For one Wimmera farmer, cleaning up timber around his property has become a breeze thanks to Rata Equipment’s Power Claw
Around Australia, the list of customers who have not looked back after purchasing a Power Claw from Rata Equipment is ever-growing.
Its ability to complete multiple jobs around the farm while making light work of tedious and difficult tasks such as removing large logs has made it a winner for farmers across the nation.
Capable of fitting on to tractors, skid steers and telehandlers – with size-specific models available depending on the machine’s power – its versatility and adaptability are among the features cited by local farmers as standouts.
One of these farmers experiencing the benefits is western Victoria’s Andrew Leslie.
With his farm totalling about 2,500 hectares just outside Horsham in Victoria’s Wimmera region, along with a livestock property about 50km further south, Leslie’s property naturally includes plenty of paddocks that require cleaning up.
When an employee visited the Wimmera Field Days – where Rata Equipment has a strong presence – the solution to his cleanup needs was found.
“My employee just saw it at the field days, looked at them all and said ‘I reckon that’s the one to go for’,” Leslie says.
“We bought this as an all-in-one machine to get the job done quickly and efficiently.”
Heavy duty
Many farmers across Australia have found uses for the Power Claw beyond what they initially intended – and Leslie foresees himself joining this group – but his primary use of the unit as a cleanup tool is in keeping with how Rata intended it.
Leslie has farmed at his Wimmera property for about 20 years and is also the fourth generation to do so after his great-grandfather purchased the land about a century ago.
The farm predominantly grows canola, wheat, beans and some barley, along with some hay for the sheep.
It was the acquisition of the livestock property which prompted the purchase of his Power Claw – a decision which has proven to be a winner.
“We bought the stock farm three years ago and had a lot of timber down there to be cleaned up and a lot of fences that need to be pulled down and repaired,” Leslie says.
“With this, you can quickly and efficiently pull down a fence line by yourself and push it up and clean it up in quick time – so it’s basically a one-man job then.”
For Leslie, a challenge arose when some timber fell just before he was due to start sowing a paddock.
Faced with either sowing around it, or delaying the process until the timber could be cleared, Rata’s Power Claw ensured neither of these scenarios occurred.
“We were able to quickly run around and clean everything up so it’s nice and neat and ready to go it’s been really great that just one person can do that,” he says.
Labour saver
Turning these types of tasks into one-man jobs is where the Power Claw particularly excels.
It brings the same benefits as the four-in-one buckets traditionally used by a lot of farmers in terms of its strength and usability, but what sets it apart is the ability to grip on to large and heavy items such as logs and rocks to quickly, safely and efficiently move them as required.
Interlocking tines are made from high-tensile steel which helps to further ensure its strength, while the unit’s strength also means even bulky and awkward timber can be handled with ease.
While this is the main use for the Power Claw across Australian farms, its versatility means it has been used to complete everything from clearing overgrown paddocks to being added to a remote-controlled mower by different operators.
While many of these uses may only become apparent after the Power Claw has been purchased, farmers such as Leslie are seeing it as a worthwhile investment due to its adaptability.
“We wanted something that could do as many jobs as possible,” he says.
“If you want to invest in something, you want to be able to do as many things with it as possible.
“Just the ease of being able to pull out fences and clean up fences in in one machine without taking attachments off was really appealing.”
Meeting needs
Further highlighting the Power Claw’s adaptability to individual needs is the size options it is available in.
Rata sells the Power Claw in three broad models – standard, mid-range and compact.
The standard claw is best suited to tractors larger than 75hp, skid steers larger than 2.5 tonnes, along with telehandlers.
The mid-range suits tractors between 45hp and 75hp, skid steers up to 2.5 tonnes and small loaders.
Rata’s compact Power Claw is designed for compact tractors between 25hp and 45hp, plus small stand-on skid steer machines.
Varying widths are available within each model, stretching between 1.35m and 2.6m as standard options depending on size.
Rata has shown a willingness to work with farmers in catering for specific needs – with a customised 3.4m wide unit for a Queensland farmer providing one example of this.
The ‘off the shelf’ Power Claw is already ticking a lot of boxes for farmers, with everything through to its factory-packaging doubling up as a storage stand for the unit when not in use.
These thoughtful touches mean Australian farmers can be confident they are getting a product which is tailored to their needs, but Rata’s customer service means other adjustments can be made if needed.
For Leslie, there was only one minor change made and this was done with a potential long-term, heavy-duty use in mind.
“The only thing that we changed was we just went a little bit tighter on the bottom tines,” he says.
“We’ve got a bit of ironstone down there and we’re hoping we might be able to just rake up a few bigger rocks with it so they wouldn’t slip through when we’re doing our pasture renovations.”
Rata’s willingness to help with this is just one of the ways in which Leslie’s customer experience with the company – and Stawell-based dealer Lonsdale Merchants – has been nothing but positive.
“I totally recommend Michael – he was really good to deal with,” he says.
“We did it all over the phone and it was great, he delivered it out and said if there were any dramas to just let him know, which we haven’t had – so it’s great.”
Rata Equipment’s Power Claw range, along with the company’s other attachments, can be viewed online at www.rataequipment.com.