Within the last year, the industry has seen an almost 20% growth in the use of mini excavators on farms. This trend can be attributed to the sheer versatility of the machine. With a mini excavator, farmers and ranchers are able to execute multiple tasks with one machine versus renting or purchasing multiple machines.
Whether you are managing a dairy farm, row crop operation or cattle ranch, there is plenty of work to do outside of production. Mini excavators are proving to be especially helpful in maintenance-type tasks that need to be completed in order to keep agriculture operations running as efficiently as possible. Some of these tasks include:
- Ditch work – Mini excavators are purpose built for digging trenches and ditches. Paired with the right bucket, these machines provide the power, reach and precision to dig the ditch, as well as maintain it.
- Fence building – It’s no secret that this is an ongoing job on many cattle ranches and livestock operations. Utilizing a mini excavator with an auger attachment to dig fence post holes can cut the amount of time this takes in half.
- Grass and weed control – Grass and weed overgrowth is a constant burden on agriculture operations, especially along side roads, paths and driveways. Mini excavators paired with a rake or mower attachment can help you control overgrowth and keep roads and pathways clear.
- Land clearing – Whether you are clearing land for crop production or additional livestock grazing space, there are several attachments that can be paired with a mini excavator to help with these jobs. These include mulcher, ripper, thumb and/or grapple attachments.
We continue to see sales for mini excavators in agriculture applications increase. Additionally, more attachments for mini excavators in the three to eight-ton range are being developed and made available to the market. To learn more about these machines and whether they could serve as a valuable tool on your operation, contact your local Cat dealer.
