Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 395 i Farms and Farm Machinery

Swedish seeding specialist Väderstad has released what it says is the largest version of its Tempo L Series precision planter to date – with the model expected to arrive Down Under later this year. With an operating width of 12 metres, the L32 is as wide as the next biggest unit in the range, the L24, but has 32 row units on a fixed 375mm spacing – compared with the 24 units on a 450–800mm spacing offered by its predecessor. The closer spacing will make the Tempo L32 ideal for planting a wide range of winter and summer crops, including cereals, pulses, canola and maize, Väderstad product manager for Australian distributor Claas Harvest Centre, Murray Tuck, says. “Every second row of the machine can be hydraulically raised and disengaged, effectively…

Indian tyre manufacturer BKT has released a new tyre for all-terrain vehicles, which it says comes with optimised traction to suit off-road conditions. The Sierra Max Pro is a radial tyre with a wider footprint and robust lugs that the company says enables better lateral and forward traction, as well as a smoother ride. “The Sierra Max Pro has been designed to guarantee an extraordinarily comfortable drive while providing safety and full control over steering and driving,” the company says. The new BKT product is being launched in the AT 27 X 11 R 14 size, with an AT 25 x 8 R 12 size already under development. BKT will also expand its V-Flexa range of very high flexion (VF) flotation tyres designed for farm trailers – adding three new…

Able to carry 16 8x4x3 bales at once and unload them at a 90 degree angle, Anderson Group’s Stackpro 7200 hay trailer is built for the serious haygrower. Now available in Australia through Wangaratta-based Burder Ag attachments, both the Stackpro 7200 and its smaller sibling, the Stackpro 5400, are built to easily collect and stack square bales at a high speed. Weighing about 20 per cent more than their nearest competitors, (10.1 tonnes for the 5400 and 11.3 tonnes for the 7200), Anderson says the Stackpro is built with a robust design to enable them to endure extreme conditions, while their high speed ensures smooths transitions and easy transport. Burder’s Anderson sales specialist Joe Mancini says the Stackpros have a “quite unique” pickup system – picking up the bale in…

Data released by horticulture sector peak body Hort Innovation shows that demand for Australian fruit, vegetables and nuts was higher in the 2019–20 financial year, despite the impact of COVID-19. According to the Australian Horticulture Statistics Handbook 2019/20, more than $15 billion of fruit, nuts, vegetables, turf, cut flowers and nursery plants were produced in Australia last financial year. While challenging seasonal conditions, including drought and bushfires, saw production volume fall 1.5 per cent, its value increased by 4.5 per cent, lifting from $14.4 billion to $15.1 billion. Hort Innovation head of data and insights Adam Briggs says the growth shows that Australian consumers are still buying local produce, despite recent price increases. “Nuts have performed extremely well again, having grown by $221 million, one-third of the total growth in…

Farm World – Warragul Attracting more than 55,000 visitors and over 800 exhibitors, Farm World offers a strong focus on the latest technology, equipment and information and provides an ideal opportunity to get up close and chat with the experts. WHEN: March 26-28, 2021 MORE INFO: lardnerpark.com.au/event/farm-world Sydney Royal Easter Show – Sydney First held in 1823, the Sydney Royal Easter Show is Australia’s largest annual ticketed event, attracting over 850,000 attendees on average. Revenue generated by it allows the RAS to invest in agricultural programs, competitions, education, youth and rural NSW. WHEN: April 1-12, 2021 MORE INFO: www.eastershow.com.au Diesel Dirt & Turf Expo – Sydney Diesel Dirt & Turf Expo is a family-friendly event designed to boost the Western Sydney construction boom - showcasing the biggest range of earthmoving…

It′s hard to ignore its success in paving the way to help end the curse of famine. Ask any Australian who is sympathetic to the Green Movement if they think agricultural chemicals are good or bad and the overwhelming answer will be that they are bad. Show them a picture of an organic farm and ask them if the produce is healthier than that grown on a modern farm using chemicals and they will confidently answer, yes it is so. Much of the anti-farm chemical thinking spouted by Greenies has its origins in Rachael Carson’s book Silent Spring, written back in 1962 and now seen as the woke bible that kicked off the modern environmental movement. Carson bemoans the impact of industrial farming on the environment and food safety, serving…

Upgrading to a 48m spray boom from their previous 36m unit was a big move for the Ward family, based near Mingenew in Western Australia, but they’re confident the change will pay off. Husband Sam, wife Chloe and daughters Ada (2) and Wren (four months) have been farming a 9,000 hectare property near Mingenew since 2015, after becoming involved in the wider family farming operation. Located predominantly in the Three Springs Shire, the mostly yellow sandplain country grows similar areas of canola, lupins and wheat. They also run about 200 Charolais breeders. The Ward family have been long time users of Miller sprayers, typically turning them over after around 1,700 hours of use – and their most recent upgrade saw them buy the latest Nitro 7420 sprayer, complete with a…

Demand is high for Goldacres’ tractor range, just about one year after the product’s official launch, with many taking advantage of its spreader-friendly design. Goldacres released its M Series of multi-purpose tractors under its Atrac brand last year, using some features and components from its existing self-propelled sprayer platform. Currently comprising the M4, based on the Goldacres G4 self-propelled sprayer, and the M8, based on the G8 sprayer, the tractors boast a black and white livery – compared with the company’s traditional green. Both the M8 and M4 prototypes have been built and have spreader bodies manufactured and fitted. The cab/chassis units are now available. The M4 has a 160 horsepower (119kW) Cummins engine offering a high clearance of 1,400mm and a 6.5 tonne carrying capacity, as well as an…

The use of this driveline also makes it possible to spray at a very low 1,700rpm. Ballarat-based spray equipment manufacturer Goldacres has developed a flexible range of self-propelled units to cater for holdings both big and small. The latest cabs off the Goldacres rank are the G3 and G4 machines. As you may have guessed, the G3 is a 3,000-litre unit while the G4 is a 4,000-litre unit. While the larger Crop Cruiser range is making inroads as an efficient, broadacre machine, the smaller machines are targeted at holdings of 5,000 acres (2,023ha) or less. The G series is also priced to compete with the purchase cost of a spray dedicated tractor and trailing spray unit. While it’s fair to say many farmers will most likely have an old 150hp…

The amount of unused spray left sitting in hoses along the boom is kept to an absolute minimum. I’ve tracked down a Condor WideTrackPlus in the southern grain belt of Western Australia, about an hour and a half north of Albany. The WideTrackPlus has a 5,000-litre poly tank, 36m J-boom fitted with Green Flow Plus spray delivery technology. It’s powered by a 286hp (213kW) six-cylinder Iveco diesel engine and rides on the unique and original Agrifac chassis called the StabiloPlus chassis. The company began as the maker of a simple knapsack potato sprayer in 1939, then progressed to basic linkage sprayers in 1948. In 1973, production line manufacturing of linkage and trailed sprayers began but the real leap came in 1986, with the introduction of Agrifac’s trademark StabiloPlus chassis. The…

Sold under its AGI brand, Canada-based Ag Growth International’s new XTA range of augers has been designed for durability, longevity and capacity, the company says. Andy Medlyn, equipment sales manager for local importers and distributors Harberger, says the augers come with a new frame structure with a heavy-duty motor mount designed to handle high horsepower and heavy auger engines. But one of the key features of the new models is their use of double banded belts, which are moulded together to transfer maximum power from the engine to the gearboxes. With triple banded belts used in some models, Medlyn says this move helps gearboxes to maintain a consistent speed when the auger is running. “It just ensures all belts are doing the same circumference rather than one doing most of…

A Wagga-Wagga based company is looking for 50 farmers in New South Wales and northern Victoria to trial its technology to allow calls via Wi-Fi, even in areas with poor mobile phone coverage. Zetifi is making the offer after it was one of three Australian companies to receive a grant under the federal government’s $2 million Alternative Voice Services Trial program, which is assessing the potential for new technologies using NBN Co’s fixed wireless and satellite footprints. Company chief executive Dan Winson says Zetifi will provide trial participants with a multi-carrier connection that can replace mobile, satellite or high-capacity radio concentrator (HCRC) coverage. He adds that advances in Wi-Fi calling technology has made it an increasingly attractive alternative to traditional voice services for those living in areas with poor or…

The Northern Territory government has recommended machinery operators and owners install guards around moving items after a fatal accident occurred late last year. In late December 2020, a Territory cattle station worker failed to return after checking bores on the property. According to WorkSafe NT, the worker was later found with fatal injuries, having been entangled in a bore pump. “Preliminary findings indicate the worker’s clothing got caught in the bore pump’s moving parts,” a safety alert from the agency says. “The pump’s pulleys and belt were unguarded, exposing the worker to a number of hazards including entanglement, friction and abrasion hazards, when the pump was running.” The incident comes after two Queensland workers received arm injuries in separate incidents involving conveyor belt systems in October, and follows the death…

January has seen a continuation of the sales momentum that saw 2020 deliver the strongest year in tractors sales since the 1980s. What has caused surprise is the strong level of demand across the board, with expectations that this will continue through the year. Supply challenges that were first seen in the middle of last year continue and we expect this to be the case for much of the year. Suppliers are beginning to report some cost increases with shipping, etc. and these are likely to see modest machine price rises as a result. January sales were up 60 per cent on the same month last year and it’s a reminder of how quickly the industry recovered from that period 12 months ago. Activity in the month was strong in…

2021 has certainly started on a more positive note. The National Diesel Dirt & Turf Expo has become the premier event for the earthmoving, construction and public space management industry to debut its new releases. This year, the upgraded Sydney Dragway is the venue from Friday, April 9 through to Sunday, April 11. All the latest products and technology will be on show, including landscape materials and equipment, site preparation, earthmoving equipment and attachments, GPS tracking and environmental solutions to public space management, plus much more. Komatsu will be showing its model WB97R-8, the latest in its range of backhoe loaders. This new release offers two-wheel steering and a powershift transmission, a high level of standard specifications and unrivalled operator visibility thanks to Komatsu’s unique combination of a lateral exhaust…

It’s really about just giving customers some guiding points so they can make good decisions. For Daz Scale and his team at premium second hand Cat dozer dealer Makin Traks, based in Yandina on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, 2020 was the year that online sales really took off in a big way. “Pre-COVID, we probably had 50 per cent of our customers come into the yard and look over the machine, and check it out and start it and drive it and things like that,” he says. “Now it’s something like 10–15 per cent of people actually look at the machine, but with all the borders closed and those sorts of things, it makes it harder for people to buy, so you have to go the extra mile to show them…

Looking at it, you would never guess the paddock has not been power harrowed. The combination of a Dalbo 6.3m Maxiroll with an Einböck air seeder gives large-scale farmers and contractors the ability to plant grass and brassica crops with the convenience of doing two jobs at once. This also relates to a lower outlay, thanks to the fact this machine is significantly cheaper than a systems drill of a similar size, plus has the added bonus of being able to be pulled by a 100hp (75kW) tractor. The other benefit to both the contractor and client is that the machine can be placed straight into the ploughed ground with very convincing results, which reduces bashing the soil structure around with a power harrow and allows higher yields. DALBO ROLLER…

Haeusler’s Group will begin distributing sprayers from Hardi International, including the Rubicon model, from its Mildura base this year after signing a deal with Hardi Australia. Under the deal, Haeusler’s Mildura will keep a Hardi Rubicon 9000 sprayer with a 48m boom in stock, configured with the company’s H-Select Nozzle Technology. The branch will also sell and support Hardi’s range of trailed sprayers. Haeusler’s Group manager Justin MacFarlane says the Hardi range will enable the Mildura dealership to serve “every need of its extensive broadacre clientele”. “We always look for equipment that is a clear leader in the market,” he says. “Hardi’s broadacre equipment has been gaining momentum for some time, so we are excited about the solutions we can provide for our growers and contractors in the Mallee region.”…

Pinpointing the most important piece of equipment to own on a farm – other than a tractor, of course – is a difficult task, because everyone you ask will have a different opinion depending on the type of property they operate. But my response will always be a boom spray. It doesn’t matter if it’s trailing, linkage or even self-propelled. If you have one, controlling weeds and pests in a quick and effective manner will boost production enormously. If you don’t, then waiting days or even weeks for a contractor to arrive can often result in serious losses. The spray unit can also be a useful tool in the application of liquid fertilisers. THEN VS NOW Eight years ago I bought a brand-new Croplands Pinto 3000 boom sprayer from my…

Farmers will be able to schedule tasks for operators from their mobile device following a new update to John Deere’s Precision Agriculture packages. The company’s Work Planner package will be incorporated into the John Deere Operations Centre in January, John Deere Australia and New Zealand’s new precision agriculture manager, Benji Blevin, has announced. Blevin says the package will help farmers and contractors ensure their workflow runs smoothly and that data is collected accurately, while allowing operators to start work as soon as they are in the paddock. “This technology means farmers can plan and communicate much more efficiently with their operators about work that needs to be completed,” he says. “Because the information is synced, everyone is working off the same plan. This helps reduce mistakes, and also assists farm…

In Australia there has been nothing like it in the market until now. There is barely a farmer worth the title in Australia that doesn’t have at least one tractor of some description – even allowing for differences in size, power and application. And it’s probably just as fair to say that each of those tractors has at least one, but more likely two or three, attachments: a fork of some description, maybe a stick rake, and a bucket – these days most likely a 4-in-1. But for New Zealand agricultural machinery manufacturer Rata Equipment, there were plenty of Aussie farmers who weren’t content to stop there. Rata Sales & Marketing manager Sam Searle tells Farms & Farm Machinery that Rata officially began importing the Power Claw, alongside popular equipment…

Market intervention is back in vogue, with grain-exporting countries reconsidering export quota and taxes as they fret over food security. Reducing Australia’s reliance on China, recovering from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and adjusting to a new focus on sustainability will be the major challenges for Australian agriculture this year, a new Rabobank report suggests. In its recently released annual Agribusiness Outlook for 2021, report lead author and Rabobank head of Food & Agribusiness research, Tim Hunt, says high commodity prices, positive seasonal conditions and low interest rates will likely lead to a generally profitable season, putting the sector in a stronger position to navigate a series of major transitions in the year ahead. “In a current global environment marked by the pandemic, political tensions and trade wars, demand…

In a blow to event organisers, John Deere has announced it will not attend Agritechnica in November this year. The major agricultural machinery show, organised biannually by DLG, the German Agricultural Society, is set to go ahead, despite many other European show organisers cancelling their events in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Deere is typically one of the show’s biggest supporters in terms of show presence and revenue generated for exhibition space. In a statement, Deere vice president of sales and marketing Alejandro Sayago said the decision was an extension on the company’s wider pause on attending trade fairs. “Despite numerous controlling measures, such as business restrictions, lockdowns and event cancellations, the pandemic has not yet been sustainably brought under control,” he says. “The future remains uncertain with virus mutations…

The Brisbane Truck Show will benefit from new features including a dedicated Future Fuels hub and an expanded Technology and Innovation hub. The last Brisbane Truck Show to feature heavy equipment and machinery was also the last truck show held at the RNA Brisbane Showgrounds – back in 2009. The organiser’s hands were forced by the redevelopment of the Showgrounds, however the move to Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre has been well rewarded. Exhibitors have been able to really step it up with the quality of their displays in one of the world’s great venues. The Brisbane Truck Show is the only event that takes over the whole centre, with fantastic displays filling all three floors. The proximity to South Bank and the CBD has opened up new opportunities for…

The simplicity of the machine also translates to an easy-to-operate machine. There is a lot to like about the Kverneland 9584C twin rotor rake. Having a solid, hardworking machine that’s refreshingly not bogged down with electronic bells and whistles was a reminder that machines are built to do a job – efficiently and with minimal complications. Our test machine for the day belongs to Tony Hart from New Zealand’s Hartland Agriculture, who received the Kverneland 9584C twin rotor rake at the beginning of the 2020 grass season. Like all of his fleet, Hart aims to keep his gear in peak working condition to ensure consistent workloads and minimise breakdowns. His replacement policy of the two twin rotor rakes his business operates is three years or 60,000 bales (depending on the…

Todd and Brooke Orrock bought their first RoGator self-propelled sprayer after an accident that involved an insurance company and the need for a quick changeover. When the family bought their second RoGator, it was no accident. In February they bought a RoGator 1300C for their 2,400ha cropping farm near Murray Town, South Australia. It is a family farm owned by Todd, his mum Karen, and his wife Brooke. Todd and Brooke’s children, Sophie and Mitchell, also work in the business. Todd says there are many things he likes about RoGators. “I like the simplicity of the drive system and the stability of the booms. RoGators carry the boom really close to the axle, so they don’t get a waggle up,” he explains. Todd has to work in small paddocks and…

We put the Case IH Patriot through its paces at a secret location in Victoria’s west. This unit, purchased from O’Connors Horsham, offers an 8.7-litre six-cylinder Case IH FPT engine boasting 335 horsepower (250kW), which boosts to 374hp (279kW), and a top speed of 48km/h. The engine rumble when standing outside of the cabin is quite considerable, but the perks of its modern surveyor cab (which we’ll touch on later) virtually remove all engine noise, while the added ponies make mincemeat of the hills. The Patriot is also hauling a 6,000-litre tank and a 36m boom with a 380/90R46 Michelin tyre offering, and three-metre wheel spacings that can be hydraulically adjusted on the move to four metres for stability on the hills. Nozzle spacings are 50.8cm, while the boom adjustment…

Hardi’s newly released Saritor 2 5500 is a serious machine. It is a bigger, lighter version of the sprayer from the European manufacturer and sports some interesting features. It doesn’t look that special on paper. Power is provided by an unremarkable yet tried and true 275hp (202.8kW) 6.7-litre Cummins QSB turbo diesel engine and like many of its competitors the sprayer uses hydrostatic drive to get power to the ground. But on closer inspection the big red French-built sprayer does have some interesting things going on. For example, the Pommier TR5 aluminium boom. The lightweight boom is available in widths from 36m to 42.5m although Hardi also confirms a whopping 48m example is in the field at the moment. The use of the lightweight boom leads Hardi to claim a…

The similarities between Amazone’s Pantera and the Agrifac self-propelled spray unit are impossible to overlook. The Australian market initially became familiar with the Amazone name through its range of spreaders – both linkage and trailed – followed by the introduction of cultivation and sowing equipment. The most recent step in Amazone’s evolution has seen the introduction of the Pantera 4502, a 4,500-litre self-propelled spray unit with a hydraulic folding boom, a hydrostatic drive with three steering modes and an automatic suspension management. The machine that we are reviewing here is the Pantera 4502-W, with the W standing for wide stance or wide axle. It has an infinitely variable, stepless, track width adjustment from 2.25m to 3m, which represents about a 25 per cent increase over the standard Pantera 4502 track…