THE NEW mini-loader from Irish company, Blaney, is designed to get into those nooks and crannies on the farm where even compact tractors struggle to manoeuvre.

Launched at last week’s Balmoral Show, its Bionic S1 035 can lift six times that of a man and 12 times what is recommended we should lift.

This little helper is less than 1500mm long and can fit through most stable doors, which makes its capable of more than a few tasks around the farm.

Following extensive customer consultation, it was developed to be compact, mobile and manoeuvrable with the ability to do a variety of tasks.

But what makes this mini loader so handy is that you don’t have to climb into this machine, or open doors – it is a step on and step off machine.

Blaney said its advantage over a small tractor is that all implements are in front of the operator, with a small hitch for trailer work.

It is a company with more than 25 years’ experience in developing attachments for its other machinery and these have been built or adapted for use on the Bionic.

It can turn within its own size and has a bucket capacity bigger than a wheelbarrow making it ideal for mucking out and it also has a reach of 2m, so can tip into a small trailer easily.

A spokesman said: “It’s ideal for working in stables, mucking out and handling bales for bedding.

“And, it can take over the chore of brushing yard areas and within stables, while around the paddock it can be used to cut grass in hard to reach areas, harrow, sow fertiliser or grass seed. Equipped with forks it is ideal for moving pallets or haylage bales around the yard.”