English legends on Russian land

JCB has been supplying loaders to the Russian market for over a decade. The legendary machines have won the trust of farmers from the Black Soil region to Siberia with their immaculate quality, reliability and versatility. Having tried a JCB loader once, many farmers stick to this brand forever.

One of the farms which invariably use JCB loaders is Rusmolko, one of the largest milk producers in Russia. The enterprise operates in the Penza oblast and comprises nine farms. Ten loaders, big and small, operate on the largest mega-farm in Arshinovka village for 4,600 head. Mikhail Komrakov, Chief Mechanical Engineer of the enterprise, told us that the first British loaders had been purchased from AgroCentreZakharovo in 2013.

Universal soldier

‘The JCB 531-70 telescopic handler has done 8,000 engine hours’, says Mikhail Komrakov. ‘The machine is versatile, manoeuvrable and convenient in operation. It can perform a wide range of tasks on a livestock farm: loading and unloading of feed, unloading of containers, putting up haylage for storage. The machine has several “workmates” - interchangeable attachments, such as pallet forks, pitchforks, and buckets. The unique crab walk enables the machine to move easily in tight areas. The loader helps us to clean the area inside and outside various facilities, remove snow and repair power lines. And this is not an exhaustive list of its tasks! We are also happy with the fuel consumption level. Depending on the load, it can “eat” from seven to nine litres per hour. Recently, we have purchased a more powerful telescopic handler, the 500 Series 535-40 model with a nine-metre arrow.

JCB-mini

Mikhail Komrakov told us that six JCB PowerBoom 260 mini-loaders work on the farm like eager beavers. Machine operators enjoy working on them. They are very easy to handle with the help of just one multifunctional joystick! The machines can be coupled with an impressive range of implements: silage forks, brushes, pallet forks, pitchforks and rakes, which allows using them for a variety of tasks.

Heavy lifters

‘All the hard works on our farm are performed by JCB 426 S and 456S loaders’, explains Mikhail Komrakov. ‘The 426S model with a 3 m3 bucket can load large volumes of manure. We use it both as an excavator and a towing vehicle. The loader often tows other machines. The most powerful 456 S front-end loader is used for feed distribution. The elongated arrow allows the machine to load any type of mixer wagon. The machine is very efficient. It can work 12 hours non-stop, which allows performing the work considerably faster. No matter what you do, JCB is indispensable on the farm!’