Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 370 i Farms and Farm Machinery

Deutz-Fahr says two new models launched in its 6 Series range of four-cylinder tractors will help meet strong demand from farming professionals. The 126 horsepower (94kW) Deutz-Fahr 6130 and 136hp (101kW) Deutz-Fahr 6140 were developed to answer the many challenges of everyday farming with stronger construction and heavy duty axles, the company says. Previously the strongest tractor in the company’s four cylinder range was the 5130, which topped out at 127hp (95kW), with its next strongest model being the six-cylinder 6135G, equipped with a 141hp (105kW) engine. Deutz-Fahr product manager Anthony Darveniza says the new models fill the gap between those two models, providing advantages that aren’t available elsewhere. “With a longer wheelbase and heavier build, these tractors are very stable and highly efficient. They are going to make people…

Mahindra’s new tractor range was on display recently, with a huge range of sizes for all applications. Starting with the Japanese-made Max 36A, it’s the company’s small acreage specialist and offers a large 4-in-1 loader, a 36 horsepower (27kW) engine and the range hydrostatic transmission. It also won the Max 36 Japan Quality Medal. The Jivo is the smallest in the Mahindra line-up. Designed for vineyard and orchard work, spec-wise it has a 24hp (18kW) engine, a 750kg lift capacity and a price staring from $13,990. The 4025 4WD and 2WD tractors from Mahindra are rugged utility tractors, packed with a Mahindra-built four-cylinder engine. At the rear you have a 1,600kg lift capacity. The 3650 4WD PST is a shuttle tractor that features a Tier IV direct-injection engine with no…

A range of six rotary cutters launched by John Deere will perform better than their predecessors thanks to a new deck and cutting chamber design, the company says. Deere spokesperson Cristina Guzman says the new cutting chambers on the John Deere are designed to control air flow under the deck, while their larger volume allows the unit to operate at higher speeds without reducing quality. “This improves cutting performance and cut material distribution from below the deck while reducing material accumulation on top of the cutter deck,” she says. Up front, a new suspended front mount improves machine stability by isolating the movement of the cutter deck relative to the tractor and vice versa. “This helps reduce stress on the machine while delivering a comfortable ride for the driver,” Guzman…

February has seen another sharp drop in sales of agricultural equipment across the nation as the drought in the Eastern States continues to impact industry confidence. Reported sales of tractors were 14 per cent lower in February 2019 than they were in February last year, now sitting about 6 per cent below where they were on a rolling 12-month basis. Sales were particularly hard hit in New South Wales and Victoria, down 22 per cent and 8 per cent respectively, but the news is not much better in the other states. Western Australian sales are now down 6 per cent on what was a great year last year, in South Australia they are down a whopping 30 per cent and Tasmanian sales are down around 12 per cent although a…

The 57th annual Wimmera Machinery Field Days kicked off the 2019 Field Days calendar in style as farmers came from across the country to Longerenong, near Horsham in Victoria. Here are some of the standout debutants at this year’s event. AGCO IDEAL 8 AXIAL COMBINE The Ideal 8 was named Machine of the Year at the 2019 field days, with judges noting that the combine had been “built from the ground up” by AGCO as part of a clean sheet design. Badged as a Massey Ferguson, the model on display has 538 engine horsepower (401kW) and a Dual Helix 4.84m threshing rotor, while models in the range boast a grain tank capacity of 12,500–17,100 litres and an unloading rate of 140–210 litres per second. SUREFIRE AGRICULTURAL QUICKDRAW Wimmera Machinery Field…

Karoonda Farm Fair – Murray Bridge East WHAT The Karoonda Farm Fair is an annualtwo-day event showcasing local , state and interstate farming and general interest products, services and events. With over 300 exhibitors each year, and crowds of around 7,000–10,000 over the two days, Karoonda Farm Fair caters for everyone. Other events include yard dog championships, speed and sports shearing and a ram display. WHEN 5-6 April 2019 MORE INFO www.farmfair.com.au Farm World 2019 – Warragul WHAT Farm World is widely regarded as one of Victoria’s premier regional agricultural events, attracting more than 55,000 visitors and over 800 exhibitors over four days. The event offers a strong focus on the latest technology, equipment and information. WHEN 11-14 April 2019 MORE INFO http://lardnerpark.com.au/farm-world Sydney Royal Easter Show 2019 WHAT First…

I keep a constant eye out for what the local contractor down the road is driving and what gear they’re towing, and have a keen interest in machinery I see working in paddocks as I travel around the country. My latest bit of tractor spotting came courtesy of NZ distributor Agtek, with the opportunity to spend some time with the McCormick X7.650. The McCormick brand has a long history in agriculture, with the production of its first reaper/harvester dating back to 1831. The McCormick presence working on the land in New Zealand has been through CX/MC/XTX models getting the jobs done on dairy and dry stock farms around the country. Close to my hometown of Matamata, the McCormick X7.650 was hard at work performing a range of tasks. To see…

The Ford Ranger 3.2 we have here is a 2019 model and while the 147kW/470Nm five-cylinder diesel and six-speed automatic remains largely unchanged, there are a host of updates, including the convenience of keyless entry and start, a new feature for Ranger. Being a Wildtrak, our test vehicle also has autonomous braking (including pedestrian detection) although this feature is now also optional on the volume-selling XLT. All MY19 Rangers also come with a revised suspension package that offers a more comfortable ride, something we have already previously noticed when driving various MY19 models, including a 3.2. Interestingly, the MY19 suspension changes are also claimed to bring improved towing and load carrying performance. In perevious heavy-duty tow and load testing the Ranger 3.2 has proved to be a top performer both…

Isuzu’s D-Max may seem like it’s been little changed in recent years, but in 2017 a Euro 5 emissions upgrade to the long-serving 3.0-litre four-cylinder diesel bumped the maximum torque from 380Nm to 430Nm, while a six-speed automatic powertrain replaced the previous five-speeder. All this was done subsequent to our multi-ute load and tow test comparison tests conducted in late 2016. These separate tests involved 800kg in the tub and then a 3,500kg tow test, conducted separately of course as these utes can’t carry that much and tow that much at the same time. On both of those tests, the D-Max’s chassis was generally up to the task but the 130kW/380Nm five-speed powertrain, as it was at the time, let the team down and struggled the most with the work…

Rating the utes here in a one-to-six finishing order is difficult due to the big difference in price and the big difference in how the six actually performed in our load and tow testing. What’s fairly easy however is to slot them in three groups: outright winners, those which are good bang-for-your-bucks work horses, and those that aren’t so well suited to hard yakka. In the winners’ group, but in no particular order, are the Amarok 580 and the Ranger 3.2. The 580 is a winner thanks to its muscular powertrain, clearly the most potent here. It backs that with a stable and competent chassis as good as any here and with the added security and safety of full-time 4x4. On the other side of the ledger are its safety…

For contractors and farmers travelling on public roads between paddocks, road rules that require a pilot for oversize vehicles can be another unnecessary expense. To help avoid this, Ararat-based Gason has developed a new planter model that folds to a transport width of 3.5m – but has a working width of 8m when in the field. Gason says the NT8000 was developed due to a growing demand for planting equipment to meet road rules without the need for a pilot – with design engineer Tom McCluskey saying the planter would effectively be a “one-man operation”. “I would say it is a lot stronger than a lot of imported machines and a lot cheaper too,” he told Farms & Farm Machinery at the Wimmera Machinery Field Days recently. “In areas where…

New Holland has built its precision agriculture technology in a new version of its Genesis T8 Series tractor from the ground up – and with a redesigned cab to boot. The company says the new Genesis T8 offers better connectivity between operators, vehicles, advisors and dealers to help improve productivity and reduce downtime. New Holland’s product marketing manager for its Precision Land Management (PLM) Intelligence platform Luke Zerby says the new Genesis T8 is designed to be open, connected, smart and supported – by both the manufacturer and its dealer network. “PLM Intelligence maximises all of these, utilising ISOBUS CLASS III technology to keep you completely connected through MyPLMConnect and APIs to share and analyse your data, and now to enhance support functionality through one’s local New Holland dealer,” he…

Over 80 farm machinery dealers got to grips with a new Massey Ferguson square baler at a multiday product training event for AGCO in Melbourne last month. AGCO, which is also the parent company of Fendt, demonstrated its new MF 2370 ultra high density square baler at the event alongside the Fendt Tigo wagon and the Massey Ferguson WR9900 self-propelled windrower. Dealers also examined round balers, trailed wrappers and other hay tools from Agco’s Hesston and European plants at the event, AGCO national green harvest manager David Allan says. “The feedback from our attendees was that it was beneficial to see the products up close, especially given the new additions to the range such as the Massey Ferguson round baler range,” he says. “We have an exciting new range of…

With tines reaching a depth of 600mm and a roller to help break up soil clods, K-Line’s MaxxRipper was designed to help fix some of the problems that can emerge with no-till farming, company sales manager Bill Larsen says. “In the last 2-3 years there has been a realisation that there is a need for some deeper tillage, and largely it is in country and soil types that have been direct drilled for a lot of years,” he says. “A lot of soils have developed a hard pan, which is effectively a barrier that the roots can’t penetrate effectively, at approximately 150mm deep.” These hard pans, Larsen says, can also be a barrier for water penetration, causing water to pool on top and lime and other fertilisers to sit only…

According to a 2016 report released by the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC), a quarter of all service robotics sales in 2014 were for the agriculture industry – more than any other civilian employment sector. In 2019 most of these robots are used in inspecting crops, counting yields, milking cows, digging weeds and herding livestock, according to the Emerging Technologies in Agriculture: Regulatory and other Challenges report released last month by Agrifutures Australia and ACIL Allen Consulting. But SwarmFarm Robotics CEO Andrew Bate says the potential of robotics for Australian farmers extends well beyond being a simple labour-saving device. As an example, he cites a three-year project SwarmFarm is working on for the Australian apple industry, together with crop protection company Adama, Bosch and the University of NSW,…

It may be summer, yet I was the only idiot not wearing a jumper at this year’s Sungold Field Days in Warnambool. Silly me, I should have known that Victorian weather can change in a heartbeat – yet, I found myself boarding the plane from Brisbane in shorts and a T-shirt. Much to my surprise on arrival, some sort of Artic winter had covered Warrnambool and the coast. Nonetheless, I had fun wandering the lanes of the western districts’ premier field day. So here are some standout machines from Sungold Field Days. CLAAS ARION 660: The latest tractor series from Claas, the Arion 600, made its Down Under (public) debut at the Sungold Field Days, and for a good reason. The Western Districts is one of the most popular areas…

Tickets to Australia’s favourite road transport business event, the Brisbane Truck Show, are a highly sought-after commodity. They are treated like gold, but the fact is they’re actually incredibly cheap. Online tickets are cheaper still; concessions cheaper again and under 18s are free (provided they’re accompanied by an adult). This will be the fifth Brisbane Truck Show to be held the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, but organisers are still finding ways to expand it. With over 300 exhibitors showcasing all the latest trucks, trailers, equipment, components and technology there really is plenty of bang for your buck. There’s a whole range of new trucks set for unveiling on opening day, and all the big names are there this year. There’s even some new guys on the block for the…

Business could not be any better for Finnish wheel loader manufacturer Avant Tecno which has just launched its largest and most powerful machines to date. With production lines full and 110 loaders of all its 15 different models being manufactured each week at the factory near Tampere, southern Finland, Avant Tecno is undergoing a massive expansion plan to help satisfy the strong demand. Spending €10 million (A$16 million) over the next three years, Avant is building a longer production line, jumping from 70m up to 130m to cope with sales demand and building the new 800 Series. Currently selling to 55 countries and turning over €100 million (A$160 million) for the first time in 2018, Avant Tecno hopes to increase that to €250 million (A$399 million) following its expansion plan.…

Of all the changes to the 2019 Ranger, the introduction of the new 157kW/500Nm 2.0-litre bi-turbo diesel and its attendant 10-speed automatic is by far the most significant. This new ‘little’ engine brings cutting edge diesel engine technology and a little more power and torque to a ute that, ironically, is much loved for having a ‘big’ 3.2-litre old-school diesel. How the new engine will be received in the market place will be interesting to see. Currently the bi-turbo engine and 10-speed automatic (there’s no manual with this engine) is an option for XLT and Wildtrak 4x4s (and XLT 4x2) but will no doubt become more common throughout the Ranger line up as time goes on. When the next-generation Ranger arrives in a couple of year’s time, it could well…

The ‘580’ in this Amarok’s name stands for 580 Newton-metres, the standard measure of torque, or turning force, at the engine’s crankshaft. The 580 tag also distinguishes it from all other Amarok V6s, which claim 550Nm and are less powerful as a result. Where the 580 produces up to 200kW the 550 tops out at 180kW. Those power figures are what Volkswagen calls ‘overboost’ figures, attained with 70 per cent or more throttle and only in third and fourth gears, so there to improve response for hill climbing or overtaking at highway speeds. Otherwise, the 580 claims 190kW and the 550 claims 165kW under normal, non-overboost operation. We haven’t actually tow-tested any Amarok V6 before, 580 or 550, but we have tested both at maximum payload, which didn’t worry either…

For some it was their first event, for others it was an opportunity to show their products to interested farmers again – but as one of the first major field days of the year, manufacturers didn’t want to miss the 2019 Wimmera Machinery Field Days. With hundreds of different items on display, here are three items in tillage and sowing that stood out to me as I made my way around the show. First cab off the ranks is Grizzly Engineering – a major manufacturer and exporter of disc ploughs based in Swan Hill, Victoria. Grizzly has been manufacturing its Tiny range of ploughs for a few years now, but the company brought a new innovation to the Wimmera that could change the game for many farmers out there. The…

With a slight facelift and an upgraded tier 4 final engine, the new Claas Arion 600 series, distributed here by Landpower, is a good-looking addition to the Australian market. KEY FEATURES The latest Claas Arion 600 series has been beefed up, now pushing out a max 205 horsepower (153kW) through its 6.8-litre six-cylinder CPS engine, which is actually a John Deere engine. This is a fair bit more than the previous Arion 600 max hp which topped out at 184hp (137kW). Servicing intervals have been pushed out to 600 hours on the engine and 1,200 on the transmission, which also helps to keep running costs down. Landpower product manager Michael Pundt explains that the whole frame is more-or-less the same on the new Claas Arion 600, except it’s now got…

Innovative ideas to develop airborne disease detection and mapping for grain farmers, a smarter way to fence using your phone and purifying abattoir water for reuse are among 14 projects to receive funding in the Government’s Science and Innovation Awards. Each of the project proponents will receive grants of up to $22,000 to further develop their ideas, for a combined $330,000 in grant funding, Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources David Littleproud says. “These are innovative and practical ideas that will make farm businesses more efficient and provide greater protection against biosecurity threats,” he says. “All projects have big potential and we want to see them reach their goals. One project will also win the Minister’s Award with another $22,000 to help deliver the project.” The Meat & Livestock Australia…

Nick Radford laughed in surprise after he picked up the phone when told his 1990 Mack Valueliner had been voted the Owner//Driver Tranzmile Truck of the Year for 2018. This was the inaugural running of the Tranzmile-sponsored award, and the other 11 contenders of various makes and models were of a much more recent vintage. However, Radford was even more impressed when I arrived at his Radford Pastoral property at Penola in South Australia a few days later with the shiny 7kg trophy. “Surprised? Very much actually,” Radford said on receiving the trophy. “It’s good that the public liked the truck, the old girl.” Voting for the Owner//Driver Tranzmile Truck of the Year took place on the publication’s website at www.ownerdriver.com.au,beginning on December 1, 2018 and closing on January 17…

Commercial beekeepers are always watching their weight – or more specifically, the weight of their beehives – a beekeeper told his fellow passenger on a flight six years ago. It was that conversation, with a staffer from Christchurch-based Internet of Things product developers Brush Technology, that led the company to develop Hivemind – an offshoot dedicated to building devices to monitor beehives. Hivemind business development manager Bryan Hoyt tells Farms & Farm Machinery that its hive weight scales, which report the weight of the hive every six hours, mean beekeepers can make sure they collect honey when the hives are at their heaviest, rather than missing out on potential earnings by arriving too early. “That is our number one product and it is the one with the most actionable information…

Farmers and contractors eager to view the latest farm machinery innovations trekked to Paris for the biennial SIMA show in late February. Covering 15 exhibition sectors in farming and forestry, the SIMA show attracts over 230,000 visitors from 135 countries. Around 1,800 exhibitors from 42 countries attended the show, some of which unveiled brand spanking new models during the event. Although SIMA is recognised as a vital event in the agricultural machinery manufacturers’ calendar to attend, some of them prefer to wait until the bigger Agritechnica Show in Germany, held this November in Hanover, to launch their latest machines. NEW MANCEL TRACTORS It’s quite unusual for a completely new brand of tractors to be launched at a show these days buts that’s exactly what happened at SIMA when Chinese manufacturer…

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…

All of the utes you see here are rated to tow 3,500kg but rarely do. Trouble is, once you hook up 3,500kg behind any of them you can’t carry much, if anything, legally in the tub once you have a driver and passenger on board. More typically these utes are used to tow something in the order of 2,500–3,000kg, while also carrying some sort of payload, given that you and your passengers are all payload, as is the tow bar and any other fitted accessories such as a bullbar or canopy. And that’s before you put anything into the tub. With that in mind we decided on a more real-world-reflective test of towing around 2,500kg while also carrying 450kg (of sandbags) in the tub, and a driver and a passenger,…

The Colorado hasn’t been mechanically changed since we last tow and load tested it against all of its class rivals. In fact, since it’s major, top-to-bottom revision for the 2016 model year, the Colorado has participated in a 3,500kg tow test comparison, and two load test comparisons, one with 800kg in the tub and two people on board, and one with 650kg in the tub and three people on board. In all tests it’s performed well. Not a first-place winner in any of those outings, but still up with the front-runners on all three occasions. Its 147Nm/500Nm 2.8-litre diesel engine and six-speed automatic providing competitive load-hauling performance and its chassis also proved up to the task. The Colorado is a popular seller in a highly competitive ute market, one of…

It’s no secret that Mercedes-Benz’s new X-Class ute is based on the Nissan Navara. Mercedes wanted to fast-track a ute into what is a booming global ute market, so turned to strategic partner Renault-Nissan for its Navara D23. But don’t think for a minute that the X-Class is just a re-badged Navara. Far from it. Strengthening the ladder frame and widening the body is just the start of the detailed re-engineering that Mercedes applied to Navara to create the first X-Class models. And all that was before they threw out the Navara’s entire four-cylinder powertrain and slotted in their own V6 diesel complete with a full-time dual-range 4x4 system to create the X350d you see here. All this comes at a price however, as the Mercedes is comfortably the most…

It is important that cultivation starts as soon as possible after harvesting and Pöttinger’s Terradisc compact disc harrows are one of the best in the market when it comes to stubble cultivation and seedbed preparation. The company has revised this soil preparation all-rounder and introduced to the market the 1001 series as the folding three-point mounted and trailed versions. This generation of compact disc harrows now cover working widths between 3m and 10m. It would be worth noting the Twin Arm system on which two dished discs are mounted on a wide clamping bracket. This design guarantees the highest stability thanks to the large dimensions of the bracket. As a result the angle of the discs remains constant and they cannot move sideways, even in heavy soil. The thickness of…