The economy never stops: machines that work in winter
2025. November 10.Seasonal changes in agriculture often pose serious challenges for farmers. It’s not just the weather that is difficult when it comes to sowing and harvesting. Machinery is needed in the winter just as much as in the summer, and it has to cope with snowy periods, frozen ground and everything else. So the winter months are not a complete standstill, there are still tasks that need to be done, and that means using the machines.
Why do machines work in winter?
Although the main growing season in agriculture is in the warmer months, we can’t sleep in winter, and neither can the machinery. They help with animal husbandry, feeding, silage and preparing the land for the next season. Soil cultivation and fertilisation must be dealt with as in other times. In addition, the machines provide farm infrastructure such as snow clearing and transport. So farming is a continuous activity, and the machinery is running all 12 months to ensure that everything is on schedule.
Which machines are needed?
During the cold months, especially in freezing or snowy conditions, access to the farm must also be ensured. What does this mean? You need access to animals, to storage, to the roads, and machinery can help a lot. A lot of the snow blowers and snow clearing equipment can be connected to tractors, providing the perfect support during this period. Although this is not a typical sowing or harvesting task, it is still mechanised, which makes winter work easier.
This includes the soil preparation mentioned above. Even at temperatures close to freezing, it can be important to prepare the soil for spring sowing. In addition, winter fertilisation and soil improvement should be carried out at this time. In addition, machinery such as tractors, cultivators and combines may be able to continue to operate in moderate winters. But only if they are properly maintained. It is very important to maintain and repair agricultural equipment in winter, as this helps to build up resistance, which is a particularly important factor in such conditions.
Winter machinery related to livestock farming
On livestock farms, wintertime is a special challenge. There’s the distribution of feed, the littering, and the movement of both silage and feed storage. Machinery, tractors, loaders and silage crushers are used for these tasks. It is therefore fair to say that winter livestock farming is also mechanised, and it would be almost impossible to supply large farms and farms without them.
Tractor: the winter all-rounder
Whether it’s harvesting or clearing snow, the tractor will be the foundation of a larger farm. On larger farms, there are usually several tractors working in parallel: one for day-to-day maintenance work and another with special adaptors for winter terrain. Modern tractors are fortunately equipped with a heated cab in winter mode and are also fitted with anti-slip tyres, so they remain reliable in extreme conditions.
What to look out for when working with machinery in winter?
Very importantly, cold weather poses a particular risk to machinery. Hydraulic systems, brakes and steering often react more slowly as hydraulic oil can become thicker. Consequently, the machine must be properly prepared for the winter period: winter oil, coolant and lubricant, and engine and block preheating.
The other important area is fuel. Fuel that has dropped below freezing can clog the fuel system, which also poses a risk to the operation of machinery. But batteries can be just as susceptible to cold as tyres, because cold air reduces pressure and if the machine is parked for a long time the tyre can become a flat patch. It may therefore be worth paying attention to storage, especially if you know that you need your machine in winter. That way, whenever you need to “get it out”, it will always be available.