Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 398 i Farms and Farm Machinery

Honda’s latest addition to its side-by-side range is due to be released in Australia this month. The Pioneer 520 was announced late last year as an improvement on the Pioneer 500, which is currently the smallest model in the Japanese manufacturer’s range. At the time, Honda only said it would be released in the second quarter of 2021 but has since confirmed it would be headed to Australia in May. Its release is particularly relevant as Honda has identified side-by-sides as its new target for Australian farmers, following the company’s decision to abandon quad bikes due to the federal government’s rollover protection laws Honda describes the Pioneer 520 as a side-by-side “that punches well above its size and weight”. It is compact, having the same 127cm width as the Pioneer…

Landini has released a new tractor – the Discovery 60 – which is a smaller version of the Discovery 75 released by the Italian manufacturer last year but with many of the same specifications. The Discovery 60 4WD ROPS (rollover protection system) has been designed as a strong, value-for-money tractor when the 75 horsepower (56kW) of its stablemate is not required. With a 3.7 litre, four-cylinder diesel engine, the 60hp (45kW) model has a base weight of 3,150kg and a hydraulic three-point linkage lift capacity of 2,500kg, with a total hydraulic capacity of 67 litres/minute. The base weight, linkage lift capacity, tractor length (4.16m) and engine capacity (3707cc) are all the same on both the Discovery 60 and 75. Two sets of hydraulic remote outlets are standard on the Discovery…

The Kubota R540 has been designed with a range of new features intended to increase operator comfort and overall usability of the vehicle. Included in the redesign is a new-look cabin, multi-function joystick and an increase in rated operation capacity, which combines greater comfort and smoother operation with functional stability. Kubota Australia senior product manager Lars Pasedag says the new R540 will uphold the success and esteem of its preceding model, the R065, in both its cab and canopy models. “We’re excited to improve our compact wheel loader range,” he says. “The R540 has the same base platform as the R065, but added space, an improved dash design and updated multi-function joystick in the R540 results in better visibility and more intuitive operation across both the cab and canopy models.…

The farmer of the future will have space technology fully integrated into their everyday production systems and decision making. The same technology that first put man on the moon could soon be used to boost Australia’s agricultural industry by upwards of $15 billion, according to a study. The study, conducted by the Australian National University (ANU) was released by AgriFutures Australia recently and outlined the benefits of using space technologies to further advance the agricultural sector. Space-based Technologies – Opportunities for the Rural Sector aimed to give producers awareness of the possibilities of available space technologies within the industry and the potential insights it could offer over the next decade. It found that improvements to geo-location alone could benefit the industry by $2.2 billion over a 30-year period. Similarly, satellite…

A Victorian farm has hosted tests of an apple-picking robot that university researchers hope could help solve Australia’s agriculture labour shortage. A team from Monash University’s Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering spent February and March testing the robot at Fankhauser Apples in Drouin, east of Melbourne, which they say can successfully identify, pick and deposit an apple in seven seconds. “The robot grasps apples with a specially designed, pneumatically powered, soft gripper with four independently actuated fingers and suction system that grasps and extracts apples efficiently, while minimising damage to the fruit and the tree itself,” says project leader Dr Chao Chen. “In addition, the suction system draws the apple from the canopy into the gripper, reducing the need for the gripper to reach into the canopy and potentially…

The Hercules H series and HD series loaders stand out in a league of their own. The H series is designed more towards general agricultural work – ‘the farm all-rounder/work horse’; and the HD series is ideal for heavier agricultural usage, such as dam building, logging, stick raking and ripper work. All loaders have heavy duty axles, a constant 4x4 drive and are powered by Cummins engines or Cat nominated engines. All models come with an extra-large deluxe cabin with 360 degree optimum visibility, ergonomic electronic pilot joystick controls and fitted with a high volume integrated air conditioning designed to meet Australian standards. All models come equipped with hydraulic quick hitching, heavy duty tow points and an advanced European-quality transmission. Your daily service checks can be made from ground level…

The Club Cadet Pro Z 972 SDL is engineered to dominate steep hills with a slope of up to 25 degrees. More than 90,000 people descended on the Sydney Dragway in mid-April to see some of the latest machinery on offer, with venue management saying it was the largest crowd ever seen at the venue for this type of event. Known as Australia’s largest construction equipment expo, with more than 200 exhibitors, Diesel Dirt & Turf was also an opportunity for manufacturers of mowers and forestry equipment to display what was new in the market. Here are some of the highlights. CLUB CADET PRO Z 972 SDL ZERO TURN MOWER The Club Cadet Pro Z 972 SDL is engineered to dominate steep hills with a slope of up to 25…

Grain producers will need to think carefully about their strategies in everything from grain storage to planting to equipment purchasing. It goes without saying that inconvenient timing was a hallmark of the 2020–21 financial year, and the print deadline of Farms & Farm Machinery is sadly no exception. Between the time this article is sent to the printers and when it reaches our audience, treasurer Josh Frydenberg will have released the Commonwealth Budget for 2021-22 – widely expected to be his last before the Morrison government faces an election predicted to take place next year. There’s something of an irony in the fact that it was an announcement in last year’s budget that had such a big impact on this financial year’s accounting. That was, of course, the announcement of…

Honda has confirmed it will exit the Australian quad bike market once new safety laws come into effect in October. The changes, which will require all new quad bikes sold in Australia to be fitted with rollover protection, were announced by the federal government in 2019 and officially come into force on October 11 this year. Honda had already flagged it would stop selling quad bikes, but the decision has now been confirmed by the company’s Australian director of motorcycle and power equipment Peter Singleton. “Safety standards must be evidence-based, in both criteria and testing methods, to internationally accepted standards,” Singleton says. “Honda has provided research to show the negative outcomes of the government’s proposal but unfortunately it was rejected, and we are here in this position today.” Singleton says…

Toowoomba-based Equipment Specialists is the new Australian distributor of Solis Tractors, with new models available now. The tractors, produced by Indian manufacturer Sonalika Tractors, will be sold alongside Equipment Specialists’ ranges of Alfa tractors and Lovol earthmoving machinery. The distribution handover had been in the works for the past nine months, but the process was slightly delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, only being finalised this year. Equipment Specialists operations manager, Lawrence Perkins, says the Solis machines have already proved popular as it builds up its inventory. “We have already sold a few already and we’ve got more ordered to come,” says Perkins. “We’re ready to sell units now. It’s been a nine month process to sort everything out because of the virus but it’s been formally sorted for three…

It’s a compact all-purpose tractor engineered to perform demanding frontloader tasks with excellent visibility and comfort. Launched last year at a virtual event, the beginning of the fifth generation of Valtra tractors reveals a range designed to fulfil customer needs and provide the best possible tractor experience. Made in Finland, the new G Series of tractors is built to be easy to operate, maintain and customise for the individual user. It is a compact all-purpose tractor engineered to perform demanding front-loader tasks with excellent visibility and comfort, and is the first in the 100–145hp (75–108kW) range to offer SmartTouch controls and full precision farming capabilities. The G Series comes in four models, G105, G115, G125E and G135. Each model is available with Valtra’s familiar powershift variants: Hitech has open centre…

Forecasts of Australia’s wool industry appear optimistic according to ANZ’s Agri Commodity Report, with the sector already projected for a strong year ahead. Across the first quarter of 2021, the price of wool has increased, returning to a price last seen one year ago before they fell by 50 per cent from January to September 2020. Currently, the price of wool sits steady at A$13/kg in April 2021; a stark contrast from the $8.50 it fetched last September – the lowest point the Eastern Market Indicator has fallen over the past year. The report suggests that the demand for wool will be largely dictated by the northern hemisphere winter at the end of the 2021 calendar year, which will have a major bearing on several aspects of Australia’s wool sector…

March delivered another stellar month for sales of agricultural tractors, with a 64 per cent rise on the same month last year. The last 12 months have now seen in excess of 15,000 tractors sold in this country, which is 40 per cent ahead of the previous 12-month period. A feature of March’s sales was the fact that all reporting categories enjoyed huge rises. The under 40hp (30kW) range was up 61 per cent for the month to be 68 per cent ahead year to date (YTD). The 40 to 100hp (30–75kw) range was again up a strong 70 per cent in the month (68 per cent YTD) and the 100 to 200hp (75–150kW) category was up 58 per cent (53 per cent YTD). The large 200hp (150kW) plus range…

There is certainly interest that is well and truly in excess of the previous auction’s results. When an extremely rare 1925 Benz-Sendling tractor went up for auction one week before Farms & Farm Machinery hit newsstands, it wasn’t just another antique for sale – it was a slice of Aussie farming history. It won’t find itself on display at a European museum or end up under covers in an American barn. Instead, it will be staying put in the country it has called home for nearly 100 years in the collection of a lucky Australian. That’s because the Australian government has determined that this extremely rare piece of machinery is of tremendous significance to Australian agriculture, and therefore must remain here, Down Under. OLD-TIMER It’s a tractor with one hell…

Farmland prices increased in every Australian state and territory last year, despite the COVID-19 pandemic. Rural Bank’s Australian Farmland Values annual report, which is based on sales data collected by government agencies in each state and territory, found there was a national median price increase of 12.9 per cent per hectare during 2020. Australia’s median price of farmland is now $5,907 per hectare and this has increased for seven years in a row. Northern Territory had the biggest price increase of 65.2 per cent last year, albeit from Australia’s smallest base of sales, which actually declined in number compared to 2019. Tasmania had the next biggest farmland price increase with 25.3 per cent, ahead of Western Australia (19.3 per cent), New South Wales (15.6 per cent), Queensland (11.8 per cent),…

Good support makes your business operations run smoothly and successfully. No matter what point you are at in the season, you always need good support from your business partners. Whether they are your agronomists, financial advisers or local machinery reps, good support makes your business operations run smoothly and successfully. As we approach another key point in the season – the end of financial year – there are many things to consider in order to ensure your business is ready for the new year, and there are no bumps in the road. Your records need to be up to date, including documentation for any asset purchases, equipment finance and contracts/settlement statements for property purchases. You also need to make sure you are prepared with a reconciliation of your livestock numbers,…

Having gone through a few sets of mowers over the years, New Zealand agricultural contractor Reymer Ag recently invested in a new set of Claas Disco mowers, with a 3200 Move FC (with a tine conditioner) on the front, for mastering the challenges of undulating Waikato terrain. Mowers don’t generally get the easiest of times. Not only expected to do the job it’s designed to do, they are also often inadvertently used as levelling bars, rock pickers, fence removers, and even the odd irrigation pipe aligner – it’s a pretty demanding job sheet. FIT FOR TASK When it came time to choose a new mower, Reymer Ag needed a machine that contoured well and was agile enough for some of the smaller dairy farms but also big enough to keep…

A new weeding robot that uniquely uses lasers to exterminate unwanted plants has been released by Carbon Robotics in the US. The Seattle-based company has released its third generation Autonomous Weeder, which uses a combination of robotics, artificial intelligence (AI) and laser technology to safely and effectively drive through crop fields to identify, target and eliminate weeds. However, if you are on the market for one of these robots you will have to wait until 2022 as all the 2021 models have already sold out. New models for the 2022 growing season are available for pre-order. Unlike other weeding technologies, Carbon Robotics’ machines utilise high-power lasers to eradicate weeds through thermal energy, without disturbing the soil. Farmers who operate automated robots have the ability to reduce their use of herbicides,…

Two of the world’s biggest machinery manufacturers have reported big sales increases in their quarterly results, with Australian demand a contributing factor. Both Agco and CNH Industrial have seen increased sales globally, with the Asia-Pacific regions outperforming other parts of the world. For Agco, there was a 65.9 per cent increase in net sales across the Asia/Pacific/Africa region in the first quarter of 2021 compared to the same time last year, which was when the COVID-19 pandemic began to take effect. Increased Australian sales were noted in Agco’s financial report as contributing to the regional growth. Overall, Agco reported a 19.8 per cent net sales increase around the world, factoring in currency value changes, and overall sales of almost US$2.4 billion (A$3.1 billion). “Favourable market demand and positive market response…

Australia’s position in the global protein world needs to be considered in rebuilding the herd. Experts from Australia’s beef industry have proclaimed a ‘once in a generation opportunity’ for the sector amidst a plethora of challenges, including the lowest breeding cattle inventory in three decades. Agribusiness banking specialist, Rabobank, released its seasonal outlook recently, outlining both the challenges faced by the beef industry as well as the opportunities to shape its future as it aims to respond from a historically difficult 2020. Paramount to the sector’s challenges is the limited cattle supplies underpinned by Australia’s scarce existing stock and low breeding numbers, which have led to a drop in slaughter numbers, beef exports and live exports. Rabobank predicts that the 2021 Australian cattle slaughter is set to be 6.7 million…

Unfortunately, only around half the revenue raised in fuel excise finds its way back into gravel and bitumen. It must be federal budget time as, yet again, one of the left-leaning economic think tanks has come out with a call to end the diesel fuel ‘subsidy’ to farmers, miners and fishers as a means of repairing the budget and saving the environment. This year the think tank in question is the Australia Institute, which put out a pre-budget press release titled ‘Australian fossil fuel subsidies hit $10.3bn’, which was quickly followed by another one on the all-important topic ‘How to make the budget less sexist’. No doubt many farmers will have better things to do than read either paper but the repeated calls to remove the 42.7c rebate and now…

They started a revolution. Instead of having a chain driver, you had a hydraulic tube with oil in it running a motor. For the many who loved the Toft name, 2004 was the end of the affair. For decades, Toft Bros was the undisputed king of the sugar cane world and its hometown of Bundaberg was the global epicentre of the cane harvester manufacturing trade. Nowadays, if one hadn’t lived through the zenith of the Toft years, it’s hard to fathom just how big Toft Bros was, especially considering its rise from the banks of the Burnett River to become one of the world’s leading manufacturers. Many hailed the Toft brothers – Colin and Harold – as revolutionaries. Others hailed them as geniuses. “No single family made a bigger contribution…

There is also the option to include a road performance package that provides further traction control. Faster, more comfortable, extremely versatile and fitted with more safety features than any other tractor in its class, the Fastrac 8330 guarantees operators can get more done in a day than ever before, says JCB. With faster road and in-field speeds, a top speed of 70km/h plus unique all-round suspension, the Fastrac 8330 provides greater speed, comfort, productivity, versatility and safety features than any other tractor, it adds. The Fastrac 8330’s engine combines powertrain and suspension systems to deliver the ultimate in power, torque and traction – making the difference in any situation. The performance-proven 8.4-litre, six-cylinder engine delivers up to 348 horsepower (260kW) with twin turbocharger installation giving sharp responses and high torque…

It is an exceptionally good product with smart engineering. Not all air seeders are created equal; the Taege range from New Zealand is tried and tested in some of the most rugged conditions, making it the perfect fit for Australian farms. Derek Genoni, from Australian distributor Gendore Group, says it is the clever, germination-focused design that sets these seeders apart, delivering optimum performance with a great operator experience. “Taege’s seeder design is unique, with narrow tungsten points mounted to vibrating ‘S’ tines that are set on a specific angle, so that the tine buries itself in the ground,” explains Genoni. “The tine goes up and down over contours independently of the frame, jumping rocks and following banks and hollows in a way that other machines simply can’t achieve. “It cuts…

The Joskin Trans-Cap is a truly multi-purpose machine aimed at the farmer/contractor Arriving north of Paeroa on New Zealand’s North Island to catch up with the team from RK Flint Contracting, we found one of its larger loader wagons wedged between two gateways, with the other trailers arriving and slowing down the flow of maize to the stack. Our Joskin test machine, however, quickly found an alternative way to the pit: backed up, dumped and was away again for the next load. As a standard bathtub design, the Trans-Cap has a capacity of 15.5 cubic metres and is rated to a total of 14 tonnes. With side extensions, an extra 13.2 cubic metres can fit per load to give a total capacity of 28.7 cubic metres (or around 29.1 cubic…