Farms have come a long way from the hand-tilled stretches of land from past decades. Today, farmers use a number of modern technologies on their farm properties. One of these advances is telescopic handlers, also called telehandlers. This multipurpose machine has both the properties of a forklift and a skid-steer loader, making it an ultimate piece of equipment to use on a farm. Explore three ways telehandlers can help out farmers.
Move and Stack Hay Bales
Bales of hay are deceptively heavy. While they look like a small bundle that you could easily lift over your shoulder, the typical hay bale weighs between 40 and 140 pounds. If you used manual labor for this task, you’d need to employ an army of strong arms and backs for the day. Round bales of hay start at about 1,000 pounds and go up in weight.
Having a telehandler solves this problem. All you have to do is use this machine to get underneath the bales. The telehandler can lift up the bales and move them anywhere you’d like, such as your barn or a truck. In fact, many farmers rent telehandlers during the late spring and summer months to help move around their hay bales.
Tow Trailers
Farms have much heavy equipment. Often, this equipment comes in the form of trailers loaded with produce, manure, and other farm products. Sometimes, trucks can handle moving these items around, but trucks don’t have a tight turn radius and may get stuck in fields. Telehandlers, however, can fit into tight spaces without an issue. They’ll be able to grab a trailer and take it wherever you need to go.
If you’re in a pinch, you could also probably tow an ATV or small tractor with your telehandler. However, be sure you don’t go above the maximum payload or towing capacity.
Pack Down Silage
If you live on a farm, you already know what silage is. For those who don’t, it’s a mound of pasture grass that has been preserved to feed to animals during times of drought or cold. Silage is made by cutting grass, collecting the wilted pieces, and fermenting the pieces by throwing them into a pit and pressing them down into the earth.
Telehandlers perform this function magnificently, as they have a crab-steering function that allows them to pack down the grass while getting as close to the edges as possible. Then, the smashed pile will be covered with plastic to keep out oxygen, quicken the fermentation process, and produce a product that livestock will love to eat.
As you can see, telehandlers are an invaluable tool for ranchers and farmers. Not only will this piece of heavy equipment help increase productivity around an acreage, but it will also reduce the risk of injury and save you money on labor and supplies. Renting a telehandler can also help you save on the space you would need to store this piece of equipment on your farm property.
