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Machine's versatility impresses farmer

Michael, Beau and James Hockey.

NSW mixed farmer James Hockey from Spring Ridge values the manoeuvrability and versatility offered by Merlo's telescopic handlers designed for Australia's farmers.

James and his brother Michael are third generation farmers operating 3800 ha.

They crop durum wheat, sunflowers and sorghum and run 350 Angus and Hereford breeders to turn-off 400kg to 450kg steers for the feedlot market.

James said they purchased their first Merlo product back in 2000.

Dissatisfied with the poor manoeuvrability from their existing earthmover, whose heavy body damaged the cement floors of their grain shed, the farmers sought an alternative from their local dealer, Roger Moylan from North West Farm Machinery in Quirindi.

Merlo's Multifarmer model had the necessary power take-off and three-point linkage for an auger or field bins, and was ideal for shifting grain, hay and chemicals.

They purchased the Multifarmer with five different attachments (standard forks, grain bucket, gravel bucket, hay spears, round bale grabbers), and they never looked back.

"It has made our farm operations much quicker. If you need to change to another implement - to go from the forks to the buckets - it's done in 10 or 20 seconds. You just remove one attachment and get onto the next," James said.

"Our old earthmover took up to 10 minutes to change implements because it was so heavy, difficult to move and the pins were hard to push in.

"It's just so much quicker now."

The Hockeys are confident with the after-sales support they receive from their Merlo dealer.

"Roger has got full-time mechanics," James said.

"If anything goes wrong, we know we've got the backup service."