FARMERS hoping to secure a new tractor for this year’s seeding season are unlikely to be successful in gaining what they want.
Industry pundits have been warning the market for at least six months that lead times between ordering and delivery are getting longer and they say it is highly unlikely manufacturers will vary factory build schedules this year.
But according to AGCO Katanning dealer Brian Kerr, PH Kerr & Co, there are new tractors available, albeit, more suited to smaller farm enterprises.
“We’ve got a MF7614 with a front-end loader package which is available right now for $118,000 plus GST,” Mr Kerr said.
“While it might be regarded as a lower specced tractor, it includes many features that may surprise farmers.
“In fact I’d say it’s a bit of injustice to call it a low specced tractor with the standard features it has got.”
According to Mr Kerr, the MF7614 is suited to a wide-range of farm tasks with a 104 kilowatt (140 horsepower) engine linked to a DYNA 4 four-speed powershift transmission with four range changes.
This provides 16 forward and 16 reverse speeds, all available without having to use the clutch.
An optional ‘Supercreep’ provides an additional 16 gears, enabling forward speeds as low as 160 metres an hour.
In standard operation, transport speed is 40 kilometres/hour and in working conditions, ‘Speedmatching’ automatically selects the optimum gear to match the tractor’s forward speed.
According to AGCO, the Tier 2 AGCO Power engine is designed with Electronic Engine Management (EEM), which enables continuous adjustment of the amount and timing of fuel injected in relation to engine speed and load.
Front wheel suspension is delivered via a ‘QuadLink’ suspended front axle, with a compact design that automatically maintains a constant suspension height, regardless of axle load.
An optional front linkage system provides a lift capacity of 2.8t along with a PTO and two remotes.
The other model available is the MF7615 which develops 112kW (150hp) is also available with the same package.
