Guide to Choosing the Best Heavy Equipment for Farming - Cat Used
Guide to Choosing the Best Heavy Equipment for Farming - Cat Used
Traditionally, farming was done by hand, requiring intense manual labor and numerous people to help plant and harvest crops. In modern times, heavy equipment helps farmers complete tasks more quickly and efficiently, allowing them to cover more land and increase their yields. Today, farmers have a wide range of equipment, from simple tractors to complex combine harvesters.
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With all the equipment available to farmers, it can be challenging to choose the right option. Below is a farming equipment guide to help you learn about the best equipment for farming. With these suggestions and tips for choosing farming equipment in mind, you can make the most informed decision possible.
While you can use all kinds of heavy equipment on your farm, you may not know where to begin. Below is an equipment list for agriculture businesses to help farmers better understand the best equipment available for farming tasks.
1. Tractors
Modern tractors can be equipped with various attachments to help farmers complete different farming-related jobs. Due to their numerous uses, tractors are often a go-to purchase for farmers.
There are various tractor types, each with its own advantages at a farm. Some of the common types of tractors you can find at a farm include:
- Wheeled tractors: These tractors are general-purpose, which allows you to get the most out of your equipment. They can meet various farming demands, such as pulling equipment, material handling and tilling. Wheeled tractors have a wide range of specifications, with variations in size, horsepower, lifting capacity, cab style and control, allowing you to pick a tractor that works best for your needs.
- Compact tractors: These tractors are small but high-powered, allowing you to complete the basic functions on a farm. Compact tractors are ideal for working in confined spaces and material handling tasks.
- Orchard tractors: These tractors are specifically adapted to work best in orchards. These tractors are more slender than other models, allowing them to fit between trees while still providing powerful performance, allowing you to keep up with maintenance and landscaping.
- Tracked tractors: These tractors utilize rubber tracks instead of tires, which helps create a smooth ride for operators. Tracked tractors are also ideal when working on uneven terrain.
2. Utility Vehicles
Utility or all-terrain vehicles are ideal for farmers who need to travel across their properties quickly. Utility vehicles can move across rough terrain easier than others, allowing you to navigate various locations across the farm.
You can also equip utility vehicles with different attachments to make them more efficient on the farm, including mowers, small trailers and spreaders. Utility vehicles have many of the same benefits as trucks but are more compact and affordable.
3. Pickup Trucks
Pickup trucks have been a staple on farms for decades. Pickup trucks are ideal for hauling, whether you're moving materials in the truck bed or with an attached trailer. These trucks can help you carry building supplies, feed and tools to different locations, and a trailer attachment can help you carry livestock, crops, produce and other heavier materials.
4. Sprayers
Sprayers are used on farms to spray insecticides and herbicides, which can be essential to preventing pests and weeds from damaging crops. You can get many types of sprayers for your farm, including handheld sprayers, which are ideal for smaller crops. Other kinds of sprayers include:
- Engine-driven sprayers: These portable sprayers are powered by an engine and set at a low angle.
- Trolley pumps: Trolley pumps are ideal for farmers with a lot of property to cover, allowing more product to spread over a large area of land in a short period.
- Trailer sprayers: These sprayers are mounted on trailers or tractors, making them easily portable across farms. Farmers can mount these sprayers and transport them to specific areas to treat their crops.
5. Combine Harvesters
Combine harvesters help make harvesting crops more efficient, even for small-scale farmers. This equipment utilizes a complex system comprised of belts, blades, gears and wheels to turn crops into grain. Combines can achieve this by using three main processes:
- Reaping: Reaping refers to the process of cutting the plant, which is accomplished by utilizing the header, reel and cutter bar. The header on the combine collects the crops, and the reel pushes them toward the cutter bar, which enables crops to be cut at their base.
- Threshing: This process involves separating the edible parts of the crops from the non-edible components. The threshing drum helps achieve this by beating the crops to separate the useable crop from the stalk.
- Winnowing: Winnowing involves separating light chaff from the grain using the combine's threshing drum and sieves. The chaff passes through the sieves to help separate it from the grain.
You can take the potential of your equipment further by utilizing attachments that can help you complete more tasks or improve the efficiency of your equipment. Some of the best farm equipment attachments include the following.
1. Tractor Attachments
Using tractor implements can add new levels of functionality that can significantly benefit agriculture businesses. Some of the best tractor implements include:
- Plows: Plows are large attachments set behind the tractor, equipped with blades to cut furrows in the soil. Plows help loosen the soil while eliminating any surface vegetation. You can attach various types of plows to your tractor, including disc plows, moldboard plows and chisel plows.
- Harrows: Harrows help further agitate the soil so it can be prepared for farming work. Harrows help break down soil clumps, ensuring the soil is level and crops are redistributed, making it easier for plants to grow.
- Spreaders: Fertilizer spreaders help distribute fertilizers across a field, which is an essential step to ensure crops are in the best conditions to grow. Spreaders can help ensure an even and quick spreading of fertilizer.
- Seeders: These attachments help spread seeds quickly along large plots of land. Tractor seeders are most often used in large-scale farms, and there are various types of seeders, including air seeders, planters, broadcast seeders and box drill seeders.
Other tractor attachments include wagons, trailers, balers, rakes, sprayers and cultivators. Each implement has unique benefits for your farm, so it's essential to look into the specifics of each one to determine which would be the best for your business.
2. Blades
Blades are versatile and essential equipment that can benefit every farm.
Specifically, box blades are ideal for leveling land, grading the ground, creating paths or spreading dirt, making them a versatile choice for your agriculture business.
Rear blades are also helpful on farms, helping you maintain gravel roads, digging ditches and smoothing driveways. For some farms, rear blades can also level out gardens.
3. Front-End Loader Attachments
You can double a compact tractor into a compact loader by utilizing a wide selection of front-end tractor attachments. Front-end loader attachments can help you move, scoop or dump soil, rocks or manure.
You can also attach pallet forks to help you move heavy or bulky objects easily across the farm. Pallet forks can be combined with a bucket to handle loose or large loads.
If you're dealing with a lot of brush or timber, a debris grapple attachment can help you move all these materials into one pile.
4. Post-Hole Diggers
Fencing is essential for many farms, especially if you have livestock you need to contain and protect. Fencing your crops can also help keep pests out.
A post-hole digger can help save hours of hard labor. This attachment can be used to build decks, pole barns or machine sheds. You can also use post-hole diggers to plant trees and create holes for fencing.
Cat Used is a reliable source for used farming equipment, allowing you to buy used in confidence. We have a wide selection of farming equipment available, and you can even sign up for alerts on our website to be notified when the equipment you want becomes available.
Our equipment is ready to work when it comes off the lot, allowing you to get started as soon as possible. You can find a dealer near you to talk with a representative and see the equipment in person, or you can browse our inventory online to find what you're looking for.
Specialist tractor buyer guide - Fruit & Vine
Specialist tractor buyer guide
Machinery reporter Daniel Hodge takes an in-depth look at some of the latest specialist tractor options available to vineyards and fruit growers this year.
Choosing the right specialty tractor is critical for vineyards and orchards, where space constraints, terrain challenges, and crop requirements demand highly specialised machinery.
Whether managing tight vineyard rows, wide orchard canopies, or mixed-use operations, selecting the right tractor can significantly impact productivity, efficiency, and long-term costs.
This article offers a detailed comparison of some of ’s latest specialty tractors.
We’ve also gathered insights from key UK dealers to highlight buyer preferences, real-world performance, and emerging industry trends.
Whether you’re investing in a new fleet or upgrading existing equipment, this guide could help you make an informed decision.
Key factors considered include:
Key requirements for farmers
Dealers consistently highlighted three main areas growers focus on when purchasing specialty tractors:
Reliability, resale value, and ongoing costs are recurring concerns among growers.
Dealers emphasised the importance of comprehensive after-sales support, extended warranty options (in some cases, up to eight years), fixed-cost servicing, and proven fuel efficiency to alleviate these worries.
Growers also highlight the importance of comfort and usability.
High-quality cabs, intuitive control systems, and advanced features like Fendt’s Vario transmission greatly improve operator satisfaction, critical for long working hours, as well as attracting and retaining skilled labour.
New Holland T4 F/N/V Series
This range consists of three configurations:
Key specifications
Standout feature
The SuperSteer Axle provides an exceptionally tight turning radius as low as 3.3m, perfect for navigating narrow vineyard rows and orchard headlands.
Ernest Doe New Holland brand manager, Ian Roberts commented: “All three models – the T4V, T4N, and T4F – sell well, depending on vineyard row width and whether the planting is new or mature.
Dealer insight
We’re also seeing increased demand from blackcurrant growers, where the T4 series complements the Braud Harvester.
“The first thing buyers consider is width and available options, but there’s also strong interest in the Blue Cab system. It offers pressurisation and carbon filtration, making it especially valuable for spraying.
“The biggest change in the latest T4 range was the move to a flat-floor cab, improving comfort and accessibility. Another key feature is SuperSteer, exclusive to New Holland, which allows a tighter turning radius – we see around 90% of customers opting for it.
“GPS guidance is becoming more important to buyers, and New Holland has expanded its options in response.
While fixed costs matter, they’re not as much of a priority in this sector as in broad-acre farming.
Landini REX4 series
New Holland has been a leader in specialist tractors for years – customers trust their reliability and understanding of grower needs.”
Multiple configurations are available:
Further specialist options are available.
Key specifications
Standout feature
The SmartPilot Plus all-in-one joystick and extra comfort swivel seat provide a high-grade fit and finish that allow for long operating hours.
Kubota M narrow series
Kubota’s M narrow series offers widths from 1.42–1.72m, and is suitable for both orchard and vineyard operations.
Key specifications
Standout feature
Exclusive Bi-speed turn system – when steering input exceeds 35-degrees, the front wheel speed is nearly doubled relative to the rear, resulting in softer and tighter turns.
Case IH Quantum V/N/F/CL Series
The Quantum range covers four model variants:
Key specifications
Standout feature
The 4-pillar comfort cab that was introduced a couple of years ago provides a spacious workstation with ergonomic controls that Case IH is known for.
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Dealer insight
According to Ernest Doe Power Case IH brand manager, David Carver: “The Quantum F and Quantum N are our most popular models for vineyards, orchards, and mixed-use farms.
“Operator comfort is increasingly important. The new four-pillar comfort cab has been a game-changer. It offers a spacious, ergonomic layout that’s been really well received.
“Warranty is a key discussion point. Case IH offers a full manufacturer-backed warranty – up to 6,000 hours, with no excess or minimum call-out charge.
That’s a strong offering in this sector and provides real peace of mind for buyers.”
Same Frutteto CVT series
The series is available in multiple configurations:
Key specifications
Standout feature
A compact CVT transmission that provides smooth, efficient power.
Deutz Fahr Series 5 DF/DS/DV TTV
The series consists of three main configurations:
Key specifications
Standout feature
The 4-wheel steering option is unique amongst tractors in this guide, and offers a turning radius up to 26% less when compared with a 5 DF TTV with a fixed front axle.
Massey Ferguson MF3 Series
The MF 3 series includes:
Key specifications
Standout feature
Flat-floor cab (MF 3AL) – Provides exceptional operator comfort, ease of movement, and better ergonomics on sloped or uneven terrain.
Fendt Vario 200 F/P/V
This series includes three configurations:
Key specifications
Standout feature
The Fendt Vario CVT enables seamless speed control without gear shifting, ensuring smooth operation and optimal fuel efficiency.
Dealer insight
NP Seymour sales specialist, Tim Sillence, commented: “The Fendt 200 V/F/P series is the only narrow tractor range designed specifically for vineyards, orchards, and hop farms.
Some other manufacturers have essentially ‘scaled down’ their larger models, whereas Fendt has refined these tractors over decades for specialist crop production.
“Many growers focus on purchase price, but the real cost comes from depreciation and fuel efficiency. Our recent grower trial showed a Fendt 211 V saved approximately £42,000 over 10 years compared to two competing fruit tractors, considering fuel savings and resale value.
“Downtime is costly, so reliability is critical. We always discuss ensuring a tractor meets not just today’s needs but future expansion.
For example, recently planted vineyards may require higher horsepower or hydraulic capacity in a few years.
Choosing the right model from the outset saves unnecessary upgrades later.”
John Deere 5G Series
The 5G series includes multiple model configurations:
Key specifications
Standout feature
AutoTrac GPS auto-steering that simplifies steering, reducing operator fatigue and improving operational accuracy.
Dealer insight
Tuckwells senior sales executive Andy Page commented: “Our best sellers for vineyards are consistently the GV tractors.
For orchards, growers typically prefer either the GF or GN, with selection largely dependent on specific row widths.
The versatile GN is particularly popular among farms operating both vineyards and orchards.
“Key developments for John Deere specialty tractors in include enhanced comfort features, such as flat-floor cabin designs and Category 4 filtration systems.
Additionally, we’re preparing to introduce both autonomous and fully electric specialty tractor models in the near future, responding to increasing demand for sustainable and efficient farming solutions.”
McCormick X4
Multiple configurations are available:
Further specialist options are available.
Key specifications
Standout feature
The X4 V model at 1m width is one of the narrowest specialist tractors on the market.
Valtra F Series
The F Series is available in the following configurations:
Key specifications
Standout feature
High hydraulic capacity. Up to 114-litres/min offers flexibility, capable of effectively operating multiple hydraulic implements simultaneously, ideal for complex orchard/vineyard tasks.
Antonio Carraro A series
The A-series includes:
Standout feature
Ultra-low profile: exceptional stability and balance on steeply sloping vineyards and orchards, as
well as for working in tunnels, under trellises,
and within dense fruit canopies.
Sustainable options
As the industry embraces sustainable and efficient technologies, several innovative tractors are appearing in the market, offering unique features tailored to modern and future farming needs.
These include:
·Electric and hybrid models – Electric specialty tractors represent a major move towards sustainable agriculture, particularly appealing to growers with solar installations, greenhouses, or stringent emission targets.
Coming to the UK in early , the Fendt e100V is an all-electric compact tractor designed to offer a sustainable and efficient alternative to traditional diesel-powered tractors, points out Crawfords group business development manager for vineyard, fruit & professional, Dan Turner.
“It is ideal for use in special crops, in greenhouses, solar farms or on farms with their own power generation or in municipalities,” he explains.
The Fendt e100 V Vario’s compact design and zero-emission operation make it ideal for environments requiring low noise and exhaust free operating.
Equipped with a 100kWh battery, it delivers continuous power of 55kW (75hp) and peak power of 66kW (90hp), with an operating time ranging from 4–7 hours, depending on the application.
·Autonomous farming solutions – Autonomous equipment like the Pellenc RX-20 inter-row crawler and the John Deere ML autonomous orchard tractor signals a future of increased automation.
Such machinery not only reduces labour demands but also allows precise operation that maximises productivity and minimises soil disturbance.
The Pellenc RX-20 is a fully electric vineyard tractor, specifically built for high-density vineyards.
It features an articulated frame for improved manoeuvrability and a low-slung design for under-trellis work.
Quick-swap battery packs allow for near continuous work cycles. With zero emissions, and ultra-low noise, it’s an attractive option for vineyards prioritising sustainability and worker comfort.
Dan Turner of Crawfords adds: “After an initial set up, the machine navigates rows independently, performing tasks like weeding and soil cultivation without operator input.
Its hybrid engine and low soil compaction make it an efficient eco-friendly solution for vineyards that can also reduce long-term operating costs.”
Designed to reduce labour requirements, the John Deere ML Autonomous is a fully self-driving orchard tractor, capable of air blast spraying and other repetitive tasks with LiDAR-based navigation.
Unlike previous autonomous tractors that rely solely on GPS, the autonomous 5ML features seven cameras and sensor arrays that allow it to operate in dense orchards where GPS signals are weak.
A fully electric version is in development.
Cab innovations and operator comfort – Premium features such as flat-floor cabins, customisable tractor settings, and Cat 4 filtration are rapidly becoming standard, or regularly selected options.
Upgrades such as these significantly improve operator comfort, helping growers attract and retain skilled labour.
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