Does your tractor also use DEF? Most Tier IV compliant will and these use a SCR (selective catalytic reduction) system that injects DEF (diesel exhaust fluid which is a specific concentration of ammonia). In the SCR, the DEF reacts with the exhaust converting the various NOX products. There is a definite smell to the exhaust from a DEF equipped system and if there is a problem with it, then it can put excessive ammonia into the catalyst resulting in significant ammonia gas in the exhaust which is an extreme irritant.
If not for the DEF/SCR system, diesel fuel efficiency would be even lower with Tier IV engines because it allows higher combustion temperature/pressure which is what creates NOX and then cleans it up via the catalytic reaction. Think of it as offsetting some of the power/efficiency loss that the DPF creates as they work together to meet Tier IV.
Rodger