When it comes to hay, the telehandler is the new king.
The Michaels Group is the largest JCB dealership in Australia and the telehandler rules as their most popular product.
Michaels Moama dealer principal Brad Michael said the telehandler had proved itself to be the most versatile machine on the farm, doing forklift jobs, unloading trucks, pallet work, bucket work and even loading mixer wagons.
“A fair few people are getting their first one,” Mr Michael said.
“There are also the guys coming in for their second one so they can have one in the shed and one in the paddock.
“Going back four or five years a telehandler was considered a luxury and farmers would only have one they’d move around, but that’s changing.”
The JCB brand in particular takes a lot of pride in its telehandlers.
“JCB are probably the premium brand (for telehandlers) because they’ve been doing it the longest and invented the concept of a telescopic handlers,” Mr Michael said.
“We’ve also got the biggest range.”
The JCB company has been pioneering the telehandler since the 1970s and the UK-based, family owned company considers itself the world’s number one telehandler manufacturer.
The telehandler will only grow in importance as shedding and transport continues to become a bigger part of the hay job.