Hi Folks, and thanks to Admin for welcome thread.
I am a Brit, living in NewZealand for the last 11years, I am in my mid 50's and have a background in mechanical design and production engineering.
I work full time as an Agricultural training Tutor around Northland NZ, I also own small sheep and beef lifestyle farm of about 19 hectares, which i run part time (weekends)
This would be carrying about 40 head of mixed beef cattle, varying seasonally, in a closed herd breeding environment - this year we had 14 calves for spring calving.
We have the usual few pet sheep and a ram, which keeps the freezer full, plus a horse about to foal, some chook's, and some great indigenous wildlife (Hares, Possums, Turkeys, Marsh Harriers Quails, Pheasants wild pig etc)
The farm came with an "Old"David Brown 1212 Diesel Tractor,which i think produced when new about 72HP Din. It was one of the last produced during the Case takeover, manufactured about 1981 - cosmetically it is in a sadly neglected state, but Mechanically it is a good Tractor.
My use is for general farm work, rolling, tilling, scrapping spraying, post ramming, seeding, fert-spreading and hay harvest yearly - this is its largest use in the year usually cutting and baling between 350 and 650 conventional bales, depending how the season has gone, and how much land is put down to hay.
My main reasons for joining the forum is that i have pushed the old girl about as far as she will go, and am severely limited as to what can be achieved safely on our heavy clay loam soils, hence i am looking to purchase a newish cab tractor about 90-110hp, mainly as most of my implements are 2.5m, needing this sort of power to run tillage effectively, being the heaviest job on the task sheet.
The other huge advantage i need is 4WD as the old 1212 is 2WD :-( .
I am looking for view on peoples experience from angles such as fuel consumption per hp hr, stability on hills, reliability, parts costs, cab ergonomics and effectiveness of controls in controlling implements
I am kind of heading towards one of either Fendt, John Deer, Case, Massey Ferguson or Claas, from what i have driven, seen and read but i have little experience of using these machines in serious agricultural application, so am initially looking for peoples view and experiences of this size of tractor.
thanks all - in anticipation
Mark
I am a Brit, living in NewZealand for the last 11years, I am in my mid 50's and have a background in mechanical design and production engineering.
I work full time as an Agricultural training Tutor around Northland NZ, I also own small sheep and beef lifestyle farm of about 19 hectares, which i run part time (weekends)
This would be carrying about 40 head of mixed beef cattle, varying seasonally, in a closed herd breeding environment - this year we had 14 calves for spring calving.
We have the usual few pet sheep and a ram, which keeps the freezer full, plus a horse about to foal, some chook's, and some great indigenous wildlife (Hares, Possums, Turkeys, Marsh Harriers Quails, Pheasants wild pig etc)
The farm came with an "Old"David Brown 1212 Diesel Tractor,which i think produced when new about 72HP Din. It was one of the last produced during the Case takeover, manufactured about 1981 - cosmetically it is in a sadly neglected state, but Mechanically it is a good Tractor.
My use is for general farm work, rolling, tilling, scrapping spraying, post ramming, seeding, fert-spreading and hay harvest yearly - this is its largest use in the year usually cutting and baling between 350 and 650 conventional bales, depending how the season has gone, and how much land is put down to hay.
My main reasons for joining the forum is that i have pushed the old girl about as far as she will go, and am severely limited as to what can be achieved safely on our heavy clay loam soils, hence i am looking to purchase a newish cab tractor about 90-110hp, mainly as most of my implements are 2.5m, needing this sort of power to run tillage effectively, being the heaviest job on the task sheet.
The other huge advantage i need is 4WD as the old 1212 is 2WD :-( .
I am looking for view on peoples experience from angles such as fuel consumption per hp hr, stability on hills, reliability, parts costs, cab ergonomics and effectiveness of controls in controlling implements
I am kind of heading towards one of either Fendt, John Deer, Case, Massey Ferguson or Claas, from what i have driven, seen and read but i have little experience of using these machines in serious agricultural application, so am initially looking for peoples view and experiences of this size of tractor.
thanks all - in anticipation
Mark
