Cutting Smarter, Not Harder – Why MultiAg Switched to SaMASZ
In the world of agricultural contracting, every hour counts. For Scott Wilson, owner and operator of MultiAg Ltd, the pressure to stay ahead of the weather (even snow in late October), maintain crop quality and deliver for customers across the region means constantly looking for smarter ways to work.
Based in Waimate, MultiAg’s team of ten provides a full-package of contracting services - from spraying and cultivation to planting and harvesting grass, grains, and cereals. Their clients span across dairy, sheep, beef, and grain operations throughout the district. Like many contractors, Scott and the team juggle tight timeframes, unpredictable weather, and large areas — all while striving for a clean, even result that customers can rely on.
The recent bout of unseasonal snow and frozen hilltops has produced some of the slowest-growing grass Scott has seen in his ten years of contracting – shortening the season and creating extra pressure to deliver on time.
The case for change
“We were running SIP mowers before,” says Scott. “But the biggest thing for us was taking pressure off the rakes. Machinery is so expensive, so it was important to make them last a bit longer.
That pursuit of efficiency led Scott to explore the SaMASZ Grouper Mower with conditioners. After reading about FarmShop and SaMASZ in Rural Contractor, they invested in a SaMASZ KDD 941 STH 9.4m Rear Grouper Mower and a 3.4m Front Conditioner Mower.
MultiAg’s previous setup demanded a lot of coordination between machines and operators. The SaMASZ set up offered a smarter approach - combining mowing, conditioning, and grouping. By merging swaths as the mower goes, the need for a separate raking run is drastically reduced, freeing up labour and machinery for other jobs.
“Even just grouping one row makes a huge difference — fewer passes down the paddock, faster operation, and less wear and tear. We can group paddocks for the baling crew, and they don’t even need to rake — they just turn up with a baler. The rake stays with the chopping crew. It’s about running a lean, efficient model.”
Performance in the field
Since switching to the SaMASZ setup, the difference has been clear. With the conditioning system accelerating drying times and the groupers forming neat, even swaths, MultiAg has seen productivity and crop presentation both improve.
“We’re getting through more — we used to sit around 30–40 hectares per day, and now it’s 50–70,” says Scott.
“We’d never run conditioners until we bought the new set, and it’s improved drying time, especially in spring grass. We’re conditioning a lot more in spring now.”
The mowers perform well across crop types — from cereal to silage — but Scott says another major advantage has been reducing reliance on external labour. “We were struggling with a windrower last year, so we got the groupers out and did it in-house. It made sense to keep that income in-house instead of passing it to other contractors.”
The streamlined setup has also improved fuel efficiency. Fewer passes mean less diesel burned and less wear all round — savings that add up quickly over a full season.
Choosing the right gear
When asked what advice he’d offer other contractors considering a change, Scott doesn’t hesitate:
“Affordability is a key factor, but you’ve also got to think about longevity — which is very good with this gear. You only need to look at other contractors around the country mowing all day in rocky conditions. It’s a credit to their machinery. We’ve got rolling hills, but we can mow fast without damage — and that’s down to the SaMASZ setup.”
He also credits FarmShop, “the team are great to deal with, we can call up for parts, and they courier it down the next day.”
Looking ahead
Recently, MultiAg has expanded into lane material and track maintenance. “We did five dairy farms over winter, carting about seven tonnes of rock, it was a busy couple of months,” says Scott.
Forward-thinking and opportunity-driven, the MultiAg team continues to grow their business — and appreciate the innovation behind SaMASZ. “The mowers were a great business decision to make us more efficient,” Scott adds.
For MultiAg, the SaMASZ mowers have proven to be more than just gear — it’s become a cornerstone of their operation, keeping the business competitive and productive when it matters most.
If you would like to discuss the difference SaMASZ could make to your business, please contact us today – we are here to help.