Triton launched its unique deep soil engagement direct drill in 2018 to give plough based yields from direct drilling. 6 years later we are consistently achieving higher yields from the Triton than from ploughed trials on our own land. The Triton is the only all weather seed drill on the market that gives the flexibility to grow maximum profit autumn sown crops whilst reducing blackgrass from late drilling... several manufacturers are now also claiming all weather capability... if these are false claims then the farmer’s new approach will be thwarted.
and soil disturbance Downward
Buying a blade drill is now an open and shut case. Why? Because only the Triton drill has a slot closer SOIL SURFACE
Triangular tungsten tiles for reduced draught and soil disturbance
Desiccant
SPOTLIGHT® PLUS
• For use on all soil types
• Rainfast after 1 hour
• 7 day harvest interval
• Approved to use on all ware and seed potato varieties
• No following crop restrictions or cultivation requirements, plant any crop one month after application
‘Protect farm machinery from fires this harvest’
• Upgrade fire prevention measures
• Fit approved fire suppressant kits
• 25% off your insurance premiums
Rural insurer NFU Mutual is warning farmers and contractors to take extra prevention measures to prevent devastating farm fires this harvest.
More than 90% of combine harvester fires take place during the busy months of July and August – prompting the insurer to offer discount of up to 25% on insurance premiums for machines fitted with an approved fire suppression systems.
Combine harvester fire suppression systems work by rapidly detecting the first signs of a fire and releasing a suppressant that quickly extinguishes the fire, re-
ducing risk to operators and surrounding areas.
‘Frightening speed’
The offer is available until 1 September 2024. And with this year’s harvest season approaching, NFU Mutual is urging farmers to take all possible steps to reduce the risk of fire in their combines, balers and tractors.
The insurer is also calling for legislation that requires manufacturers to install fire suppression systems as standard on agricultural vehicles, so this is no longer a burden placed on farmers.
Essential Farm Machinery is published monthly for farmers and growers in the eastern counties and the Midlands. It is mailed with Anglia Farmer and Midland Farmer magazines and is also available at selected farm machinery and supplies outlets.
Published by Countrywide Publications, Fountain Way, Reydon, Suffolk IP18 6DH T: 01502 725800
Printed by Micropress Ltd, Suffolk T: 01502 725800
Regularly clean out dust and chaff from combines and balers
Fit a fire suppression system that meets P-mark status
Switch off engines and before clearing blockages
Always stop to investigate hot-running engines or bearings?
Have a plan in place to raise alarms and check team safety
Keep mobile phones with you at all times – not in the cab?
cialist Hannah Binns said: “Fires can quickly spread through growing crops to engulf neighbouring fields and properties – so this is about protecting human and animal lives as well as the cost of replacing damaged machinery.
She added: “Fires can spread at frightening speeds and modern combines are such large complex machines that one component overheating or wiring short-circuiting can lead to a huge fire.
Regular checks
“Keeping people safe must always be the first priority, and we urge farmers and their staff to only tackle a machinery fire if it is small and they can do so without putting themselves at risk.”
Craig Codling from NFU Mutual’s agricultural engineering team said it was important for to carry out machine maintenance regularly and on time. Cleaning chaff and dust from machines regularly reduces the risk of a combine fire, he added.
“Even the best maintained combines can catch fire if a bearing overheats, a fuel pipe breaks, or an electrical component shortcircuits. We have tested combine fire suppressant systems and have found that they significantly reduce the risk.”
“To help farmers protect their combines, we’re increasing the premium discount we offer for machines fitted with an approved suppressor system from 15% to 25%. This offer will remain in place until September.”
Balers and combine harvesters are particularly at risk
All Sharmans depots now offer Claydon support
Sharmans Agricultural has extended its representation for Claydon Opti-Till machinery to areas formerly covered by Collings Brothers.
It means Sharmans will now serve Claydon customers in Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire – having first introduced the Claydon brand at four of its depots in August 2019.
Sharmans group manager Duncan Hood said: “Our partnership with Claydon has worked extremely well, so we were delighted when they asked us to further extend our representation of the brand.”
All Sharmans depots now sell, service and support the full range of Claydon Opti-Till crop establishment machinery.
500th combine harvester rolls off production line
Machinery giant Claas is celebrating a major milestone – having seen its 500,000th combine harvester roll off the production line.
The first Claas MDB. combine was produced in 1936, followed by the Hercules/SF, which was the first European built selfpropelled combine harvester in 1953. Since then, combine ranges have included the Senator, Dominator and Lexion.
Class is recognising its latest major milestone with several anniversary machines, sporting a special paint finish and branding. In addition, all combines manufactured this year will have celebratory stickers on them.
With around 100,000 and more than 75,000 units sold respectively, Dominator and Lexion machines account for the largest share of the 500,000 Claas combine harvesters built to date.
< A special paint finish will adorn Claas machines made this year
The Super Automatic (65,000 units) as well as Europa and Columbus machines (total 60,000 combine harvesters) and then the Tucano (35,000 units) have also helped to make Claas a global success.
Features
Special edition combines are being made for the 2025 harvest season. They will include a series of special features, “More than a machine” stickers on the side panels and a smaller anniversary sticker on the cabin door.
Claas chief executive Jan Hendrik-Mohr said: “Half a million Claas combine harvesters are, above all, 500,000 success stories, because farmers and contractors worldwide have placed their trust in us 500,000 times.
“We are celebrating this special 500,000th anniversary internationally with a global roll-out of several anniversary machines.”
Bag Supplies specialise in the supply of net bags and ventilated FIBCs to the agricultural sector. We carry a wide range of stock of monofilament and leno woven nets, in a variety of sizes and colours.
We provide delivery within 48 hours of your order being placed.
Bag Supplies offer a free personalised print and design service, so your packaging can be customised with your company logo and additional product information.
Please contact Bag Supplies for further details.
We’ve got it in the bag!
‘better than handshake’
Farmers and agricultural contractors are being encouraged to put agreements in writing – rather than the age-old custom of simply haking hands on a deal.
New terms and conditions drawn up by the National Asso ciation of Agricultural Contrac tors (NAAC) aim to give farmers and contractors more confidence in working together, including details of agreed operational and payment terms.
The NAAC says most service providers use terms and condi tions. It says doing will start to bring additional professionalism to the agricultural sector where many agreements are carried out on a handshake.
More professional
The terms and conditions are voluntary – but can only be
used by NAAC members. “We appreciate that this is a new concept for many contractors and farmers, where all business
and conditions before proceed ing. This will just put those ver bal agreements on a more profes sional footing.”
The terms have been written by solicitors Chattertons. The idea is that they are used in con junction with an NAAC mem ber’s work specification sheet – or front sheet. This includes details of the operation, price and the terms of payment.
Horrell, head of corporate and partner at Chattertons.
The latest additions to the Ovlac plough range were exhibited by Opico at last month’s Cereals event.
Located in northern Spain, Ovlac has been building ploughs for over 85 years. Today it is the country’s largest manufacturer of soil-engaging equipment. The ploughs pulled in a number of visitors at the two-day event
In particular, the terms and conditions draw attention to a limited liability clause. This details the NAAC member’s insurance cover and the circumstances – including its limits and exclusions.
A customer can expect that this front sheet will be completed for each job and sent across to them for signature before work commences, explained Anna
“Verbal agreements can be legally enforceable so it is important to have written terms and conditions to let your customers know what they can expect from your business and to help protect you from unexpected situations which could arise.”
Written agreements also reduce the risk of confusion, suggested Ms Horrell. “If your terms are unclear this can cause miscommunication and lead to disappointed expectations and issues for your customers.”
Cultivation equipment on display at Cereals
in Hertfordshire.
Mouldboard ploughs remain the firm’s flagship product and Ovlac is regarded as something of a specialist in shallow inversion tillage with a range of ploughs built specifically for that growing market.
Alongside a full offering of conventional and reversible ploughs from two to nine furrows
– mounted and semi-mounted –the company has developed its Mini Shallow Plough range to work at depths of between 8cm and 20cm.
By adopting this technique, reducing share depth to less than 15cm can halve power requirements enabling smaller tractors to cover far greater working widths – it is possible to have
a 13-body plough spanning 5m in one pass.
Although designed to be simple and lightweight, the Mini is robust and can work on-land to avoid furrow bottom compaction. A nine-furrow model was on show at Cereals alongside a sixfurrow version of Ovlac’s XPerience 180 standard reversible plough.
Verbal agreements help ensure customers know what to expect
Jill Hewitt: a more professional approach to contracts
Unclear terms can lead to disappointment, says Anna Horrell
Emoji bales support children’s charity
Acompetition for farmers organised by Carr’s Billington Agriculture is supporting WellChild, the national charity for seriously ill children.
For almost ten years Carr’s Billington has been challenging farmers to create their emoji-inspired displays from special Emoji silage bales wrapped in WellChild’s colour purple, available from Carr’s Billington stores or by phone.
Members of the public who spot the Emoji bales are asked to take a photo on their phone, tag the location and post it on social media including with the Carrs Billington and WellChild hashtag #spottedpurple.
Each time a person does this with a photo of different bales they will be entered into
a draw to win £200 of Carr’s Billington vouchers. Contractors using the Emoji bale-wrap can also send in photos, for a chance of winning a family ticket to Alton Towers.
Zeus Packaging Group gave Carr’s Billington the exclusive distribution rights to the Purple Silage wrap in the UK – part of a global project by Zeus to support children’s charities in Ireland, the UK, Spain, Portugal, New Zealand and Australia. WellChild chief ex-
Online Shop Now Open
l Order via our online shop for next day delivery.
l Comprehensive range of hydraulic adaptors, BSP, JIC, ORFS, DIN 2353 tube fittings and many more available in stock
l Stockist of premium quality Quick Release Couplings and hydraulic Test Point fittings
l Family owned UK manufacturers of premium quality hydraulic adaptors for over 55 years.
l In excess of 36,000 components manufactured every day.
l ISO 9001 accredited.
ecutive Matt James said: “We would like to thank Carr’s Billington and Zeus Packaging for their fantastic support over so many years for WellChild and the families we help across the UK.
“The hay bale emojis are a fantastic sight in fields across the country and the money which is raised by the farming community will go to support children with serious and complex health conditions to live a better, happier life.”
Carr’s Billington marketing manager Thomas MacDonald said: “ We are keen to help even more people know about the amazing work WellChild undertakes which makes such a difference to the lives of seriously ill children and their families.”
He added: This partnership also raises money for WellChild and helps our staff and customers enjoy demonstrating the lighter side of farming.”
People who take a photo of
Seeds sown for more flexible establishment
ACambridgeshire grower has given the thumbs up to the latest direct seeding technology launched by Grange Machinery at last month’s Cereals event.
The Grange Tine-Drill Toolbar (TDT) was developed following on-farm experience and customer demand – including from James Peck, managing director of PX Farms at Dry Drayton, said Grange managing director Rhun Jones.
“Over the last few years more and more of our current and prospective customers have asked if we can offer a strong, robust frame that would allow them to have a tine drill that can be used in heavy clay soils right the way
through to sandy loams.
“We took the forward step of design and manufacturing our first 6m unit three years ago to meet an order from PX Farms in Cambridgeshire who specifically wanted a light but strong framed tine drill for drilling cereals and beans.”
Increasingly unpredictable weather patterns over the last five years have affected the traditional end of harvest and drilling seasons drastically – including periods of extreme drought followed by persistent rain.
“The requirement for a flexible and lightweight setup to ensure crops can be established in tricky conditions but are sown with precision and a light ground
footprint has never been more important.”
PX Farms managing director James Peck said: “Grange Machinery worked with me to build a unique 6m mounted cultivator drill as we found that with the inclement weather the big drills were too heavy, especially on headlands and in corners.”
The Grange tine drill was
strongly built and can put the beans in at full depth and then level the top off, all at high workrates, said Mr Peck.
“It can go in poorer conditions with less compaction as the setup is on 900 and 1100 tyres front to back with a relatively small hopper on the front, and we’ve achieved fantastic results – the beans are the best they’ve ever looked.”
Hugh Pearl Lane Drainage has over 60 years experience of contracting, and can supply all of your drainage and trenching requirements from design to construction.
Grange TDT developed following on-farm experience
Top tips to overcome slurry legislation
TFarmers and contractors should prepare for new rules on slurry spreading, says Andy Hayhurst.
ime is running out for an expected ban on splash plates to spread slurry. And with grants looking likely to expire soon, farmers and contractors should find cost-effective alternative solutions sooner rather than later.
One of the cheapest ways to comply with the splash plate ban is likely to be retrofitted tanker dribble bar systems. Whilst these will be a lower investment than a trailing shoe applicator, we suspect that dribble bar systems are not a truly sustainable option..
False economy
Parts of Europe have already banned dribble bar systems and that the UK is likely to follow suit. Some farmers could be tempted to downsize equipment – but it could be false economy to choose the lowest cost option.
The use of tankers with smaller, lower cost applicators is often not as efficient as wider working width alternatives. More hours are needed to cover the ground, during which the tractor is compacting more land and using more fuel.
Trailing shoe
Making use of grants to invest in a wider trailing shoe system would help to mitigate against this and offer a future proof solution. Further legislation that will require all slurry to be covered by 2027 will also have an impact on machinery efficiency.
When storage is no longer receiving rainwater, slurry will become thicker and present a greater challenge for any dribble bar or trailing shoe applicator. A good macerator can help – but it can be better to go even further.
A separator is likely to allevi-
ate the likelihood of slurry damaging application equipment. It can also make it easier for the soil to absorb and make plant available the nutrients in the slurry.
Keeping slurry homogenous using mixers, and separating out dry matter, will provide the best quality liquid for application. Using a trailing shoe will ensure the crop is parted to enable the slurry to be applied to the soil and not tarnish the crop.
The Farming Equipment and Technology Fund (FETF) has offered £7,613 towards a separator, based on a purchase price of £19,033, as an investment with the potential to reduce storage requirements by up to 30 percent.
The FETF is currently closed to applications. But it is likely that more grants will be available this year. However, following years of the FETF and the Slurry Infrastructure Grant, the end of these grants looks to be coming soon.
Securing a grant now could reduce the investment cost of a longer term option such as a trailing shoe before it is too late.
Dribble bar applicators, with a working width of at least 6m
Injection system
Trailing shoe and injection systems qualify for a more generous 50% grant, with the government estimating that a 6m injection system will cost £17,968 and the same sized trailing shoe £14,750. All this make its clear that the writing is on the wall.
Farming is being asked and encouraged to reduce emissions, reduce run off and make better use of all natural fertilisers. We expect that, during this decade, all farms will be moved towards trailing shoe applicators.
It is also apparent that that farmers who take advantage of the grants and invest now will save money – simply because there are soil and crop health benefits, along with operational savings, from doing so.
Andy Hayhurst is a slurry specialist with Vogelsang. For details, visit www.vogelsang.info
Trailing shoe (right) and injection systems qualify for more generous grants
Afront mowers with working widths of 2.62m or 3.04m.
The launch is just one of a new series of products available from Pöttinger – including mowers, tedders and loader wagons – all aimed at specialist forage produc ers and contractors.
The Novacat F series com bines low weight with maxi mum strength – with a compact three-point linkage mounted headstock, the centre of gravity is close to the tractor, making it easy to use even with small tractors.
The heart of the Novacat F is a 4cm cutter bar which is 28 cm
ground. Gimbals on the cutter bar guide arms guarantee multidimensional freedom of movement of 8 degrees over undulating ground.
The Novacat F 3100A features
technology. This ensures a perfect overlap with the rear mower and ensures the tractor drives along a clear track free of forage when cornering and working on steep ground.
The curved movement means that the entire working width of the cutter bar can be used and the effective width of the mower combination maximized. Systems with straight-line side shift leave several centimetres uncov-
Mower weight is carried either by the tractor hitch, or optionally by two strong suspension springs between the headstock of the mower and the mounting
Side guards are folded upwards for road transport with hydraulic folding is available as an option. Folded guards provide good access to the cutter bar. This makes it possible to clean the machine and change blades quickly
Meanwhile, Pöttinger has also launched the Novacat H mower combinations to deliver high output while saving on fuel. The H9500 has a working width of 9.46m, with the Novacat H 11200 coming with a working width of 11.14m.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Nottinghamshire to host 2024 British Ploughing Championships
The 2024 British National Ploughing Championships will be held on 1213 October at the Thoresby, near Ollerton, Nottinghamshire.
Up to 250 top ploughmen and women from across Britain are expected to compete in 15 different ploughing classes over the two days – including modern reversible and conventional ploughing.
Vintage classes will include trailed, mounted and classic ploughs; club classes for Ferguson, David Brown and Ford & Fordson; horticultural, crawler and the traditional, stylish high-cut ploughing.
All competitors will be striving to win the championship in their section and the title of Supreme Champion. Some will get the chance to to represent their country at next year’s World Ploughing Contest or European Ploughing Championships.
One of the most compelling sights of the weekend will be the heavy horses. Sixteen pairs of horses will be ploughing side-byside on each day. Shires, Percherons, Clydesdales and Comtois will be working hard to win the British title.
With steam ploughing engines at work, demonstrations of new farm machinery and displays of
Thomas Sutton, who competed last year, is representing England in the European Reversible Ploughing Championships in France this September
vintage tractors and equipment, said Sue Frith, chief executive of the Society of Ploughmen.
“There is terrific interest and enthusiasm in the area and we are delighted that Thoresby Farming have provided a most picturesque site this year, surrounded
TRANS-SPACE
by trees with free roaming deer. A central grassland area of the site will be taken by a trade stand area with agricultural companies selling everything you could need on the farm, from a tractor to a pair of boots. There will also be a wide variety of shopping stalls. Trade stands, demonstrations, shopping and crafts can be booked until August.
For full details and tickets, visit www.ploughmen.co.uk
