Telehandler vs tractor for daily chores ?

cousinjack

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Cornwall
I have lately been wondering whether feeding up our cows every day with a telehandler is as efficient as it appears??

telehandlers by their very nature are fuel hungry with big engines, torque converters and heavy weights?

With diesel going up as it is - I’m going to experiment with running costs of an old telehandler vs old 2wd tractor and loader.
A loader tractor will easily cope with my daily chores and I suspect will use a lot less fuel and parts ??
Obviously I still need to keep the telehandler for all those jobs they excel at ..

thoughts ?
 

cousinjack

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Cornwall
Christ I think your mad, going back to a 2wd with loader around sheds sounds like you put no value on your time as a tele-porter is much faster regardless or ruining cost!
Ha !
you’re probably right …. I haven’t tried it yet !!

our setup is very tractor friendly for the daily feeding routine - and I would still use the handler for mucking out etc ….
 

mountfarm

Member
I have lately been wondering whether feeding up our cows every day with a telehandler is as efficient as it appears??

telehandlers by their very nature are fuel hungry with big engines, torque converters and heavy weights?

With diesel going up as it is - I’m going to experiment with running costs of an old telehandler vs old 2wd tractor and loader.
A loader tractor will easily cope with my daily chores and I suspect will use a lot less fuel and parts ??
Obviously I still need to keep the telehandler for all those jobs they excel at ..

thoughts ?

The Merlo telehandler with rear 3 point linkage and pto is a good tool. Downside is the cab is to cramped for all day fieldwork but for doing a bit of topping etc it’s perfect.
 

cousinjack

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Cornwall
Perhaps I should confirm a few parameters of the experiment …..

9000 hr th62 telehandler..
currently we use it twice a day to feed bales and fill the straw chopper. It needs to ‘warm up’ for a few minutes before use or else it won’t move ! ( always been like this - even from sub 2000 hrs when we bought it)

vs

9000 hr Mf390. Got a steelfab loader here that would slot on or a mf loader out in the weeds..
Assuming loader does not need repair or cost anything to fit …
Tractor will start and go, and would only require a low idle

Cows are all on flat concrete and we feed round bales alongside feed barriers. Traction and manoeuvre ability are not an issue.
I would remove a door from the tractor for ease of access and the telehandler door is always latched open.

Purely looking at fuel use and running costs.. and time ( although I am assuming time will not differ)
 

valtraman

Member
I have lately been wondering whether feeding up our cows every day with a telehandler is as efficient as it appears??

telehandlers by their very nature are fuel hungry with big engines, torque converters and heavy weights?

With diesel going up as it is - I’m going to experiment with running costs of an old telehandler vs old 2wd tractor and loader.
A loader tractor will easily cope with my daily chores and I suspect will use a lot less fuel and parts ??
Obviously I still need to keep the telehandler for all those jobs they excel at ..

thoughts ?
Give Ure self a shake and realise what u just spent time and effort typing !! Fuel might be expensive but not that expensive.
 

Kiwi Pete

Member
Livestock Farmer
I would wear out the 390, despite popular opinion. As you said, you'd probably be done by the time either engine has warmed up, which kinda negates the "is your time worth nothing" comments to a fair degree.

We used to feed pit silage from our little wagon into a feed trough, load the wagon with the tractor, 15 litres of diesel per week to haul 55-65m³ of silage in our case. 12 minutes twice a day.

I say suck it and see, it's your money and I can see your thinking, how long does it take to warm up the big brute?
 

Samcowman

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Cornwall
Perhaps I should confirm a few parameters of the experiment …..

9000 hr th62 telehandler..
currently we use it twice a day to feed bales and fill the straw chopper. It needs to ‘warm up’ for a few minutes before use or else it won’t move ! ( always been like this - even from sub 2000 hrs when we bought it)

vs

9000 hr Mf390. Got a steelfab loader here that would slot on or a mf loader out in the weeds..
Assuming loader does not need repair or cost anything to fit …
Tractor will start and go, and would only require a low idle

Cows are all on flat concrete and we feed round bales alongside feed barriers. Traction and manoeuvre ability are not an issue.
I would remove a door from the tractor for ease of access and the telehandler door is always latched open.

Purely looking at fuel use and running costs.. and time ( although I am assuming time will not differ)
When it’s warming up you would be opening the bales so not a wasted time from that. Would be interesting to see the time comparison but the loader would be easier to use as it is made for the job
Using the loader over FEL would be for me but having the FEL as backup.
 

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