Innholdsfortegnelse for July 2022 i Profi

I 've said this before, but machinery shows aren't just about poring over the latest in farming metal and technology, but also an opportunity to catch up with friends and acquaintances. For me, ScotGrass was the first farm machinery show that I've attended since LAMMA 2020, which felt a little bizarre as I'd normally visit half a dozen exhibitions in most years. So, the 'long and short' is it was great to see and have a chat with some familiar faces at Dumfries. While there weren't loads of new machines being launched, it was the first chance to check out a lot of the kit that has hit the market since my last national show foray. You can read my full report on pages 11-13, and, yes, it was a…

RECORD LOADER NUMBERS French manufacturer M-extend (MX and Manip) made more than 10,000 tractor loaders for the first time last year, ending the year with a record 11,308 units. MX currently equips 7,500 different tractor models from 15-300hp, covering 45 different makes..The.T400 series was the most popular last year and the T412 was the best-selling model. NEW PAINT SHOP FOR FENDT Fendt is investing around €18m in a new paint shop and logistics centre at its Hohenmölsen plant near Leipzig in Germany. The facility makes parts and components for Fendt tractors, round balers, combine harvesters and forage wagons, and is the home of the Katana forage harvester and Rogator 600 self-propelled sprayer. The expansion of the logistics centre will be completed in September and the new paint shop is expected…

John Deere has added a more powerful model to the top end of its 5G specialty series. Available in GF, GN and GV specification, the 3.6-litre four-cylinder Stage V engine in the new 5115 delivers up to 120hp. The same motor also powers the 5090 (91hp) and 5105 (105hp), whereas a 3.4-litre four-cylinder Stage V is installed in the 5075 (75hp). One of the notable new features of the updated range is the new five-speed hi-lo PowrReverser eco-transmission. This enables all four models to travel at 40km/hr with reduced engine speed. Other spec updates include the redesigned cab, which provides more legroom, while the reduced bonnet height is said to provide an unrivalled view to the front. Positioned centrally in front of the driver, the new 5-inch digital display is…

Launching the 8280 TTV in autumn 2020 (see profi 11/2020), Deutz-Fahr finally closed the gap between the 7 and 9 series, although the 8280 TTV with its 2.92m wheelbase is more or less identical to the 7250 TTV, the key difference being the transmission. However, in order to achieve the extra gee-gees of up to 211kW/287hp, our test machine hosts the TTCD version of the 6.1 LO6 Deutz six-cyl unit, whereas the 181kW/247hp 7250 gets a TCD motor. Differences? Well, for starters there’s an extra turbo concealed beneath the bright green bonnet of the 8280. But that’s far from the only point of separation: the pressure in the common rail injection system is also ramped up to 2,000 bar, versus 1,600 in the 7250; and durable steel pistons are used…

The world would appear to be your juicy oyster when it comes to bale handlers that are capable of handling both squares and rounds. However, on closer inspection this lengthy list can soon be whittled down when you start to look at the payloads that some of these attachments can handle and also whether they have the all-important CE marking. We decided to compare five grabs, and they needed to tick the following boxes: capable of handling 1,000kg; the hands had to open 2.00m wide; and they had to be supplied with Euro brackets to go on a front loader. Four manufacturers sent us universal grabs that telescope out horizontally: Göweil (BTGQU), Fliegl (QBZFLM), Saphir (QBZ) and Tanco (D80). The fifth unit was from Bressel and Lade: their B40 is…

Roll back almost 40 years and JCB launched its first agri shovel, the FarmMaster 410. Nowadays, you do not have to travel far (in the UK at least) to see a 419S or 435S working away on a silage clamp. But, as ever, the current 15-tonne top of the range shovel did not offer enough capacity for some users. Roll up the.457S. While this new heavyweight is not graced with JCB’s elite red ‘S’, as it does not live up to the 435S’s 17hp/tonne, its credentials look set to impress. Weighing in at 20-tonnes, boasting a hefty 6.0t payload and powered by the same 6.7-litre Cummins motor albeit developing 282hp in dynamic mode, providing a power to weight of 14hp/tonne. For slightly more frugal operation, such as rehandling work, standard…

Vredo afficionados will know that its self-propelled portfolio already includes the four-wheeled VT4556, a 19.5m³ machine powered by a 450hp Scania engine. This popular Trac remains in the price list, but the recent launch of the Ploeger AT5104 and Vervaet Quad, both of which are more powerful and can carry more slurry, gave Vredo the final incentive to develop the 22m³ VT5536 (550hp, third generation, six-cylinder). Two or three axles At this stage it is worth mentioning that the Dutch manufacturer previously produced a twin-axle version of the triple-axle VT7028 (32m³). Powered by the same 710hp V8 engine, it supported a 21m³ slurry tank. Plans to produce a twin-axle version of the newer tripleaxle VT7138 were eventually shelved after Vredo decided it was a tad too powerful and expensive for…

Lely delivered the two Astronaut A5 milking robots to the DLG test centre at Groß-Umstadt, Germany. The three-day test took place in mid-2021 with a Lely engineer on hand to ensure the units were operated properly. The standard spec, double-box was using the software version 1.8, which features ISO recognition, meters two types of concentrate and liquid feed and has intermediate cluster cleaning with steam and the ‘Hotfill’ water mixing valve. The Atlas Copco SF4 FF compressor with diaphragm drier supplied the compressed air to both of the A5 robots. Measuring scheme The tests were carried out using UHT milk (3.5% fat), with the measurement standards developed for automatic milking systems following a precise time plan and procedure. Each milking session started with opening and closing the stall gate and…

Weaving sells its used drills with a year’s warranty and on farm set up. All used drills are fully prepared with new wearing parts and will have any necessary repairs carried out prior to sale. Drills sold through a third party will need a check before buying. The simplicity of these drills makes this a relatively easy task but ensure the drill can be opened out so you can look for damage and general wear. It is not unusual for these drills to be worked fast and hard behind a tractor of higher power than necessary. The factory will know the history of most drills sold in the UK, so a call with the drill’s serial number should enable you to glean a bit more about its past. This may…

Claas has been marketing the current Orbis maize header up to a 7.5m working widths since 2019, and now offers models of up to 9.0m, with the launch in autumn 2020 of the Orbis 900 (profi 7/2021). Compared to the predecessor series, the main features of the latest Orbis models include a flatter cutting angle and the new sickle disc type of knives. Back at the beginning of July 2021, in a field rye at the milky/soft grain stage, we were able to test the header’s ability in wholecrop silage, as an option for those who perhaps have only small areas of wholecrop to do and cannot justify a dedicated header. For a comparison with the 7.45m wide Orbis, we also used Claas’s specialist wholecrop head, the 6.0m Direct Disc…

Friends, readers and those who simply like to scoff at my antics, it's time I came clean and told you all that I have been having an affair. Yes, I've been unfaithful to my tractors, spanners and sheep, and have been busying myself most Fridays with an exhilarating and addictive new activity — making money working for someone else. It has been a revelation. To some, being your own boss may sound ideal, but the reality is greater responsibilities and stress. There is a lot to be said for, at least one day a week, letting someone else make the big decisions, leaving you to crack on with tasks you enjoy. For me, those tasks have been mainly fabrication, and due to the boss being an old friend I am…

The Krone BaleCollect big bale accumulator can now automatically deposit square bales at right angles along pre-set virtual lines across the direction of travel. Benefits of the new GPS controlled system include faster more efficient collection, less field traffic and operator hassle. Previously, operators had to manually activate the bale discharge function, which the company reckons makes it difficult to deposit bales in perfect straight lines. All the operator needs to do with the new system is drive around the field boundary recording up to five A-B lines along which bales will automatically be dropped off. The BaleCollect accumulator collects up to three 1.2m-wide or up to five 80cm-wide bales.…

With a variable working width of 12.4 to 13.4m (in combination with a front FC 3125DF or FC 3525DF), the FC 13460RA is the widest mower-conditioner so far from Kuhn. Sitting above the FC 9330RA (9.3m) mounted mower conditioner combination, the new flagship weighs around 7.5t. Adjusted using the tractor’s ISObus, the frame suspension system exerts a constant pressure to follow ground contours. This, and flotation tyres, is said to reduce soil compaction. The telescopic axle increases clearance, which makes it easier to form a wider and more evenly shaped swaths from 1.8 and 3.0m. Operated using the CCI800 or optional CCI1200, alternatively, an ISObus compatible on-board terminal can be used. Most functions can be controlled using the CC1 A3 joystick. Folding to a transport width of 3.0m and a…

It is not far from 30 years since Krone launched the first Big Pack at Agritechnica 1993. In the intervening years, the North German company has developed a market lead in this segment, launching innovations to include MultiBale (profi 9/2004), high-density HDP balers (profi 1 0/2007), B ale C ollect and more. To meet the ever-increasing demands in terms of throughput and density, plus easier operation and reliability, Krone has refined its latest Big Pack balers, with some developments having been adopted across the range from the current HighSpeed models (profi 7/2013). Other changes include using tried and tested components from the highdensity HDP II and Big Pack Xtreme, the latter having been purpose developed for baling sugar cane straw in South America. Which brings us to the latest developments.…

Uncluttered … that’s the first impression of APV’s latest grass harrow, which is hitting the market this season. We were able to operate the prototype late last year to obtain a first impression of the revised design. The main frame is now slimmer; in fact it has been redesigned from head to toe, from the front hitch to the running gear at the back. As part of the process, the three-section rear (left/middle/right) roller has been replaced with a two section set-up for consolidation. The running gear has shifted to behind the roller and swings up and out of work when in the field. The advantage of this design change is that it increases what used to be a very low hitch load when in the transport position. Better weight…

If you've been on the look-out for a 6.0m precision seeder with a folding frame and pneumatic seeding units in Kverneland guise, then previously you'd have had to settle for the PH frame. As good as it was, it couldn’t carry the firm's high-speed SX seeder units. And that's why the engineering team at Kverneland has come up with the Optima F. Along with a beefier main frame, the new F development includes other updates such as tractor attachment, combination options and optional hydraulic ballasting system of the units. The frame can also accommodate the HD-II vacuum-based seeding units instead of the SX units. With these changes, the seeder is designed for planting maize at speeds of up to 10km/hr versus 18km/hr with the SX units. Cat III added to…

The milking robot test delivers a vast amount of data. To evaluate this in the light of reallife situations — as we do in the profi Powermix tractors tests — we have developed four scenarios under the leadership of Dr Jan Harms from the Bavarian State Institute for Agriculture and Industry. These scenarios simulate the consumption rates of Automated Milking Systems (AMS) in four real-life farming situations. Scenario 1 shows the consumption rates in an AMSoptimised farm, while Scenario 2 is at the other end of the scale and poorly organised. Scenario 3 is an average farm, whereas Scenario 4 illustrates how low you can get the consumption figures if management and stock are at the top of their game. SCENARIO 1 The optimised AMS farm Scenario 1 is the…

Today’s wide-boom sprayers control their booms pretty well. But the tougher the terrain and the faster the forward speed, the more a conventional mechano-hydraulic system can struggle to maintain a reasonable nozzle-crop distance. Consistency here obviously matters in terms of drift and targeting, while wayward booms only increase operator stress and potentially at least, maintenance costs. Highend sprayers may come with ultrasonic-based levelling or offer the option, but that’s not much help with older models. Step in, Topcon. Its acquisition of Norac back in 2015 added expertise in ultrasonics, and soon after marketed the Norac UC7 kit for retrofit. To see what’s involved we followed a typical installation, in this case on a 30m mounted Kverneland IXter B18. An AEF-certified ISObus controller then uses their input to maintain a pre-set…

“profi’s hints and tips for the workshop are fantastic. In fact everything you read teaches you something new.” Pete & Rich Burbage: P & R Burbage contractors; Northampton “I’ve been subscribing to profi for the last 15 years because it keeps me up to date with modern technology and we refer to it when we are buying machinery.” Mark Riddle, John Rowsell Ltd Winchester, Hampshire “We’ve used hundreds of profi’s tips and ideas on the farm in the 18 years I’ve been subscribing. For me, profi is fantastic value for money.” Richard Guilder: Operator; Grays “profi’s independent information helped us decide which tractor was best for our farm.” David Fuller-Shapcott: Arable farmer; Kelso, Scottish Borders DRIVEN TESTED RATED Subscribe online at profi.co.uk or tel: +44 (0) 1959 543…

Sales of mounted sprayers had been falling in recent years - to the extent that those of trailed machines actually overtook them in 2018. But the market trend has not stopped manufacturers introducing new models and technology that raises their capacity and capability, which could signal a resurgence. The established pros and cons still exist: PROS: Larger tanks – both front and back – mean the capacity of many models now match mainstream trailed and even smaller-self propelled models. Technology levels now match those of mainstream models, offering similar output and accuracy of application. Manoeuvrability remains a big plus, with moving between fields and on headlands and in field corners being much simpler than with trailed models. CONS: Hitching and un-hitching has traditionally been slower for mounted machines than trailed,…

We’ve made eight changes to this picture of a John Deere 7280 R tractor cab. Simply locate our changes and then mark them on the gridline picture at the bottom of the page. Submit your answers (A1, B2, C3, for example) via our website profi.co.uk by the 14th June 2022 and we’ll pick one correct entry at random. Don’t get too competitive — it’s just for fun! The differences spotted in last issue’s picture of a Kerner Eros EA 300 drill were correctly identified by: Sandra Chapman, Newton Longville, Bucks. Congratulations! THE DIFFERENCES WERE IN THE FOLLOWING SQUARES: B-D2/3, C8, C/D6, E4, E6, E8, H4, GH5 ORIGINAL NEW YOUR ANSWERS To submit your answers, please visit profi.co.uk and look for the Competition tab.…

The new side panel is the most visible change on the latest version of the Case IH RB344 fixed-chamber round baler. With top hinges and gas strut supports, the new wide opening side panel is said to improve service and maintenance access. It also protects spare rolls of net wrap. Rubber bumpers on both sides of the tailgate’s frame ensure that it closes quietly, and the front lights have been repositioned. The higher-quality drive chains.with.chromised pins and hardened plates used to drive the stripper roll, bale chamber, floor roll and pick-up are said to reduce maintenance costs. Main drive, stripper roll, and drive side rotor bearings have also been upgraded with seals that prevent dust contamination. There are two models: the RB344F Rotor Feeder and RB344R Rotor Cutter. Producing 120x125cm…

Double knotters tie a secure knot, but they have a problem. They cut off the twine ends, these then dropping to the ground. New Holland developed its LoopMaster system to resolve this on its balers (profi 6/2020) and now Krone has come up with its own solution, the new V-knotter. Manufactured by Rasspe, the V in the name relates to the V-shaped slot in the bill hook (purple in the diagram). This enables the hook to pull the twine loop downwards and off the knotter, doing away with the need to cut it. The new design has the knife (dark brown) arranged down behind the twine disc (green). The actual knife lever (light brown) is fitted with a twine puller (yellow). When the needle places the two threads over the…

What springs to mind when you think of JCB’s Fastrac? Comfort for sure, along with safety on the road and versatility, however, operator controls have long been a missing piece of the jigsaw. This has become ever more pertinent with the introduction of Valtra’s Smart Touch, Fendt’s FendtOne, Deere’s Command Pro and CNH’s latest generation of configurable controls. Hoping to woo operators into the British built tractor, JCB’s design team confined its dated joystick and small screen to the factory museum and sought out farmers and contractors to see what their ideal control setup would be. Labelled Icon, the new design has taken almost four years to develop and is centred around a new customisable control setup and large colour touchscreen. ISObus and GPS autosteer integration through the terminal is…

Kuhn has gradually expanded its short disc range, and its latest recruits are the wide working Optimer L9000 and L12000, which cover 9.0m and 12m on each respective pass. Like the other Kuhn Optimer models, these use either a 510mm diameter scalloped or serrated disc on a 16º angle and 6º pitch for working depths of 3-10cm. The discs spin on maintenance-free bearings, have a 15cm spacing with their neighbour and rely on clamped rubber cord for overload protection. Clearance under the frame is 81cm so blockages shouldn’t be an issue. Turning on the roller When you get to the headland the cultivator is carried on the castor steering gauge wheels at the front and the rear roller, the road-going running gear remaining clear of the ground. The 400/60 x…

Higher energy prices have an instant impact on dairy farmers. But, as one, do you know how much electricity you're using for milking? To help all dairy farmers get a better grasp of how much water and electricity milking robots demand, the DLG, together with a number of automatic milking system firms, the Bavarian Institute for Agriculture as well as profi, devised a test to answer this question. Back in 2014, three years after first discussing the idea, the first machine was tested. Lely was the first to take the plunge with its A4 Astronaut (profi 9/2015). Depending on the farm scenario (low-high milkers etc) electricity consumption ranged between 2.3 and 3.6kWh per 100l of milk, while water use was in the region of 26 to 46l. In 2019, we…

No apologies for covering two different drill types in one article. Weaving tine drills are not complex and the differences between the Tine and Sabre drills are easily explained. Further, the company has not made year on year spec changes to these drills, meaning their evolution is easy to summarise. There are a few specification points to consider, but even these are not complex to grasp. Mounted Tine drills First introduced in 2004, the Weaving pneumatic Tine drill is offered in 3.0, 4.0, 4.8, 5.0 and 6.0m working widths with the 6.0m Tine 6M the most likely used find. All are Cat II fully mounted seed only drills, with a choice of pto or, less commonly, hydraulic driven fan with land wheel driven mechanical metering. Later 2009 drills were offered…

ULTRASONIC AND TILT SENSORS 30m booms on this mounted Kverneland IXter B18 called for the Total Control option. Five height sensors bolt on the front of the boom, two on each side and one in the centre. The outer sensors should be mounted as far away from the carriage as possible, but not on the breakback tip sections. You may be able to use the supplied universal brackets; if not, drilling will be needed where no holes exist. If you need to fabricate custom brackets, design and place them so that ultrasonic pulses won’t be reflected from either the bracket, boom or spray liquid. Look at the kit’s standard brackets to see the principle. Route the sensor leads alongside existing lines: this makes sure they won’t be stretched or pinched…

Autumn in Wisconsin, USA, the trees have started changing to shades of oranges and browns, and the days become shorter, often wetter and foggier. This is also the time when cranberries ripen, with the harvest of these delicious berries running from September to October. But let’s start from the beginning. Bushes taking a dive Cranberries grow on bushes that creep along the ground. At Lake Nokomis Cranberry Farm, they grow in basin-like fields. They bloom in June and then form thick, red berries from tender buds that ripen until autumn. There are two ways of harvesting cranberries: the first is ‘dry harvesting’ in which the berries are picked by hand from the bushes; the other method is ‘wet harvesting’, which is also practised at Lake Nokomis Cranberry Farm. In fact,…