Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 357 i Farms and Farm Machinery

Deutz-Fahr has unveiled its latest Agrotron 6 series tractors with RC-Shift transmission. Launched at the Victorian HQ of Deutz-Fahr distributor PFG Australia in front of dealers from around the country, the new tractors feature an updated Series 2 ‘maxivision’ cabin, which is separated from the engine itself and blocks out the heat and noise. The latter is thanks to its additional soundproofing and improved sealing, resulting in a decibel reading of about 67-68. The revamped 6 series – available from 155hp up to 215hp – also boasts the new RC-Shift transmission, which makes gear shifts as easy as pushing up or down on the joystick. “Being an RC tractor it means it has a manual gearbox, but has full automation built into that gearbox,” New Zealand sales manager Alistair Horrocks…

Machinery giant Claas is expanding its product range with the release of the new Smart Push bucket. The Smart Push bucket system is different from a conventional loader bucket, with the load being discharged without the need to tip the bucket. Instead, the material is pushed out. “The core of Smart Push is the movable rear panel that can be easily operated using the third control circuit,” Claas says. “To empty the bucket, the driver only has to move it into the desired position, for example alongside a mixed-feed wagon, and then push the contents into the container while maintaining the bucket in a horizontal position.” The Push Smart is available for the Claas Torion wheel loader models and Claas tractors with front loaders. Claas says the material uptake is…

Case IH’s autonomous concept vehicle is conducting its first field trials with Bolthouse Farms in the United States in an attempt to understand how new autonomous technology can be used and how it meets real-world requirements. The autonomous tractor created a buzz when it was revealed in 2016 and again when it reached Australian shores for Agquip last year. Now, the company is taking the next step with this technology through its Autonomy and Automation Program, researching and piloting autonomous technology in real-life scenarios. “While the autonomous concept vehicle reveal in 2016 showed the world what’s possible with autonomous vehicles, it was just that – a concept,” Case IH AFS global product manager Robert Zemenchik says. “This working tractor provided a platform for us to start discussions with farmers and…

Australian dealers O’Connors and Larwoods have taken out the 2017 Dealer of the Year awards at Case IH’s annual dealer conference in Sun City, South Africa. O’Connors won the Case IH Dealer of the Year – three branches or more award for the second year running. The family-owned business operates Victorian branches in Birchip, Horsham, Warracknabeal and Shepparton; as well as branches in Corowa, New South Wales and Bordertown in South Australia. Yorke Peninsula-based Larwoods Ag Services was awarded the Case IH Dealer of the Year – two branches or less. Larwoods has been operating for more than 40 years, with its main branch based in Kadina, specialising in sales, service and spare parts. The Dealer of the Year results are based on finance and business management, performance in sales…

Improved milk quality and herd fertility are just two of the benefits a dairy farmer in the Republic of Ireland has achieved by using the Keenan InTouch technology. Seamus Byrne, 63, milks 190 pedigree Holstein cows at Ardcath in County Meath together with his wife Mary. The family use the herd prefix Boolies Great for their herd, which is producing an average yield of 9000 litres per cow per year. In times when gross margins are tight, Byrne is one of the lucky farmers to be making a healthy profit from milking cows, a feat achievable by keeping a tight eye on his costs of production. By selling some of his milk on fixed contracts and the rest at normal rates, Byrne is currently receiving €0.42 ($0.66) per litre on…

The soil was a little cloddy after having cows on it over winter, but this was a good test to see how well the machine could handle less than ideal conditions. It’s fair to say the popularity of fodder beet has grown exponentially in recent years as farmers realise its potential to economically increase the amount of dry matter grown per hectare, especially in colder areas. One take-home message I’ve heard from farmers growing the crop is that the potential yield comes down to the effort you put in. This starts when the crop is planted, and so it makes sense to use an accurate precision planter. With this in mind, I recently travelled to New Zealand’s South Canterbury region to see a Monosem precision planter in action. Stuart McIntosh…

If you are baulking at the 80k you pay for a Toyota LandCruiser 79 Series single-cab once you add a tray, air-conditioning … and on-road costs, do yourself a favour at take a look at the Pik-Up. Mahindra’s second-generation Pik-Up work and farm 4WD ute has arrived in Australia and brings a raft of changes led by a more powerful engine and a new 6-speed manual gearbox. The cabin interior is new too; and there’s more equipment, more safety features, and a re-styled exterior. The Pik-Up was first sold in Australia in 2007 and was updated in 2011 with a new (Euro 5 emissions-compliant) engine and the addition of an Eaton automatic-locking rear differential. Since it arrived in Australia in 2007, well over 5000 Pik-Ups have been sold while, globally,…

As expected, the harmony between engine and transmission is exceptional, controlled by the same shift lever assembly used in Volvo models. It’s mid-morning on a brick-hard stretch of dirt an hour or so out of Charleville. Already, the air is a furnace. That heavy, sapping heat, sucking moisture from every pore. In the mirrors, bleached dust blooms into cauldron clouds and all around it seems nature has once again decreed a scorched earth summer for much of south-west Queensland. Christmas is less than a fortnight away and, for many farming families in this part of the world, life remains fiercely tough. Few probably have greater understanding of just how tough than Brian Egan. Co-founder of the Aussie Helpers charity based in Charleville, Brian and wife Nerida have, for the past…

German manufacturer Amazone has unveiled its new UX01 super series of trailed sprayers. Boasting a new operating concept and precision boom guidance system, the UX01 will offer tank volumes of 6200, 5200 or 4200 litres and super-L2 booms from 27 to 40 metres. Claas Harvest Centre product manager – Amazone Craig Hopkins says he’s been impressed by the sleek European styling and smart functionality of the UX01 super. “One of the most striking features of the UX01 super is the grey covers on either side of the sprayer,” Hopkins says. “Underneath the left-hand cover is the SmartCenter, which hosts the operator station, induction bowl, fill ports and two dust-proof storage compartments. “Under the right-hand cover is an additional 240-litre lockable storage compartment with removable shelf – both covers swing upwards…

Silvan Australia has introduced the Nobili TLP range of mulchers designed for smaller-horsepower tractors. The company says its decision to bring the Nobili TLP range down under was to fill a gap in the market for property owners and ground managers who don’t have access to large-horsepower tractors and their implements. Designed by Nobili to suit tractors of 7-25kW (10-30hp), the TLP range is available with a choice of cutting widths of 1.2m, 1.35m and 1.6m. Each mulcher is equipped with Y-shaped shredding blades, making it ideal for maintenance and reduction of grassed or pasture areas. Silvan Australia machinery specialist Gavin Wheatcroft says the three new Nobili TLP mulchers were released in response to market dynamics and the increased sales of smaller-horsepower tractors. “The Nobili TLP range will be the…

John Deere’s latest AutoTrac and in-field data-sharing applications will provide new levels of machine automation and data sharing for Generation 4 displays, the company says. The AutoTrac Turn Automation, AutoTrac Implement Guidance, AutoTrac Vision for Tractors and In-Field Data Sharing applications are being sold as bundled activations for John Deere 4600 CommandCenter and as bundled subscriptions for 4640 Universal Displays. “These new applications provide late-model John Deere machine owners with outstanding technology value,” John Deere product marketing manager John Mishler says. For owners of machines equipped with a 4640 display, the applications are offered as bundled one- or five-year subscriptions. AutoTrac Turn Automation automates the tractor and implement functions during end-of-row turns. Mishler says this new application provides automation across the paddock rather than just between headlands, allowing operators to…

Getting your soil right is one of the most important tasks for any farmer, and ‘plough pans’ of compacted, dry soil are regularly encountered across the often drought-stricken Australian continent. David McMillan knows this all too well. McMillan’s property in Young, New South Wales is a mixed operation with stud cattle and lambs, as well as various grain crops. “We’ve got stud beef cattle and fat lambs,” McMillan says. “And we also grow canola and other cereals including feed for the livestock.” Dry, compacted soil affected by decades of ploughing and planting needs to be carefully worked to allow moisture back in, which in turn allows roots to grow deeper. Across his property, McMillan has been using the K-Line Speedtiller in combination with the heavy-duty MaxxRipper ground-breaking tool to get…

Farmers recognise the need for new farm technology and are embracing it, but understanding the monetisation of it is another story. The smart farming era is now upon us and changing the industry via robots, sensors, software and, most importantly, network connectivity. Even though it seems new technology for farms is being introduced on a daily basis, a significant percentage of it will never enter production. And, on a wider perspective, smart farming still has a long way to go as it is currently rated in 10th position on the 10 most popular internet-of-things applications. This puts it well behind smart home in first place, smart grid in fourth place, and connected car in sixth place. Robert Walker, who was appointed chief executive officer of Keenan in 2016, is positive…

>> Quick Search To find these products online, go to TradeFarmMachinery.com.au and enter the TA or DIY code shown below in the Keyword search panel. ROGRO GROUND HOUND PLANTER Trailing, 9-metre folding toolbar, 24x parallelogram tyne units, 15” spacing, spring release, coulters, press wheels, covering chains, 3x Gyral primary hydraulic distributor heads, 1x Gyral small seeds distributor head, floating hitch, some spares. QLD 0428 054 644 $25,000 2009 JOHN DEERE 1790 PLANTER 30” spacings, wing fold hyd, Tru Vee, Seedstar monitor with display. QLD 07 3171 1832 $99,000 2007 RFM 3340 GUIDANCE CT PLANTER 40’ @ 12”, in frame press wheels, seeding kit. VIC 03 9998 4661 $86,900 NORSEMAN 12M PRECISION PLANTER Daybreak 12-metre toolbar, trailing, lift assist wheels front & rear on 4-metre wheel centres, stack fold, 22 x…

Sales of agricultural tractors were once again very strong in February, maintaining the steady growth that has been occurring for the past two years or more. Overall sales were up a further 4 per cent on the same time last year and sit 7 per cent ahead on a rolling 12-month basis. It was the 100-200hp range that was strongest this month, up 28 per cent on the same month last year and now 23 per cent ahead on a year-to-date basis. The 40-100hp range was again up a healthy 6 per cent, to be 5 per cent ahead on last year. The large over-200hp range reversed last month’s strong sales to be significantly down by 20 per cent on last February and 5 per cent behind on a year-to-date…

>> Quick Search To find these products online, go to TradeFarmMachinery.com.au and enter the TA or DIY code shown below in the Keyword search panel. 2010 UD MK5 Rear mount crane truck/ service truck, 4.7L intercooled turbo diesel, low kms, 6-speed manual, fitted with 3.8L steel tray x 2.2W dropsides. Palfinger PK4200A crane with continuous rope/ hook, rear mounted, with remote control, 10400 GVM. NSW 02 6171 3632 $72,950 UD MK5 5 TON TIPPER AND CRANE Ex-Shire and just finished going through the Major Motors Recon Process! Fitted with a 4m tipper and a Kevrek 1500 crane and in amazing condition. A very hard combo to find that will move quickly! WA 08 6555 9459 $59,990 2010 UD PKC260 09 / 2010 Nissan UD PKC260 on airbag rear suspension, 7.9L,…

Mahindra Australia treated its dealer network to seven brand-new tractors at a company conference held recently on the Gold Coast. Mahindra’s top dogs were in force to unveil the all-new Mahindra Jivo sub-compact, the Max 28 HST and Max3 6 HST, the 3650PST, the 6075 with creeper, and the 7580 and 7590 tractors. JIVO 245DI Designed for vineyard or inter-cultural operations, the Jivo compact tractor is the company’s answer to growing competition from lower-priced Chinese product. The Jivo features a 24hp engine, 750kg lift capacity and a 1500-hour-per-annum duty cycle. MAX 28 HST & MAX 36 HST Fitted with loaders, the Max 28 and Max 36 tractors are built in Japan by Mitsubishi-Mahindra Agricultural Machinery Co to provide a wider coverage of the 0-50hp tractor range. With a starting price…

Silvan has reworked its new medium-duty slasher range to combat design and manufacturing faults traditionally seen in slashers. The two initial models, with working widths of 1.47m and 1.77m, are ideal for 75hp tractors with a Category I or II three-point linkage. Silvan says both models can be connected to the tractor with a centre or offset mount of up to 200mm. The medium-duty slasher range has a new-shaped deck made of 5mm-thick hot-dip galvanised steel. Silvan says its ‘clean-angled design’ will not allow moisture or the slashed material to accumulate on the surface and eventually create rust and deteriorate. The gearbox and PTO shaft driveline is a high-quality BareCo unit and is supplied with fully compliant guarding of the moving parts and a two-year warranty. The BareCo gearbox drives…

New Holland’s autonomous T4.110F tractor is about to start field trials with a major Californian vineyard. The company says the collaborative pilot program is focused on gathering agronomic and operator feedback on the use of this technology in everyday vineyard activities, with the ultimate objective of delivering autonomous solutions that are driven by the real-world requirements of grape growers. The NHDrive autonomous solution made its Australian field days debut last year, being previewed on the T7 heavy-duty and T8 tractor ranges. The new pilot program aims to demonstrate that New Holland’s autonomous solution is applicable to the brand’s entire range of tractors, from high-horsepower row-crop models all the way through to its specialty ranges. New Holland agriculture brand president Carlo Lambro is optimistic about the collaboration with E&J Gallo Winery.…

Since its first introduction in 2009, Keenan’s InTouch communications system is now being used on 3000 farms across the world, feeding more than 300,000 animals. The system itself has undergone some changes in that time and, in 2011, it developed further to use cloud technology as a vehicle for transporting information from farm to computer. Now under the umbrella of Alltech Keenan, InTouch is adding some extra features, including a new control box and a new app to make it easier for farmers to use. Basically, InTouch is a live review and support service with skilled nutritionists using simple technology to ensure farmers are mixing the exact rations their animals require every day. As well as ensuring the mix is correct in the feeder, InTouch measures herd performance, whether it…

Crown has launched an updated version of its proven C-G and C-D Series 2- to 3.5-tonne internal combustion lift truck ranges, providing customers with improved performance, comfort, safety and low running costs. The new C-G and C-G 7-Series, available with both diesel and LPG engine options and lift capacities ranging from 2000 to 3500kg, is replacing Crown’s previous Pro 5 Series range. The launch of the 7-Series coincides with Crown celebrating 20 years of internal combustion engine lift truck sales in Australia. Those sales began in 1998 and have expanded to include models with capacities up to 25 tonnes. The 7-Series highlights a number of evolutionary upgrades, inspired by customer feedback, which build on the strengths of the Pro 5 Series. Those refinements include a new counterweight body with better…

I can tell you that Michael Jackson had nothing on a good Kato operator in full flight. It never ceases to amaze me what you can find when you really start to scratch the surface of the Australian landscape. On a recent trip through Queensland I was fortunate to come across an old Kato 550G swampy excavator lying in a paddock, buried up to its side panels in grass and weeds. At first I didn’t register exactly what I was to about to uncover, as all I could see was the faded boom of an excavator sticking above the grass line and the unmistakable old Kato-style cabin. Naturally, I made a beeline to the property owner’s house in hope of a closer look. MEET AND GREET I was met with…

A key driver of no-tillage success is the timeliness of crop sowing. Agricultural research engineer Jack ‘French’ Desbiolles has been long researching all things tillage and sowing – we spoke to him to grab his insight on the latest trends. Desbiolles works at the Agricultural Machinery Research and Design Centre (AMRDC) of the University of South Australia (UniSA), and is a frequent author and contributor to agricultural papers. With climate change challenging farming more than ever, the AMRDC team at UniSA has a strong research focus on improving and developing machinery solutions to improve resilience and increase productivity of no-till cropping systems in Australia. FROM TILLAGE TO NO-TILLAGE Traditionally, the practice of soil tillage has been justified to provide an optimum seedbed for crop planting. In an Australian context, tillage…