Table of contents for June 2020 in Profi

With the increasing cost of haulage, today’s balers need to be able to make the most of available trailer space which is why more and more makers are adding a higher density baler to their range. New Holland is the latest player with a 1.20m x 0.90m high-density baler with the aptly named BigBaler 1290 High Density. This is the same bale size as the previous top model the 1290 Plus but there has been a lot of engineering has gone on under those curvy new panels. Three highlights of the new square baler are the drive system, knotting and the running gear. Starting at the front, the new driveline has a two-stage powershift transmission which was jointly developed between CNH Industrial and Walterscheid to provide a smooth start up…

Founded in 2004, Hetwin has been making automated feeding systems since 2009. Up until now these have used an overhead rail system to guide them around building and provide the power. It is an approach which works fine if your stock is in one building but is less ideal when buildings are more spread out. This is one of the reasons why Hetwin has developed a battery powered wheeled version which should simplify installation and allow farms to make better use of the autonomous feeding system in multiple buildings. The mixer itself is a horizontal auger design allowing it to mix even small quantities for groups of less than 10 animals. As well as coping with smaller rations this auger design means the Aranom Cut and Mix can do just…

While Britain had County, Germany had Schlüter and in 1989 the Bavarian tractor maker announced its new ‘successor programme’ with the Euro-Trac deemed the tractor of the future. Indeed at the time the Mercedes star was still shining in tractor land but behind the scenes the cracks were already starting the show until the end finally came for the legendary MB-Trac in 1991. Other systems tractors such as the In-Trac which was sold together with he MB-Trac by Trac Technik Vertriebsgesellschaft never really managed to get established while closer to home JCB was still developing the Fastrac. So Schluter was setting itself up as the systems tractor of the time and move the business on from the Super Tracs which although had equal size wheel had not additional attachment points.…

Doubles not only mean wasted seed, but the planted crop also has to compete for light and nutrients, while gaps translate to a loss in yield and increased weed pressure in the non-drilled space. This explains why accurate section control on a straight and angled headland is so important. It is something we almost expect from precision planters and the technology is now starting to filter across to cultivator drills for cereals and pulses. Up until recently the onus has been on the operator to get the on/off timing just right and most will lean on the side of caution and prefer to over drill. The wider the drill the larger the overlap on a slanted headland. Even with manual section control it can be difficult to get the on/off…

First introduced in 1999, the Jumbo has been the flagship range in the Pöttinger portfolio for over 20 years. Rather aptly for the coming 2020 silage season the new 20 series is being introduced and as far as the UK and Ireland is concerned there are three models to choose from, the Combiline 34.3m3 6020L, 37.9m3 6620L and 41.5m3 7220L. For countries with much drier crops there is the 48.1m3 10020L. As before there is a choice of ‘L’ direct unload or ‘D’ dosing rotor versions. There are also two conventional wagon shape Jumbos, the 6620L and 8020L, but in the UK the Combiline is proving the slightly more popular option. The new range is more a case of subtle tweaks compared to the pictured prototype we had in our…

Mechanical weeding is an effective technique for non-chemical weed control but equipment needs careful selection and operation to be cost effective while maintaining crop yields. The Soil Association has investigated several options and runs field labs and other demonstrations, discussing the needs of both organic and conventional farming systems. Arable and soils adviser, Jerry Alford explains: “The choice of weeder depends on the crop and also the type of weed that you are targeting, which will also affect how and when you will use it.” Spring tine cultivators have been used for weeding for many years, and are best for cereals with their strong roots, rather than for more delicate peas or beans, he points out. “The harrow acts like a rake, with the continual movement of the tines flicking…

Implementing as many precautions as possible, Brown and Co were lucky enough to hold one of the last on-site sales on March 19th at Thorpland Lodge Farm in Thorpland, Norfolk. The sale included a full line up of arable equipment from the vendors, plus several lots from local farms and dealers. With only 780 hours on the clock, the leader of the sale was a 2018 John Deere 6155M with AutoQuad Plus transmission, cab suspension, TLS and wide tyres. It sold for £66,500. A very clean and low-houred Massey 5475 followed at £30,800, this entered lot dating from 2011 had just 2,520 hours and was complete with a full set of weights. The other Massey looking for a new home was a 6480 Dyna-6 with front and cab suspension, front…

The UX trailed sprayers were first introduced in 2005 with only minor tweaks until the next generation 01 hit the market in 2017. The big changes happened around the operator zone and the control system for the boom which instead of the traditional damping systems bristles with sensors and hydraulic features. Enough changes to warrant a closer look and one of our in-depth practical tests. The supplied test machine was a rather well kitted out UX4201 Super with a 4,200-litre rated tank and a 27m boom. The spec sheet included the Super L2 boom with ContourControl, SwingStop, 25cm nozzle spacing, an ISObus Comfort Pack, AmaTron4 Terminal with AmaPilot+ multi-function joystick, GPS-Switch, GPS-Track…. Another noteworthy feature is the load-sensing control which is available with an extended accumulator charging function which has…

The various tractor engineering and development teams are facing a dilemma. Today’s technology and digitalisation offer almost unlimited possibilities: GPS-steering, automatic documentation and intelligent machine control are just a few of the keywords her. At the same time more and more farms and contracting businesses must rely on temporary drivers who are increasingly overtaxed with this added technology. FendtOne is the solution from Marktoberdorf and will initially be added to the options list of the Stage V engine 700s and the 314 with the new Profi+ spec. To make things easy, if you are in the cab or at the office PC, tablet or smartphone you are always looking at the same interface using the Fendt Task Manager. This should simplify setting up ‘SmartFarming’ applications such as auto guidance, task…

Following last month’s steps our Magnum is now dismantled, cleaned and ready for paint on the plastic panels and the chassis. We left the trickier painting to a body repair company. They prepared all of the plastic parts and then sprayed them. The chassis was painted by another company who also helped with the rebuilding. Rather than opt for the original Magnum red we wanted the 7120 to look a little bit different so went with the special Viper Stryker which Case IH used to celebrate the 175th anniversary and was used on the special edition Puma 175 CVX. This is a three-coat pearlescent paint with this particular shade usually reserved for Dodge sports cars. The colour scheme for our anniversary Magnum has been adapted slightly from the original to…

Overseeding pasture or stitching in fresh seed to an aging sward will reward you with higher yields as well as improved energy and protein levels. It also means you can get back to the land quicker than if you went the full hog and ploughed or deep cultivated a field as the soil will be left softer and at risk of wheel ruts if conditions are less favourable when silage making. There are two main ways to stitch in new seed; broadcasting where the mixture is spread across the working width using a pneumatic drill and dispersed with a splash plate or alternative the other option is seed placement through a coulter. Both systems will more than likely rely on a pneumatic drill to distribute the seed, especially if the…

TRACTOR TEST Massey Ferguson 7718 Dyna-VT With 175hp under the bonnet and a stepless transmission, the Massey Ferguson 7718 Dyna-VT could be the ideal all-rounder. One user tells us his tractor has performed over 2,600 hours. PRACTICAL TEST Claas Liner 3600 rake With a working width of 9.90-12.50m, the Liner is the smaller of the two four-rotor rakes from Claas. See how it performed last season. PRACTICAL TEST Kverneland Optima TF ProfiSX precision drill Kverneland’s SX drill is made for fast paced precision drilling. We have been using an eight-row TF Profi to find out how accurate it is. Don’t miss out–make Subscribe online at www.profi.co.uk or call 01959 543 747 SPECIAL Trailed sprayer round up Thinking of buying a new trailed sprayer? We round up what your options are…