Fendt Testimonial Sp ecial
Transcrição
Fendt Testimonial Sp ecial
written by Jane Carley J K Farms had a visit from the landlord recently – not unusual for a tenant farm, but as part of the Duchy of Cornwall’s estates, Longmoor Farm, near Gillingham, Dorset played host to HRH the Prince of Wales. However, the Prince’s visit was sadly too brief to catch up with one of the most interesting developments at this progressive dairy farm, taken on by Kenton and Jayne Honeybun just six years ago. JK Farms has recently invested in high tech, top quality tractor power and Kenton and Jayne are now the proud owners of a new 125hp Fendt 312V and a 186hp Fendt 818. “I would not consider a three year- old tractor of another make, but the dealer convinced me that the build quality of the Fendt is such that a used tractor would be ideal for our needs, and he was right” says Kenton. The bigger tractor also found favour with Kenton and Jayne’s tractor driver John Matthews, who was familiar with the marque from a previous contracting job. “When we moved to this farm we knew that we had to expand and develop the business and having the right equipment has been an essential part of that,” explains Kenton. “We had a smaller wagon last year and were feeding four to five loads a day – our previous tractor just could not cope,” Kenton explains. “We realised we needed a tractor that could deliver plenty of power to the pto, but it still needed to be compact enough to get around the yards.” I n discussion with their local Fendt dealer, they decided on a Fendt 312 Vario, and needing a higher horsepower tractor for fieldwork, also picked out a three year-old Fendt 818. Exceptional fuel economy on offer from the 312 was immediately obvious: “We were feeding 350 cattle twice a day over the winter and a tank of diesel lasted 18 days, which is phenomenal,” says Kenton. “Fuel is a serious issue – in 2008 the cost per litre was more than the previous year, but by using the Fendts, our fuel bills stayed the same. And prices are about to rise again, so that savings will be even more significant.” T J K Farms is now working towards producing 3.5 million litres of milk per year for Maryland Cheese at nearby Ditcheat. As the herd expanded – now numbering some 440 cows – so the feeding challenge has increased. Farming a total of 500 acres, Kenton and Jayne make a large amount of silage and a mixer feeder wagon is an important part of the armoury. local dealer, were also deciding factors. J a yne Honeybun is responsible for the purchasing of much of the equipment on farm, and she comments: “They are not cheap tractors, but we took into account the higher resale value that they attract and the good reputation of the brand. We were also interested in the fuel savings that could be made.” Fendt Testimonial Special INVESTMENT YIELDS WELL FOR PROGRESSIVE DAIRY FARM he feeder wagon was upgraded to 12 Jayne Honeybun is responsible tonne capacity Shelbourne Reynolds Powermix last autumn, which John Matthews comments, the 312V handles particularly well, even in the tighter confines of the traditional buildings. And when not feeding, the 312V takes a turn with the fertiliser spreader and on trailer duty in the silage season. Kenton adds that the tractors’ reputation for reliability, and the peace of mind that comes from top class service and back up, both from the manufacturer and from a good www.fendt.co.uk FENDT is a worldwide brand of AGCO Corporation tel hotline: 01628 488441 email: [email protected] Leaders Drive Fendt F e ndt broke new ground putting its acclaimed Vario transmission in the 312V, and John points out that it has really proved its worth with the feeder wagon. “There’s no need to clutch to find the right gear; I set it up on the joystick and then use the foot throttle. It’s ideal for feeding out – if there’s a lump in the mixture the tractor slows down to work through it, and the transmission works with the engine, so it is more efficient.” T h is is achieved via Fendt’s electronic Tractor Management System (TMS) which automatically varies engine revs to maintain the set working speed to predetermined settings, another example of the advanced technology proven on high horsepower models and now available for smaller tractors. John adds that as well as saving fuel, this allows him to concentrate fully on the feeder wagon. The strongly-built three-speed pto also handles the heavy loadings from the wagon with exceptional ease, its automatic start up giving smooth engagement – the requirement to drive the wagon’s auger through a variety of feedstuffs had been the undoing of the previous yard tractor. T ractors are costed over three or four years and AGCO Finance’s flexible leasing packages help manage the budget, releasing cashflow for cattle purchases and bringing tax advantages. “We sometimes roll over the finance in the last year,” explains Kenton, “and after three years we might swap the 818 foranother second hand or possibly a new Fendt. The high residual value of the brand would make a new tractor purchase attractive even on such a big investment.” Kenton is convinced that the Fendt 300 and its bigger 400 series ‘brother’ will become the obvious tractor choice for dairy farmers. He explains: “So many people have gone out of dairying and those that are left will have to become more businesslike.They will appreciate the value for money offered by the Fendt and livestock farms should be a good market for these models. I always say ‘dearest is cheapest’ and that certainly rings true for Fendt.” F or more information on Fendt please visit your local dealer or telephone our brochure hotline on 01628 488441 www.fendt.co.uk Fendt Testimonial Special “It is powerful yet very manoeuvrable,” says John, “And its robust build makes it very stable – even with a tonne and a half of fertiliser in the spreader, it does not need front weights.” J ohn is also enthusiastic about the 818, which is fitted with a front linkage and pto for mowing with a big Lely combination and is also used for ploughing and other cultivations. “The headland management system comes in handy, automatically disengaging and re- engaging the pto when the linkage is raised and lowered. Although the tractor is high tech, it is very straightforward to use when you get to know it, and despite its power, it is relatively compact.” And both tractors are worked hard, in general around 1000 hours per year, although before the bigger feeder wagon arrived, the 312V clocked up 1000 hours in just three months. www.fendt.co.uk FENDT is a worldwide brand of AGCO Corporation tel hotline: 01628 488441 email: [email protected] Leaders Drive Fendt