For decades, Quicke has established itself as one of the go-to manufacturers when people think of front-end tractor loaders.
In recent years, the firm has placed a huge investment in its implement range and today it has 50 different implements available to suit all models of loaders.
However, implements are not new to the manufacturer, having started to develop them in 1949, with its first implement being a manure fork.
Quicke is imported into Ireland by Fastparts, who are part of the Farmhand group. Fastparts have been keen to showcase Quicke’s latest revamped range of implements. The firm offered us the chance to put a Silocut M+ 150 shear grab through its paces on a beef and sheep farm in the west of Ireland over the winter months.
About Quicke
In 1947, the first Quicke front-end loader was designed and built by Swedish man, Karl-Ragnar Åström. In 1949, he and Alf Löfgren formed the Ålö company and a small-scale, serial production began.
Over the years, Quicke has developed into one of the world’s largest suppliers of front-end loaders in the agricultural machinery industry. Today, the company has sales companies in 10 countries and retails in over 50 countries. It has four production sites producing loaders and implements located in Sweden, France, China and North America. Ålö claims that Quicke accounts for 30% of the world loader market.
Farmhand has been importing Quicke to Ireland since 1963 and has claimed to have sold over 35,000 loaders in Ireland to date. Quicke has changed hands quite a few times over the years. Its most recent takeover came at the beginning of 2020, when it became part of the Jost Werke Ag group. Jost is a producer and supplier of safety-critical systems to the commercial vehicle industry, and owns brands such as Jost, Rockinger and Tridec.
The unit features 12 stone-fork tuff tines, with larger tines on the outside, on both sides.
Silocut 150
In September 2022, Quicke revamped its Silocut offering. TheSilocut shear grab range is now available in three versions: the M+, L+ and the XL+, ranging from 1.25m wide all the way up to 2.5m. The Silocut M+ 125 is the most popular seller in Ireland. The model our demo farmer tried out was a Silocut M+ 150, with 150 corresponding to a 1.5m working width.
Designed for front-end loaders, compact wheel loaders and mid-size telehandlers, the unit was fitted to the farmer’s Massey Ferguson 5612, a 2015 120hp tractor. While empty, the unit weighed in at 523kg (including brackets), while it had a volume capacity to hold 0.95m3 – which could be compared to a little over 500kg of silage.
Build
The frame is manufactured using 80 x 80mm box section. This particular machine featured welded euro brackets, but the unit comes with the option of bolt-on or welded brackets. In a similar fashion, the grab came with bolt-on forged tines, but Farmhand explained that Hardox-equivalent welded tines are also an option. The unit features 12 of these stone-fork tuff tines, with larger tines on the outside on both sides. These tines are built in-house by Quicke.
The range has a starting price of €4,000 plus VAT.
The grab features bolt-on, hardened cutting edge sections, which are easily replaced by opening out four bolts on each and swapping in the new section. New cutting sections are priced at €79.50 per section. At both edges at the front of the grab are two parking stands, designed to allow easy sharpening or edge replacement. These parking stands are priced at €55 each. For those feeding out in tight passageways, the grabs come with the option of a push-off back plate.
There have been a few of these sold in Ireland to date, but they are only available on the L+ models, and cost €1,300 plus VAT more. Similarly, a film catcher is available on larger models at a cost of €900 plus VAT. However, both a push-off plate and film catcher can’t be spec’d on the same machine.
Brian Boyle – Tuam, Co Galway
“I’m more than happy with how the Quicke Silocut M+ 150 shear grab has worked out over the last few months. It’s done everything I expected it to do. It’s held a sharp edge throughout the feeding season and I haven’t had to even think about sharpening it yet. It leaves a really nice clean finish on the pit face, and my 120hp tractor handles it pretty comfortably.
This grab came with bolt on forged tines, but hardox equivalent welded tines are also an option.
“I think the M+ 150 is just the right size to get the most from the tractor; any heavier, and I think it would be too hard on the tractor’s front axle. I like the simple, replaceable blade section design, and the idea of the two parking stands, which help protect the cutting edge when putting on and taking off the grab.”
Model: Silocut M+ 150.
Working width:
150cm.
Cylinder size: 100/50.
Volume: 0.95m3.
No. of tines: 12.
Weight: 507kg (forged – without 16kg brackets).
Starting price: €4,000 plus VAT.
For decades, Quicke has established itself as one of the go-to manufacturers when people think of front-end tractor loaders.
In recent years, the firm has placed a huge investment in its implement range and today it has 50 different implements available to suit all models of loaders.
However, implements are not new to the manufacturer, having started to develop them in 1949, with its first implement being a manure fork.
Quicke is imported into Ireland by Fastparts, who are part of the Farmhand group. Fastparts have been keen to showcase Quicke’s latest revamped range of implements. The firm offered us the chance to put a Silocut M+ 150 shear grab through its paces on a beef and sheep farm in the west of Ireland over the winter months.
About Quicke
In 1947, the first Quicke front-end loader was designed and built by Swedish man, Karl-Ragnar Åström. In 1949, he and Alf Löfgren formed the Ålö company and a small-scale, serial production began.
Over the years, Quicke has developed into one of the world’s largest suppliers of front-end loaders in the agricultural machinery industry. Today, the company has sales companies in 10 countries and retails in over 50 countries. It has four production sites producing loaders and implements located in Sweden, France, China and North America. Ålö claims that Quicke accounts for 30% of the world loader market.
Farmhand has been importing Quicke to Ireland since 1963 and has claimed to have sold over 35,000 loaders in Ireland to date. Quicke has changed hands quite a few times over the years. Its most recent takeover came at the beginning of 2020, when it became part of the Jost Werke Ag group. Jost is a producer and supplier of safety-critical systems to the commercial vehicle industry, and owns brands such as Jost, Rockinger and Tridec.
The unit features 12 stone-fork tuff tines, with larger tines on the outside, on both sides.
Silocut 150
In September 2022, Quicke revamped its Silocut offering. TheSilocut shear grab range is now available in three versions: the M+, L+ and the XL+, ranging from 1.25m wide all the way up to 2.5m. The Silocut M+ 125 is the most popular seller in Ireland. The model our demo farmer tried out was a Silocut M+ 150, with 150 corresponding to a 1.5m working width.
Designed for front-end loaders, compact wheel loaders and mid-size telehandlers, the unit was fitted to the farmer’s Massey Ferguson 5612, a 2015 120hp tractor. While empty, the unit weighed in at 523kg (including brackets), while it had a volume capacity to hold 0.95m3 – which could be compared to a little over 500kg of silage.
Build
The frame is manufactured using 80 x 80mm box section. This particular machine featured welded euro brackets, but the unit comes with the option of bolt-on or welded brackets. In a similar fashion, the grab came with bolt-on forged tines, but Farmhand explained that Hardox-equivalent welded tines are also an option. The unit features 12 of these stone-fork tuff tines, with larger tines on the outside on both sides. These tines are built in-house by Quicke.
The range has a starting price of €4,000 plus VAT.
The grab features bolt-on, hardened cutting edge sections, which are easily replaced by opening out four bolts on each and swapping in the new section. New cutting sections are priced at €79.50 per section. At both edges at the front of the grab are two parking stands, designed to allow easy sharpening or edge replacement. These parking stands are priced at €55 each. For those feeding out in tight passageways, the grabs come with the option of a push-off back plate.
There have been a few of these sold in Ireland to date, but they are only available on the L+ models, and cost €1,300 plus VAT more. Similarly, a film catcher is available on larger models at a cost of €900 plus VAT. However, both a push-off plate and film catcher can’t be spec’d on the same machine.
Brian Boyle – Tuam, Co Galway
“I’m more than happy with how the Quicke Silocut M+ 150 shear grab has worked out over the last few months. It’s done everything I expected it to do. It’s held a sharp edge throughout the feeding season and I haven’t had to even think about sharpening it yet. It leaves a really nice clean finish on the pit face, and my 120hp tractor handles it pretty comfortably.
This grab came with bolt on forged tines, but hardox equivalent welded tines are also an option.
“I think the M+ 150 is just the right size to get the most from the tractor; any heavier, and I think it would be too hard on the tractor’s front axle. I like the simple, replaceable blade section design, and the idea of the two parking stands, which help protect the cutting edge when putting on and taking off the grab.”
Model: Silocut M+ 150.
Working width:
150cm.
Cylinder size: 100/50.
Volume: 0.95m3.
No. of tines: 12.
Weight: 507kg (forged – without 16kg brackets).
Starting price: €4,000 plus VAT.
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