The familiarity that comes with operating tractors equipped with the same cab and control layout is a welcome bonus for a North Yorkshire dairy farming family who now run a one-make fleet rather than a mixture of different makes and models.
“We now have three tractors with straight-forward controls for the transmission and hydraulic spool valves, and a simple electronic system for the three-point linkage that’s easy to use,” says Rob Chapman of Easby Grange. “The McCormick design is ideal for the stockman and grassland farmer with a well thought out cab that’s comfortable but doesn’t go over the top.”
A pair of 126hp McCormick MC130 tractors and a 140hp McCormick MTX150 replaced New Holland and Valtra machines as the front line tractors at Easby Grange, home to the Easbythan pedigree Holstein Friesian herd.
Rob and Andrea Chapman are partners in the operation, helped by their son John and nephew Ian Heavyside.
With 150 milkers and 130 followers on the farm, plus 30 acres of forage maize and another 30 acres of triticale for whole-crop silage to supplement the grass, all three tractors are kept busy.
Prime jobs for the MTX150 include ploughing, sowing with a 3m power harrow-seed drill combination, round baling and powering the twin auger diet mixer-feeder.
“I was a bit concerned about how much fuel we’d use putting the MTX on the feeder without an economy pto setting,” says Mr Chapman. “But the engine has so much torque low down that we run it at just 1200rpm using the high speed pto to get 540rpm at the shaft and the tractor just plays with it.”
The two MC130 tractors, one of them equipped with a McCormick LiftMaster loader, handle most of the other work, their combination of power, strength, features and size make them ideal for a variety of tasks, especially around the yard.
“The MC was the first McCormick we tried after Rob Stevenson moved his Agriplus dealership closer to us at Stokesley,” Mr Chapman recalls. “I liked the general layout and controls but it was the front axle suspension that really impressed.
“There was none of the bounce we experienced with the other tractors when towing the big feeder on the road and traction in the field was unbelievable,” he adds. “I took the demo tractor and four-furrow plough onto a steep field at the back where I wouldn’t normally go without a six-cylinder – but it was no problem; the MC had tremendous grip and balance.”
That led to the first MC130 being put into service in March 2011, complete with the LiftMaster loader. It proved so popular that the family decided to replace their other tractors earlier than planned – the MTX150 arrived in December that year and the second MC130 in February 2012.
“The tractors are a lot better than we expected; we’re over the moon with them,” Rob Chapman enthuses. “They’re easier to service and look after, they’re comfortable and we’ve got the same sensible controls across all three tractors, which makes life a lot easier when you’re always swapping about.”
The identical three-point linkage means all the tractors can operate any of the farm’s implements without any concerns about pto shaft length. Also, the four-cylinder MC and six-cylinder MTX share the same 16x12 transmission with smooth-shifting power shuttle and four-speed power shift; as well as the same 109-litre/min load sensing hydraulics and electronic linkage control system.
“The MC’s got good backend strength for field work but a compact size for work around the yard,” Rob Chapman points out. “The hydraulics have plenty of flow to move the straw chopper’s spout while running the bed at full speed; I thought the locking flap that holds the lever for constant pumping looked a bit basic but it’s actually so simple; it works, so why have anything fancier?”
He also highlights the gear lever flick switch used to thumb through the powershift steps on both models: “It’s an easy, natural action to use without thinking about it,” he says.
In addition to its extra power, length and weight, the MTX150 has the added attraction of cab suspension, which John Chapman and Ian Heavyside both highlight as giving a further improvement in ride comfort.
“I thought our previous tractors were good but the way the McCormick cab and independent front axle suspension work together makes a huge difference,” says John. “I really like the tractor; it pulls well when you make use of the low-down torque and it’s easy to use – I wouldn’t want anything else.”
