Hesston Balers and Massey Ferguson Tractors: A Great Team
Two sister brands that are built to work together and built to last.
By Becky Mills | Photos By Denny Eilers
Pair a Hesston baler with a Massey Ferguson tractor for premium performance.
When Madisonville, Tenn., grower Doyle Cardin heads to the hay field, you can bet he is using Massey Ferguson® and Hesston® equipment. His list includes a Hesston 1372 Hydro Swing 13-foot disc mower, a Hesston 10 wheel V-rake and a Hesston 2856 baler that turns out 5- by 6-foot bales.
Cardin’s late brother, Dale, who passed away in 2012, was one of the main reasons behind the baler. “In 1969, when he was 5 years old, he lost his leg in a farm accident. He loved the Hesston baler because it was fully self-contained,” Cardin says. He explains that made it easier for his brother to operate. He also likes the disc mower because of its RazorBar™ design.
To pull the hay equipment and help with other farm chores, Cardin runs eight Massey Ferguson tractors and two MF8570 combines on his 1,000 acres of soybeans, 250 acres of corn that he harvests for grain, 100 acres of corn for silage and 350 acres of wheat. He says he uses Massey Ferguson due to the equipment’s durability and because they’re easy to work on. They also make for a terrific pairing with his Hesston equipment. “The tractors and balers just work so well together,” says Cardin.
He also notes that even as fuel-efficient as they are, the tractors are heavier and larger-framed than many other brands. “That gives me comfort working on these hills around here,” he says. “They’re just safer.”
The equipment has come from a number of dealerships over the years, including Tyler Brothers Farm Equipment in Maryville, Tenn., and Fraley Truck and Implement in Rushville, Ind.
For information on how to pair Hesston balers to tractors, see “Right Sizing: Tractors and Balers.” For more information on how Hesston® by Massey Ferguson can help you produce even better-quality hay, see Hesston.com.
