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‘The Bull’ finds a match in the Cyclone

Irish rugby hero John ‘The Bull’ Hayes knows a thing or two about working hard, staying focussed and achieving goals. Diligence and discipline would earn him 105 Ireland caps, two Lions tours, two Heineken Cups, four Triple Crowns and the 2009 Grand Slam.

 

Yet, he never abandoned his farming background and now spends his days rearing Hereford cattle on his 90-acre family farm in Cappamore, Co Limerick. He also travels around the country promoting Irish Hereford Prime as ABP-Irish Hereford Prime Ambassador.

 

“The Hereford is a very hardy animal that can thrive and perform well on all land types,” enthuses John. “They are very easy to handle, work with and are extremely docile. They are a very low maintenance animal.” His firm belief in the Hereford breed as a high-quality, hardy animal mirrors the features found in all Major products – durability, reliability, versatility and easy operability.

 

So when looking at farm equipment, he expects no less. “I had been looking at the Major Cyclone the last couple of years and I eventually decided to make a move for it,” said John. Agri-Engineering Gold Medal winner at the 2016 National Ploughing Championships, the Cyclone Mower bridges the gap between a traditional grass topper and flail mower. Designed to do the work of a flail, the Major Cyclone requires 25% less power consumption than a typical flail, saving time and fuel costs for users. Gearóid Ryan at Ryan Tractors & Grasscare initially introduced ‘The Bull’ to the Cyclone in 2.8m working width.

“We’ve got mixed soil here,” John explains. “One side of the land is fairly good, but then the other half of the farm always needs work. Every year you have to keep on top of it and do your best with it.”

 

“Obviously, rushes have been a problem with some of the wet summers we’ve had lately,” he continues. “You don’t want them lying on the ground. You need something tough because after two wet years you’re going to have rushes that will be strong and the ground’s going to be a bit rough.”

 

“So you need something that can take the tough work as you’re trying to make up for what maybe you didn’t get to do last year. It can’t be flimsy; it has to be able to take a bit of punishment.” The heavy duty mower features a patented ‘blender-style’ double chop blade system that easily copes with shrubs, saplings, gorse and brush.  The undersole discs use hardened spring steel blades that swing out of the way in the event of striking an obstacle, thereby reducing impact and shock to the blade system. This element combined with Hardox®450 abrasion resistant steel used to make the undersole discs increases the lifespan of the blades.

 

Hayes’ experience in welding comes through when describing the build and durability of the topper. “The sheet metal is folded forward and the hot-dip galvanising makes it really strong and robust – this machine is going to last! It’s really well-designed because it’s not heavy on the back of the tractor when you lift it up. You just know by looking at it that it’s not a flimsy cover. The whole structure is really well put together.”

 

John appreciates the versatility of the Cyclone handling a variety of conditions. “There’s two sides of the farm: the hillside and the lower side. The Cyclone does a good job on the heavier stuff that you need to clean off. On the other paddocks where cows have grazed off, the Cyclone can get in and fly along on higher forward speed and just clean the rest like standard topping. So we can do both jobs on one machine.”

 

Having the mentality to get things done applies on and off the pitch. “You get a little bit more out of it yourself when you try and see what you really can achieve,” John finishes. This speaks to the heart of Major Equipment where products are designed with the owner in mind. Easy maintenance and low running costs help businesses reduce bills and machine downtimes to focus on the more important things in life.

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