Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 411 i Farms and Farm Machinery

The new Amazone Centaya-C harrow-mounted seed drills are designed for precision sowing, its local distributor says. Available in working widths of 3, 3.5 and 4 metres, the seed drills can be equipped with either RoTeC pro single-disc coulters or TwinTeC double-disc coulters on 12.5cm or 15cm row spacings. The 2,000-litre twin-chamber hopper allows different combinations and application rates of seeds, fertiliser or other inputs to be efficiently sown in a single pass. The infinitely adjustable electric metering units allow precise application rates of between 0.5 and 400 kilograms per hectare, with the unit operating at speeds of up to 12km/h. Claas Harvest Centre product manager for Amazone Joshua Patrick says the RoTeC system uses a proven ‘single shot’ process. “The two inputs – for example, fertiliser and seed – are…

Silvan has debuted a range of sprayers this Autumn, with new hand, trolley and trailed sprayers joining the line-up. The largest unit in the new range is the 12V 200L Lightfoot trailed sprayer, which sprays at up to 7 litres per minute open flow at a maximum pressure of 8 bar or 120psi. Able to be attached to an ATV, side-by-side or utility vehicle, the sprayer is equipped with a Smoothflo pulsation-free 12-volt DC electric pump that comes with an electric pressure sensing switch, which automatically starts it when the pressure falls and stops when it peaks. It also comes with a PA spray gun with a 500mm lance and a range of nozzles for distance and close spraying applications. Starting at $2,300 including GST, optional extras on the unit…

Wodonga-based Ausmix is reporting farmers and feedlot operators are enthusiastic about the return of Australian-made strength, local service and support for quality feed mixers engineered and built in the regional heartland of Albury-Wodonga. Ausmix’s sister company Farmtech Machinery is already an established importer and manufacturer of farm equipment, importing brands such as Penta and Jeantil for more than 10 years. However, growing calls for new locally-made machines to meet specific Australian needs demanded the establishment of Ausmix. At the heart of every Ausmix machine is the Fibre-X vertical tapered auger, developed specifically for Australian feeding programs, and with its outputs and consistency substantiated by the Penn State separator test. The Ausmix range covers single, twin and triple auger machines in trailed and truck-mounted configurations, in the eight to 45 cubic…

There was plenty on display for farmers and contractors Despite the drenching rain that preceded the event, the 2022 Diesel Dirt & Turf Expo was another huge success, with 71,300 people visiting the Expo over its three days. There was plenty on display for farmers and contractors as well, with several tractors, farm machinery and attachments also on display. Anthony Wingard was there to report on some of the highlights on display. Hidromek HMK102B Supra backhoe loader – Onetrak Hidromek’s HMK102B Supra backhoe loader is the all-round versatile machine, capable of excelling in a range of uses. A six-in-one bucket ensures the machine is versatile and can be used as a loader, with its 0.35 cubic metre capacity, or as a dozer and even forklift when adjusted accordingly. The excavator…

Planning and managing irrigation is an essential farm practice. Various information portals are available to assist in this process, including state government agriculture department websites, while Melbourne-based pump supplier Veldonas also assists in devising and realising irrigation plans. As a supplier of water management equipment, Veldonas director Gatis Gregors says knowing exactly when you need equipment is essential and end supply planning is extremely important. “Most pieces of irrigation or water management equipment must be manufactured or assembled, as they are generally specific to individual requirements,” he says. “Planning between two and six months in advance and ensuring that contingencies are in place is recommended to protect existing and future assets. “As a supplier we know that specific pieces of equipment are needed at different times of the year.” Gregors…

Reacting to the market and making adjustments based on customer feedback is helping local manufacturer Goldacres perfect its marquee new sprayer. Goldacres has been putting the finishing touches on all four models of its previously announced Prairie Pro Series 2 trailed sprayer. All Goldacres machines are manufactured in Ballarat and the company’s sales manager Stephen Richards says this allows for a hands-on approach in meeting customer needs. “The clear advantage that Goldacres has is that we can make what people want,” he says. “We’ve always been fairly reactive to the market, because we’re Australian made and we do all our engineering in house, so it’s probably a little bit easier for us to make changes. “The customers love it, and I don’t think you could get that sort of service…

Dieci’s Agri Plus 40.7 telehandler aims to provide the features operators require most: reliability, performance and comfort. The specifications of the 40.7 show it is built for the harsh Australian environment, providing the operator with the strength, durability and flexibility of a multi-purpose machine. Powered by a 125hp (93kW) Tier 3 FPT engine, the Agri Plus 40.7 has a 4,000kg lift capacity, maximum lift height of 7.00m, forward reach of 3.9m and maximum travel speed of 40km/h. Beyond its list of impressive numbers, it is while using the telehandler that some of its advantages become clear. One particularly desirable aspect is the cabin, which Dieci says has been compared by operators to a tractor cabin in terms of its generous size. A large door makes access easy and, once inside,…

Add a shortage of skilled drivers to difficult weather conditions and there can be a lot of pressure on contractors to get through all of their clients in the short harvest windows available. While there are multiple machines available to get the job done, one of the fastest and most efficient machines out there is the self propelled forage harvester. Self-propelled forage harvesters not only get the job done fast with a lot of throughput but silage quality out of the chute is also up there with most, having a variable length of cut and inoculant applicators. With most new self-propelled forage harvesters costing up around the million-dollar mark, contractors definitely need this investment to work for them to help keep clients happy with minimal downtime, while putting high-quality silage…

A flattening in lamb prices may signal the post-drought restocking process has finally calmed, according to ANZ’s latest agri commodity report. A third of the way through 2022, the Australian sheep sector remains in a strong position, but continues to be volatile. “The industry, and particularly sheep prices, continue to be impacted by a range of factors including volatile yarding numbers, disruptions to the processing sector and fluctuating export demand,” ANZ head of agribusiness research Michael Whitehead says. “In addition, the regular seasonal impacts, as the industry heads toward a winter of lambing before spring lambs hit the market, also needs to be considered. The fact the industry benchmark Eastern States Trade Lamb Indicator [ESTLI] dropped just below 800 cents in March, in most years, would still be a positive…

Kuhn Group has introduced technical changes to two new mower conditioners to better meet the needs of the operator, the company has announced. The company’s two new mower conditioners, the FC 9330 RA and FC 13640 RA, will both come with an integrated swath grouper, as well as being fitted with lift control suspension and Kuhn’s Optidisc Elite cutter bar. The FC 9330 RA mower conditioner has been designed to adapt its swath delivery from 1.8m to 3.6m – meaning the forage it leaves behind can suit a variety of balers – but particularly those with wide pick-ups where the forage density is high. It also has an integrated inclinometer that controls the belt speed according to the slope of the paddock. The FC 13640 RA mower conditioner offers its…

Australian ag products developer Farmbot has launched a level sensor for diesel tanks, which it says will deter potential thieves and help producers better manage fuel stocks. Farmbot, which specialises in the development of remote monitoring solutions, says the device is suitable for anyone who wants to know when a tank is filled or drained. Farmers can set a customised level alert that will either send an SMS or email when that level is reached. This, the company says, reduces the time lost in checking levels and helps provide peace of mind for farmers, knowing diesel resources are not being stolen or misused. The solution will work with complete functionality from any location in Australia via either cellular or satellite connectivity. Farmbot managing director Andrew Coppin says the launch of…

The next generation of Ford’s Ranger ute comes with a wider tray and the option of a three-litre V6 turbodiesel engine, among a series of other changes. Ford’s dynamic experiences supervisor for the Ranger, Rob Hugo, says the company aimed to balance the existing Ranger’s car-like handling with its off-road performance. To that end, the new models have a 50mm track and wheelbase increase, which Hugo says has improved vehicle stability both on-and off-road. This track increase helped designers widen the tray to the point where it now fits a Euro pallet – measuring 1,200mm by 800mm – and with a one metre ruler and cup holders now built into the tailgate work surface. Ford has also moved the rear dampers outboard of the springs which it says makes for…

Sales of agricultural tractors were down again in March by 19 per cent on the same month last year and are now 13 per cent behind for the 2022 year to date. This is still a strong level of sales for the industry, which continues to be severely hampered by supply issues. While supply chain issues are a worldwide problem, they appear to be exacerbated at our ports. Members are citing issues such as overly lengthy delays in quarantine due to a lack of suitably trained staff and overly expensive container costs. This, along with a shortage of containers, is leading some suppliers to resort to roll-on/roll-off for products that would ordinarily be containerised. Compounding this are reports emerging that, due to the severe backlog in unloading ships, shipping companies…

Hort Connections – Brisbane AUSVEG and PMA Australia-New Zealand Limited (PMA A-NZ) have again united to deliver the joint industry conference and trade show Hort Connections. Hort Connections is an opportunity for networking, education and business for the entire fresh produce industry. WHEN: June 6–8, 2022 MORE INFO: hortconnections.com.au FarmFest – Toowoomba FarmFest is Queensland’s largest primary field days. More than 2,500 individual companies and organisations will come to together to exhibit everything from ATVs and boom sprayers to grain driers, harvesters and rock pickers. WHEN: June 7–9, 2022 MORE INFO: acmruralevents.com.au/farmfest/home Ag-Grow Field Days – Emerald Ag-Grow dates back to 1989, servicing central Queensland with some of the best the agriculture and mining sectors. Attracting over 1,500 companies and crowds in excess of 28,000 visitors, Ag-Grow is one of…

Based in New Zealand but becoming a popular brand in Australia, Rata Equipment offers a wide range of products for farmers to work smarter and get the job done. The family-owned company is the leading manufacturer of tractor and telehandler attachments in its homeland. It is well known for ‘going the extra mile’ when designing a product and for its simple but clever and effective designs. Two very different Rata products help showcase this trait – a bale clamp and a mole plough. Smart bale clamp design Bale clamps have become something of a commodity in the attachments market. Not content to be “just another clamp on the market”, Rata has improved its product so it is now New Zealand’s most popular bale handler among farmers, contractors and major operators.…

With an option for all sizes and requirements, FAE’s range of PTO mulchers is designed to offer versatility on farms. The Italian manufacturer offers a broad range of mulchers, from the PaTriziO that only requires a 70hp (52kW) tractor up to the UMH/Mega which is designed for the big jobs and needs up to 500hp (368kW) of tractor power. The specifications of the UMH/Mega mulcher showcases the top-end capability of FAE mulchers, being designed for the most powerful tractors available, and allowing operators to work large areas in a quick and effective way. The unit can mulch trees up to 50cm in diameter and grind at a depth of up to 25cm. Three rows of forged and hardened interchangeable counter-blades help to provide the longest working life while providing a…

Alstonville is a quiet town, nestled in the hinterlands of northern NSW and surrounded by rolling hillside farmland. It was here, as the macadamia industry began to boom through the late 1980s, that Robert Eggins began tailoring his 20-year established business towards the macadamia industry. Servicing operators with maintenance, repairs and modifications to harvesting, he soon realised what was lacking when it came to efficient and purpose-built machines. Along with his son, David, he developed a lightweight, commercial grade harvester, equipped with sweeping mechanisms and reduced stalling capacity for wet weather operations. Today, there are over 240 Robmac harvesters that are running on Australian plantations. “The team runs a production pipeline with three or six harvesters in the works at any given time,” says David. “We build an average of…

The Australian Workers’ Union (AWU) has vowed to pursue employers who fail to pay fruit and vegetable pickers under the Horticulture Award, after changes officially took place in late April. The union has announced a new initiative to investigate farms it suspects have been underpaying their workers, “starting with employers who have publicly claimed changes to the Horticulture Award have destroyed their business model.” AWU national secretary Daniel Walton says the only way to fix underpayment and employee abuse is to tackle it head on. “There are many good farmers out there who respect Australian pay and Australian conditions,” he says. “They shouldn't be placed at a competitive disadvantage against the shonks and abusers that have been allowed to grow endemic under the current federal government. “If you're out there…

Record high milk pricing and favourable seasonal conditions are setting the stage for a profitable season, according to Rabobank. In the Agribank’s just-released Australian Dairy 2022–23 Seasonal Outlook – titled Be Confident, but Beware – the bank says that global dairy market fundamentals are strong but adds that farmer margins are under pressure from increasing costs. Meanwhile, it says, a market correction is on the horizon, as a “subtle rebalance in global markets occurs”, while “turbulence” also “looms large with continuing impacts from seismic global events”. However, the report says “a soft landing in global markets and a strong currency will still support record milk pricing in 2022–23”, with Rabobank forecasting an indicative milk price of A$8.40/kgMS for southern Australia. This would be a record price and 15 per cent…

A demonstration of Ag Leader’s new SeedCommand precision planting system could be headed to a farm near you, with the company offering up to 50 on-farm demonstrations this Spring. Ag Leader Asia Pacific sales manager Doug Amos says the company hopes to lock in at least 50 on-farm demonstrations throughout the cotton, sorghum and maize planting season in October and November. “The itinerary is yet to be finalised, but as a guide, we expect that the demonstration unit will spend at least a week with our dealers in Emerald, Dalby, Toowoomba, Goondiwindi, Moree, Narrabri, Griffith, Swan Hill and Bendigo,” Amos says. Designed to be retrofitted to most makes and models of box hopper and bulk-fill row crop planters, the demonstration unit is a six-row John Deere MaxEmerge XP planter fitted…

Now available with working widths of eight and nine metres, Pöttinger’s Terrasem range of seed drills is predicted to hold even wider appeal. The Terrasem V 8000 D and Terrasem V 9000 D are equipped with two metering systems as standard and both have a seed hopper capacity of 5,600 litres. The metering system is designed to provide seeding at rates of between 1.5kg and 420kg at 12km/h, with the operator able to adjust the seed flow rate without leaving the tractor seat. The operator can also vary between the application of different seed mixtures, or of seed with fertiliser or other components such as microgranules, using the Terrasem Z models with its fertiliser feature. The metering systems are designed for the highest possible precision and ensure that exactly the…

Glen Wallace and his team put their wheel loader to the test in a different way to many other operators. Rather than being challenged with excess weight and other tests of capacity, the machinery works around the clock during the peak season at Brunnings Garden Products Queensland. The loader of choice is the Hercules HD636D, which was bought from Brisbane Mini Excavators in early 2021. Wallace, who is operations manager for the garden supplies company, says the HD636D has withstood the test of continual use since hitting Brunnings’s yard at Brendale in Brisbane’s north. “It does an admirable job and I really have no hesitation in recommending it to anyone can use it,” he says. “We haven’t got any other attachments, just the standard stock model, and we just use…

When Norco Primex opens its gates on May 19, it will be a triumphant return to form for the event, after the floods that devastated the Northern Rivers of New South Wales earlier this year. Primex’s home, the Richmond Valley Events Centre, has been used in recent months as an emergency fodder distribution centre, a helicopter drop service and base and a veterinary hospital. Event director Bruce Wright says the event will offer some much-needed flood relief and support for farmers and the local community. “This flood disaster has had an extensive effect on our region but has further strengthened our resolve and determination to stage the best possible event,” Wright says. “By making sure that Primex goes ahead this year, we can create access to products and services that…

McDougall Fertiliser Services, based in Scottsdale, Tasmania, has been operating since the mid-90s, when family patriarch Paul McDougall decided to start his own business after working several years in the industry. While Paul is still involved in the business, which also has farming and bulk haulage interests, his son, Aaron, manages the company’s fertiliser unit. The team is also supported by 16 full-time staff and a fleet of eight fertiliser spreaders, including three Iveco AD360 Trakker 4x4s. A further four on-road trucks make up the fleet, while a Trakker AD450 6x6 is currently in build. The Trakker range is a popular choice for fertiliser spreading applications, both in Australia and New Zealand, where off-road performance, comfort and power are well regarded by operators. The transition to Iveco from another European…

Mixed-enterprise Burrumbuttock farmer Justin Burns has confidence he is maximising his John Deere fleet’s uptime and saving money by investing in the quality and customisation of the original equipment manufacturer’s genuine lubricant product range, including Plus-50 II Premium engine oil and Hy-Gard hydraulic and transmission oil. “I always think, when it comes to lubricants, a quality oil is much cheaper than having to buy replacement parts,” Burns says. “John Deere’s oils are designed specifically for John Deere equipment, which gives me peace of mind I won’t have any issues that are oil-related, and that I will be getting the most out of my equipment.” Another plus for the third-generation farmer is that the lubricants are formulated to perform under extreme loads and dusty, dirty conditions, like those in which his…

Antonio Carraro’s TRX tractor is the Italian manufacturer’s most popular model in Australia, well known for its reversible driver’s seat that allows operators to work the power take-off while facing it. Doing this requires that the tractor has the same speeds in both directions, and all the TRX models have 16 forward and 16 reverse gears, as well as a manual transmission. TRX is an acronym and the letters stand for steering front axle (T), reversible console (R) and equal size wheels front and rear (X). The tractor is now available in four different versions, with horsepower options of 50, 71, 90 and 105 (36, 53, 67 and 78kW). The 50 and 71hp TRX models fit a Yanmar engine, while the two bigger versions fit a Kubota engine. Australian standard…

In 1946, Australia had a population of 7.5 million. Since then another 7.5 million people have migrated into the country and, through natural growth, we have added another 11 million to reach a total population of 26 million. Of these, 22 million mostly live in urban Australia and, increasingly, on the coastal fringe. Of the 4 million in rural and regional Australia, i.e. those outside the major cities, a little over 1.5 million are living in Australia’s 1,614 country towns that have a population of less than 5,000. With each new wave of migrants and each generation of Australians born here, the lure of the big cities and big regional centres grows. Today, Sydney has a population of 5.36 million, up from 1.5 million in 1945, and Melbourne 5.09 million,…

Speaking with Plant & Equipment in mid-April, PR Power’s national generator manager Mike Corbett said its first two containers of JCB power products was due to arrive in the next couple of days. The JCB generators will range in power from 8kVA to 2,500kVA, available for sale Australia wide. These add to PR Power’s existing line-up of CPG Cummins, Powerlink Power Systems and Trime lighting tower products, all of which are manufacturers of world-renowned high-quality products. “PR Power deals with all areas requiring industrial size generators, so that can be from mining and gas fields, through to industry, construction, major infrastructure works, offices, production facilities, utilities, water suppliers, gas suppliers, electricity suppliers… the whole kit and kaboodle,” Corbett says. “Generally speaking… the existing JCB distribution channels tended to operate in…