They likely ate lunch at one of the many Kentucky Cattlemen’s food stands, and they more than likely took home a new hat, shop tools or work gloves.
The 2015 show celebrated its 50th birthday. Since Louisville doesn’t have enough motels, rental cars or parking spaces for all of you, it’s perhaps understandable that you didn’t make it to the show – so we’ve brought to you a few of the many new products introduced or equipment highlights.
Contact sources are listed if you want to learn more.
John Deere 900 Series
Round balers
Barry Nelson
It’s so new there wasn’t even a prototype at the show. It is available for ordering, with delivery expected late spring.
The 900 Series round baler (two models – 960 and 990) has pre-cutter knives to pre-process forage when baling to make a denser high-moisture silage or forage.
The knives can also be retracted to allow use as a traditional dry-hay baler. Photo courtesy of John Deere.
Mustang 1650R
(800) 628-0491
What can’t you do with a skid-steer loader? It’s like the Leatherman of powered equipment. Mustang introduces a new size – the 1650R – for mid-sized muscle.
Attachments for these are as varied as the workday of any rancher or farmer. It’s the hired man you wish you had. Here’s the dirty detail: 69.9 hp, rated operating capacity 1,650 pounds, counterweight 1,800 pounds, lift height 119 inches.
And it won’t need weekends off.
Best Livestock Equipment: Hay Saver Feeder
Will Mahoney:
(800) 365-5850
At this booth, I couldn’t decide whether to take a picture of the Best Bale Feeder or the Best Tire Tank. Either one was a winner. This company can hardly keep up with orders, which was no surprise to me.
This is what happens when a guy who really knows his market puts ingenuity with practicality. I’ve seen plenty of tire water tanks, but the tire hay saver feeder was a design I hadn’t seen before.
The tire base prevents livestock from moving the feeder. The 2-inch, 14-gauge galvanized pipe is attached to give a stanchion effect. The inner cone prevents cattle from pulling hay out and wasting it. It’s not new on the market but definitely worth a look.
Kubota M7 Series tractors
David Palmer
Kubota is shaking things up. Their bold move into the commercial livestock, hay market and row-crop production markets launched at the National Farm Machinery Show with the M7 Series tractors, their largest-horsepower capacity tractors to date.
The mid-range models include a range of 130- to 170-engine horsepower, with 110-inch axles. The tractor line features variable transmission and engine-assisted deceleration to help maintain control and constant traveling speed while on slopes.
This tractor line complements their new lineup of hay tools. (I tried to get a picture at the show of the tractor floor model, but do you have any idea how hard it is to get a picture of a tractor at a farm show without someone’s kid climbing into the cab?) Photo courtesy of Kubota.
Bush Hog 3008 Rotary Mower
Tony Marchese
Available in the third quarter of 2015, the 8-foot twin-spindle design brings a medium-duty cutter designed for clearing light brush, general pasture and roadside mowing.
Looks like it would be perfect for taking out the new Russian olive saplings that sprout in my pastures every year. It requires a 40- to 90-hp tractor to operate.
This cutter has your pasture needs written all over it. (And then your neighbor will be over shortly to borrow it.)
Tubeline TLR 5000 AX2
Ernie Cooper
In an effort to help producers put up quality bale silage, Tubeline introduces the in-line bale wrapper X2 Series, available for both round and square bales.
This particular model, the TLR 5000, wraps round bales up to 5 feet 6 inches. Twin wrap (one stretcher with two rolls of film) is an optional feature on this model. The twin wrap is designed to wrap the bale in half the time.
Schulte FX-318 Rotary Cutter
Gary Ball
Rotary cutters are obviously popular, and customers are demanding them in an increasing number of sizes. Schulte announced the FX-318 rotary mulching cutter.
Designed originally for the thoroughbred horse farm market, it can be used anywhere for even cut without windrowing.
The mulching action incorporates clippings below the grass canopy, not on top of it, with less chance of horses consuming moldy cuttings. It offers an extra 3 feet of cutting width (total of 18 feet) over mowers with the same horsepower.
Arrow Q-Catch 8500V
Squeeze Chute
Jeremy Bandy
The Q-Catch 8500V features a low-noise rump bar (rubber-lined fiberglass), removable safety handle, drench hook and easy access needle gate.
With full-length double-parallel squeeze, the design enables you to work any-sized animals equally efficiently. The needle gate lets handlers access the cattle neck area with greater ease and safety.
The headgate is designed with a simple push-to-shut or pull-to-open operation. No more awkward positions and a quieter operation for livestock handling.
Arrow Cow-Power 1050
Squeeze Chute
Jeremy Bandy
Your dad’s chute probably has a horizontal latch on the rear gate that’s a little awkward to operate; on cattle-working days, both shoulders have to be ache-free and able to maneuver the old style.
The Cow-Power 1050 just made it easier, with one vertical latch to open the rear gate. It features three extra removable inspection gates on each side of the squeeze chute to facilitate livestock access.
The full-length squeeze handles both small calves and large bulls. Hydraulics operate the headgate, full-length squeeze and rear door. 
