Posts Tagged ‘AGCO’

Leading Australian Shellfish Company Trusts Massey Ferguson Quality in Marine Conditions.

Shellfish Culture’s MF2615 pulling a haul of oysters back to shore

Massey Ferguson tractors are versatile machines usually found working in a paddock, assisting farmers improve efficiencies and output.

But the versatility of MF tractors means that they are also suitable for applications that may seem a little surprising.

Shellfish farming in Tasmania, Australia’s southernmost state, is one such unique application.

With one of the most isolated stretches of pristine ocean lapping its’ shores, Tasmania is the perfect place to farm shellfish and reliable, quality built tractors are needed to do it.

Local Tasmanian company, Shellfish Culture, has been operating Australia’s first Pacific oyster hatchery since 1979. Thirty five years on, the company is at the forefront of innovation and excellence in aquaculture, growing from a cooperative to now the largest shellfish seed producing company in Australia.

Shellfish Culture uses Massey Ferguson tractors in their harvesting and management of oyster farms. Impressed by the quality and reliability of their older MF435 compared to other brand tractors, the company later purchased a new MF2615. Both tractors spend a lot of hours in salt water, instead of high and dry on a paddock.

The tractors are driven from the farm’s beaches into the sheltered water as part of the farm’s regualar operations. They are used to haul oyster baskets and barges back onto the shore and spend many hours partially submerged.

The tractors are washed down daily and checked regularly during routine maintenance by staff and are proving to be reliable workhorses in the corrosive salt water conditions, compared to the company’s previous tractors.

MF tractors are an integral part of the company’s production of high quality oysters that find their way into markets and on dinner plates around the world.

Key changes that contribute to increased capacity in the 1840 small rectangular baler are the upturned augers, along with the redesign of the stuffer action to follow the contour of the stuffer floor.

Josh Moorefield, a hay producer from Shreve, Ohio, recently put two balers from different companies to the test in a field consisting of orchardgrass/alfalfa and timothy/alfalfa mixes. He then loaded two semi trailers destined for a customer in Miami, Fla. One truck received bales of both mixes that were bundled by the new Hesston® by Massey Ferguson Model 1840 small rectangular baler that Moorefield had been field testing; the other truck was loaded with bales of both mixes from his competitive-brand baler.

Thanks to the uniform bale size and density of the Hesston bales, Moorefield was able to fit an additional 3,800 pounds on the load. For his customers, that means lower freight cost and more hay.

Building on the success of its predecessor, the Model 1839, Massey Ferguson significantly enhanced the 1840 in terms of high-capacity baling and rugged reliability. The design engineers started up front where pickup and feeder capacity have both been improved—especially in large, uneven and varying crop conditions.

New features also include storage for 10 rolls of twine for fewer stops, an adjustable drawbar that allows attachment to a wider range of tractors and a new, optional knotter fan to keep the knotters clean. The latter is part of a high-performance package that also includes hydraulic bale density for tighter bales. Last, but certainly not least, the 1840 adds 14 more inches to the OptiForm™ bale chamber to ensure greater consistency in bale shape and density.

Higher capacity, faster feeding and denser, more uniform bales, regardless of the crop or crop conditions, are also key features in a new line of Hesston by Massey Ferguson 2900 Series round balers. Available in two models—the MF2946 produces a 4- x 6-foot bale and the MF2956 creates a 5- x 6-foot bale—the new balers feature a redesigned rotor feeder system with adjustable feed auger strippers, as well as more room above the side augers to smoothly pull the crop into the bale chamber. While the new features provide better feeding in all crops, they’re particularly valuable in residue crops such as cornstalks, soybean residue and wheat stubble.

“The new Model 1840 rectangular baler and 2900 Series round balers both feature design enhancements that keep pace with the productivity needs of our customers,” concludes Dean Morrell, product marketing manager for hay and forage equipment. “The Hesston legacy of innovation and commitment to quality is evident in the detailed engineering and rigorous testing that each of these models has undergone.”

Find out more about the 1800 Series Small Square Balers at http://www.hesston.com/products/square-balers/1800-series-small-square-balers.

AGCO+ Plus makes stocking up on parts easier.

Want to stock up on parts or other equipment? Or pay for repairs or preventative maintenance to maximize uptime during planting, harvest or other critical times of the year? The new AGCO Plus+ financing solution allows customers to proactively manage their cash flow, providing convenient billing and a flexible payment plan that meets the needs of farmers.

Available through AGCO dealers, the new program features a speedy application process for customers, with approval often available in as little as five minutes. In addition to competitive rates on financing, special programs and offers may also be available to customers who purchase with their AGCO Plus+ account.

The new program continues its roll out through North America, so check with your local dealer for details. AGCO Plus+ is designed to help you access the genuine AGCO Parts, service and expertise you’ve come to expect from your dealer. It’s all about helping you work smarter.

For more information on AGCO Plus+, visit AGCOparts.com/AGCOplus.

On the morning of June 20, Les Smith went into work at Farmway Machinery as usual. No one—not even meteorologists watching the storm systems that were uniquely aligning—anticipated what would happen later that day.

Farmway personnel waded through waist-deep floodwaters to three Massey Ferguson combines.

Record-breaking rainfall coupled with snowmelt in the mountains, unexpected wind patterns and large, converging weather systems created an unprecedented storm. With the ground already saturated, the Highwood River, which runs through the town of High River in Alberta, Canada, had nowhere else to go but up and out.

At 7:05 a.m., officials called a state of emergency. First responders did their best to evacuate those stranded by the waters, but by noon traditional rescue vehicles—even boats—could not navigate the swift current of the overflowing river.

“One of the firefighters came up and said they needed something to rescue people from across the street,” says Smith, a combine mechanic for the local Massey Ferguson® dealer. “The tractor they were using was no good because the engine was too low and it was getting water in it. They needed a vehicle with the engine high up.”

Smith, along with other Farmway personnel, including owner Hugh Joyce, waded through waist-deep floodwaters to three Massey Ferguson combines. “The combines are heavy, and they were able to stabilize and not get washed away,” Joyce says. Since the combine’s engine is 12 feet up in the air, it was impervious to the rising water.

The Farmway team, shuttling flood victims in the combine cabs and hoppers, continued their efforts until 10 p.m., when Canadian Forces arrived. Smith estimated that the combines rescued about 1,000 people. “It doesn’t take long to make the decision in that kind of emergency,” Joyce says. “We were trying to do anything we could to help.”

Pets were loaded up too. Children rode in the heated cab. “They were in awe,” Smith says. “We had all the lights in the cab blinking to keep them entertained and distracted from what was going on outside. They loved it.”

Read more stories from FarmLife, the Massey Ferguson-brand magazine, at myFarmLife.com.

In November 2013, typhoon Yolande caused catastrophic destruction when it hit the Philippines. The powerful storm left a scarred landscape and immense hardship for local families and businesses.

AGCO Australia is very pleased to donate a MF445 fitted with a rotovator and harrow to the Department of Agriculture Regional Office in Leyte.  Leyte is a small island 800kms from Manila that was severely affected by the typhoon.

The donation was presented at an official handover ceremony in mid-December, with government dignitaries and media representatives at Quezon City, Manila.

The tractor will be utilised in the enormous cleanup, which will involve rebuilding shattered local infrastructure, clearing debris and removing fallen trees.

We would also like to thank our distributors, Equity Machineries Inc., who assisted with the co-ordination of this much appreciated donation.

Bong (L), Peter (C) and Mark (R) present the MF445 to Department of Agriculture Officials in Manila