Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 369 i Farms and Farm Machinery

Distributed by Silvan Australia, Nobili’s new BK heavy-duty mulcher range is designed to operate behind tractors of 52 to 130kW (75 to 175 horsepower). “The Nobili BK range, now available from Silvan Australia nationally, is the ideal choice for larger scale or intensive farm properties, roadside maintenance or local government contractors, or any application where vegetative waste can or needs to be reduced to a fine evenly distributed tilth for breakdown or to add to future productivity,” Silvan Australia’s machinery specialist Gavin Wheatcroft says. With an international market and reputation for quality and innovation, Nobili regularly releases new mulchers that meet specific market needs. Available in three models with working widths of 2.3, 2.7 or 3.2 metres, the BK range is “ideal for grass, stubble or pasture topping, breaking down…

Long gone are the days of poor visibility from cabs in a telescopic handler as JCB brings a new range of agricultural Loadalls to the global market. In fact, the British manufacturer says its new Series III range has an all singing, all dancing Command Plus cab, that is 50 per cent quieter for operators than in previous models. The Australian arm of JCB told Farms & Farm Machinery it was unable to confirm which models of the new range it would be taking at this stage, but that more would be revealed later in 2019. The new Series III JCB Loadall range comprises four models, namely the 6m lift 538-60, 7m 532-70 and 542-70, and the 9.5m high-lift 536-95, which have up to 200kg increased load capacity over their…

The Rex 4 100 GT with Harrison Hunkin The latest release from Landini, perhaps Italy’s most famous agricultural brand, has more than the admirable reputation of its parent company to live up to. The new Rex 4 100 GT was nominated for the Best Specialised Tractor award at Italy’s giant EIMA International expo in 2018, and won the Technical Innovation Award for its Advanced Driving System. So it’s certainly an advanced design – but does it lead to La Dolce Vita? ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION Under the bonnet of the Rex 4 100 GT is a Tier 4, 2.9-litre four-cylinder Deutz engine. Despite being a little smaller than the Perkins engines used in the previous Rex tractors, the Rex 4 nonetheless packs a pretty serious punch. It pushes out 95 horsepower…

A campaign to help farmers better understand and comply with new heavy vehicle regulations has been launched by the National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) and Grain Producers South Australia (GPSA). Chain of Responsibility… Made Easy! is designed to eliminate the confusion and frustration farmers can feel when complying with Chain of Responsibility (COR) legislation, NFF says. Operators can access a range of online resources including flowcharts and produce-specific information, aimed at better informing farmers and their contractors of the new heavy vehicle compliance obligations. NFF president Fiona Simson says the information covers a diverse range of COR-related scenarios, including farmers driving their own trucks or contracting a carrier to transport their produce or livestock. “The resources include compliance checklists and factsheets that explain what farmers need to do to comply with…

Connectivity issues, security concerns and trust in the technology itself are some of the major factors preventing farmers from fully embracing precision agriculture technologies, according to a new report. The report, Emerging technologies in agriculture: Consumer perceptions around emerging agtech, was prepared by consultancies AgThentic and GHD and funded by AgriFutures Australia – also known as the Rural Industries Research & Development Corporation (RIRDC) – with the aim of better understanding consumer perceptions and their impact on adoption of new technologies. Among the 10 technologies examined was the rise of sensors and the internet of things (IoT) – a network of objects that can transmit information to each other using sensors and other means without human intervention. Predicted to increase from 30 million installations in 2015 to 75 million by…

With its eyes on a sustainable transport future, Scania Australia plans to display a wide array of efficient, cost-effective vehicles at the Brisbane Truck Show, which will run May 16 to 19 at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre. Key among Scania’s hardware exhibits will be its New Truck Generation (NTG) V8 flagship as well as a Scania XT tipper, a G-series prime mover and two P-series rigids; one powered by a new engine, and one dedicated to running on alternative fuels. Scania says it will once again put emphasis on its business-efficiency solutions, which it believes are becoming an integral part of the Scania offer to operators across the industry, from owner-drivers to national fleets. In addition, Scania says it will have experts on hand to discuss fleet monitoring…

To see the new mixer wagon in action, we visited Harrison Dairy Goats’ farm in Matamata and were on-site to see it being unloaded fresh off the truck. The Harrison team wasted no time putting it to work – they were already experienced with the Strautmann brand, having owned a smaller model. As the name suggests, the Strautmann Verti-Mix 1801 is a vertical (twin) auger mixer wagon, with a capacity of 18 cubic metres. However, it also has a blower function on the front. This allows wood chips or cut straw to be spread as a bedding material – an important job in many goat-farming operations. Personally, I’m a big fan of the efficiency of getting one machine capable of doing more than one job. For example, the combi baler/wrapper…

Those wanting a heavier-duty Musso that the initial-delivery model tested here don’t have long to wait. By mid-2019, a stretched Musso with a higher payload and a longer tub is due to arrive. In Korea this model is called the Khan but that name may not be used here. The key technical differences include a 110mm-longer wheelbase, leaf springs rather than coil springs at the rear and a payload increase from 790kg to 1,020kg. The overall length also increases 310mm to 5.4 metres, which means the long-wheelbase Musso will be as long as Ford Ranger, which is as big as the current crop of popular utes gets.…

When they noticed a gap in the market for a compact yet powerful remote reel sprayer designed specifically for UTVs, the research and development team from Rapid Spray got to work. After years of work and customer input, the company launched its Scout range in September 2018 with three models, the SprayScout, FireScout and PressureScout. Built to perform better in the field every day, each model offers multiple pump and motor combinations, along with manual hose reel, single or twin Buddy Smart hose reel options, and an industry-first 70L flush tank built-in to the unit. Uncompromising in power and performance, all models in the Scout range are available in both 360L and 600L units. Many farmers had been asking for a compact remote reel sprayer that doesn’t sacrifice on tank…

Growing from a west Gippsland sales point to a diversified retail and wholesale business has taken 58 years of hard work and service to Aussie farmers, but Vin Rowe Farm Machinery isn’t done yet. The company distributes a complete range of vegetable cultivation, planting, harvesting and handling equipment, but is also looking to appoint more dealers around Australia for its premium product range. The range includes: The Valentini range of rotary hoes and power harrows, which Vin Rowe says are the premier folding, large working-width heavy duty cultivation tools on the market today. Valentini, which has been in Australia since 1991, also manufactures revolutionary rock crushing equipment, which Vin Rowe also distributes. Italian manufacturer Tierre’s range of mulchers and agricultural shredding machines, which are designed for chopping vine shoots and…

The designers behind the Integrated Harrington Seed Destructor (iHSD) say a new vertical, mechanical-drive version of the attachment will help meet changing customer demand. Invented by WA grower Ray Harrington and developed by UniSA with investment from the Grains Research & Development Corporation, the iHSD has undergone continuing development by SKF Engineering and DeBruin Engineering, together with national distributor, McIntosh Distribution. Dealer principal at McIntosh & Son WA’s southern branches Devon Gilmour says the team behind the iHSD had been inspired to develop a simple alternative to the current hydraulic-drive system, based on its high performing cage mills. “We wanted to maintain the mill system from the hydraulic version. With the capacity of the mills and the seed kill rate, we knew we had the right mill set to do…

Partnering with Chesterfield Australia, GrainKing’s award winning Nyrex chaser bins, Maximus field bins and Seed and Super bins will become available at 14 branches across South East Queensland, Northern and Central New South Wales. GrainKing CEO Colin Jorgensen believes an increased level of interest across Australia for its Nyrex bin is due to its runner up award at last year’s Swedish Steel Prize. The company says the bins are stronger and lighter than those currently being used by farmers, making them more efficient and longer lasting. GrainKing has now established a full time business development and technical support service manager based in NSW to support the expansion. Chesterfield Australia group sales manager Brad Davis says the partnership with GrainKing is a perfect fit for two family businesses. “We’re convinced the…

John Deere has introduced an electric cable-powered tractor delivering up to 400 horsepower (298kW) through a German research project. The GridCON tractor is its first vehicle to be fully electric, permanently cable-powered and capable of fully autonomous operation in the field. While Deere’s first fully electric tractor was the SESAM (Sustainable Energy Supply for Agricultural Machinery), produced in 2016, this new GridCON tractor looks very different to its predecessor. Based on a John Deere 6210R tractor, the GridCON has no cab and no batteries under the bonnet – only a cable connection that transfers power continuously at over 300kW. A drum fixed to the tractor carries up to 1,000m of cable, although the length can be extended if required. In the field, the cable is fed out and reeled in…

Nine organisations will invest in practical measures to improve health and safety in Australia’s agricultural and fisheries industries under the banner of the Rural Safety and Health Alliance (RSHA). The RSHA brings together AgriFutures Australia, Australian Eggs, Australian Pork, Australian Wool Innovation, Cotton Research and Development Corporation, Dairy Australia, Fisheries Research & Development Corporation, Grains Research & Development Corporation and Meat & Livestock Australia. Key features of the alliance include setting clear priorities to better target research, development and extension, strengthening industry leadership and developing a ‘shark tank’ funding model, where applicants work together to pitch projects for funding. Alliance Chair Patrick Murphy told Farms and Farm Machinery the RSHA would focus on setting an industry-wide development and research agenda and extending that into practical applications for farmers. “The reality…

Held in the Victorian town of Tatura, International Dairy Week drew in visitors from across the country eager to show off the respective prides of their herds as they competed for awards. But a similar show was taking place on the sidelines, with manufacturers and distributors showing off new machinery to help make work easier for farmers. I was lucky enough to speak with some of the distributors of these machines to see what’s out there these days. RABE FIELDBIRD 3000F Rabe’s Fieldbird range of disc harrows can work at speeds of between 12 and 14km/h, due in part to its independently sprung elements for consistent working depths. With a standard disc diameter of 510mm, it can operate to a maximum depth of 1,200mm and offers the user a choice…

Organisers of the 2019 Brisbane Truck Show have organised a door prize like no other. They’re giving away a brand-spanking-new Toyota HiLux Rugged X. That’s the top of the line, ultimate 4x4 dual cab utility with all the extra kit, fantastic looks and heart that no other vehicle in its class has ever been able to come near. Thanks to CMV Truck and Bus, Bauer Trader Media and Heavy Vehicle Industry Australia (HVIA), you can earn yourself multiple chances to win just by coming to the 2019 Brisbane Truck Show. First of all get yourself a ticket - and when you register you’ll go straight in the draw. (If you’ve already bought and/or activated your ticket relax - you’re in the draw already.) The next opportunity is when you get…

Ssangyong, which stated as Ha Dong-Hwan Motors in 1954 in South Korea, has had somewhat of a confusing history here in Australia. Ssangyong first appeared in 1996 when its Musso 4x4 wagon was sold via Mercedes-Benz dealers. That was off the back of a resource-sharing arrangement that Ssangyong and Benz had at the time. Shortly after that Ssangyong sales migrated to Daewoo dealers after the fellow South-Korean automaker purchased a controlling interest in Ssangyong in 1997. After Daewoo closed its doors a few years later, Ssangyong models were imported into Australia via third-party distributors, although that ceased a few years back. But all that’s history now as Ssangyong has, as of last year, set up a factory owned and backed distributor here in Australia, which should bring on-going stability to…

We haven’t seen a Landboss UTV since we tested the first one several years ago; a Perkins-powered diesel 800. Since then, some users drifted gently toward the opinion that 800cc didn’t cut it and so they asked politely for more power. We can see their point. None of the diesel UTVs are what you’d call sporty, and since everyone else was going bigger, it made sense for Landboss to do the same. The Perkins-powered machine is still available but standard gear on that unit doesn’t include the roof, sidesteps and winch. RRP is $15,990. The new LE model is pushed along by Kubota’s D1105-E3B, a naturally aspirated three-cylinder diesel with a capacity of 1,123cc. This engine must be available in various configurations – several maximum horsepower figures are associated with…

The technology-loaded, user-friendly RoGator C Series self-propelled sprayer from Croplands with its LiquidLogic application system delivers innovations needed to meet the ever-changing application processes of today’s farmers and contract sprayers, says the company. The LiquidLogic system gives operators effective cleanout, precise rates, greater control for on-target application and less product waste, says Croplands. Individual control at each nozzle body allows for a suite of operator friendly features such as: increased boom sections for greater accuracy and chemical savings; boom recirculation that continuously filters the product in the tank and allows booms to be primed on the way to the paddock, saving time and chemical before starting to spray; and a prompted product recovery and cleanout system that allows the operator to manage adverse spraying conditions and product changes easily and…

Able to supply and build custom driveshafts for a variety of customer needs, and with a local inventory that is second to none, BYPY Transmissions has plenty of experience with Australian conditions. The company can supply or manufacture complete power takeoff (PTO) standard or CV shafts to customers’ specifications, while a range of complete driveline systems including gearboxes, PTO shafts, driveline protection covers and OH&S compliant safety devices is also available. BYPY Transmissions also distributes a full range of Bondioli & Pavesi and BIMA gearboxes ranging from 12 to over 400 horsepower and with ratios both increasing and decreasing from 1:1 to 1:4 and in some applications even higher. The Bondioli & Pavesi range of gearboxes come in several configurations: ‘T’, right angle, slasher/cutting head and even gearboxes with four…

CFMoto Australia has added two new vehicles to its Australian range for 2019: the utility task vehicle (UTV) U1000 and the X600 EPS all-terrain vehicle (ATV). The company’s Australian director Michael Poynton says the U1000’s 1,000cc, 75 horsepower (56kW) V-Twin engine makes it the company’s highest spec’d UTV, giving it enough power to pull 800kg comfortably. “Not only will this model complement the CFMoto UTV range, it has completely revolutionised it, taking it to the next level,” says Poynton. With a large gas-assisted tip tray and a 350kg load capacity, the U1000 is work ready, featuring a spacious bench seat with plenty room for passengers and an additional 75.5 litres of storage. Its rear limited slip differential (LSD) gives the U1000 an 8.2m turning radius, the smallest in CFMoto’s UTV…

Properties across the country may have a new water saving friend, the Davey TankSense. The TankSense allows the many families who rely on tank water to monitor and track water levels to ensure supply is always available. TankSense uses real time usage data and current tank level stats to predict how many days of water are left. Through a smartphone app, the TankSense provides alerts when water starts to run low. Another unique feature is it also integrates weather data from the Bureau of Meteorology so tank owners can hold off on ordering water if rain is forecast. Davey’s Innovation mission leader Chris Knapp says the system was designed in direct response to feedback from tank users, who identified water supply as one of their biggest challenges. “Even when tanks…

An automatic cow urinal will help dairy farmers meet tightening emissions regulations when Dutch product developers Hanskamp starts production in mid-2020, it says. When cow manure and urine mix, ammonia is formed. If this is released into the air, it can precipitate, causing large amounts of nitrogen. According to research from Wageningen University and Research (WUR) in The Netherlands, about 90 per cent of ammonia emissions come from agriculture. And this is a big deal – The Netherlands has national limits in force to reduce gases, and dairy farmers have to pay high fees to meet ammonia emission and manure disposal requirements. Hanskamp’s CowToilet is designed to target a well-known nerve reflex just above the udder in cows, which when stimulated causes them to urinate. The CowToilet is placed against…

What began as a slowdown in the market midway through 2018 has now turned into a widespread state of decline for agricultural machinery sales in Australia. The very hot January has only exacerbated the impact of the drought, leading to tractor sales being around 12 per cent below where they were in January 2018. Monthly tractor sales were down in all size categories – down 22 per cent in the 200hp (149kW) and above range and down about 10 per cent in the under 40hp (30kW), 40–100hp (30–75kW) and 100–200hp (75–149kW) categories. Victorian sales were in line with 2018, due mainly to favourable conditions in the Western District offsetting difficulties being felt in the Wimmera and Gippsland districts. But other states suffered. NSW continues to be hard hit, being 21…

Wimmera Machinery Field Days – Longerenong WHAT: Hosted at its purpose-built site at the Wimmera Events Centre at Longerenong near Horsham in western Victoria, the Wimmera Machinery Field Days is a showcase of the latest developments in farming practice, machinery, equipment, technology and services. The organisers say that the three days generate well over $50 million in trade. WHEN: March 5-7 MORE INFO: http://wimmerafielddays.com.au OUTLOOK 2019 – Canberra WHAT: The ABARES Outlook conference is the agriculture sector’s premier information exchange and networking event. Held in Canberra, it connects leading national and international speakers and producers with motivated and information seeking public and private sector decision-makers. WHEN: March 5-6 MORE INFO: www.agriculture.gov.au/abares/outlook Wagin Woolorama WHAT: This year’s event will be ‘Celebrating Youth, Vitality & Innovation’ at the 116th Wagin Agricultural Show…

If you are a project manager or contractor in site preparation, excavation, landscapes, infrastructure and public spaces, the National Diesel Dirt & Turf Expo is the only place to be. In its fourth year, the 2019 event will present the latest technologies for excavators, loaders, mowers, grounds maintenance equipment, trailers, trucks and associated services. More than 76,000 people attended the event last year and even more are expected to attend the three-day event from May 3–5 at Panthers Penrith in Western Sydney. The Expo presents an opportunity for fleet operators, asset managers, local government equipment management and contractors to speak directly with highly informed specialists. Technical and engineering personnel will also be on exhibitors’ sites to give valuable advice. With free entry and car parking, there is plenty to keep…

The Musso model range starts with the entry-level EX, which is the only model that’s available with a manual gearbox as a lower-cost option. The other models are automatic only. The EX also comes with 17-inch steel wheels, so looks more like a work ute but still has high-end safety features such automatic emergency braking and lane-departure warning. From there the ELX adds heated and ventilated front seats, Apple Car-Play/ Android Auto, an eight-inch (20cm) touchscreen, tyre-pressure monitoring, daytime running lamps, parking assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert and 18-inch alloy wheels. The top-spec Ultimate swaps the 18s for 20s and adds leather seats, a sunroof, HID headlights, a 360-degree camera, speed-sensitive steering and the rear tub-mounted styling enhancement behind the cabin.…

Advances in herbicides and pesticides have played a major role in lifting farm productivity in the past 50 years – and with that has come a rise in the number of farmers buying sprayers for their individual use. But there is no doubt that a sprayer is a major piece of farm equipment which can require a hefty outlay, particularly as newer models come onto the market with advanced technologies. So how do you make a decision to buy a sprayer – and how do you decide what level of expense you can justify? OWNERSHIP VS CONTRACT SPRAYING For many farmers there are three options – owning or part-owning all the necessary sprayers yourself, using a contractor for all spraying needs, or a combination of the two. When deciding whether…

WA pastorialist Paddy Barber says his new Hardi Saritor 62 Active sprayer has given him greater levels of spray accuracy and control. Paddy farms 4,700 hectares of land near Gibson, 22km north of Esperance, with his wife Sharon and their sons Nick, Samuel and Jake. Having owned two other self-propelled sprayers over the years, they invested in a new Hardi Saritor 62 Active in September last year – and the differences have been notable. “I wanted more boom stability,” Paddy says. “That was the main thing that got me interested in the Saritor … That, and it ended up being very competitively priced. “Plus the technical support from Hardi Australia and my local dealer has been excellent. I’ve been extremely happy.” Paddy selected a 36.5-metre Hardi Paragon Aluminium TR5 boom…