This spring, when you need high manoeuvrability and productivity without compromising on performance, the Kubota M Series tractor range provides the perfect solution.
Forage quality with an M7002 and a plain disc mower
For those looking to produce large amounts of high-quality forage without employing the services of a high-horsepower, six-cylinder tractor, the answer could be to invest in a plain disc mower.
Henry Spencer, of JD Spencer & Sons, is focused on achieving high-quality silage for his 500-cow herd of pedigree Stavilands Holsteins and aims for an ME of 12.
The farm turned its back on conditioning several years ago, and for very good reasons.
“We grow two-year leys, so the crop is not tough to mow; it takes a little longer to wilt than conditioned grass, but we’re now producing better forage,” said Henry.
Conditioned grass can dry too quickly, leading to inconsistent dry matter levels, he said. “This way, we can spread the working window a little, and be more flexible with how we approach silage-making.”
Henry explains that leaving the grass to dry instead of beating and bruising stems also contributes to less contamination.
Another benefit of a plain mower is its considerably lower power requirement. “We’ll go mowing with two 170hp tractors and drop around 350ac in a day.”
Henry’s Kubota DM3095 triple combination is comprised of two 3.6m rear mowers on a butterfly frame and a 3.2m front-mounted unit that gives a combined total of 9.5m.
This setup replaced one of the two front/rear 6m combinations the farm was previously using and has pushed its mowing capability from 12m to more than 15m.
This helps him carry out three cuts on his 1,200ac of grass leys each year at the optimum timings and make the most of his available labour.
Another benefit of the Kubota setup is the three-bladed disc arrangement.
They work really well in light crops, when there’s little resistance, and this leaves a tidy stubble to encourage rapid regrowth.
“A lot of the mowers I’ve looked at seem much less robust than their heavier mower-conditioner counterparts,” he commented.
As for his M7172 tractors, Henry has been impressed with the performance and the level of warranty that was offered.
“Machine performance is good and the back-up we’ve had from our local dealer is also there in equal measure,” he said. “That means we can continue to produce the high-quality forage our cows require.”
Maximum productivity with the versatile M5001 series
Complementing the M7002 series is the versatile and easy-to-operate M5001 series tractor, the ideal choice for mixed-farming operations.
This great all-rounder has powerful and responsive hydraulics, with a 64L/min pump that offers rapid front-loader operation and slick operation of implements that require high levels of flow.
Its high power-to-weight ratio makes the M5001 series a highly capable, manoeuvrable and versatile workhorse, whether for crop care, forage or livestock work.
The M5001 series is available with a choice of two models; either a 95 (M5091) or 113HP (M5111). Both feature Stage 4 Kubota CRS engines for maximum power, fuel efficiency and low noise.
This makes it ideal for jobs like tedding and raking, particularly in awkward fields with tight corners.
A spacious and comfortable cab with user-friendly controls, air-conditioning and 360° visibility makes for simple and efficient all-day operation.
In addition, the M5001 can be transformed into an ISOBUS tractor with retrofit kits. This enables operators to use any ISOBUS implement, such as balers, fertiliser spreaders and sprayers.
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