Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 413 i Farms and Farm Machinery

New South Wales dealer Temora Truck and Tractor has been named as New Holland’s 2022 Dealer of the Year. The announcement was made as the manufacturer celebrated “excellence in performance and service quality across its extensive network of 104 dealers Australia-wide.” Located in the state’s Riverina region, Temora Truck and Tractor was founded in 1980 and joined the Agricultural Equipment Holdings (AEH) group three years ago. It has two fully equipped onsite workshops and offers heavy vehicle equipment sales, parts, accessories and servicing for agricultural and construction machinery. The prestigious award was complemented by also being New Holland’s High Horsepower Most Improved Performance category winner, while in a separate event last year the dealership was runner-up in the ‘Excellence in Small Business’ category of the Temora Business Awards. Dealer principal…

With four models available with load volumes ranging from 26.8 to 30 cubic metres, the Bergmann Royal loader wagon boasts a unique 2-rotor system (cutting and press rotor) and is available locally through TTMI. The German manufacturer is introducing a new option for its 2022 models, a wide guide roller arranged behind the unit’s pick-up. For use on hilly terrain or on soils with a low load-bearing capacity, the roller supports the pickup’s height control in addition to the lateral guide wheels, as a larger area of the ground is scanned. For ideal adjustment to the working height of the pick-up, the guide roller’s setting levels have been increased from four to six for an even more accurate guide roller setting. The result: even neater crop uptake, resulting in higher…

Herd Boss feeders will make their Australian debut at this year’s AgQuip Field Days after importer Valton Feeding Solutions chose to expand its product offering with two new models described as “showstoppers”. Having already introduced the Herd Boss TMR mixer wagons into the local market, Valton has opted to add the 4815 and 2710 feeders to its range. Herd Boss machines are manufactured in the United States and are owned by Post Equipment Company, with which Valton has a strong and ongoing relationship. Post sales representative Joel Schelling is among the company representatives who will fly from the USA to Australia to give AgQuip visitors the rundown on the newest product to hit our shores. “I’m very excited to have it in Australia and represent it in August, I’m really…

The annual FarmFest Field Days returned in 2022 as many of the country’s top agricultural machinery manufacturers and distributors descended on Toowoomba to show off the most exciting pieces of equipment, machinery and attachments. Our journalist Anthony Wingard was there to check out some of the highlights. Portable Conveyor – Valton Feeding Solutions Manufactured by the team at C&C Conveyors in Warrnambool, Victoria, the portable conveyor is Australian made and is distributed through Valton Feeding Solutions. The portable conveyor is available in four different sizes, ranging from three metres, with widths of either 300mm or 450mm, through to a 5.4m model, which boasts a width of 450mm. The conveyor is designed for tight access areas and, weighing in at just 72kg for the smallest model, is easily manoeuvrable – meaning…

As harvest season approaches, BYPY Transmissions, Australian distributor of Bondioli & Pavesi PTO shafts and gearboxes, is in a position to say the three words every farmer wants to hear in 2022: “We have stock”. The Victoria-based supplier, which distributes its products nationally, is ready to offer stock to farmers despite the global supply challenges which have tested the industry since the COVID-19 pandemic started. “We have managed to get a good volume of stock in, and we are quite well stocked for the upcoming season,” BYPY spokesman Ashley Male says. “There are shortages in some areas but that’s going to play out throughout the year for everybody, I think. “We’ve got a good supply of most of the PTO shafts required for the harvest season and even the demand…

When it comes to the new Massey Ferguson 8S tractor, Agco really went back to the drawing board. The machine stands out in a paddock, not least for its classic Massey Ferguson red paint job, but for its unique design – something which the team at Agco describes as ‘a revolutionary design change’. And if that doesn’t encapsulate the how the 8S is a new venture for Massey Ferguson’s design team, the following was the quote which was carried on the official press release upon its unveiling. “Last November we were celebrating the 50th anniversary of the moon landing, which made the impossible become possible,” the statement from MF vice president and managing director, Europe & Middle East, Thierry Lhotte read. “Now it is time to deliver that vision landing…

Cattle prices in Australia are tipped to stay around current record levels for at least the next two years, according to ANZ’s latest agricultural commodity report. Prices saw a period of unprecedented growth from the start of 2020 until early 2022, as the arrival of the drought-breaking rain across much of Australia encouraged growers to enter a period of sustained restocking activity. Michael Whitehead, ANZ’s Executive Director of Agribusiness says it looks like cattle prices will now be entering a relatively flat period. “Over the course of this year, prices have stayed in a roughly narrow band, mostly within 1,100-1,150 c/kg,” he says. “In dollar terms, the relative stability of cattle prices of the current period has not been seen since 2006.” Using a new modelling method that considers variables…

Amazone has made a performance upgrade to one of its cultivator-drills, adding a forward-mounted knife roller to help increase efficiency in the paddock. The machine in question is the Cirrus 6003-2 folding trailed combination cultivator-drill, which has received the knife roller to help shred standing vegetation or tall stubble. It features a unique chevron knife arrangement, which Amazone says intensively chops standing organic material at right angles to the direction of travel. The remaining residue is then aligned longitudinally by the cutting discs on the standard Cirrus platform, the company adds. Claas Harvest Centre Product Manager – Amazone, Joshua Patrick, says the changes will help to improve the effectiveness of direct-drilling operations for farmers. “This unit will save an additional run with a mulcher, roller or disc harrow as well…

Good rainfall and high commodity prices have seen cropping farms report stronger financial performances in 2021-22, according to the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES). ABARES executive director Jared Greenville says cropping farms have reported higher than average cash incomes over the last year. “It’s been a boom year. At the national level, farm cash income for cropping farms is estimated to have increased by around 28 per cent to average $619,000 per farm in 2021–22,” he says. “We can put this down to higher receipts from wheat, barley, oilseeds, and grain legumes. “That said, prices are higher for farm inputs such as fuel and fertiliser, and this has affected returns and will do so even more into 2022-23.” Livestock producers had also enjoyed a good…

Meat processor CirPro Australia, formerly known as Pirie Meats, has become the first company to buy a methane-reducing cattle feed supplement on a commercial basis. Produced by CH4 Global, the supplement contains Asparagopsis, which has been proven to reduce enteric methane emissions in cattle by up to 90 per cent, when it is grown and processed to exacting standards. CirPro will roll out the supplement across its feedlot partners in what both parties say is a long-term multi-million-dollar commitment with an option for expansion. CirPro chief executive Roger Smyth says his company is excited about the partnership. “This marks an important milestone towards the goal of a carbon-neutral beef industry in Australia by systemically reducing, not just offsetting, emissions,” he says. “It represents a win for the beef industry, a…

Katherine Show And Rodeo – Katherine The biggest community event in the region, the Katherine Show is a must for all. There are showrides, a rodeo and equestrian events as well as poultry entries, a chook auction, cattle show and pets. When: July 15–16, 2022 More info: katherineshow.org.au Australian Sheep & Wool Show – Bendigo The Australian Sheep and Wool Show is your one stop shop for all things sheep. More than 2,700 sheep and 30,000 people assemble in Bendigo for three days in July for the largest show of its type in the world. When: July 15–17, 2022 More info: sheepshow.com Royal Darwin Show – Darwin With the aim of promoting, encouraging and assisting the development of primary industry, commercial, cultural activities, mining and industrial resources of the Northern…

In an emerging autonomous landscape, the post and wire fences that used to define a farm’s boundaries are being replaced by digital ‘geofences’, and it is critical to ensure that these important pieces of precision agriculture infrastructure are accurately measured. John Deere demonstrated its first fully autonomous 8R tractor in the US in January, and boundaries are the critical digital infrastructure required to guide it. Paired with guidance lines, these virtual geofences enable the machine to plot its path through an entire field. Australian farmers are already using much of the technology on the autonomous 8R – AutoTrac Turn Automation, Boundary Track Guidance and Section Control – and this all requires accurate boundaries to function. In short, the word ‘boundaries’ refers to a digital map of each of the fields…

John Deere sprayer customers are set for a huge boost, with night-time spraying now possible thanks to LED lighting being made available for use on the manufacturer’s See & Spray Select technology. Deere’s decision to add the LED lighting to its MY23 400 and 600 Series Sprayers means customers can now extend their targeted spraying window beyond the harsh heat of the day. See & Spray Select is the manufacturer’s targeted spraying technology, which has integrated cameras to detect green plants in fallow ground and therefore spray only these areas. Since its launch in March 2021, Deere says the technology has resulted in farmers using an average of 77 per cent less herbicide while delivering similar hit rates to traditional spraying. The manufacturer’s Australian and New Zealand production systems manager…

The new 20-tonne JCB 457S wheel loader – available only through factory order – gives farmers a new machine ideal for the bigger jobs. Boosting payloads of about 5.5 tonnes, this new loader is set to be popular among operators with big loads to shift, such as biogas plants and largescale silage and muck spreading contractors. The new machine joins JCB’s top end 419S and 435S wheel loaders, purpose-built for agricultural applications. While it shares some elements of the established JCB 457 used for stockpiling and loading out of large bulk commodity stores, the ‘S’ version has a new rear chassis and counterweight, and new transmission, axles, wheels and tyres to give it outstanding capabilities for demanding outdoor roles. New transmission At the heart of the loader is a new…

Used to transport, lift and position light to heavy loads thanks to the presence of a hydraulically operated telescopic boom, Dieci telehandler users can perform a variety of jobs using the same vehicle. Compared to normal tractors with front lifting, telehandlers are more manoeuvrable, have a greater hydraulic capacity and can reach further, as well as offering lift heights ranging from 5.8m to 9.6m. Dieci works daily to evolve its machines, adopting the best solutions based on research, advice and experiences with its customers. The manufacturer offers a range of telehandlers designed to suit Australia’s diverse agricultural sectors, including industry specific models for poultry, cotton, piggeries and hay. Versatility is one of the greatest strengths of a Dieci telehandler with a variety of attachments available to suit numerous tasks. Whether…

Getting humanitarian aid into Ukraine is, at present, relatively straightforward, but helping the nation with its agricultural exports is another matter entirely. That’s according to Gerjan Wielink, a Dutch truck driver who has been assisting with the humanitarian effort. Wielink runs his own agriculture trading and transport company at Dronten in The Netherlands, and decided to volunteer his services and his trucks to transport humanitarian aid, mainly food, to various towns and cities desperate for help, soon after the Russian invasion. Wielink and two of his drivers, have just completed their fourth trip to Ukraine clocking up over 4,500km each, delivering food into the war-torn cities of Kharkiv, Odesa and Mykolaiv. This time, however, the convoy ventured southwest on the return journey to pick up loads of grain in Cherkasy,…

South Australian rural merchandise company Cox Rural will merge with New South Wales-based Delta Agribusiness from July 1, the companies have announced. The companies said the merger would deliver an increase in business scale and financial capacity, with both businesses to remain privately owned and independent. Cox Rural principal Lachy Cox has taken a “substantial equity ownership position” in the combined business and will continue to manage Cox Rural’s branch network with the existing management team. Delta Ag has 53 company owned locations across NSW, Queensland and Victoria, as well as 40 independent wholesale customers across WA, through subsidiary business David Grays Aglink, saying the deal will broaden its geographic and seasonal diversity, it says. “This creates a more balanced overall agribusiness to deliver enhanced long-term diversity and sustainability, with…

John Deere says battery-powered tractors will soon be on Australian farms, marking a “monumental shift” in the company’s production. The manufacturer made the announcement at HortConnections in Brisbane in early June, saying the first electric tractor will be launched in 2026. “Machinery of this kind will create a monumental shift, not only for John Deere as a manufacturer, but also for Australian agriculture,” John Deere Australia and New Zealand production system manager Steph Gersekowski says. “In less than four years, horticulture farmers will be able to leverage this intelligent and efficient equipment across their farms, creating what can genuinely be described as a significant step-change for high-value crop production.” Gersekowski says reducing carbon emissions, improving safety and increasing productivity are among the benefits of the battery-powered tractor. Deere acquired…

A new nanotechnology method designed to protect sheep against flystrike has been developed by researchers at the University of Queensland (UQ). Tiny nanoparticles, which measure less than a thousandth of a millimetre in size, could provide longer protection against flystrike and lice, countering the development of resistance to insecticides and reducing reliance on mulesing. If successful, the nanotechnology could help to solve a problem which costs the Australian sheep industry as much as $173 million per year. Developed by UQ researchers as part of a project also funded by the Queensland government and Australian Wool Innovation (AWI), the unique silica nanocapsule particles have whisker-like spikes purpose-built to prolong protection against flystrike. The spike-covered particles would ultimately be a component in a dip or other topical treatment for the sheep, sticking…

Sales of agricultural tractors in May were up by 12 per cent on the same month last year and are now 6 per cent behind for the 2022 year to date. This strong result is largely due to more larger tractor deliveries following several months of poor supply – which remains an ongoing challenge for dealers. The prevailing theme in the market appears to be if you have the stock, you will get the sale and this is testing customers’ brand loyalty more now than at any time in recent memory, particularly with small to mid-range tractors. Here in Australia, customers have extremely supportive markets for their products and with the support of the Temporary Full Expensing Program (set to run until June 2023) are taking the opportunity to renew…

Three generations of the Whykes family work their 4,700 hectare dryland farm west of Charlton in Victoria’s Mallee region. They produce barley, wheat, canola, lentils, peas, fava beans, lupins and vetch and oaten hay. Because they sow their crops using direct drill or minimum tillage, they depend on agrichemicals to control weeds. They use their sprayer to apply a full range of crop protection – herbicides, insecticides and fungicides. Peter Whykes and his son Chris are the primary sprayer operators on the family’s cropping farm, and they are mastering a new RoGator 1300C with Weed-It spot spray technology. In April this year, the family took ownership of their second self-propelled RoGator, which is equipped with dual spraying technology. It can do traditional blanket spraying or use its Weed-It Quadro sensors…

Far from easing slowly out of the COVID-19 pandemic, sprayer manufacturer Goldacres has been busy adding new machines, updating others and making its mark in the precision agriculture space. The company’s recent highlights include the introduction of its targeted spraying solution Weedetect, ongoing rollout of its new Prairie Pro Series 2 sprayer, and an upcoming refresh to its G4 sprayer. Weedetect, which is designed for targeted green-on-green spraying, entered the market late last year after two years of work behind the scenes to build a database of weeds for the system. It represented a big leap into this area for Goldacres and was the result of painstaking work to ensure the system was ready. “The idea behind it works really well but it has to learn all these algorithms and…

Remote monitoring solutions provider Farmbot has launched a new sensor which allows users to keep an eye on their diesel tank levels. The Diesel Level Sensor works anywhere in Australia with cellular or satellite connectivity and means diesel levels can easily be tracked, ensuring farmers can stay on top of usage. Farmbot says this will help users remain aware of how much diesel is being used, and also provide peace of mind against theft or misuse while they are away. Company managing director Andrew Coppin says the global price increases for diesel has made the ability to track its use even more crucial. “The price of diesel has increased substantially this year, and although we may see some relief from excise cuts in the recent budget, we expect prices to…

Precision agriculture in part was a product of the Cold War. Following the Soviet launch of Sputnik in 1957, the need to map and track a rocket became an imperative, in order to destroy it. As the Russian and American intercontinental missiles got more sophisticated, both sides built harder and deeper bunkers to protect their rockets – which in turn required ever more accurate targeting. In the end the targets needed to be almost metre-accurate as the madness of Mutually Assured Destruction reached its height in the 1970s and 80s. This race for precision directly led to the creation of the Global Positioning System (GPS) which commenced in 1973, with the first prototype spacecraft launched in 1978 and the full constellation of 24 satellites becoming operational in 1993. Civilian access…

Rising input costs and fallout from the conflict in Ukraine have dented Australian farmer confidence, but recent high returns have left the industry in a strong position, according to Rabobank. The agribank has released the second of its quarterly Rural Confidence Surveys for 2022, which revealed some concerns about external factors, but also optimism about high agricultural commodity prices and the prospect of another bumper grains harvest. Most farmers surveyed expect business conditions to remain stable over the next year, with 53 per cent of farmers answering in that way. Of the remainder, almost twice as many expect an improvement over those anticipating a decline (28 per cent compared to 16 per cent). The sectors with the most positive outlooks are cotton, grain and dairy, Rabobank says, due to high…

Waterjet cutters have been around for a long time, however, their size and cost can put them out of the reach of individuals or small business. The new Wazer desktop waterjet is designed to change that, using a high velocity jet and a combination of high-pressure water and abrasive particles to cut through hard and soft materials. The Wazer small format waterjet can cut through sheets of almost any material, including metal, stone, ceramic, composites, plastic, rubber and foam. Users have been attracted by how easy it is to connect to standard electricity, water and drainage points. The unit’s compact size fits in any workspace and brings professional-grade fabrication into any workshop. It is ideal for on-demand cutting of custom parts and its in-house capabilities reduce the need for outsourcing.…