Calcutt Court Farm Invests in Kubota

Kubota M4072 delivers time-saving versatility 

For beef farmer, George Pothecary, the decision to replace his ageing tractor with a new Kubota M4072 from Lister Wilder was an easy one. His last Kubota had served him well for 17 years with exceptional reliability and he looked forward to enjoying the greater power and lift capacity of his new model, fitted with an LA1365 front loader. His high expectations have only been exceeded and he is delighted with every aspect of his new, slightly bigger workhorse.

With just over 100 acres and 50 head of Aberdeen Angus beef cattle to care for on his farm near Cricklade in north Wiltshire, George needs a robust and versatile tractor, capable of performing a wide range of tasks on a daily basis. His new Kubota M4072 is coping admirably with everything he asks of it, with the power, flexibility, and reliability he has come to count on. 

Kubota’s 74hp four-cylinder engine is quiet, economical and clean, and features high-pressure fuel injection to deliver maximum power and torque. The compact design of the Kubota M4072 provides exceptional manoeuvrability – an important feature on George’s farm at times of year when it is deployed extensively in confined livestock areas. The LA1365 front loader adds versatility and efficiency to the package. 

“I couldn’t fault the performance I am getting from my new Kubota tractor,” says George. “The additional power compared to my old one makes a big difference and all the improvements that have been made over the years make for a very comfortable, productive and efficient vehicle. 

“Being able to carry out different jobs without having to change implements all the time is a great time saver and makes life a lot easier. During the winter months the cattle are kept in. With a four-in-one bucket fitted to the front loader I can switch from carrying silage bales across the yard at feeding time, to cleaning out the barn and laying straw, then pick up a scraper in the bucket to scrape the yard, all with the minimum effort. 

“The controls are well-laid out and straightforward to use and the cab is comfortable with great visibility all round. The integration of the front loader with the tractor is remarkable,” George enthuses. “The buttons and levers are conveniently placed and easy to use. It really is a joy to drive.

“Another brilliant thing about this tractor is its turning circle. The way they have designed the front axle means I can manoeuvre in and around confined spaces with no trouble at all.” 

In addition to the work carried out each day looking after the farm’s livestock, the Kubota M4072 with its front loader has also proved its worth pulling out and transporting fallen trees and other materials across the farm. “We had a lot of elm trees on the farm,” explains George.  “These were killed off by Dutch Elm disease and, although we have taken out a lot of them over the years, we still have more to deal with. I used to use a grab on my old tractor and the heavy lifting was something that pushed it to the limit, but I can manage it all with the four-in-one bucket on my new Kubota. Its additional power and lifting capacity make light work of the job.” 

The relationship George has with Lister Wilder is both long and strong. George has worked his Cricklade farm for 45 years, initially with his father, then on his own since 1982. “I have been a customer of Lister Wilder for as long as I can remember, as my father was before me,” he says. “I can remember them being part of our family’s working life from the age of about ten! It’s a company that I trust and know I can count on.

“When I decided to purchase a new Kubota tractor, I had no hesitation in turning to the local Lister Wilder representative, Stuart Wilkieson, for advice on which model would best suit my needs and I couldn’t be happier with the M4072.” 

While George’s experience of Lister Wilder’s service has always been good, as a skilled mechanic he does most of the maintenance work on his machinery himself.  Besides the farm, George has another passion in life – classic cars – and spent many years running an auto workshop alongside his farming activities. That business is still based on the farm but is now managed by George’s son and his partners, although George, as a self-confessed ‘petrolhead’, still gets involved in specialist work tuning the classic cars he loves. 

“While the new model is more complex than our previous tractor, I am pleased to say that Kubota have retained a lot of the ‘mechanical elements’ which I like,” he says. “The mechanics are straightforward and robust, delivering high performance without being so hi-tech that you can’t understand them and work on them. I really can’t fault the Kubota M4072.  It is just the job for me!”