Just over 15 years since the Puma burst onto the global farming scene, this reliable workhorse has proved its worth in agricultural operations across Australia and New Zealand and has evolved significantly from those first models.

When the Puma series was first announced in 2006, Case IH said it was designed to fill a niche between the Maxxum and Magnum series, and was described as a "multi-purpose tractor with the right amount of power for both row-crop and livestock applications".

In Australia, sugarcane producers in particular have made the Puma an integral part of their operations during harvest time, but other types of farm businesses have also capitalised on the tractor's suitability as either the primary tractor in a smaller to mid-size operation or as a versatile all-rounder in a bigger broadacre business.

"We sell a lot of Pumas in Queensland and NSW, where sugarcane producers in particular have embraced the Puma as the ideal haul-out tractor, so with this year's crush due to start in the next month or so, now's a great time to look to your current tractor fleet and consider either adding to it or upgrading with a new Puma," said Lawrence Polga, Case IH Australia/New Zealand product manager for Puma tractors.

"Equally, any farming operation looking for something with some power but also small enough to be highly manoeuvrable and responsive should look at the Puma, because stock levels in dealerships at the moment are very good, with tractors on the floor and ready to go."