Table of contents for April 2022 in Profi

For this month’s Mr Grumpy soapbox I would like to urge manufacturers and distributors alike to cease using the term ‘press partner’ or ‘press colleague’. Perhaps this is one of those things that marketing graduates are being told will help nurture a closer relationship with the press, but the second my eyes scan this opening introduction, my finger is quickly hovering over the delete key. We are not in that sort of relationship, well certainly not here at profi international, so stop it, stop it now. Right, now that is off my chest we can move on to other things. Recently a profi reader on Twitter asked why is it that manufacturers do not have a simple button in the cab or key fob that you can press when walking…

The 10,000th M7 tractor recently left the line at Kubota’s French plant at Bierne near Dunkirk. Developed in 2014, production of the threemodel (130-170hp) range started autumn 2015. The first series was the M7001 (M7131/130hp), M7151/150hp) and M7171/170hp. Previewed at the 2017 Agritechnica the 7002 range (M7132, M7152 and M7172) was in production in 2018. This was followed by the current Stage V M7003 models (M7133, M7153 and M7173). Launched at Agritechnica 2019, the first units were in production early 2020. The M7 is marketed in 32 countries, including Europe, North America, Australia, and Japan.…

TürkTraktör has reached the milestone number of one million tractors. A joint venture between Koç Holding and CNH Industrial, the Turkish manufacturer makes tractors for New Holland, Case IH and Steyr. The one-millionth unit to leave the line was a special-edition New Holland TR5.110 – part of the TR range specially developed for Turkey. Tractors, engines (600,000+ so far) transmissions, axles and many other parts are produced in-house at facilities in Ankara (25ha) and Sakarya Erenler (40ha). The production capacity of the two plants is 50,000 tractors per year and the two sites also supply parts to other CNH Industrial sites. The Turkish manufacturer produced a record 25,335 tractors during the first six months of 2021 (34,937 total for full year in 2020). More than 80% of production is exported to…

Available with a trio of gearbox options; powershift, TTV (CVT) and RVshift (20x16) automatic powershift, the rated output of the 3.6-litre Deutz TCD Stage V (DOC/DPF/SCR) block in the new fourcylinder 6C series is 6115C (114hp), 6125C (123hp) and 6135C (136hp). Maximum powers with boost are 126hp, 136hp and 143hp respectively. Fuel tank capacity is 160 litres (AdBlue 12 litres). The standard load-sensing hydraulics deliver 90l/min (120l/min option). Standard rear lift capacity is 5.0t (7.0t option). Front linkage lift capacity is 3.0t and the rear tyre size is 480/70 R34. The wheelbase is 2.48m (powershift) and 2.51m (TTV/RVshift). Cab and front axle suspension are optional. Scan now to get our weekly news email…

If you’re on a bit of a budget but looking for some well-built grassland equipment, eastern Europe increasingly offers some options well worth considering. Polish maker Talex’s diverse range of grassland products now includes the Sprinter 1500 round bale wrapper tested here, which hit the market last season. An entry-level wrapper, the machine features a pre-stretch assembly that wraps 1.20m and 1.50m diameter bales weighing up to 1.1t. Issues getting hitched First up, we needed to couple our test Sprinter 1500 to its partner tractor, a John Deere 6130R, and here we hit a hitch with the hitch. The wrapper’s drawbar has a pin-and-hole system on which the height of the hitch ring can be adjusted to ensure it is as horizontal as possible to the tractor hitch point. However,…

When we looked at the Samasz KDD912 mower in our 4/2021 practical test, we were happy enough with the unit's in-field performance and overall build quality. But, while the price was equally attractive, the one detractor was that the machine just didn’t look the part with its bulky frame and plethora of springs. Well, all of that changes with the introduction of the side-mounted XT. So far there are just the two working widths, 3.40m and 3.90m in the form of the aptly designated XT340 and XT390. However, the Polish machinery maker says it will be using the same central pivot/hydraulic suspension set-up on smaller working widths as well as a new variant with a conditioner. We can also imagine the same or a similar design being employed in a…

We could have made life easier by simply selecting a single size of baler from the Krone Big Pack range. A good call would have been the 1270, these models producing, as the number suggests, a 120x70cm bale at lengths of between 1.0 to 2.70m. Although it was among the top Big Pack sellers over the past couple of decades, the 1270 is now being outsold by its ‘Bigger brother’, the 1290, which yes you guessed it, pumps out a larger 120x90cm bale that suits a growing number of ‘big bale’ users and customers. This is not to overlook the smaller 870 and 890 models that produce 80x70cm and 80x90cm bales respectively or the 4x4 with is 120x130cm bales. The latter continue to enjoy limited regional/sector sales. As all these…

Grassland kit comes in many forms — rollers, tines and chain harrows — but as with any machine there's always room for improvement. Here, several owners describe how they've modified their machines, such as by adding running gear to a land roller, making it easier to get from A to B. Other mods include a front-mounted grass harrow, complete with levelling bar, and a reseeder made from a drill. If you have any of your own examples, why not share them by contacting the editor — profi.ed@kelsey.co.uk Big gauge wheels The 6.0m Einböck harrow would start to bounce when operating at speed, so its owner treated it to a pair of leading castor gauge wheels. These are bolted to the frame on the outer wings. The wheels were sourced from…

Dammit. After professing the merits of value-formoney workshop tool procurement, I have finally weakened and become the owner of a set of Gucci spanners. Although acquired second-hand for a third of the new price, I still think I’ve messed up — I don’t want to use them, they’re too nice. But don’t worry, a few skinned knuckles will no doubt ensure their swift promotion to front-line duties. You see, these particular spanners were bought to make my life easier, owing to two distinct features: their extralong length for leverage and a non-slip open jaw for triumphing over the corroded. When you find yourself contorted deep in the bowels of a machine, expensive tools that just work can suddenly seem like money well spent. Snap-on was not my first brand of…

Docks are nothing if not tenacious. As someone said: “Dig ‘em up, burn ‘em, and the smoke will grow.” Over in Bavaria this endearing quality is a problem for livestock farmers, not just for dock’s unpalatability to cattle but also because a local area-based payment depends on a raft of conservation measures – which includes a ban on blanket-spraying grassland. Automation up, inputs down With this in mind, mechatronics students Andreas Breher and Simon Cordella produced a camera-controlled spot sprayer. They called it the RumboJet, pairing the dock’s Genus (Rumex) with Jet (as in fan nozzle) and adding a nod to Boeing. Before it came along, docks on the Cordella family’s 40ha grass were spot-sprayed by hand, a lengthy pastime and a bit hit-and-miss on application rate. Blanket spraying would…

Located in Lancashire’s Lune Valley, the Towers family at Brades Farm milk 280 Holstein Friesians and 160 Jersey cows, with milk processed off farm and sold direct to specialist barista coffee shops which require milk high in protein and butterfat. Having relied on Conder’s harvesting service for the last decade or so, Edd Towers annually cuts about 485ha grass silage over four cuts, and is using the NIR sensor’s data to make better informed decisions for their business. “Previous to our contractor running the crop sensor, we had no accurate way of measuring what was coming off the field and going into the clamp. A lot of it was guesswork and gut feeling, followed by the subjective drivel of ‘ooh that’s a good crop’. “Data recorded is the first big…

As a profi subscriber, your many benefits include….. “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 Subscribe and save! What our…

PRACTICAL TEST AGCO Ideal 9T Sold by both Fendt and Massey, the Ideal 9T impressed in our season-long test. Read all about this monster in the May issue. DRIVING IMPRESSION Ford Transit Custom Trail Ford’s Transit Custom Trail gains a limited-slip diff and roughty-toughty Ranger-style grille. But do these subtle changes make the Trail better suited to life on farm? WORKSHOP Choosing a 3D printer Feeling inspired by some of the creations in last month’s 3D printer article? Then don’t miss our tips on hardware choice. DRIVING IMPRESSION Bobcat TL34.65HF Featuring an entirely new cab, do Bobcat’s latest R Series handlers now provide the comfort to match their impressive performance capabilities? REPORT Muddy maize When we first visited Dutch contractor Koonstra, it was relying on a tracked TerraGator to get…

We’ve made eight changes to this picture of a Bressel and Lade silage grab. 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 22nd March 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 Deutz-Fahr Agrotron 6180P tractor cab were correctly identified by: Gordon Guley, Trowbridge, Wiltshire. Congratulations! THE DIFFERENCES WERE IN THE FOLLOWING SQUARES: A4, C6, C8, D5, D6, E7, E/F4, F9 To submit your answers, please visit profi.co.uk and look for the Competition tab.…

Designed to break up compaction, improve soil fertility and increase yields, the bodies on the new plough work at alternating depths. The channels created in every other furrow are filled with humous-rich topsoil. Developed in collaboration with the Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research, plant roots grow into deeper soil levels to access the water and nutrients retained there. Trial work shows that more than half of the humous introduced in this manner is retained to secure the long-term storage of CO2 in the soil and yield increases of up to 5.0% have been recorded even in the first year. The lower soil layers with little humous which are ploughed up in the process are mixed with the topsoil and form new humous-rich topsoil within a matter of only a few…

Hi-Spec Engineering has developed a new chassis-mounted dribble bar. With a working width of 7.5m, the 520kg weight of the unit is kept close to the tanker’s axle and a sprung breakback mechanism prevents damage to the arm in the event of a collision. The dribble bar has 30 flat hose outlets at 25cm spacing. Feed to each of the outlets is via a distributor with a stone trap and the design also allows for a splash plate and two 6-inch filling points. Requiring only one double-acting spool valve, it is operated using a diverter valve to switch between operating the arms and the distributor and gate valve. The galvanised frame folds to a transport width of 2.55m.…

The FC9330 RA draws on Kuhn’s past experience of rear butterfly mower-conditioners … but with a number of new features including merger belts. Getting hitched When it comes to the job of coupling up to the rear butterfly, there is a choice of Cat III and IVN brackets for the lift arms and top link. The drive shaft for the 1,000rpm pto set-up is sourced from Bondioli and Pavesi. Then it's just a matter of plugging in the electric line and load-sensing hydraulics. The front guards on the mowers automatically retract when the units are folded up, giving operators more space to access the rear of the tractor when hitching on and removal. The guards can also be flipped up when the mower units are in their work position with…

This is actually not the first time we have featured the semi-mounted rear butterfly. Back in the 9/2016 issue of profi we caught up with what was then the HiSpec Autocut RH980C, a machine that had been developed initially by engineer and agri contractor John Kennedy of Stealth Manufacturing. Incidentally, these two Irish businesses had already worked together on coming up with the Kompactor trailer. So, why the change? Slurry tankers and big push-off trailers are the main focus of HiSpec, but, literally based just down the road, Tanco had been looking to extend its product range beyond bale wrappers so took on the project. Over the intervening years, the machine has undergone several changes during its route to market. We caught up with one of the demonstrator combis late…

Big Pack 1270HS high speed models are increasingly available on the pre-owned market, with sound early models from around 2008 and with a bale count of not less than 70,000 hovering around £30,000 to £35,000 dependant upon condition and spec. These balers can make a great farm buy as they have excellent straw swath swallowing capacity behind a wide header combine. In level going you may find 250hp is enough up front but 300hp is preferable. A later, 2017 and on, 1270VC HS is a good option for those seeking a baler that can also handle forage, with 30,000 plus examples in dealer prepared condition starting at around £70,000 although you can pay near £80,000 for a baler that is in really good shape. Big Pack 870 and 890 models…

Contractors often make big buying decisions to meet the demands of their customers, however, this is not the case for Mark Conder and his two NIR crop sensors. “Back in 2018 our local John Deere dealer was making noise about their HarvestLab sensors,” says the Lancashire based contractor. “I’d already looked into them and made the switch to Deere foragers mainly to get the technology in our yard. “Previously we’d run Claas and Krone machines, and while they had impressive performance, the technology and connectivity side of things wasn’t in the same league. The Big X in particular could seriously chop grass, we ran a 700 and later 770, but both fell down to a number of reliability issues. Our tractors are all currently green and yellow, so everything links…

The Somerset headquarters (Gurney Slade near Radstock) of RECO JCB is open for business. With a JCB territory extending throughout Somerset, Dorset and Wiltshire, the new dealer, which does not carry any other franchises, is a joint venture between Redlynch Agricultural Engineering and Compass Tractors. Parts, servicing, repairs, machine sales and dedicated technicians are also available at the Compass Tractors location in North Petherton (Somerset), and Redlynch branches at Bruton (Somerset), Milborne St Andrew (Dorset) and Middle Woodford (Wiltshire).…

Monosem has offered fully electrically powered (FEP) planters since 2017. One of the main differences with the ValoTerra is its 56v on-board power system. Electricity to the planter’s motors is supplied by a pto-powered 5.6kW generator (no batteries are needed). Described as an improved version of the Monoshox system, the metering system on the ValoTerra is claimed to work accurately at 2.0km/hr faster speeds and only the seed disc needs changing when switching between crops, a task that takes less than a minute per row. Equipped with variable rate and section control, other new features include the FertiSmart fertiliser dosage system and the Monosem Plus app allows users to control individual metering units via a mobile device. Available in models from six-12 rows (4.2m-6.0m), individual row hoppers hold 70 litres (160,000…

Oliver Landpower has taken over the responsibility for sales and aftersales of JCB Agriculture products in the Essex area. This follows the end of the franchise contract between JCB and Tuckwells, which will not be renewed when it expires at the end of this year. Oliver’s, a JCB dealer for over 30 years, wishes to reassure customers in Essex that it will be covering the area and looking to establish a new dedicated depot offering sales, parts and service. “In the coming months we will be looking to acquire and set up a new depot centrally in the territory and recruit staff to operate from this facility, along with a portfolio of complementing machinery franchises,” comments Oliver managing director, Charlie Glenister. “In the meantime, any sales and aftersales requirements will be…

The Roll Baler 125 Combi has been steadily refined since our previous practical test with the New Holland baler back in 2014. Every year, little tweaks have been implemented to enhance output and make the controls more operator-friendly. The biggest change in this regard happened in 2016 with the introduction of the ISObus-compatible controls, allowing more adjustments to be carried out from the cab than the earlier, more Orkel-derived machine. But we'll explain a bit more about that later; first we need to get the baler onto the tractor. From the front Starting with the hitch, there is a choice of either clevis or spoon; our test machine had the former. The height of the slim drawbar can be altered with a bit of spannering on the threaded adjusters located…

So, Claas has a new range of four-rotor rakes with three different working widths to help satisfy the appetite of hungry self-propelled foragers. The Liner 4700 (9.30m to 12.70m) only comes in Trend spec, with reduced electronics, fewer sensors and direct hydraulic connection. Next up is the 4800 (9.30m to 13.60m), which comes with the full array of electro-wizardry - ie in 'Business' attire. The daddy in the range is the 4900 Business (10.10m to 15.00m). Novelties at a glance The trapezoidal central beam certainly stands out compared with the previous box section. The all-new design has a significantly larger cross-section for better stability and rigidity. According to Claas, the frame is made of high-strength steel, and houses the electronics as well as the hydraulic plumbing and valves. The cross…

A All models have autolube, but the system only works when kept charged with grease. Filled at the base via the red covered filler, the reservoir holds up to eight grease cartridges. A multipurpose lithium grease is preferred. If the container is empty, be wary. The lubrication system is not easy to inspect but a thorough inspection should pick up any pints that have not been lubed properly. B The pick-up bearings are wear items that are best checked when the drive is removed. Krone use a readily available bearing, with the specification stamped on the housing. C Krone boast of having no shear bolts in the driveline but there is one on the needle connecting rod, a sensor showing an alert on the in-cab control box / tractor display should it fail.…

Located in a predominantly dairy-based part of Lancashire, Mark Conder’s two foragers harvest some 3,640ha of silage annually, with customers ranging from two-to-four cuts of grass, plus maize and whole crop. Slurry spreading is a big slice of the workload, running three outfits on engine-driven pumps with radio controls to allow for one-person operation, if required. A 16,000litre slurry tanker shod on 750 floatation tyres is also in the fleet. Cultivations are taken care of from ploughing and combination drilling cereals, to grassland reseeds. Top tech is also seen on application equipment, with a 2,800 litre mounted spraying outfit and fertiliser spreader both sporting automatic section control. Rolling back the years, Mark set about his contracting career in the late 1990s going out buckraking silage on the family farm’s Massey…

At first, a clamp compacting roller seems a very simple machine with a straightforward design. Yet it’s the little things that make all the difference. We give you a few tips that may be as important as the price for choosing the proper compactor to suit your needs. Weight counters poor fermentation The purpose of these compactors is the fast compaction of a lot of silage in a single pass. Ultimately, the more compact that the silage is, the less oxygen can penetrate the clamp. With the exception of those companies using old train wheels (Kelvin Cave and Harbrook Engineering), the rest of the featured machines rely on 15-25mm wide steel rings that range from 110mm to 200mm in depth to penetrate the clamp surface. The heavier the frame and…