Livestock Equipment

When the Part Breaks: New Warehouse is a Gamechanger for M&N Construction

Wed, 08 Oct 2025 18:24:08 GMT

It’s 4 a.m. and you get the call a customer had a fan motor go bad. Your day is full and now you must stop what you are doing to figure this out. Unfortunately, the stores don’t open for a while so what do you do?

When QC Supply’s Vice President of Sales Stephanie Nicholson approached Nick Wenger of M&N Ag Systems about putting a consignment warehouse on his home farm site, it was easy for him to say yes.

QC Supply will stock the various equipment they need at M&N Ag Systems , making it easy and efficient for Wenger and his father and co-owner, Mike, to take equipment directly to a barn job site instead of having to place an order and then have to pick it up from the dealer.

(Jennifer Shike, Mike Wenger)

“We get a lot of inventory from QC because we have many customers that use AP and we put in a lot of AP equipment,” Nick Wenger says. “Those bigger companies don’t want to wake up early in the morning and go get us a part out of their warehouse. With the travel times, having the ability to go out there, grab a motor at 4 a.m. and get it going by 5 a.m., and still have a full day of doing other things is a big aspect of it.”

Less Hassle, More Hours of Work

Nicholson says this is a unique opportunity for some of their customers.

“We have a couple other satellite warehouses with customers,” she says. “Our methodology is we come to you. We don’t expect you to come to us. I’m all about how can I make your life easier in doing your business and helping you be efficient? When they walk out the door, I want to have everything in their warehouse that they can pick up and take for the day.”

Mike Wenger thinks it will improve their efficiency.

“I was buying pallets of motors and parts, and that was all our money up front,” he says. “Then we had to wait for stuff to sell. QC approached us and said if we set up a building, they would supply it with the equipment we think we need and send somebody over once a week to take inventory and restock.”

They are using an existing 200-head nursery building as the warehouse. Mike Wenger says getting billed for what’s getting used is more convenient and provides a greater service for their customers, too.

“Having supplies on hand means we don’t have to order or wait to get delivered — that is one of the big things,” he says. “We try to keep on hand what we need. This just takes a bit of the hassle away when you’re trying to do so much.”

(Mike Wenger)

Or course, customers can still purchase online, but Nicholson says when a part breaks on the farm, getting it fixed immediately is important.

“In this model, we already know what they’re going to buy,” she says. “Now we can have those things at their fingertips to be able to make those repairs quickly.”

Return on Investment

With many great brands in the marketplace today, Nicholson says a lot of this is about choosing who you want to do business with now.

This relationship with the Wengers positions her to keep them updated on what technology is coming and where the industry is going. She wants to help them use the best technology and equipment to create the best environment for the pigs in the barn and the people working in the barn.

“Relationships matter,” she says. “When you build a relationship over time with a customer, you’ve worked to learn what’s best for them. I’m going to bring the return on investment to the products they use every day.”

Nicholson says she values her partnership with the Wengers.

“We understand each other,” she adds. “That’s a big part of it. Our relationship helps me know what’s most important to them at the time and into the future so we can start anticipating things that they will need and how we can work together.”

She admits it’s easy to support people who work hard every day and prioritize their customers.

“That work ethic is true to the core of who I am,” Nicholson says. “I was taught that no one’s going to hand you something. You have to go earn it yourself. Our work ethics definitely align so it makes fun to partner with them in this unique way.”

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Machinery Pete: Versatile Skid Steers, Used Tractors Are Hotter Than Fish Grease

Mon, 23 Jun 2025 21:46:48 GMT

What goes well alongside sweltering summer Midwest heat and humidity?

Well, if you answered used farm equipment auctions, you’re on the same wavelength as our used equipment-obsessed friend, Machinery Pete. He hit the road last week, capturing all of that sweet, sweet iron moving at auction.

All jokes aside, the extreme heat and humidity that hit the Upper Midwest this weekend can indeed be a bad omen for farm auction results, Pete says. Good thing there’s plenty of online auctions this summer so you can avoid the sweaty, sunburned crowds while still getting down on all the bidding action.

Here’s a quick sample of what Pete says stood out from the past seven days of red-hot farm equipment auction sales:

(Machinery Pete Facebook)

In an online Pifer Group auction that pulled used farm equipment from Minnesota and the Dakotas, a 2024 John Deere 335 P-Tier skid steer (pictured above) with 275 hours sold for $94,000. Pete says that’s a pretty good deal considering the only comparable model listed for sale at MachineryPete.com right now is a 2025 335 P-Tier. That bad boy starts at $159,000, though.

(Machinery Pete Facebook)

And a 2009 John Deere 325I skid steer with only 124 hours on it sold for $36,000 at the Harry and Lola Blackburn farm estate sale in Iowa.

On the tractor front, on Tuesday of last week, the folks at DPA Auctions moved a pair of late-model John Deere tractors that originated from farms in South Dakota.

(DPA Auctions)

In that sale, two 2024 John Deere 8R 280 MFWD tractors, one with just under 1,200 hours (pictured above) and another with 1,451 hours on it, sold for $315,000 and $296,000, respectively.

“Those were both above the average auction price this year, which is just over $282,600,” Pete says. “And interestingly, that’s up from last year’s average which was just over $258,000.”

And finally, Pete’s “Pick of the Week” is a pair of used tractors:

(Machinery Pete Facebook)

At the Blackburn estate auction in Iowa, a Gold Key Certified 2009 John Deere 7230 Premium 2WD tractor (above) with only 1,076 hours sold for $94,500.

And at the Al Bruhn farm auction sale Saturday in Mapleton, Iowa, a vintage 1968 International Harvester 756 German diesel tractor set a new all-time record at $29,000. The previous high for that year/model was $21,000.

Auction to Watch This Week

Sullivan Auctioneers and Big Iron Auctions is having a “No Reserve Dealer Inventory Reduction” online auction for Sinclair Tractor featuring a huge collection of machines from the dealer’s Iowa stores. Check out the video preview from auctioneer Dan Sullivan above.

Your Next Read: Farmers Are in the Buying Mindset for Used Equipment

John Deere Introduces 326 P-Tier Compact Wheel Loader

Wed, 31 Jan 2024 15:39:03 GMT

John Deere announces the release of its new 326 P-Tier telescopic compact wheel loader. The 326 P-Tier telescopic compact wheel loader offers 16-plus feet of reach from its telescopic lift arm while still being compact enough to work in barns or other tight spaces.

“Operators will enjoy it for the cab visibility, the boom controls and the exclusive Articulation Plus steering system,” said Luke Gribble, John Deere go-to-market manager. “Put it all together, and the 326 P-Tier is a real multitool for the farm or ranch.”

To help guard against overloading, The Load Torque Indicator System gives visual and audible alarms if stability limits are exceeded during lifting, lowering or extension of the lift arm. In addition, a separate indicator warns of potential overload of the tilt cylinder.

“Features like these help make the 326 P-Tier an operator-friendly wheel loader for farmers and ranchers,” Gribble said. “And it is perfect for less-experienced operators.”

Inside the cab, operators will find a comfortable, easy-to-navigate environment. A 9-inch touchscreen display puts key information within easy view, and it shows key data such as warnings, status and machine-positioning information.

Conveniently placed electro-hydraulic controls offer Auto Return-to-Dig, and Auto Lift and Lower functions, and help to reduce cycle times. Optional boom-mounted lights and standard overhead window allow for a clear view to the end of the telescoping arm.

The new compact wheel loader also features a 23-mph top speed to help move quickly between jobs. And for tight turning in barns and other cramped spaces, its Articulation Plus steering system offers a full 30 degrees of articulation plus 10 additional degrees of rear-wheel steering.

To learn more about the new 326 P-Tier telescopic compact wheel loader, visit JohnDeere.com or contact your local John Deere dealer.