Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 372 i Farms and Farm Machinery

Spraying only weeds while piloting a sprayer through your paddock at 30km/h – and saving significant amounts on chemicals and water as a result – could be a reality for Australian farmers by the time summer rolls around. That is the promise made by Dutch agricultural technology developer Agrifac, with the local launch of its AiCPlus system this month, for expected delivery in time for summer spraying. Developed with French tech innovator Bilberry in Australia and the Netherlands, the system uses artificial intelligence to recognise weed species from photographs taken by an array of cameras spaced at 3 metre intervals along the boom. Once identified, computer algorithms consider factors such as the height of the boom, the speed of the sprayer and the distance from the camera to the weed,…

John Deere’s new range of power systems are designed to be durable enough for the rugged off-highway market while also giving original equipment manufacturer (OEM) customers the flexibility they need to implement hybrid power in their equipment, says John Deere. Launched at the bauma 2019 industry exhibition, the components feature compact, high speed motors that can be integrated in various John Deere pump drive and transmission solutions. The motors are controlled by power electronics from John Deere Electronic Solutions, making them easy to implement for OEM applications ranging from variable speed power generation to fully electric vehicle transmissions. The modular electric drivetrain component designs offer power generation and traction drive solutions up to 200kW per unit. John Deere says single-speed transmission and generator pump drive prototype opportunities are scheduled to…

Two soil wetting agents and a new testing scheme developed by BASF and its industry partners will help Australian farmers produce higher yields in difficult conditions, the company says. BASF is launching a program where farmers with non-wetting soils can send samples to a specialised soil and plant analysis laboratory. The lab will then use a new patented “black box” soil testing technology to diagnose the type of non-wetting soil and recommend the most accurate application combination of the new agents, Divine Agri and Divine Integrate. There are a total of seven potential combinations of products that will assist in pore filling for water saturation and infiltration increase in non-wetting soils, the company says. BASF head of agricultural solutions in Australia and New Zealand Gavin Jackson says non-wetting soils limit…

When it comes to accessing new energy efficient equipment, more than a third of the 898 businesses surveyed by CommBank between August 2018 and February this year are buying more – including 53 per cent of those surveyed in NSW – and vehicles are right at the top of the list. Of the businesses looking to secure finance, 54 per cent planned to use it on new cars, while another 18 per cent wanted to finance trucks. Cars are also the most popular energy-efficient assets held by the surveyed companies “by far”, CommBank says, with 25 per cent of the surveyed companies owning one, including 40 per cent of surveyed health sector companies. According to The State of Electric Vehicles in Australia, a report jointly prepared by ClimateWorks Australia and…

Richard Gibson runs a herd of 350 Holstein cows in his Castlesteads herd at Penrith in Cumbria, north England, producing an average 10,500 litres of milk per cow per year. He also runs four Lely Astronaut 14 model milking robots, installed eight years ago, and recently added another two Lely Astronaut 15 models to his system. “Each robot has a unit that steam cleans the clusters after milking,” he says. “These were constantly blocking up due to the limescale in the system. It was becoming rather annoying to have to stop the robot and clean them out each time they blocked.” Being situated in a hard water area meant the limescale was becoming a major issue, with the milkers’ washing systems not working properly and causing him to waste a…

Gippsland’s Lardner Park came alive in early April as almost 60,000 people attended Farm World 2019 to see some of the latest machinery on offer in Victoria. Lardner Park board chairman Andrew Schreyer says the number attending is an all-time record for the event, and praised the work of organisers in ensuring there were new things to see. “Many exhibitors I spoke to reported excellent levels of sales and enquiries over the four days,” he added. A good number of those exhibitors used the occasion to show off machinery that was brand new to the country. Here are some of the highlights: MASSEY FERGUSON 3709 F The 71 kilowatt (95 horsepower) fruit tractor had only been in Australia for two days before it was put on display at Farm World,…

Canterbury is the ideal place to see machinery like this in action, and you know that if a local contractor is happy with the machine, that it’s a solid piece of kit. It has to be for this landscape – stones as far as the eye can see, with tillage metal in the ground just about wearing before your eyes. It needs to be built to take a hammering in these harsh conditions. He-Va tip rollers are more than just an ordinary roller. The unit doesn’t just roll, it cultivates, levels, and consolidates. With working widths from 4.5 metres to 20.3 metres (King roller) and a multitude of different combination possibilities, He-Va tip rollers are definitely versatile. When you think of machines such as rollers and post drivers, which are…

Independent commercial testing has confirmed a weed seed kill rate of 99 per cent plus with the latest version of the Integrated Harrington Seed Destructor (iHSD) at various harvester speeds. The new vertical, mechanical direct drive iHSD was released earlier this year following the successful testing last harvest of eight vertical units fitted to a range of harvester brands, including John Deere and New Holland. It can also be fitted to Case IH harvesters. 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. The new vertical system uses the same mill set as the original hydraulic version, but the big attraction for…

Honda is developing its new eGX power system as an advanced zero-emissions electrified power unit, showing the prototype at the bauma 2019 construction industry exhibition. Development of the eGX has so far centred on satisfying the needs of the construction machinery market, the company says, working to make its equipment able to be used in a range of environments, such as underground tunnels or in night construction work undertaken near residential areas, with a primary focus on machinery that operates under high vibration, such as rammers and plate compactors. The motor for the eGX is equipped with a three-phase brushless DC motor, which was developed exclusively for this model. Honda says that it offers high efficiency and high power through outstanding insulation technology and winding technology for the alternator. A…

Vin Rowe Farm Machinery is known for offering an extensive range of the latest agricultural equipment to the Australian farming community. With an emphasis on products for vegetable growers, dairy farmers and specialist organic growers, Vin Rowe not only offers new and used equipment for sale but also offers spare parts and quality service. Some of its very popular products include the Einboeck weeders, including the Aerostar, the Aerostar-Exact, and the Aerostar-Rotation. While the three are classed in the same category (of mechanical weeders that help reduce the use of chemical weeding), they are essentially different machines. The Aerostar is Einboeck’s top-selling proven classic weeder. There is a huge selection of different tines for the Aerostar for every type of soil, from 380–600mm length and 6.5–8mm diameter. The weeder sections…

Two years ago, Cummins Inc. paid a heap of money – around US$600 million – to consolidate a joint venture with transmission and drivetrain specialist Eaton Corporation. The result was an entirely new division called Eaton Cummins Automated Transmission Technologies. In many minds, including this one, it was one of the smartest moves by Cummins in decades. Nor was it naïve for Eaton to strengthen ties with its fellow American to shore up defences against the rampant rise of European interests. ‘Fortress America’ fighting back, so to speak! Sure, Eaton and Cummins have worked closely for decades, but never this close and never with the complete intention of creating advanced powertrain packages developed as a single integrated unit. Overdue? Probably! Necessary? Absolutely! European truck makers are, of course, the masters…

Current trends suggest we can ignore the old wives’ tale that farmers are too conservative to covet a neighbour’s latest high horsepower acquisition, or that they’re too busy being farmers to enjoy flashy new toys in the garage. Attend any field day anywhere in the country and brand reps will tell you how many farmers trade up to more expensive gear simply because brand envy is a natural human emotion – and that works its magic with ATVs too. The machine you’re looking at has a reputation as a plush speedster but Can-Am has upgraded the 2019 platform, making it more attractive to buyers who want a fistful of speed with a Jason Recliner ride. The new model has a wider footprint, thanks to a new wheel offset, which should…

Indian tyre manufacturer BKT has captured about a quarter of Australia’s agricultural replacement tyres market, and the company chairman says its local distributor has been a big part of its success. Speaking with Farms & Farm Machinery in Europe last month, BKT chairman and managing director Arvind Poddar says he is pleased with how the Australian market is responding to the company’s product range – both in agricultural tyres and in the construction and mining industries. “BKT has been operating in the Australian market since 1999 and is performing extremely well there,” he says. “Today we have captured around 25 per cent of the agricultural tyre replacement market in Australia and gaining ground in the other sectors. “Everything we do at BKT is a family effort and our distributors are…

Reducing emissions on farms and construction sites is a feature the mainstream machinery manufacturers are focusing on, but one brand is certainly excelling in this area. Centre of attention at the huge bauma construction show in Germany in April were zero emissions electric machines and a wheel loader powered by methane gas was among them. Presented by Case Construction Equipment and named Project Tetra, the machine is powered by a six-cylinder engine from FPT Industrial’s NEF family. It follows on from advancements made in methane powered tractors by sister brand New Holland. This power unit, delivering power up to 230hp (186kW) and torque up to 1,184Nm, has diesel-like performance, but with a smoother and quieter drive. It also offers the same reliability and durability and fuel savings up to 30…

A Queensland-based company says it has created an alternative to pasteurisation that will extend the shelf-life of refrigerated milk to 60 days minimum. Naturo, based in Coolum, says the technology is a “world first”, opening up new opportunities for export via shipping, rather than by air transport. Company founder and chief executive Jeff Hastings says the process kills pathogens without relying on heat, instead leaving the milk much closer to its original state. “Our patented process is the only known method that kills Bacillus cereus, a common but unwanted spore-forming bacterium in milk that produces toxins causing vomiting or diarrhoea,” he claims. “In our most recent independent scientific testing, the milk remained fresh and fit for human consumption at the conclusion of a 91-day testing period when compared to only…

Massey Ferguson has unveiled a new generation rotary combine harvester range that promises a major step forward in performance and productivity. Among a host of exceptional new features, models in the company’s new Ideal range offer the biggest integral grain-tank capacity currently available in Australia, with units arriving nation-wide in time for the 2019 harvest. The new Ideal also boasts Australia’s fastest unloading rate and largest threshing area – all focused on delivering significant gains in efficiency and output. AGCO director of marketing in Australia and New Zealand Fergal Meehan says the Ideal combine harvester is a brand new design, built from the ground up. We wanted to create a machine that was driven by the customer. “When developing the new Ideal combine the customer was at the centre of…

Truckies are the backbone of our great sunburnt land. They’re honest, hardworking, extremely hospitable people, and importantly, they tell it like it is. I found these assumptions were confirmed when I ventured out to Goondiwindi, west of Brisbane, to meet Andrew Woods, director of Woods Transport (an important cog in the Woods Group agribusiness juggernaut). And funnily enough, all of those qualities are mirrored through his fleet of Kenworth trucks, which happen to be the backbone of his business. ABOVE AND BEYOND Woods Group has been a ‘Kenny’ kind of business for decades. Andrew struggles to remember the days without a Kenworth truck in Woods livery, and that’s fair enough considering they purchased their first way back in 1972. “My father, Tom Woods, bought our first Kenworth SAR out of…

CRT Farmfest 2019 – Toowoomba WHAT CRT Farmfest is Queensland’s premier field days, showcasing more than 2,000 companies and attracting over 60,000 visitors across the country. With a cheap $5 dollar entry for adults and free entry for kids under 12, Farmfest is an event for everyone! WHEN 4-6 June 2019 MORE INFO fairfaxruralevents.com.au/farmfest/home Ag-Grow Field Days 2019 – Emerald WHAT Ag-Grow dates back to 1989, servicing central Queensland with some of the best the agriculutre and mining sectors. Attracting over 1,500 companies and crowds in excess of 28,000 visitors Ag-Grow is more than a field day – it is a complete marketing package. WHEN 20-22 June 2019 MORE INFO www.aggrow.com.au Farm Fantastic Expo 2019 – Caboolture WHAT With everything from farm machinery, stock handling equipment and animal health to…

Manitou has been building machinery at its factory in France since 1958, refining and developing ideas. The brand has been specifically building telehandlers since 1981, the timing of which seems to be the beginning of telehandler development for many brands. Since these basic early prototypes, the company has continued to improve its machines to the models we have today, one of which I got to check out on a recent trip to Canterbury. Rob Fuller from AB Equipment, the New Zealand importer of Manitou, organised a newly released Manitou MLT 737 – 130 PS+ Elite model for me to test out in a working situation. ENGINE Power for the Manitou comes from the reliable and commonly used four-cylinder 3.6-litre Deutz engine. This has been tuned to put out 129hp (96kW)…

With the need for agricultural radial tyres to carry heavier loads increasing, tyre manufacturers have developed two new forms of tyre technology to keep up with the demands of larger and more powerful farm machinery. IF – “Improved Flexion” and VF – “Very High Flexion” are terms that refer to the structural and polymer compound characteristics that allow the sidewalls of these tyres to flex significantly during operation. By using a lower inflation pressure to achieve greater flex, the tyre footprint area increases to improve traction, which in turn reduces fuel consumption and soil compaction. Harvey Poxon runs a mixed farming operation at Boort in central Victoria and is a convert to increased flexion tyre technology. He operates a 374 horsepower (279kW) Case tractor fitted with Trelleborg IF710/70R42 rear and…

Saving money on necessary expenses is one of the most important strategies for improving your profit line. Big Tyre, an Australian owned and operated supplier of tyres, tracks and solid wheels, has been helping reduce farmers’ operating costs for 65 years. Whether you’re buying new or getting your products reconditioned to have a second life, Big Tyre is dedicated to helping you get the biggest bang for your buck Besides repairing and rebuilding tyres, over the last 20 years Big Tyre has reconditioned more than 1,000 rubber tracks for agricultural tractors, rebuilt thousands of undercarriage wheels and become a world leader in the design and manufacture of solid rubber wheels. During this time, they have also become the Australasian importer and distributor for Continental and Firestone tracks (which are considered…