Time saving for father and son

Gareth Davies and son Tom work on their mid-Wales family-owned livestock farm, rearing 1250 ewes, 50 commercial beef cows and 15 pedigree limousine cows. They also have a stock of 60,000 laying hens to look after on their 550 acre site.

With only Gareth, Tom and one other farm labourer, time is a major factor in livestock care and farm upkeep. Their Teagle Tomahawk 8100 saves them a lot of time in comparison with doing the same feeding and bedding by hand, especially in the winter months when the time saving could be over an hour a day.

The farm has a longstanding relationship with RVW Pugh, TR Machinery's sister company, with previous purchases being tractors, telehandlers and previous feeder bedders.

They decided to buy a feeder bedder in 2001 during the foot and mouth outbreak when they moved round bales and passage feeding. The machine can handle straw bedding, along with silage and bales. This is the third Teagle they’ve bought. The side shoot comes in very handy due to the way their sheds are designed, so a top shoot would not work.

Gareth added, ‘The Teagle Tomahawk 8100 is multifunctional, with the bedding and being able to reverse into silage if needed. You also get more out of a bale of straw because it is spread evenly and there are no clumps.’

Gareth hopes his business carries on the way it is at the moment going forward, and will continue his good relationship with RVW Pugh as he needs to update his farm machinery.

Three Generations, Two Wheels, One Love

The Woods family have been long term customers of RVW Pugh, TR Machinery's sister company for their ATVs. They recently shared with Yamaha why they continue to choose their ATVs over other brands.

The Woods family, a family-run beef and sheep farm in Shropshire, have been using Yamaha ATVs for over 35 years to navigate the challenging hills of the Shropshire/Welsh border.

The Woods family run a beef and sheep farm located just a few miles from themarket town Bishops Castle in Shropshire. The farm spans 2800 acres and sits 820-1600 feet above sea level with plenty of hilly ground for them to tackle. Predominantly a beef and sheep farm, the family’s herd of 500 cattle and flock of 3500 ewes keeps this family very busy! Edith, her two sons Mike and Phil who have three sons between them; Tom, Martin and Simon, all work on the family enterprise. The family originally moved to Kinnerton Farm in Ratlinghope in 1962 and it has since remained a solely family-run operation.

Navigating the tumbling hills of the Shropshire/Welsh border can be a challenge, one that only their Yamaha ATVs can tackle. Purchasing their first Yamaha Big Bear ATVs in 1988 from local dealer RVW Pugh, the family have not looked back since and over the years have purchased over 25 Yamaha ATVs to help with the running of the farm.

“We tend to change them every couple of years and welcome three new bikes each time. We would be putting around 10,000 miles on each bike when it comes to changing them, so they are worked hard. Ultimately, they need to be able to tackle the rough terrain that we have here on the farm and that can take some doing! You cannot run across these banks with a 4X4 or even a side-by-side-buggy, these ATVs get you to more places and are safer in the process.” Phil Woods comments.

The three bikes that are at the farm are used extensively when moving animals which can be a daily task and largely for fencing work, lending themselves well to fitting equipment on the back as well as being able to get anywhere a tractor or 4X4 cannot.

“They are the workhorse on the farm, they need to be able to keep going. When they are used every day, the bikes are an essential piece of equipment, and we simply cannot manage without them!” Simon Woods comments.

Remaining a loyal Yamaha customer for over 30 years, the Woods family have seen plenty of developments in the range.

“We have always liked the Yamaha bikes, like with anything there have been niggles over the years that have been rectified, but never anything major and they continue to be a sturdy machine for us time and time again. We have tried other brands through friends and on other farms, but Yamaha remains our favourite for several reasons; we like the Diff-lock on the machines as it allows us to tackle the different terrains.”

Both the Kodiak 700 EPS and Grizzly 700 EPS models are fitted with an easy to-operate On-Command system with 2WD/4WD and Diff-lock for full control as well as allowing you to choose the right option to suit the terrain and surface conditions.

“The real stand-out feature for us has been the power steering. Robert Pugh convinced us to go with it, so we decided to have it on our latest bikes, and it is great. It’s a must now on any future bike, you don’t realise how good it is until you have to ride a bike without it. We love it!” Simon adds.

Yamaha’s Electric Power Steering (EPS) adds an element of extra comfort and a reduction in physical effort for the rider. By maintaining light steering and precise handling, this system enhances the complete experience and allows for better control.

Phil adds “All of our bikes come with winches which are handy to have in a sticky situation. We like to have the tow hitch on them as well although we don’t use it as much as we did in the past when we used a sheep snacker to feed. It’s also worth mentioning the design when riding the bike, they are comfy and all the buttons are to hand, making the driving a lot more enjoyable.”

Both ATV models that the Woods family owns allow a 600kg towing capacity which means fewer limitations when it comes to using the bikes on different applications. With another year of work ahead of the three bikes currently on the farm, the family will start to think about the models and features that are a must-have when it comes to swapping.

“We must have another Grizzly 700 as it is just that bit higher off the ground which we need when we are fencing especially. The equipment sits quite nicely on that bike and gives us plenty of clearance across the fields. The other feature we cannot be without is the power steering, I think those would be the only non-negotiables when it comes to changing these for our next set. We may even need four bikes next year, but we will see how we get on. Watch this space!”

Here’s to another 30 years of Yamaha on Kinnerton Farm.

Sulky Spreader is a great new addition for the Holloway’s Farm

Ed Holloway runs a 275 acre farm near Montgomery on the border of Wales and England. He is responsible for the day-to-day running of the farm from his dad, Mike.  

The farm is mostly arable but also has some dairy cows that Ed and Mike rear on a contract with another local farm. Ed is the 3rd generation of the Holloway family that have farmed here, and took over from Mike around four years ago.

Ed required a new fertiliser spreader after his previous one had broken several times and it was more cost efficient to buy a new one, as they had also just taken on additional acreage. As a loyal customer of RVW Pugh, TR Machinery's sister company, Mike contacted sales Manager, Colin Harding to give advice on the best one to buy. Colin suggested a Sulky fertiliser spreader. Both Mike and Ed decided to buy a DX30+ model, which is the first Sulky machine they have bought, and found it very reasonably priced.

Ed said, ‘This was the first time we’d heard of the Sulky brand, but I feel we made a good choice of fertiliser spreader.’

The DX30+ model has a working width of 12-36m and has a capacity of up to 2700lt. It also has an optional weighing system with an automatic application rate adjustment from the cab.

Ed uses the Sulky app to calculate the amount of fertiliser needed per kilo per acre, where it gives him the settings needed. He uses a working width of 21m and has had no issues with the fertiliser spreader’s performance.

   

Ed added, ‘The spreader works well with a good even spread, and I haven’t found any patches where the crops are growing a different rates. Emptying after use is straightforward too.’

Ed’s hopes for his business moving forward are to carry on as they are and to continue to make a profit during uncertain times.

Although dad Mike did most of the buying process, Ed reported that there were no issues with RVW Pugh, and Colin helped to make it a smooth transaction.

The Holloways currently run two Massey Ferguson tractors, so Ed will probably look to buy a newer model in the next 2-3 years, and will probably buy a new power harrow soon.

Four counties farmer is a Fendt fan!

Peter Vaughan is a second generation livestock and arable farmer who lives near Kingsland in Herefordshire. His farther started farming there sixty years ago, and was a Doctor's son. Peter and his six workers manage sheep, cattle, chickens, corn and potatoes across his land that spans over four counties. 

Due to the amount of travelling Peter and his workers do, he decided to purchase a Fendt 936 because of its speed ad ability to get to his land. Peter said, "The 936 is the best tractor we've ever had on the farm, it has a very good engine and the workers adore it! We changed from a Fendt 939 as the Fendt 936 is a slightly smaller tractor  but its has a long torque base so it suits our needs better."

Peter runs several tractors, including John Deere, Massey Ferguson and several Fendts. He was also one of the first farmer to buy a Fendt Vario. He also added that the Fendt 936 is very good on fuel efficiency and can run at 1500 rpm all dat at full power. Peter also likes the variable pressure tyres, Variogrip. 

The Fendt 936 is used with a 3 row bed tiller during potato season, utilising the 350-400 horsepower very well. It is also used for drilling corn in the autumn.

Peter has been a long term customer of TR Machinery and its sister companu RVW Pugh. As a result, he feels that the company as a whole is very good and very happy with the sales and aftercare service that he recieves. Peter's son has just bought a potato lifter and Peter is looking to increase his fleet of tractors with a Fendt 728 in the coming months. 

More features that the Fendt 900 series tractors boast are the iD low-speed concept, enabling reaching the highest torque at low speeds and permantly low fuel consumption. There is also an option to have up to three screens, colour coding for different function groups and a 3L joystick with reverse button. It also has a self cleaning air filter that is blown out whilst driving and reduces rolling when cornering which means increased safety and improved ride comfort.

Turfs Up with Two New Fendt 211 Tractors

Wrekin Turf is a 35 year old family business that employs 5 people on its 150 acre farm. Turf is grown and supplied to domestic and commercial customers in and around Shropshire.

There first purchase from TR Machinery was two new Fendt 211 tractors that they find comfortable and easy to drive. Mark from Wrekin Turf said, "There's more technology on the Fendt 211s than other tractors we have had, and they are easy to drive."

Mark has found the cab of the Fendt 211 comfortable and a nice workspace to be in. The cruise control option has also come in handy on the turf farm and the Vario transmission is a great option. 

Mark added, "In comparison to the other tractors we run, the Fendt is a great and easy drive." He also mentioned that he noticed the fuel efficiency was very good with an average of 3.8L an hour when using the turf harvester. 

On his dealings with TR Machinery as a whole, Mark has found the experience very good, not only on the sales side, but with the servicing too. He particularly mentioned Sam from TR servicing was great, very friendly and as soon as he's called, Sam is on his way! 

Marks hopes for the future are to grow his business and increase his customer base. 

Fendt 720

Harry Upton from B W Upton & Sons, Ellerdine Hall Farm, tells us all about their Fendt fleet and why they wouldn't hesitate to recommend Fendt to others.

What sort of farming do you do?                                                                                                                          We do contracting and arable with our own farm. We contract more than we do own, which works out to be easier for us. In the winter it does go quiet but we do all maintance in house.

How many Fendt Tractors do you own?                                                                                                           We own two 828s and three 720s. 

What do you like the most about these tractors?                                                                                      All in all we really like the comfort and the speed, and once you're used to them they're really user friendly. 

Would you recommend a Fendt tractor to others?                                                                                  Yes definitely, not a lot of other things I'd be happy to be in all day. 100 hours a week this time of year. They also consume 100 litres a day less than a New Holland so the fuel savings are great in comparison.  

Fendt Gen 6 724 Profi Plus with FendtOne operating system

A TR Machinery Customer has ceased pig production to concentrate on using regenerative techniques to improve soil health and grow more broad acre crops. To achieve this, they have invested in a Fendt Gen 6 724 Profi Plus with the new FendtONE operating system. 

 Farm manager, Harry Heath states that there is so much data available in farming, but so little is used to its full potential. "We have been collecting data to use our machines more efficiently and effectively and that is where Fendt has excelled."   

With 5 screens in the farm office, it is evident that Mr Heath had transitioned to a different style of farm management. "In the past it has been hard to convert data from field maps to real farming insight. However, embracing the new Fendt operating system has improved operations in the field and in the office. I initially resisted using the manufacturer software for more than just operating the tractor, but I have realised that much like using iOS with an Apple iphone it is designed to work better when fully intergrated," he says.

Following a shift to a no-till system for much of the farm, he has been able to implement a methodology similar to controlled traffic. The farm grows wheat, barley, rye, sunflowers, OSR, beans and oats as as intercrop. Mr Heath explains that the sandy loam soils have improved significantly since the farm moved to a more rigid tramline system. "We still have limitations because not all our kit will run in the same lines, but in time we can improve this. The only part of rotation where cultivation is still used is discing in front of the OSR."

With Fendt's VarioGuide Contour Assistant and Variotonic TI headland management he has mapped and progammed the 724 to work autonomously. "We have awkward shaped fields, but once the tractor has mapped them, every subsequent visit is easy. It's like any software, you have to set it up, but once it's working it makes life so much easier.      

The headland management system system from Fendt makes it possible to record procedures that are used frequently and repeat them with a push of a button. This saves time at the headlands  and prevents possible operator errors of long days. "We contract farm an additional 100 hectares and for the operators it is a real help to map an unfamiliar field just once, so that on second visit they can rely on the tractor to remember. It also reduces fatigue which is something that Fendt has always been a market leader in for me. The tractors are comfortable and with the technology it enables the operator to focus on the task, rather than grapple the machine."   

Technology aside, the Fendt performs beyond what would be expected of a mid-horsepower machine. Mr Heath suggests the power to weight ratio is much better than other tractors in the bracket and that the relatively light 724 is also better for the soil. " We are looking to reduce compaction and lighter machines certainly help with this."

Future expansion 

To make full use of the machinery investment, Mr Heath is expanding the contracting arm of the business. He  argues that with the price of machinery rising, that machines need to cover more land to be viable. "We bought a Fendt 820 in 2009 for £74,000 and this latest 724 was £158,000. I dont begrudge the investment, but to realise the best return it makes sense to take on more work." By using the tractor to its full potential and not having a machine that is too powerful, he has seen significant reduction in fuel consumption. "It's well known that Fendts are fuel effecient, but this latest Gen 6 is the best we have had, and it couldn't have come at a better time because red diesel prices are rising sharply. Since we moved to a no-till system we have seen a ten-fold decrease in our establishment fuel costs because we are able to operate with smaller tractors and use implements that require less pulling power. 

His ultimate goal is to regenerate the farm's soil. A blend of more efficient machinery, soil sample data, farm management software, FendtOne, and the move to min-till is showing encouraging results and has bought him greater flexibility. "We can react to extremes in climate more easily and I feel more incontrol with the data that I can see from the tractor and the agronomic work we have invested in. It is great to see the worm count increasing and I feel that we have turned a corner that will see the farm be both more productive and more sustainable in the future," he concludes.   

Fendt 313 & 513 and Rolland Feeders

Dan Lovett from Oldford Farm in Staffordshire tells us all about his Fendt 313 & 513 tractors and his Rolland Rollfeed 6222 set up.

Livestock/arable farm? Acres? Location?
Here at Oldford Farm, we milk 1000 Jersey cross Fresian cows where we operate on a grass-based system. The cows peak at an average of 6,000 litres. We only grow fodder beat and grass for grazing and silage.

Have you always used Rolland Feeders and did you try any competitive brands before purchasing the Rolland Feeder?
We’ve had Rolland Feeders here for about 5-6 years but before then we had Richard Western Feeders. I was always looking for something more like the New Zealand feeders, and there’s nothing like it on the market, the Rolland feeders are the closest thing out there to it. They are a very good machine and for what we want here at Oldford Farm it is brilliant. It’s a one machine operation; we use the Fendt 313 with a loader to fill and also feed the cattle, this allows us to keep the capital down and also cut down on diesel usage which is very important to me.

What did you like best about the Rolland Feeders and how do you find the build quality?
I would say the best thing is that it does exactly what we want it to do here at the farm and more than anything it doesn’t wear metal. We’ve been very lucky with the Rolland feeders,  it’s nevermissed a feeding and I’d say it does roughly 10,000 feeds a year. I would also say it is a light machine and when we need to take it into the field it doesn’t mark the ground.

How have you found the process of dealing with us, your local dealer ?                          I'm very happy with the service we get . The team are always on the other end of the phone and always very reliable. If we do have a breakdown or a problem, they’re here as soon as they can and work to sort it out.

 I hear you’ve got a few Fendt tractors, have you always been Fendt?
No, we haven’t, we did have John Deere before and also had a Valtra but we’re very happy with the Fendt and wouldn’t look back. We haven’t had a big problem (touch wood) and when we do have a question or little issue it’s sorted straight away – they offer great backup.
We’ve currently got the Fendt 313 and 513. The 313 is a very handy tractor fitted with a loader,  it does the filling job and also the feeding which makes it a one tractor operation. Then we use the 513 for the fertiliser spreading and livestock haulage. I must add I do like the short wheelbase.

How often are you using your Fendt tractors (hours per year?)
I would say we use the Fendt 313 around 2000 hours a year doing all the feeding while we use the 513 between 2000 and 2500 hours a year between various jobs.

Fendt 828 

While they took a break from combining, due to the weather, we took the opportunity to catch up with Harry Upton from BW Upton & Sons Agricultural Contractors to have a chat about the Fendt 828 they brought at the end of last year.

BW Upton & Sons Agricultural Contractors has always been a family run business, it originally started as a dairy farm in Ellerdine, Shropshire over 70 years ago by Harry’s Great Grandad, it is now the home of their contracting business, after selling the cows in 2000. Many members of the family work within the business working on around 1000 acres of arable land.

Their Fendt 828 is primarily used for drilling and cultivation but due to the machines capability it is used for a little bit of everything from drilling to carting. This is one of the reasons the 828 appealed to Harry, the 900 series models were too big for what he was looking for compared to the horsepower in the 828 which was perfect.

Whilst talking about different aspects of the tractor Harry explained ‘due to spending a lot of the day in the cab I wanted a tractor with plenty of space whilst also being comfortable to operate. The Fendt 828 offered both of these features which was one reason this model appealed to me over others’. On the topic of the features on this tractor Harry spoke about the Vario Grip he has on this machine. The Vario Grip is an optional extra but he explained that it allows him to work in fields with out getting stuck and needing assistance. The Vario Grip reduces the risks of churning up fields, being important whilst working on other people’s land.

This is the first time Harry has bought a Fendt and explained that it was one the easiest deals he had ever done!

Black Edition Fendt 724  

Swinnerton’s Contracting was started by the Swinnerton family over 15 years ago after the sale of their family farm. Originally, starting out using New Holland tractors they moved towards John Deere and are now using a selection of Fendt machines alongside their John Deere, after having one on demo and falling in love with it. There most recent Fendt purchase being the Black Edition 724.

We caught up with Mike Swinnerton to chat about his new 724 to find out his views on this machine.

When asked about why he chose the 724 over the other models, Mike explained ‘the three main things that swayed my decision were the comfort, control and driveability’ In regard to comfort Mike explained that he could feel the quality of the seating and machine whilst driving it whether on the road or in the field making it an overall better experience. In addition to comfort, the driveability of the machine was a big factor, Mike believed that the Fendt 724 drove a lot better than other machines he had driven before.

At Swinnerton’s the 724 is used for a variety of different jobs, using a variety of different implements, from mowing to drilling to ploughing. Its size and horse power, which was said to be the perfect amount at 237, allows it to be versatile and reliable when doing a multitude of different jobs in different conditions. One of the features on the 724 in relation to the versatility that Mike mentioned was the steering lock, he explained that the steering lock allowed them to undertake work that require tighter turning allowing it to get to places other tractors may not be able to first try or at all.

 

Talking more about the features on the 724 Mike spoke about the lift capacity of the machine. This machine has great lift capacity for its size, Mike compared it to the John Deere they currently have saying that the John Deere lift capacity is nothing compared to the Fendt’s. 

Finally, we spoke to Mike about his experience with us, his local dealer. He only had positive things to say about the sales team and the customer service he received with this machine as well as with the ones he has purchased in the past.

Tudor Thomas from Llangorse

Tell us a bit about yourself?
I’m Tudor Thomas, I live in Llangorse, near Brecon. I farm with my father on our 450 acre dairy farm, with 200 acres in an arable rotation, running 190 cows and followers and finishing all bull and beef calves. I also run a contracting business independently from the farm. I cover a range of jobs including slurry tankering, ploughing, drilling, fertiliser spreading and silaging. 

 

This year the wagon has chopped 750 acres of silage, between the farm and contracting. I looked into wagon silage because it works well and is very labour and fuel efficient for our multicut system. It also comes in handy for zero grazing early and late into the season to reduce feed costs.

Why choose the Fendt forage wagon?
I chose the Tigo 50PR forage wagon as I liked the chop length as well as the build quality.

What were the main features that drew you to it?
The main feature is the moving bulk head, which gives it extra capacity and makes it compact and manoeuvrable whilst still giving good output. It’s possible to average 65 acres a day on second cut silage depending on crops, field sizes and distance from the clamp.

What other tractors have you got?
I have a  Fendt 718 which I bought second hand from May 2016. The farm also runs varying ages of Masseys purchased over the last 15 years.

Why TR Machinery ?
TR Machinery provides a good service covering our area and provides the back up to keep things running. There are also lots of spares in stock which can be posted same day to get them here quickly due to the distance from the depot.

What is your next planned purchase?
I’ll probably look at changing the tractor or a drill next to get higher outputs.

Fendt Rogator 645 Sprayer

Ross from Edwards of Byton, Court House Farm tells us how they ended up purchasing a new Fendt Rogator 645 sprayer, and what they think of it.

Tell us abit about yourself and the farm (location, what crops you grow…)
We are a mixed family farm in North West Herefordshire on the Welsh border. We have breeding ewes, suckler cows, cereals and potatoes farmed over 1,200 hectares of land.

 

Why did you choose the Rogator? And are you happy with it’s performance?
We hadn’t considered a Rogator as we had ordered a new machine from our previous manufacturer, but I mentioned them in passing to Robert at the Royal Welsh Show last year and within a week a demonstrator machine was in our yard! My sprayer operator was a bit cautious at the start as the machine looked a lot bigger than our previous one but after half an hour with the demonstrator man from Fendt he was convinced it was what he wanted. The performance has been very good and a real step up in output from our previous machine.

Is your driver happy operating the Rogator?

Our driver is very pleased with the machine, it has great driver comfort and relative ease of operation. The cab is a very nice environment to work in and the controls and settings are easy to access. The suspension is very good which leads to the boom stability being excellent which is key, and leads to higher output. It is also very well balanced with the engine in the middle and the aluminium booms. It also has good road speed which is important as our ground is spread out geographically.

What do you think of the service you receive?
We have had Fendt tractors for a number of years now so knew we would receive excellent service from both Fendt you our preferred dealer.

What is your next planned purchase?
A holiday!