Author: National Ploughing Association

Massey Ferguson’s team is looking forward to meeting friends and customers, old and new at this year’s big event at Screggan, bringing a range of new and updated machinery that’s sure to generate interest.

None more so than the all-new MF 4700 Series range of tractors – the first to have been developed in recent times specifically for the highly-demanding, multi-purpose 75-95hp sector of the market.

Now available as a result of using the latest computer-aided design and manufacturing techniques, MF 4700 Series tractors offer the most up-to-date equipment and specification in their class – including an all-new cab, engine, transmission and drive-line technology.

There are three models in this new Series – the MF 4707 (75hp), the MF 4708 (85hp) and the MF 4709 (95hp). All have AGCO Power 3.3-litre, 3-cylinder engines that combine high power and torque with exceptional fuel economy, while the 82-litre capacity fuel tank will allow these tractors to keep working for 8-10 hours at a time.

Moving up the horsepower scale, the MF 5700SL represents a new breed of tractor in the all-important and highly-competitive 100-130hp bracket. It marries the compact dimensions demanded by livestock and mixed farming businesses with the power and performance to cope effortlessly with the demands of arable applications.

Massey Ferguson’s Colin Gleeson says: “The MF 5713 will be making its first public appearance in Ireland, replacing the MF 5612 and 5613 models which have been popular on livestock and dairy farm as tractor/loader combinations.”

The four models in the MF 5700SL range have a 2.55m wheelbase and weigh just 4.8 tonnes. They are worthy successors to the MF 5600 Series, combining an ideal power-to-weight ratio with great manoeuvrability.

Winner of the Tractor of the Year for 2016 in the Best Utility category at Germany’s Agritechnica Show and Technical Innovation Award at the Royal Highland Show earlier this year, the MF 5700SL is available in three versions – Essential, Efficient and Exclusive.

Ploughing Championships visitors will also be able to view Massey Ferguson’s new range of hay and forage equipment, including five mounted disc mowers, from 2m to 4m working widths, two 3m and 4m wide semi-mounted mower conditioners and a heavy-duty trailed mower conditioner. Also on display will be three centre-drawbar, trailed mower conditioners and two butterfly-folding mowers with widths of 8.3 and 9.3 metres.

“The new MF range of mowers , tedders and rakes has been been very well received in this, its first season in Ireland,” Colin Gleeson reports.

A popular attraction on the Massey Ferguson stand is likely to be a black version of the brand’s flagship tractor – the MF 8737 – which, together with the world-famous TE-20, will be marking 70 years since the first black tractor came down the company’s factory production line.

However, with most cereal crops now safely in store, there will be some visitors who are conceding that their combine really does need replacing. In which case, they are advised to have a close look at the MF Activa model on show at Screggan.

Designed with the smaller- to medium-sized grower in mind, there are two MF Activa models: 176hp or 218hp. Each greets the standing crop with the proven FreeFlow cutting table, with optional AutoLevel for those on undulating land, and features 3-speed transmission and a high-inertia cylinder.

And an example of the latest MF 2270 tandem cutter large square baler will not be far away.

So, come along to the Massey Ferguson stand, Block 3, Row 15, Stand No. 343 at the National Ploughing Championships and have a chat with Colin Gleeson or one of his team.

Powerful, versatile, efficient and sophisticated. The all-new Fendt 1000 Vario Series tractor range.

Making their debut in Ireland at Europe’s premier farming event, these impressive machines are the result of grand design and unequalled attention to detail. Serious tractors for serious agri-businesses.

The Fendt 1000 Vario is the first high-horsepower tractor to have the comprehensive low engine speed concept – Fendt ProDrive. This approach has involved all the key vehicle components – engine, transmission, cooling system, hydraulics – to be precisely co-ordinated with each other during the course of development.

Each was designed and specified according to a ‘high torque – low engine speed’ principle to maximise overall performance, while minimising fuel consumption.

The four-model range spans 380hp to 500hp, powered by compact MAN six-cylinder engines . All  are equally at home when performing transport tasks at speeds of up to 60kph or, thanks to a low unladen weight of just 14 tonnes, precision drilling work.

Sean Gorman, Area Sales Manager for Fendt, explains the extent to which the benchmark for high horsepower – 400hp-plus – wheeled tractors has been raised to a whole new level by the 1000 Series.

“Firstly, take the engines. Developed using Fendt ID technology, they enable the tractor to achieve maximum torque at low revs – between 1100 and 1500 rpm – considerably less than other tractors in this power bracket. This, in turn, results in a highly fuel-efficient machine,” he states.

This level of performance is aided considerably by the Concentric air/cooling system, which makes the 1000 Series 75 per cent more efficient than tractors fitted with standard cooling systems.

The independently-driven front and rear axles perform without the need for driver intervention, ensuring maximum traction is achieved in all conditions – with great assistance from the tyres. The front tyres  are specified 710 60R38, which is a popular choice for the rear axle of many 200hp tractors, while the rear tyres are 900 65R46 – specially designed for the Fendt 1000 Series.

Ballasting is another area that Fendt has studied hard with the aim of producing enhanced machine performance. Flexible ballasting can be achieved from 14 tonnes up to 21 tonnes. But, thanks to the innovative Grip Assistant  feature, the tractor is able to calculate automatically the level of ballast required to achieve optimum overall performance.

Increasingly seen by users as a ‘must-have’ – rather than a ‘maybe’ option –  on a new tractor – the Fendt VarioGuide self-steer system delivers significant savings in costs and time. By avoiding over- and under-lapping, every inch of every field is released for maximum crop production – and not using fuel unnecessarily – while the operator has the time to monitor all vehicle functions to ensure optimum task performance.  VarioGuide offers varying degrees of accuracy to satisfy individual requirements and can be transferred between tractors.

Also present for inspection on Fendt’s stand at the Creggan event will be models from the well-established and highly-regarded 700, 500 and 300 Series tractors, together with the Fendt team, who will be happy to tell you all you want to know about these remarkable machines.

Ends.

Come and visit Truly Irish at the 85^th annual ploughing championships. We vow to make it our biggest and best year yet. We will have special offers, bumper competitions and new product launches.

Truly Irish will be launching not one but two new products at the event. This includes our Gluten Free Protein Porridge and our Cheddar Cheese range. We will also be showcasing our new packaging design across our branded meat range.

You can be guaranteed to get good value with our €10 special promotional offers running throughout the 3 days. We will also be sampling our now even healthier sausages, our new cheddar cheese range and our Irish Oat Granola which we launched at last year’s ploughing event.

This year we are giving away a brand new 32GB tablet to one lucky winner as part of our Instagram competition. We also have 3 Truly Irish Christmas Hams up for grabs if you can guess the weight of our pig. Just visit out stand to enter.

Along with all of give-aways and promotions, customers will also have a chance to meet the people that make Truly Irish what it is. Our Shareholders will be stopping by the stand throughout the event. As everyone knows all of our shareholders supply us with only the finest Irish pork. They use the most modern farming practices in Europe and operate gold standard welfare system. They are only too happy to share the knowledge in what sets Truly Irish apart from the rest.

See you at the ploughing and don’t forget the wellingtons.