Loaders and Lifts

Why Now is the Time To Move Used Construction Iron in the Farm Equipment Auction World

Thu, 10 Jul 2025 13:51:24 GMT

Casey Seymour and Greg “Machinery Pete” Peterson agree now is the time when many farmers spend time shopping for what they call auxiliary machinery — things like wheel loaders, skid steers, track loaders and other compact and heavy utility equipment types.

“Skid steers are one of the first things that pop up when in my mind when I start thinking about that right now,” says Seymour, adding there is almost always a healthy supply of the versatile material movers in the used market.

Machinery Pete recalls skid steer values falling a bit last year due to that high supply, but this year is a different story. Values are trending up on used because, once again, the cost of a brand-new skid steer is high.

(Machinery Pete Facebook)

“Pifer’s Auction had a sale (recently), and I think it was a 2024 Deere 335 P-Tier with 275 hours on it, give or take, and I thought that sold really well at $94,000 hard cash,” Pete says.

Another notable transaction came out of Illinois, Pete recalls. At a Joel Everett Tractors & Auction sale, a 2009 John Deere 325 with under 300 hours sold for $36,000, which was well over the previous auction high of $28,500.

“It was interesting. When they got to the skid steer they paused and said, ‘Hey, folks, this 2009 model is loaded with every single option,’ which is unusual for a 16-year-old model,” Pete adds. “But again, it was palpable how many people wanted that thing, and you know, $36,000 is a big check — but for hardly any hours on it and what you’re going to pay for a new one?”

Pete and Seymour also discuss the firming up they are seeing with used values on some of the large construction equipment seen around the farm, including excavators, wheel loaders and bulldozers.

How Kerr Auctions is Unlocking Export Markets

Alex Kerr of Kerr Auctions joined the guys next to discuss how his auction house is carving out space in the export market.

Kerr says the company has capitalized on growing equipment demand overseas by creating specialized sales that cater to export buyers. These sales often feature equipment that may not have strong domestic buyer interest due to age or condition.

Kerr has established partnerships to help overseas buyers handle logistics and shipping, and the company made the decision to eliminate buyer penalties for high bidders. Both decisions demonstrate a level of transparency and trust that helps put buyer minds at ease, he thinks.

“Specialized sales do well,” Kerr says. “We got to thinking that the export buyers, they hate some of the auction things they deal with. They don’t speak the language; you’ve got to talk to them on WhatsApp, or they have an online only presence.”

Kerr Auction’s next big export-focused Inaugural Farmer/Dealer Consignment Sale is set for Aug. 14. Check out all the details here.

The Rest of the Episode

Shawn Hackett, president and CEO of Hackett Financial, joined the show for an update on where commodity markets sit today and row crop futures prices. Glen Birnbaum, principal with Sikich, came on to talk machine depreciation rates and upcoming changes to tax law.

And Aaron Fintel, used equipment specialist with 21st Century Equipment, gave his view on moving used compact construction equipment out on the western plains.

Head over to YouTube to watch the full episode , and give it a “Thumbs Up” and hit the “Subscribe” button to get every Moving Iron episode as soon as it drops.

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.

How Does Your Utility Machinery Roster Stack Up?

Tue, 19 Sep 2023 21:15:10 GMT

Industrial equipment — dozers, wheel loaders, excavators and backhoes — has become agriculture’s mechanical equivalent of a baseball utility player. While planters, combines and sprayers are agriculture’s designated hitters or relief pitchers, specialists who do their specific jobs well but sit on the bench much of the year, industrial equipment is in the game year-round.

Here’s a list of industrial machines found on hog operations with strengths and weaknesses to identify which players might fit well on your machinery roster.

Skid-Steer Loaders

Skid steers come in a range of sizes, from compact units that can clean confinement pens to large machines designed to move bulk commodities.

Scouting report: Rubber-tired, skid-steer loaders work best on pavement or hard-packed dirt. They often fumble in soft dirt or mud. Their greatest strengths are their optional front-end accessories including grapples, post hole augers, snow blowers, pallet forks, oversize buckets for carcass management and trenchers.

“We offer more than 100 different optional front-end attachments,” says John Deere’s Luke Gribble, solutions marketing manager for wheel loaders and skid steers. “Quick-tach front plates make switching easy, so a skid steer ends up being a multipurpose machine.”

Compact Track Loaders

(CTL) are skid-steer loaders with tracks instead of wheels. A CTL can do everything a skid-steer loader can with the same front-end accessories, but it performs better on specific playing surfaces.

Scouting report: Tracks excel off-road, in mud, slop, loose dirt and conditions where their flotation and increased traction outperform rubber tires. Metal tracks stumble on pavement where they slip and slide, making them second-team for work inside confinement barns. Rubber tracks are an all-surface option.

“Eighty percent of the skid steers I sell are on tracks,” says Ziegler Cat’s Matt Johnson. “They’re so much smoother riding than wheels. Anybody who rides in a track skid-steer loader never goes back to wheels.”

Utility Work Machines

Bobcat’s Tool Cat is a unique blend of a side-by-side-style utility vehicle and a light-duty skid-steer loader.

Scouting report: Tool Cats aren’t for day-long digging and loading, but they offer a platform for a wide range of boom-mounted accessories, including a standard bucket, a grapple bucket, a tined rock bucket, snow blower, snow blade and front-mount-rotary cutter. A two-range transmission gives road speeds up to 16 mph.

Wheel Loaders

Wheel loaders are designed for heavy-duty lifting and loading. Small wheel loaders are popular in higher-clearance buildings that accommodate their 10' to 15' cab heights.

Scouting report: Wheel loaders offer easier cab access, better visibility and higher lift-height compared to skid-steer and CTL loaders. A new generation of mini-wheel loaders brings articulated frame, higher ground clearance and rubber-tired traction in a smaller package that’s well-suited for work inside deep-bedded hoop buildings and other large structures.

Excavators

Excavators used to be specialists, like designated hitters or relief pitchers, but they have become utility players in farm and livestock operations. The track-mounted machines reduce problems associated with tractor-mounted backhoes in soft ground. They range in size from mini-excavators like Kubota’s 10.3 hp K008-5 excavator that can carve a 1'-wide trench up to 6' deep to industrial diggers like Case’s 460 hp CX750D with capacity to open an 8'-wide trench 30' deep.

Scouting report: Interest in excavators on agricultural operations has surged. Not only do they excel at trenching and general excavation, but optional concrete breakers, post hole augers and other boom-mounted accessories expand their functions.

“We do a lot of digging and trenching with our Case excavator, but we really like it for working with manure pumps,” says Greg VanDonkelaar, with Hoogland Dairy at Maurice, Iowa. “We’ve got a lot of pumps that need to be lifted up and down, and the excavator works great for that because it has long reach and you can be very precise and gentle to put things exactly where we want them.”

Backhoes

Rubber-tired industrial tractors with a bucket loader on the front and a boom for digging on the rear, often find second careers on livestock operations after retiring from big league construction companies.

Scouting report: The ability of a backhoe to move and load dirt with its bucket and also dig holes or trenches with the backhoe makes it a multipurpose machine. They offer reasonable road speeds, reducing the need for a trailer when moving moderate distances by road. Backhoes can only rotate 90 degrees to their axis to dump dirt, and their hydraulic stabilizers must be raised and lowered every time the machine is repositioned, which can slow progress when digging long ditches.

Telehandlers

Telehandlers look like a wheel loader but their single-boom design and unique steering give them useful skills. A flick of a switch offers a choice of front-wheel steer, rear-wheel steer or crab steer. Low-positioned, side-entry cabs provide easy access, and their single-arm boom gives exceptional lift-height. Some come with a boom that extends hydraulically to increase its reach.

Scouting report: Telehandlers are designed for lifting more than pushing. They can be used to lift and load materials but favor straw or corn stalk bedding rather than gravel and rocks.

“We sell a lot of JCB Agri Telehandlers,” says Reuter’s Equipment’s Broderson. “A lot of mid- to large buckets for general bucket-work at livestock operations. Guys also put a man-basket on the boom and use them to trim trees, do roof repairs and other elevated work rather than climb a ladder.”