If you’re ready to purchase a new high horsepower row crop tractor, the sheer number of brands, configurations, and models can be overwhelming. Here’s the good news: you know your farm and your needs better than anyone. The best way to find the right tractor for your operation is to zero in on a few key features that can help you identify what you need to improve your productivity. 
 
Start by looking at these three:
 
The Right Technology
The right tractor technology can remove the guesswork from operating equipment for maximum productivity and help inform your day-to-day agronomic decision making. Guidance systems are one of the most popular technology additions in the farm equipment world. From basic options to pinpoint sub-inch accuracy, the right auto guidance can minimize skips and overlaps while maintaining accurate row positioning across different types of terrain and field conditions. 
 
Telematics now go beyond providing guidance solutions and can unlock new levels of connectivity. With the right connectivity technology, producers can also access their tractor data from anywhere. On-board technology and software, like AFS Connect™ from Case IH, are designed to make field data easier to collect, interpret and visualize. It also allows for remote capabilities, such as remote display viewing by a farm manager to help an operator setup the tractor, remote service features where your dealer can diagnose a machine from afar and remote software updates. 
 
Efficient Power
Less is more might be true in some instances, but not when it comes to horsepower. If you buy a tractor with the bare-minimum horsepower to handle the workload on your operation, the constant, immense strain on the tractor could lead to more frequent breakdowns and higher maintenance cost. Additionally, if you choose a tractor that barely meets your average horsepower needs, you won't have the power you need for difficult jobs or to tackle jobs in adverse conditions. For demanding work, a tractor like the AFS Connect™ Steiger® — which delivers an industry-leading 682 peak-horsepower — will guarantee that you always have enough power to tackle any job. 
 
Power isn’t everything, though. Efficient power is the key to truly maximizing your productivity. Look for a high horsepower tractor that is fuel efficient and offers advanced diesel emissions control technology with no particulate filter or regeneration. This will help you decrease your downtime while potentially saving you thousands on fluid and maintenance costs. 
 
Cab Comfort
When you’re a farmer, you measure your workdays in acres, not hours. Comfort might not be on your mind right now, but it will be during peak planting season after 12 hours in the cab. Look for a cab that not only has great visibility, but also a comfortable swivel seat, good HVAC ventilation, ample storage, and a variety of power sources to keep your essential electronics running. A quality tractor cab shouldn’t feel cramped or restrictive. Don’t think of these features as a luxury — comfort and productivity go hand-in-hand. A smooth ride in a suspended cab can help make finishing that final pass a whole lot easier.
 
Don’t be intimidated by your next high horsepower tractor purchase. Take your time, do your research and sit in a few cabs before you make your final decision. In the end, the right combination of technology, efficient power, and comfort can give you the productivity boost you need to increase your yield and take your operation to the next level.

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