Beauvais is the heart of Massey Ferguson European production and the past week has seen the company invite the press along to its facilities in northern France to catch up with the latest developments across both its tractor and telehandler range.
The big news is the launch of the revamped MF 8S series, which has already been covered by Agriland.
However, the company has announced other developments over the past few months and this event provided the opportunity to experience them in the real world.
In addition to the big tractor launch, the company had two other significant new machines available to test, the first one being the new telehandler range, which are basically Bobcat models painted in the red livery of MF.
Vision is everything
This does not detract from their utility, for the telehandlers are in fact very impressive machines whatever colour they come in, so it could boil down to whichever is the more local to the customer when they decide to buy one.
With regard to the telehandler features, the company was very keen to point out the ‘cruise control’ setting, which is intended to allow a defined speed for unloading a feed bucket, for instance, rather than taking a trip down the motorway to the mart.
Other improvements have already been listed in past articles, yet the big takeaway from driving the machine is the vision to the rear allowed by the curved rear window.
As this wraps around the corner of the cab, it does not have a pillar that will block the view.
This will be something of a revelation for those used to loader work of any description, as reversing can be carried out with a good deal more confidence.
It is simple touches like this that reinforces the belief that, when it comes to having the right tool for the job, a dedicated loader leaves a tractor mounted unit standing when it comes to getting the work done.
Handling made easy
While not everyone can afford the luxury of an independent loader, for those who might be considering such a purchase, the MF offering in the shape TH.7038 has a lot to offer.
Power comes from a 135hp Doosan engine – it is important to note this output for it lies at the heart of how this machine effortlessly performs what is asked of it when coupled to a 190L/minute hydraulic pump.
Manoeuvrability bears no comparison to a lumbering tractor and loader.
Even at this larger size the TH.7038 is nimble, agile and stable, although there were only a few round hay bales to test its capabilities on.
Control via the joystick was light and responsive – only fingertip pressure was required for precise control as everything worked smoothly and expediently.
Packing in the power
Alongside the telescopic handler, Massey Ferguson were also showing off the latest 5M tractor series in the field, which is being headlined as affordable efficiency.
There are six in the range from 95hp to 145hp, which are designed to be budget-friendly, and compact yet capable.
On demo was a MF 5M 135 with a 3m chisel plough attached. This is the second model down from the top of the range and demonstrated just how the power density of tractors has increased over the last few years.
It is not a big tractor – a decade ago an 80hp model would have been of this size, but now 135 horses have been stabled under the bonnet and all of them could be put to good use when let out to do some work.
Once in the seat, the cab appears very uncluttered and clean.
It is not a high-tech bells and whistles-type machine at all, but this segment of the market does not demand it, other than a good satellite guidance system which this had installed.
The Dyna Four transmission has been around for 20 years at least. As there is little point in fixing something that is not broken, so MF have left it alone.
Switching up and down the gears becomes second nature within a very short time, and the system will let you know when you get it wrong without any damage being done.
With four ratios in four ranges, it has 16 gears in ether direction. Mastering the changes while taking note of the information being displayed on the cab corner post should provide little challenge.
Massey Ferguson driving aids
Engine revs and speed are of course the main items but engine load and wheel slip are also shown on the screen.
This information is far more important when seeking to maximise the efficiency of the tractor and reduce the damage to the soil when working in less than ideal conditions.
As an option, all the 5M tractors are capable of being factory-fitted with auto guidance, which is now becoming a standard fitting on the majority of tractors destined for field work.
It is a fairly basic set-up that will keep a spreader or mower straight in the field but will not perform headland turns, so there is still something left for the driver to do.
Fit for purpose
Do they work as everyday tractors? Certainly.
They are straight and simple inside and the engine only baulked when asked to try a too high a range – other than that it coped well with this heavy task.
Tractors of this type do raise two important questions. First, are they getting too powerful for their physical size?
135hp can, on paper, handle big slurry tankers and mounted mowers, but stability and traction may well become an issue.
In this case. the 5M pulled the Horsch Terrano FX chisel plough through the dry light soil at up to 9kph, but lifting it at the headlands lightened the steering considerably, even though well-weighted at the front.
On the other hand, if tractors are getting lighter for the power they provide, and are still able to perform the tasks required of them, then it can only be beneficial to reducing soil compaction
Secondly, will traditional tractor driving skills be lost as semi-automation takes over?
Being able to drive in a straight line is the most basic of all, and yet that can be done more consistently with automation than by most human operators, so does it really matter?
