Telehandler vs tractor for daily chores ?

[cousinjack]

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 ?

 

[Farmer_Joe]

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 of running cost!

 

[cousinjack]

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 ….

 

[steveR]

Well a FEL will do a fair bit of work... But needs to be a 4WD every time, unless the neaviest thing you will lift is a round bale of straw on a concrete pad

 

[cousinjack]

Well a FEL will do a fair bit of work... But needs to be a 4WD every time, unless the neaviest thing you will lift is a round bale of straw on a concrete pad

All on concrete…. Round bale haylage would be the heaviest …

 

[Farmer_Joe]

All on concrete…. Round bale haylage would be the heaviest …

Well I have concrete envy already!
Have a ho and let us know how you get on

 

[Lakesdigger]

Don't forget to put a value on your own time.

 

[roscoe erf]

no fecking way would I go back to a fel

 

[Ali_Maxxum]

I suspect even if you find you save fuel you wont save yourself any time or possibly even take longer which for me I would rather just use the extra diesel and get the job done quicker.

Try it and see but I don't think it will be long till you are firing the handler up again!

 

[mountfarm]

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]

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)

 

[redsloe]

You need a small 75hp handler, the likes of an 625 manipoo or I have a jcb 525 60.
One step off the ground makes for In and outs less strenuous and really manoeuvrable around the yard.
Perfect.

 

[valtraman]

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.

 

[mtx.jag]

I hope you have a good left knee

 

[Kiwi Pete]

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?

 

[Scholsey]

If things got that tight that the fuel savings by switching from a handler to a FEL were that important I think I would sell the lot.

 

[Wellytrack]

A compact and powerful modern 4cylinder 4wd with CCLS and integrated loader with shuttle and transmission controls incorporated with loader controls you may have a closer match to an old handler.
On a 390, not a chance - would spin on a banana skin those things without FEL.

 

[steveR]

You need a small 75hp handler, the likes of an 625 manipoo or I have a jcb 525 60.
One step off the ground makes for In and outs less strenuous and really manoeuvrable around the yard.
Perfect.

The benefits of a low cabin/seat are often underated I believe.

 

[redsloe]

The benefits of a low cabin/seat are often underated I believe.

Definitely. If I have to open a gate to bed a pen of cattle with straw chopper I go first with the handler!

 

[Samcowman]

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.