At 108 pages, the second issue of NewFarmMachinery magazine, on sale September 12, is packed full of all the latest farm machinery news and reviews, making it an invaluable tool for farmers looking to research, choose and buy new equipment
Following on from the positive response to the inaugural edition, this issue features no fewer than five in-depth test reviews from our unrivalled team of machinery experts.
Tractor and farm machinery expert Tom Dickson travels to Rokewood, a small Victorian rural township around 133 kilometres west of Melbourne, to test drive Massey Ferguson’s new 4600 series.
Despite his preconceived notion of a light-weight machine largely suited to small lifestyle farms, he came away impressed with a larger, sturdier tractor powerful enough to take on most jobs asked of it. Click here to view his video test.
Jaiden Drought, meanwhile, test drives the all-new Claas Arion 640 tractor, part of the new 500/600 series, and finds it lives up to its nameplate, with an all-class cab fit-out, lockable front suspension, adjustable cab suspension and much, much more.
This month NewFarmMachinery welcomes on board Barry Ashenhurst, former editor of Australian Mining, Earthmoving and Equipment News, Truck and Bus, TrailerBoat and ATV Action, who travels to cattle country west of Brisbane to deliver his first farm bike test, the Taiwanese-made TGB Blade 550AR ATV, among a wave of Asian ATV brands now challenging the American and Japanese grip on the local market.
In his review he finds that while it may lack some of the refinements of far more expensive equipment, it’s an impressive spec nonetheless, and at $10,000 is great value for money.
On the transport front, Matt Wood takes the heavy-duty Isuzu FXY1500 6×4 rigid for a spin through country Victoria hauling a load of squealing pigs, and finds a “hell of a lot of truck”, with its 350hp 9.8-litre engine, 9-speed manual ZF transmission and 43,500kg GCM more than adequate for hauling livestock of all kinds.
Matt also travels to the New South Wales town of Finley to have a chat with Hopper Trailers about their recently launched belly dump trailers, a relatively new concept to Australia which promise a huge payload boost along with savings in unloading times.
And rounding out this month’s test line-up, veteran motoring and rural journalist Col Jackson takes the all-new Nissan Patrol for a spin. Featuring a powerful new V8 engine, completely new design inside and out, and all the latest technology bells and whistles he concludes that Nissan has finally come up with a vehicle to challenge market leader Toyota in the rural market.
With harvesting season almost upon us, our monthly Buyers’ Guide presents comprehensive specifications of all makes and models of harvesters and headers on the market, along with Jaiden Drought’s test review of the John Deere 7550i self-propelled forage harvester.
Complementing this, farm machinery guru Dr Graeme Quick delves into the vexed issue of harvester fires and presents his considered view on the key factors behind the phenomenon and remedial actions to manage the risks.
Finally, Col Jackson travels to Gilgandra to profile James Hassall, a former Nuffield Scholar, whose family farming operation is employing the latest farming practices – including no tilling, direct drilling and variable rate techniques – to boost yields and profits.
Issue 2 NewFarmMachinery is available for free with Issue 299 of Farms & Farm Machinery magazine – or separately by subscribing here