Joe Doheny has been farming and contracting in Kilkenny for close to 60 years, covering a wide area across Kilkenny and Laois. Over that time, the work has changed, the machinery has grown, and the demands on each machine have steadily increased. What has remained constant is the need for reliable loading power, particularly during the silage season, when long days, heavy crops and tight weather windows leave little room for delays.

Loaders have always played a central role in Joe’s business. As well as handling day-to-day jobs around the yard, the main loader traditionally doubled as the pit machine, pushing up and compacting silage as trailers arrived from the field.

Since the mid-1990s, a large, wheeled loader has been viewed as an essential part of the outfit, giving the business the reach, traction and stability needed for both farm and contracting work.

In 1995, Joe bought an O+K L15, a robust 8.6t articulated wheeled loader powered by a 74kW (99hp) Deutz engine. For its time, it was a strong and capable machine, well suited to loading, yard work and silage-pit duties.

It gave the business the output and grip needed for heavier work, while still being simple and dependable enough for everyday farm use. The O+K stayed in the fleet until 2005, earning its place as a reliable workhorse through a decade of seasonal pressure.

Its replacement was a Komatsu WA250, which represented a clear step up in size and performance. Weighing 13.8t and powered by a 101kW (136hp) turbocharged Komatsu engine, the WA250 reflected the growing scale of the work Joe was taking on.

As trailers got bigger and silage pits grew higher and wider, the extra weight and power became important. The Komatsu brought more pushing ability, greater stability and a better all-round platform for long days on the pit and in the yard.

After 15 years of service, the Komatsu made way to a new JCB 427. At around the 14t mark and powered by a 6.7l Cummins engine producing 179hp, the 427 again moved the business forward.

It brought stronger hydraulics, greater shovel capacity and a more comfortable, modern cab. For Joe, that meant more output when loading, more control on the silage pit and a better working environment during the long days that come with a busy contracting season.

The 427 went on to handle loader duties across both the contracting business and the home farm. However, as the workload continued to develop, one machine was increasingly being pulled in two directions. The same loader was expected to stay with the contracting team during peak silage periods, while also returning home to feed cattle and load outgoing silage. That arrangement worked, but it was not always ideal, particularly when weather, livestock and customer work all demanded attention at the same time.

When the time came to change again, replacing one loader with two became a practical option rather than a luxury.

Earlier this year, Joe agreed a deal with Kellys of Borris to bring a JCB 435S into the fleet as the direct replacement for the 427, alongside a JCB TM420S to provide backup and keep the home farm moving during the busiest contracting periods.

The move changed the way the loaders could be used, giving the business more flexibility and reducing the need to constantly move one machine between jobs.

The 435S now takes on the heavy work. Weighing just over 15t and powered by JCB’s Stage V 6.7l engine producing up to 210kW (282hp), it is a high-output machine built for demanding agricultural use.

With a six-speed transmission and strong power-to-weight ratio, it has the pace and performance needed for silage work, while still being versatile enough for everyday loading duties.

Compared with the 1995 O+K L15, the latest JCB is almost twice as heavy and produces close to three times the power, showing just how much loader capacity has advanced over the past 30 years.

On the 435S, the lever steer system is a useful feature for silage-pit work. Rather than constantly turning the steering wheel, the operator can guide the loader with a small proportional control lever beside the seat.

The further the lever is moved, the faster the machine turns, allowing fine steering adjustments with wrist movement instead of repeated full-arm turns.

On the pit, where the 435S is constantly shuttling, turning and climbing, this can reduce fatigue, keep the operator’s right hand free for boom and bucket control, and make long silage days smoother. However, the driver noted that while the system is helpful in more open yards, he tends to use the conventional steering wheel in tighter spaces.

While the 435S is the main contracting loader, the TM420S is far more than a spare machine. Weighing 9,779kg, it uses JCB’s 4.8l Stage V DieselMAX engine, producing 129kW (173hp).

It is rated to lift 4,100kg to a maximum height of 5.45m, with 3m of forward reach, and can travel at up to 50kph. Its eight-speed powershift transmission with TorqueLock adds to its versatility, giving Joe a high-output all-rounder that combines the lift and reach of a telescopic machine, with the speed and stability expected from a loader.

At home, Joe rears around 100 animals from calf to beef, and makes surplus silage for sale on the open market, so there is always loader work to be done, even when the contracting fleet is away. Previously, the main loader had to return to feed cattle, handle bales or load outgoing silage.

Now, the 435S can remain with the contracting outfit, while the TM420S looks after feeding, loading, stacking and general yard duties. Joe also rates the TM420S as capable enough to step into heavier work when needed, and the two machines can occasionally swap roles depending on the job.

That flexibility is the real strength of the two-machine system. Instead of one loader being tied up or rushed from place to place, Joe can match each machine to the work in front of him.

The 435S brings maximum output where power, speed and pushing ability are needed, while the TM420S keeps the home farm running and provides valuable backup during peak periods. It reduces downtime, spreads the workload and gives the business more options when plans change at short notice.