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Conserving Fuel, Too

The Roberts say Massey Ferguson has always been an innovator.

Bernie Roberts

Bernie Roberts with the MF8650

Bernie Roberts still can’t believe the fuel efficiency of their Massey Ferguson® 8650 tractor. “It’s particularly amazing on the manure tanker,” he says. With his older 8160, he continues, “you would be shifting gears all the time … even when you were on the road going to the field. You’d start up in one gear and shift two or three times just to get up a steep hill.”

Because his MF8650 has a Dyna-VT CVT transmission controlled by the Dynamic Tractor Management system, Bernie says, “you can just set the speed, and the system controls the engine speed and transmission ratio to automatically maintain it.” That saves wear and tear on the operator, as well as fuel, says Bernie, as does the economy PTO. “You can just set the ground speed and PTO speed in the field and know that the application will be consistent.”

Bernie also praises the way the MF8650 handles the 24-foot vertical tillage tool. Even as he pulls the units at 8 to 9 mph, the engine speed and power output constantly fluctuate—sometimes down to as little as 1,700 rpm—to handle the load and terrain.

You’ll often find brother Burt Roberts running the family’s new MF5450 as it carries a 3-point mounted crop sprayer. “We could have just bought a sprayer,” says Burt, noting that crops receive a residual herbicide at planting time, followed by a couple of Roundup applications. “But we also use the 5450 as a loader tractor, which gives us a lot more versatility from one machine.”

The Roberts family wouldn’t expect anything less from Massey Ferguson, which is why they’ve never owned anything but Massey tractors and combines since Hylton Roberts bought his first Massey Harris Senior tractor in the 1930s. Other tractors in the current inventory include an MF8120, MF8150, MF4255, MF3525 and MF390, and an MF8780XP combine. “Massey Ferguson has always been an innovator. And their dealers have always been there with personal service and support,” says Bernie, noting they’ve done business with Moss Brothers, Inc. in Dallas Center, Iowa, for several years. “Moss Brothers is almost 70 miles away, but they’re a family-run business just like we are, and they’ve always treated us well.”

<< Read the full article, “Conservation Pioneers”