Get up close to the latest crop establishment machinery and thinking

Now in its 30th year, Tillage-Live, the national crop establishment demonstration, returns to the west this autumn.

Organised by the Agricultural Engineers Association (AEA) on behalf of the industry, the event is heading back to Cirencester in 2021, with the event being held at Down Ampney after a year’s break in 2020.

The event, which is being held on Thursday 16th September, will showcase leading machinery manufacturers with demonstrations of crop establishment technology including ploughs, cultivators, sprayers, conventional, strip tillage and direct drills.

In the live demonstration arena, there will be an opportunity to see machinery working not only in stubble, but manufacturers will also get the chance to show off their machinery in several different cover crops. Once again, this area will also give visitors the chance to get up close and see a selection of sprayers which will also be running in this area throughout the day.

Tillage-Live remains the sole national annual working crop establishment event, and this year’s demo at Down Ampney will be the first chance for growers to see many of this year’s new machines in action, in real post-harvest conditions.

With working demonstrations from manufacturers including: John Deere; New Holland; Kverneland; Amazone; Horsch; Kuhn; Lemken; Mzuri; Pottinger; Vaderstad; and Opico, the day promises a real insight into professional crop establishment techniques.

The event also includes a static exhibition area, which provides an opportunity to discuss new ideas with industry-leading experts. This year’s knowledge trail includes a look at soils and cover crops as well as tyres and soil protection.

Kayleigh Holden, event organiser, commented: “The AEA is extremely pleased that Tillage-Live will be taking place at Down Ampney in 2021. The site near Cirencester offers excellent facilities for manufacturers to showcase their machinery to potential customers and visitors, and we would like to thank Farmcare for hosting the event. Visitors and exhibitors can be con dent that every step is being taken to ensure that the event is run to the highest standard and is Covid-19 secure.”

The Tillage-Live site is close to the A419; please follow the road signs to the visitors’ entrance to the event. More information can be found at www. tillage-live.com. You can keep up to date with the event and the latest news on social media using #tillgrowspray.

Tillage-Live is organised by the AEA on behalf of industry exhibitors and has been held since 1992. FG

Flagship X8 and X7 series tractors to appear at Tillage-Live

McCormick is once again supporting the Tillage-Live event and says it is keen to take the opportunity to further enhance its tractor offering to arable and contracting customers.

The flagship McCormick X8 VT-Drive offers up to 310hp with proven components across the range, from powerful FPT engines through to ZF transmissions and Bosch hydraulics.

McCormick X7 Series tractors will also be in action at the event. The X7.624, at 240hp, has rapidly become a bestseller for the manufacturer in this power segment.

Both tractor ranges feature Isobus implement control operated through a 12in colour touchscreen display used to set up and adjust the various powertrain, hydraulic and headland management function, as well as full capability for guidance, section control and variable rate operations.

All McCormick X8 and X7 tractors now come with McCormick fleet management, a remote telemetry and diagnostics system allowing for equipment security, geofencing and remote diagnostics.

With up to five years/5,000 hours of factory warranty available on all tractors, and an ever expanding UK dealer network, McCormick says it is con dent that its tractor range can compete with all other manufacturers. With outstanding features across the whole McCormick range, including competitive nance packages and contract hire options, McCormick Finance offers various ownership options, the company adds. To book a demo this autumn, visit www.tryitwedareyou.com FG

Autumn Cultivations & Tillage-Live New disc option for compact disc harrows

With the emphasis now on even shallower working, a new X-Cutter disc option has been added to the Amazone Catros compact disc harrow range.

The depth of work and degree of organic material present, hugely influences the choice of shape and size of disc that should be used on Amazone compact disc harrows. For deeper, more aggressive soil penetration, in areas where more organic matter prevails, the Catros+ or CatrosXL, with their 510mm or 610mm diameter discs respectively, produce that desired effect.

Until now, for shallow stubble chitting, the best option was the 460mm diameter, smooth-edged concave disc which gives maximum ground contact area and a high peripheral speed, generating excellent surface movement, a fine crumb structure and good crop residue handling.

The new X-Cutter, a 480mm diameter wavey-edged disc, can now be specified as an option on the CatrosXL, Catros+ and Catros+2TX models. It is ideal for working at depths as shallow as 2cm, where the wave-profile generates a more intensive and multi-directional cut of the soil surface.

Working depths down to a maximum 8cm are possible with this option. The X-Cutter performs best where there is a minimal amount of organic matter and can be used in combination with the up-front knife roller.

The Amazone Catros compact disc harrow range is available in working widths from 2.5–12.0m and in disc diameters from 410–660mm. FG

Place your seed

Flexibility is the new normal with the Cirrus seeding combination

With a choice of a single 3,600 litre or split pressurised 4,000 litre tank, the Cirrus seeding combination can provide both grain and/or fertiliser to the coulter. That flexibility can be further enhanced by adding the new GreenDrill 501 catch crop seeder for small seeds and microgranules. Upfront, the new low disturbance Minimum TillDisc system cuts through crop residues ahead of the sowing coulter bringing up moist soil to speed up germination. For more cultivation, then the double row of cultivator discs crumble and level the seedbed with the Matrix tyre packer presenting a firmed profile ahead of the TwinTeC+ double disc coulter for maximum seed/soil contact.

Versatile carrier “makes business sense”

Versatility is the name of the game for Matt Solley of J S Crop Management, a joint venture between neighbouring arable farms in Kent, established to reduce overheads and make the most of machinery.

The business employs the labour force and supplies machinery for both farms, as well as contract farming for other landowners.

With 2,000ha in hand and 850ha on contract, productive, reliable machinery is key, as is flexibility; while soils near the business’ Deal base are mainly free-draining brick earth over chalk, much of the contract farming is on heavier land.

To meet their own needs and those of customers, they decided not to limit themselves to no-till. Mr Solley explains: “We’ve got a Vaderstad TopDown and Carrier cultivators in the armoury to give us plenty of min-till options, or can go straight in with a Biodrill on the TopDown and establish oilseed rape; we’re also seeing a return to the plough in certain situations, so need to be able to work on ploughed land.”

The ability of the Vaderstad Carrier 925 disc cultivator to work at different depths really comes in here. Featuring conical discs to produce a fine tilth and mix residues evenly, it uses a strong frame to withstand high weight on the discs, improving penetration and maintaining working depth in tough conditions.

“We can use the Carrier as a shallow cultivator to give a quick chit in the autumn, or work deeper to pull down plough in the spring. The discs are really effective for shallow work in hot, dry conditions, and we’ve always got the option of the TopDown to put a tine through if needed. We can also use the Carrier in front of the drill – there are so many possibilities.”

The CrossBoard on the Carrier has been especially useful for Mr Solley this spring, when an unusually cold snap produced a ‘frost tilth’ which settled naturally. A pass with the disc cultivator was the ideal tool to freshen up ahead of a Vaderstad Rapid RDA drill.

“We had a RexiusTwin press but wanted to try Vaderstad’s latest designs and the Carrier gives a high output with its 9m working width, so productivity is that much greater.”

With some contract farms in a 30-mile radius, there’s plenty of road work, and the Carrier’s neat push back folding system and double axle means that it travels exceptionally well.

Mr Solley says the Carrier can be easily adapted, making it even more versatile. “The CrossCutter discs look like a really good option for working in residues or on plough, and would be a useful addition in some seasons.”

Working with a 440hp Fendt MT943 tracklayer, he says the Carrier rides very level and can be easily adjusted in varying conditions, making for a high-speed operation that covers some 10ha/hr.

“There are plenty of wide, fast shallow cultivators on the market but many of them are no good for anything else. The Vaderstad Carrier is a real all-rounder that works very well for us.” FG

Kuhn Farm Machinery has added the high-capacity Optimer L to its range of independent disc stubble cultivators.

Available in 9 and 12m working widths, the Optimer L is designed for high-quality shallow cultivation at operating speeds of 13–18km/hour. With a working depth range from 3–10cm, it is sufficiently versatile to fulfil a range of roles including enhanced crop residue management, stale seedbed creation and fine seedbed preparation.

Two rows of 510mm diameter discs operate with high rotation speeds and o er optimum tilth creation. Discs are available with small notches (for shallow cultivation) or large notches (for deeper soil penetration) and are mounted individually on support arms. Each have four integral polyurethane elastomeric blocks to provide protection and depth control.

Each disc has a single maintenance-free bearing on the outer side, which, along with underframe clearance of 55cm, ensures clear ow of residues and prevents jamming. Working depth is hydraulically assisted, allowing simple and accurate adjustments. This is maintained across the full width of the machine.

The Optimer L is fitted with Kuhn’s Double-U self-cleaning and anticlogging roller, designed to provide optimum soil tamping. Turning on the roller at the headlands maintains stability and minimises any risk of soil compaction in these areas.

Folding through a safe and secure four-step process allows a compact transport position and the control panel also includes an operating depth indicator and extension position guide. FG

New kit on display at Tillage-Live event

Kverneland will display a range of new kit at the Tillage-Live event, including a 6m u-Drill complete with minimum disturbance MD Disc – a new design of cultivation disc aimed at those looking to minimise soil disturbance.

MD Disc is an alternative to the u-drill’s short disc harrow element and is intended to work as part of a conservation tillage system; to work within cover crop systems, or within a conventional crop establishment process.

Using a 430mm diameter straight disc with a fluted profile around its circumference to aid surface trash removal, the disc pro le reduces the risk of hairpinning. Disc utes lightly prepare soil in a narrow 30–50mm strip, with each disc aligned with the seeding zone of the u-drill’s CD coulters putting seed into the soil strip at a row spacing of 16.67cm.

Kverneland’s 2300S, meanwhile, is a new addition to the plough range, replacing the EG200. In three-, four- and vefurrow builds, it can be specified with 85 or 100cm point-to-point clearance. Underbeam clearance is increased from 70 to 80cm, compared to its predecessor.

Receiving features found on much larger ploughs, the 2300S can be equipped with the optional trailer-transport headstock, allowing the plough to be towed but following the tractor like any other trailed implement.

Front press models, and trailed and mounted sprayers, will also be displayed. FG