Dieci does the business for Tyrone dairy farmer

Located just outside the village of Moy in Co Tyrone, Richard Emerson milks a 140-cow Ayrshire herd alongside his father Alfred.

Seven years ago the decision was made to go down the route of installing two Lely Astronaut A4 milking robots. Soon after installing the robots, Richard realised that operating an indoor system suited his situation best. Cows are typically fed zero-grazed grass for up to eight months of the year. Silage is often buffer-fed throughout the period as well as during the winter months when the zero-grazing machine is parked.

Since installing the robots, feeding 365 days of the year left Richard relying more on the farm’s wheeled loader as well as having a need for something slightly larger in size and output. So, in 2019 he traded his Kramer 680T which was getting up in hours and on in age. The decision was made to go buy a pivot-steer loader, a Dieci Agri Pivot T70 being the machine of choice.

Richard had previously seen the Dieci range of pivot steer loaders at Balmoral show.

“They seemed very well put together with great strength in all the right areas, towards the front end around the pivot and boom especially. I’ve seen numerous Dieci telehandlers working on building sites, often testing conditions for any machine. I hadn’t seen many Agri Pivots about before but I knew they’d be something similar in terms of quality and reliability,” Richard said.

Coming from a four-wheel-steer rigid chassis machine, Richard noted how he liked the idea of a pivot-steer wheeled loader. “With our farmyard being on a hill, our streets and sheds aren’t all at the one level. The pivot steering concept adapts well to the yard.”

Richard went with the T70 because it suited his needs best. Its build quality, he said, stood out along with its good cab visibility and the fact it felt lively in terms of power. Opting for a slightly larger machine not only makes lighter work of the everyday tasks such as pushing in zero-grazed grass and loading the diet feeder but leaves Richard with the option of pushing up silage if needs be during the summer months.

Engine and transmission

The Italian-built T70 Agri Pivot is fitted with a four-cylinder Kubota engine, the largest model in the range to be fitted with a Kubota. The larger T80 and T90 models are fitted with an FPT four-pot engine. That said, the T70 churns out a respectable 115hp (85kW) which Richard noted has plenty of power and has proved easy on fuel. He noted how everything is well laid out from a maintenance perspective, with a good-sized cooling pack.

Coupled with the Kubota power plant is the dual-range OMSI hydrostatic transmission.

“The loader has a two-range transmission with a maximum forward speed of 40km/h. Around the yard the low range along with the inching pedal allows for great control over the loader. The 40km/h transmission comes into its own when travelling to and from the out-farm on a daily basis.”

The inching pedal works by controlling or slowing forward speed while maintaining engine revs for maximum hydraulic flow. Richard said the feature comes in handy when using a shear grab.

Cab

A major attraction for Richard was the visibility from the driver’s seat in all directions. “The boom pivot is placed nice and low, lower than some of the other pivot steers out there.”

He also stated that the partially glassed roof leaves for good visibility of the boom when working at heights.

All of the loader’s controls are located on the righthand armrest, with all major functions including boom control, forward/reverse shuttle and the third services carried out from the joystick.

The traditional analogue dashboard displaying speed, fuel, temperature, etc, is also mounted on the righthand armrest, which Richard would rather see positioned in front of the steering column where it would be much more visible while driving.

One other point Richard noted was that during the winter or in cold wet weather the cab can mist up easily when the doors are closed, even with the fan blowing.

“A small sliding window or similar would allow enough air in on damp days to stop the glass misting up.”

Hydraulics and axles

The loader is fitted with a gear-type hydraulic pump which has a maximum flow rate of 114l/min (230bar). Richard is happy with the responsiveness of the hydraulics.

One feature of the hydraulic system that he commented on was the boom suspension, which he said makes a noticeable difference once engaged and travelling the road, especially at 40km/h. Another was the pressure release button on the third service hydraulic circuit, which leaves attaching and detaching of hydraulic hoses much easier.

The handler is seated on Dana Spicer axles, also built in Dieci’s home country of Italy. Axles are fitted with four planetary reduction gears and limited slip differentials (LSD).

The front axle is rigid while the rear axle can oscillate through 25° which Richard noted helps the loader’s stability on undulations.

The T70 has a total turning angle of 80°, leaving it very manoeuvrable for its size, he commented.

Verdict

Clocking up in the region of 600 to 700 hours annually, which is predominantly typical farmyard duties, Richard feels that it is important a fresh loader is kept on the farm considering it is relied on to start and perform every day.

Almost one year on, Richard is happy with how his Dieci T70 has performed and plans to keep it for another four years.

He noted: “The loader has done well so far, I couldn’t fault it. Build quality and strength are excellent, with pipes and all maintenance locations easily accessed. For a reasonably sized loader it’s easily manoeuvred about the yard and into tight areas which I put down to the fact it’s articulated. If I was buying another loader in the morning, I’d seriously consider buying Dieci again.”

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