output of MF 2200 series balers looks likely to move up a notch with the new Pro-Cut option.
The Pro-Cut option will deliver a finer, more uniform chop length resulting in denser bales.
From the pick-up, quad augers constantly feed the 650mm diameter Pro-Cut rotor, which spins at 120rpm and utilises 26mm wide fingers laid out in a spiral 'v' formation to deliver crop to the knife system. Rotor fingers are a three-piece design with each finger clamping around a central tube and secured by bolts, and offering quick replacement of any damaged items in the event of a foreign object being ingested.
The chopping knives are mounted in two banks fitted in a hydraulic 'drop down' magazine which can be easily rolled out to the nearside of the machine for maintenance or repairs. With a knife spacing of 43.5mm, the 80cm chamber carries 17 knives (the 120cm version uses 26) and offers a fine consistent chop. Each 4mm knife has a new serrated edge design said to increase intervals between sharpening and reduce overall power consumption.
Each bank of knives has individual hydraulic control which allows engagement or disengagement of the chopping function and the ability to change chop length. Foreign object protection is achieved by a hydraulic accumulator system that allows knives to fold back if an object is encountered. The system is ISOBUS compatible and utilises the MF C1000 terminal.
With increased densities comes increased loadings, so the driveline is upgraded -- bigger gears, higher load bearings with heat resistant seals, and a slip clutch assembly that transmits 35% more torque.
New Zealand's diverse cheesemaking talent shone brightly last night as the New Zealand Specialist Cheesemakers Association (NZSCA) crowned the champions of the 2026 New Zealand Cheese Awards.
Tracing has indicated that the source of the first velvetleaf find of the 2025-26 crop season, in Auckland, was likely maize purchased in the Waikato region.
Fish & Game New Zealand has announced its election priorities in its Manifesto 2026.
With the forage maize harvest started in Northland and the Waikato, the Foundation for Arable Research (FAR) is telling growers of later crops, or those further south, to start checking their maize crop maturity about three weeks prior to when they think they will start silage harvesting.
Irrigation NZ is warning that the government's Resource Management Act (RMA) reform risks falling short of its objectives unless water use for food production and water storage infrastructure are clearly recognised in the goals at the top of the new system.
More than five million trays, or 18,000 tonnes, of Zespri’s RubyRed Kiwifruit will soon be available for consumers across 16 markets this season.