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Waikauri View Farm manager Tony Marshall with the MF4708.
Brian Mason and his staff milk 1000 cows at Waikauri View Farms, Wellsford, Northland, running Massey Fergusons for the last 10 years because they are “common-sense tractors” ideal for a dairy farming operation.
Their latest addition is a MF 4708, delivered in October, and a second identical machine will arrive in August.
Wanting an upgrade from his previous MF 4245 tractor, Mason looked at several models before buying the first MF 4708, picking the tractor for its up-to-date technology and its fitness for general dairy farm jobs -- hay and silage feeding, spraying and loader work.
One of Massey Ferguson’s Global Series, the MF 4708 is said to offer high performance and strength; it is one of a straightforward range offering efficiency and being a ROPS tractor it suits operators getting in and out throughout the day.
Built for reliability, ruggedness and fuel economy, it is powered by a 4.4L AGCO Power four-cylinder engine that delivers 85hp, matched to a new synchronised transmission with 12 forward and 12 reverse speeds in two ranges.
The MF 4708 has a 65L/min, open-centre hydraulic system with two gear pumps providing rear lift of 3000kg.
Mason says the MF 4708 is safe and suitable for all his staff to use.
“It has a low centre of gravity and is very stable on hill country. The wheels are set wide so it’s safe and well balanced.
“It’s very user friendly, which is important as various staff members drive the tractor; they all comment favourably about the loader and powerful hydraulics.”
AGCO has released details of the new SB.1436DB small square, or conventional baler, that rather unconventionally, produces two rows of bales per field pass, so doubling the output over a traditional single baler producing 14-by-18-inch bales.
Recently launched to complement the existing DM 8612 TL and DM 9614 TL machines, Massey Ferguson has added the heavy-duty 9614 TL and 10114 TL butterfly mowers to its DM range, with working widths of 9.6m and 10.1m respectively.
As a sign of the times, a sharp downturn in the global demand for tractors and machinery has seen some of the global players announcing lacklustre half yearly results.
Massey Ferguson has announced the launch of the new MF 9S Series, which includes six models with powers from 285hp to 425hp.
A tractor dealership celebrating 65 years selling Massey Fergusons, and other AGCO farm machinery, is still expanding, opening a new branch in Cromwell.
Commodity prices and interest rates play a huge role in shaping farmer confidence, but these factors are beyond their control, says Federated Farmers dairy chair Richard McIntyre.
DairyNZ is supporting a proposed new learning model for apprenticeships and traineeships that would see training, education, and pastoral care delivered together to provide the best chance of success.
Two agritech companies have joined forces to help eliminate manual entry and save farmer time.
The recent squabble between the Cook Islands and NZ over their deal with China has added a new element of tension in the relationship between China and NZ.
The world is now amid potentially one of the most disruptive periods in world trade for a very long time.
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