Livestock Equipment

The farm equipment auction world is seeing a wave of farmer interest in hay tools, loader tractors, lower-cost machines and specialty niche equipment, like sugar beet harvesters and hay bale steamers.

Now farm tractors, combines and sprayers can be configured so there is no impact on engine power for up to 36 hours when a DEF system malfunction occurs, and a farmer has up to 100 engine hours at 25% power reduction before a 50% reduction takes hold.

According to Machinery Pete, the price of used high-horsepower tractors fell between 18% and 23% from 2023/24 levels, while regional auctions report used equipment values fell by as much as 40%. So far in 2025, used equipment values found footing, a trend on the verge of reversing due to growing strains in the farm economy.

A used equipment market that was very buyer friendly of late is starting to swing back toward the dealer side of things, and used, late-model combines continue to draw strong farmer interest and dollars at auction.

Greg Peterson hit the road last week. He shares a Gold Key Certified John Deere tractor and a vintage International Harvester tractor that made his picks of the week.

Machinery Pete’s “Pick of the Week” is two John Deere tractors with loaders that show good-condition, pre-DEF used equipment is still in high demand. And Pete shares two upcoming auctions you don’t want to miss.

A false report surfaced online, eliciting a direct response from the manufacturer that could not be more clear: “We’re not shutting down U.S. manufacturing. In fact, it’s quite the opposite.”

Pete highlights recent auction sales including a Bobcat skid steer and Kubota wheel loader, along with a handful of used John Deere machines that brought good returns. He also mentions an upcoming sale to keep your eye on.

Great Plains introduces two narrow-transport box drills, Honda is bringing back its FourTrax lineup of ATVs, and Bobcat and Kioti have released new utility tractors with enclosed cabs and versatile implements.