Looking for advice on where to get tractor advice.

[Big Al]

I've just inherited a smallish beef farm. It is a working farm but in need of a serious clean up. I'm considering buying a tractor with a front loader to help with the initial clear up, spread dung and be a utility vehicle on the land. I'm looking at a Case 1394, but I am pretty sure a shooting forum isn't the best place to get pointers about this particular machine.

Could anyone give me a pointer as to where in could get an honest appraisal of this model. It's the 4 wheel drive one with just over 4000 hours.

[figgy]

You'd be better off getting a JCB and driver for a few days to clean up with front bucket and backhoe. 

Then buy a tractor to suit everything else you need, tractor front buckets are known to be quite poor.

Sorry for your loss and congratulations on becoming a farmer.

Edited March 9, 2021 by figgy

[lampro]

Try the farming forum good lads on there will give u plenty of advise any rabbits you want shifting with ferrets whilst I'm.at it lol

[Big Al]

12 minutes ago, figgy said:

You'd be better off getting a JCB and driver for a few days to clean up with front bucket and backhoe. 

Then buy a tractor to suit everything else you need, tractor front buckets are known to be quite poor.

Sorry for your loss and congratulations on becoming a farmer.

Thanks Figgy. I've been considering that option too.

12 minutes ago, lampro said:

Try the farming forum good lads on there will give u plenty of advise any rabbits you want shifting with ferrets whilst I'm.at it lol

Thanks - I'll do that.

[countryman]

1 hour ago, Big Al said:

I've just inherited a smallish beef farm. It is a working farm but in need of a serious clean up. I'm considering buying a tractor with a front loader to help with the initial clear up, spread dung and be a utility vehicle on the land. I'm looking at a Case 1394, but I am pretty sure a shooting forum isn't the best place to get pointers about this particular machine.

Could anyone give me a pointer as to where in could get an honest appraisal of this model. It's the 4 wheel drive one with just over 4000 hours.

I have a case 895xl 4wd, with loader, this will happily pick up a ton, I use it for everything around my land, I do have seal leaks on the front hubs which is quite common but not the end of the world, I have had several different machines over the years but I have found this one to be reliable and has done everything I have thrown at it.

 

 

 

 

 

[kennett]

Farming Forum is a good place for unbiased reviews, but as Figgy said you would be better off hiring someone with a JCB or 360 for your initial clear up. We have a 19 plate JD loader at work with 4:1 bucket, grain bucket and timber grab and even this is a compromise, never quite being as easy to use as our jcb, and you can't see your bucket once it goes below the bonnet.

[Benthejockey]

Youre going to want a tele handler and a tractor. The tractor for doing the muck spreading, fert spinning, harrowing, topping and silage carting. And the tele handler for doing the heavy lifting and stacking, cleaning out sheds, filling ring feeders etc. Also if its a dirty old beef farm you want to invest time and money in a decent stock handling system. Its always a compromise with what you can afford and what you need but a decent handling system means that Tb testing goes a lot smoother! Getting smacked on the head by the opening lever on a knackered old crush trying to wrestle weanlings through it soon gets very boring! 

As for the clean up get a bloke on a digger for a week. Pile up the scrap somewhere easy for the scrap man to load up and get rid of it now otherwise you'll keep it forever just in case. Old machinery if its in working order is best stuck on Facebook market place and someone will buy it. Fix your gates! Hang them so they swing and have chains and clips on them rather than string to secure them! Get your perimeter fences sorted too in the summer, chasing wild bullocks round the neighbours fields in the dark in the depths of winter is not fun. 

And don't forget to occasionally stand back and admire what you've got, especially after you've got your own first crop if calves on the ground, its a lifestyle not a job!

[Big Al]

All great advice everyone.  Many thanks.

[NorfolkAYA]

Whats your location? 

[TIGHTCHOKE]

15 minutes ago, NorfolkAYA said:

Whats your location? 

Pete, you'll need to catch the ferry!

[Big Al]

20 hours ago, NorfolkAYA said:

Whats your location? 

Northern Ireland 

[NorfolkAYA]

Bit to far, could of put you in contact with a good guy 

[millrace]

If you know that little about machinery  and farming,,What you actually need is a

"for sale"

sign......😂

[Big Al]

18 minutes ago, millrace said:

If you know that little about machinery  and farming,,What you actually need is a

"for sale"

sign......😂

I know what you mean .....

 

I couldn't and wouldn't though. My grandfather bought the farm in the 1920s. I grew up on it.

[millrace]

Tidy up get rid of the main stock,, keep a garden paddock for veg and plant all in trees when the grant's for this come out dig ponds and leave your family many acres of tranquility to enjoy.....easy life!!

Do I sound jealous......lol

Good health to enjoy!!

[PeterHenry]

In a strange coincidence, I ended up in a similar position a few years ago. I rented the land / barn / stables out for livery for a few years, and then, being furloughed over the first lockdown used the opportunity to clear the place up. We got two 40ft skips full off rubbish out (all compacted by a freinds jcb loadall)- not to mention previously getting rid of a scrap lorry, cars, etc.

We inherited some machinery - nearly all broken, but the majority of the tidying up was done with a David Brown 880 with a big muck rake attached to the back. 

Like you, going back to my grandfathers generation and before, my family were - amongst other things - farmers. But my grandfather died years before I was born, so I've had to learn from scratch (I still know ****** all about anything mechanical).  I have some very patient freinds who are local farmers though, so you can get there in the end - but theres a lot of swearing and gritting of teeth... (pigs escaping being one example). I have someone who helps me out on the farm, as I have a full time job as well - but in the end, like @Benthejockey said - stop, look around and see what you have achived - it makes it all worth while.

Also, to more directly answer your question - where as idealy (as has been pointed out) you would want a telehandler and a tractor (or two), if you are doing to go with the tractor + bucket idea, your on the right track to get a 4x4 one. That extra set of wheels going round makes all the diffrence when you have something heavy on the front. That Case looks prety similar to a later David Brown - plenty of those still about and doing good service on smaller farms.

Edited March 11, 2021 by PeterHenry

[Big Mat]

If you've got a big amount of loader work to do, spend some extra money and buy something with a clutch less shuttle. 

Not having to use the clutch everytime you want to change direction really saves the knee!

[Big Al]

8 hours ago, PeterHenry said:

In a strange coincidence, I ended up in a similar position a few years ago. I rented the land / barn / stables out for livery for a few years, and then, being furloughed over the first lockdown used the opportunity to clear the place up. We got two 40ft skips full off rubbish out (all compacted by a freinds jcb loadall)- not to mention previously getting rid of a scrap lorry, cars, etc.

We inherited some machinery - nearly all broken, but the majority of the tidying up was done with a David Brown 880 with a big muck rake attached to the back. 

Like you, going back to my grandfathers generation and before, my family were - amongst other things - farmers. But my grandfather died years before I was born, so I've had to learn from scratch (I still know ****** all about anything mechanical).  I have some very patient freinds who are local farmers though, so you can get there in the end - but theres a lot of swearing and gritting of teeth... (pigs escaping being one example). I have someone who helps me out on the farm, as I have a full time job as well - but in the end, like @Benthejockey said - stop, look around and see what you have achived - it makes it all worth while.

Also, to more directly answer your question - where as idealy (as has been pointed out) you would want a telehandler and a tractor (or two), if you are doing to go with the tractor + bucket idea, your on the right track to get a 4x4 one. That extra set of wheels going round makes all the diffrence when you have something heavy on the front. That Case looks prety similar to a later David Brown - plenty of those still about and doing good service on smaller farms.

Many thanks for relating your experience. I've just been offered a Massey 50 (Industrial 165) for half the price of the case, so I'm jumping all over the place!

I have had to sell all the cattle to mostly clear all debt and have let the land this year. But it has been a lifelong ambition to actually work the place. I can take early retirement In a year and a half......

9 hours ago, millrace said:

Tidy up get rid of the main stock,, keep a garden paddock for veg and plant all in trees when the grant's for this come out dig ponds and leave your family many acres of tranquility to enjoy.....easy life!!

Do I sound jealous......lol

Good health to enjoy!!

Thanks Millrace. I'm not going to deny it - it's very exciting! Cattle are all gone already to partially clear debt. The collie has been rehomed,  so all I'm looking after are 5 cats!

[Big Al]

3 hours ago, Big Mat said:

If you've got a big amount of loader work to do, spend some extra money and buy something with a clutch less shuttle. 

Not having to use the clutch everytime you want to change direction really saves the knee!

I think the Massey 50 has one? Not sure.

[Agriv8]

9 hours ago, Big Al said:

I think the Massey 50 has one? Not sure.

 

[Agriv8]

My farmer mate who I have  been reducing the grey pests ( some with wings -some with tails ) does everything around the yard with a little tele handler with bucket, clamp and pallet forks . The fact it has crab steer and 4 wheel steer means it can just about anywhere on  a small farm. He breeds some fantastic beef bulls but feeding from the tele handler keeps him out of harms way if feeding alone.

his Tractor is really only used for muck spreading and picking up bailed / feed silage

when we last went for a pint he was panicking that it had a serious  fault devolving - turns out it was nothing more than a build up of cow ****.

in answer to you original question if you are working the farm alone getting the contractors in can sometimes work out cheeped than doing it yourself. Second point farmers tend to scratch each other’s backs and help each other round here as it hard work.

atb Agriv8

[Big Mat]

9 hours ago, Big Al said:

I think the Massey 50 has one? Not sure.

I don't know off the top of my head.

A telehandler will run rings round a tractor in the yard,  but its all going to depend on budget, the hours you are doing and the plans for the future. 

 

Oh and how tall your sheds are!