AGCO to take majority stake in Trimble
Global agricultural machinery manufacturer AGCO is set to become a majority owner of Trimble’s precision agriculture business.
Wayne Prout, an Inglewood independent owner/driver subcontracting to Ken G Moratti Contracting, does a lot of mowing and tows balers, ploughs, rakes and tedders when required.
Prout, a long-time Massey Ferguson owner, had been running a MF 7480 with Fendt Vario CVT transmission. Then last July he bought his first Fendt tractor, a 716, from Field Torque Taranaki, Stratford, and is “thrilled with the decision,” AGCO says.
The Vario transmission ensures the drive train operates at utmost efficiency. It works in combination with the tractor management system (TMS) so the Fendt 716 is always working at its economic optimum.
TMS ensures the tractor drives at lower engine speeds on flat terrain. On slopes, the load increases, so TMS increases the engine speed. This means the tractor works at reduced engine speed as often as possible – and that means better efficiency
Prout says he drives the Fendt 716 with the Vario transmission in ‘pedal mode’, meaning he generally only has to drive it on the accelerator.
“You don’t touch the brake pedal at all. It has its own automatic braking system. It holds well on the hills without having to chop and change gears like the old tractors, and it cruises comfortably.
“Stability on the hills is exceptional and it handles the mower very comfortably. Once you get into the computer system and get it set up, it’s probably the simplest tractor ever to operate.”
At 165hp, the tractor has more than enough power needed for mowing, and will undertake heavy haulage in the summer, carting silage.
Another major bonus cited by Prout is the extra headroom in the Fendt 716 cab, which has added much to his operator comfort.
He says the quality is superior and “it will hopefully see me through until I retire”.
