The first Australian customer to purchase Rata Equipment’s latest product has described it as being perfect for his farm’s needs
Victorian farmer Brano Cerny will forever have the honour of being the first Australian to purchase Rata Equipment’s new Tree Hog.
The attachments manufacturer recently added to its range, with the Tree Hog joining the likes of Rata’s ever-popular Power Claw in providing strength and reliability for Australian farmers.
In addition to buying the Tree Hog, Cerny is also one of many happy Power Claw owners and it was this initial purchase that prompted him to look on Rata’s website when he needed an additional attachment.
Cerny’s property, which he describes as a hobby farm, consists of just over 100 acres between Maldon and Castlemaine in central Victoria.
It was previously used to grow Christmas trees, but with a series of events ending his ability to sell them, Cerny has made the decision to remove the densely planted trees.
Enter the Tree Hog.
Built tough
Rata Equipment describes the Tree Hog as the ultimate tool for tackling tough vegetation and clearing land efficiently.
“Designed with cutting-edge innovation, this powerful machine not only pulls vegetation with ease but also digs out roots, ensuring a thorough and long-lasting solution to unwanted growth,” the company says.
It is suitable for tractor front end loaders – which is how Cerny uses his – along with skid steer loaders and is built from high tensile steel to ensure its strength.
Heavy duty pins and bushes feature throughout, along with the main pivots being 60mm in diameter and supported by extra bushes.
Interlocking plates ensure an excellent grip on any item being handled, while it also includes powerful hydraulic rams and high-quality hosing.
The rams are located to the rear of the frame away from the working area, and the hoses are also located out of harm’s way to ensure full protection.
Another safety feature comes via the roll-back protection plate, which not only protects the machine but also supports long branches.
Versatility is further aided by the Tree Hog’s flat back frame, which suits multiple types of machine quick hitches.
Front runner
The Tree Hog’s design has received a glowing endorsement from Cerny, who describes its operational style as being similar to using scissors.
“This Tree Hog is excellent – it’s so versatile and it’s exactly what a tree pulling attachment should be,” he says.
“The whole design is great and it’s completely different to other attachments on the market.
“Mostly you have three-point linkage at the back, where one arm is swinging and the other one is static and you need to reverse into the tree. It’s quite tricky to look over the back of the tractor and try to fit.
“Christmas trees are really wide at the bottom, so you cannot reverse fully into it using the back implements.”
Browsing Rata’s website revealed the existence of the Tree Hog, and Cerny immediately knew it would meet his requirements in a way that rear-mounted implements could not.
“I loved the look of the Tree Hog because they’re like scissors and you can reach with the front loader instead of reversing to the tree – it’s really what I wanted,” he says.
“The concept and design are excellent – it’s on the front loader so you can easily reach the bottom or the middle of the tree and keep an eye on it constantly.
“Both arms are closing, you can swing or tilt the whole thing up and down, so you can pull the tree, lean it a little bit forward and then just move it around, reversing the tractor to somewhere where you want it.
“You can completely swing it straight down, so if the trees are lying on the ground, you can just pick them up, like with chopsticks.”
Perfect fit
Cerny’s purchase of the Tree Hog stemmed from his need to remove the existing Christmas trees and tidy up the land.
“Christmas trees are small, so they were planted maybe 2m apart, but because they’ve grown bigger you can’t walk between those trees anymore and there is no grass because it’s constant shade,” he says.
“The Tree Hog is good for other small bushes, like weeds that grow in big bushes.
“I’ve tried other attachments and this one is perfect. You just grab it and pull it out without any effort.”
Having already owned a Power Claw, another attachment which Cerny says he loves, he knew what to expect when dealing with Rata Equipment.
He describes the Tree Hog purchasing process as being “very straightforward” and says Rata’s service “was always good”, adding that he has not experienced any problems with the Tree Hog since owning it.
He is also full of praise for the Tree Hog’s strength, which gives it the ability to handle everything from weeds through to larger trees.
“I think this one is next level,” Cerny says.
“Even with big trees, you just grab the tree, move it a little bit forward, and you pull it out – it’s amazing.
“I just regret I don’t have a strong enough tractor because the lift capacity of my front loader is only about 1,000kg.
“I have lots of trees to pull out of the ground and this is a much better option than the three-point rear tree pulling attachment.
“It’s an excellent attachment, I love it. It’s sturdy, it’s properly built and I can highly recommend it to anyone.”
Rata Equipment’s Tree Hog can be viewed online at www.rataequipment.com