Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 374 i Farms and Farm Machinery

The Kirovets K-424 tractor is set for launch to Australian buyers later this year, with hopes to hit the market in time for tillage season. Produced by Russian manufacturer Peterburgsky Traktorny Zavod, the articulated, 240 horsepower (179kW) tractor is designed principally for tillage work on farms of between 500 and 2,000 hectares. The range is distributed in Australia by APCO Machinery, a subsidiary company of business management consultancy the Australian Productivity Council, with executive director Craig Milne telling Farms & Farm Machinery that the tractor had a number of features that set it apart from its competition. “This tractor is unusual in that it’s articulated in a power range that is all front wheel assist at the moment, although it is much the same size as the early artics from…

Three models in the Steiger Rowtrac range of tractors will be able to travel up to 40km/h with no weight restrictions when the 2019 models arrive in August, Case IH says. The changes include new material on the outside of the roller wheels and changes to the tracks on the 400, 450 and 500 tractors, which boast a maximum engine power of 446 horsepower (333kW), 502hp (374kW) and 558hp (416kW) respectively. This will help reduce friction and heat build-up, making the tractors’ mid-rollers more durable and resulting in reduced track wear. High horsepower product manager for Case IH Alyx Selsmeyer says the change is important for Australian customers, due to the hotter weather and the fact users spend more time in the field locally than in other markets. The tractors…

Covering the coastal centres of Innisfail, Cardwell and Tully in Far North Queensland, the works staff of the Cassowary Coast Regional Council are slashing grass all year around. So when it came time to upgrade the council’s tractors after nine years, CCRC Fleet manager Adrian Stitt says firsthand recommendations regarding performance was a major consideration in their research before any decision was made. Fuel economy was also a big factor in the decision to ultimately purchase two Deutz-Fahr Powershift 6130 models from local dealers Spearman Diesel. “Our team talked to local farmers, including those who already use this tractor in their paddocks, and got on-the-ground feedback about efficiency and reliability,” Stitt says. “The computerised technology in these machines means the operators can see as they are working just how much…

Farms & Farm Machinery’s (FFM) publisher Bauer Media Group has unleashed an action-packed, first-of-its-kind television show called Mighty Machines, showcasing the mightiest machinery the world has to offer. Hosted by young guns Harrison Hunkin and Cobey Bartels, Mighty Machines airs weekly at 4.30pm AEST Saturday on 10 Bold, and Prime TV for those over the ditch. All episodes are also available on catch-up service tenplay.com.au. Season one runs for 10 x 30-minute episodes. Each episode features highly-entertaining and engaging reviews, comparisons, adventures and profiles of the men, women and machinery that underpin the transport and machinery world. Road transport, earthmoving, farming, and everything in between – we shed light on industries that traditionally fly under the radar! From a first-of-its-kind ‘Burnout Symphony’, to racing hardcore off-road buggies through New Zealand…

It’s no secret that dry conditions in Queensland have seen farmers do it tough, but there was little evidence of this at this year’s CRT Farmfest, with over 2,000 exhibitors taking part in the event. Recognised as one of the state’s best events for showcasing new products, roughly 60,000 people attended the event over three days to inspect the latest in machinery for crops and livestock. Here are some highlights of the event. REDBACK WEEDWIPER Taking a concentrated, targeted approach to weed spraying, the Redback Weedwiper is designed to be light enough to be towed by a quad-bike and nimble enough to navigate gateways and races. Available in widths of 2.4m, 4.8m and 6.2m and adjustable between 50–400mm in height, the sprayer boasts two rows of wiping wicks and a…

For over three decades Greg Allan Farm Machinery (GAFM) has been servicing the Australian farming communities. Based in Victoria, it is one of the most trusted names in the country, says GAFM. With extensive agricultural machinery sales experience and extensive farming and mechanical knowledge, GAFM’s staff can help customers with all their agricultural needs and questions. In 2001 this family-run business set up a sister company in Colac Agricultural Company (Colac Ag), which is the importing arm of the business. Colac Ag sources specialised products and equipment for specific Australian agricultural needs. The company has always been expanding its range of hay and silage machinery and this year is no different. Colac Ag has aligned itself with specialist European manufacturers to bring some of the best products in the market…

John Deere has redesigned its N500C Air Drill for small-grains producers, with the new models to start production in September 2020. The redesigned air drills have a raised platform to give operators easier access to the meter, allowing them to clear blockages and clean out seed more simply. John Deere Seeding marketing manager Ryan Hough says the change, which also includes repositioning the blower on the new models to be mounted in the forward position, follows the top requests of producers. The air drill also has electric-drive volumetric meters that will offer greater seed population control, as well as variable-rate seeding capabilities using John Deere’s Section Command technology. This is in addition to new technologies including tank scales and systems for row-to-row seed-flow monitoring, down-force control from the cab and…

Flexi-Coil has made its return to the disc drill market with a new product it says will help place seeds more quickly and more accurately than its predecessors. Released onto the market in April after a long period of development, Flexi-Coil’s 6100 Precision Disc Drill marks a return by the company to this specialised segment of the seeder market. Company brand leader Steve Mulder told Farms & Farm Machinery that the company had been testing the Canada-built product thoroughly to confirm its suitability for Australian conditions. “We tend to have more abrasive soils than Canada, so we need to understand how it is going to perform and how reliable it is,” he says. “There is always a need for disc drills; it is a niche market and some people see…

Drone seeders that can plant a hectare in under 20 minutes will be tested in cotton industry research that is exploring faster, more cost-effective ways of revegetating large areas with native species. Led by Dr Rhiannon Smith of the University of New England (UNE), the research project will compare the results of promising drone seeding technology developed by UK-Australian company BioCarbon Engineering against direct-drilling of seed using new degradable seedbed film from new company OneCrop. “It’s currently difficult and expensive to establish new vegetation on heavy clay soils and semi-arid environments, which are the conditions in which most cotton is grown,” Smith says. “Tubestock planting is expensive and labour-intensive, so we’re working with cotton growers and revegetation specialists to investigate methods that make revegetation more viable.” The trial will test…

Managing his own and third party vegetable growing sites over a two hundred kilometre radius across north west Tasmania, farming contractor and manager Joe Cook has a challenging task ahead of him. The sites he manages grow broccoli and cauliflower for Simplot, the company behind Birds Eye and Edgells, among other well-known brands, and where a day’s growth can make a major difference in profitability. To help manage the task, Cook had adopted the SMS data management software package developed by Ag Leader – using it to combine information gathered from planting through to harvest in order to make better decisions. With that experience in hand, Cook took the opportunity to trial the AgFiniti cloud-based system and found that it was a better fit for his needs than he had…

Clearly, farmers and contractors in this part of New Zealand are keen fans of Kubota, so we were well received when we arrived to check out the big daddy of the range – the Kubota M7-171 KVT. On hand to show us around was Jono Leigh, sales rep at Norwood Northland, who has a strong rural background and is keen for any excuse to get behind the wheel of his latest demo model. Our test site for the day was aptly a busy kumara farm, owned by Doug and Ann Nilsson. With 250 acres of kumara to tend to, their property requires a lot of horsepower, and in keeping with their passion for investing their energy in something they enjoy – as well as endless acres of kumara – they…

It is, in every sense, an extremely long haul from the cloistered corridors of Volvo world headquarters in Gothenburg, Sweden, to a few random moments parked on one of those old World War II airstrips that run alongside the Stuart Highway on the outskirts of Darwin. In this case, however, it also marks a journey of remarkable resilience and unwavering determination by a group of Volvo realists advocating something special for a truly special market. Our market. Australia! Obviously enough, this is the story of the Volvo XXL Globetrotter cab and sure enough, it starts in Sweden. But not, perhaps, quite as routinely as you might think. As good fortune would have it, in the back half of 2012 I was one of only two Australian truck writers invited to…

We review a wide range of equipment for this magazine but this is the first time we’ve jumped into an amphibian that can do what an ATV can do on land, then do it again on water. The Argo is produced in Canada by Ontario Drive and Gear (ODG) in six- and eight-wheel drive variants and with petrol or diesel engines. Argo insists its vehicles are not boats but land-going cross-country units that can operate in calm water. The top speed of our Frontier 8x8 was about 35km/h. Since tyres provide the only propulsion while the Argo is swimming, speed in water is restricted to about 5km/h. But frankly that’s unimportant. The Argo’s useful ability to deal with boggy, swampy terrain – and haul all the booty while doing it…

As it turns out, there is such a machine. The Bale Baron, designed and built by Canadian company Marcrest Engineering, looks to not only take the hassle out of picking up conventional bales but also to ensure that they can be transported as optimally as possible. Bale Baron is imported and distributed in Australia by G and J East (Strathalbyn) in South Australia and Southern Downs Ag, Warwick, Queensland. There are now about 85 of the machines operating around Australia. In New Zealand, sales manager Ryan Bassett talked us through the machine’s features and for a first-hand look, we headed to Hawarden in North Canterbury where farmer Alex Ferguson has owned and run a Bale Baron bale packer for the last three years. During this time, it has packed an…

Gone are the days of jumping in and out of your cab to cut and remove plastic and net wrap from Round Bales! The Keltec Bale Slice allows this to happen in one smooth operation from your tractor cab, safely and cleanly. The Keltec Bale Slice is designed to remove the hassle from the way wrapped bales are fed. Keltec’s patented system removes the plastic wrap and netting from the bale while slicing the bale in half, speeding up the operation of feeding. The design ensures you have the least amount of work to do creating maximum productivity and reducing costs, all while sitting in the seat of your tractor or telehandler, says distributor Gendore. The patented system of grab, cut and removal is all controlled by one double acting…

Launched in 2018 after two years of development work, Rocca Industries’ ST 350 disc-tiller was designed to offer its users greater speed and efficiency in soil conditioning. Company spokesman Scott Wolf says the model is a natural next step after using disc harrows as tillage equipment. “This is a more cost effective because it is much cheaper, a much more efficient machine and it is quicker, so farmers can realise cost savings in other areas, not just at the purchase of equipment,” he says. The tiller uses 510–660mm boron steel discs that are notched for better soil penetration and chopping of debris – making them a strong choice for residue management and in areas with dry, hard soil. A crumble roller built on the end of the machine assists with…

Landmark has integrated the FluroSense precision agriculture package developed by Eveleigh, NSW-based FluroSat into its Echelon farm management platform, the companies have announced. FluroSense uses aerial imagery of paddocks to build maps showing crop stress, nutrient needs and water stress – helping users to better decide which areas need special attention. FluroSat CEO Anastasia Volkova says this allows farmers to make small savings per hectare, which she says can add up to a “massive difference at scale”. “For the first time, farmers can accurately measure the impact of different nitrogen levels across their crop,” she says. “They’ll be able to then apply the right amount of fertiliser at the right place in order to get the best possible yields, and also not waste fertiliser where it won’t make a major…

First launched in 1999, the Liner range of four-rotor swathers helped lift productivity by 30 per cent when farmers started using them, Claas Harvest Centre product manager Luke Wheeler says. Wheeler says Claas developed the range to eliminate a bottleneck in pasture forage harvesting – building a high-performance rake that could match the capacity of its Jaguar harvesters. With a working width of up to 12.5m, the Liner 3000 doubled the productivity of two-rotor swathers in the years following its introduction 20 years ago, he says. “Since then, it is no exaggeration to say that the four-rotor Liner series has become synonymous with productivity, forage quality, user convenience and reliability,” he says. Today’s Liner 4000 and 3600 models have maximum working widths from 9.9 to 15.5m and swathing widths from…

We continue to see challenging conditions in the market for tractors across the nation as the drought in the Eastern States enters its second year. Overall May, sales were down 13 per cent for the month and remain 12.5 per cent behind last year. Table 1 shows the performance of the various size ranges and whilst the large end of the scale looks impressive, we shouldn’t get too excited as we attribute this to timing delays in deliveries. Having said that, there is no doubt that the full year performance for the 200 plus horsepower range is strong, due largely to another strong season in Western Australia, as can be seen in Table 2. The outlook for tractor sales remains fairly conservative and we predict an annual volume of around…

Sheepventon 2019 – Hamilton WHAT Sheepvention sees more than 25,000 visitors each year making it one of Western Victoria’s most successful agricultural field days. Sheepvention displays up to 1,000 sheep as well as some of the finest food, entertainment and competitions on offer. WHEN 4-6 August 2019 MORE INFO www.hamiltonshowgrounds.com.au/?page_id=296 Royal Queensland Show 2019 – Brisbane WHAT Queensland’s largest annual event and for good reason; the Ekka showcases the best of the sunshine state. Held over 10 days and bringing visitors from across the nation, the Ekka has been connecting the country and city together since 1876. WHEN 9-18 August 2019 MORE INFO www.ekka.com.au Mingenew Lions Midwest Expo – Mingenew WHAT Inaugurated in 1983, this expo was initiated by Mingenew Lions Club member Bob Paskins with the vision of providing…

Whether it’s a subtle shed skid, a sneaky clutch kick, or an all-out tyre fryer... us Aussies love it! Now look, everyone’s seen burnout cars – big HP V8s shoehorned into whatever you can get your hands on. Be it a Cortina, Corolla, Commodore, as long as it skids, it’s a go’er! Well, over a beer or two during the planning of Mighty Machines, we had a crazy idea…. Why not go bigger? Why not find the biggest, angriest burnout machine Australia has to offer? We set out to do just that. Some of you might remember a particularly sinister yellow White 4000, built to decimate rubber like nothing else. How does this sound: 12 cylinders, two turbos bigger than your head and 900 angry horsepower ready to obliterate all…

You can’t help but notice the new – MR model – Triton given its far more aggressive front-end styling compared to the now superseded Triton MQ. What’s underneath the MR’s new face is, however, more familiar with the engine and chassis largely carried from the previous model. And where the MQ was more a generation change from the MN of 2009, bringing a new engine and significant chassis changes, the 2019 MR is largely a mid-generation facelift of the MQ. However, there are mechanical changes with a new six-speed automatic gearbox replacing the previous five-speed auto. A new six-speed manual arrived with the MQ, so that’s carried over to the MR. Changes to the rear suspension also means that GLX and GLX+ models get an extra leaf in the rear…

There was one bright spot amid bleak conditions for machinery dealers in 2018, according to data produced by consultancy AgriView and released by the Tractor & Machinery Association earlier this year. A total of 835 hay balers were sold in 2018, a rise of 14 per cent on 732 sold in 2017, while sales of hay tools including mowers, rakes, bale wrappers and forage mixers were also higher, up to 2,018 from 1,936 the previous year. Agriview general manager Alan Kirsten tells Farms & Farm Machinery that the main driver of last year’s increase in sales was the large square baler market – producing bales that can be up to 3.2m long. “That market usually goes in five-year cycles – where it does 200+ units one year and then it…