During my travels around New Zealand at the back end of last year, it became clear that JCB was the most popular loading shovel in the country being used for pushing silage.

However, no different to Ireland, there’s also lots of other brands on the market with super product offerings. One brand which wouldn’t be seen to be contesting the agricultural wheel loader market in Ireland is John Deere.

While travelling through the South Island, I caught up with David O’Rourke, a Limerick man who is the operations manager with Meyer Contracting. The firm is based in Waimate and operates a sizeable fleet of modern machinery in the South Canterbury area and the Mackenzie District.

Meyers Contracting in Waimate run one of an estimated five John Deere loaders in New Zealand used for pushing up silage.

In 2013, the Kiwi firm made the move from a Komatsu WA-320 PZ loader to a John Deere loader. The original model in question was a 624K MK I, a construction shovel shod on the common sized 750/65R26 Michelin agricultural tyres.

David explained: “We originally moved from a Komatsu to a John Deere loader in 2013. We liked the Komatsu, but the hydrostatic transmission and cooling pack used to overheat in the really warm weather, so we decided to move to a power shift machine.

“We looked at a number of brands, but the John Deere stood out for us. The initial buying cost seemed good value for money, while used machines were holding strong prices. It also had a very good build quality and at 15 to 16 tonnes it had plenty of weight.”

Engine

The loader is equipped with a John Deere PowerTech 6068H powertrain. This six-cylinder, 6.8l engine has 188hp on tap as standard. David noted that they could have got away with the standard factory power, but opted to tweak the machine up to 230hp, just to have the extra power on hand when required.

The loader is equipped with a John Deere six cylinder, 6.8l engine which offers 188hp as standard but has been modified to turn out 230hp.

As New Zealand has no emission regulations, these John Deere construction loaders are powered by Stage II/Tier 2 engines. To put it into perspective, these were the emission standards we had to meet in Europe back in 2000 to 2004. Many manufacturers at the time used electronic fuel injection and, in particular, common-rail fuel injection.

David explained: “The Tier 2 engines are bulletproof and straightforward. They are simple to work on if need be. We clock up around 1,000 hours per year on the machine, 700 of which is pushing up silage, with the remainder accumulating feeding the Meyer family’s own beef cattle. Fuel consumption varies from 15l/hr up to 30l/hr, depending on the work in hand.”

An auto-idle feature applies the brakes and automatically reduces engine speed to help reduce diesel usage after a period of inactivity. Meanwhile, auto shutdown will turn off the engine after extended idleness.

Performance on the pit

The 2013 624K mark one machine was equipped with a four-speed power shift transmission, while the firm’s current 2018 624K Mk II loader is fitted with a five-speed transmission with torque lockup. David noted that the latter is preferred on the pit, as first gear is slower, which is better for pushing and climbing.

David noted: "It mightn’t climb the pit as quick as a JCB, but it will out-push one.”

The loader is fitted with a programmable fan which automatically reverses at predetermined intervals. The Quad-Cool design places the radiator, air-conditioner condenser, intercooler, hydraulics, transmission and the axle coolers in a boxed configuration at the rear of the machine, isolated from any engine heat. David said that the cooling pack was one of the main features that drew them to John Deere.

With a factory operating weight of 15,614kg, the 624K MK II certainly packs a punch. However, David said: “As it’s an industrial machine, it probably has a little too much weight at the rear and maybe could do with a little more up front.

David outlined that maintenance costs over the five years of ownership on the mark one machine were in the region of just $3,500 (€1,940).

“In saying that, with 230hp on tap, the Deere and Howden Engineering-built 14ft folding fork will push the full 26ft trailer load of grass right the way up the pit. It mightn’t climb the pit as quick as a JCB, but it will out-push one.”

Equipped with a variable-displacement, axial-piston pump, the loader features closed-centre hydraulics with a flow rate of 208l/min. David explained the loader’s hydraulic speed would be very similar to that of a Komatsu.

Cab

The firm’s MK I machine was fitted with joystick steering instead of a steering wheel, something that’s unusual in the agricultural sector in Ireland, but not totally unheard of. It would be more common in the forestry and construction sectors.

David said that anyone who spent time in the machine and got a feel for the joystick steering soon became fond of it. However, this option wasn’t available on the MK II when the firm upgraded.

The loader came with the option of controlling the Z-linkage with either two levers or a single joystick. They opted for the latter.

Harvesting in excess of 3,000 ha (7,413 acres) each year, Meyers carry out the vast majority of work within a 40km radius of their base.

David remarked that he is happy with visibility and the interior features such as the LCD screen, which encompasses a rear-view camera and radar object-detection system.

The loader is also equipped with optional ride control in which the lift cylinders act as shock absorbers, cushioning the machine over bumps.

Verdict

“We put over 5,000 hours on our first 2013-built John Deere loader before trading it for a new model in 2018. We’ve been very happy with the performance of both machines to date. They’ve performed pretty much trouble-free with the exception of a handful of seals and O-rings. I think our maintenance costs over the five years of ownership on the MK I machine were in the region of just $3,500 (€1,940).

Meyer Contracting run almost all European built kit

“In terms of running gear, we’ve encountered no major issues to date. It’s a construction machine, so build quality is very rugged. The cooling pack is another big plus for the John Deere – it’s like nothing else on the market.

“To the best of my knowledge, there’s just five John Deere wheel loaders used for pushing up silage in New Zealand. We’re very happy with how both machines have performed since making the switch in 2013. We buy a new loader every five years and will probably go John Deere again,” said David.

Top likes

  • Pushing power.
  • Cooling pack.
  • Build quality.
  • Top dislikes

  • Would prefer joystick steering.
  • Hydraulics a little on the slow side.
  • Machine spec

  • Engine: 188hp 6.8l six-cylinder John Deere PowerTech.
  • Transmission: Five-speed powershift with torque lock.
  • Travel speed: 40km/h.
  • Hydraulics: Closed-centre hydraulics (208l/min).
  • Operating weight: 15,614kg.
  • Tyres: 750/65 R26.
  • Fuel tank capacity: 352l.
  • The business

    After three seasons over and back between Ireland and New Zealand since 2011, David made the decision to join Meyer Contracting on a full-time basis. Soon after, he took on the role of operations manager, meaning he was in charge of the day-to-day running of the business.

    Meyer Contracting runs almost all European-built kit. From a tractor point of view, they run Fendt, John Deere and Valtra. Harvesting in excess of 3,000ha (7,413 acres) between grass and wholecrop each year, the firm carries out the vast majority of work within a 40km radius of its base.

    Meyers runs a Krone Big X 700 forager. Keeping grass knocked in front of the Big X is a Big M 420 and a set of Krone butterflies. David noted that in straight going there’s very little output difference between the Big M and the butterflies. However, on the tricky terrain and hills Meyers works on, he claims the Big M will totally outperform butterflies.

    The firm use a team of 26ft tri-axle Stewart trailers which are 2.8m wide for increased stability.

    The firm uses a team of 26ft tri-axle Stewart trailers, which are 2.8m wide, for increased stability. David noted that Meyers was the first NZ contractor running these high-spec Scottish-built trailers.

    The firm runs two pieces of kit built by Irish manufacturers. The first is a McHale Fusion 3 plus Vario. Meyers was one of the first in the South Island to purchase such a machine. It was bought with machine utilisation in mind.

    David explained: “Silage bales are made to 1.3m, while hay and straw in the region is generally baled to 1.6m/1.7m. Instead of running two balers, we bought the Fusion Vario which could do both jobs.”

    Meyers also runs a SlurryQuip umbilical system.

    NZ v Ireland

    David felt that the big difference in contracting in New Zealand compared with Ireland is that once the farmer makes a booking, the contractor then takes full control over when the grass will be cut and harvested.

    It is up to the contractor to achieve the best results.

    He added that the longer season, with large settled spells of weather, means contractors aren’t under the same pressure and get to enjoy their work, rather than cramming it into short windows.

    While meeting various contractors in New Zealand, and reiterated by David, I observed a common trend. Contracting is run the same as any other business. All bills are issued on the first day of each month with payment due on the 20th.

    This works both ways and includes the contractor’s bill to the farmer and any outstanding bills the contractor may owe. The vast majority of bills are sent out by email and are mostly paid via bank transfer. Cheques are used very rarely and cash payments are non-existent.

    Although keeping tight-lipped on contractor charges in the area, David noted that all machines are charged on an hourly basis and not on a per-acre basis like most silage charges in Ireland.

    Like most contracting businesses in New Zealand, Meyer relies on experienced seasonal overseas employment. With the New Zealand borders currently in lockdown, the firm is trying its best to establish a full Kiwi team.

    With many people out of work due to COVID-19, David noted that there’s plenty of people there to do the work, but outlined his worries about putting inexperienced drivers on the tricky terrain in which they operate on a regular basis, noting it will take a lot of time and training to bring people up to speed.

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