In this section we have selected a number of machinery reviews completed by our in-house machinery experts.
NEW: On test: Zetor Forterra gains wider appeal
HAVING toured the agricultural show circuit last year, including
an appearance at Lamma, Zetor’s Forterra HD tractor range is now
fully available.
NEW: Is the MF5610 the ultimate tractor?
BILLED as the ultimate loader tractor, we were keen to find
out if Massey Ferguson’s claims regarding its 5600 Series
were justified.
NEW: JCB goes back to go forwards with new Fastrac 4000 Series
WHEN it comes to choosing a loader tractor for a small to
medium livestock farm, there is plenty of choice. James
Rickard puts a selection through their paces on-farm.
NEW: Pocket rocket tractor test: Four-cylinder pocket rocket tractors
go head to head in five-way battle
IN a drive to be cleaner and more efficient, tractor manufacturers are
leaning towards higher powered four-cylinder models.
NEW: Silaging duties reveal capabilities of new MF 6600 series
WITH not one, but two tractors from the same range to test, with
different specs, we got the opportunity to give Massey Ferguson’s
new 6600 tractor series a thorough evaluation.
Three loader tractors go head to head
WHEN it comes to choosing a loader tractor for a small to
medium livestock farm, there is plenty of choice. James
Rickard puts a selection through their paces on-farm.
RTP option reduces operator effort
AIMED at users who want to make repetitive loader tasks
easier, we test out John Deere’s latestloader innovation.
James Rickard reports
Is a large loader tractor a viable option?
A TELEHANDLER or loading shovel is not always the answer
to everyone’s loading needs, so what is the alternative? James
Rickard checks out Deere’s latest mid-sized 6R to see if it is
up to the job.
Deutz 7 Series rides into battle to fight for new market share
THE 200-250hp bracket is a crowded market to enter, but
Deutz-Fahr has made very few compromises with its new 7 series
tractors.
Valtra's latest three-cylinder on-test
FOR the first time, Valtra now offers three-cylinder tractors in its
N series replacing the two smallest models. James Rickard gets
behind the wheel of one with an on-farm test.
Has Deutz raised the bar with its new pocket rocket?
FOLLOWING the launch of its 6 Series Agrotron tractors last
September, James Rickard catches up with one of Deutz’s pre-production
machines for an on-farm test drive.
Tractor and loader test: John Deere 5R tractor with 583 loader
BEING the most popular specification of John Deere’s 5 series, we
were keen to see how the 5100R (tested) fared against its
competitors.
Updated S Series tractors from Valtra
PREVIEWED at the French SIMA show in February,
Manitou’s latest compact telehandler, the MLT 629,
is now available in the UK.
Continual improvements make latest Kutobas serious contenders
AIMED predominantly at use on livestock farms, the new Kubota 60
series tractor range comprises four models from 60hp to 100hp. James
Rickard puts one to the test.
SPANNING 90-107hp, the three-model McCormick X4 series represents
a compact yet powerful offering from AgriArgo UK.
Latest JCB 413S wheeled loader put to the test
MORE, more, more seems to be the philosophy behind the latest wheeled loader
from JCB, with increases to power, torque, breakout force and hydraulic flow.
James Rickard puts the new 413S Agri to the test.
Versatile back with new Delta Track tractor
HAVING had the market to themselves for many years, the tracked tractor
establishment is about to be rocked by a newcomer from Versatile. James
Rickard finds out what the new machine is like.
NEW: New trailer design improves safety and speed of wide combine header transport
WITH manoeuvrability and safety issues associated with transporting combine cutterbars
coming under scrutiny as they get ever wider, header trailer manufacturer Shelbourne Reynolds
has introduced three new all-wheel steer variants at the top-end of its range.
NEW: Marshall QM trailer updates
REDESIGNED to match the punishment they receive from high capacity self
propelled forage harvesters, Marshall has beefed up the silage sides for its
QM range of trailers.
West Trailers
GOING for the premium end of the market, West launched a new range
of high specification trailers made up of two models with 14 and
16-tonne capacities.
High specification livestock trailer has all-round appeal
LOOKING to capitalise on a niche market of high specification
livestock transport trailers, Houghton Parkhouse’s latest 3.5
tonne offering is put through its paces.
NEW: New Claas engine emission regulations have given many manufacturers
THE opportunity to update their machines, not least JCB with its latest
range of telehandlers. James Rickard finds out how they perform.
Latest Manitou MLT 629 Compact telehandler put through its paces
THE MLT 627 was a very important model for Manitou, so tackling the
issue of meeting emission regulations while keeping existing customers
happy with its latest model is a tricky balancing act.
First dedicated ag-spec Cat telehandler takes fight to usual suspects
CAT is planning an assault on the UK’s telehandler market with its revised
C-series machines. Geoff Ashcroft took to the cab of the TH336C to see
how it performs.
Low-profile Merlo telehandler combines best of both worlds
TELEHANDLERS can be surprisingly versatile, with Merlo’s latest low
profile compact machine combining power and capacity with
the nimbleness to work in traditional poultry sheds.
NEW: Massey Ferguson updates smaller end of combine portfolio
MASSEY Ferguson has updated its small and mid-range Activa S and
Beta combine ranges with new features including revised cabs, more
power and improved access.
Deutz-Fahr C9000 Series combine
NEW for the 2014 season, the Deutz-Fahr C9000 combine harvester
range comprises four models having the slope compensation balance
system.
Deutz-Fahr fills out medium range combine offering
WITH the addition of new C7000 harvesters to the pair of C9000 combines
it launched last year, Deutz-Fahr has revealed an almost completely renewed
combine line as the 2015 harvest sales season begins
Maschio launches seed and fertiliser combination drill
A NEW Maschio one-pass grain and fertiliser combination drill has
been launched by Opico, which it says is designed specifically for
the arable systems and soil conditions of Scotland and Northern
England.
Krone gets X-treme with latest Comprima round balers
SPANNING three chamber systems-fixed, semi-variable and variable
and including wrapper combinations, Krone has updated its Comprima
range of round balers to include X-treme versions of each model.
In-depth test looks at Great Plains' SLD cultivator capabilities
WITH a range of machines offering working widths from 2.8 metres
up to 6m, LammaXchange puts Great Plains’ SLD 460 subsoiling
cultivator to the test.
NEW: Challenging conditions test latest Kverneland Variomat plough
HAVING been on the market for two years now, we check out Kvernelands
latest 150 plough, now with hydraulic vary-width capability. James Rickard
puts it to the test in-field.
Lemken's Juwel 7 plough; lightweight yet sophisticated
LEMKEN'S Juwel 7 range of reversible ploughs was introduced to the
market earlier this year aimed at growers who require a high level of
technical features but on a smaller plough.
NEW: Forage wagon test: Pottinger Torro 5100 Powermatic
WHEN it comes to forage wagons, Austrian manufacturer Pottinger is
at the top of the pile in the UK. And with a capacity of 31cu.m, its Torro
5100 Powermatic (as tested) slots into the more popular farmer and
mid-sized contractor category.
Forage wagon test: The LX Verdict
WHILE we cannot draw direct comparisons between the four machines,
due to differences in specifications, it was interesting to see the different
features and usability.
Fella introduces centre pivot mower conditioner
FELLA, Agco’s grass equipment brand, has introduced a new
centre-pivot mower designed to reduce headland turnaround times.
Geoff Ashcroft puts one to the test.
NEW: Dale Drills Eco 3 mounted drill
DALE Drills has created a mounted version of its tined, direct Eco
drill – the Eco 3.
NEW: Opico Maschio one-pass grain and fert’ drill
DESIGNED specifically to withstand the stony conditions of
Scotland, Opico showed off its new one-pass grain and fert’
combination drill.
Kuhn EMC mechanical drive fertiliser spreaders
INTIALLY only available on hydraulic drive spreaders from Kuhn,
its Electronic Mass Control (EMC) system is now available on
mechanical, pto-drive Axis models.
NEW: Comfortable in the rough stuff on-farm
NEW utility ATVs from BRP add farm work capability to their rider-focused
designs
NEW: Sportsman Ace captures best of both ATV worlds
NOT one to sit still too long when it comes to product developments, Polaris
has been busy updating its diesel Rangers and also created a new class of
ATV.
NEW: Honda replaces popular TRX quads with more durable successors
IMPROVING on a best selling product is always a tough act to follow, especially
when it is as well established as Honda’s TRX quads. James Rickard finds out how
the new versions compare.
Could a leisure industry reowned ATV be a contender in the agricultural sector?
OFTEN overshadowed by Japanese brands, ATV manufacturer Can-Am now
wishes to re-address the balance in the agricultural sector with its latest generation
500cc model.
Chassis key to new Polaris Ranger side-by-side
REDESIGNED from the ground up, the XP 900 Ranger is Polaris’
latest side-by-side machine. James Rickard put it to the test on a
gruelling off-road course.
Cushman's 1600XD fairway master is on par in field
DESPITE its golfing background, the new Cushman 1600XD is
equipped with several features to make it useful on the farm.
Jane Carley puts one to the test
Getting the best from: Claas Lexion 580
As a desirable combine on the second-hand
market, we check out the popular Lexion 580
and how to maximise its performance.
Buyers guide: Buying a used Case IH Maxxum MX135
As part of our buyer’s guide series, this month we check
out the ‘value-for-money’ Case IH Maxxum MX 135 tractor.
Buyers guide: John Deere 6930
AS part of a new buyer’s guide series, we check out desirable
second-hand tractors looking at their perks and pitfalls.
Buyers Guide: Pottinger Torro 5100 Forage Wagon
BOUGHT wisely, a used forage wagon can be a shrewd purchase
for those taking control of silagemaking. 
Buyers guide: New Holland TS115 tractor
FOCUSSING on a popular high power-to-weight ratio workhorse,
the New Holland TS115 New Holland’s TS115 was first produced
in 1998 at the firm’s Baslidon plant.
Buyers guide: Getting the best from a Fusion 2 baler
THIS month we take a look at one of the contractor
favourites, the Fusion 2 combi-baler.
Getting the best from: Kverneland EG85
As well as the obvious, we check out a few often overlooked
handy set-up hints for the Kverneland EG85 reversible plough
Buyer's guide: Fendt 820 Vario
This month’s buyer’s guide sees us check out the Fendt
820, a rare but highly sought after tractor.
McCormick X4 tractors
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