Friday, 03 June 2022 13:55

Legen-dairy Kubota tractors

Written by  Mark Daniel
Reporoa farmer Alastair Neville says Kubota tractors have enabled him to run bigger, more efficient equipment on the farm. Reporoa farmer Alastair Neville says Kubota tractors have enabled him to run bigger, more efficient equipment on the farm.

Alastair Neville is a third-generation dairy farmer, at Reporoa in the central North Island, running the family’s 320-cow operation.

Over the past five years, Neville has transitioned from a traditional spring calving to a 100% autumn high input system.

Like any high-output system, a range of tractors and machinery is required, but for the last 40 years, since their first purchase in 1982, the Nevilles have relied on Kubota for tractors, owning 13 different examples over that time. Currently the operation uses four Kubota tractors, including a 2004 M110, 2006 L5030, 2013 M126GX and a 2021 M7152.

Neville says the business needs reliable machines that pull their weight, to avoid any production related interruptions.

“Despite the increased demands placed on us by the switch to autumn calving, our Kubota tractors have always kept up,” he says.

A high input system requires different machines and tractors to be running daily at different times of the year. Between February and September, a mixer wagon pulled by the Kubota M7152 plays a key role in producing a mixed ration for the feed pad.

Neville says that Kubota tractors have enabled him to run bigger, more efficient equipment on the farm and allowed him to take on larger projects.

“As well as being able to take on larger jobs such as cultivation, general farm work and harvesting, our Kubota tractors have been nimble and compact too, with the ability to get into tighter spaces,” he says.

Of particular interest, Neville feels confident that whoever works on the farm will feel comfortable from the moment they are in the cab, with clear key operating controls, a logical layout and easily accessible service points, making them user friendly and safe.

“Kubota machines stand out because they are simple and reliable. There aren’t any fancy tricks with our tractors, they’re simple to start, easy to put it into gear and just get on with the work,” Neville said.

Having recently been through the exercise of buying an extra machine for the operation, the Nevilles looked at four other competing tractor brands.

“Knowing how reliable Kubota machines are, with excellent components and build quality, it was really a no brainer to choose Kubota again.

“We have continually purchased Kubota tractors because of excellent service and back up, so mixed with quality of construction, comfort and evolving technology, they really stand apart and get the jobs done efficiently, without costing you a bomb.”

More like this

Calf feeding boost

Advantage Plastics says it is revolutionising calf meal storage and handling, making farm life easier, safer, and more efficient this season.

JD's precision essentials

Farmers across New Zealand are renowned for their productivity and efficiency, always wanting to do more with less, while getting the most from each pass of the paddock.

Kioti carves out a miracle among the big boys

Distributed by Power Farming Group, the Kioti tractor brand has carved a niche for itself over the past two decades by offering productive, reliable and well- priced machines in the sub-compact, compact and agricultural utility sectors, from 22 to 115hp.

Featured

LIC Space folds for good

Farmer co-operative LIC has closed its satellite-backed pasture measurement platform – Space.

Editorial: Time for common sense

OPINION: The case of four Canterbury high country stations facing costly and complex consent hearing processes highlights the dilemma facing the farming sector as the country transitions into a replacement for the Resource Management Act (RMA).

National

DairyNZ Farmers Forum underway

Over 300 farmers and rural professionals have gathered in Hamilton for the first DairyNZ Farmers Forum for this year.

Machinery & Products

Shearing legend hooked on CanAm

Sir David Fagan, world-renowned competitive sheep shearer with 642 shearing titles worldwide and a knighthood to his name, now runs…

50 years of tractor pull

This year, the Fieldays Tractor Pull, in association with PTS Logistics, mark a major milestone – 50 years of crowd-thrilling…

The Wrangler's birthday bash

It's the Wrangler Limited’s 30th birthday and to celebrate the milestone a prototype of the E Series Wrangler - a…

» Latest Print Issues Online

Milking It

Free speech

OPINION: The Free Speech Union is taking this one too far.

Drug survey

OPINION: New national data from The Drug Detection Agency (TDDA), a leading workplace drug tester, shows methamphetamine (meth) use is…

» Connect with Dairy News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter