Irish Tractor & Agri Magazine January/February 2021

CONTENTS JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 02 AGRI NEWS

26 Campbell Agri Providing contracting services across South Mayo.

8 GMC Agri We talk to the ever busy Gerry McCann.

12 Maguire Family Farm

30 P Smith & Sons Agri Contractors Looking after the needs of farmers in Meath, Cavan and Louth.

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Farming for generations in Collon, GF Coyle Tractors & Co Louth.

50 Wright Agri Contractors

Rory Comiskey Contracts

Helping farmers in South Limerick and North Cork for three decades.

A highly dependable second generation enterprise.

54 McHugh & Harrington Agri Contractors Offering an outstanding service.

58

Farm Machinery

15 EAEC Ltd Providing advice to farmers from their Laois base.

18 Tom Shaw Farm Machinery

Offering value and quality to all their customers.

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Irish Tractor & Agri is published by DG Press, Kells Business Park, Kells, Co. Meath

Casey Agri Providing sales, service and parts for farm machinery.

81 Cashel Mart Livestock & Property Sales

A third generation family One of Tipperary’s leadbusiness. ing livestock marts.

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86

Clive Guing Farm Construction

Patricia McCormack talks to us about the services offered to farmers.

Synonymous with farm Planning Services building in Kildare and Providing a reliable and surrounding counties. independent service.

46 Investing in the best technology available.

DJ McKay & Son

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P. Durkan & Associates

One of the largest 42 agricultural machinery retailers in the midB&M O’Brien Bros lands.

Providing quality agricultural buildings.

22

Johnstown Produce

72

Murphy Agri Hire Agricultural contracting and environmental services.

66

Agri Design &

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Johnston Brothers JS Farm Services Specialists Agri Engineers and Steel Fabricators.

Looking after the machinery needs of farmers.

69 John O’Brien Agri Plant Working with farmers in South Dublin, Wicklow and Kildare.

Tel: (046) 9241923 Fax: (046) 9241926 Email: contact@dgpress.ie

All rights reserved. No part of this publication can be published or reproduced in any way without the written permission of the author or DG Press © Copyright DG Press. The opinions expressed in Irish Tractor and Agri do not necessarily reflect those of the editor, publishers, their agents or Irish Tractor and Agri. While every effort has been made to ensure that the information in this publication is correct, the publisher cannot accept responsibility for any errors that may appear.

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WANT TO SEE YOUR STORY FEATURED ON THESE PAGES? Then get in touch with us at contact@dgpress.ie NEW HOLLAND AGRICULTURE REACHES MILESTONE OF 30,000 LARGE SQUARE BALERS PRODUCED

manufacturing’s highest standards for the integrated management of plants and processes. The result is the consistently high quality of every machine that rolls off our assembly line.”

New Holland Agriculture has reached the significant milestone of 30,000 large square balers produced since it entered the segment in 1987. The landmark BigBaler 1290 Plus was produced at the New Holland Agriculture plant in Zedelgem, Northwest of Belgium, which is the “Center of Excellence” for New Holland harvesters worldwide, and focuses on developing and building combine harvesters, balers and forage harvesters for global export.

The most efficient large square baler in its segment New Holland has led the large square baler segment for more than 30 years. It has introduced a host of pioneering industry firsts that have changed baling across the world. These innovations include double-knot technology, electronic proportional density control, full bale eject functionality and the very first 80×90 bale size – all of which have now become industry standards.

The 30,000th baler bears a commemorative decal created by New Holland to celebrate the milestone.

Carlo Lambro, New Holland Brand President, stated: “Reaching the milestone of 30,000 large square balers is a big accomplishment for New Holland, and in particular for all the people who have built this rich heritage of innovation, and kept our large square balers in the number one position to this day. I would like to thank the people here in Zedelgem who are keeping this legacy alive, building the BigBalers for our customers across the world, and designing the balers of the future.”

Luigi Neirynck, New Holland Plant Manager at Zedelgem, commented: “This is an impressive achievement, and all of us at the Zedelgem plant are very proud that the BigBalers designed and built here continue to set the benchmark for the industry.

We continuously invest in state-of-the art manufacturing technologies and operate according to World Class Manufacturing principles, one of the

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Today’s flagship BigBaler models are true to their heritage of innovation and industry firsts. The BigBaler Plus landmark model features advanced efficiency-boosting technologies, such as the best-in-class SmartFillTM sensor for perfectly uniform bales

and IntelliCruiseTM, which controls the tractor’s forward speed, increasing productivity, optimizing capacity and delivering ultimate bale uniformity. The BigBaler High Density introduced two unique features, the latest in New Holland’s long string industry-firsts in baling. The first is the SmartShiftTM gearbox, a unique driveline concept, winner of the Agritechnica Silver Medal at the Agritechnica Innovation Award 2019, that significantly increases productivity, enhances operator comfort, and improves tractor driveline protection. The second is the unique and patented Loop MasterTM knotting technology: the first commercialized double knotter in the world that prevents plastic pollution. The highdensity baler was also crowned Machine of the Year 2020 in the Forage Harvesting category by a jury panel of journalists representing the leading European agricultural publications.

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LEXION 8900 – 40 PENCE PER TONNE AT 94 TONNES/HOUR On farm assessments conducted this harvest have shown that while the latest LEXION 8900 may be one of the highest capacity and most powerful combines on the market, it is also one of the most fuel efficient with use as low as 0.95 litres/tonne harvested while maintaining a harvesting rate of 94 tonnes/hour.

In addition, analysis of TELEMATICS data for all LEXION 8900 machines operating in the UK showed an overall average fuel consumption of just 66 litres for all engine hours. A further comparison between the previous top-of-the-range LEXION 780 and its new LEXION 8800 equivalent shows a fuel saving from the latter of 3 litres for all engine hours, worth £378*.

Harvest 2020 proved a challenge for many farmers, especially in the north of England and Scotland where the on-farm assessments were carried out. Yet despite the testing conditions and at times high moisture contents, the LEXION 8900 still recorded fuel consumption figures for its 790hp MAN engine as low as 0.95 litres/tonne, or just 40 pence/tonne*.

Over the course of three days in late August/early September, the LEXION 8900TT harvested a total of 141ha of wheat and 34ha of oats on two farms, one near Alnwick in Northumberland and the other near Perth.

Conditions were far from ideal. The assessment followed a period of wet weather, with the result that moisture contents ranged from 15.7% to 19.1% and wheat yields also ranged from 7.84t/ha up to 12.57t/ha.

“We wanted the assessment as far as possible to realistically reflect the efficiency of the new LEXION 8900 in a true farm environment, so included harvesting the headlands and the conditions certainly reflected that and were typical of what many farmers experienced this year,” states Adam Hayward, the CLAAS UK Product Manager for Combine Harvesters who operated the LEXION 8900.

In the first assessment in Northumberland, the LEXION 8900 harvested 107ha of wheat. Conditions meant that harvesting was only possible in the afternoon and evening. However, it was here that the true potential of the LEXION 8900 in a high yielding crop was realised. In a 38ha crop yielding 12.57t/ha, the LEXION was able to maintain an overall average throughput of 94t/ha, including the headlands, using just 11.98 litre/ha or 0.95l/t. By comparison, in a 27ha block of wheat yielding 7.84t/ha, fuel use was just 8.88l/ha or 1.15l/t.

Following these on-farm assessments, using data recorded by TELEMATICS, CLAAS UK have also studied overall fuel use for all LEXION 8900 combines working in the UK last harvest. This showed a total fuel consumption of just 66 litres for all engine hours, so including idling, road travel, etc in addition to working hours. By comparison, total usage for all the previous top-of-the-range 625hp LEXION 780 machines working this year was 68l/hr, while its new equivalent, the LEXION 8800 (653hp), used just 65l/hr. Over the 300 engine hours a combine typically works in a season, this equates to a fuel cost saving of about £378*.

“These figures clearly show how fuel efficient the new LEXION 8000 series is even in testing conditions,” says Adam Hayward. “Fuel is a major running cost. While the LEXION 8900 may be one of the most powerful combines on the market, these assessments demonstrate how modern technology, such as the new APS SYNFLOW threshing system with its larger 755mm diameter drum, Dynamic Power and Dynamic Cooling all help to also make it one of the most fuel efficient combines on the market.” * Red diesel at 42 pence/litre (1st September 2020)

IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

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TIPPERARY FARMER REPORTS IMPROVED SOIL HEALTH SINCE MICHELIN SWITCH A Tipperary farm has reported significant improvements to the health of its soil since moving its tractor fleet onto Michelin tyres.

Coolcroo Farm, near Two-Mile Borris, now runs its four smaller tractors on a variety of different size Michelin XeoBib tyres, while its larger Fendt 828 is fitted with IF 710/70 R42 AxioBib on the rear and VF 600/60 R34 XeoBib on the front. It also operates a Horsh trailed sprayer on VF 710/60 R42 XeoBibs.

“The impact on our soil health has been huge since switching to Michelin, which in turn has improved our yields – and that’s the only thing we’ve changed, so it has to be down to the tyres,” says farm owner Michael Healy.

“The comfort on the road from the XeoBib rubber is also exceptional, you can run at very low pressures and you’re still not rolling and shaking around. I gave a neighbour a run in one of my tractors and now

he’s using them as well.”

Michelin’s XeoBib range is designed for 80 – 220hp tractors, and benefits from a large footprint which helps to reduce soil compaction and rut formation. The tyres are designed to function at one bar of pressure or less regardless of speed or the surface its working on – meaning it’s kinder to the soil and travels efficiently on the road.

The tyre is also built to be more fuel and time-efficient than standard agricultural tyres, reducing slippage to ensure more traction on soft ground.

Praising the tyre life from both new fitments, Healy added: “We just recorded 6,000 hours from the first set of AxioBibs and we average around 5,800 from the XeoBibs, which is far better than anything we’ve run before, saving us money in the long run”.

A family-run arable farming operation covering roughly 1,400 acres, Coolcroo Farm is renowned for the quality of its potatoes. The farm also produces grain, sugar beet and a variety of grasses.

KOMATSU FOREST SALES REFLECT PROJECTED FORESTRY SECTOR GROWTH Projections that forestry is set to become one of the major growth industries of the future are reflected in decisions by a number of leading contractors to invest in new, more modern equipment used in forest management and timber harvesting.

Notable recent sales have seen Wicklow-based contractor, Pat Doyle purchase a new Komatsu Forest model 901XC harvester with fellow contractors P.J.Hassett in Clare, Willie O’Dwyer in Kilkenny and Tony Codd of Millpond, Kilkenny all opting for Komatsu Forest forwarder models.

Used to haul felled timber to the forest edge for onward transport to sawmills, for Hassett the choice was an 845 model with O’Dwyer opting for an 835 model and Codd an 855 and 875 units.

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JOHN DEERE OPERATIONS CENTRE BECOMES SMARTER AND MORE COMPATIBLE With the John Deere Operations Centre, farmers and contractors can manage their farm data anywhere at any time. The app is user-friendly and customers can be linked to their machines, fields and operators on their smartphone or farm computer.

John Deere is constantly developing the Operations Centre, in particular to simplify its use and to enable troublefree data entry from mixed fleet equipment. The latest updates are designed to make the system even smarter and more compatible.

Thanks to a new function, with just a few clicks all processes can be adjusted in the Operations Centre even after fieldwork is finished. This allows farmers to manage operations just as flexibly as with a field book, which is

MICHELIN EXPANDS MULTI-PURPOSE COMPACT TYRE RANGE Michelin has introduced two new sizes of its multi-purpose, all-season CrossGrip tyres for operators of backhoe loaders, skid steer loaders, telehandlers and small tractors.

The new 440/80 R34 and 480/80 R34 CrossGrip fitments expand the range to 12 dimensions, available on both the original equipment and replacement markets.

Forming part of Michelin’s popular Compact Line range, CrossGrip tyres are said by the manufacturer to offer a high load capacity, excellent manoeuvring precision, impressive traction and feature 6

IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

usually kept in the tractor.

If the tractor driver has accidentally documented the wrong crop variety during drilling, for example, this can easily be corrected later on. Further adjustments are also possible for worked area, plant protection products, tank mixtures, harvest year and crop calibration on the combine, among others. By using the free-ofcharge MyOperations app, operators can also add data if they have forgotten to start the documentation or if the machine is not able to record data.

For customers with mixed fleets, the Operations Centre offers several options to import external data. For example, most common third-party displays can be connected using the respective ‘in-house’ format.

Alternatively, data from machines with displays documenting the fieldwork in ISOXML format can be imported into the Operations Centre via a USB stick.

This also works with historic machine data if it is still available somewhere else, for example saved on a computer hard drive.

For fleet management, the cloud-tocloud solution DataConnect from CLAAS, 365FarmNet and John Deere is now fully available. Currently the following machine data can be viewed in the user’s preferred web portal: current and historic machine positions, fuel tank levels, the machine’s work status and speeds. DataConnect can also be used for harvesting logistics and to organise logistic chains.

Even machines without a telematics system can be included in fleet management by using the optional location sharing function within the a special rubber formula designed for year-round use. Reinforced for puncture resistance, they can also be studded for ice usage.

Commenting, Gordon Brookes, Michelin’s Customer Engineering Support Manager, says: “The CrossGrip has proved a popular choice for customers since the first tyres were launched in 2018. Expanding the range with these two key new sizes will widen its appeal even further.

“The tyres work very well on a variety of surfaces – such as sports fields or grass verges – and are particularly effective on snow, ice and loose ground, so it’s ideal timing as we move into winter.”

MyOperations app. This function can be activated by the driver and uses the smartphone’s position to determine the machine’s location.

In addition, the Operations Centre offers functions for better yield analysis.

Crop yields of winter wheat for example can be displayed in a bar chart in which each field is shown individually, one above another. A dotted line through all the bars indicates the average yield, which makes differences easier to identify and analyse.

At Agritechnica 2019, John Deere announced a solution to reduce machine set-up times for farmers and contractors in the field. This new function will be available shortly, and guidance lines, seed rates, application maps and many other fieldwork operations can be defined on a smartphone or in the Operations Centre.

With this system, the driver gets the information sent to the tractor display.

After the data has been imported once, all the settings for steering and documentation are automatically activated when the tractor enters the field boundary and only one click is needed.

The Operations Centre can also provide additional functionality through connections to software providers and their individual solutions. More than 250 companies worldwide are already linked to the John Deere Operations Centre, with different options available depending on the country. In each case, the customer can decide which additional software they want to connect to their Operations Centre account in order to exchange data.

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Servicing the needs of the customer Agricultural contractors provide a wide range of services and all carry out their work in a professional and efficient manner.

GMC Agri Ltd are top class Cavan based Agri Contractors

B

aled silage, slurry, reseeding are just a few of main services provided by Cavan based GMC Agri Ltd who we profile for this month’s edition if Irish Tractor.

For the last number of months Irish roads were adorned with tractors, balers, trailers and other machinery, during a hectic time for all agricultural contractors.

The adverse weather conditions in Ireland means that agricultural contracting is not a procedure that can be

achieved at the same time every year, but when we do get ‘dry spells’, it is essential for agricultural contractors to move quickly.

To do this, they need a modern and efficient fleet of machinery that will stand up to the demands of this hectic period.

“The main aim is to get in and get the job done as quickly as you can. With the weather being so unpredictable, there is only a small window of opportunity to make silage, so it is a case of working GMC Agri Ltd Church Street, Shercock, Co. Cavan Tel: 087-2674297

E-mail: gmcagriltd@gmail.com

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IRISH TRACTOR AND AGRI

24/7 during that period,” stated Gerry McCann who operates GMC Agri Ltd. The business was initially formed in 1985 by Gerry’s uncle Charlie whose unwavering desire to provide the best service possible to his customers has been passed on to his nephew.

“Charlie worked very hard to get the business up and running, but from starting from scratch, there are now around 200 customers on the books in the Cavan, Monaghan, Meath and Louth areas. That is a testament to the service

that Charlie insisted on providing before he passed away two years ago.

“He was always there for the customer and would do his best to help them out in any possible. I started working with him in 1998 and learned so much from him over the years and he has been a great loss to us all.”

To carry out their work to the highest standard possible, GMC Agri Ltd run a modern fleet of machinery, which Gerry feels is the only way you can operate.

“We have a modern fleet of machinery which is kept up to date and this avoids any unnecessary breakdowns that may occur. The machinery has to be in perfect working order during the busy period. There is no room for breakdowns or downtime. Machinery repair costs are expensive. When a job has to be done, it has to be done as quickly as possible.

“We would upgrade the fleet on a regular basis. You have to keep re-investing in your machinery which can be costly, but it is important to do, as the new machinery can be more efficient.”

GMC Agri Ltd focus on baled silage and don’t do any pit silage, so two MacHale Fusion balers and two standard MacHale balers are kept busy during silage season. For slurry work, Gerry revealed that the majority of this is done with the umbilical system.

“We would have a lot of customers that we do the baled silage for and that keeps us going for a number of months during the summer. We are a bit behind in regards to the slurry work as the wet weather has made it impossible to get out on the land. About 80% of our slurry work would be done using the umbilical system, while the rest would be tanker work. Most farmers prefer the umbilical system and the see the benefits of it.

Gerry is a big fan of Massey when it comes to his tractors and he has six of them, which are upgraded on a regular basis in Martin’s of Bailieborough, while he also has a Landini as well.

“Servicing and essential maintenance work is carried out in-house by dealership mechanics and ourselves between November to February ensuring that we are always kept busy. We use local suppliers for diesel, oil, tyres, and machinery parts to support businesses in the local area.”

Even though there are huge time constraints due to the adverse weather we have been experiencing in this country over the last few years, Gerry is pleased with the direction of the business.

“We’d be happy enough with the way

GMC Agri Ltd focus on baled silage

The business was initially formed in 1985 by Gerry’s uncle Charlie

IRISH TRACTOR AND AGRI

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the business is going. We would have seen growth year on year. You have to be able to diversify and with the wide range of services that we provide, we are kept busy all year round.”

The customer base is key to the success of the business and Gerry stressed that he follows his uncle Charlie’s motto in ensuring that they are kept happy with the level of service that is provided.

“Like I said the majority of our customers are there many years and once we keep them happy, then we are happy. Farmers are a loyal breed and once you provide them with the service they want, then they will stick with you.”

These days, there is plenty of paperwork to be looked after and Gerry admits that his wife Sonya provides great help in this area.

“I just wouldn’t have the time to do it all, so Sonya looks after that side of the business, which is a massive help to me. We’d also like to thank family, friends and staff for their support and

GMC Agri Ltd run a modern fleet of machinery

help in contributing to the growth and success of the business down through

the years.”

Best Wishes to GMC Agri Ltd from Best Wishes to GMC Agri Ltd from

McCluskey McCluskey Agricultural Agricultural Consultants Consultants Ltd Ltd Agricultural Consultancy Services Agricultural Consultancy Services

Carrickmacross Road, Shercock, Co. Cavan Carrickmacross Road, Shercock, Co. Cavan

Best Wishes to GMC Agri Best Wishes to GMC Agri

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Best Wishes and Continued Success to GMC Agri

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oral Plant & Agri

Best Wishes and Continued Success to GMC Agri Services Include:

• Baling • Slurry • Rushes Mulching • Hedgecutting • Grass Stitching Contact: Cormac on 087 998 1474 Alden on 086 384 1598 Email: coralplantagri@gmail.com www.facebook.com/Coralplantagri

Best Wishes to GMC AGri

GERRY & ORÍN MOYNAGH Plant Hire

◆ SAWING ◆ TRIMMING ◆ HEDGECUTTING

Telephone: 087 2159161 Email: gerardmoynagh15@gmail.com

Best Wishes to GMC Agri

JONATHAN THOMPSON

& Sons Contracting SLURRY SPREADING, RESEEDING, LIME SPREADING & SEPTIC TANKS EMPTYING

Tel: 087 2667925 Email: thompsoncontractors@google.mail.com

Best Wishes and Continued Success to GMC Agri

MOUNT VIEW ENGINEERING Mountain Lodge, Cootehill, Co Cavan

MANUFACTURING HYD. DOUBLE BALE HANDLERS WITH INDIVIDUAL BALE LIFT Telephone: 042 9660426 / 086 8226879 Email: mountvieweng1@gmail.com Best Wishes to GMC Agri From

Tel: 042 96 69398 E: info@angretiahaulage.ie Lecks, Shercock , Co Cavan

116 Concession Road, Crossmaglen, Newry, Co. Down BT35 9JE IRISH TRACTOR AND AGRI

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A batch of ewes prepared to go in lamb for January

Farming for generations The Maguire Family in Collon, Co Louth have been farming for generations and continue that proud tradition from their unique farm in the west corner of the Wee County. Irish Tractor & Agri touched based with Paul Maguire recently to learn more.

Texel and Romney Rams used for breeding

Maguire Family Farm Collon, Co Louth Mobile: 086 263 9973

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IRISH TRACTOR AND AGRI

Farming for more than 30 years now, the Maguire Family in Collon, Co Louth has earned an excellent reputation for its work.

Paul and his brother Thomas together farm more than 600 acres, with the beef cattle and sheep each being managed separately.

Paul himself specialises in the sheep end of the alongside his wife Mary, son Mark and daughter Olive. Both Mark and Olive are involved in the farm, each taking on the responsibility of their own flock of sheep, including both Jacobs and Blue Texels.

Irish Tractor & Agri heard all about this thriving family business from Paul Maguire recently.

“We’re based near Collon in Co Louth and have been on the go for 30 years, but the family itself would be farming for generations,” Paul outlined.

“The farm itself is a partnership in that my brother, Thomas, would look after the cattle and I look after the sheep.

“Currently, when combined, the family is running a farm with numbers of over 1650 ewes, 50 rams and a 60 head suckler herd, operating over 600 acres.

“All rams and replacements are bred on the farm with both Romney and Texel rams bred for sale. We continue to supply our lambs to our local meat plant, ICM in Navan.”

Last year the Maguires took the decision to shear twice annually and while it has increased costs, it also provides longterm financial benefits.

“Ewes are easier to house requiring less space and reduced bedding,” Paul explained. “They are producing lambs which are born up to five per cent heavier, boosting survival rates and offering early turn out to grass.

“It also reduces the number of ewes going on their back in spring by up to 80%, which in turn decreases labour and the risk of acquiring pet lambs though ewe loss.

“In recent years both myself and Mark have become involved in a sheep farm discussion group, based in the NorthEast and overseen by Teagasc advisor Edward Egan.

“Being involved in such a group has allowed us to benefit from the knowledge, experience and ideas offered by the other members of the group while sharing with them our suggestions of methods we have found beneficial to our farm.”

In 2018, Mark came back home upon completion of his Agricultural Science

Housed sheep feeding in winter pre-lambing

A group of ewes containing mainly Dorset breed

A Dorset ewe ready for going in lamb – primary breed sued

IRISH TRACTOR AND AGRI

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Degree to independently manage his Stabiliser herd and continuously growing flock.

“His input has greatly boosted the family enterprise bringing fresh ideas and a new managerial outlook,” Paul stated.

In addition to his farming, Mark is also a rep within the North East for Natural Stockcare Ltd, a company which supplies a variety of high concentrated feed supplements for livestock.

Such products have been used on the Maguire Family Farm for over 20 years and have been extremely beneficial to increase flock condition as the farm is based in an area lacking in minerals such as cobalt and selenium, with Paul himself a believer that there is no such thing as an ewe in too good of a condition for going in lamb.

Indeed the objective is to have lambs ready for the factory on a weekly basis throughout the year, as they go directly to the meat plant in Navan. That means that while the variation in price will be massive throughout the year, it’s still the average that is most important overall.

In order ensure the constant supply of lambs, the Maguires breed from the beginning of December to April. This makes the Dorset the ideal choice for this system and Paul aims to have six lamb crops in a five-year period.

All of the ewes at Maguire Family Farm are lambed indoors, where there is a large lambing shed on the home farm which accommodates for some 600 ewes.

The majority of the Maguires’ sheep are based at an out farm a couple of miles adrift from the home and they experience few lambing problems, as the lambs are lively and quickly up and sucking.

“The best thing about the style that we’ve adopted here is that we’re practically selling every week, which means that

it’s brilliant for cash flow,” Paul said.

“The lowest time of year for selling lamb would be July and August and the rest of the year round we’re kept busy with it. We’d be doing around 50-60 lambs a week when we’re busy anyway.”

Three years ago, the Maguires were taken by the benefits of introducing Romneys to the flock, and so to date the flock comprises of 70-80% Romney Crosses.

“We are aware every sheep breed has advantages and disadvantages, but for us personally the Romney is a hardy allrounder sheep and suits the type of farm we run,” said Paul.

“Their biggest downfall is that they grow into a larger ewe than most, leading to increased demand for food intake, although most of this demand can be provided by grass. Their benefits include a larger lamb at birth, boosting survival rates.

“Between 2017/18 we noticed an increased number of sheep within the flock pining and showing signs of respiratory compromise. After several similar cases, in conjunction with our dedicated veterinary team and national laboratories the condition was diagnosed as Ovine Pulmonary Adenocarcinoma. This disease is also known as Jaagsiekte which is a contagious lung tumour in sheep and will often go undetected in many flocks despite being widespread.”

In a bid to eliminate the disease and protect the future of the flock, the Maguires adopted a strict culling policy where any sheep of any age showing any signs of respiratory weakness was culled and replaced with home-bred ewe lambs.

Education on the disease and awareness of symptoms allowed them to notice carriers within the flock earlier, leading to culling before

www.mcguinnessseeds.com Tel: (041) 982 4142

the sheep reached a critical stage.

The effect of replacing culls with ewe lambs from their own flock increased replacements from 20% to 25-28% for the following two years. This has had a notable effect of the disease with contraction rates now well below five per cent.

Now looking directly ahead, Paul and the rest of the Maguire clan are aiming towards to developing the business further in 2021.

“Going forward we wish to continue developing our family business and embracing the new ideas, like perhaps lambing some of the flock outdoors to reduce housing needs,” he said.

“As a family we aim to continue seeking out new ideas of how to reduce the workload on an all year-round busy farm.”

Great to hear.

www.mcguinnessseeds.com Tel: (041) 982 4142

www.mcguinnessseeds.com

www.mcguinnessseeds.com

Tel: (041) 982 4142

Best Wishes to Paul Maguire Sheep Farm

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Best Digestibility, Palatability, Productivity.

IRISH TRACTOR AND AGRI

Tel: (041) 982 4142

Best Wishes to Paul Maguire Sheep Farm

GRASS SEED MIXTURES FOR SILAGE, GRAZING AND HAY Best Digestibility, Palatability, Productivity

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Lending a helping hand To be successful in any walk of life whether it be business, sport academical, we all need the right advice at times to make the correct decision.

T

his is the same in the agricultural sector as farmers need outside help to ensure they get the best from their farms and stock. To this end they turn to agricultural consultants.

And for this month’s edition of Irish Tractor, we profile Laois based company EAEC Ltd and speak to managing director Andy Dunne about the services that they provide their clients.

Having being raised on a farm, Andy has farming running through his veins, but his route to becoming an agricultural consultant was not as straight forward as one might think.

“I actually became a secondary school teacher and was teaching for a few years before I went back to college and got a degree in agricultural science,” said Andy.

“From there, I started off on my own, working in a room from the house and that was in 1995 and we have been going ever since. The customer base has grown over the years and from our headquarters in Portlaoise, we would have clients in all the surrounding counties.”

EAEC Ltd’s services include Cross Compliance, Farm Management Advice, Professional Witness Reporting and the many schemes live at the moment including GLAS which is the agri-environment scheme under the Rural Development Programme 2014 – 2020. All farmers may apply. Priority will be given to farmers with priority environmental assets and to farmers who undertake specific priority actions.

Andy Dunne, Managing Director and Agricultural Consultant

Susan Kavanagh, Agricultural Consultant

EAEC LTD James Fintan Lawlor Avenue 7 Kellyville Park Portlaoise, Laois Tel: 057 8620157 Email: adunne@eaecltd.com

IRISH TRACTOR AND AGRI

15

“We provide a range of services to our clients and help them out where we can. We specialise in a number of areas including court work, which you may be surprised to find that there is a good bit of this to be done.”

Andy admitted that the services they provide allows farmers to concentrate on what they are at best doing and that is farming.

“No farmer wants to be bogged down with paperwork and they just want to farm. That is why they use agricultural consultants and we are here to take that burden away from them and help them in any way that we can.”

Best Wishes and Continued Success to EAEC Ltd Of course, and rightly so, farmers will not just take advice from anyone and Andy admitted that you have to earn their trust over a period of time.

“Trust is key and it doesn’t happen Wishing Andy and all the team overnight. You have to earn the client’s at EAEC Ltd the best of luck. trust and to do that we have to make the right decision for them every time. This Unit 2, Kilkenny is their livelihoods that is at Enterprise stake, so Centre, From all the team at ifac.

Purcellsinch Business you can understand why people would Park, be cautious when Road, taking Kilkenny, advice fromR95 TK64 Dublin someone they barely know.

Telephone: 776 3023Andy Mulhare, Agricultural Consultant “I’m fortunate enough to(056) be long 057 8622716 Email: info@offtech.ie Web: enough in business not only | to havewww.offtech.ie

Best wishes and Continued Success to EAEC Ltd

For all your Agri and Hardware needs The Maltings, Main Street, Stradbally, Co. Laois.

Telephone: 057 8641669 Email: infostradbally@gmail.com

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IRISH TRACTOR AND AGRI

www.ifac.ie

Best Wishes to Andy and the team at EAEC LTD from

www.ashmeats.ie

a big customer base, all of who have placed their trust in us, but many of them would be good friends at this stage. I remember when I first started, none of my neighbours would come near me business wise, but over time that changed when they realised I was more than capable of doing the job.”

There are four people employed at EAEC Ltd and Andy stressed that he is delighted to have such an experienced and approachable team in the office.

“I’m very lucky to have good staff here, all of who are very experienced at what they do. The clients like them and that is essential. As a team, we work well together and if there are any issues, we can generally sort them out between us.”

Farming in general is in a mixed place according to Andy with some sectors going a lot better than others, while he feels there are other issues on the horizon that need to be deal with.

“Dairy and forestry are two areas that

Best Wishes to Andy & the Team at EAEC Ltd. From

P.P. Ryan & Co Solicitors P: 0505 46145 E:info@ppryan.com The Square, Rathdowney, Co. Laois

Pauline Dunne, Office Administrator

are doing very well at the moment. The abolishment of the milk quota has been a huge boost to dairy farmers, while anyone that planted trees is certainly reaping the benefits now. Beef has improved slightly, but is in an uncertain place at the moment and that is mainly down to Brexit. No one really knows the outcome of that and there is certainly a lot of concern in the market. The future of CAP is also uncertain, while there is a new EU Green Deal coming into place and that should help benefit farmers.”

Farming in Ireland has evolved over the years and Andy has seen a lot of change in attitude to the way farmers now think.

“You are dealing with a different generation now, people that are college

educated and a lot of went off to other countries to learn farming techniques and they are bringing those ideas back and trying to implement them in their practice.

“I would have clients that would be second generation at this stage. Ireland is one of the best farming countries in the world and we have made great strides in latter years and the aim now is to keep evolving. There are new schemes coming in and the backing is there for farmers to grow in whatever direction they want and we are here to support them in any way that we can.”

Best Wishes and Continued Success to EAEC Ltd

Wishing Andy and all the team at EAEC Ltd the best of luck.

Unit 2, Kilkenny Enterprise Centre, Purcellsinch Business Park, Dublin Road, Kilkenny, R95 TK64 Telephone: (056) 776 3023 Email: info@offtech.ie | Web: www.offtech.ie Best wishes and Continued Success to EAEC Ltd

From all the team at ifac.

057 8622716

www.ifac.ie

Best Wishes to Andy and the team at EAEC LTD from IRISH TRACTOR AND AGRI

17

One of the largest agricultural machinery retailers in the midlands area

32 years (and counting) for Tom Shaw Farm Machinery Ltd Based in Birr, Co Offaly, Tom Shaw Farm Machinery Ltd has built a reputation for excellence in both sales and service over the past 32 years. Irish Tractor & Agri caught up with company Sales Manager Mark Graham recently to learn more.

B

usiness has been good lately at Tom Shaw Farm Machinery Ltd and the plan down in Dromoyle is to keep things

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IRISH TRACTOR AND AGRI

that way right through to 2021.

Established by Tom Shaw in 1988, the company today employs 12 full-time staff and is renowned for its excellent service all throughout the Faithful County and outside of its borders.

Having become a limited company in 1995, the past few decades have seen business expand rapidly for Tom Shaw Farm Machinery Ltd and it is now one of the largest agricultural machinery retailers in the midlands area.

TSFM are main dealers for renowned brands such as Same & Deutz-Fahr Tractors, Krone & McHale forage and grass equipment, HiSpec Slurry equipment, Amazone Fertiliser and tillage equipment, Quicke, Rossmore & Prodig attachments along with various other agencies such as Fransgard, Guttler, Blaney, Conor, Yes, APV, Zuidberg, and many more agencies in the midlands.

They are the sole importers for both French manufactured Belair Self-loading wagons and Jeantil Dung Spread-

Tom Shaw Farm Machinery Ltd is based in Birr, Co Offaly

TSFM are the sole importers for Belair self-loading wagons and Jeantil manure spreaders

Deutz-Fahr and McHale - the perfect match! ers, and are also a member of the Farm Tractor and Machinery Trade Association.

Mark Graham has been the company’s Sales Manager for eight years now and filled Irish Tractor & Agri in on the details.

“Deutz-Fahr Tractors have been on board with us since 2011 and SAME is there since the 1990s,” Mark outlined.

“Business has been good recently considering everything that has gone on with the Coronavirus. We would find that sales are down a bit but we would’ve expected that anyway.

“We did have a very good start to the year with parts and when we opened back up after the lockdown business continued on fairly well.

“Our busy season here has always been the grass season and I would say the most popular machine that we have here is the McHale Fusion.”

Having built up a reputation for excellence in both sales and service, Tom Shaw Farm Machinery is now renowned amongst the farming community the length and breadth of the country.

Tom himself has always used the philosophy of ensuring customer satisfaction and this has seen a large increase in the amount of repeat business that they gain from customers.

From humble beginnings in Dromoyle, the business has blossomed over the years to the point where it is now main dealers for the likes of SAME, DeutzFahr, Krone, Blaney, McHale, HiSpec, Bredal, Conor, Quicke, Rossmore, Guttler, Fransgard and many more.

The company’s Sales Manager outlined that they pride themselves on the service that they provide for their customers.

“We stock a wide range of farm machinery and farm handling equipment and we would be main dealers for all the leading brands,” said Mark.

“Our back up service is something that we are continuously trying to improve and I think our customers are pleased with that.”

The stores at Tom Shaw Farm Machinery Ltd are managed by Peter Dolan and staff and carry an extensive range of parts for a wide range of farm machin-

ery etc.

They stock a wide range of miscellaneous parts such as bearings, hydraulic fittings, filters, oil, tanker fittings, hoses and PTO parts, we are stockists of Sparex and Fastparts Spare parts pro-

Tom Shaw Farm Machinery Ltd Dromoyle, Birr, Co. Offaly Tel: 00353 (0)57 9131147 Sales contact numbers: Tom Shaw 0872535417 Mark Graham 0879551264 Conor Treacy 0879221165 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/ channel/UCx5p0zR Facebook: https://www.facebook. com/Tom-Shaw-Farm-MachineryLTD-135876169921401/ www.tsfm.ie

IRISH TRACTOR AND AGRI

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MotorFactors Factors Motor

Best Wishes to Tom Shaw Farm Machinery

Roscrea Diesel Injection Roscrea Roscrea Diesel Diesel Ltd Ltd

Old OldBacon BaconFactory, Factory,Roscrea, Roscrea,Co.Tipperary.

Co.Tipperary.

Mon-Fri Mon-Fri9am 9amtoto6pm 6pm ••Reconditioning Reconditioningallallmakes makesofofdiesel dieselpumps pumpsand and injectors injectorsfor fortrucks,vans,cars trucks,vans,cars&&agri agrimachinery machinery ••Latest Latesttestt testtequipment equipmentfor forcommon commonrail rail systems systemsininour ourworkshop workshop ••Vehicle Vehiclediagnosis diagnosisiningarage garage ••Call Callour ourEngineering service servicetotoremove remove any anyseized seizedorortight tight Hi-Spec Slurry Tankers available with a wide array of spec including dribble bars and trailing shoes injectors injectorsfrom fromthe the car carororvan. van.

viders.

Contact ContactTony TonyToday Todayfor for Also in stock are a large range of tools, aavery very competitive competitive quote. quote.

Tel:4564410 4564410 Tel: Garahys Test Garahys & Service Centre Centre Client Client lightsTony and beacons and various farm reFax:4564416 4564416 Fax: Tony 087 087 7974142 7974142 / / 085 085 2355697 2355697 F.A.O graphicsdsroe@eircom.net F.A.O Dan graphicsdsroe@eircom.net Dan lated equipment along with a wide range www.dsroeltd.com www.dsroeltd.com 0505 0505 22476 22476 of merchandise including overalls, jackroscreadieselinjection@hotmail.com roscreadieselinjection@hotmail.com

managed by Austin Shaw. ets and coats. Delivery of parts can be In order to keep up to date with the ever arranged throughout Ireland.

• •For Forartwork artworkupdates updatesplease pleasecontact contactGabriel Gabriel Qty Qty more technically advanced machinery Sales are managed by both Tom and For contact Forprice, price,quantity quantityand andlead leadtime, time,please please contactTom Tom Date Date 06/09/2010 06/09/2010 •or•or Representative yourSales Sales Representative workshop on the market to date, the workshop has Mark, while your the company’s a full range of special tools for diagnostic consists of a team of full-time fitters

Best Wishes and Continued Success to Tom Shaw Farm Machinery

AA

TEST & & SERVICE SERVICE CENTRE TEST CENTRE REPAIRING COMMERCIAL REPAIRING COMMERCIAL VEHICLES VEHICLES && TESTING OF OF LCV TESTING LCV ,, HCV HCV & & TRACTORS TRACTORS

VTN VTN

VEHICLE TESTING NETWORK VEHICLE TESTING NETWORK

Fortal, Birr, Birr, Co Fortal, Co Offaly Offaly

Tel 057 9121366 : Fax 057 9121695 Tel 057 9121366 : Fax 057 9121695 Email info@garahys.ie Email info@garahys.ie

150mm x 80mm 150mm x 80mm

our proofnumbers, carefully,fax, paying particular attention to details such as lephone e-mail, websites, etc. phoneresponsibility numbers, fax,for e-mail, websites, etc.from a signed approved artwork. ccept errors produced cept responsibility for errors produced from a signed approved artwork.

20

IRISH TRACTOR AND AGRI

The Glebe House, Clareen, Birr, Co. Offaly � HEAVY HAULAGE � ABNORMAL LOADS � BOAT TRANSPORTATION The Glebe House, Clareen, Birr, Co. Offaly T: 00353 5791 31022 F: 00353 5791 31162 Email: info@whitten.ie W: www.whitten.ie

www.garahys.ie www.garahys.ie

RTANT NOTICE TANT NOTICE your proof carefully, paying particular attention to details such as

Best Wishes and Continued Success to Tom Shaw Machinery

Signature Signature

Please sign only when final artwork is approved Please sign only when final artwork is approved

TSFM are main agents in the Midlands for Krone Hay and Forage equipment

and repair of all the machines they sell, including fully kitted service vehicles.

The staff, as well as Tom himself, attend all relevant service courses both in Ireland and overseas on a regular basis to keep up to date with all current models and developments.

Accounts and administration are managed by Siobhan Doyle and they have recently updated their software to allow them to keep up with developments in this area.

Tom Shaw Farm Machinery endeavours to better its reputation for selling only the best machinery, new and second hand.

When dealing with them you can be sure of the best personal attention which the company is renowned for.

“To be fair to Tom, he has always prided

right now between the Coronavirus and himself on good service and good back Brexit coming at the end of the year, but up,” Mark pointed out. hopefully we can move forward.”

“You try and have as much of the basics The Tom Shaw Farm Machinery Ltd as you can there when it comes to parts team would like to thank their customand it goes a long way with customers. ers for their business over the years and “You’d always be trying to retain your hope that the relationship continues for customers around the area and a lot of some years to come. customers travel to us as well.

“We’re right on the Galway border here and you’d have some lads saying that we’re in the sticks out here, but we still Best Wishes to Tom Shaw Farm Machinery cover a lot of counties when it comes to Roscrea Diesel Injection Roscrea Roscrea Diesel Diesel Ltd Ltd our customers.”

Looking towards the months ahead, Mark hopes that the company will continue to attract new customers and keep the old ones satisfied.

Old OldBacon BaconFactory, Factory,Roscrea, Roscrea,Co.Tipperary.

Co.Tipperary.

“We’ll be hoping to stabilise a little bit,” Mon-Fri Mon-Fri9am 9amtoto6pm 6pm he said. “These are very uncertain times ••Reconditioning Reconditioningallallmakes makesofofdiesel dieselpumps pumpsand and injectors injectorsfor fortrucks,vans,cars trucks,vans,cars&&agri agrimachinery machinery ••Latest Latesttestt testtequipment equipmentfor forcommon commonrail rail systems systemsininour ourworkshop workshop ••Vehicle Vehiclediagnosis diagnosisiningarage garage ••Call Callour ourservice servicetotoremove removeany anyseized seizedorortight tight injectors injectorsfrom fromthe thecar carororvan. van.

WholesaleMotor MotorFactors Factors Wholesale

Contact ContactTony TonyToday Todayfor for very competitive competitive quote. quote.

Tel:4564410 4564410 aavery Tel: Garahys Test Garahys & Service Centre Centre Client Client Fax:4564416 4564416 Fax: Tony Tony087 087F.A.O 7974142 7974142 / / 085 0852355697 2355697 F.A.O graphicsdsroe@eircom.net Dan graphicsdsroe@eircom.net Dan www.dsroeltd.com www.dsroeltd.com 0505 050522476 22476 roscreadieselinjection@hotmail.com roscreadieselinjection@hotmail.com

AA

• •For Forartwo artw Qty Qty For Forprice price Date Date 06/09/2010 06/09/2010 •or•or your yourSa S

Best IRISH Wishes andAND Continued Success TRACTOR AGRI 21 to Tom Shaw Farm Machinery

TEST & & SERVICE SERVICE CENTRE TEST CENTRE

Investment is key for O’Gorman brothers Technology plays a massive part in all our lives regardless of what area we work in and the willingness to invest in new technology and machinery helps many businesses stay ahead of their competitors.

Some 330 acres of potatoes are grown

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IRISH TRACTOR AND AGRI

Association Council

Continuous investment sees Johnstown Produce keep up to date with the latest technology

T

o this end, Johnstown Produce Ltd leads the way in applying the latest technology to their methods and producing a level of potato that is rivalled by few on these isles.

The O’Gorman brothers, Kevin, Brendan and John have always placed a great emphasis on investment as their eagerness to bring in the latest technology has enhanced their business dramatically over the years.

A Dewulf harvester bought from Quaile Machinery in Dublin who are a new dealership and irrigation equipment have been the latest investments made by the O’Gorman brothers and Kevin told Irish Tractor that it was essential to invest back into the business.

“Technology is changing all the time and a lot of the machinery coming out now cuts down on man hours and gets through the work a lot quicker,” said Kevin. “We bought the harvester from a new dealership in Dublin called Quaile Machinery and we have been impressed by the service that they have provided us. One of their technicians worked with Grimme for many years and he is one of the best that there is around.

“There are a lot of time constraints in this industry and if you can get the more done quicker and more efficiently than there is no doubt that investing is key.”

The O’Gorman’s have always focused on producing high quality potatoes as well as working a dairy and tillage farm at the same time. Between them, the business works like clockwork and with the help of two full time employees, plus seasonal workers, Johnstown Produce Ltd can service their customers’ needs.

Today, some 330 acres of potatoes are grown, predominantly on rented land within a seven-mile radius of Johnstown, near Castledermot in County

Kildare. Johnstown Produce Ltd. grow Rooster potatoes exclusively and a yield of 20 tonnes per acre on a good year makes them Kildare’s largest potato producer. Virtually the entire harvest goes to O’Shea Farms in Piltown, County Kilkenny.

Outside of contract mowing for silage, the O’Gorman’s do everything themselves and are 100% self-sufficient.

They run six John Deere’s (which are paired with 32-foot Gillespie Trailers for potato harvesting) two self-propelled potato harvesters, and a Fendt and also hire in a Fendt 930 to drive the rotavator and ridger. However, their corn sowing Contact Details: Johnstown Produce Ltd., Johnstown, Athy, County Kildare Tel: 087-2369924 Web: www.johnstownproduce.com

Johnstown Produce Ltd. grow Rooster potatoes exclusively IRISH TRACTOR AND AGRI

23

clashes with potato harvesting and so it is subbed out to the Brennan Brothers who carry out an excellent service for the O’Gorman’s.

The fleet is maintained in optimal working condition at all times and fresh units

Box Storage BoxRefrigeration Storage Refrigeration Louvres Louvres Controls Controls

Bulk Storage BulkFans Storage Fans Glycol Glycol Inverters Inverters

Best wishes and Continued Success Johnstown Farm Produce Best wishestoand Continued Success to Johnstown Farm Produce

are added as and when required. Crucially, the O’Gorman brothers are not weighed down by any potentially-crippling overheads outside of the day-today running of their mixed farming enterprise and this leaves them on very sound financial footing going forward.

“Even though we do invest as much as possible, we try not to get ourselves into major debt and the aim is to keep the overheads down as much as possible.”

Like everyone in the country, the O’Gorman’s have had to adapt to living with Covid, but Kevin stressed that they been practicing social distancing for years.

“When you are out on a tractor in a middle of a field and no one else around, you can’t get much better social distancing than that,” he joked.

“We have been practicing it for years, but we have the proper procedures in place when needed, but fortunately it never affected our workload and we have been going all summer.”

Of course, one of the biggest issues facing the industry is the weather and Kevin stated that once you get that window of opportunity the work has to be done.

“The weather is something that we have

Best Wishes and Continued Success to Johnstown Farm Produce Best Wishes and Continued Success to Johnstown Farm Produce

Balcunnin, Skerries, Co. Dublin, K34 XP40 Balcunnin, Skerries, Co. Dublin, K34 XP40 Telephone: Ian Rooney 087 6502336 Telephone: Ian Rooney 087 6502336 Brian Finnegan 087 3971488 Brian Finnegan 087 3971488

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IRISH TRACTOR AND AGRI

to deal with, there is not much we can do about it and everyone knows the type of weather that we have here. So, when it is fine, we just go at it and try to get the work done during these periods of dry weather.”

Ever the perfectionists, the O’Gorman’s are not about to sit back and feel that they can’t improve on the business as Kevin was in no doubt that they are continuously looking at ways of enhancing their services.

“Like I said, investment is very important, and we have invested a lot of the last few years. We try to keep the tractors as long as we can as they are a big investment, but when they need changing, we will do just that.

We all know how much the Irish love the potato, it is an essential part of a stable diet and the ‘spuds’ produced by this family run business are second to none to say the least.

Producing a level of potato that is rivalled by few Best Wishes and Best Wishes andto Continued Success Continued Success to Johnstown Farm Produce Johnstown Farm Produce

Unit 1a, Bunclody Road, Tullow, Co. Carlow 1a, Bunclody Road,www.wjamestyres.ie Tullow, Co. Carlow E:Unit info@wjamestyres.ie E: info@wjamestyres.ie www.wjamestyres.ie Phone: 059 915 2787 Mobile: 087 836 2331 Phone: 059 915 2787 Mobile: 087 836 2331

Brennan Brothers Agri Contractors Best Wishes and continued success to Johnstown Produce Ltd. From all the team at ifac.

05991 32046

Best Wishes and Continued Success to Johnstown Farm Produce

Keatley Concrete Ltd

Best Wishes and Continued Success to Johnstown Farm Produce

Liam Coogan

Broadstown, Graney, Baltinglass, Co. Wicklow

Suppliers of Ready Mix Concrete Washed Block & Plastering Sand, Washed 10mm & Crushed Stone

T: 086-2457608

E: keatleyconcrete@gmail.com Best Wishes and Continued Success to Johnstown Farm Produce

www.ifac.ie

Hedge Cutting

• FENCING CONTRACTOR • SLURRY SPREADING • TOPPING Knockfield, Rathvilly, Co. Carlow Tel: 059 9144145, Mob: 086-8700782

Best wishes and Continued Success to Johnstown Farm Produce

Best Wishes and Continued Success to Johnstown Farm Produce

UNITED BOX LTD Baikie Farm, Airlie, Kirriemuir, DD8 5NY, United Kingdom Telephone: 01575 530229 | 07968 322175 Email: united.box@pallet.co.uk | Web: www.unitedbox.co.uk

Produced with the highest quality timber sourced from James Jones & Sons Ltd Potato Boxes made to order All manufactured to BS Standard 7611/92 Stencilling available by Ink Jet System Haulage Co-ordinated throughout Ireland

IRISH TRACTOR AND AGRI

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Campbell Agri provide a comprehensive range of high-quality contracting services

Campbell Agri serving farmers’ needs in South Mayo For three decades and counting, Campbell Agri have been providing a comprehensive range of high-quality contracting services to farmers across South Mayo. We travelled to Hollymount and spoke to founder Brendan Campbell to get an insight into this exceptional, long-established family business, which looks after its clients impeccably and in turn receives excellent service from a host of local dealers.

The experienced staff at Casey Agri

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IRISH TRACTOR AND AGRI

C

atering for all agricultural contracting needs - from mowing, baling, wrapping, stacking / hauling, shaking and raking to slurry, hedge cutting, land reclamation and groundworks Campbell Agri are renowned across South Mayo for delivering prompt, professional and efficient solutions.

The genesis of this highly-regarded, family-run enterprise goes back to 1990, when Brendan Campbell started out initially on a part-time basis… “I had bought a round baler to do our own baling at my wife Paula’s home place and people started to ring me to see if I’d do some work for them,” he reflects. “I decided to go full time at it from around 1994-95. As the contracting got busier and more and more people were enquiring about my services, I left my job with eircom and have been contracting and farming full time ever since.”

In response to demand, Brendan gradually increased his fleet of machinery to provide a wider range of solutions. Today, the main services offered include reseeding, hedge cutting, silage, slurry, land reclamation and digger work.

Campbell Agri is very much a family business, with Brendan’s sons and nephews on hand to provide unrivalled customer service levels. Son Kenneth is on board full time, while other family members also play leading roles in the ongoing success and viability of this outstanding contracting operation: “Kenneth is here with me all the time and I’d be lost without him,” says Brendan.

“Jamie, my youngest son, is in college and he helps out with silage, baling and mowing during the summer. Niall is a teacher and is also here during the summer months and weekends, while Dwayne is an engineer with McHale’s in Ballinrobe and he works here in the evenings and at weekends. He designs belt balers there and he’d often test them

here. He also does most of our maintenance work during the winter.

“I also have a good few nephews helping out. My brother John is a farmer and his son Alan is a big help when we are busy during the summer, as is Jack Colleran my nephew and my neighbour JJ Connelly. I’ve had great help over the last 20 years or so. They are all great lads and I can depend on them to get the work done quickly and tidily. Jarlath Moran is a digger operator working for me a long time also.”

At the height of the summer, Campbell Agri run eight tractors – seven of their own and one hired. The tractors are all Case and are sourced locally from

Modern machinery means contractors can get through jobs much faster than a decade ago

the Jennings family at Castlebar Farm Machinery. “Castlebar Farm Machinery is only down the road and McHale’s didn’t do tractors at the time – they weren’t even making balers yet,” Brendan notes. “So I went to Jennings and have stuck with them ever since because they give me such good service.

“The same applies to McHale Farm MaCampbell Agri, Robeen, Hollymount, County Mayo.

Tel: 086 6992551

Brendan deals with Castlebar Farm Machinery for his Case tractors because of their excellent service

IRISH TRACTOR AND AGRI

27

Best Wishes and Continued Success to Campbell Agri

At the height of the summer, Campbell Agri run eight tractors Best Wishes and Continued Success to Campbell Agri

They really look after us, too.

CASTLEBAR FARM MACHINERY LTD. chinery with the balers and mowers.

Loughglynn, Castlerea,

TURLOUGH ROAD, CASTLEBAR, CO. MAYO | TEL. (094) 9021307 / 9024874 I’m friendly with Padraic and, with Dwayne working in there, we are Co. Roscommon Y580.to never stuck. Located here in South Mayo, we are very F45 privileged WWW.CASTLEBARFARMMACHINERY.IE

from094 well-known local suppliers 9880015 Longest Established Agricultural Dealers In Mayo get such a fantastic local serviceTel:

and manufacturers. We’re only a couple of miles from McHale’s Mobile: 085 7498080. and Castlebar Farm Machinery, while Malone Farm Machinery is also nearby and you also in: have Major Equipment in Ballyhaunis…

Specialising All animal dosing and minerals e.g.

“We get our pre-calving, tractors andhi-meg, hedgecalf cutters from Jennings; mowers to beef and fertility bucket.

AGENTS FOR KVERNELAND TAARUP, FLEMING, and balers from McHale’s; mowers and shakers from Malone’s.

So Also carry a full range of sheep and horse buckets and HARDI, GAYSA, QUICKE, BOMFORD, McCONNEL. Mayo is well servedpre-calving when it comes tobags farmwith machinery and we stay mineral seaweed.

IMPORTERS OF WIDE RANGE OF local as youElectric can get all the gear herewellingtons as well asand great service. fencing equipment, rain gear and TRACTORS AND MACHINERY miscellaneous farmyard items.

Silage Wrap.

Silage additives “I’ve never had any issues with any of the machinery.

They’re manSPARE PARTS AND ACCESSORIES AVAILABLE FOR for bales and pit.

Also provide silage and grass sampling. ufactured locally, are readily available off the shelf so to speak and if Campbell MOST MAKESAgri OF TRACTOR ANDall MACHINERY SERVICE WHAT WE SELL caters for agriculturalWEcontracting needs

MAIN IMPORTERS OF TRACTORS TO THE WEST OF IRELAND

Best Wishes and Continued Success to Campbell Agri

Best Wishes and Continued Success to Brendan Campbell Agri

Clooncormac, Hollymount, Co. Mayo Telephone: 0872589982

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IRISH TRACTOR AND AGRI

there is ever any repair work being done, the local dealers will look after you. Our balers are serviced every year and there has never been a problem with them.”

Complementing the tractors, other key items in the machinery yard include two McHale Fusion 3 Plus balers and one F550 baler, a disc harrow, power harrow, three slurry tankers with associated equipment, Hitachi diggers and dump trailers. Brendan and Paula farm just under 100 acres themselves, and would generally keep up to 110 animals at any given time, including a few horses. As a farmer himself, the Mayo man appreciates only too well the keen service his customers expect when it comes to agri contracting: “You have to be ready to move when they are ready – the days of saying you will be there in a week are long gone,” he states. “They want the work done either today or tomorrow and they all watch the weather and then ring you when they’re ready. You could be under fierce pressure in the silage season because they could all ring you at the same time. That has become a major issue and you have to work long hours in the summer, which isn’t easy as you get older but thankfully I have the young lads to help out.”

Modern machinery means contractors can get through jobs much faster than a decade ago, although the caveat is that rates haven’t increased accordingly. “The amount of grass you can get through in a day with two Fusions, if conditions are right, is unreal,” Brendan confirms. “Our 2019 model, with the new rotor and feeder, is so fast that it starts baling one bale before the previous one is wrapped. Things are moving extremely quickly and you can imagine the amount of grass that’s in the chamber. It’s totally different than a few years back.”

Campbell Agri predominantly work with

An array of stock back in the early days of the business

Some of the quality used tractors available a 20-mile radius of Hollymount (but go further for digger work). As a direct consequence of the quality service invariably delivered, Brendan benefits from a large volume of repeat business. Indeed, many of his customers have been on the books since he started out and he even works for second-generation families on some farms.

In order to consistently provide optimal service levels, ongoing investment

Best Wishes and Continued Success to Campbell Agri

CASTLEBAR FARM MACHINERY LTD. TURLOUGH ROAD, CASTLEBAR, CO. MAYO | TEL. (094) 9021307 / 9024874 WWW.CASTLEBARFARMMACHINERY.IE

Longest Established Agricultural Dealers In Mayo

MAIN IMPORTERS OF TRACTORS TO THE WEST OF IRELAND AGENTS FOR KVERNELAND TAARUP, FLEMING, HARDI, GAYSA, QUICKE, BOMFORD, McCONNEL. IMPORTERS OF WIDE RANGE OF TRACTORS AND MACHINERY SPARE PARTS AND ACCESSORIES AVAILABLE FOR MOST MAKES OF TRACTOR AND MACHINERY WE SERVICE WHAT WE SELL Best Wishes and Continued Success to Campbell Agri

in fleet upgrades, replenishment and maintenance is a prerequisite. “You’re never out of the woods but that’s the nature of the game,” the personable Mayo contractor concludes. “You are forever putting money back into the business.

You’re all the time building up assets and will never have your pockets full but as long as you have enough to keep you going, that’s the main thing.”

Best Wishes and Continued Success to Campbell Agri

Loughglynn, Castlerea, Co. Roscommon F45 Y580.

Tel: 094 9880015 Mobile: 085 7498080.

Specialising in: All animal dosing and minerals e.g. pre-calving, hi-meg, calf to beef and fertility bucket.

Also carry a full range of sheep and horse buckets and pre-calving mineral bags with seaweed.

Electric fencing equipment, wellingtons and rain gear and miscellaneous farmyard items. Silage Wrap. Silage additives for bales and pit. Also provide silage and grass sampling.

Best Wishes and IRISH Continued Success TRACTOR AND AGRI to Brendan Campbell Agri

29

An immuculate fleet of tractors and machinery is very much at the heart of the operation

P Smith & Sons Agri Contractors are both reliable and efficient

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IRISH TRACTOR AND AGRI

The P Smith & Sons Agri Contractors fleet is regularly replenished

From their base in Tierworker, P Smith & Sons Agri Contractors provide a full range of high-quality contracting services to farmers in counties Meath, Cavan and Louth. We caught up with Padraig Smith to get the latest on this exceptional family-run operation.

L

ocated amidst the undulating terrain of Tierworker, Kells, along the Meath–Cavan county boundary, P Smith & Sons Agri Contractors is a long-established, valueadded agri contracting business that has been professionally and promptly meeting the needs of local farmers since the mid-1980s.

Providing a comprehensive range of contracting solutions, the business was established by Philip Smith and is today overseen by Philip’s sons, Padraig and Andrew, generating direct full-time employment for a team of four all year around, with this number rising to ten during the peak of the summer.

As dairy and beef farmers themselves, the Smiths understand implicitly the qualities that an agri contractor needs to deliver on a consistent basis to earn trust and loyalty from their customers: “You have to get a good, professional, efficient job done when they need it,” Pad-

raig states. “You have to provide the exact services the farmer wants and make sure you give them a reliable service.

“We have a lot of long-established customers going back over the years; we look after them and they look after us.

Ultimately, it all boils down to giving a good reliable service with good machinery and experienced operators.”

A fresh and immaculate fleet of tractors and machinery is very much at the heart of the operation. Tractor-wise, P Smith & Sons Agri Contractors run seven Valtras and three Masseys – one 7726 and two 7718s. A new Valtra T194 was purchased this year, teaming up with a T173, T170 and two T160s as well as an old 8200, which is paired with a saw head all year around, and an 8550, which is used on site with a recently-acquired loader.

What is it about the Valtra brand that appeals to the Tierworker-based contractors? “We’re just well-used to them at this stage and really like them,” says

Padraig. “They’re extremely reliable and you get a good service out of them.

They’re user-friendly and we’re comfortable using them as we’re so familiar with them.”

As well as contracting, the Smiths are also an integral part of the local farming community, Philip – who started contracting three-and-a-half decades ago - overseeing the 250-acre home farm, milking cows and finishing cattle, while his sons focus on the second-generation contracting enterprise. “We still work for a lot of customers who have been with Contact Details: P Smith & Sons Agri Contractors, Tierworker, Kells, County Meath.

Tel: 087 7631817

Meeting the needs of local farmers since the mid-1980s

IRISH TRACTOR AND AGRI

31

us since the start,” Padraig confirms.

For silage, the Smiths run a Claas 850 self-propelled forage harvester alongside a pair of McHale Fusion balers. For slurry, they have two umbilical pipe systems with dribble bars, a SlurryKat with trailing shoe and tankers with splash plates. “Basically, any way that slurry can be spread, we will do it,” Padraig notes. They also have two McConnel flail mowers and a saw on one tractor for hedge cutting as well as a saw and sheers for their 13-tonne JCB track machine.

Masters of multi-tasking, P Smith & Sons Agri Contractors, who took possession of a new disc harrow in August, also specialise in reseeding and ploughing. “We sow grass and a small amount of barley,” says Padraig. “We also do rear-discharge muck spreading and spread fertilizer. We have a couple of dumpers, too, and do a good bit of site clearance and dump trailer work. We cover everything really – silage, slurry, hedge cutting, reseeding, digger work, tree removal with shears, site clearance for houses, fertilizer spreading, ploughing, levelling, baling – you name it! You have to be able to do a bit of everything these days.”

P Smith & Sons Agri Contractors provide a full range of high-quality contracting services

A large catchment area within a 35km radius approximately of Tierworker is covered, encompassing parts of counties Meath, Cavan and Louth. “We go down as far as Shercock and Bailieborough, over to Virginia and Carnaross and back up to Kells and Athboy then

Best Wishes to P Smith & Sons

over towards Ardee and Slane as well as everywhere in between,” says Padraig.

To provide such a comprehensive range of services, having top-class machinery manned by highly-experienced and

Best Wishes and Continued Success to P Smith & Sons

ROGERS PLANT HIRE Carnans, Bailieborough, Co. Cavan Mob: 083 8077153 Email: seanfrancisrogers@yahoo.com

• DIGGER HIRE • LAND DRAINAGE • SITE CLEARANCE • DOZER HIRE • TRACTORS & 20 TON DUMPERS Best Wishes and Continued Success to P Smith & Sons

PETER DUFFY AGRI KINGSCOURT, CO. CAVAN

Mob: 087 9265060 | Email: duffypeter7@gmail.com

AGRI CONTRACTING • AGRI SALES • AGRI REPAIRS 32

IRISH TRACTOR AND AGRI

Services are offered to farmers in Meath, Cavan and Louth –skilled operators is a prerequisite. To this end, the P Smith & Sons Agri Contractors fleet is regularly replenished, with all units preserved in optimal running order at all times.

“We’re always upgrading the fleet and adding new gear – you simply have to do so,” Padraig concludes. “You are constantly racing against the weather and if you are going to have any chance of getting through the work then you have to have good machinery.

“The Claas 850 harvester is only in its second season and we also added a new New Holland W170D loading shovel this year as well as a new SlurryKat slurry kit this year and the aforementioned Valtra tractor. We got a new SlurryKat pipe system last year and a new Mastek dribble bar in 2018. The bottom line for any contractor is that you have to continually reinvest and keep reliable machinery in order to be able to guarantee reliable work.”

P Smith & Sons have been doing this for decades and have developed an unrivalled reputation for excellence. Setting and maintaining the highest standards, this exceptional family-run business boasts a proven track record of looking after the needs of local farmers and – backed by a wealth of experience and expertise - is in a very strong position going forward.

Giving a good reliable service with good machinery and experienced operators

IRISH TRACTOR AND AGRI

33

GF Coyle is one of Ireland’s premier providers of second-hand tractors and farm machinery

Value and quality guaranteed with GF Coyle Focussed on offering farmers and contractors both value and quality, GF Coyle is one of Ireland’s premier providers of second-hand tractors and farm machinery.

W

e popped into their busy base at Nicholastown, Athy and had a chat with George Coyle Jnr. to get an insight into this exceptional family business, which provides unrivalled solutions to a growing range of customers nationwide.

The genesis of GF Coyle Tractors & Farm Machinery dates back to 2006, when the company was established in County Kildare by George Coyle Snr., selling mainly new grass equipment

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IRISH TRACTOR AND AGRI

in the early days. Today, the business is fronted by the founder’s son, also George, and has expanded its offering to specialise in the sale of second-hand tractors, agri machinery and telehandlers to customers from the length and breadth of Ireland.

Sourcing high-quality tractors and machinery – predominantly from the UK GF Coyle afford farmers a value-added service by providing excellent, dependable products at a fair price, enabling them to reduce overheads and increase profit margins.

While they are renowned near and far for their expertise and in-depth knowledge of the New Holland marque, GF Coyle stock all makes and models of tractors from 30hp up to 300hp and have a large, diverse range of fresh machinery (mowers, tedders, balers, hedge cutters, fertiliser spreaders, straw choppers, telehandlers, etc.) on hand at any given time, ready for immediate delivery. And furthermore, as tillage farmers themselves (winter cereal primarily and

hay for the equine market), they have a wealth of practical experience and thus know precisely what a farmer or contractor expects when they invest in their fleet.

The fact that the business effectively grew out of a home farming enterprise gives GF Coyle a key advantage, as George Jnr. notes: “As farmers, we know the products inside-out and we know what farmers need and what is going to work for them. When you are

getting into that more-techy stuff, you can have all the training in the world but there’s no substitute for practical experience. We endeavour to keep up with all the modern technology. You can’t beat practical experience.”

As well as tapping into quality and value for money, customers of GF Coyle also have peace of mind that their tractor or machine will perform at optimal levels: “We only take in the very best gear and I am extremely confident in everything we sell.”

From their Kildare base, GF Coyle provide an island-wide service. “Believe it or not, almost half of our customers are from Cork – definitely 40% anyway,” George Jnr. continues. “It’s strange how things work and you can find yourself in a geographical pocket. If you get a tractor into a particular area, word of mouth spreads around and you end up getting a lot of repeat business in that area.

“Some customers will be looking for a specific tractor and we will source that provided we can find value and straight machines. But it’s a given that any machine we sell has to be of the highest quality. I’ve turned down a lot of business because I didn’t feel that the tractor or machine offered both value and quality. I’d rather me be disappointed than the farmer be disappointed because bad news travels fast.”

What kind of year has 2020 been for the business? With the restrictions and lockdowns and loss of earnings across the economy, has GF Coyle been adversely affected? “The coronavirus situation has been strange. It was very slow after the first lockdown but then things picked up and we were perhaps busier than we would have been in a normal year. I think what happened was a lot of part-time farmers came home and realised that this is their staple; people were more focussed on farming and forgot about their city jobs.”

Reflecting on how the business has evolved over the years, George continues: “We actually started off selling a lot

Contact Details:

Offering a huge range of second-hand tractors and agri machinery

G F Coyle Tractors & Farm Machinery, Nicholastown, Athy, County Kildare.

Tel: 087 387 3737 Email: gfcoyle@gmail.com Web: gfcoyle.ie

IRISH TRACTOR AND AGRI

35

Best Wishes and Continued Success to GF Coyle Ltd

Martin & Noel Saunders

S&S AGRI

Providing unrivalled solutions to a growing range of customers nationwide

McFarland Transport

PHILIP PHILIP Ireland Ireland TYres TYres 1-4 1-4 ad_Layout ad_Layout 1 04/03/2019 1 04/03/2019 12:43 12:43 Page Page 1 1 PHILIP Ireland TYres 1-4 ad_Layout 1 04/03/2019 12:43 Page 1

52 Letterbratt Road, Plumbridge, Omagh, Co. Tyrone, Northern Ireland BT79 8DX Email: mcfarlandtransport@yahoo.co.uk Telephone: +44 (0) 77304 37304

Best Wishes and Continued Success to GF Coyle Ltd

Ross Cullohill, Portlaoise, Co. Laois Tel: 087 2229095 (Martin) | 086 4082738 (Noel) Email: martin.saunders55@gmail.com

Best Wishes and Continued Success to GF Coyle Ltd.

Philip Ireland Tyres Ltd.

TYRE SUPPLY & REPAIRS TO ALL CARS, TRUCK & AGRI VEHICLES AGRICULTURAL TYRE SPECIALIST

Unit 7A, Cillin Hill, Dublin., Kilkenny Telephone: 056 7790857 / Mob: 086 82498094

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IRISH TRACTOR AND AGRI

of new grass equipment but we were importing it from France and the Czech Republic and found that we were having trouble with the availability of parts. With second-hand machinery, we can literally access parts the next day if we need them.

“Also, new machinery is expensive and there’s a very fine line between whether or not the expenditure is justified. A man will get much better value out of a good-quality second-hand machine and everything here is geared towards unlocking that value. We don’t have a state-of-the-art facility or any unnecessary overheads but, because we are farmers ourselves, we know tractors through and through – both in terms of the specifications and the work conditions. We are in the farmer’s shoes.”

As a traditional family business, GF Coyle is committed to providing a friendly service with a personal touch. Between them, George Jnr. and his parents George Snr. and Carol ensure the smooth operation of the business.

Having studied engineering, George Jnr. spent a year working in England and it was while here that he built up some invaluable contacts. “I got very friendly with local contractors and dealerships and I maintained those contacts. I travel over most weekends myself and try to see everything first-hand before buying anything. I bring the good machinery back home with me and it is all handpicked. Whether I take home ten or 30 in a month, they will be good ones only. If the quality isn’t there, I won’t buy.”

Generally, GF Coyle might sell up to 100 units in a given year. At the time of writing, up to 75 tractors had been imported so far in 2020, although the market has of course been volatile with a lot of fluctuations for obvious reasons. “We sell tractors mostly - because that’s where my passion lies,” George notes. “It’s a

The majority of tractors and machinery is sourced from the UK

The company has expanded to sell second-hand telehandlers hobby for me as well as a job. A telehandler, for example, is a more difficult machine as it’s in the yard and there isn’t the same personal connection that the farmer tends to have with his tractor.

“We mostly specialise in New Holland,

again stemming back to what we know,” the Kildare man concludes. “They are very popular in this area and are used locally on a large scale so we know them inside-out. They’re very good sellers, are reliable and parts are readily available.”

Best Wishes and Continued Success to GF Coyle Ltd

Martin & Noel Saunders

McFarland Transport

S&S AGRI

PHILIP PHILIP Ireland Ireland TYres TYres 1-4 1-4 ad_Layout ad_Layout 1 04/03/2019 1 04/03/2019 12:43 12:43 Page Page 1 1 PHILIP Ireland TYres 1-4 ad_Layout 1 04/03/2019 12:43 Page 1

52 Letterbratt Road, Plumbridge, Omagh, Co. Tyrone, Northern Ireland BT79 8DX Email: mcfarlandtransport@yahoo.co.uk Telephone: +44 (0) 77304 37304

Best Wishes and Continued Success to GF Coyle Ltd

Ross Cullohill, Portlaoise, Co. Laois Tel: 087 2229095 (Martin) | 086 4082738 (Noel) Email: martin.saunders55@gmail.com

Best Wishes and Continued Success to GF Coyle Ltd.

IRISH TRACTOR AND AGRI

Philip Ireland Tyres Ltd.

37

Patricia set up her own herd in 2015 under the Young Farmer Scheme

Patricia pictured outside the office in Elphin. P Durkan & Associates

The professionals

Agricultural consultants play a vital role in the industry as every farmer that uses one will agree. Farming has evolved over the years and with so many legislations and regulations being put in place by the department of agriculture amongst others, it can be sometimes overwhelming for people to grasp all the paperwork.

Patricia’s daughter Rachel pictured getting her Pedigree Charolais Ram Lambs ready for Sale

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IRISH TRACTOR AND AGRI

Patricia’s son Alan pictured with his new Foal

T

his is where the agricultural consultants come to the fore and provide a service that ensures customer satisfaction all the time.

For this month’s edition of Irish Tractor, we profile Roscommon based agricultural consultants P Durkan & Associates Ltd and speak to associate Patricia McCormack about the services they provide and what their role entails.

Hailing from a dairy farming background, it was no surprise that Patricia ended up working in the agricultural sector. Having graduated from UCD in 2002 with a Bachelor of Agricultural Science Degree specialising in Animal Science, she joined the team in 2006 and has been there since.

She is a Department of Agriculture Approved Basic Payment Scheme Agent, Farm Advisory Service (FAS) approved Advisor, GLAS Advisor, Knowledge Transfer Facilitator for Beef & Sheep.

Having completed an Accounting Technician Course in 2013, as well as earning a Diploma in Taxation with Chartered Accountants Ireland in 2017, Patricia now heads up the Farm Accounts Section of the firm as well as looking after the Basic Payment and Entitlement Transfer & general Advisory Service. She is an Associate Member of ACA and also a member of Accounting Technicians Ireland.

“I would come from a farming background alright, so it is a second nature for me to be still involved in some capacity,” said Patricia whose husband Thomas McCormack is a leading agricultural contractor in Roscommon as well as breeding pedigree sheep, which daugh-

Rachel and Alan pictured helping with the Hay June 2020

ter Rachel (14) and son Alan (11) have shown a great interest in.

So, it is very much a case of farming being in the blood for Patricia and her family and this could be in part one of the reasons why last March she was appointed Secretary of the Agricultural Consultants Association (ACA), a role that she is only now getting to grips with due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“I was appointed in the position last March and it is a great honour for me to hold that role. I had only been appointed when the pandemic hit, and that put everything on hold, but for the past few months I’ve got down to business and

Patricia’s Husband Thomas Carries on the McCormack tradition of Agri Contracting with Baling & Slurry Spreading being the main services provided

I’m enjoying it so far.”

Between work, home life and the ACA, Patricia admits that free time is scarce at the moment, but she wouldn’t have it Contact Details: P Durkan & Associates Ltd Main Street, Elphin, Co Roscommon Phone: 071 9630037 Mobile: 086 1600385 www.pdagriconsultants.com

Thomas & Rachel pictured with new Charolais Ram

IRISH TRACTOR AND AGRI

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• • • •• • •• • •• • •• • • • • • • • •

sues that need addressing in the farming community with Brexit being right up there.

“There is a lot of uncertainty there at the moment. Ireland exports a lot of beef to the U.K and we are unsure how Brexit will affect that. It is a worrying time for a lot of farmers as no one really knows what is down the line.

“Farming in general is in a good place and there are a lot of positives including the young farmer scheme, which is a payment made to farmers under the age of 40 who are educated in agriculture to help them succeed in farming. It can be paid for up to five years.”

There are a new generation of farmers out there now, the majority of who have been well educated and are keen to maximise the potential of their farm.

“The outlook towards farm-

Tighe’s Tighe’s Agri Agri

Fertilisers Fertilisers Fertilisers Animal Feeds Fertilisers Animal Feeds Animal Medicines Feeds Animal Medicines Feeds Animal Animal Medicines Greenvale - Weanling Crunch Animal Medicines Greenvale - Weanling Crunch Greenvale - Weanling Crunch Showbiz Muesli & Turbo Greenvale - Weanling Crunch Showbiz Muesli & Turbo ShowbizFeeds Muesli & Turbo Organic ShowbizFeeds Muesli & Turbo Organic Organic Feeds Crystalyx Cattle & Sheep Tubs Organic Feeds Crystalyx Cattle & Sheep Tubs Crystalyx & Sheep Tubs Silage NetCattle and Wrap Crystalyx & Sheep Tubs Silage NetCattle and Wrap Silage Net and Wrap Silage Net and Wrap

Suppliers of Corby Rock, Aurivo, Greenvale, Liffey Mills Suppliers of Corby Rock, Aurivo, Greenvale, Liffey Mills Suppliers of Corby Rock, Aurivo, Greenvale, Liffey Mills Suppliers of Corby Rock, Aurivo, Greenvale, Liffey Mills

New Holland Tractor & McHale Fusion Baler ready for off Strokestown, Co. Roscommon.

Strokestown, Co. Roscommon.

Roscommon.

Tel: 071Co. 9639040 any otherStrokestown, way.

Strokestown, Co. Roscommon.

Tel: 9639040 Tel: 071 071 9639040 Mobile: 086 8918883 Tel: 071 9639040 “It is a busyMobile: schedule alright, most of the 086 8918883 Mobile: 8918883 Wishes to086 Patricia McCormack Mobile: 086 8918883 meetings Best are online, so that cuts down & P Durkan & Associates on the travelling, but I suppose I am 36 36 36 36

quite used to being busy, so I just get on with it,” she joked.

On a more serious note, Patricia stressed that there are a number of is-

Best Wishes to Patricia McCormack & P Durkan & Associates

Best Wishes to Patricia McCormack & P Durkan & Associates

Tax Advisors and Business Consultants

AGRICULTURAL CONSULTANTS

BECKWITH NILAN ACCOUNTANTS Marina Point, Ballinasloe, Co. Galway Telephone: 090 9630000 Email: info@beckwith.ie Best Wishes & Continued Success to Patricia McCormack & P Durkan & Associates

Bunnanadden, Ballymote, Co Sligo, Ireland Email: sales@obrienstractors.com Web: www.obrienstractors.com Telephone: (071) 918 3507 Telephone: (087) 823 9202

40

ing has totally changed in the last few years. There is a new breed of farmer that is willing to try the untested to help improve their farms.”

IRISH TRACTOR AND AGRI

NOEL FEENEY & ASSOCIATES

▪ GLAS PLANS & RECORD MAINTENANCE ▪ NITRATE ADVICE ▪ BPS & ALL SCHEME ADVICE ▪ FARM ACCOUNTS ▪ EXPERT WITNESS ▪ TAMS APPLICATIONS ▪ BORD BIA RECORD & AUDIT ADVICE

Croghan, Boyle, Co. Roscommon Tel: 086 262 5033 Email: noelfeeney32@gmail.com

P Durkan & Associates offer assistance in New Herd Number Applications, BPS / ANC Applications online to Dept of Agr, Transfer of Entitlements Applications, GLAS Applications & Recording Service, Farm Accounts & Financial Planning, Land Leasing Agreements Expert Witness/CPO Negotiations, Knowledge Transfer Facilitation, Silage Sampling, Soil Sampling & Fertiliser Recommendations, TAMS Grants & Planning Permission Applications, Completion of Farm Health & Safety Statements.

Patricia admits that you have to earn the trust of a farmer before helping them make decisions that could affect their livelihoods. “Definitely, you have to work hard to earn their trust but when you do, they will respect what we say and take everything on board.”

Padraic Durkan set up P. Durkan & Associates Agri Consultants in August 2001. He expanded the firm in 2006 and moved to the current premises at Main Street, Elphin.

Since then he has expanded the range of agri services from basic REPS Planning, to catering for all the needs of a modern day farmer including a quality Advisory Service, a Basic Payment/ Agri Environmental Agency, a Farm Accounts & Financial Planning Section, Land Leasing/Expert Witness & CPO Negotiation Section, Planning Permission & Grant Applications leading to a “One Stop Shop” for all his valued clients.

“It is a great company to work for and

• • • •• • •• • •• • •• • • • • • • • •

Low Emission Slurry Spreading as well as Splashplate is provided Padraig would place a great emphasis on training to ensure that we are up to date with any changes being made by the department and this helps us to

make sure our clients get the best service possible.”

Tighe’s Tighe’s Agri Agri

Fertilisers Fertilisers Fertilisers Animal Feeds Fertilisers Animal Feeds Feeds Animal Medicines Animal Medicines Feeds Animal Animal Medicines Greenvale - Weanling Crunch Animal Medicines Greenvale - Weanling Crunch Greenvale - Weanling Crunch Showbiz Muesli & Turbo Greenvale - Weanling Crunch Showbiz Muesli & Turbo Showbiz Muesli Organic Feeds & Turbo ShowbizFeeds Muesli & Turbo Organic Organic Feeds Crystalyx Cattle & Sheep Tubs Organic Feeds Crystalyx Cattle & Sheep Tubs Crystalyx & Sheep Tubs Silage NetCattle and Wrap Crystalyx & Sheep Tubs Silage NetCattle and Wrap Silage Net and Wrap Silage Net and Wrap

Suppliers of Corby Rock, Aurivo, Greenvale, Liffey Mills Suppliers of Corby Rock, Aurivo, Greenvale, Liffey Mills Suppliers of Corby Rock, Aurivo, Greenvale, Liffey Mills Suppliers of Corby Rock, Aurivo, Greenvale, Liffey Mills

Strokestown, Co. Roscommon.

Strokestown, Co. Roscommon.

Strokestown, Roscommon.

Tel: 071Co. 9639040 Strokestown, Roscommon.

Tel: 071Co. 9639040

Tel: 071 9639040 Mobile: 086 8918883 Tel: 071 9639040 Mobile: 086 8918883

Mobile: 8918883 Best Wishes to086 Patricia McCormack 36 8918883 Mobile: 086 & P Durkan36 & Associates 36 36

Best Wishes to Patricia McCormack & P Durkan & Associates

BECKWITH NILAN ACCOUNTANTS Tax Advisors and

Prizewinning Simmental heifer at Carrick Winter Fair last year

Best Wishes to Patricia McCormack & P Durkan & Associates

NOEL FEENEY & ASSOCIATES IRISH TRACTOR AND AGRI

AGRICULTURAL CONSULTANTS

41

Quality farm buildings from B&M O’Brien Based in West Cork, B&M O’Brien Brothers Ltd is a leading provider of agricultural buildings among other things. Bernard O’Brien, who runs the company with his brother Mike, explains more.

Concrete structure for a new milking parlour

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IRISH TRACTOR AND AGRI

Cubicle shed in progress

W

hile B&M O’Brien Brothers Ltd was only formed six years ago, the O’Brien family have a wealth of experience in constructing quality farm buildings as well

“We provide the full package when it comes to agricultural buildings”

as in all aspects of groundworks, civil engineering projects, concrete works and plant hire. Bernard explains: “We followed our father Michael, who is still going strong milking cows, into the business. He and our mother Eileen have done a lot for us and were a huge help to us when we set up this company in 2014.

“I’ve been at groundworks since 1999 when we bought a rubber tyre digger and started doing work

Contact Details: B&M O’Brien Bros Ltd Lehina, Lislevane, Bandon, Co. Cork.

Telephone: 086 8682315 (Bernard) / 086 1685952 (Mike) Email: info@bmobrien.ie Web: www.bmobrien.ie

Civil engineering and agricultural building works are two of the main facets of the Barryroe-based concern

IRISH TRACTOR AND AGRI

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for local builders Fleming Construction.

We progressed from there to buy our first track machine in 2006, and another one soon after. When the economic crash hit, we purchased shuttering pans and that led to us getting into the farm buildings in about 2010. We then branched into civil engineering and have been involved in a number of housing developments in Cork City with O’Flynn Construction and OBR Developments.”

Civil engineering and agricultural building works have become the two main facets of the Barryroe-based concern, which has grown to employ over 20 staff. The company runs a wide array of machinery and plant, including 15 excavators from two to 21 tonnes, dumpers from six to 25 tonnes and a range of loadalls, including two 21-metre rotary and a 16-metre straight loadall, and two trucks for moving plant quickly and efficiently. The O’Brien brothers’ highly-skilled staff help them to meet and exceed the high standards they have set for themselves. It is these resources that has allowed them to grow steadily with confidence, and also gives their customers confidence in their ability to deliver what they are looking for.

B&M O’Brien Brothers Ltd covers an area of up to 50km radius from its base and has built a solid reputation within this area for exceptional workmanship, value-for-money and an ability to complete all projects on time and within budget. Thanks to their hands-on approach in the day-to-day running of the business, Bernard and Mike have forged excellent working relationships with both their customers and employees alike.

This has resulted in continuous repeat custom which speaks volumes for the quality and value they offer. The brothers are always striving for improvement and regularly invest in the latest machinery and technology to ensure the best possible service.

“Customer is number one, quality of work is number two and how fast you can get the job done is number three in terms of importance,” Bernard says.

“We have worked hard to build an outstanding reputation for quality and cost-effectiveness from Skibbereen back to Kinsale and across to Bandon, Newcestown and Dunmanway. We have a long list of satisfied clients in West Cork who use our services over and over again.”

The family-run business is a one stop shop for all your farm building requirements, catering for everything from groundworks, concrete works and de-

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IRISH TRACTOR AND AGRI

sign to fabrication and erection of structural steel.

“We provide the full package when it comes to agricultural buildings,” Bernard continues.

“Most of our customers would look for us to do the complete build for them as it cuts out the hassle and saves them money. But if they prefer to do elements of the build themselves, that’s not a problem. After the farmer first makes contact

with us, we go out to meet them and advise them on the building that best suits their needs. The next stage is to design the shed and get our quantity surveyor to do up the costings. We can build the shed from the ground up. We’re handson from the start and work with the customer every step of the way.”

Michael Hickey Engineering fabricates the sheds and supplies the steel, while Barryroe Co-Op and Heiton Buckley

The O’Brien family have a wealth of experience in constructing quality farm buildings

supply the sheeting, timber and accessories. The galvanise comes from Irish Pioneer Works in Cork and the concrete is supplied by Keohane Readymix and Coppeen Concrete. It goes without saying that only the best materials go into making an O’Brien shed!

“The steel we use is graded and CE cer-

Agri Agri & & Plant Plant Hire Hire Ltd Ltd

Specialists Specialists in: in: Agriculture, Agriculture, Construction, Construction, Industrial, Commercial Industrial, Commercial & & Haulage Haulage sectors sectors

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tified. Everything we use is of the highest quality.”

The abolition of the EU milk quotas in 2015, coupled with grant aid of 60% being available to young farmers under TAMS II, has led to an increased demand for new milking parlours in particular.

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Murphy Agri Hire Ltd. provide a comprehensive range of agricultural contracting and environmental services

Unrivalled agri contracting and environmental services

A complete agri contracting service is provided, with the exception of silage

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IRISH TRACTOR AND AGRI

Running a fleet of finely-tuned tractors

From their base in Tydavnet in North County Monaghan, Murphy Agri Hire Ltd. provide a comprehensive range of agricultural contracting and environmental services. Irish Tractor & Agri spoke to Mick Murphy to find out more about this exceptional, multifaceted, family-run operation.

W

ith a vast fleet of finelytuned tractors and specialist machinery at their disposal, Murphy Agri Hire Ltd. offer keen, speedy and professional agri contracting services to farmers and producers in North Monaghan - from slurry any way you want it to ploughing, reseeding, lime spreading, hedge cutting and mulching.

Meanwhile, they also specialise in a host of environmental and cleaning services including septic tank and drain cleaning, sludge removal, road, street and factory washing and are fully-licensed and – insured for the disposal of waste.

Meanwhile, reliable gritting and snow ploughing services are also provided to councils and private customers during the winter months.

Complementing the quality and dependability of the services provided, one of the key drivers behind the success and viability of this family business is its flexibility and versatility. By offering such a wide range of services, they are busy all year around…

“We’re kept tipping away and there’s never a quiet day here,” confirms Mick

Murphy, who runs the operation alongside his father Martin and brother Shane.

“Most of the work is agri but we also offer environmental and cleaning services as well and are on call for that around the clock. With the nature of the work we are doing, everybody wants you today and nobody wants you tomorrow, but you have to be ready to spring into action when the customer needs you.”

A complete agri contracting service is provided, with the exception of silage.

Indeed, when Martin first started out in 1987 with his trusty iconic blue Ford 7000, he did some round baling in the early years but the agri side of the business gradually evolved to offer mostly slurry, ploughing, reseeding and lime spreading services as well as compost spreading on mushroom units, dung spreading on poultry units, hedge cutting and dumper / telehandler work.

For slurry, the Murphys run an umbilical system using Agquip dribble bar as well as four tankers – a 2000-gallon NC, 2,600-gallon Agrispread Groundhog, 3,000-gallon Abbey and 4,000-gallon Red Rock, which was bought new this year. They were the first in the region to acquire an innovative, game-changing

The Murphys run an umbilical system using Agquip dribble bar

Groundhog slurry tanker with its axle running through the middle and low centre of gravity, making it ideal for steep land.

Meanwhile, Murphy Agri Hire also run two Red Rock slurry pumps – a Super Flow and a Mega Flow. The slurry services offered are ultra-efficient: “Given that we don’t cut silage any more, we can get straight into the slurry after the first cut of silage – we’d nearly follow the harvester around the field,” Mick states.

“It’s all grassland here and we do a fair bit of ploughing and reseeding – ploughing, levelling, power harrowing, sowing grass seed, spreading lime and spread-

Contact Details: Murphy Agri Hire Ltd., Clontycasta, Tydavnet, County Monaghan.

Tel: 047 89670 Mobile: 087 3125937 / 087 2788477 Facebook: facebook.com/murphyagrihire

Specialists in a host of environmental and cleaning services

IRISH TRACTOR AND AGRI

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ing dung, too, as there are a lot of freerange hen and indeed commercial hen farmers in this area.”

Uniquely, Tydavnet is close to the Armagh (Middletown), Tyrone (Aughnacloy) and Fermanagh (Roslea) borders.

“We cover North Monaghan and do a little bit into the North as well,” Mick points out.

Hedge cutting services are offered via either tractor (with Arbocut 2000 hedge cutter) or excavator (with a McConnel sawhead or heavy-duty mulching head).

“We also do some dump trailer work, some low loader work and have telehandlers and draw bales with our own trailers as well,” Mick adds.

The comprehensive range of outstanding agri contracting solutions is complemented by Murphy Agri Hire’s environmental services: “In environmental work, we wash factories for local food processing companies, agri co-ops, an-

imal feed mills and some nursing homes,” the Monaghan man continues. “We have a high-pressure, high-capacity wash bar on the front of one of the tractors for washing and disinfecting roads, streets and yards, while we also do septic tank cleaning and sludge removal, which we are fully licensed to bring to the local treatment plant in Monaghan town. We also offer drain cleaning, with a high-pressure jet for degreasing lines.”

Indeed, diversity is at the heart of the business and, to this end, another unique service offered is portable toilet hire for events and building sites, etc.

Included in the Murphy Agri Hire tractor fleet are a Deutz-Fahr 6210, 6180 and 150 alongside two Same Silver 130s, a Lamborghini Premium 1300 and Ford 7810 two-wheel

Murphy Agri Hire provide high quality solutions to their clients

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IRISH TRACTOR AND AGRI

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vices of a local engineer and mechandrive alongside a Kverneland 4-furrow ic, while the newer tractors would go to reversible plough, Kuhn 3-metre power the main dealer as they are so modern,” harrow, Einbock seeder and Bredal 10Mick says. ton lime spreader not to forget the Merlo Down through the years, Murphy Agri telescopic loader and a Mustang 2060 Hire have developed strong working bobcat, which is used predominantly for relationships with local farmers and cleaning out poultry houses. businesses, providing unrivalled agri Investment in replenishing, servicing contracting, environmental and cleaning and maintaining all the gear is ongoing services to an endless list of satisfied as the Murphys leave no stone unturned customers from co-ops to factories, proin ensuring that every piece of equipducers and local authorities. ment is performing at its optimal level.

Boasting an unrivalled track record of “We look after a fair bit of the upkeep Fitzpatrick Fuels and Hardware 1-8 ad_Layout 1supplying 19/07/2018exceptional 16:44 Pageagri contracting ourselves but we also avail of the ser-

and environmental services for 33 years and counting, Murphy Agri Hire is an industry-leading, second-generation family business that continues to lead the way, its stellar reputation for invariably offering high-quality solutions resulting in a steady stream of repeat custom and new business through positive referrals.

One gets the distinct impression that there are few more chapters remaining to be written in this particular success story!

Best Wishes and Continued Success to Murphy Agri Hire

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Agri contracting the Wright way For more than three decades, Wright Agri Contractors have been providing farmers in South Limerick and North Cork with a comprehensive range of exceptional services. We dropped into their Dromcollogher base and had a chat with Tom Wright to find out more about this top-class, family-run enterprise.

Immaculately-maintained gear

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IRISH TRACTOR AND AGRI

T

he genesis of Wright Agri Contractors goes back to 1987, when proprietor Tom Wright got the ball rolling by taking on a bit of hedge cutting. “I’d worked with a local contractor for two or three years prior to that,” he reflects.

“From hedge cutting, I got into silage and bought a double-chop harvester in 1988 followed by my first self-propelled harvester in 1990 – a John Deere 5830.

Thirty years on, silage is still a big part of what we do.”

Tractor-wise there are seven John Deeres and a striking Fendt 724

In addition to prompt, speedy, professional and efficient silage cutting within a 25-mile radius of the picturesque village of Dromcollogher, Wright Agri Contractors are also synonymous with high-quality, no-nonsense baling, slurry spreading, reseeding and hedge cutting.

“Over the last few years, dairy farms have got bigger and there’s more work to keep us going,” he notes. “As there are fewer farmers and they have all increased their cattle numbers, we’ve

found ourselves drawing silage a longer distance and travelling a bit further.

There’s also more land gone into plantation, so all in all the number of farms is decreasing but the ones that are there are getting bigger.”

For the Wrights of Dromcollogher, contracting and farming are very much a family tradition – a labour of love, in many respects. Tom grew up on the family farm and his parents, Paddy and Catherine, ran a small contracting busi-

ness as well. “Dad worked with me up until last year,” the affable Limerick man reveals. “My brother William actually started contracting with me around 1990 but he then took over the home farm while I continued with the contracting.

William still helps with the silage during the summer driving the loading shovel when we are under pressure, while my son Darren, who’s 20, has joined the business and the hope would be that he will take it over eventually, if all goes to plan. My wife Marie also makes a big contribution – she looks after the books and makes sure there’s a wage coming in.”

Full-time employment is provided for three people, while the numbers generally go up to seven or eight during the peak of the summer months – not an inconsequential contribution to the local economy by any means!

At the heart of the operation is a fantastic fleet of tractors and machinery. Tractor-wise, Tom runs seven John Deeres (a 6145r, 6930, 7530, 6920s, 6810, 6610 and 3650) alongside a striking Fendt 724 purchased brand new earlier this year to pair with the SaMASZ triple mowers.

Glancing around the yard, there’s a veritable plethora of high-quality, immaculately-maintained gear. Tom runs six silage trailers, four of which are clasContact Details: Wright Agri Contractors Ltd.,

For the Wrights of Drumcollogher, contracting and farming are very much a family tradition

Farrihy, Dromcollogher, County Limerick.

Tel: 086 8290358

IRISH TRACTOR AND AGRI

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sic and two halfpipes. The harvester is a John Deere 7700, while the McHale Fusion 3 Plus integrated baler wrapper represents another significant investment. There are also two loading shovels – a New Holland W170D and an O&K L25 – plus a Krone TC880 rake.

For slurry, Wright Agri Contractors have a SlurryKat umbilical system with dribble bars as well as a Bunning rear discharge dung spreader. Add in a Kuhn reversible plough, Lemken power harrow and two McConnel hedge cutters and it’s enough to almost make one’s eyes water…

“Look, you have to keep spending to make sure that you can get all the work done and meet farmers’ expectations – there’s no other way,” shrugs Tom. “You need to have all the gear and it has to be fresh and in good condition. So you are replenishing all the time. This year, for example, we bought the new Fendt and also the power harrow. If you’re not prepared to spend money, you will get left behind.”

Tom handles the lion’s share of maintenance and servicing himself, although he also has good working relationships with many local dealers and suppliers including local John Deere dealer Geary’s Garage in Kilmeedy; Nunan Farm Machinery in Broadford; and Atkins Farm Machinery for Fendt. “We get a lot of parts from JMC Parts in Rosscarbery in Cork and I buy my diesel from Shreelawn Oil in Newmarket,” the long-established and highly-dependable contractor adds.

Due to the reliability – and comprehensive nature - of the services provided, Tom benefits from a large volume of repeat business and has many customers coming back to him for 30 years: “If you give them a good service at a fair price, then they will generally stick with you – and you always pick up new clients too,” he states. “Margins are small so you have to be very efficient and you need to be covering all corners. Baling has really taken off here this year. We bought the Fusion 3 Plus baler / wrapper so that we could offer more – mowing and baling.

A lot of second cuts are going into bales now and it’s a service you simply have to provide.

“Insurance and labour have gone up, as has the cost of machinery, while rates have remained the same, so it’s a tough game. It’s also difficult to find good labour as some of the machinery has become so technical and advanced that you need really good men to operate it.

But, ultimately, it’s all about keeping the farmers happy and keeping them ticking

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IRISH TRACTOR AND AGRI

Wright Agri Contractors provide farmers with a comprehensive range of exceptional services

Looking after the needs of farmers in South Limerick and North Cork

For the Wrights of Dromcollogher, contracting and farming are very much a family tradition over.”

Looking to the future, Tom says he’d be content if things continue as they are: “We’ll stick with what we know and what’s working,” he concludes. “There’s no point taking on too much and then not being able to give a proper service.

We have enough to keep us going and you can’t put your arms around the whole world. It’s a good living – proba-

bly better than being stuck inside in an office – and we’ll keep at it and continue to look after our customers and improve the business any way we can.”

It’s worked a treat for 30 years or more and one gets the feeling that Wright Agri Contractors will be looking after the needs of farmers along the Limerick / Cork border for many more years to come!

Best Wishes and Continued Success to Wright Agri

ANTHONY KIRWAN QUARRY PRODUCTS Drumcollogher, Co. Limerick Telephone: 087 2734143

SUPPLIER OF ALL GRADES OF STONE FOR CONSTRUCTION Best Wishes & Continued Success to Wright Agri Contractors

Best Wishes and Continued Success to Wright Agri Contractors

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IRISH TRACTOR AND AGRI

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“Customers choose us because they know that we’re reliable and provide a good service”

Another busy year for McHugh & Harrington Agri Contractors McHugh & Harrington Agri Contractors is a family-run business operating from Co Roscommon which has always prided itself on its personal touch. Irish Tractor & Agri caught up with Kenneth Harrington recently to learn all about the business that has been offering exceptional levels of service for over three decades.

2

020 was another busy year for McHugh & Harrington Agri Contractors and the plan for the new year ahead is to try and stay as busy for another 12 months.

For close to four decades now, farmers throughout Roscommon, Sligo and Leitrim have been benefiting from the contracting excellence of McHugh & Harrington Agri Contractors.

Set-up in 1983 by Roger McHugh alongside his brothers-in-law Johnny and Enda Harrington, the company has grown from strength to strength over the decades to the point where it is amongst the most well-known agri contractors in its region.

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IRISH TRACTOR AND AGRI

At the centre of the business is an excellent fleet of tractors and machinery

A family-run business operating from Co Roscommon

McHugh & Harrington Agri Contractors has always prided itself on its personal touch Irish Tractor & Agri found out all about this family-run outfit recently from Kenneth Harrington (Johnny’s son), who also filled us in on that state of business at the moment in Kingsland, Co Roscommon.

“Right now, we have five full-time working here and we’d have seven part-time

then in the summer,” Kenneth outlined.

“Business has been pretty good this year and the weather has been decent as well, so we can’t complain with how things have gone so far in 2020.”

For many businesses nationwide, this past year brought about unprecedented challenges as a result of the Covid-19

pandemic.

Lockdown during the Spring saw many companies having to cease operations for the best part of 10 weeks before reopening on May 18th.

McHugh & Harrington Agri Contractors were in the fortunate position to not have been affected by the lockdown and motored on through a busy period, as Kenneth explained: “No, it didn’t affect us, thankfully. When the first lockdown came the weather was great so we were flat out during it and then we had a very busy summer after that.”

That’s fantastic news to hear for a family operation which has been in existence close to 40 years now.

The fact that business continues to thrive speaks volumes about the work McHugh & Harrington Agri Contractors has carried out for its clients down through the years.

At the centre of the business is an excellent fleet of tractors and machinery.

It includes 10 tractors which are a mix of New Holland, Case and Landini, with a new T-7200 recently bought from Strokestown.

The company has also added a new John Deere 630 mower to the machinery fleet, as well as a digger from Gaynor Plant Sales in Roscommon, a BAUER slurry pump, a Volvo L70S and a low loader from Agri Machinery Ireland.

The John Deere harvester is the fourth which McHugh & Harrington Agri Contractors has purchased in the last two decades.

Of course, all of the equipment is maintained to the highest standard in order to ensure optimal performance. Roger, Johnny and Enda have always overseen much of the maintenance and servicing work themselves, and also use Mike Geraghy in Birr to look after the Case and New Holland tractors.

It’s all to keep up with the demand from clients and McHugh & Harrington Agri Contractors has amassed plenty of them over the past 37 years.

Today, the company offers a range of

Contact Details: McHugh & Harrington Agri Contractors, Kingsland, Boyle, Co Roscommon Tel: 086 828 8739 / 087 949 9225

IRISH TRACTOR AND AGRI

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ing in the business – Roger, Enda, Johnny, Kenneth and Johnny’s son, John.

Like any good contractor, all five hail from farming backgrounds themselves and continue to run their own suckler enterprises, with 70 suckler cows, while Roger McHugh also has Pedigree Charolais to complement the contracting work.

All things considered, there’s certainly enough to keep the people behind McHugh & Harrington Agri Contractors busy 12 months a year.

Looking towards 2021, Kenneth himself is optimistic for the year ahead, hinting that a Success new McHale Fusion could well Best Wishes and Continued to McHugh & Harrington Best Wishes and Continued Success to McHugh & Harrington be added to the machinery fleet somewhere along the way.

The Co Roscommon native is hoping for similar weather to the past year that helped to keep them “flat out” for months Cavetown, Croghan, at a time.Boyle, Co. Roscommon For all your Car, Van and Agri Commercial use “We want to just keep going and doing • DIGGER HIRE Telephone: 086 - 3010217 able and provide a good •service. different services to clientele that also SITE CLEARANCEwhat we’re doing,” he stated plainly.

Email: kevinmadden86@gmail.com “We’re always busy when the weather “We’ve been cutting silage in this area serve to keep it busy all year round.

• WELDING is good and I’ve never seen us run out • TRACTOR for 40 years now and hopefully we can “We do a nice bit of slurry work nowa& DUMP TRAILER of work.

There’s always something to be • CONCRETING SHEDS continue to do so for many more years / FARM days and we also do lime spreading and • MACHINERY REPAIRS doing when we have the weather on our to come.” digger work,” said Kenneth. side.”

Now very much into a second genera“I think our customers choose us beLike so many family businesses up and tion, there are five members between cause we’ve been around for so long at down the country, McHugh & Harrington the McHugh and Harrington clans workthis stage and they know that we’re reli-

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Best Wishes and Continued Success to McHugh & Harrington

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IRISH TRACTOR AND AGRI

McHugh & Harrington Agri Contractors has been in existence close to 40 years now Agri Contractors take great pride in what they do.

Coming up on 40 years in business, the company is now at the stage where it is renowned for its personal touch with customers.

Here’s hoping that it continues for many more years to come.

Best Wishes and Continued Success to McHugh & Harrington

KEVIN MADDEN TYRES MOBILE TYRE UNIT

For all your Car, Van and Agri Commercial use Telephone: 086 - 3010217 Email: kevinmadden86@gmail.com

Best Wishes and Continued Success to McHugh & Harrington

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Agricultural Contractor Ltd. Cavetown, Croghan, Boyle, Co. Roscommon • DIGGER HIRE • SITE CLEARANCE • WELDING • TRACTOR & DUMP TRAILER • CONCRETING / FARM SHEDS • MACHINERY REPAIRS

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Best Wishes and Continued Success TRACTOR AND AGRI to McHugh & IRISH Harrington

PAT LAVIN

57

DJ McKay & Son set the standard in agri contracting. Pic Paul Hurrell

A cut above the rest for over 50 years DJ McKay & Son continues to set the standard in agri contracting after more than 50 years. The third-generation family business is one of the leading farm contractors not just in Co. Antrim, but in all of Northern Ireland.

David John McKay

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IRISH TRACTOR AND AGRI

Family means everything at DJ McKay & Son. Pic Paul Hurrell

C

ommitted to delivering a topclass service and complete customer satisfaction, DJ McKay & Son has a wide range of machinery to carry out your work quickly and efficiently, providing you with value-for-money and an alternative to investing in your own expensive equipment. The company’s longevity and success can be attributed to the knowledge, skill and experience of its staff as well as the quality of its machinery. The McKay team delivers the value and quality farmers expect from their agricultural contracting partner.

The Ballymena-based operation has come a long way since John James McKay started out with a single square baler in 1969 before going on to buy one of the first reverse drive harvesters in Ireland six years later. Since then, the business has grown to provide a complete agri contracting service, from silage and wholecrop cutting, ploughing, sowing and reseeding to slurry and dung DJ (David John) McKay & Son 7 McKeestown Lane, Shankbridge, Ballymena, Co. Antrim, BT42 2LU. Telephone: 028 25891387 / 077 62901968

Delivering a top-class service and complete customer satisfaction.

Pic Paul Hurrell

IRISH TRACTOR AND AGRI

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spreading, site clearance, hedge-cutting, drainage, dump trailer work and stone crushing.

These days, John James’ son David (John) runs the company along with his sons James and William. The McKay’s have built up an impressive fleet of tractors and machinery to cater for every job. They run nine John Deere tractors, including three 6145Rs which were purchased new from Stephen Moore Farm Machinery in Coleraine last February.

They have one other 6145R, with two 6155Ms, a 6130R, a 115MC and a 155R completing the line-up.

“John Deere is the brand we choose because of its reliability and comfort. There is no great difference in prices anymore – all new tractors are close to the same price. But John Deere is worth that the little bit extra that you pay,” James McKay maintains.

Other equipment / machinery operated

by DJ McKay & Son include: John Deere 8800 self-propelled forage harvester which cuts silage and whole-crop; Krone Big M self-propelled mower; two McHale Fusion balers; five Herron silage trailers; CLAAS front and side-mounted mowers; Krone TS 320 CV mower; two Agquip umbilical systems with 12-metre dribble bars; CLAAS and Krone rakes; two Herron 3,000-gallon slurry tankers plus 2 Herron 2500 gallon tankers; Herron H2 15-tonne dump trailer; two Herron low loaders (16 and 24 tonne); Volvo L90 loading shovel; Wacker Neuson telehandler; two Hitachi 14-tonne diggers.

Two McConnel hedge-cutting machines; SEPPI multipurpose mulcher which attaches to a digger; Kverneland four-furrow reversible plough; two Lemken three-metre power harrows; new Sulky GPS X40 fertiliser sower; Sulky seed drill; K-TWO dung spreader; mobile stone crusher.

All machines are maintained and upgraded on a regular basis to avoid downtime. “With time being money for the customer, we cannot afford to suffer any breakdowns. We keep our machinery fresh and carry out maintenance ourselves. Stephen Moore Farm Machinery looks after the rest of the maintenance and repairs for us,” James explains.

There is no such thing as a quiet time for this highly-regarded contractor who will work around the clock at busy times and take on extra staff if needs be to keep clients happy. Slurry spreading, ploughing and sowing takes precedence in the early part of the year, followed by pit and baled silage during the summer months.

After that comes more slurry spreading,

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A third-generation family business. Pic Paul Hurrell

DJ McKay & Son run nine John Deere tractors hedge-cutting and even snow clearing.

“Our peak season runs from February right through to October. The slurry spreading starts in the springtime and it’s a very busy period for us.

“We cut silage. We sow barley and whole-crop forage. We sow grass seeds. We draw dung away from hen houses and spread it on farms. We cut and mulch hedges for Northern Ireland Railways and the RSPCA, and clear snow in the winter for Antrim Borough Council. We also keep our diggers busy by doing site clearance for new houses and farm buildings. Drainage work is another service we offer. We’re always at something.”

No job is too big or small for DJ McKay & Son which generally operates within a 25-mile radius of its Ballymena base.

However, its stone-crushing service is sought throughout Northern Ireland.

The contractor retains customers and attracts new ones by providing a topclass, reliable, clean and cost-effective service.

“We have some great customers in both the farming and construction sectors who have been loyal to us for the past 40 or 50 years,” James continues.

“You try to do the best you can and keep your customers best as you can. We are always at the end of the phone for them if they’re looking for us. The customer is king. You’ll do whatever it takes to make them happy. If that means working all hours, then so be it.”

DJ McKay & Son featured on the UTV series ‘Rare Breed TV’ a few years ago.

The series followed 16 local farming families across an entire year and provided a unique insight into the highs and low farmers experience in one of Northern Ireland’s most important industries.

Offering value for money and carrying out work quickly and efficiently.

Pic Paul Hurrell

The contractor has also regularly featured in Grassmen videos on YouTube.

To celebrate 50 years in business, DJ McKay & Son brought out a calendar last year which raised £5,500 for MacMillan Cancer Support through sales and sponsorship. This is something the family was obviously very proud of.

DJ McKay & Son would like to take this opportunity to thank its customers and suppliers for their continued support as well as its staff for their dedication, hard work and expertise.

Here’s to the next 50 years!

Best Wishes and Continued Success to DJ McKay Agri Contractors

S E McKAY & SON LTD

These services are only available to customers in Northern Ireland

Chris McHenry 078 853 16196 Alison McHenry 028 276 67395 Ricky McHenry 028 276 67395

Best Wishes and Continued Success to DJ MCKAY AGRISalterstown, CONTRACTORS Dunleer, Co. Louth, A92YR44

cGee Farm Machinery Sales & Service

cGee

52 Tullynamullan Road, Shankbridge, Ballymena BT42 2LR Tel: (028) 2589 1339 E: admin@mckayoils.com W: www.mckayoils.com

Distributor of Home Heating Oil, Tractor Oil, Lubricating Oil & Storage Tanks Best wishes and Continued Success to DJ McKAY AGRI CONTRACTORS

Email: sales@mcgeefarmmachinery.ie www.mcgeefarmmachinery.ie Tel: Louth 041 685 2407 Salterstown, Dunleer, Co. A92YR44 Mobile: 087 418 5292 Email: kevin@mcgeefarmmachinery.ie

Salterstown, Dunleer, Co. Louth, A92YR44 Email:www.mcgeefarmmachinery.ie sales@mcgeefarmmachinery.ie Tel: 077 8736 5963 www.mcgeefarmmachinery.ie Tel: 00353 41685 6852407 2407 Tel: 041 Mobile: 00353 87418 4185292 5292 Mobile: 087

Main for Krone Big X for all of Northern Ireland Farmdealers Machiner y Sales & Service

Main dealers for Krone Big X for all of Northern Ireland 31 Lagavar Road, Ballycastle BT546NG Telephone: (028) 207 62613 Mobile: Uel - 07860 621461 Joshua - 07521 867843 Wesley - 07889 546114

IRISH TRACTOR AND AGRI

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Clive Guing Farm Construction have built a name for themselves in the agricultural sector

The personal touch

A four bay beef unit in Kildare

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A 24 unit milking parlour

For many decades the Guing family name has been synonymous with farm building in Kildare and surrounding counties. Clive Guing Farm Construction is run by Clive and his father Joe who together have unrivalled experienced in this sector.

A

family run business with many years’ experience in farm construction; they are based Kildare town and cover the surrounding counties.

Clive Guing spoke to Irish Tractor about how the business continues to remain busy and the key areas that they are focused on.

One of these key areas is health and safety which Clive stressed is something that they are continuously focused on.

“We would take health and safety very seriously. It is an area that needs to be addressed more in the farming community. At the end of the day nothing is worth and injury or worse a fatality,” stated Clive.

“But, we would place a great emphasis on this and we are audited on a regular basis and we ensure that everything is done properly.”

Clive revealed that they are kept busy at the moment with a number of jobs ongoing, which they are pleased about.

“We treat every job as if it’s our own and every job, no matter how big or small, gets the same attention. We cover a big catchment area and a high percentage of our work is for repeat customers.

Word of mouth recommendations are the best form of advertising and we’ve

An impressive milking parlour in Kildare Town

been fortunate that our high standard of work has resulted in additional work.”

As stated, the agricultural sector is where Clive Guing Farm Construction Ltd is at its busiest and they provide a number of services within this sector.

They specialise in all concrete formwork and laying of concrete floors and yards.

Whether it be slatted tanks, silage pits, grain stores or cattle sheds, they provide a full service from start to finish.

The following is a list of the construction services they provide and their most common types of work: slatted tanks, silage pits, milking parlours, cubicle beds, feed troughs, beef units, stables, grain and meal stores, concrete yards, demolition and renovation of old buildings, all concrete formwork, cattle crushes and holding areas, rotary parlours and robotic parlours.

No stone is left unturned to ensure every project, no matter how big or small, gets just as much attention and appreciation as those before and after. Many of their customers are long term who have come to them time and time again.

“Our reputation is what gets us our work and we are very conscious of the need to protect that at all times. It would be very easy for us to sit back and be less hands on, but the fact that we are on site, we can guarantee our work.”

Clive revealed that despite there being a number of grants available for farm buildings, farmers are funding a lot of the work themselves.

“A lot of the work that we are involved in is funded by the farmer themselves and not the grants. There are a lot of progressive young farmers out there and they are spending money to maximise the potential of their farms.”

They can also manufacture extensions to your existing farm building, such as lean-to’s and side apex extensions. With a strong family history of farming, they understand the current challenges facing the agricultural industry. As such, they work hard to produce high-quality agricultural buildings at competitive prices.

The company has achieved much of their success by use of the combined efforts of a highly skilled, vastly experienced and directly employed workforce which incorporates the core trade serContact Details: Clive Guing Farm Construction Kildare Town Co Kildare Mob: 086 363 3257

A completed milking parlour ready for machine in Laois

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vices of organisation, planning, drawings, manufacturing, erecting and concrete works with the main extent of the plant and equipment being owned by the company.

All of the work is carried out by themselves with no sub contractors being used which enables them to stand over and guarantee the quality of work being done.

For any steelwork needed, Clive turns to long term colleague Anthony Murnane, while the concrete used is sourced from Hanlon’s/Kilsaran or Booths.

Clive added that business is going well at the moment with plenty of work to keep them going for the remainder of the year.

“We were off for about three weeks during the lockdown, but have been busy ever since and we have work right up to next March, which is good.”

In forming a successful partnership with its clients, the company provides them with unbeatable quality and cost- effective solutions, in the context of experienced judgement, strong management, and technical excellence.

Their professional approach, reliable service and competitive pricing are three key aspects as to this family run business are chosen first for their projects. That and the quick time frame in which they get the job done makes them first choice for the decision makers on these projects.

“We work closely with the customer and will advise them where necessary. With the experience that we have behind us, people generally take on board what we have to say.”

Best Wishes and Continued Success to Clive Guing Farm Buildings

P & M MALONE STEEL FABRICATORS Ballypickas, Abbeyleix, Co. Laois Telephone: 087 2763360 Email: piercemalone20@outlook.com

BENDING & WELDING OF REBAR 64

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A 300 cubicle shed finished in Kildare

Best Wishes to Clive Guing Farm Buildings

Cormac Collins FCCA Accountancy & Book-Keeping

• Book Keeping & VAT • Payroll • Tax Returns & Accountancy • Business Consultancy Na Cipini, Booleigh, Athy, Co Kildare T: 086 813 2024 F: 059 864 2980 For all your book-keeping & accountancy needs

Best wishes and continued success to Clive Guing Farm Buildings

Milking

Feeding

Cooling

Scrapers

Health & Fertility

For more info Call: 086 2682900 / 059 8623934 Allen Dairy Services, Ballytore, Co. Kildare Best Wishes and Continued Success to Clive Guing Farm Buildings

BOOTH PRECAST & CONCRETE PRODUCTS LTD BALLYMULLEN, ABBEYLEIX LAOIS. Head Office 057-8731840. | E-mail: info@boothconcrete.com

◆ Ready-mix concrete ◆ Blocks, Bricks, L Blocks, Soap Bars ◆ Lightweight / Thermal Blocks ◆ lightweight aggregates ◆ Hollow core & plate flooring ◆ Washed sand and gravels ◆ 1 Ton Bags Aggregates ◆ Precast Kerbs ◆ Wall-caps, pier caps Lentils, Cills, Post and Panel Fencing ◆ Cattle Slats, Crushed rock ◆ Slig for Cow roads.

Best Wishes and Continued Success to Clive Guing Farm Buildings

ANTHONY MORRIN

BALLYROE ENGINEERING Currclone, Stradbally, Co. Laois Telephone: 085 2154424 Email: morrin.anthony@yahoo.ie Best Wishes to Clive Guing Farm Buildings

Suppliers and fitters of all agricultural engineering products, including cubicles, mats, feed barriers, gates, Parlour stallwork, animal handling facilities etc Check out our Facebook page Contact Mark at 0831077553 or by email to castlecomeragriservices@gmail.com

Best Wishes and Continued Success to Clive Guing Farm Buildings

Best Wishes and Continued Success to Clive Guing Farm Buildings

DUNNE HAULAGE

Courtwood Dairy Services John Corcoran - Tel: 086 2230120 AGENTS FOR

Pluckerstown, Kilmeague, Naas, Co. Kildare Phone: 045 845851 Mobile: 087 2707061 Email: eileen@dunnehaulage.ie

IRISH TRACTOR AND AGRI

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Specialising in agricultural trailers and attachments

Quality comes as standard at Johnston Brothers Agri Johnston Brothers Agri Engineers & Steel Fabricators have been manufacturing since 1962 and can undertake custom work to your specifications. Irish Tractor & Agri heard all about the Co Tyrone-based family business from William Johnston recently.

B

ased in Fintona, Co Tyrone, Johnston Brothers is an engineering and steel fabrication business which specialises in agricultural trailers and attachments.

The company was founded in 1962 and currently employs 15 full-time staff from its location along the Carnalea Road, where it’s very much run as a family

business.

Victor Johnston founded the company 58 years ago before his wife Audrey came on board as a director, along with their son William.

William Johnston was good enough to take some time recently from a hectic schedule to fill Irish Tractor & Agri in on all the details of the business.

“We’re established since 1962 and right

The company currently has 11 different models of shear grabs available to its customers, including rear-mounted shear grabs

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IRISH TRACTOR AND AGRI

now there are 15 full-time working here,” he explained.

“There’s four of us in the family involved, my parents Victor and Audrey and then there’s myself and my wife Beverly.

“The company itself specialises in manufacturing shear grabs, they’re our real bread and butter to be honest.”

Known formally as Johnston Brothers Agri Engineers & Steel Fabricators, the

The company also makes cattle bodies

Another load away to G. Kennedy Agri Sales company currently has 11 different models of shear grabs available to its customers, including rearmounted shear grabs.

While shear grabs are its speciality, the business also manufactures trailers and other kinds of attachments, including buckrakes, bale stackers, buckets and block grabs.

On the custom end, the company also makes cattle bodies for Dunnes trailers.

“We have tipper trailers here, cattle trailers, silage trailers, buckakes, loader buckets and bale spikes as well,” said William.

“We offer our customers a wide range of trailers and attachments and also provide them with custom work to their own specifications.”

The year after next will see Johnston Brothers marking six decades in business, and where they are now is

Johnston Brothers Agri Engineers & Steel Fabricators have been manufacturing since 1962

a far cry from where they were when Victor Johnston and his brother first set-up their business all those years ago.

“My father and his brother would’ve started up back in 1962 and they moved it from being an agri contracting business to my father doing his own buckets,” William explained.

“In 1986, he manufactured his own shear grab and won an award for it that year for best design. It just took off from there and we would probably manufacture 300 to 350 shear grabs per season now.

“In the summer time, we switch to buck rakes and I suppose you could say that that keeps us steady here all year round.”

As for William himself, he has spent more than two decades working in the business.

After leaving school when he was 16, he studied at Enniskillen Agri College and has been working in his family’s company ever since.

Right now, in spite of all the challenges out there, business is flourishing according to the Co Tyrone native.

“It’s extremely busy. I have to say we’re very busy at the moment,” he stated.

“We’re booked up until Christmas Johnston Brothers 6 Carnalea Road, Fintona, Co Tyrone BT78 2BY Tel: +44 (0)28 8284 1365 E-mail: info@johnstonbros.co.uk www.johnstonbros.co.uk

Quality livestock trailer

IRISH TRACTOR AND AGRI

67

now and even a good bit of January as well, so that’s a good sign for next year hopefully.”

He continued: “It seems to be that we’re always looking for more staff and growing rapidly here.

“We installed a robotic welder last year in order to keep up with the demand from customers and we’ve now got a man full-time on it.”

Since delving into manufacturing their first shear grabs some 35 years ago, Johnston Brothers has seen repeat business from clients down through the years as being key to the success of the business.

Clients tend not to stray elsewhere after the company has manufactured a product to suit their specific needs.

“It’s a lot of repeat business here and a lot of those that buy shear grabs from us the first time end up coming back to us,” said William.

“From what famers tell us, when it comes to cut off silage, it always leaves a very clean and neat finish.”

As business continues to thrive, William and the rest of the Johnston clan are hoping for more of the same in 2020.

Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, famers still need trailers and attachments to carry out their day-to-day work and there aren’t many companies better equipped than Johnston Brothers to supply them.

“Hopefully, we can keep going like we’ve been going and stay at a steady pace,” William stated.

“You just never know what’s around the corner these days and if it happens that one thing does slow down on us, maybe we’ll look at something else.”

One person that won’t be slowing down, going on form, is Victor Johnston.

The company’s founded remains very much involved in the business to this day and continues to play an integral part in its success, as his son explained: “My dad’s 75 now and he’s supposed to

Heavy duty Drope side trailer retire, but he’s a man that doesn’t like holidays,” he laughed.

“He’s still a great addition to us around here at 75 and it’s great to have him for his knowledge of the industry and his

Trailers can ‘be customised’ to suit your needs

Best Wishes and Continued Success to Johnston Bros.

The largest independent wholesale distributor of spares and components to the agricultural trade sector in Ireland Genfitt Mayo Ltd., Knock Road, Kiltimagh, Co. Mayo, F12 K732 T: +353 (0) 94 93 81377 | F: +353 (0) 94 93 81615 Email: info@genfitt.ie | Web: www.genfitt.ie

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experience over the years.”

For all of your agricultural trailer and attachment needs, do not hesitate to give Johnston Brothers Engineers & Steel Fabricators a call today.

Best Wishes and Continued Success to Johnston Bros

Northern Ireland’s Premier Welding Supplier and ONE STOP SHOP Tool Superstore Supplying industry for over 50 years Office: (028) 92 622011 Lissue Industrial Estate West, Fax: (028) 92 622181 Moira Road, Lisburn Sales: (028) 92 622126 BT282RE Email: sales@modernmachinerysupplies.co.uk Web: www.modernmachinerysupplies.co.uk

The agri contracting services are complemented by keen commercial plant hire / contracting services

No.1 in Dublin for agri contracting and plant hire For more than four decades, John O’Brien Agri Plant has been providing an extensive range of unrivalled agricultural contracting services to farmers and producers across South Dublin, Wicklow and Kildare. We visited the company’s well-appointed Rathcoole base and met John to discuss the wide-ranging services offered and the vast fleet of machinery at his disposal.

Providing prompt, professional and reliable solutions

IRISH TRACTOR AND AGRI

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C

lients through the greater Dublin and Leinster regions can depend on John O’Brien Agri Plant for a full range of agri contracting services, covering everything from ploughing, tilling, sewing and drainage to round bale silage, baling, spraying, fertilizer spreading, combining, silage, slurry, hedge cutting and reseeding.

The agri contracting services are complemented by keen commercial plant hire / contracting services provided to a diverse range of clientele, including groundworks on farms or for home renovations or extensions. At the heart of the operation is a fantastic fleet of tractors and associated machinery, ensuring that John and his professional, experienced team can meet client’s precise needs on time every time.

John told me that the work breaks down almost 50:50 between agri contracting and plant hire / digger work: “We provide the full range of agri services, basically anything the farmer might want done, and we also supply stone and topsoil,” he notes. “We have an excellent fleet of tractors here in the yard ranging from 100hp up to 240hp. The average horsepower would be around 170.”

As contracting and plant hire both rely heavily on the availability of quality equipment, constant investment in replenishing and maintaining the fleet guarantees optimal service levels and a host of satisfied customers. “The tractors are all Fendt, New Holland and Deutz,” continues the affable Dub. “We added two new units to the tractor fleet in

2019 – a Fendt and a New Holland. You have to keep them right, keep all the gear good and you are always spending money. If you don’t, you will fall behind.”

Elsewhere in his impressive fleet of machinery, John runs a Claas combine and self-propelled harvester; five and six furrow Kverneland plough; five dump trailers and a range of silage trailers from Broughan (one triaxle and two double axle); a Broughan 28-foot cattle trailer; Broughan bale trailer; McHale Fusion baler and a standard McHale baler with rear-mounted McHale mower; six-metre Lemken power harrow; a range of tankers and two McConnel hedge cutters.

As a farmer himself, running a tillage operation comprising corn, John understands all too well the challenges farmers face and their expectations when it comes to using contractors. Thus, he knows how important it is to have all the gear firing on all cylinders at all times…

“Most of it would be serviced and repaired by the main dealers,” he reveals.

“We have good working relationships with Naas Farm Machinery, Lyons & Burton in Kilcock, Farmworks in North Dublin, WR Shaw for New Holland and Kelly’s of Borris for Claas. We get great service from all of those guys and I suppose it works both way – we look after them and they look after us.”

Between agri and plant hire, John is kept busy all year around, even through the winter months, a time of year that was historically challenging for agri contractors. “There’s always plenty of work,” he confirms. “We have everything we need here and are fully self-sufficient, with a

full range of diggers from one tonne up to 15 tonnes. We also supply stone and topsoil and do groundworks, site clearance and excavation. In the winter time, we’re kept busy with the diggers – on farms and doing some private work as well on sites. We also sell hay, straw and silage.

“The plant hire is mostly private doing construction-related work on small sites or one-off houses. The excavators and track machines come with an operator but we also offer self-drive hire as well, although obviously with expensive machinery you need to be careful who you give them to. Fortunately, we get a lot of repeat business and you tend to know who you are dealing with.”

Indeed, in the agri contracting side of the business. John is dealing with the second and third generations of families he worked for when he started up as a young contractor in the 1970s. “There are some changes too because a lot of people are renting out land but there are

Contact Details: John O’Brien Agri Plant, College Lands, Saggart, Rathcoole, County Dublin.

Tel: 01 5255671 Mobile: 087 2549825 Email: info@agriplanthire.ie Web: agriplanthire.ie

Work at the moment is almost 50:50 between agri contracting and plant hire / digger work

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many families that I’ve been working for since the beginning.”

Running a tillage operation and keeping some cattle of his own not only provides a keen insight into the mind of his fellow farmers but it also helps make John O’Brien Agri Plant more financially viable. “You really need to be farming as well because machinery is simply too expensive now to have it sitting around idle. Contracting is a tough game. The

Timahoe, Donadea, Naas, Co. Kildare

TEL: Timahoe, Donadea, Naas, Co.00353 Kildare45 863542 087 787 8327 TEL: 00353 MOB: 45 863542 EMAIL: enquiries@fjsplant.ie MOB: 087 787 8327 EMAIL: enquiries@fjsplant.ie

www.fjsplant.ie www.fjsplant.ie

At the heart of the operation is a fantastic fleet of tractors and associated machinery cost of machinery has risen substantially but rates have remained the same for the past ten years. In a way, you almost have free machinery there for use on your own Best wishes to land, although obviously you have to put the hours in too. But I believe you need to Best wiAg shriesPlto ant Hire Agri Plant Hi re farm to make it all worthwhile.”

John echoes the sentiments of practically every farmer and contractor on the island when he mentions the weather as one of the main factors he needs to consider on a daily basis: “The first thing you need is the weather. I look at the weather forecast on a regular basis and plan around it. Farmers are watching it, too, and that’s where it’s getting tougher. Weather is definitely the main thing with contracting and farming; if Timahoe, Donadea, Naas, Co. Kildare TEL: 00353 45 863542 MOB: 087 787 8327 you haven’t got the weather on your side, the job gets harder.

EMAIL: enquiries@fjsplant.ie “After that, you just focus on doing what you’re doing to the best of your ability. Give www.fjsplant.ie the client what he needs – a quality service at a fair price. But, as I said, it doesn’t E SERIES LOAD UP ON EFFICIENCY EXCAVATORS >>>matter what machinery you have in your yard … if you haven’t got the weather it’s no E SERIES LOAD UP ON EFFICIENCY EXCAVATORS >>> use to you. Twenty-eighteen was a good year and things were done very efficiently but it’s been a mixed bag since. The south of Ireland got better weather this year Best wishes to Agri Plant Hi re

BEST WISHES AND BEST WISHES AND CONTINUED SUCCESS CONTINUED SUCCESS AGRI PLANT HIRE TOTO AGRI PLANT HIRE s Busines Car LOAD UP ON EFFICIENCY

Busines s

Car

SERIES Life E& Farm Home EXCAVATORS >>> Life & Farm Home Pensions Pensions

FBD Naas FBD Naas Unit 25, Naas Town Centre, Unit 25, Naas Town Centre, Wolfe Tone St, Naas East, Wolfe Tone St, Naas East, Naas, Co. Kildare Naas, Co. Kildare 045 876101 045 876101 Brian Scully Brian Scully 086 8177286 086 8177286 Kenneth Garry Kenneth Garry 087 2235824 087 2235824

for silage cutting. We had no real problem with silage this year but once theWishes weather brokePlant in June Best to Agri Hirewe never got it back again.”

Best WishesAgri to Agri Hire direct employment for a team John O’Brien PlantPlant generates of five on average. “I like to keep it quite simple and don’t want to take on the world,” John concludes. “I’m happy with the machinery we have and to make sure it’s kept in top condition you need good drivers, who can be hard to get. Modern machinery is not only expensive but also requires skill to operate, so you need a good crew - men you can trust to operate the machinery carefully and efficiently.”

Nothing is left to chance at John O’Brien Agri Plant and that’s Claregate Kildare, Co.four Kildare why the business still Street, going strong more than ClaregateisStreet, Kildare, Co. Kildaredecades since its inception, providing generations of farmers in counTel: 045 520166 Fax: 045 520181 Tel: 045and 520166 Fax: 520181 range ties Dublin, Kildare Wicklow with045 a comprehensive Mobile: 087solutions.

2426586 of prompt, professional and 087 reliable Mobile: 2426586

BEST WISHES AND CONTINUED SUCCESS TO AGRI PLANT HIRE Busines s

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HALLIGAN&&CO CO HALLIGAN Accountants and Accountants and Financial Advisers Financial Advisers

Email: ger@halliganandco.com Email: ger@halliganandco.com

Best Wishes to Agri Plant Hire

HALLIGAN & CO Accountants and Financial Advisers

Claregate Street, Kildare, Co. Kildare Tel: 045 520166 Fax: 045 520181 Mobile: 087 2426586 Email: ger@halliganandco.com

Home

FBD Naas Unit 25, Naas Town Centre, Wolfe Tone St, Naas East, FBD Insurance Group Ltd trading as FBD Insurance is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland.

Naas, Co. Kildare FBD Insurance Group Ltd trading as FBD Insurance is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland.

045 876101 Brian Scully FBD-Ad1065-AgriPlantHire-98x140-Oct20-v3.indd 1 20/10/2020 086 8177286 FBD-Ad1065-AgriPlantHire-98x140-Oct20-v3.indd 1 20/10/2020 13:26 Kenneth Garry 087 2235824

IRISH TRACTOR AND AGRI 13:26

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Rory Comiskey Contracts Ltd. is a second-generation enterprise

Farmers in Sligo and Leitrim can count on Rory Comiskey Contracts

Providing the highest quality agricultural contracting, environmental and plant hire services to satisfied customers across the challenging terrain of counties Leitrim and Sligo, Rory Comiskey Contracts Ltd. is a well-established, versatile and highly dependable second-generation enterprise. We interrupted Rory’s busy schedule to find out more about the vast range of prompt and professional services offered to local farmers.

A

gri contracting accounts for the main thrust of the services provided by Rory Comiskey Contracts but it’s not just farmers in counties Leitrim and Sligo who can depend on this longestablished, diverse family-run business.

To complement the exceptional agri contracting business, Rory also offers plant hire and environmental services from his base in Newtownmanor on the Leitrim-Sligo border, providing a comprehensive range of solutions to clients in the counties.

Renowned near and far for delivering the

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high quality slurry, silage, lime spreading and hedge cutting solutions, Rory Comiskey Contracts are busy all year around, serving the needs of farmers and local authorities. Rory went out on his own in 2005, following in the footsteps of his father, Michael Comiskey, who was a well-known local contractor going back to the 1970s.

Upon taking over his father’s business, one of his first undertakings was to diversify the range of services offered so as to make the company more versatile, less seasonal and more financially viable. “It was just agri contracting when I took over but we branched into a cou-

ple of other things to generate a greater workload during the winter months,” he reflects. “It’s now a year-round business, with enough work for three full-time employees all year round.”

Rory Comiskey Contracts Ltd., Leckaun, County Leitrim.

Tel: 071 916 4245 Mobile: 087 642 4797 Email: comiskeycontracts@gmail. com Web: comiskeycontracts.com

Lime spreader in action

Rory went out on his own in 2005, following in the footsteps of his father, Michael Comiskey Agri contracting of course remains at the core of the operation and Rory Comiskey Contracts is renowned near and far as one of the premier contractors in the greater Leitrim / Sligo region. “I’d estimate that about 70% of our work is agri-related,” he notes.

“We start off in the Spring time with slurry – using an umbilical system with dribble bar. That starts in February and takes us through the first quarter. “Lime spreading and silage take us through the summer and we also do some hedge cutting for farmers and local authorities in Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal. So there’s plenty there to keep us busy into the winter months.”

Quality machinery is a prerequisite to providing dependable contracting services and, to this end, five IRISH TRACTOR AND AGRI

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well-maintained TM Series New Holland tractors are at the heart of Rory Comiskey Contracts’s fleet. “They are getting older but we find that they are extremely reliable and we keep them well-maintained,” says Rory. “They have proven themselves to be very good tractors and they are easier to maintain. I’m cautious about moving to the newest models because of the increased maintenance complexity and costs. The hours might be increasing a little but they’re still performing and we know exactly how to maintain and service them.”

For slurry, Rory runs four Red Rock tankers and an Agquip umbilical system with 7.5-metre dribble bar for low-emission spreading. “We began to use the umbilical spreading system ten years ago and added the dribble bar four years ago,” says the Leitrim man, who also uses a nine-foot trailed Kverneland mower, JF trailed harvester and three silage trailers for silage. “We’re never stuck for something to do when the weather is good.”

Meanwhile, McConnel and Spearhead hedge cutters are complemented by an Agrimaster strimmer for roadside verges, which can cut either vertically or horizontally, while Rory’s 5-tonne lime spreader was never as busy as it was in 2020. “This was an exceptional year for lime spreading and we spread more than ever before,” he confirms. “We’ve been providing this service for a long time now but this year was extremely busy due to a combination of the dry Spring and farmers realising that it’s so important. Many farmers are now focusing on more lime and less fertilizer.

Farmers are also taking more soil samples and Teagasc advisors are highlighting the importance of correct PH values correct.”

Plant and environmental services ensure that there’s never a dull moment at Rory Comiskey Contracts. Three-foot, four-foot and eight-foot Hitachis are deployed for a variety of uses, including loading lime, groundworks and carrying out water leak repairs for local authorities, while Rory is also a fully-permitted waste collector, licensed to empty septic tanks and dispose of their contents (again for local authorities). He’s also contracted by Leitrim County Council to de-sludge tanks.

“Whereas in the past there might have been quiet days during bad weather in the winter months, we never stop now.

We’re always busy. Of course, winter is still a good time to take the opportunity to get the machinery serviced and checked to make sure all is in order

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Rory also offers plant hire and environmental services for Spring with everything working as it should be.”

Providing a wide range of services is vitally important as farms in the Sligo / Leitrim region tend to be quite small by their very nature and the terrain can be challenging. “The land around here doesn’t lend itself favourably to our work,” Rory states. “There a lot of hills and the lowland is soft. So we’ve invested in wider wheels and floatation wheels for the slurry, and other work.

“In terms of farming, it’s mainly sucklers farms in this area with some dairy farms particularly in County Sligo. We have well over 100 customers for slurry but many of them are not heavily stocked. The average suckler farm in this area would have less than 20 cows and it’s not as intensive as it was a few years ago.

Sheep numbers remain stable enough but cattle numbers are definitely falling. Most farmers are happy with part-time farming along with some form of off-farm employment to provide a regular income.”

Going forward, Rory intends to continue providing fast and efficient services to farmers, who are very much the bread

and butter of his business. “We’ll keep providing a good service and we’ll increase the fleet and diversify as necessary,” he concludes. “For me, the farmer always comes first. I have considered other types of work but the farm work comes around every year, it’s local and it’s a very loyal client base. “We’re comfortable doing the agri work, we know it well and we know our clients well. Farmers are decent people to work for and it’s something I really enjoy doing, so I’ll continue the strong emphasis on the agri contracting for the future.”

Renowned for delivering high quality slurry, silage, lime spreading and hedge cutting solutions

Best Wishes and Continued Success to Rory Comiskey Contracts

DAVID CROWLEY AGRI CONTRACTS

Best Wishes & Continued Success to Rory Comiskey Contracts

OLIVER O’HARA AGRI CONTRACTOR

Manorhamilton, Co. Leitrim Tel: 086 8327110

MANORHAMILTON, CO. LEITRIM Best Wishes and Continued Success to Rory Comiskey Contracts

LESLIE’S FARM SUPPLIES

FARM SUPPLIES

Drum Road, Rathcormack, Co. Sligo Telephone: 071 9145328 Mobile: 087 2510421 Email: lesliefarmsupplies@gmail.com

Best Wishes to Rory Comiskey Contracts Ltd

STEPHEN GALLAGHER PLANT FITTING & SUPPLIES

Best Wishes & Continued Success to Rory Comiskey Contracts

SH

HIGGINS & CO. CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS

Tel: 071-9855259 | Fax: 071-9855263 Email: info@higginsco.ie Sráid Sheáin Mhic Dhiarmada, Manorhamilton, Co. Leitrim

Best Wishes and Continued Success to Rory Comiskey Contracts

T.J. Tyres

Shanvaus, Manorhamilton, Co.Leitrim Telephone: 087 8535407 E: stephenmgallagher2009@hotmail.com

Creamery Rd, Manorhamilton, Co Leitrim Telephone : 071 9856586 Mobile: 086 8105501 Email: tjtyres@eircom.net IRISH TRACTOR AND AGRI

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Casey Agri provides sales, service and parts for a wide range of farm machinery

The one-stop shop for all your machinery needs Based just outside the towns of Mountmellick and Portarlington, Casey Agri provides sales, service and parts for a range of farm machinery. Irish Tractor & Agri heard more about the family-run company from co-director Denise Casey recently.

O

The experienced staff at Casey Agri

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ctober marked two years since Bob and Denise Casey took over the Casey Agri in Garryhinch and today business is “quite strong” along the Laois/ Offaly border.

The company’s history dates back 30 years to a time when Eamon Casey (Bob’s father) first started his farm machinery business and grew it from the ground up.

Today, Casey Agri offers its customers tractor and agri machinery for sales and also boasts a busy parts department down in Garryhinch, where they employ four full-time staff.

Irish Tractor & Agri learned all about the ins and outs of this

Reeling in the years at Casey Agri

A shot from the 90’s with a young Bob Casey

award-winning company, as well as its hopes going forward, from Denise Casey.

“Primarily, it’s Quality used tractors that we sell here,” she explained. “We also sell farm machinery and we are proud stockists of Abbey, Fleming, NC, Rossmore, Amazone, Krone and Bomford brands.

“Business has been consistent enough this year and even though lockdown came during our busiest season, we have managed to maintain all our services.”

Indeed, government lockdown this past March in response to the Covid-19 pandemic affected businesses nationwide and Casey Agri was no different.

The company has long supplied customers not only in the Midlands, but also all throughout Ireland with a variety of used equipment and new top-class machinery.

All of the machines that pass back through Casey Agri’s gates are fully serviced and ready to work.

It’s that kind of service that sees the company’s customers coming back time and time again.

“We see a lot of repeat business here going back to customers that Bob’s father Eamon would have dealt with years ago,” said Denise.

Casey Agri

The team at Casey Agri Machinery in the 1990’s

Garryhinch Portarlington Co Laois Office: +353 57 8644224 Bob: +353 87 2025342 Tel: +353 85 8667265 Email: sales@caseyagri.com www.caseyagri.com

IRISH TRACTOR AND AGRI

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Best Wishes and Continued Success to Casey Agri

Best Wishes and Continued Success to Casey Agri

StewartS Delivery Service The Rock, Mountmellick, Co. Laois Tel: 086-2578461 / 086-9597528

Best Wishes & Continued Success to Casey Agri

Best Wishes and Continued Success to Casey Agri

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TRACTOR & FARM MACHINERY Gurteen, Rosenallis, Co. Laois Telephone: 057 8628658

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“Local business is quite strong and we are forever grateful that our customers shop local. We have a mechanic on the road to supply repairs and urgent callouts to our customers.

“Then we have a parts department as well which is very busy at the moment.”

Abbey, Amazone, Krone, Quicke, NC, Fleming, Bomford, Rainbow, Rossmore, Ifor Williams, and Hudson Trailers are the brands of machinery that Casey Agri provide sales, service and parts for.

The company is committed to providing first class service on all tractors, plant and machinery sold to its wide customer base.

Exceptional services, reliable products and well-trained employees, all of which

The next generation at Casey Agri

The Casey family started the business from scratch 30-years ago work together to ensure quick help and prompt decisions, are why customers continue to come back to Casey Agri.

All of the company’s mechanics undergo the latest and most up to date training to ensure quality service to clients.

With regards to parts, Casey Agri stocks genuine parts for all Landini and McCormick tractors, John Deere, New Holland, Landini, McCormick, Abbey, Amazone, Krone, Quicke, NC, Fleming, Bomford, Rainbow, Rossmore, Ifor Williams, and Hudson Trailers and have a next day delivery service from most of its suppliers.

The aim at Casey Agri is to supply the customer with a fast and efficient service by trying to have most common components for the machines they sell on the shelf in their stores.

As for why customers choose the company ahead of other competitors out there, Denise feels that the Casey name is one with a proud tradition around the

Midlands when it comes to excellence in farm machinery.

“I would say a lot of it is down to the familiarity of the place to our customers and the fact that the service is excellent.

We know them and they know us,” she stated.

“Bob had worked in the business with his dad for years and during that time he developed a relationship with the customers.

“For us when we took over, it was to look at where we wanted to take the business. We put in a new store at the back to hold more parts and we were planning more refurbishment works in early 2020 but Covid-19 has stalled that slightly.”

The company’s excellent work was recognised on a national scale when it earned accreditation at the Business All Stars.

The national body are responsible for

Best Wishes to Casey Agri

Best Wishes and Continued Success to Casey Agri IRISH TRACTOR AND AGRI

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accrediting Best-in-Class Irish businesses, convening the All-Ireland Business Summit and Awards.

Needless to say, Casey Agri were delighted with the success.

“The business All Star award was definitely nice to receive and it was a nice bit of recognition for the company,” Denise said.

“There were a couple of stages with the entry process, an e-mail, a phone call and an actual call in, and it was all on a points system.

“It was great to win and even for the staff to be able to say it’s a business that’s recognised nationally is great.”

Looking towards the months ahead, Casey Agri will no doubt be hoping for more of the same with regards to the current rate of business.

As for the Caseys themselves, they, like every family, will be hoping the situation will improve with regards to the Coronavirus pandemic which has gripped the globe over the past year.

“The hopes for the months ahead are simply that we all stay safe and healthy,” said Denise.

“With Brexit coming up at the end of the year, 2021 will bring more challenges

Best Wishes to Casey Agri

An array of stock back in the early days of the business for Business and farming community, but like all challenges we will rise to meet them “

She concluded: “We’re a one stop shop for all your farm machinery needs, so hopefully we can continue to be in 2021 and for many more years to come.”

Best Wishes and Continued Success to Casey Agri

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The mart is at the core of the community for many years

Family run since 1968 Established in 1968, Cashel Mart Livestock & Property Sales is one of Tipperary’s leading livestock marts. Irish Tractor & Agri touched base with its Mart Manager Robert de Vere Hunt to learn all about the state of business at the moment.

I

t was two years ago that saw Cashel Mart Livestock & Property Sales celebrate half a century since its establishment and these days business is flying down along Camas Road in Cashel, Co Tipperary.

The mart itself has been at the core of the community for many years, with its sales hosted every Saturday.

Cashel Mart Livestock & Property Sales

deals with agricultural sales, farm sales, machinery sales, commercial sales, livestock valuations and grazing and tillage letting.

Irish Tractor & Agri touched base with Robert de Vere Hunt, manager since 2003, to find out more.

“Business has been good this year and the Spring started well for us especially,” said Robert.

“We’re in the heart of dairy country here and could be selling anywhere in region of 600 calves on any given Saturday.”

Of course, the Spring season would be affected nationwide by the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and the government shutdown of companies all over the country from the second week in March to May 18th.

At Cashel Mart, they tackled the issue for their own customers in the best way they knew how to, as Robert explained: “Willie Troy would be my right hand here and we went out to the yards for customers. It meant that we were actually bringing the customers to the calves, so they didn’t even have to come into the mart.

“That went on for two months and when we opened up again, I have to say that we saw a phenomenal trade.

“There’s still a hunger there. We’d a beef sale last Saturday and there was a serious trade at it.

“Beef is going to stay strong for the rest of 2020 and we’ll just have to see how it goes after that.”

Situated behind the Rock of Cashel, the mart has developed a strong customer IRISH TRACTOR AND AGRI

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Best Wishes and Continued Success to Cashel Mart

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IRISH TRACTOR AND AGRI

“Secondly, we run a tight little shop here and, believe it or not, it makes a big difference for us.

“And lastly, we have a phenomenal strike rate with regards to selling. When you come here, we don’t want you to leave with your cattle and I think it’s a big part of the reason why our customers come to us.”

Indeed, customer satisfaction has always been the top priority at Cashel Mart.

It’s the reason why approximately 30,000 stock passes through it each and every year.

“Back in 2003, the number of stock that we had passing through was around 6,000,” explained Robert.

Mart Manager Robert de Vere Hunt with his son Robert Jnr base all throughout the Munster and Leinster region, offering its customers sales by auction, public tender and private treaty.

Robert and his sister Alison have been jointly running the mart together over the past seven years, with Alison currently out on maternity leave.

With approximately 30,000 stock passing through the ring on an annual basis, meeting the customers at Cashel Mart and delivering a quality service is what

Robert and Alison focus on each and every year.

They hold a livestock sale of cattle, weanlings and some special entries every Saturday at present and the calf sale is on a Saturday morning in spring and into the summer.

There is live sheep weighing for the factory every Monday.

“We’re on a Saturday, which is a huge scalp first and foremost,” Robert pointed out.

Cashel Mart Livestock & Property Sales Camas Road, Cashel, Co Tipperary Tel: 062-62500 Web: cashelmart.com E-mail: info@cashelmart.com

Customer satisfaction has always been the top priority at Cashel Mart

IRISH TRACTOR AND AGRI

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“Back then we were only open on a Tuesday, so we’ve built up a huge network of people over the last 17 years or so and two years ago we celebrated 50 years in business.”

Robert also works in property as a selling agent and explained that he receives calls from farmers all over looking for suggestions and advice.

Looking at the months ahead he is optimistic, but he doesn’t feel the same way about 2021.

“An awful lot of farmers ring me for advice and I have to say that I’m genuinely worried for next year because we are going through a false trade at the moment,” said Robert.

“The golden rule with beef is that someone along the way has to lose money

Preparing for another busy day

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Auctioneer Willie Troy with Robert de Vere Hunt and right now that’s not what’s happening.

“I’m optimistic for the rest of 2020, but I don’t like what I see for 2021. I’d say you can batten down the hatches between Covid and Brexit.”

The Mart has come through rougher times over the past half century than what Robert is forecasting for next year and will no doubt come through them again.

At Cashel Mart Livestock & Property Sales all of the customers know the Hunts and they know them. That personal touch has gone a long way down through the years and, as ever, they don’t like to see stock going back home.

They also happen to have the most picturesque mart in Ireland, so, all things considered, it’s no surprise to see customers coming back to it every week.

One of Tipperary’s leading livestock marts, things continue to look positive for this family-run business with a rich tradition of always putting the customer first.

Best Wishes and Continued Success to Cashel Mart

Best Wishes to Cashel Mart

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IRISH TRACTOR AND AGRI

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2021 will see Agri Design & Planning Services mark 10 years in business

Agri Design & Planning Services approaches 10-year mark

An underpass

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IRISH TRACTOR AND AGRI

ADPS is a company which takes away all the hassle

Aidan has grown his business from the ground up and knows the industry like the back of his hand

Agri Design & Planning Services provides its clients with a reliable and independent service from initial discussion to first use. Irish Tractor & Agri caught up with owner and founder Aidan Kelly recently to learn more about the Co Tipperary-based business.

2

021 will see Agri Design & Planning Services (ADPS) marking 10 years in business and company founder Aidan Kelly is as optimistic as ever heading into a second decade.

Operating from Molough, Newcastle, Clonmel, Co Tipperary, ADPS has

Contact Details:

Agri Design & Planning Services Molough, Newcastle, Clonmel, Co Tipperary Mobile: 085 746 6211 E-mail: Aidan@ADPS.ie www.adps.ie

ADPS have done work in 20-counties

IRISH TRACTOR AND AGRI

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grown year on year since its formation, with the last three years in particular being exceptionally busy for the company.

This growth is due to the fact that ADPS continually offers the very best services in its field, never settling for second best with customer satisfaction always being its top priority.

Irish Tractor & Agri touched based with Aidan Kelly recently to find out more about the ins and outs of the company, as well as the state of business at the moment.

“Next year it’ll be ten years for Agri Design & Planning Services,” Aidan beamed.

“We’re working in conjunction with the same lads and collaborating now with other companies, but regards staff it’s still just me here.”

Indeed, Aidan has grown his business venture from the ground up and knows the industry like the back of his hand at this stage.

When it comes to building a new dairy unit or even just a new parlour there are lots of things to consider and decide before you get work started on site; Building location, internal layout, building size, site levels existing and proposed, relationship to other buildings, proposed costs, parlour type and size, planning approval, services, water, electricity, drainage existing and proposed, ventilation if for stock, access for both vehicular and stock, cow flow around the buildings and parlour.

ADPS is a company which takes away all the hassle and has the experience to offer the best options and advice available to the customer within their budget.

A qualified architect, Aidan is also a specialist in dairy design start up and set up.

He set up a green field dairy himself in 2013.

He has managed to complete somewhere in the region of 2,000 farm designs over the past decade and that number is set to increase further given the current state of business heading into 2021.

“To be honest, business has grown from strength to strength since I started,” he said.

“In the last three years or so, there has been a real dairy boom. It was six or seven years ago when I decided to get into dairy and I’d have a very good understanding of it.”

In that case, business has been flourishing a while now at ADPS but, then again, 2020 has been a year like no other.

This past Spring saw the Irish government enforce lockdown in a bid to battle

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ADPS are specialists in dairy design start up and set-up

Aidan has completed in the region of 2,000 farm designs over the past decade

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the Coronavirus pandemic and it affected businesses nationwide. ADPS was no different than the rest.

“Lockdown did have an effect on our jobs at the construction phase, so there were eight to 10 weeks there where our projects would have been shut down,” Aidan explained.

“Planning permission got closed down too, so that had a lot of knock on affects, but since May 18th we have been flat out and hopefully that will continue into next year.”

The signs are looking good for 2021 already for ADPS, where all bases are covered when it comes to design and planning services.

The full list of services that the company provides reads as follows; full planning applications, applications and drawings for exempted developments, exemption certification, applications for retention,

reference department costs can be prepared, Milking Parlour Layouts, cubicle housing designs, cattle slatted housing, sheep and goat housing, hay barns and storage shed (Grain Storage), stable design, underpass and bridges over rivers, GPS farm mapping, farm roadway and paddock designs, water infrastructure layout and farmyard redesigns and site surveys.

While word of mouth has been salient in the company’s success to date, Aidan outlined that his farming background has essentially been the key factor above all else.

“My great selling point here is that I’m a farmer myself,” he said. “I can have a conversation about everything and anything with a farmer.

“The other thing is the massive experience that I’ve gained here over the last

nine to 10 years. That helps a lot and then there’s the fact that we offer a nationwide service.

“I think so far we’ve done work in over 20 counties in the Republic of Ireland so far, with Donegal, Fermanagh and Sligo being the only ones to date that I haven’t worked with a client in.”

Going on the current rate of business, one would imagine it won’t be long before ADPS covers all 26 counties in the Republic with its excellent work.

Almost a decade on and the company has been nothing short of a success story, but Aidan doesn’t take all the credit.

“Myself and my father (Richard) have be working on 171 acres milking platform with 170 cows,” he said.

“The plan is to possibly grow that up to 190, but I know that it would be very hard to keep everything a float between the business and the farm without the support of my father on the farm and my wife Seána running our home with four young kids.

“With any great organisation, you have to have great people behind you and around you and my father was the reason I went to College and became an architect and he has always been a big driver for me.”

Laurels won’t be rested on either, as Aidan relishes another year where he hopes challenges can be met and the current rate of business at ADPS can carry on.

“I’m looking forward to it. Hopefully, there’ll be more grants to come in for farmers that gives that bit of extra security for them.

“Everyone will be hoping that the situation with Covid can improve next year as well and hopefully it will,” he concluded.

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Best Wishes to Agri Design & Planning Services

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SPECIALISING IN VARIOUS ASPECTS OF CONCRETE AND STEEL WORK

• Rotary Milking Parlours • Slatted Units • Silage Slabs • Industrial Units Benny Smith (087) 4063047

Email: smithformconstruction@gmail.com IRISH TRACTOR AND AGRI

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JS Farm Services has been looking after its customers’ tractor and machinery needs for a quarter of a century

No.1 in Donegal for agri machinery sales, service, parts and repairs Based in Dunfanaghy, JS Farm Services tends to the machinery needs of farmers from across Donegal and beyond, importing new Tolmet and Premium disc harrows and sprayers as well as selling, repairing, servicing and sourcing parts for all makes of tractors and other equipment. Renowned far and wide as a Massey Ferguson specialist, Jonathan Stewart runs the popular business alongside his wife Magdalena.

F

armers and contractors from all over the North West and further afield can testify to the outstanding and wide-ranging solutions provided by JS Farm Services – a company which has been looking after their tractor and machinery needs

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for a quarter of a century and counting.

A meticulous and vastly-experienced technician and fitter, proprietor Jonathan Stewart knows tractors and all other types of agri gear inside-out. His passion and enthusiasm for machinery is boundless; combined with decades of

experience in working with agricultural equipment – in particular the legendary Massey marque – his services are in high demand, not just in his native Donegal but island-wide, from Cork to the capital to Achill Island.

JS Farm Services imports heavy-duty Tolmet and Premium disc harrows and

JS Farm Services tends to the machinery needs of farmers

Main importers of Talmet and Premium disc harrows and sprayers

sprayers from Poland, for retail locally and also for wholesale through trusted partners O’Hara Machinery in Limavaddy, Sheridan Machinery in Cavan and James Masterson in Wexford Having worked with Masseys all his life, Jonathan also sources and sells high-quality, pre-owned tractors and diagnoses, repairs and services all makes and models of tractors and machinery. As a member of the local farming community himself, running a suckler enterprise, he understands implicitly the needs of farmers and goes out of his way to provide services above and beyond the call of duty each and every time. Little wonder the phone is always ringing, with enquiries from all over Ireland!

Jonathan has forged strong, lasting relationships with partners and colleagues across the island and also in Poland, including Martins Garage in Bailieborough, County Cavan, while he also benContact Details:

Jonathan Stewart and family

JS Farm Services, Portnablagh, Dunfanaghy, County Donegal.

Tel: 074 9136451 Mobile: 086 6790346

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efits from repeat business from numerous satisfied customers, including Bobby Doherty Agri Contracting and Bonner Plant Hire to mention just a couple.

“I started the business up 25 years ago, having served my time with Massey,” he reflects.

“I suppose I am mostly known for my work with Massey when it comes to repairs but we look after all makes of tractors, machinery and plant. I have three working here full-time and we specialise in transmission / gearbox repairs.

“We import two very good brands of machinery from Poland – Tolmet and Premium – and these are proving to be very popular – robust machines that get the job done.”

Indeed, rather ironically considering the year that’s been in it with the coronavirus pandemic, Jonathan says demand for new and second-hand machinery has been unexpectedly strong in 2020: “This year has been crazy. We’ve been very busy

BOBBY DOHERTY

JS Farm machinery are Massey specialists

Best Wishes and Continued Success to JS Farm Services

Agri Contracting

Ardslittle, Ramelton, Co. Donegal Telephone: 086 3858358 Email: dohertyfarm@live.ie

Best Wishes and Continued Success to JS Farm Services Best Wishes and Continued Success to JS Farm Services

S BRENNAN

HI-AB HAULAGE AND RECOVERY SERVICES

TELEPHONE: 086 6032560 Meenawilligan, Churchill, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal

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Murphy’s Yard, Dromore Letterkenny, Co. Donegal Telephone: 087 647 9121 Email: gmgstone.ie@gmail.com

MARTIN’S GARAGE BAILIEBORO LTD.

Main Massey Ferguson Distributors.

NEW MASSEY FERGUSON TRACTORS (EX STOCK) MF 5700, MF 6700, MF 7700 Series.

0% Finance up to 3 years, Finance available up to 7 years. Warranty Packages from 1 to 5 years.

View the New range of Massey Ferguson Grass Equipment Massey Ferguson Balers, Rakes and Tedders ex stock clearance Demonstration Tractors & telehandlers Available.

KUHN FARM MACHINERY Full range of Kuhn Balers, mowers, rakes, Tedders ex stock clearance KRONE FARM MACHINERY Full range of Krone Balers, mowers, rakes, Tedders ex stock clearance ABBEY FARM EQUIPMENT Slurry Tanks, Slurry Pumps, Diet Feeders, Toppers, Fertilizer Spreaders.

Abbey dribble bars and trailing shoes.

FERTILIZER SPREADERS.

Rauch, Amazone, Abbey-Vicon Models.

CONOR FARM MACHINERY Conor Slurry Tanks, Slurry Pumps, Bale Wrappers, Toppers.

NEW KONGSKILDE (JF) FCT 1060 HARVESTERS IN STOCK NUGENT FARM MACHINERY Now Stocking the full Range Of Nugent Trailers McCauley Dump Trailers and low loaders Blaney Round Bale Foragers

S/H TRACTORS EX STOCK. 2008 MF 5475 4wd (due in) 2006 MF 5445 & loader 2015 Claas 810 4wd F/L 2017 MF 7724 4wd F/L & PTO 50K 2008 MF 5465 4wd c/w Loader 2006 MF 5455 4wd 2007 Same 95 4wd, 2017 MF 7718 4wd F/L & PTO 40K 2008 MF 5455 4wd c/w loader 2006/07 MF 6480 4wd choice 2009 landini vision 95 4wd 2017 MF 5612 4wd (1600 hrs) (Dyna 4) 2006 MF 5445 4wd c/w loader 1995 Landini 9880 4wd 2016 MF 5612 4wd c/w Loader 2008 MF 5445 4wd c/w loader 2005/06 MF 5455 4wd c/w loaders Selection of s/h Machinery.

2012 MF 6480 4wd (due in) 2007 MF 5465 4wd (2800 hrs) choice Conor 1600 recessed tanker 2012 MF 5455 4wd choice 2007 MF 5465 4wd 2004 MF 6490 4wd Abbey 1300 gallon tanker 2011 MF 5445 4wd 2006 MF 6475 4wd 2002 MF 6270 4wd c/w Loader JF 955 Trailed harvester Sheargrabs, Quicke, NC, Prodig, Nugent, Johnston, Rossmore in stock to suit all makes of tractor loaders and industrial loaders

Contact us: Martins Garage Bailieboro, Co. Cavan - www.martinsgarage.ie/www.masseyparts.ie Phone : 042 9665147 - Oliver 087 2201296 - Ronnie 086 2506462 - Ivan 087 1935631

Jonathan also sources and sells high-quality, pre-owned tractors with second-hand tractors. We also import most of those from Poland and the retail side has been much busier than I would have expected.

“Dunfanaghy is a small village and I expected sales to take a big hit due to the restrictions and loss of work but it really has been the opposite. It’ll be very surprising if this lasts. Next year is going to be interesting as the country can’t possibly be in good shape with all the money that’s being paid out. There has to be a major recession on the way. Hopefully not, but that’s how it appears to me.”

Although he has access to the latest diagnostics, Jonathan says it’s not always practical to rely on computer software when informed manual investigation can get to the bottom of a problem more accurately. “To be honest, I don’t really need to use diagnostics. Often, they can put you in the wrong direction, where common sense is a better approach. I can get to the bottom of a problem fairly quickly and get the machinery back in the field with very little downtime.”

Repair services can be offered from the workshop, but a swift mobile, on-site breakdown service is also provided.

“With the silage season, you have to be able to offer a mobile, call-out service,” the Donegal master technician contin-

ues. “We also repair all makes of diggers, including Hitachi, teleporters and plant machinery.

“Local people are very supportive of us and, to be honest, I couldn’t manage without my wife, Magdalena, who is a big part of the business. She looks after the imports and handles a lot of the communications with our suppliers and partners in Poland. I was working out in Poland as a fitter on the motorway when I met Magdalena. She speaks the language and knows the laws and regulations over there and her contribution to the business is immeasurable.”

With a large selection of tractors and machinery in stock at any given time, JS Farm Services can offer customers prompt and value-added solutions.

“Generally, the yard is full and we keep a lot of stock to cater for demand,” says Jonathan. “It definitely worked in our favour when the Covid hit as we had a good range of stuff here. It’s important that when Spring comes, you have the machinery available. Farmers expect to get it straight away – they can’t really afford to wait around. They also like to be able to see things before they buy. So, I find that if you have something in stock it will be a lot easier to sell than if you are trying to sell it from a brochure.”

Farmers and contractors alike can rest assured that when they purchase from JS Farm Machinery that they will receive a high-quality machine that’s in perfect running order. “If anything goes wrong, we will look after it,” Jonathan promises.

“We make sure everything goes out of here in perfect condition and people are prepared to pay a little bit more for better – so there are new parts added wherever necessary as opposed to fixing up an old part.

“There’s great value in imported second-hand Polish tractors. They have been better kept and have worked in a better climate and more favourable conditions. There are less hours on them and they haven’t had to contend with the bad land or humidity and dampness we have here in Ireland – so they will be in good condition.”

Looking to the future, Jonathan says he’d be more than happy to consolidate the business and maintain it at its current size: “We’ll keep it as it is – bigger isn’t always better,” he concludes.

“We’re more than happy as we are and I can cope with it and provide a good personal service to all my customers. We couldn’t really be any busier than we are so, if things continue as they are, I’ll take that.”

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Stephenstown Industrial Park, Balbriggan, Co. Dublin - T: 00353 (0) 184 33440 T: 00353 (0) 184 33440 M: 00353 (0) 86 3734260 T: 00353 (0) 184 33440 Jamie Doyle - T: 00353 (0) 184 33440

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