Multipurpose S150 Loader Helps Raise Farm Productivity

Richard Langenfeld

Wisconsin farmer Richard Langenfeld had some very good reasons for buying a new Bobcat® S150 skid-steer loader when it came time to replace his 763 unit.

This improved version of the radius lift path 763 provided the power, size and maneuverability he wanted, says the owner of Langenfeld Farms, Eldorado.

The Bobcat name was another factor in his buying decision. Over the past 30 years, Langenfeld figures that between the time he worked for his dad and farming on his own, he’s had at least nine different Bobcat skidsteer loaders. All the machines have proven to be a good investment.

“That's why I keep trading for Bobcat loaders,” he says. “I go with what makes me money. If I’m not having downtime, I’m making money.” The productive uptime of his Bobcat loaders reflects both their durable construction and his regular maintenance program. “I trade about every 2,000 hours and get about $3.50 to $4.50 in trade-in value for each hour of operation,” Langenfeld says.

Like his previous Bobcat loaders, he profits from the S150 in a variety of ways around the farm. Langenfeld uses the machine with a Bobcat light material bucket for cleaning manure from paved alleyways and livestock lots and for removing snow around buildings and driveways. “I can push and dump snow quite a bit faster with my loader than with a tractorloader,” he says.

Langenfeld relies on his S150 with a bale spear attachment to stack large square bales inside sheds as part of his custom hay business. “At times I have to maneuver in some tight corners,” he says. “The S150 is small enough and provides the visibility I need to work quickly in those areas.”

Langenfeld has equipped his S150 with two Bobcat options to make work easier. One is a Bobcat block heater to improve engine starting performance during cold Wisconsin winters. The other is a Bobcat suspension seat for a smooth comfortable ride.

Like his many previous loaders, the new S150 has more than lived up to the Bobcat tradition. “I continue to be very satisfied with Bobcat products.”