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 beef and dairy operations near Te Kuiti with wife Wendy and son Jack.
New Holland recently showcased its new-generation T4.120 F specialty tractor, giving New Zealand customers a closer look at the winner of The Best of Specialised title at the International Tractor of the Year Awards 2023.
The tractor is the flagship of New Holland’s premium specialty tractor range, delivering 118hp, with a redesigned engine layout that sees the new hood comfortably house the complete after-treatment system. The lower height and compact dimensions of the hood improve visibility, as well as reducing potential damage to branches when working under fruit tree canopies.
With overall dimensions a critical consideration, cab height is as low as 1920mm, with the width at the top of the cab to 870mm, enabling the tractor to pass under the lowest branches in narrow groves without interfering with the valuable crop.
Upgraded technology features include a new VIS multi-functional display positioned above the dashboard, providing live information on the tractor and making it easy to set functions intuitively, alongside a redesign of the cab’s Human Machine Interface, incorporating the most advanced New Holland features and ready to integrate the latest PLM systems and agriculture 4.0 technologies.
Said to be easier to enter and dismount, with a new armrest that is more user friendly, the optional Blue Cab 4 system offers category 4 protection levels with enhanced filtration against dust, aerosols, and vapours.
An optional suspended front axle ensures a smooth ride, while also retaining SuperSteer as standard, with an effective steering angle of 76°, allowing the tractor to turn in a radius as low as 3.5 metres.
On the engine front, the tractor offers Stage V emission standards, a fuel tank capacity of up to 104 litres, alongside extended service intervals. Engine Speed Management (ESM) precisely fuels the engine to meet prevailing loads and maintain a constant speed, with the convenience of being able to program two engine speeds, allowing the operator to select speeds for work and turns at the end of a row.
In addition to the new T4 120F model, the traditional T4 F/N/V and LP CAB and ROPS versions continue to be sold across NZ in a range of horsepower from 74-107hp and widths – with a min. 1061mm – to suit all applications and terrain. A suspended cab option is available, reducing vibration by up to 60% on road and 15% in the paddock.
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