Down to Earth: Why Use an Ag Handler on the Farm

Ag Handler vs. Standard Wheel Loader

Why use an Ag Handler vs. a standard wheel loader on your farm? We've got answers on what makes Cat® 930M Ag Handler configured for success in agriculture.

Ben Rice | Agriculture Industry Representative

On the Level: Construction: Cat 930M Ag Handler

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Every day, rain or shine, no exceptions, you have animals that need to be fed and tasks that need to be tackled. You need your machines to start, every time you turn the key. You need reliable farm equipment and reliable service. Farmers have a lot of choices in equipment, and many machines that are built for construction jobs can be incredibly versatile with a variety of attachments and machine features for various applications. But agriculture is a unique industry that deserves unique farm equipment solutions.

It’s In Our DNA

Agriculture is not an afterthought to construction or mining at Caterpillar. It’s in our roots, it’s what we’re built on. Our promise has always been high uptime and great serviceability – two things that we know are very important to farmers – and these things are a central part to who we are and what we build.

Joel’s been around Cat wheel loaders for some time, and he also comes from an agriculture family, so he knows and understands how farmers need their equipment to be like a trusted farm hand that earns its way.

Let’s dive into what makes the Cat 930M Ag Handler especially qualified to go to work on your farm.

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Boosted Performance

Joel explained that when building this machine option, the team started with an existing model that was already popular in agriculture and worked to give farmers more of what they needed and less of what didn’t.

“We took our basic 930 tractor, limited the options down to those specifically valued in agriculture, and then boosted that product in a couple of ways,” says Joel.

Boosted payload: the Cat 930M Ag Handler has a 4-4.5 cubic yard bucket to better match up with loading capacity of feed trucks
Boosted hydraulic speed: you need to do the work quicker, so we gave you 20% more in hydraulic speed which means quicker cycle times

Ag-Inspired Options

“Agriculture operations want unique solutions,” says Joel. “So we incorporated some specific options in the Cat 930M Ag Handler to address needs we’ve observed and heard from farmers directly.”

Standard reversing fan for debris management
Pre-cleaner for engine air intake to give your air filter a longer life
Specific front linkage to get over feed wagons but still maximize payload
Expanded tire options, like a cleated ag tire
Increased payload with agriculture counterweight package
Lowered engine speed by 30%, which means burning less fuel

“Cat Production Measurement (CPM) can very accurately predict how much payload we’re picking up on the front of the machine,” says Joel. “Time is money in a high production rate environment. For example, when loading feed recipes you can use CPM to weight the recipe parts right there before coming over to the wagon to dump. That saves you passes to get more or dump leftovers. This is particularly helpful for smaller operations, which tend to have their resources more spread out.”

Another technology of note is Auto Lube, which is integrated into machine logic. “We know that ag machines spend a lot of time idling,” says Joel. “So with Auto Lube it only greases the machine when it’s working, or in gear. When paired with Product Link, or telemetry, you’ll get a fault code notification if your machine isn’t greasing or if the reservoir is empty.”

These options were chosen for the Cat 930M Ag Handler specifically for the benefits to a farm like yours.

Equipment Customizations

Machine displays have a variety of options to customize the operating experience to the individual, to the weather, or to the work on any given day.

Languages: use the help button on the display to change the language on the screen
HP+ mode: efficiently powerful high performance mode
Wheel torque control: maximizes tire life while pushing performance, especially great for slippery underfoot conditions to prevent tires from slipping
Attachment control: fine metering control with responsive tilt cylinder performance, change for more speed or more control with adjustable hydraulic flow

Joel and his team worked hard to configure this model specifically for success in agriculture, with you in mind. Be sure to contact your local Cat dealer for support documents and details, and let us know if you have any questions. The Cat 930M Ag Handler is ready to go to work for you on the farm!

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Ben Rice

Agriculture Industry Representative

Having spent his formative years on a tobacco farm, Ben Rice went on in the agriculture field to earn degrees in Agriculture Business Management and Agriculture Science from North Carolina State University. Rice now brings his invaluable expertise to Caterpillar as an industry sales and service representative.

An Ag Handler Configured for Success

Finish the day on time with a 20% boost in hydraulic speeds.

View the Cat 930M Ag Handler