AGCO’s €1B engine investment
Global tractor manufacturer AGCO – the home of Massey Ferguson, Fendt and Valtra – has released a totally new engine design.
Graeme Savill's Valtra T174 has made a difference to his Bay of Plenty forestry contracting business since arriving in January and is handy on his dairy farm.
Made in Finland, where forestry is a major earner, the 190hp Valtra T174 has proven ideal because its heavy-duty rear transaxle can tow trailers loaded with up to 15 tonnes of logs.
Savill has also attached two winches to haul logs: the 180m front unit is the main hauling winch, and the 500m rear winch is used to drag the main winch out to hook onto logs. Both units are PTO driven and can move 30 tonne items.
Savill says he is likely to fit a 6-tonne log hoist to load trailers quickly.
Besides hauling timber, the T174 is used to power a MeriCrusher mulcher that clears sites when logging is finished
The Valtra also helped out over easter period with silage duties on the 260ha, 250-cow dairy farm at Katikati, run by Savill’s daughter and son-in-law.
Graeme points out the 174 has a particularly comfortable cab that can be optioned to a customer’s own preference including a 180-degree swivel seat, armrest, air conditioning with automatic climate control, mechanical cab suspension and two safety cameras.
As part of preparing for a potential IPO in relation to the divestment process for its global Consumer business and integrated businesses Fonterra Oceania and Sri Lanka, Fonterra has named Anne Templeman-Jones as chair-elect of the Audit and Risk Committee for the Mainland Group board.
There's been a positive response to the Government's latest move to make freshwater farm plans more practical and affordable.
Massey University has begun trialling the use of superior beef genetics in its two dairy farms as part of Beef + Lamb New Zealand's dairy beef progeny test.
The annual Featherston Booktown Karukatea Festival – a fusion of books and storytelling - celebrates its 10th anniversary this year.
Emissions by dairy cattle decreased by 1.6% according to the latest NZ Greenhouse Gas Inventory report.
Tasman sharemilkers Warric and Rachel Johnson haven't let the 2006 milk payout crash put them out of business.