FOR Katanning AGCO dealer Brian Kerr, recent good rains throughout the district have set up what should be an above average hay season.
But before you make the proverbial hay while the sun shines, Brian is keen to alert farmers to get in early with machinery requirements.
“There is limited stock in Australia and once it’s gone, that’s it,” he said.
“Anything ordered by the end of the month will basically see deliveries well past the hay season.
“We took a punt early in the year to have good stocks of hay gear and specialist hay tractors in the pipeline to be delivered well before the start of the season and we’ve got them on the floor now for immediate delivery.”
An eye-catcher is a combo deal featuring a Massey Ferguson 7600 or 7700 Series hay tractor, a loader bucket and a Massey Ferguson 1300 Series mower conditioner.
“We went this way because it’s equipment that suits the wide spectrum of hay operations,” he said.
“The 7614 and 7615 tractors, for example, with the free loader, will suit operators requiring power requirements between 140 and 150 horsepower (104-112 kilowatts), while the 7700 Series models, also with free loader, is a more heavy duty tractor specced for larger hay operations and offering power ratings between 165 and 280hp (123-209kW).
“We also think the mower-conditioner will suit a wide range of operations with respective working widths of 12 and 15 feet (3.6-4.5 metres).
“It’s a Hesston special edition model which has been badged with the Massey livery.
“Hesston models are well known for their ruggedness and reliability and have been a major player in the hay industry since 1955.”
According to Brian, once the hay season is complete, you have a front-end loader ready for year-round work.
“The 7600 and 7700 models have proven to be really good performers for Massey Ferguson with a world-wide following,” he said.
“I think the new SISU engine has been a winner because of its reliability and fuel efficiency and it is a real workhorse linked to the Dyna 4 or 6 transmission boxes.
“You can go with standard features for a lower price or go with the new technology which improves productivity and efficiency.
“But either way, you’ve got a great tractor to put to work after the hay has been stacked.”
If the combo is not what you’re looking for, Brian also has large square baler offerings comprising the Massey Ferguson 2270XD (extra density), MF 2270 and the Welger RP160 and RP180 Classic round balers.
The MF2200 Series balers are capable of producing high density bales in a range of crops and are designed specifically to optimise storage and transport space and lower freight costs.
These balers have been designed for producing bales mainly for export markets and local dairy producers – denser bales that are easy to move around, are solid and square and easy to stack.
The heart of the baler is the Optiform bale chamber which increases the compression on the bale material at lower hydraulic pressure.
More information: call Brian Kerr on 0427 712 538.