Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 359 i Farms and Farm Machinery

Valtra has released seven new 75-130hp A Series tractors as part of a major update of the range. The new A Series tractors follow in the footsteps of the Valtra S,T and N series, which have all transitioned into their fourth generation. The previous A Series generation only offered two models producing between 88 and 103hp. However, the growth in the market and the increasing variety of applications has pushed the Finnish Valtra to expand to seven models and a greater horsepower range. AGCO Power Stage 4 engines power the new A Series models. The three smallest models feature three-cylinder 3.3-litre engines, while the four larger models use four-cylinder 4.4-litre engines under the bonnet. All models are tier 4 final emissions compliant, thanks to AGCO Power’s efficient and space-saving SCR…

These completely new tractors are the first and only in the sector to be developed in the 21st century using the most modern design and manufacturing technology. Massey Ferguson, a worldwide brand of AGCO, has introduced three new tractors in the new MF 6700 Global Series to the Australian and New Zealand markets. Delivering maximum power of 132hp, these are the largest, most-powerful models in Massey Ferguson’s Global Series of sturdy and straight-forward, all-purpose tractors, which now includes three fantastic ranges that deliver practical, cost-effective operation for the demanding 70-130hp sector. “The MF 6700 Series is the culmination of significant investment in developing the Global Series. These completely new tractors are the first and only in the sector to be developed in the 21st century using the most modern design…

Our film, as soon as you place it down on the ground, will shrink very, very tightly onto the soil bed. Australians love an underdog story – because there’s something truly admirable about overcoming adversity. So when the 2011 Brisbane floods hit and left Hydrox Technologies’ factory submerged in water, you could’ve forgiven co-founders and brothers Mark and Rob Trenchard for pulling the pin. Instead, the lads have gone onto create Solar Shrink, a truly innovative mulch film, which is changing the agricultural landscape in Australia. IT STARTED WITH AN IDEA In the wake of the 2011 floods, Mark and Rob joined forces once again to start Hydrox Technologies, with the intention of creating a biodegradable mulch film that led to Solar Shrink by accident. “The reason we wanted a…

Tractor sales recorded solid improvement in April, setting the scene for another record year. Overall, sales were up 5 per cent in the month and now sit 8 per cent ahead on a year-to-date basis. There appears to be a variety of explanations for this up lift ranging from a synchronisation in the refinancing cycle occurring to the positive impact of rain in some regions. Despite all of this, the industry remains cautiously optimistic as the general appetite for new deals appears to be steadying. The 100-200hp range is behind this lift, up 31 per cent on last month and now 29 per cent ahead year-to-date. The under 40hp segment was up a further 4 per cent and now sits in line with last year; while the 40-100hp segment was…

Toyota says its new Hilux models have been given a big dose of style, refinement and off-road capability. Toyota has added three new models to the Hilux range – the 4x4 double-cab Rugged X, Rogue and Rugged – which were designed and developed in Australia with support from Toyota Motor Corporation in Japan and Toyota in Thailand. “These three new HiLux heroes give customers a bold new choice in the market whether they are looking for a stylish and refined top-end ute for work and play or need enhanced protection, functionality and recovery capability for serious off-roading,” Toyota Australia vice president of sales and marketing Sean Hanley says. “We know that the average HiLux customer already spends over $2,000 on accessories for their vehicles so we looked at what those…

In the ultra-competitive and booming 4x4 ute market – dominated by dual cabs – Mitsubishi’s Triton is bettered only in sales by Toyota’s ever-popular Hilux and Ford’s beefy Ranger. That means the Triton outsells Holden Colorado, Nissan’s Navara, Isuzu’s D-Max, Mazda’s BT-50 and VW’s Amarok, all largely off the back of sharp pricing and ongoing factory discounting. The popular GLS dual-cab 4x4, as tested here, is listed at $41,500, which puts it $10K to $15K cheaper than its immediate competitors. But, as they say in the late-night gadget commercials, that’s not all. For $10 less than that (so $41,490) Mitsubishi will also throw in a free automatic transmission and all on-road costs. For $4K less than that (so $37,490 drive-away, no more to pay) you can get into a GLX+…

Caterpillar has introduced the 548 and 548 LL forestry machines. The Cat 548 forestry excavator is configured for tasks ranging from road building and site preparation to roadside processing. The 548 LL is configured as a log loader and can perform log-handling tasks such as shovel logging, loading and mill-yard activities. Both new machines are powered by a Cat 152kW C7.1 ACERT configured to Tier 4 Final emissions standards. The hydraulic system has received an upgrade, with upsized pumps and back-to-back main control valve optimising fluid flow. The result is stronger and faster responses from work tools which in turn increases productivity and fuel economy. The hydraulic update allows the 548 and 548 LL to run at a lower steady RPM while maximising power, resulting in significant fuel savings and…

WA farmer Simon Chipper knows his way around Morris agricultural products and its technology, enough so he is receiving calls for advice. His use of a Morris 9365 air cart fitted with input control technology (ICT) has seen Chipper fielding queries about the ICT technology from interested farmers. “We’ve had about five calls from other farmers asking about ICT,” Chipper says. “Dad got one at 6am on a Sunday morning – at least two of those ended up buying one.” Chipper and his wife Sara, and parents Chris and Melody, farm wheat, barley, canola and oats and ewes from the 2,900-hectare family property ‘Jimbin’, in York, Western Australia. The Chipper’s Morris 9365 air cart with ICT features a 12-metre (40-foot) concept bar set on 22.5- centimetre (9-inch) tyne spacings with…

JCB Hydradig 110W, an 11.2-tonne digging, lifting, tool-carrying machine that looks like a rubber-tyred excavator but is so much more. It’s suited to a wide range of applications, from general construction to utilities, highways and landscaping. It runs an 81kW (109hp) JCB T4F EcoMax 444 diesel engine and comes with a 0.31-cubic-metre bucket. The Auger Torque MT range of trenchers is designed for excavators between 2.5-5 tonne, skid-steer loaders up to 80hp and also mini loaders. Chains are available in a number of different tooth configurations for trenching in soft ground, mixed grounds and even permafrost. Precision depth control skid enables the operator to set the desired trench depth. The Komatsu PC138US-8 hydraulic excavator has an ultrashort tail swing for work in confined areas. With a near-zero tail swing radius,…

Get ready for the most comprehensive-ever evaluation of all the popular utes on sale in Australia! In early May, Bauer Media’s Transport and Machinery titles, in conjunction with Australia’s leading 4WD magazine, 4x4 Australia , and Australia’s leading car magazine, Wheels , gathered together all of the popular utes for a week-long knockout to find out just what is Australia’s best ute overall. The contenders • Ford Ranger: Big and brawny and Australia’s most popular 4WD ute in 2017 • Holden Colorado: 500Nm of torque can’t be wrong! That’s more than Ranger • Isuzu D-Max: Much loved thanks to its service simplicity and reliability. The mechanic’s favourite • Mazda BT-50: Shares much with the Ford Ranger including a 3.2-litre five-cylinder engine but generally cheaper…

The recent growth in Sydney has had a knock-on effect in the Hunter region. Crown Equipment is facilitating growth in New South Wales’ Hunter region with the relocation of its Newcastle branch to a purpose-built, centrally located company-owned facility in Beresfield, close to the regional city. The new location, which benefits from the latest in environmentally-friendly building practices, was selected for its proximity to major highways and convenient location for customers in warehousing, logistics, mining, manufacturing and agriculture. The site – at 21 Yilen Close, Beresfield – makes accessing Crown’s team of sales and service professionals easier for customers in need of materials handling equipment, racking and shelving, dock levellers and other warehouse infrastructure. The branch houses new and used Crown lift trucks and a comprehensive array of spare parts.…

Often, when we get to see a new machine in action, it’s the biggest, the best, the freshest and the newest thing on the market. Which is all well and good – in our industry, new technology, new methods, new systems are often key to productivity and profitability. As a bonus, we often get to meet some of the folk involved with new machines – the engineers who build ‘em, the techs who maintain ‘em and perhaps most importantly, the operators who use ‘em – often well outside the scope of what the engineers and the techs would like! So, the chance to chat to Charlie Dangerfield about his new Agrison tracked mini-excavator was refreshing, because Charlie is the first to admit his machine isn’t the biggest one there is…

The Queensland sun blazes down on the Frasers Livestock Transport yard in Warwick but, inside the office, temperatures and temperaments are cool. It’s a gentle hum of activity as staff monitor screens display the location of each of their 50 trucks. They could be anywhere across Queensland to mid-NSW and even down to Bendigo in Victoria, picking up livestock from stations or feedlots and safely conveying them across huge distances. One staff member gets on the phone and gives directions to a driver to guide them to the entrance gate of a vast station, tracking the truck’s progress on the screen. Another is on the phone gently reminding a customer about an outstanding invoice. Desks are awash with paperwork; no surprise given the size and success of the operation. Led…

John Deere has released its latest 60-foot (18.2m) 1895 no-till air seeder for quicker and more accurate planting. The new 1895 is 40 per cent wider than previous models and incorporates new technologies to improve seeder and fertiliser placement while decreasing soil disturbance. “This wider no-till air drill is a perfect fit for producers looking to cover more acres faster with greater precision and improved monitoring of seed and fertiliser placement,” John Deere seeding product manager Emily Klemmer says. “The 1895 is built on a heavy-duty toolbar for years of reliable operation under tough paddock conditions and is compatible with 430-and 550-bushel 1910 carts, as well as the C850 air cart, plus twin NH3 tanks.” The new John Deere 1895 offers plenty of new features such as the new ProSeries…

John Deere has launched the 2430 chisel plow which now includes the TrueSet precision depth-control system, radial tyres and a rear hitch, differentiating it from the 2410 model it replaces. John Deere says the 2430 chisel plow provides better soil-breaking and levelling performance, especially in rocky or wet terrain. The plow has been designed to handle tough soils and heavy crop residue while providing operators with more control of tillage depth and seedbed finish across a range of paddock conditions. “The new 2430 chisel plow builds on many important features of the 2410 chisel plow,” John Deere tillage product marketing manager Jarred Karnei says. “This includes the addition of John Deere’s exclusive TruSet depth and down pressure control system on base equipment and a wide choice of ground-engaging points, spacings…

Chinese brand LDV has announced the pricing of its tradiespec T60 cab-chassis, with the 4WD variant retailing from $28,411 or $26,990 for ABN holders. The budget-priced ute features a 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine good for 110kW and 360Nm. It’s mated to a six-speed manual transmission. There’s no auto available. The suspension set-up comprises double-wishbone (front) and heavy-duty leaf springs at the rear. The 4WD variant has a kerb weight of 1,720kg, a payload capacity of 1,255kg and a 3,000kg towing capacity; while the 2WD variant has a kerb weight of 1,630kg, a payload capacity of 1,145kg and a 3,000kg towing capacity. While it’ll most likely be used to carry work gear, in terms of off-road functionality, the T60 has a 27-degree approach angle, 24.2-degree departure angle, 215mm of ground clearance…

First impressions are obvious – she’s a monster. This machine has some serious capacity and the sort of efficiency I like. Take a stroll out to the combine mid-morning, tidy up all the wheat on the farm with no fuss, and head off to the beach for dinner – it’s all about work-life balance! While the range-topping CR10.90 was the main attraction on this day, there are also five smaller models available. ENGINE The CR10.90 generates a massive 700hp from the new FPT (Fiat Powertrain Technologies) six-cylinder, 15.9-litre engine. Topped up by the 1,300-litre fuel tank, it enjoys 600-hour service intervals. To keep up with the regulations (Tier 4 B), an SCR AdBlue exhaust after-treatment (120-litre tank) is required, allowing less complication in the engine. INSIDE THE CAB The first…

In some US states there is a ’50-inch rule’. It means that, for general safety reasons, no recreational vehicle wider than 50 inches (127cm) is allowed on tracks operating under the rule. As a consequence we have vehicles like the Maverick Trail 1000 and Polaris RZR, mini rally cars with gobs of power and all-wheel drive. As far as we know, the Trail is the first 1,000cc machine built for America’s 50-inch trail systems. There’s no practical requirement in this country for a 50-inch wide 4WD vehicle. Still, we have to admit, they are fun to drive, up to a point, and that if you live or move around in densely wooded country with steep hills that alone could make one of these missiles useful. The Trail is a recreational…

Reg Grant and I have been reviewing ATVs and UTVs for 10 years and this is the first time we’ve encountered Mahindra – as a brand and a product. As a brand, Mahindra describes itself as a “$19 billion confederation of companies”, which sounds ominous but at least gives us an idea of its size and reach. It has interests in manufacturing cars, tractors, boats of various types, two-wheelers, and among the federation has branches that deal in IT, hospitality, real estate and financial services. KEY SPECS Our test vehicle was delivered on time and, as promised, an XTV 750 S Flexhauler, made in the US and retailing here for $19,990. All Mahindra UTVs get seatbelts and ROPS, so you’re up for the government rebate if you switch from an…