Photo: Supplied
Nick Stubbs and his father have farmed in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands for many years. They run a dairy, and grow maize and ryegrass for cow feed. Stubbs is general manager of the Stubbs Farming Partnership, and says the operation is always developing. It recently diversified into avocado production.
Stubbs manages a herd of Holstein cows that ranges between 2 500 and 3 000 animals.
“Our aim is for high input and output. We are breeding animals of about 550kg, which produce 8 000-litre lactations,” says Stubbs.
“With cattle feed at a premium, our biggest challenge is trying to find a balance between using expensive feed to drive production versus feeding pasture-based grasses that give us production at a more affordable cost, and drives the profitability of our operation,” says Stubbs. He sells the operation’s milk to a leading private dairy producer in Mount West that, in turn, processes it into a range of milk-based products.
Stubbs recently invested in a Massey Ferguson (MF) Global tractor, which, according to the manufacturer, is defined by its broad utility capability, and ability to fulfil many different tasks on the farm. The MF Global tractor range includes the 4700, 5700 and 6700.
The tractors in the range can produce power from 60kW up to 98kW, which fits in well with Stubbs’s requirements. He uses his MF tractors primarily for loading work, which includes lifting silage and bales, as well as loading fertiliser and lime, and picking up rocks, mowing pastures, and making firebreaks.
One of the tractors Stubbs has invested in is the MF 6711, with a power output of 83kW.
This, he says, provides sufficient power to pull some of the heavier feed wagons, while its affordability has seen the large-scale adoption of the MF tractor range in the operation.
Precision work
In addition, the MF 6711 front loader with guidance is used for precision work such as spreading fertiliser and lime on pastures. The higher horsepower MF 7614 and MF 7615 tractors with guidance equipment are used for the bigger tasks. Stubbs says when MF tractors were introduced at the Nottingham Road operation, he also adopted Trimble technology.
“I think the user platform is a lot easier for drivers to get to grips with because it is similar to using a cell phone.”
In addition, farmworkers who are tractor drivers can learn to adapt quickly to the latest technology.
Another major benefit of MF is its fuel economy, he says. With the current volatile fuel prices, farmers need a tractor that is low on consumption and high in output, and therefore saves on costs.
Smart farming techniques used by the operation includes regular grid sampling of all soils, which helps Stubbs determine where and to what extent corrective measures must be applied in terms of fertiliser and lime to boost growth productivity, which also drives milk production.
Using all the technologies available, from tractors to land and livestock management, have resulted in him running a highly successful dairy operation, Stubbs says.
After-sales service
Andrew Nicholson, manager of the MF tractor dealership Farm Maintenance Services in Pietermaritzburg, says customer service is paramount to any farmer’s operation. Stubbs agrees: “Productivity is number one. We do not run extra tractors, so we have to keep our operation running smoothly. We cannot afford any downtime.”
As such, Nicholson’s after-sales service and the reliability of MF tractors have gone a long way to keep Stubbs satisfied as a client.
Stubbs adds that this gives him peace of mind, and allows him to focus on his core business of farming.
Nicholson says: “It is not about what it costs to buy a new tractor. It is not about what it costs to do a 1 000-hour service on a tractor. What it really depends on is what the tractor or implement costs you over 8 000 or 10 000 hours, or however long the life cycle is meant to be.
“We work closely with Nick to optimise the lifecycle of all his MF equipment, which ensures that he receives the maximum benefit from his MF fleet and adds to his bottom line at the end of the day.”
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