Dan Farmer says the MF 6S.180 is his go to tractor on the farm

The requirement for pinpoint accuracy when mowing ryegrass crops to allow efficient pickup by the combine, led a Gloucestershire farmer to invest in a small tractor and mower combination with MF’s latest guidance software.

It’s a niche crop, but one that fits into the rotation well, says Dan Farmer, who works for P M Bennion, based at Drews Farm, Dymock. Previously the farm would use an MF 6718S to cut the ryegrass, but, as it wasn’t fitted with guidance, the repeatability of bouts and overall efficiency of the work was much lower. Dan explains why guidance on his latest MF 6S.180 has transformed this task.

“We have three tractors with guidance, but the MF 6S is so versatile it gets used the most out of all our machines. Mowing the ryegrass is a key task, and going with the tramlines allows the combine to pick the rows up easily and avoids damage to the crop.”

Before using guidance, Dan would be guided by the tramlines and regularly be left with half rows at the end, which meant lost output and driving over already cut crop. The Trimble RTX software running through MF’s Datatronic 5 screen allows Dan to set the guidance lines to suit the field shape. This means he is getting maximum efficiency from each pass.

The terminal shades in as the work is completed so there’s no worry about missing areas. He says the biggest benefit has been the time saved on always cutting full rows with a new set of front and rear mowers.

“I’ve worked out we are saving between six and eight hours across mowing the ryegrass, which is huge as cutting times need to be accurate to ensure the seed isn’t lost and harvest is consistent.”

The four cylinder MF 6S.180 is chosen over the larger six-cylinder tractors for its versatility

Four over six

The 300ha arable farm grows wheat, oilseed rape and ryegrass, with some land rented out for maize and potatoes. All the land is close to the main yard, which helps with logistics and the shared workload between Dan and owner, Paul Bennion.

The farm purchased the MF 6S.180, equipped with MF Guide GPS, specifically for the ryegrass work. Dan says its versatility and easy operation has meant it has quickly become his go-to machine for many other tasks, such as fertiliser spreading, bale carting, hedge cutting, and helping with maize haulage.

Dan admits the farm has been slow adopters of guidance, with the MF 6S only the third tractor equipped with the technology in the large fleet, but he says it’s now an essential feature on new machines.

“It’s amazing how much I use guidance. It improves the efficiency of simple operations like mowing around our apple orchards. I can import the guidance lines from the drill into the Datatronic 5 screen in a matter of seconds and then use these for spreading fertiliser in the spring.”

A further benefit of having the tractor equipped with guidance is the potential to unlock more features in the future, such as section control when using the fertiliser spreader, which Dan says will be a big consideration when the farm replaces its current spinner.

The MF 6S.180 is a four-cylinder tractor and Dan says this has fuel saving advantages over a six-cylinder tractor for the same job. “I prefer it to the six-cylinder tractors for most tasks as it’s nimble and more comfortable to use. We’ve noticed than on general work and road haulage, it doesn’t use as much fuel as the bigger six cylinders.”

The size of the MF 6S means it can carry out a wide range of tasks

Backup essential

The farm has been MF users for several decades and this helps with having familiar interfaces and tractors that everyone can easily use. Another reason for staying loyal is the reliability, resales values and the support from local dealer Chandlers RFM. Previously, the farm dealt with former MF dealer, Pallisers.

“We run a larger fleet that allows us flexibility should something go wrong, but dealer backup is still a big part of why we buy MF products. We have good relationships with the dealer and want that to continue for both support and future purchases.”