Harvestimes winter 2015 by CLAAS UK

HarvesTimes The Journal for Agricultural Professionals

Winter 2015

Latest LEXION 700

New AXION 870

XERION updates

New SHREDLAGE

Pages 6-7

Page 13

Pages 14-15

Page 21

www.claas.co.uk

Welcome

6-7

General News Farm Manager of the Year...................................................4 Southern England dealer rebrand .......................................4 Apprentice news .................................................................5

New Products Greater output for 2016 LEXION 700 ..................................6 VARIO and CERIO cutterbars..............................................7 New 295hp AXION 870 CMATIC .........................................13 ARION 400 updates ............................................................14 New XERION equipment ...............................................15-16 New Shredlage processor...................................................21 JAGUAR updates ................................................................21

Pre-series User Reports LEXION 770TT 17% fuel saving..........................................8

General Features CEMOS AUTOMATIC essential...........................................9 Higher capacity TUCANO 570 ...........................................10 Versatile AXION 950 ............................................................16 Cost saving ARION 650 ......................................................17 Impressive ARION 640 ........................................................18

Welcome to the Winter issue of HarvesTimes. Firstly, a quick reminder to combine customers that our Early Action Finance Scheme closes on 30th November. If you are considering buying a new combine for 2016, do take advantage of the Early Action campaign which offers you the very best prices on a new combine. Please talk to your local CLAAS dealer today as terms will change from 1st December.

Jeremy Wiggins Sales and Marketing Manager, CLAAS UK

Also, a reminder that Basic Payment Scheme payments will start on December 1st. For many this will be a crucial boost to cash flow, enabling investment in new machinery, and to help you with your buying decision on any machinery purchase please talk to CLAAS FINANCE who can offer a variety of tailor made finance options to suit your business model. On the product front for 2016 we have a number of exciting new features on our flagship LEXION and JAGUAR ranges, all engineered to increase efficiency, productivity and profitability. CLAAS has also recently acquired a licence for SHREDLAGE (see page 21), an innovative processing technology for conditioning long cut maize maximising surface area, improving bacterial fermentation and improving digestion in the rumen of the cow, which will be of particular interest to our forager customers. CLAAS worldwide continue to perform above expectation in what is currently a nervous market, and the opening of the new manufacturing plant in Russia is a significant step towards CLAAS’ desire to open up new gateways for agricultural development across the globe (see page 23). Closer to home, our CLAAS UK dealer network has also undergone some changes over the past few months as a result of expansion of the businesses to multi branch concerns and the growth of the product portfolio. More details can be found on page 4.

Golden Oldies

CLAAS UK are never standing still and our plans for LAMMA are already well in place. We look forward to seeing you there or at one of the many other regional shows and events across the UK and Ireland over the coming months.

48 years of CLAAS combines .............................................11 Unique RETROMAT.............................................................12 CLAAS combine number 30................................................12

Thank you for our continued support and I wish you and your family the very best for 2016.

EASY and Precision Farming

Kind regards

Latest S7 and S10 steering terminals .................................19 Press button turning............................................................19 Easy to use S10 ..................................................................20

World News 300,000th ROLLANT baler ..................................................22 Tractors to go on sale in Finland .........................................22 New Krasnodar combine factory ........................................23 Agritechnica news ...............................................................23

Jeremy Wiggins Sales and Marketing Manager, CLAAS UK Ltd Follow CLAAS on our official Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/yourclaas

All the latest images and videos of CLAAS machinery can be found on the official CLAAS YouTube channel at YourCLAAS

Scan the QR code with your smart phone to connect to the CLAAS UK website

www.claas.co.uk

General News

Farm Manager of the Year Congratulations to Tim Hassell, who won the 2015 Farmers Weekly ‘Farm Manager of the Year’ category, sponsored by CLAAS. Tim is farm manager of the 1,375ha Home Farm on the Goodwood Estate in West Sussex. Here he manages 23 full and part-time staff and the main enterprises on the organic farm include 200 Dairy Shorthorns, 1,400 ewes, 400 beef cattle, 50 Sussex sucklers and 45 breeding sows. Tim has built-up a profitable business and looks to add value to his product and be a real price-maker. To this end, he aims to achieve a 25-30% gross margin on every product he sells. In addition to selling produce to the estate for use in its hotel, restaurants and events, such as the Festival of Speed, visitors to other shows will be quite familiar with the Goodwood catering vans selling high quality burgers. To meet demand three cattle, eight pigs and 12 lambs a week are processed by the Home Farm butchery which, in addition to other products, makes 50,000 burgers and 100,000 sausages every year. The farm’s products are also found in a wide range of high-end retailers in London, including Fortnum & Mason and the Ritz. Tim faced strong competition from runners-up Mark Wood and Robin Asquith. During his 12 years at Fawley Court in Herefordshire, Mark Wood has overseen the growth of the

CLAAS UK CEO Trevor Tyrrell (left) with winning farm manager Tim Hassell, Farmers Weekly editor Karl Schneider and awards compère Hugh Dennis.

estate from 245ha to its current 1000ha. Mark is a keen advocate of the benefits of precision farming and caring for the environment, having reintroduced grey partridge, and by changing the rotation has reduced soil run-off into the River Wye. Robin Asquith is operations manager of The Hayshed Experience in the North Yorks Moors, a 35ha working farm that helps those who have either mental health issues, or a learning or physical disability. Since he joined the farm in 2012, Robin has managed to increase the number of placements from 17 to 53 and consequently increased farm production. Robin has also been an inspiration to all those involved with and helped by The Hayshed. Do you know someone who could be a 2016 Award winner? For further information on how to nominate someone for the 2016 Farmers Weekly awards, please visit the awards website http://awards.fwi.co.uk/nominate/

CLAAS re-brand for south of England dealerships CLAAS has introduced a new branding and business structure for its dealers in the south of England, reflecting their expansion into multi-branch businesses, covering wider geographical areas. It’s also an indicator of the growing product offering as CLAAS has grown from purely being a harvesting machinery manufacturer to becoming a full-line supplier. In the south east of England, Southern Harvesters Ltd has been renamed CLAAS Southern Ltd and will trade from two of the existing branches in Kent and Sussex. These have been rebranded SOUTHERN Ashford and SOUTHERN Petworth. Following the retirement of Howard Pullen, Russell Hallam has been appointed Sales Director and Thomas Hancock has been appointed as the new After-Sales Director. The Southern Harvesters branch at Cane End near Reading and its staff have been transferred to Oliver Agriculture Ltd and will now trade as OLIVERS Reading.

Western Harvesters Ltd has also changed business name to CLAAS Western and its existing branches have been rebranded WESTERN Dorchester, WESTERN Frome, WESTERN Evesham and WESTERN Marlborough. The company has moved into Hampshire having acquired the

Southern Harvesters Hampshire branch and its staff, and now trades as WESTERN Winchester. Another development for CLAAS WESTERN has been the relocation of the long established Mill Engineers branch at Bibury, which has moved to new purpose-built premises alongside Cirencester cattle market. This will trade as WESTERN Cirencester, part of the CLAAS Western business. Heading the sales team as Sales Director for WESTERN Winchester, WESTERN Frome and WESTERN Dorchester is Rob Iddeson. Will Greenway will continue as Sales Director for the WESTERN Cirencester, WESTERN Marlborough and WESTERN Evesham branches, with Steve McCahill assuming the role of overall After Sales Director for CLAAS Western. The new purpose built WESTERN CIRENCESTER branch alongside Cirencester cattle market, just off the A419.

General News

24 new Technician and Parts Apprentices 24 new students have joined the CLAAS Agricultural Apprenticeship scheme. Of these, 19 are studying to be Agricultural Technicians and 5 are training for the new Parts apprenticeship created last year.

The five new CLAAS Parts Reaseheath apprentices are: Jack Archer (RICKERBY), Zak Bright and Charlie Tustin (both CLAAS WESTERN); Harriet Simpson and James MacCallum (both MARSH). Joining the Agricultural Technician apprenticeship are: Tobias Weeks-Baker and Robert Wheeler (both CLAAS WESTERN); Jack Brinkley, Toby Gardiner, Robbie Spurgeon, Bradley Frazer and James Walsh (all MANNS); Ben Cherry (KIRBYS); Euan Hollamby (CLAAS SOUTHERN); Greg Harries (RIVERLEA); Tobias Piessel (OLIVERS); Connor Heath (SHARNFORD TRACTORS) and Benjamin Harper (MORRIS CORFIELD). With them from CLAAS UK are Kelly Flack - Apprenticeship and Placement Coordinator, Sarah Steggall HR Manager, Michael Ives – Parts Specialist and Trainer and Andrew Dunne – Academy Manager.

Of the 24 students who come from CLAAS dealerships throughout the UK and Ireland, 18 will be conducting their training at Reaseheath in Cheshire, and the remaining six from the North of England, Scotland and Ireland will be studying at SRUC Barony. The 19 students studying for the CLAAS Agricultural Technician Apprenticeship at Reaseheath and Barony will work towards achieving the Extended Diploma in Landbased Technology over the next three years. This high level vocational qualification is designed to meet the Government’s calling for training programmes that meet employer’s needs.

Studying at SRUC Barony are: Lawrence Ewart and Alexander Watson (both RICKERBY), Ben Hyslop from GORDONS and Scott McLaren from SELLARS. From Ireland are Jamie Moore Stewart (ERWINS) and Gavin Whelan (LEINSTER FARM MACHINERY). With them from CLAAS UK are Brian Wain (left), Customer Services Manager; Kelly Flack (far right), Apprenticeship and Placement Coordinator and Andrew Dunne, Academy Manager.

CLAAS launched the Parts (Sales and Marketing) Apprenticeship last year in order to bring into the industry the next generation of young, knowledgeable and experienced parts personnel. This is also based at Reaseheath The CLAAS Agricultural Apprenticeship is provided by IMI Awards, who have worked in conjunction with CLAAS. Over the course of their apprenticeship, the Apprentices will be continuously assessed for their competence and skills, using both work-based evidence and e-portfolios.

The six new Service Engineers who recently graduated from the Reaseheath based CLAAS Apprenticeship course are: Andrew Fry, Joseph Anson and Tom Holloway (all CLAAS Western), Thomas Durrant (OLIVERS) and Jack Last and Daniel Poole (who is missing from the photograph) who are both from MANNS.

Both sets of Apprentices may also be selected to visit the CLAAS Group headquarters in Harsewinkel, Germany. They will also spend time training within CLAAS UK headquarters, at Saxham in Suffolk, giving them an insight into the size and scale of CLAAS, a global company employing in excess of 11,000 people. In their final, fourth year, the Technician Apprentices will also undertake additional advanced technical and industry training, so that by the time they qualify they will be eligible for LTA 2 status.

14 CLAAS students from the north of England, Scotland and Ireland, were recently presented with their Graduation Certificates having completed the CLAAS Agricultural Technician Apprenticeship. They are: Robbie Johnstone, Kyle Sutherland, Peter Janoch, Craig Geals and Lewis Thomson, who are all from SELLARS. Jake Green, Ronan Atkinson, Jamie Tait and Ian Grieve are all from RICKERBY. Jamie Clark and Colin McKinnon are both from GORDONS. From Ireland, Shane Harrington and Michael Lyons are both with QUIGLEYS and Simon Hall is from ERWINS.

New Products - Combines

LEXION 700 product page LEXION 700 range video 4D cleaning animation Automatic Crop Flow animation Special Cut animation Power Spreader animation

Increased throughput potential from LEXION 700 When launched in 1996, the LEXION set a completely new standard for combine harvester productivity and 20 years later, the current LEXION 700 and 600 ranges still set the standard for high output, cost effective harvesting performance. 2016 will see the LEXION 700 range further evolve with the introduction of a number of new features and improvements to the cleaning and residual grain separation systems, the straw chopper and electronics. Performance enhancing features previously only available on top-of-the-range models have also been rolled-out further down the range. The LEXION 700 range has also been increased with the addition of a new hillside MONTANA version of the LEXION 750, which like the larger LEXION 760 MONTANA will automatically self-level on slopes of up to 17 degrees. Tier 4f engine power Under the bonnet of the top-of-the-range LEXION 780 and 770 models are the latest state-of-the-art 15.6 litre Mercedes engines, with maximum power outputs of 625hp and 585hp respectively. LEXION 750 and 740 models are fitted with a 10.7 litre engine and the LEXION 760 uses a 12.5 litre Perkins engine. All are TIER 4f compliant. Until now, DYNAMIC COOLING has only been available on the LEXION 780/770/760, but from this year will now also be fitted on the LEXION 750 and 740. With DYNAMIC COOLING, a variable fan drive only ever provides the cooling output that is actually required by the machine, which helps save up to 20hp. The DYNAMIC COOLING package incorporates a charge-air pressure cooler, hydraulic fluid cooler and engine radiator that, complete with the variable fan and a 1.60m diameter filter, lie horizontally behind the engine in order to achieve a larger surface area. 6

This draws clean air from above the combine into the radiator, and is then forced downwards over the engine, before exiting through louvers in the side of the engine bay. This creates a curtain of air that flows down the side of the combine to actively prevent dust rising. This not only ensures that clean air is being continuously drawn into the engine, but that the whole engine bay area is cleaner, so reducing maintenance time. HYBRID threshing and 4D cleaning To ensure that the HYBRID threshing system can work at maximum capacity, especially when on sloping ground, CLAAS has developed the new 4D cleaning system. This takes the current 3D system a stage further by adding two new components - a slope dependent rotor cover plate control and automatic fan control. Combines fitted with 4D cleaning feature an extra pair of rotor cover plates (bomb doors) fitted to the ROTO PLUS rotors, which are divided in With 4D two. These are automatically adjusted according to the lateral and longitudinal angle of the combine, but with the current separation and cleaning output also taken into account. As the combine angle changes, the cover plate on the up-hill side of the rotor is automatically opened or closed. When the combine is working directly up or down the

Without 4D

New Products - Combines slope, the 4D system will also automatically adjust the JETSTREAM fan speed dependent on the angle, reducing the wind speed when working uphill and increasing the speed on the way down, in addition to adjusting the lower sieve. 4D will help reduce losses when working on hillsides, provide increased cleaning capacity and help avoid the returns from being overloaded. If required the operator can manually shutoff the 4D system using the CEBIS terminal, and when fitted to the combine 4D is also fully integrated into CEMOS AUTOMATIC. To accommodate the potential increased capacity possible due to the higher engine power and the 4D system, the top-of-therange LEXION 780 now features a larger, 13,500-litre capacity grain tank. The discharge rate from the tank is 130 litres/second, which means that the tank can be emptied in less than two minutes. New chopper and residue management The new LEXION 700 also features a new straw chopper that ensures that straw and chaff can be evenly spread across the full cutting width. The drum width has been increased by 5 cm, so that crop flow into and through the chopper is more uniform, resulting in a more even chop length. Acceleration of the chaff

Wider availability of new VARIO and CERIO cutterbars Following the introduction last year of the new VARIO and CERIO cutterbars, the range has now been extended so they can be used with medium to small LEXION, TUCANO and now AVERO combines. Common to both cutterbars is a wider, 660mm diameter intake auger to allow greater amounts of straw to flow into the combine. The intake auger and knife are mechanically driven, the reel is fitted with wear-resistant bearings and the cutterbar can be automatically returned to the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;parkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; position at the press of a button. VARIO cutterbars The VARIO is now available in six working widths: 9.30m, 7.70m, 6.80m, 6.20m, 5.60m and 5.00m.

is increased, resulting in a wider spread pattern. The new radial spreader is now mechanically driven, which means that it maintains a consistent speed and reduces fuel consumption. The new straw chopper is fully controlled from the cab. At the press of a button, the operator can quickly and simply change between the transport, chopping or swathing positions. Using CEBIS, they are also able to hydraulically adjust the friction concave plate and the counter-knives. Automatic Crop Flow control To avoid the risk of blockages and so allow the operator to confidently push the combine to its maximum capacity. The LEXION 700 can now also be fitted with a new Automatic Crop Flow control. The Crop Flow control monitors and compares the rotation speed of the engine, and the APS primary and ROTO PLUS secondary separation systems. Once the operator has set their preferred slip level using CEBIS, when this is exceeded the Crop Flow system will alert the operator, while at the same time shutting down the cutterbar drive and feederhouse, engage the cutterbar brake, disengage the unloading auger and reducing the CRUISE PILOT speed to the minimum speed.

Additional panelling has been added to the right hand side of the cutterbar to help minimise losses and the knife and reelend positions are also transmitted automatically to the combine. Mechanical CERIO adjustment The CERIO cutterbar is now available in widths of 9.30m, 7.70m, 6.80m, 6.20m and 5.60m. The CERIO shares many of the same components as the VARIO cutterbar, such as the frame, intake auger, drive system and reel. Five mechanically adjusted knife positions are available over a range from -10cm to +10cm. The knife distance is simply altered by loosening a series of bolts, which then allows the knife to be pushed in or out.

VARIO product page VARIO 930-500 video

On the new VARIO, the integrated oilseed rape plates allow the knife to be infinitely adjusted over a wide 70cm range, from 10cm to +60cm, and when fully extended, the knife can still be adjusted over a 20cm range. Side-knives can also be easily fitted without needing tools, and once connected using two flat-sealing couplers, this automatically activates the hydraulic pump to drive the knives. 7

Pre-series User Report

Higher output for 17% less fuel For over 40 years CLAAS combines have been the machines of choice at Bartlow Estate. And, according to estate manager Jason Turnbull, that’s no coincidence given the level of back-up the business receives from local dealer MANNS. HYBRID LEXIONs of various vintages have been a permanent fixture on the farms since their introduction in the late 1990s, the most recent addition being a pre-series 770TT with a 12.3m VARIO cutterbar. It has spent this summer working alongside a 12m cut 2011 770TT which has given a decent opportunity for some true in-field comparisons over the 1000ha of crops that each machine will harvest. “We’ve got around £300,000’s worth of premiums hanging in the balance so we need to get the crops cut when they’re at optimum quality,” explains Jason. “But it’s not just the quality of the grain - timeliness means we get good quality cultivations and good quality crop establishment. It’s about looking at the whole picture.” “The new LEXION 770 definitely has the edge over the older one in the power stakes,” says operator Neil Hutchinson. “The straight six seems to hang on a lot better than the old V8 engine. With the 2011 machine you have to pull the stick back as soon as you feel the engine start to labour. With the new one you can take engine loading right up to 108-109% before revs start to drop off. With the extra torque the engine doesn’t die back when you’ve got the combine running at full capacity and you start unloading - you just keep going at the same pace.” Fuel use with the newer combine is also reckoned to be markedly improved. Comparing the two machines’ performance via TELEMATICS, chopping straw in 9-10t/ha crops of wheat, the 2011 LEXION 770 averaged an output of 52t/hour and used fuel at a rate of 82-litres/hour. In contrast the new LEXION cut 58t/hour and burnt just 76-litres/hour. That’s a difference of 0.27 litres per tonne harvested - over 17% less fuel used.

4-D cleaning efficiency “4D cleaning has really upped the new LEXION 770’s game. On side hills it’ll keep going at normal pace while the driver on the older machine has to pull the stick back - it’ll generally be going 0.5kph slower on the banks. If you turn the system off on a slope losses immediately start to climb and the sample starts to suffer. You also notice a difference Jason Turnbull (right) with Neil Hutchinson when the combine drops down into a dip, levels off and then starts to climb again - the fan speed is now much quicker to react.” “Having the extra bomb-bay door in the rotor cage means that I can really fine-tune the threshing set up. If we’re in dry, brittle straw I can close it up so I’m not overloading the sieves with trash and I can consistently get a good sample.” Automatic Crop-Flow “A couple of times when we’ve been swathing tough, damp barley straw and I’ve picked up the end of a row with the corner of the header, the Automatic Crop-Flow system has cut in to stop me stuffing the combine. Knowing it’s there quietly working away in the background has given me a lot more faith to really push the combine on, safe in the knowledge that I’m not going to block the whole machine up.”

“Having so much more adjustment of the straw chopper from the cab makes a big difference to the quality of the spread pattern. In tough going I can bring the baffle plate into play for a really fine chop and I can switch between swathing and chopping from the seat without LEXION 700 getting plastered in dust.” product page

Bartlow LEXION 700 video

“The bigger tank means that I can keep travelling that little bit longer than the older combine, but what’s most impressive is how quickly it hoofs it out. I can get rid of a load that much quicker which means faster turnaround times for the chaser bin.” “I’m now using CRUISE PILOT auto speed control a lot more because it seems to work much better and generally it’ll up outputs by between 57t/hour. When we’re chopping straw with the older 770, power is generally the limiting factor whereas with the new combine it generally runs right up to the loss limits and still has power in reserve.”

General Features

CEMOS AUTOMATIC essential For anyone buying a high capacity HYBRID LEXION 700 combine, CEMOS AUTOMATIC is essential if they are to get the most from the combine, believes James Grant-Suttie. However, James is the first to admit that until he had RICkERby’s LEXION 760 on demonstration, which was fitted with CEMOS AUTOMATIC, he was not convinced that the additional cost could be justified. “But when I tried it and got used to it, CEMOS AUTOMATIC was one of the most impressive things I had seen on a combine and it was top of the list of extras when I placed the order for our new LEXION 760,” he says. James Grant-Suttie

“Due to the extra output, economy, efficiency and cleanliness of sample, if you are investing that much money in a combine, I can’t help but think that CEMOS AUTOMATIC is essential if you are to get the most out of your investment.” The arrival of the new LEXION 760TT, which has a VARIO 1050 cutterbar, represents not only a change of make, but also a move away from straw walkers for James, who grows 566ha of wheat, barley and oilseed rape at North Berwick near Edinburgh. Being in Scotland and only two miles from the coast, one of the reasons for changing to the HYBRID LEXION, was to provide greater capacity to maximise output when harvesting conditions allow. “In a normal year, if the grain is below 20% then we will cut. Having tracks on the LEXION was a no brainer, as in a wet year they will make a great difference, but it has also been fitted with a powered rear axle. I opted for the wider cutterbar in order to slow the forward speed down and achieve a more even feed through the combine, which has worked well. It cruises along at around 80% engine load and on average has only used 10.2l/ha of fuel in yields up to 13t/ha.” “I am not one to go pushing machinery to its limit. We only have on-floor storage and no cleaner, so mainly used CEMOS AUTOMATIC in the High Grain Quality mode, and as a result we have never had such a clean sample. We were shown what the LEXION could do in Maximum Throughput mode, and it absolutely flew, so it’s good to know that we have the capacity to push the combine far harder when conditions are against us.”

“We don’t have any steep ground, but all the fields have a slope and being close to the sea conditions are always changing. When you watch the CEMOS AUTOMATIC screen the combine is changing the settings all the time. But it’s not a magic wand and something where you just press a button and go; it’s a two-way relationship, you have to work with it, but what CEMOS AUTOMATIC achieves is incredible.” Both James and Drew Harkess who also drives the LEXION, found that changing both make and type of combine has been a steep learning curve, but its ease of use and automated systems such as CEMOS AUTOMATIC and CRUISE PILOT, have enabled them to get the very best out of the combine. In addition to CEMOS AUTOMATIC, other extras added to the combine have been GPS PILOT steering using Egnos through an S7 terminal and a luxury ventilated seat; “which is so comfortable and money very well spent,” comments James. “I have always liked CLAAS combines, even if only through their reputation. We have never run one before, because until RICkERby opened their new branch at Dunbar two years ago, there has never been good dealer coverage in the area. The LEXION has been everything I expected and the support from RICkERby has been excellent. You know that whatever happens, they will see you right.”

CEMOS product page CEMOS AUTOMATIC video

General Features

No going back Like many mixed farms, one of the primary reasons that David Gowling and his father grow cereals is for the straw, and their crops are managed in order to maximise straw production.

“All the muck, about 1800 tonnes, is put back into the land which helps boost straw quantity. As far as possible we try and manage the cereals to maximise straw-length and get away with doing as little as possible to the crop,” explains David. “Average yields from first and second wheats are about 10 t/ha and we can get up to ten 1.2x0.7x3.0 metre bales an acre.” “The TUCANO 430 was a brilliant combine and never missed a beat, but it did struggle with the quantity of straw and the grain losses over the walkers were noticeable. So even though we didn’t really need to change it, we felt the change to a HYBRID TUCANO 570 would help cut losses, take us to the next step and further improve what we are doing. It would also give us the extra capacity to make better use of harvest windows and clear fields quicker for baling and muck spreading.” “I was dubious as to whether we would get the straw quality from the HYBRID TUCANO, but being able to alter the rotor speed from the cab makes it very easy to fine tune the rotor, and slow it down if the straw starts to smash, so it’s not an issue.”

David Gowling

However, having to process high quantities of both grain and straw can place quite a load on a combine and was the main reason why the Gowling’s decided to change their 5-straw walker TUCANO 430. They opted for a new HYBRID TUCANO 570 and a pre-series VARIO 680 cutterbar with integral filler plates for oil seed rape, supplied by kIRby whom the Gowling’s have dealt with for a long time. Around half of the 360ha’s that the Gowling’s farm near Market Harborough in Leicestershire is down to cereals, with the remaining grassland supporting a 200-cow sucker herd, from which their progeny are taken through to slaughter.

“The TUCANO 570 has been a massive step forward. It was a bit daunting at first but it’s been brilliant. When you look at the swath you can see the difference in the losses. Hardly anything is now lost and we have been very pleased with the sample. I would certainly now not want to go back,” states David. “We had a VARIO cutterbar on the old TUCANO, but the new VARIO cutterbar is fantastic. The ability to transport the side knife on the trolley is so much better and it’s far easier and lighter to put on.” “I can’t fault the combine. The cab is great and the ability to alter everything from the cab makes operating it far easier. I was, however, a bit surprised the first time I emptied it, as the unloading auger can shift a lot of grain in a very short time. And having the auger higher on the combine, this has certainly made access for maintenance far easier.” TUCANO product page TUCANO 500/400 range video

Golden Oldies Constant combine progression CLAAS has been the combine of choice for the Richards family for the last 48 years, during which time they have seen considerable changes in both technology and output. Chris Richards and his sons James and Chris farm 280ha at Calow near Chesterfield, around where their family have farmed for over 100 years. Most of the farm is arable, growing wheat, barley, oilseed rape and potatoes and over the years, as the farm has grown in size, so have the combines. “The first CLAAS combines I saw were a couple of trailed SUPERs that the War Agricultural Committee had working in the area during the 1950’s,” recollects Chris Richards. “The first combine to arrive on the farm was an MF780 bagger, with a 9ft 6in cutterbar that we bought in 1962 from a neighbour, who had changed it for a CLAAS MATADOR with a tank. It was that MATADOR that whetted my appetite, because as a 17-year-old the attraction of having a tank compared to having to lift a lot of bags was appealing!” Chris Richards (centre) with sons James and Chris

“We eventually changed the bagger for a 4-cylinder MATADOR with a 10ft cutterbar in 1967 and it was that first CLAAS combine that really opened my eyes to what a combine could do.” After a few years, that first MATADOR was changed for a 10ft 6-cylinder MATADOR, followed by a larger 12ft SENATOR 60 and then a SENATOR 70. In due course, the SENATOR was replaced by a 17ft DOMINATOR 106, followed by a 22ft 218 MEGA and then the current LEXION 470 which has a 25ft cutterbar. Currently they run a 2002 LEXION 470 Evolution, bought five years ago through their local COMbINE WORLD member MARSH at Markham Moor. “All the combines have represented a big step forward,” states Chris. “Because it had longer straw walkers, the SENATOR meant you could achieve a far better sample at a higher forward speed compared a Ransomes, which produced a beautiful sample, but was so slow. But of all of them it was the MEGA and the APS system which really stands out, because output was so much higher due to the flow through the combine being so smooth.”

MARSH, has always been second to none. MARSH treat all their customers the same, regardless of size and Joe (Fulwood) our current rep is fantastic. Nothing is ever a problem and before now he has dropped stuff off at 9.00pm.” The LEXION 470 is mainly operated by Chris’s son Chris who says that it is the ideal size for their needs. “We prefer to buy used machines as it allows us to run a far higher capacity combine than we could otherwise justify. Because we only have a mobile dryer, we can pick and choose when we combine and will ideally only go when it is below 17%.” “We did consider a LEXION 480, but generally they had been worked hard. COMbINE WORLD has made a big difference. This 470 came off a farm in Yorkshire where it had done 1200 hours, but had been well looked after and been on MAXI CARE. We saw it on-farm and spoke to the owner, and MARSH fully checked it over so we knew exactly what we were buying. I am a great believer in Winter Service and giving the combine what it needs, as it pays dividends come harvest.” The Richards’ first CLAAS combine was a MATADOR bought in 1967

“The main reason for staying with CLAAS has been reliability. CLAAS combines have always been good and because the company’s roots were founded on manufacturing combines and harvesting equipment, CLAAS has far more experience in combines than other companies.” “But the back-up from both CLAAS and initially Walter B Lincoln, who were our original dealer, and now 11

Golden Oldies Unique RETROMAT Hidden away near Thurso in the northern-most point of Scotland is a unique DOMINATOR combine, that is probably the only one of its type left in the UK and one of very few in Europe. In 1975, visitors to the CLAAS stand at the Royal Smithfield Show would have seen a working rig showing how the new RETROMAT transmission for the DOMINATOR 85 worked. Only available for the DOMINATOR 85, the RETROMAT was a ‘mechanical’ variation transmission, which was offered as a cheaper alternative to the then expensive hydrostatic transmission. The RETROMAT had two hydraulic clutches - one for forward and the other for reverse. When the clutch was pressed down, there was a click and when the clutch was released, the combine was in reverse. When again pressed and released, the combine would be in forwards. The forward speed was adjusted and set according to the crop and conditions using a lever, so that the selected speed could be re-established automatically. While the DOMINATOR 85 went on to be a very popular combine with over 12,000 manufactured, the RETROMAT transmission did not prove so popular. In the UK only about 100 were sold before it ceased production in 1981 and many were subsequently changed back to a standard mechanical transmission. However, of the two DOMINATORs sold with RETROMAT transmissions by SELLARS, both in 1976, one is to still be

Maurice Foreman

Willie Mackay with his DOMINATOR 85 RETROMAT, which is probably the only one still working in the UK.

found on Willie Mackay’s 69ha farm near Thurso, where he uses it each year to harvest 12ha of his own and his neighbour’s spring barley and oats, which is treated with Propcorn and stored for winter livestock feed. Willie bought the DOMINATOR RETROMAT, which has a 13ft cutterbar, in 2002 for around £4000 having seen the combine advertised in a local paper. “Apart from normal wear and tear, the DOMINATOR has been very, very reliable and spares for it are still readily available. At the time, I didn’t think there was anything special about it; it was just a combine and was in extremely good order. But the RETROMAT is very handy, especially when turning on the headlands or for shuttling in a corner.” “The weather here means that harvesting windows can be fairly tight,” says Willie, who works part time at Dounreay power station. “Having my own combine means that I can fit combining around my work and if I get home and the weather is good, then it’s simple to go out and do some combining.”

30th CLAAS combine In 1961 at just 15 years old, Maurice Foreman started work for G C Lacey & Son in Fulbourne, Cambridgeshire. One of his first jobs was to take over driving a new 12ft cut CLAAS SF combine, sold to them by Bill Mann, a good friend of John Lacey. 54 years later, Maurice is still to be found at the controls of the farm’s combine, only this summer it was a brand new LEXION 760 TT supplied by MANNS. Remarkably, the new LEXION is the 30th CLAAS combine to be bought by the Lacey’s since the arrival of that first SF.

Over the years, the combines run by the Laceys have reflected the progression of the CLAAS range. From the SF in 1961, his was followed by a MATADOR STANDARD in 1964, two DOMINATOR 80s (1970 and 1971), a DOMINATOR 85 (1975), a DOMINATOR 96 (1979), two DOMINATOR 96s (1981), ten DOMINATOR 98SLs from 1986-1991, two DOMINATOR 118SL MAXIs (1992/1993), three MEGA 218s (1994-1996), two LEXION 450s (1997-1999), a LEXION 550 (2003), two LEXION 570s (2005-2007) and a LEXION 750 in 2012 that was changed for the LEXION 760TT.

New Products - Tractors

AXION 800 Product page AXION 800 range video

New 295hp AXION

ARION 400 updates

The AXION 800 tractor range has been further expanded with the addition of a new model - the AXION 870 CMATIC which has a maximum power output of 295hp.

New features for the 2016 ARION 400 include the availability of cab suspension and a new higher capacity hydraulic system.

This follows the introduction of the new 205hp AXION 800 earlier this year, and means that CLAAS now offers six models in this award-winning range. As with other models in the AXION tractor range, the new AXION 870 is powered by the tried and tested 6-cylinder FPT engine, which has a 6.7 litre displacement and fulfils the Stage IV (Tier 4) emissions standard. However, where it differs is that instead of a fixed power output, for greater flexibility and economy the new AXION 870 uses the CLAAS POWER MANAGEMENT (CPM) system. At speeds above 14 km/h and whenever PTO work is being performed, the system automatically provides additional torque and an extra 15hp of power through the electronic engine control system. Overall, the new AXION 870 is 31 hp more powerful compared to the AXION 850 CMATIC, but is the same operational weight. Due to its low unladen weight combined with high power, the AXION 870 is therefore ideally suited for a wide range of cultivation tasks or heavy-duty PTO driven operations such as baling, slurry spreading or operating triple mowers. The AXION 870 now provides customers with extra choice, where previously anyone wanting more power would have to go to the 320hp AXION 920. Drive to the axles is through a continuously variable CMATIC transmission. All the main important functions of both the tractor and the equipment can be conveniently controlled using a combination of function keys in the armrest or with the CMOTION multifunction lever and via the CEBIS terminal. Standard specification includes up to seven electronic spool valves and thanks to the CSM (CLAAS Sequence Management) system, the operator is able to set-up and control a wide range of headland and implement management sequences. The AXION 870 is available ex-factory with the complete range of CLAAS GPS steering and automated headland turning systems, controlled using either the S10 or S7 terminal.

The new cab suspension system is available for both the standard and the ARION 400 PANORAMIC cabs on product page ARION 460-430 models ARION 400 range and is based on the video suspension system used on larger CLAAS tractors. It comprises two silent rubber blocs at the front of the cab and two suspension units under the rear, plus an anti-sway bar. With the new suspension system, cab height is only increased by 35mm. Currently the ARION 400 range is available with a 100 litre/minute twin pump load sensing system with a 60 l/min pump supplying the spools and a 40 litre l/min pump for the rear linkage, which can be joined together to supply a high flow rate, for instance when using a loader. For 2016, this will be changed so that the spools will be served by a 40 l/min pump with a 60 l/min pump for the rear linkage, the advantage being faster lift speeds, but with the same total output to the spools when the pumps are combined.

AXION 870 - 800 model series 870

850

840

830

810

800

Max. power (hp)

280

264

250

235

215

205

Max. power with CPM (hp)

295

Max. torque (Nm)

1276

1132

1071

1016

941

896

CMATIC

HEXASHIFT

All per values as per ECE R 120

+ Available

- Not available

New Products - Tractors

Greater XERION flexibility CLAAS is now able to offer the XERION in a specification that better meets the needs of arable farmers who need a high horsepower draft tractor to pull rather than power machinery. The XERION range is available with either a centrally positioned fixed cab (TRAC), the unique rotating cab (TRAC VC) for use with equipment such as triple mowers, or SADDLE TRAC with the cab at the front leaving a large carrying area for tanks, etc.

Max Hp

Version

Transmission

Road speed (km/h)

XERION 4000

435

TRAC, TRAC VC, SADDLETRAC

Eccom 4.5 (TRAC VC) Eccom 5.0 (TRAC/SADDLETRAC)

40/50 40/50

XERION 4500

490

TRAC, TRAC VC

Eccom 4.5 (TRAC VC) Eccom 5.0 (TRAC/SADDLETRAC)

40/50 40/50

XERION 5000

530

TRAC, TRAC VC

Eccom 4.5 (TRAC VC) Eccom 5.0 (TRAC/SADDLETRAC)

40/50 40

For cultivations, the main requirement of a tractor is that it provides optimum power efficiency and the transfer of that power to the ground for maximum traction and pulling power, and in this respect, the XERION with its four equal sized wheels and CVT transmission is ideal. However, some customers have no use for a rear PTO, equally many never use the front linkage, other than for picking up front weights. Given that many competitors are selling machines without these options, it made sense for the XERION to be made available without these features, thus creating a saving in price. Where a front linkage is not fitted, an 1800kg block can be specified, which mounts onto an integral frame and 400kg slabs can be added if extra ballast is required. 14

As standard, all three XERION models come with an Eccom 5.0 CVT transmission which provides 50km/h forwards but a reduced speed in reverse. For the TRAC VC and others who want the same forward and reverse speed, there is also the option of the Eccom 4.5 CVT transmission, which has 50km/h reverse speed. Other options include an auxiliary output for high flow hydraulics, required for high output slurry tankers. “When you compare the XERION to a similar sized tractor with a powershift transmission, the biggest benefits are comfort and the large fuel saving you get from the XERION’s CVT transmission,” explains CLAAS Tractor product manager Alastair McCallum. “The four equal sized wheels offer massive traction and we have also seen quite a number of farmers moving away from tracks because of headland damage. Also as farms get bigger and machinery has to be moved over greater distance, the XERION is far quicker and better on the road.” “There is the added bonus that the XERION is suited to high torque applications so that heavy duty injector or incorporating implements can be used on the rear, which is particularly important when it’s being used with the SGT tanker system.” New Tebbe solids spreader For the first time, a solids spreader body is now available for the XERION 4000 SADDLETRAC, manufactured by TEBBE, which enables the XERION to be used as a dedicated self-propelled spreader. The new body, which can be demounted, has a total capacity of 13.2m3. The spreader body is manufactured from 3.0mm thick steel. The load is conveyed to the rear spreader on two heavy-duty steel conveyor belts, that are hydraulically powered, both forward and in reverse, through large spur wheels for a positive drive. At the rear of the spreader body there is a large slurry door and the material initially passes through two horizontal beaters

XERION Product page

XERION range video

XERION SGT tanker video

driven by Duplex chains, before dropping onto two one-metre diameter spreading discs, each fitted with four vanes, which are shaft driven with overload protection. Compared to current self-propelled spreaders on the market, the XERION 4000 SADDLETRAC with its forward positioned cab has a shorter overall length, and the 4-wheel steering makes it extremely manoeuvrable. Compared to hydrostatic transmissions found on other machines, the XERION’s CVT transmission also provides greater comfort and economy. New 16m3 SGT polyester tank Specialist tanker manufacturer SGT has introduced a new higher capacity system specifically designed for the XERION 4000 SADDLETRAC Compared to the previous 14m3 steel tank designed for the XERION 3800 SADDLETRAC, the capacity of the new tank system has been increased to 16m3 to take advantage of the XERION 4000’s longer wheelbase. Instead of steel, the new tank is made of polyester, which reduces the weight by 1800kg and so allows for a higher load capacity. The new 16m3 system is filled using a front-mounted 10 inch docking system and features a 10inch stonetrap box, hydraulic macerator and a 9000 litres/minute Vogelsang pump. To further increase capacity, reduce filling time and allow for higher outputs when using wider 24-36m booms, a 12inch docking pipe and 12,000 litres/minute pump system is available. SGT has also designed a new mounting system for the pump unit, for use with XERION’s specified without a front linkage. This has the benefit that it is 900kg lighter, so places less weight on the front axle. Visibility is also improved and flow rate is higher as the

docking system only has four bends for the liquid to flow around, instead of eight previously. The new 16m3 mounted tank system can either be used as a stand-alone unit, or in combination with an additional 16m3 trailed tanker, giving a total capacity of 32m3. When used with a tanker, this will always empty first so as to reduce the trailed load on the XERION. Dribble bar spreading options available with the SGT tank system include the 18m wide Vogelsang Kompact or Bomech bars ranging in width from 9.0m up to 21m. XERION Tebbe spreader video

General features

Versatile AXION 950

and it handles the plough with ease. However, physically it is not too big for trailer or other work and having a road speed of 50kph at reduced engine revs makes it ideal for roadwork.” For operator Scott Hall, one of the big attractions of the AXION is its four-post cab. “The cab is far better than on our older AXION 820 and the cab and front axle suspension work very well together. I particularly like the CMOTION control as it’s easy to set up the spools on the F buttons and the buttons are well placed so you are not just using your thumb the whole time. Also CEBIS is so easy to use. It’s simple to set-up things like the flow speed for the spool valves compared to some other tractor control systems.” “The CVT (CMATIC) transmission is very easy to set-up and generally I will just use it in the CMOTION mode, which is ideal for most jobs. Likewise the cruise control is very easy to set and ideal for jobs such as cultivating.” The Jacksons run two establishment systems, with 50% of the land being ploughed each year, generally ahead of winter barley and 2nd wheat’s, and the rest is then min tilled. For maximum traction, the AXION was specified with Michelin Axiobib 710/85-10 tyres and has also been fitted with GPS PILOT steering, using Egnos backed up by Glonass through an S7 terminal. “In our tough soils we were initially not sure if the AXION would have the power to pull the big plough, but when weighted up it has been fine,” says Scott. “It is extremely good on fuel and ploughing at 7 inches with a 16 in furrow width, I set the cruise control to 8kph and the AXION will comfortably sit at around 1,200-1,300 rpm and only use about 45 litres/hour.”

Operator Scott Hall (left) and Peter Jackson

When you are farming 1600ha spread over a 35 mile radius, the cost and the time spent moving machinery and equipment around is a major consideration. Faced with such a problem and looking for a high horsepower cultivations tractor, the solution for Jackson (Westcotes) Ltd has been a 410hp AXION 950 CMATIC, bought through RICkERby in 2014. Based at Ponteland near Newcastle, the bulk of the Jackson’s cultivations work is carried out using two 500hp tracked tractors. However, due to the amount of roadwork they wanted a wheeled tractor that would fit in between these and their smaller 200hp ‘run-around’ tractors. The tractor would need the power for cultivations work, especially ploughing, but be versatile enough that it could be used for hauling trailers and other work.

In this respect, the AXION fits the bill perfectly says Peter Jackson. “Our soils are predominantly clay loam on top of clay, which is about as tough as you will get. For its main job of pulling a 10-furrow Kuhn plough, the AXION is weighted up with two tonnes on the front and wheel weights on the rear,

“The great advantage of the AXION over the tracked tractors is its versatility,” adds Peter. “It may seem overpowered for trailer work, but the engine revs will cut back so it uses no more fuel than a smaller tractor.” “We have been running CLAAS combines for over 30 years and currently run a LEXION 770 and 750, two SCORPIONs and the first CLAAS tractor we bought was an ARES 697 in 2006, so we have good experience of CLAAS and the service and support that RICkERby provide. When we bought the AXION, we did look at others, but generally they were more expensive.” “Overall the AXION has been extremely reliable and has now done over 1000 hours. Given our experience over the past two years I would certainly not want to change it and expect it to be here for quite a long time.”

AXION 900 Product page AXION 900 range video

ARION 600 Product page

General features

ARION 600 range video

Keeping costs in trim Thanks to the reliability and low running costs of their two CLAAS ARION tractors, South Holland Internal Drainage Board’s flail mowing costs have been cut to a mere 1.087 pence a square metre. Based at Holbeach, the South Holland IDB is responsible for the maintenance of over 750km of watercourses serving nearly 40,500ha. Each year in a season lasting from July to December, the tractors will mow around 400ha of grass and will cover on average 80 km in a week. The latest tractor to join the fleet of five tractors is a 184hp ARION 650 CEBIS, bought from A WOODS last July, which joins a smaller ARION 630 bought in 2011, the first CLAAS to be bought by the Board. “The decision to change make was made due to reliability problems with our previous tractors,” explains operations manager Andy Price. “We considered a number of makes and looked at various aspects, especially cost, comfort and visibility. The driver was initially not keen to change but when he saw and tried the ARION he changed his mind and has been very pleased with them.” Thanks to the ARION 630’s reliability, low running cost, comfort and dealer support, Andy Price say that they had no qualms about buying a second ARION. “Although the ARION 650 is a higher powered and better tractor, the overall running cost has been cut to just 1.087 pence/sq m,” states Andy. “Overall fuel cost of the new ARION is £5/hour, compared to £5.80 for our other main tractor.” A major contributor to this low running cost and one of the main features that have particularly impressed Andy and operator Robbie Thorpe is the ability to run the 1000 rpm PTO front and rear flail mowers at a reduced engine speed of just 1600rpm. The ARION 650 is equipped with a front-mounted PTO-driven 1.5m Herder flail with a rear-mounted 2.25m Herder Rapier side-arm flail. The Rapier features a high pressure drive to the

Operations manager Andy Price with operator Robbie Thorpe

flail rotor, so uses the tractor’s hydraulics to operate the main rams, leaving a separate PTO driven hydraulic pump on the mower to supply the 350 bar pressure hydraulic supply to the rotor. “With the ARION there is never any downtime and that is one thing that we can’t afford, and to fix our maintenance costs for the tractors, we have taken out MAXICARE and depreciate them over 5,000 hours,” explains Andy. “The work is hard on the tractor, but hopefully driving the flails at a reduced engine speed should be easier on the tractor. Historically we would look to run a tractor to 5,000 hours and then put it onto lighter road work, but hopefully with the ARION we may be able to extend that.” “Spec for spec the ARION was the best product. You can buy cheaper, but that is a false economy and there are others that are far more expensive, which we can’t justify. The ARION is comfortable, reliable and with the new fixed speed engine, extremely economical to run.” Operator Robbie Thorpe spends up to 10 hours a day in the cab, so comfort is a high priority. “The cab is great and the suspension system very good. It’s fitted with a heated seat, which is brilliant and other things like the cool box all make a big difference.” “The DPS engine is fantastic. However hard the going it just holds its speed and is very hard to pull down. Usually it’s the flail head that will slow down first, and the ARION will comfortably sit at 1600rpm running at a forward speed of about 3.5kph.”

General features

Staying loyal to CLAAS A young contractor in County Armagh in Northern Ireland is thrilled with his latest ARION 640 CEBIS tractor and is proving to be a real loyal customer to the brand. David Stafford, 30, has been a farm contractor since he could drive and is now on his third CLAAS tractor and previously ran Renault tractors, following in the footsteps of his father Wesley who also ran Renault tractors. He spends most of his time spreading lime with his own spreaders, but also helps out other local contractors at silage time, mowing and hauling grass. The current tractor of choice for David is an ARION 640 CEBIS which was bought in 2014 from ASHFIELD & WILSON to replace a 2009 ARION 640 model and he is very happy with the upgrade. “The newer ARION 640 offers the operator a lot more comfort in the cab and overall is a higher specification tractor,” he says. “It’s a great tractor and very comfortable to drive with the sprung cab. Visibility from this cab is greater than in the previous ARION 640. It makes it easier to see more of the crop when mowing grass and also increases safety. The new ARION also has air brakes, front suspension and a front linkage so that I can use mowers on the front and back which has worked well for me.” “The power from the new ARION 640 is excellent and it has very efficient fuel consumption, which for me averages out at 10.5 litres per hour. Fuel consumption is better than the older 640, so it’s costing me less to operate.” David aims to change his tractor every five years and uses CLAAS Finance when upgrading. He normally clocks up

David and Wesley Stafford

around 1,600 hours per year depending on his seasonal work and likes to look after his tractor. “I am the only driver of the ARION 640 so I like to look after it and make sure to give it a good regular wash especially after spreading lime,” says David. “I usually spread upwards of 5,000 tonnes of lime in a year, or else I am at the silage so there is plenty of work to be carried out.” “I need a reliable tractor and the ARION has been very reliable indeed. Should I need anything ASHFIELD & WILSON are always at hand and they look after their customers well.” In fact, David has been so pleased, he took a photo of the ARION with mowers attached which he submitted to a photo competition organised by ASHFIELD & WILSON on Facebook, and won having received the most ‘likes’. “I will certainly continue to operate CLAAS tractors and maybe when the next time comes around, depending on price, I would be tempted to look at a bigger, more powerful tractor from the AXION 800 range.”

David’s photo that won the ASHFIELD & WILSON Facebook competition with 1,300 views and 71 ‘likes’

ARION 600 Product page ARION 600 range video

EASY and Precision Farming

More than just a steering terminal The CLAAS S7 and S10 control terminals are the standard control terminal for all CLAAS steering systems, but offer far greater functionality if required. Both terminals support all the driving modes that CLAAS offers and can be used with either steering valve technology or the GPS PILOT FLEX steering wheel. The standard dual frequency receiver for the different correction signals from EGNOS to RTK is integrated in the housing, which means that antennas do not need to be repositioned when switching to another correction signal. As standard they work with EGNOS, OMNISTAR, BASELINE and RTK corrections and GLONASS reception can be activated via the terminal menu if desired. For those who just want a terminal for setting-up and operating their GPS steering, then the S7 is ideal. With its 7-inch touch screen, this incorporates the latest technology and the simple operation makes it quick and easy to use. The S10 terminal, which features a considerably larger 10.4" touchscreen,

provides a greater range of functionality so is perfect for those who want to use the terminal to control additional functions. The S10 can be used to control ISOBUS implements, and the touch screen can be used to display either individual application screens, one full-screen image from a single camera, three screens of different applications, or all four camera images at the same time. Comprehensive reference line management and SECTION VIEW are also available (section width control display) and the S10 can also be enhanced to offer many other functions through the use of additional modules.

The new S7 terminal is ideal for those who will only use it for steering

Another feature that makes work easier is the favourites menu and users can also design their own main menu and set it to show up to eight of the functions they use the most. The S10 offers greater functionality and is ISOBUS compatible

Press button turning Hands free automatic steering when going down the field is now common place, but CLAAS has taken that a stage further with the development of AUTO TURN automatic headland turning. AUTO TURN can be used with either the S7 or S10 terminals and is ideal not only for tractors, but also combines. By simply pressing a button on the terminal, AUTO TURN completely automates the whole headland turning operation, leaving you free to concentrate on implement settings, etc. AUTO TURN ensures that not only is the tractor and implement or combine perfectly lined-up for the next pass up the field, but that headland turns are conducted quicker, especially at night. In addition to turning straight back in adjacent to the previous pass, AUTO TURN provides the operator with the option to enter how many bouts they would like to skip, and will show how wide the headland needs to be for the turn. To complete the set-up, the operator simply selects which way the tractor is to turn, after which the turning manoeuvre is simply activated at the press of the ‘Go’ button.

EASY Product page TELEMATICS product video

EASY and Precision Farming AXION 800 Product page AXION 800 range video

Easy to use S10 Five years on from buying one of the first XERION 5000s in the UK, G E Porter and Sons Ltd now run a fleet of four 525hp XERIONs, and an increasing number of conventional CLAAS tractors and five SCORPION telehandlers. The latest tractors to be bought this spring from MARSH on the 1,075 ha farm at Navenby in Lincolnshire are two 264hp AXION 850 CEBIS tractors. Like the four XERIONs they have been fully specified with CLAAS RTK steering, but are using the latest S10 ISOBUS terminal compared to older S3 and CEBIS Mobile terminals in the XERIONs and their LEXION 770. “The new S10 terminal is 10 times better than the older S3,” states James Porter. “The signal pick-up is far quicker and it is extremely constant. With the older S3s we do have a problem that they at times drop off, but this is not a problem with the new S10 terminals. As soon as you pull into a field and turn it on, by the time you are lined-up and ready to go, the terminal will have found the signal from the CLAAS mast at Newark.” Due to the efficiency and cost saving that Porters have gained through the use of RTK steering, James explains that steering is used for virtually all field operations, right down to rolling, muck spreading and applying Avadex or slug pellets. “The new S10 terminal is so unbelievably easy to use,” he states. “Having a touch screen and clear symbols makes it very easy to see what you need to press to set up a new job. The S3 units are not nearly so straightforward.” “I like the fact that it is very easy to save all your A-B lines and that when doing something like spraying or spreading, it’s

James Porter

simple to just drop a pin to show where you need to return to. For the future, the ability to also use the S10 as an ISOBUS control terminal or a camera monitor will help reduce the number of screens there are in the cab. I can see that it will also be ideal for drilling, so it could be that the XERIONs get upgraded in the future.” Cropping on the heavy land farm includes winter wheat, oilseed rape, winter and spring barley, all of which goes into the company’s feed mill, which supplies livestock and poultry feeds throughout the eastern counties. The four XERION 5000s, two of which are also fitted with TELEMATICS, are responsible for all the heavy cultivations and drilling. To maintain the soil structure, some of the heaviest work for the XERIONs is going through with either 7-leg subsoilers, which are run at 43cm, or 3-leg mole ploughs at 50cm.

Three of the four XERION 5000 tractors

With regards the two new AXION 850s, while it is early days, so far the drivers have been very impressed. “They are extremely comfortable and far smoother than any tractor we have ever had. One of the main jobs for the AXIONs so far has been spreading chicken muck using our 15 tonne Bunning spreaders, working at up to 10kph which they have handled fine, but they will also do jobs such as baling and are an ideal size for spreading fertiliser.”

New Products - Foragers

Higher milk yield from SHREDLAGE CLAAS has acquired a licence for SHREDLAGE, an innovative processing technology for conditioning long-cut maize developed in the USA, where it has already been used successfully by dairy producers for a number of years.

SHREDLAGE info and animation JAGUAR 900/800 Product page JAGUAR 900/800 range video

SHREDLAGE involves chopping the maize to a long chop length of 26-30mm. The crucial part of the process is the subsequent conditioning using the SHREDLAGE cracker technology. LorenCut rollers have a unique spiral grove cut into the roller teeth. When the rollers are rotating the spriral grove runs in opposite directions on the two rollers. This then rips the crop both in a sideways direction and in a lengthways direction with a 50% speed differential between the rollers. This ensures the crop is ripped into long slim pieces and the grain is smashed into multiple pieces and not just cracked. The intensive shredding of the material significantly increases the surface area of the chopped crop, which results in much improved bacterial fermentation in the clamp and subsequently during digestion in the rumen of the cow. The University of Wisconsin, USA, found that SHREDLAGE significantly increases the structural suitability of maize silage for the rumen, while also improving the availability of starch from all parts of the plant. This resulted in an increase in daily milk production of up to 2.0 litres/cow. Furthermore, the rumenfriendly structure of the silage also improved herd health. Among other benefits from SHREDLAGE, the optimised starch digestibility means that the amount of concentrates fed can be reduced while maintaining higher milk production overall, and structural feed supplements such as straw can also be cut down or eliminated, creating the potential for further savings. Dairy farmers in the USA and Germany also report a slight increase in silage intake, a flatter lactation curve and calmer animals. None of the farms have experienced any problems during the ensiling process of the longer maize crops. The intensely conditioned chopped crop mixed very well and was compacted without issue. The fermentation process after covering of the silo also ran smoothly on all farms. New MCC MAX rollers The new MCC MAX rollers are designed for use in chop lengths from 7-22mm. The rollers have a sawtooth profile with 30 angular segments that both crack the kernels and cut the stalk to provide a larger surface area for greater digestability.

JAGUAR 2016 updates Updates to the JAGUAR 900 range for 2016, include the change on JAGUAR 960-930 to new TIER 4 compliant 6cylinder Mercedes Benz inline engines that use SCR technology for emissions treatment. The JAGUAR 980 and 970 are not covered by TIER 3 or TIER 4 emissions regulations so therefore retain their V8 and V12 engines from MAN. Among other changes, in the JAGUAR 980-940 three DYNAMIC POWER automatic engine power modes can now be selected in CEBIS to vary the power levels available. Also the system will automatically switch to maximum power when the front attachment is lowered into work and then reduce in power if possible. The DYNAMIC POWER system adjusts the engine power to the operating conditions and gradually reduces the engine power in 10 steps, leading to fuel savings of up to 10.6%. The driver can also choose from three engine power settings of three steps - ‘Maximum Power’, ‘High power’ or ‘Normal power’. A new CRUISE PILOT system is available for JAGUAR 980-940 which allows the driver to operate the machine in either ‘Constant Speed’, ‘Constant Throughput’ or ‘Target Engine Speed’ modes. By measuring the feed roller opening, the engine speed and engine load the JAGUAR can be used at maximum output more of the time. Variable tyre pressure on the front axle has been available for a number of years, but now the JAGUAR becomes the first forager to use a dual-line tyre pressure control system for the drive and steering axles. In the cab, operators now have the option of the CMOTION multifunction lever to control up to 13 machine functions. For working at night, LED lights are also now available and when leaving the JAGUAR parked up in the field, security has been enhanced thanks to a new individual locking system for the cab door, ignition, diesel tank flap and urea tank flap.

World News

300,000th baler produced In May, the 300,000th baler to be produced by CLAAS rolled off the production line at its factory in Metz. Following CLAAS tradition the baler, a ROLLANT 454 UNIWRAP, was given a special paint job and will be on show at exhibitions and product demonstrations throughout Europe until the end of the year. The CLAAS baler factory at Metz in France was founded and built by Reinhold Claas in 1958. Today, the factory can design and manufacture up to 5000 CLAAS balers every year. The very first CLAAS patent, for the single knotter, also came from the Metz plant and forms the centrepiece of every single CLAAS square baler. Metz is responsible for the production of both the fixed-chamber ROLLANT and variable VARIANT round balers, in addition to the QUADRANT large-square baler range. In all, the 400 plus employees make 21 different baler models, which are used in more than 100 countries and 25 different crop types worldwide.

In addition to wheat, barley and rape, CLAAS balers are used, for example, to process cotton in South Africa, peanut crops for cattle feed in America, rice in Korea, flax in eastern Europe and northern France, hemp in Germany and grasses like miscanthus and reed canary grass throughout Europe. Some of the technical innovations and unique selling points developed by the design team at Metz include the tried-and-tested interactive rotor and packer tine clutch, the Power-Feeding-System for increasing throughput as well as the FINE CUT option for producing short straw using 51 knives. CLAAS has also played a pioneering role in the area of ICT (Implement Controls Tractor) with the QUADRANT 3400, which is currently the most powerful CLAAS square baler.

CLAAS tractors launch in Finland This yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s KoneAgria Agricultural Machinery and Equipment Fair in Tampere, north of Helsinki saw the launch in Finland of the CLAAS tractor range by Konekesko, which is one of the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest machinery dealers, with the first five tractors being sold directly at the show. Until now, only CLAAS harvesting products have been available in Finland.

It was also announced that as from January 2016, Konekesko will expand the sale of CLAAS products into the Baltic States of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

At the show, several CLAAS exhibits were officially selected for awards by a panel of judges and three stars - the highest award - was awarded to the ARION 400 PANORAMIC. "The ARION 400 is a very important tractor for the Finnish market. The 90 - 114 HP sector accounts for 35 to 40% of tractors sold,"explains Jukka Keltto, Head of the Konekesko Agricultural Machinery Division.

World News

New Russian combine plant opens

The new Krasnodar plant is currently the most modern production facility for agricultural machinery in Europe.

The production facility goes into operation. It is around nine times bigger than the previous factory.

Europe's most modern agricultural machinery factory has gone into operation at the CLAAS combine plant in the southern Russian city of Krasnodar, where the company has invested around 120 million euros in the project.

The new plant is employing people from many different regions of Russia, some of whom have travelled more than 2000 kilometres to take up a position in Krasnodar. Many of the occupations and technologies required by the plant didn't previously exist in the region and, in some cases, were very rare throughout the whole of Russia. For instance, jobs in computer-controlled laser machining, which involves cutting metal parts with the utmost precision, or jobs in the automated painting facility are found nowhere else in the region.

The new production facility has a surface area of over 45,000m2 and is almost nine times bigger than the previous factory, which was opened in 2005. This new facility will allow for the production volume to increase to up to 2500 combine harvesters and tractors per year.

Agritechnica stand build video

Five Silver Medals for CLAAS The 5,500m2 CLAAS stand at this year’s Agritechnica show in early November was again a meeting place for CLAAS customers and dealers from around the world. CLAAS again enjoyed success with its new products and innovations and was awarded five silver medals for technical innovation.

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The medals were awarded for: The new 4D cleaning in the LEXION 700 (see combine news). Automatic Crop Flow Monitoring in the new LEXION 700 (see combine news) MULTI CROP CRACKER MCC MAX for the new JAGUAR,

which has been developed for conditioning maize silage with chop lengths of between 7.0 and 22 mm and provides even more intensive conditioning of the grain kernels as well as shredding of the stalk material. AUTOMATIC PRESS CONTROL for QUADRANT balers. This new system ensures maximum output based on not only the machine baling rate but also the quality of the twine (not available in the UK). CLAAS field route optimisation. This determines the optimum way to work a field by dividing the fields into subareas, and then calculating the time required to cover the area, with the result that working time is reduced by 6%.

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HarvesTimes is published for CLAAS UK by Four Seasons Publicity Ltd.

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