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OUT & ABOUT
With the Farmers Guide team
Marketing manager K.M Sharp attended the Ernest Doe Power Framlingham Working Demo Day at Walsham le Willows in mid-September, which was showcasing Case IH tractors and Lemken equipment. Pictured at the event (l-r) are: Lemken UK area sales manager, Steve Plumb; Lemken UK and Ireland parts manager, Lee Mayhew; Lemken UK and Ireland general manager, Paul Creasy; Ernest Doe Power Framlingham branch & sales manager, Jonathan Warner; and Ernest Doe Power Framlingham area sales manager, David Carver. See videos of the event on our social media channels.
And finally...
An elderly farmer recently married his much younger girlfriend, and they wanted to start a family as soon as possible.
Because of his age, he went to his local GP to ask if he could have a sperm count done. The doctor gave him a specimen jar to take home, and asked him to bring back a sample the following day.
As instructed, the elderly farmer returned to the doctor the next day with the specimen jar; however, it was completely empty. "What was the problem, why couldn't you bring in a sample?" asked the doctor.
The farmer replied: "Well, rst I tried with my right hand.... and nothing. Then I tried with my left hand... and nothing. So my wife tried with her right hand... still nothing. Then she tried with her left, and once again, nothing. We then asked our neighbour, and she tried with both hands too, but again, nothing."
"You mean you actually managed to get your neighbour to help?" asked the doctor in amazement. "Yes," replied the old farmer. "And we still couldn't get the lid o the damned thing!"
Machinery editor Neale Byart visited the Claas team at Saxham, Su olk this month to try out the latest Scorpion telehandler models. Read his full report this issue, on page 101.
Marketing executive Patrick Over (centre) headed to the Bury St Edmunds British Sugar factory, to interview agriculture director Dan Green (left). Also pictured is PR manager, Sarah Lewis.
Pictured with agronomist, Alice Cannon, editor Rachel Hicks joined growers at the Hutchinsons Environmental Demonstration Day in Warboys to learn more about soil health and SFI. Turn to page 24.
Farmers Guide director Greg Goulding and his wife Sarah represented the company at the Land Rover Show at Stonham Barns this month, for which Farmers Guide was the main sponsor. Read more at www.farmersguide.co.uk
Machinery contributor David Williams was invited to the Yokohama TWS production plant in the Czech Republic, where Mitas agri tyres are produced. Pictured with manufacturing director, Josef Kremecek, look out for his report next month.
Farmers Guide reader and star of Clarkson's Farm, Kaleb Cooper chatted with the FG team about all things farming ahead of the release of his latest book. Look out for the interview online and on our social media channels.
Claas and Manns of Saxham hosted a live eld demo of the tracked Xerion 12, which Neale Byart attended. He's pictured with Claas product manager for tractors and materials handling, Patrick Frawley – read more on page 49.
What happens if weather extremes are the new normal?
short term stores need emptying before the end of October.
Fertiliser matters
Another year and another set of weather records broken, but what will the lasting e ects be? So asks Cecilia Pryce, head of research, compliance & shipping at Open eld.
Extremes of weather seem to be the new norm, and unfortunately something we are all having to learn to live with – but what is the long-term impact on farmed area? We recently saw the data published for the agricultural land use in England at 1st June. Nothing too amazing about that, but if you project the data across the whole of the UK it would show around 10.5% of the total cropped area in 2024 was not growing crops.
To put that into perspective, it was around 6% for harvest 2020 and averaged 4.66% for 2021/22 and 2023. In other words, around 642,000 hectares of arable land is either fallow or in SFI schemes, or in wheat tonnes around 5 million tonnes of missing grain.
It’s not an easy record to stomach but the point is, moving forward, does it decrease or just get higher? Do we see a return to a more normal arable season, or if weather extremes are here to stay is this the new normal? More importantly is the land that is being pulled out really poor-quality arable land? Can the land that is left produce more grain?
The latest headline from the EU was reporting the smallest wheat crop since 2012, but the 2012 crop was produced from a much bigger area but an even worse yield. Have varieties and growing systems changed that much over 12 years? The fact is that variables can change but how much risk and money are governments prepared to put on the table for environment over food and feed? Only time will tell but if we grow daisies, we really need to
be able to put a real terms value on them and also try our best to understand the issues that weather extremes are generating when looking to feed the nation.
On a similar point, with such a wet autumn in the EU, the maize crops are reported to now be su ering from very high levels of mycotoxins. The reality is legislation has set limits and if those are exceeded then there is little that can be done with crops – you shouldn’t knowingly blend toxins or contaminants. Unfortunately, it’s yet another reminder of the importance of sprays and timely inputs – assuming there are any and there’s an opportunity to use them.
Legislation is there to protect us all, but with extremes of weather and changes to cropping methods comes consequences and the next decision will be – do governments grant a derogation on toxin levels in maize, or is the grain destined for a no feed/food use i.e. burning? You can’t consume it if it produces a by-product, because that also runs the risk of it not being t for purpose. Food and feed waste concerns will then be raised and a further decrease in the availability of supply. Life is never easy but please keep the faith. The world needs farmers and food but I feel we will only really realise this when it may be too late for a quick policy change.
Finally this month, may I ask you to please check on your stored crops. I mention this as water ingress under doors and down walls is a common issue and crops that are not monitored have a habit of springing surprises on many when out loaded, and we don’t need UK issues with storage moulds alongside ergot and low proteins. Also don’t forget
As tensions continue to escalate in the Middle East, we are once again facing volatile fertiliser markets as a result, explains Open eld fertiliser manager Lucy Hassall.
At the beginning of September, India announced a tender for signi cant tonnes of urea for October shipment which resulted in a small spike in pricing. There has since been another tender announced at the end of September for November shipment, again causing the market to rm. During this month Egyptian producers had also faced short term gas cuts resulting in production shutdowns and adding to pricing pressure.
Despite a quiet fertiliser market over harvest there has been no reductions in AN pricing due to the continuation of high energy costs across Europe. Producers are more inclined to turn down production rates than build stock at high input costs to sell at some point in the future. Blenders have also been cautious about bringing in new vessels of product during this quiet time, meaning the UK isn’t sat on large stocks of product. With this in mind, it would be advisable to purchase at least part of your requirements in order to help manage risk. FG
Lucy Hassall Open eld’s fertiliser manager
Claydon wins regional Global Britain Business of the Year award
Agricultural machinery manufacturer Claydon Yield-o-Meter Ltd, which exports to more than 30 countries, from Europe to New Zealand, has been named regional Global Britain Business of the Year in the prestigious British Chamber Business Awards 2024 which celebrate the very best in British business by recognising the achievements of companies which are trading with the world in a successful, innovative way and helping to create a ‘global Britain’.
The Global Britain Business of the Year award recognises Claydon Yield-o-Meter Ltd’s ‘outstanding contributions to British exports and pioneering approach to agricultural innovation on the global stage.’ Claydon was delighted to be shortlisted in the category recently and now, having won the regional award, the company will go forward to the ‘National Global Business of the Year’ category at the British Chamber Business Awards 2024, the results of which will be announced on 17th October.
UK agricultural tractor registrations – September 2024
Continuing the pattern seen in recent months, the number of agricultural tractors registered for the rst time in the UK in September was lower than a year ago. The monthly total of 899 machines was 19% down on the level recorded in September 2023 and was 17% below the average for the same month over the previous ve years. Indeed, it was the lowest September gure since 2015. That brought the total for the rst three-quarters of the year to 8,224 machines, 15% lower than in January to September 2023 and 13% behind the average for the opening nine months of the year.
Month: 899 units -19.3% change (compared with September 2023)
Year to date: 8,224 units -15.2% change (compared with January–September 2023)
SY Cheer
UK Flour Millers has announced that the Syngenta winter wheat variety ‘SY Cheer’ is con rmed as a full UKFM Group 1 variety, upgrading its provisional rating from 2023.
The UK Flour Millers Varieties Working Group (VWG), comprised of representatives from the largest our milling businesses in the United Kingdom, met in early September 2024 to
discuss the wheat, milling, and baking quality data of SY Cheer from 2024 crop samples, as well as assessments from the previous three years of testing.
Following a consensus agreement the group has exercised its sole right to assign the industryrecognised UFKM group rating. This is the rst winter wheat to be given a Group 1 rating since KWS Zyatt in 2017.
The popularity of Group 1 wheat varieties has been in decline, dropping from 31% of the wheat area in 2020 to only 24% in 2024.
This has contributed to a de cit in supply of homegrown breadmaking wheat, with millers having to rely more on imports.
Mr Brennan said: “As a new Group 1, we hope SY Cheer may help reverse this trend and signi cantly increase the supply of quality UK wheat.”
Kuhn adds film binding to FB 3130 baler
Kuhn Farm Machinery has extended the option of its innovative Twin-reel lm binding technology to its FB 3130 baler.
The Twin-reel system was already available for the larger
FB 3135 and the addition means both models in the xed chamber FB 3100 range now feature the option. The system uses two 750mm stretch lm rolls to bind the bale as opposed to a single, wider conventional unit. This means operators are handling lighter rolls, which makes them easier to load into the mantle. The lm features a higher pre-stretch ratio compared to conventional
lms, o ering the potential to reduce binding costs by up to 37%.
Rhodri Jenkins, Kuhn’s grassland product specialist, says the technology o ers operational savings too. “Users will notice an increased period between changing lm rolls and the stretched lm has a sticky tack between each layer, protecting the bale instantly and providing an extra barrier once fully wrapped.”
Farm input costs rise sharply over past five years
Farm input costs have increased by an average of 44% since 2019, according to research by the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB).
The research examined how farming costs have changed in line with in ation between December 2019 and May 2024, taking into account a ‘basket of goods’ based on typical costs incurred by farms.
Straw costs (bedding) more than doubled, while
electricity, fertiliser, animal feed and motor fuels increased by 38–50%. Other costs such as veterinary treatment, machinery, transport and labour costs were also included in the analysis.
When broken down by sector, pig farming saw the greatest input costs increase at 54%, with feed prices the main driver.
Dairy farms and beef and sheep farms saw a 44% and
39% increase respectively, with feed again making a considerable contribution.
For cereals and mixed farms, inputs increased by 43%, with fertiliser and machinery related costs being the key drivers.
While farm input costs increased by more than 40%, the total funding pot for agriculture in the UK has remained constant at £2.4 billion since the 2019–24 parliament.
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AIC welcomes next steps for Precision Breeding legislation
The Agricultural Industries Confederation (AIC) has welcomed the government’s announcement of the next steps for realising the potential bene ts of gene editing technologies in England.
Secondary legislation required to implement the Precision Breeding Act for plants is expected to be laid in Parliament soon, the minister for food security and rural a airs, Daniel Zeichner MP, con rmed on 30th September.
Speaking at the World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit in London, the minister said that the Government will now seek to pass the supporting legislation required to unlock the bene ts of the Act which became law in March 2023.
As the agri-supply industry’s leading trade association, AIC has played a pivotal role in partnering with the Government in recent years as it sought to introduce this landmark legislation, which carries
major signi cance for the UK’s food security.
Crops bred using genetic technology can be made to better withstand ooding or drought driven by climate change, as well as having a greater resistance to pests and disease.
Gene editing could help with producing more home-grown protein for animal feed, thereby cutting the UK’s dependence on imports such as soya. It may also help provide food for those with special dietary needs, such as coeliacs.
Aleksandra winter barley impresses in tough season
New winter feed barley Aleksandra from Agrovista has delivered impressive yields and excellent quality grain in Yorkshire after the toughest of seasons, recovering strongly from the e ects of heavy and prolonged autumn and winter rainfall.
East Yorkshire-based agronomist Dan Janney looked after the crop, which was grown on heavy but fertile land near Beverley.
“It got o to a really nice start, combi-drilled at the
beginning of October after spring barley,” says Dan. “But we then had loads of rain –six acres of the 26-acre eld ooded.
“Early nitrogen applications were delayed. We thought we were going to lose the crop at one point, but it held on. It must have really scavenged for any nutrients that were there. When May arrived, it seemed to come into its own – it recovered very well and came back to life.”
Discounting the ooded
area, Aleksandra yielded around the farm average of 9t/ha. Across the entire eld it still achieved over 8t/ha, whilst producing a very bold, clean sample.
Clarke & Pulman Ltd join Standen’s list of dealers
Standen Engineering Ltd has appointed Clarke & Pulman Ltd as a dealer for Lancashire and Cheshire.
Clarke & Pulman Ltd is already the main dealer for Massey Ferguson, Fendt, JCB, Honda and Kverneland. The company is now o ering the full range of Standen and Standen Imports machinery and parts from its two depots in Burscough and Garstang.
Edward Gilbert, sales
director for Standen
Engineering said: “It’s great to have Clarke & Pulman on board as our dealer for Lancashire and Cheshire. Not only do they have a broad customer base but they place a huge amount of importance on customer service and after sales support, something
Farm Advisory Service secures vital three-year extension
SAC Consulting, part of Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC), has announced the continuation of its partnership with the Scottish Government to deliver the Farm Advisory Service (FAS) One to Many programme.
Building on its success since the FAS launch in 2016, SAC Consulting has secured a contract to extend the service until 2027.
The need to provide this support to Scotland’s agriculture sector has never been greater as evolving demands for sustainability create signi cant change, opportunities and uncertainty for farmers and crofters.
The Agricultural Reform Route Map for Scotland outlines the transition towards sustainable and regenerative agriculture, introducing a new framework of changes to support schemes starting in 2025. These changes encourage farmers and crofters to adopt practices aligned with environmental sustainability.
The FAS is key to ensuring that the industry receive the necessary support to navigate these changes, providing comprehensive advice to farmers, crofters and land managers which aids them in maintaining domestic food security in a sustainable way, and which has climate and nature restoration at its heart.
that is also important to us. We look forward to working with them and supplying customers in their area with quality machinery.”
James Bond of Clarke & Pulman said “We are delighted to be able to sell Standen’s full range of machinery to our local customers. Standen
are known for practical, well built machinery and their imports range o ers excellent specialist vegetable machinery to UK customers. We are pleased to support British manufacturing and can’t wait to see what the future holds as our relationship develops.”
from £10k to £5m
PRECISE
TARGETED NUTRITION FOR MAXIMUM YIELD AND SUSTAINABILITY
Balancing costs, reducing your carbon footprint, and improving plant health can be tough.
Our range of liquid, solid, bio, and slow-release fertilisers offers tailored solutions for your farm.
With our network of experienced agronomists producing bespoke Nutrient Management Plans, it’s time we talked targeted nutrition.
LATE BUT NOT LOST:
How to optimise late-drilled
wheat crops
With reduced pest, weed and disease pressure, there is more going for late-drilled cereals than it first seems. Farmers Guide asks two Agrii experts for advice on how to get them o to the best start.
Following last autumn’s challenging weather, there was much talk from growers and agronomists about cereal crops being drilled earlier this autumn. However, establishing cereals from November onwards is necessary for farmers with late-harvested crops like sugar beet, potatoes and maize in the rotation or even those managing di cult grassweeds and take-all.
Seedbed quality
Farmers should not assume that later drillings will yield less than early ones, says John Miles, seed technical manager for Agrii. “Some of the seedbeds that were made at the back-end of last season were decent, and consequently, people had good yields in harvest ’24 from some very late drilled crops.”
The biggest challenge when going later in the autumn is creating a seedbed of a good enough standard to drill into, agrees Neil Harper, an Agrii agronomist based in Kent. “The half-sown, half-grown adage is true at this time. If you put a crop in and compromise it at drilling, it will be compromised the whole way through.”
If the conditions allow, rolling to consolidate the seedbed should be considered on a case-bycase basis, but it might be better to defer it to the early spring to encourage tillering, adds Neil.
Variety key
In terms of variety choice, John says the most popular varieties like Dawsum, Insitor, Champion and Beowulf will all perform as expected when drilled later, and that the variety should be chosen depending on the agronomic characteristics desired by the farmer.
Agrii conducts its own variety trial work, producing variety sustainability ratings (VSR). From observing those trials, John picks out Bamford and Blackstone as two varieties that seem to have good vigour to get up and go.
John tends to reserve judgment on the seed rates he recommends until he has seen the quality of
the seedbed. “In really good conditions, you could be as low as 400 seeds/m2, but then it could go as high as 550 seeds/m2 in more challenging situations. It depends on how the sugar beet came out, for example.
“The Agrii Stow Longa trials site has consistently shown high seed losses on a Hanslope clay soil type. We have always tended to be around 55% establishment, much lower than the 80–90% farmers believe they are getting.”
Nutrition
As well as a vigorous variety, Neil focuses on nutrition to encourage rapid early growth. Phosphate is the most apparent plant nutrient to encourage vigorous establishment and root development. However, leaching can be challenging at that time of year, especially on soils with high P indices, he adds.
A nutrient-releasing agent like Agrii-Start Release can increase available phosphate in the soil and other crop nutrients for uptake through plant roots, says Neil. Agrii-Start Release can be used across all soil types to help unlock P for crop uptake on sites where phosphate availability may be limiting.
Weed control
option to help encourage rapid plant growth, with several products showing their e ectiveness with a sound evidence base.
While drilling later will signi cantly reduce grassweeds, particularly if glyphosate applications are used e ectively, this is partly o set by additional concerns about crop damage from residual herbicides, says Neil.
“Regardless of the grassweed pressure, we need to look at the seedbed before we make a decision about herbicide programmes.
“If the drilling depth and soil structure aren’t correct, we are more likely to see some issues with herbicides. In this situation, we need to wait for the peri or post-emergence spray.”
The main di erence in herbicide programmes later in the autumn is that there are fewer opportunities to build a programme, continues Neil. However, despite the challenges of limited spray days and ground conditions, he encourages growers to endeavour to apply residual chemistry because spring grass weed control is unreliable.
“At that time of year, including an adjuvant like Backrow Max will help hold it in the soil surface, where it will have the most bene t,” points out Neil.
“Using a ufenacet-based product will help. We also know the Luximo (cinmethylin) type products give us the best grassweed control. If we need to go post-emergence of the crop but pre-emergence of the weed, then this gives us the exibility to do that and still gives us good control.”
According to John, seed treatments to help stimulate plant growth and provide the nutrients a seedling needs will help combat adverse conditions, cool soil temperatures, and reduced day length.
“Generally, root crops are grown on lighter soils, which can su er from manganese de ciency. Manganese seed treatments like i-Man are well used in this situation.”
Neil adds that foliar biostimulants are a further
Once the crop is established, growers can expect reduced spring disease pressure on their late-drilled wheat. John noted a signi cant di erence in disease levels last season depending on the drilling date.
The AHDB Recommended List (RL) septoria scores are based on trials drilled in the rst and second week of October. The septoria score will change by 0.3 plus or minus every week a crop is drilled on either side of that time, says John.
“You can take a variety with a 6 (for septoria) and add 0.9 to its score by going later. That’s quite a jump and will make it perform di erently agronomically.” FG
John Miles, seed technical manager for Agrii.
Kent-based Agrii agronomist, Neil Harper.
Wide sowing window suits Northants farm
Skyfall will continue its long run at Northamptonshire farm, The Grange, this autumn – the 13th year in a row it has featured in the farm’s wheat area.
“We multiplied Skyfall seed back in 2012 and it’s still delivering,” says Andrew Pitts, who farms at Mears Ashby, Northamptonshire. His 20ha crop averaged about 10.6t/ha this season – “a terri c performance” – and will make milling with fallbacks. In common with many milling wheats this season, protein content dipped, to 12.6–12.9kg/hl.
remains the only fully recommended Group 1 variety with OWBM resistance.
“Every agronomist has seen the variety for 10 years or more – we all know how to grow it and to manage yellow rust,” says Andrew. “Start with a bit of tebuconazole or azoxystrobin at T0 to keep on top of it and it’s ne.”
Drilling date exibility is also a very useful added extra, he adds. “What variety can you have on farm in September in a seed bag and still reckon to get a good yield by planting it in March? Its versatility is second to none.
“That was still pretty good given the di cult year we’ve had,” says Andrew of the 2024 harvest. “Speci c weights hit 80+kg/hl, where they always are.”
While Skyfall is susceptible to yellow rust, it is holding up well against other diseases and
“We sowed some on 7th April 2020 and we got 7.5t/ha back – that is very late but knowing it will still perform when the weather stops you drilling in the autumn is good insurance to have.
“Skyfall has been absolutely phenomenal for us and it shows no sign of changing. It’s been brilliantly consistent since we started growing it, whether as a commercial crop for milling or for seed. I can’t see us without it.” FG
Summary of Skyfall
• Popular Group 1 wheat
• Wide sowing window
• Only Group 1 with OWBM resistance and Pch1 eyespot resistance
• Short, sti straw
• Late-season security – strong on brown rust and fusarium
• Early ripening.
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First foray into Group 4 wheat is a success for East Lothian farmer
Haddington-based farmer James Kennedy’s first time experience with Group 4 soft wheat Blackstone produced great results this year.
This was despite some horrendous late autumn and winter weather, and James now plans to grow it commercially with an eye on a premium for the distilling market.
He says: “As a business, we’ve only ever grown Group 2 and Group 3 varieties. So, when we accepted the o er to grow Blackstone from seed merchant Dods of Haddington last year, we knew we were stepping into uncharted territory.
“Drilling 17ha on 15th October at a variable seed rate of 400 seeds/m2 weather and soil conditions were initially pretty good. However, just a couple of days after applying the pre-em herbicide, the heavens opened, and we did seriously begin to wonder if someone had left a tap running in the sky. Despite enduring horrendous rain and coming through the winter and early spring unscathed, by February the Blackstone crop was still at least two weeks behind and we were desperate to get onto the heavy elds and get some nutrition into the crop.
“Three splits of nitrogen totalling 169kg/ha were eventually applied on 29th February, 12th
March and 20th April, and, with the wet weather nally beginning to abate, the crop began to catch up on its growth stages as we began our 3.5 spray fungicide programme in April.
“Septoria can be very challenging in eastern Scotland, so we always try to stay fairly robust on spray programmes using our main go-to fungicide Inatreq + prothioconazole as our main ag leaf spray. Thankfully, it wasn’t a high pressure septoria season, and Blackstone was still showing three clean leaves by the time we’d applied our T3 in late June.
“Cutting on 30th August, Blackstone yielded 11.66t/ha at 15% moisture, 1t/ha above our ve-year farm average. In view of the extreme weather, plus the fact that it was our rst time with a Group 4, we were blown away with the nal yield results. We’re a mixed farm, so straw yield is also very important, and the variety certainly didn’t disappoint here either, producing 4.2t/ha of tall, sti straw.
good resilience during a testing season. Postharvest grain samples con rmed a speci c weight of 81.8kg/hl, a Hagberg falling number of 350 and a protein content of 9.4%. Although I’d have liked to have seen protein closer to 10%, it’s been a tough year across the board on protein so I’m not going to judge it too harshly there,” concludes James.
John Miles, seed technical manager for Agrii, is also very positive about the variety’s future and sees Blackstone’s long, exible drilling window and two-year performance in Agrii’s Scottish-based sterility trials as major positives for many northern and Scottish growers.
He adds: “Enabling Scottish growers to make better informed variety decisions, we’ve been running our sterility trials in Aberdeenshire since 2018 now. To be deemed suitable for the Scottish market we generally look for a sterility score of less than 10%, with scores closer to 5% identifying varieties as being highly suitable for many of the growing conditions farmers face north of the border.
“Looking at our data set for the last two years, Blackstone, from independent breeder Elsoms Seeds, recorded 6.2% in 2023 and 4.8% in 2024, giving it a mean average of 5.5% across the last two years. That puts Blackstone in the top two or three best performing varieties on sterility, making it highly suitable for all areas which have potential sterility risks. Add that data to its very wide sowing window and you have a winter wheat that many Scottish growers should be taking a keen interest in,” John con rms. FG
“Blackstone is a taller variety than we’d normally grow but, despite this, we had no lodging or attening issues and it stood very well, showing
James Kennedy.
Pay close attention to grassweed control this autumn
“The active ingredients of Niantic are ALSinhibitors which a ect cell division, so the product is most e ective when weeds are small and actively growing,” explains Ruth. “This means it can be applied from autumn until early spring when the wheat has two leaves (GS12) up until ag leaf ligule just visible (GS39).“
The focus should be on grassweed control this autumn if there is any chance of getting on top of the very high weed burden legacy of last season’s poor control, is the advice from o -patent manufacturer Life Scientific.
She points out that populations of blackgrass and Italian rye grass with varying levels of resistance to ALS herbicides are widespread in the UK. “Niantic must therefore always be used as part of an integrated approach to weed control involving rotation, cultivations, stale seedbeds and delayed drilling.”
She also adds to this the requirement for Niantic to be used with an authorised adjuvant and sequenced with alternative modes of action such as the pre or early post-emergence herbicide, Firestarter which contains ufenacet and di ufenican.
Controlling wild oats
Last autumn’s extremely wet conditions saw cereal weed control severely challenged as saturated elds often led to delayed or compromised application timings, which meant products were not as e ective, allowing grassweeds and wild oats to establish strong footholds.
These uncontrolled weeds not only had an impact on last year’s yields, but will potentially have a knock-on e ect this autumn, as growers are faced with even higher weed populations as a consequence of last year’s high weed seed shed and return to the soil.
“The key is to prevent the crop and weeds competing at the same time – so it is important to make sure every product works as well as possible – don’t rely on just one herbicide stack or sprayer pass and make use of all application timings and di erent actives.”
Ruth Stanley, Life Scienti c country manager for the UK and Ireland, points out this year the challenge is intensi ed as the pressure to drill early competes with the reality of late- ushing blackgrass.
When it comes to post-emergence options, Ruth recommends a single application of 0.4kg/ha Niantic with adjuvant Probe at 1.0-litres/ha to small, actively-growing weeds, ideally between one and three leaves, and when the majority of the weed population has emerged.
“However, the upcoming weeks after drilling o er a critical window for farmers to apply herbicides and target remaining grassweeds and wild oats before winter sets in,” she says.
Niantic, containing 30g/kg mesosulfuron-methyl + 6 g/kg iodosulfuron-methyl-sodium, is a reverse-engineered herbicide formulation based on the reference product, Atlantis WG. It is approved for use in winter wheat in the autumn and provides good control of susceptible black-grass, rye grass, wild oats, meadow grasses, common chickweed and mayweeds in winter wheat.
A NIAB survey sponsored by Life Scienti c looked at wild oat resistance in Avena fatua (spring wild oat), which tends to germinate in spring, and Avena sterilis ludoviciana (winter wild oat) which tends to germinate more in autumn.
Whilst winter wild oat showed higher levels of resistance than spring wild oat in the NIAB work, most populations still showed good susceptibility to herbicides containing mesosulfuron-methyl and iodosulfuron-methyl-sodium such as Niantic.
“If you have wild oats on your farm, hopefully seed has been collected and tested, as knowing the species present can help target the best approach to control the weed in your elds,” says Ruth. FG
Source: NIAB.
• ALS-inhibitor herbicides used on cereals can only be used in tank-mixture or sequence with another ALS-inhibitor if a speci c joint application is approved on label. the weed population has emerged. Atlantis good of
Application tips:
• As with all ALS-inhibitor herbicides, remember that sprayers must be thoroughly cleaned after use of NIANTIC using an appropriate tank cleaner
Ruth Stanley, Life Scienti c country manager for the UK and Ireland.
LG REBELLION: Consistent yield potential even into November
Growers looking for a strong-performing winter wheat that they can sow late this autumn and harvest early next year, should consider the hard Group 4 variety, LG Rebellion, says Limagrain Field Seeds UK.
The variety builds on many of the agronomic strengths that made KWS Extase such a popular choice on farms, but brings with it higher yield potential and even earlier maturity.
spread harvest workloads or provide an early entry for following crops, such as oilseed rape, he says.
LG Rebellion has strong tillering ability and good spring vigour, and suits drilling around the traditional October window. However, it can also perform well when sown later, into November, providing conditions allow, therefore could make a good choice for growers looking to sow wheat after later harvested potatoes, sugar beet, or maize, Mr Granger says.
years to this harvest (2020–2024), at 117% of control.
This is partly due to an excellent disease resistance pro le, especially for brown rust and septoria, plus the variety also o ers Pch1 eyespot resistance, which will be particularly important for growers looking to grow it in a second wheat situation, says Mr Granger. Indeed, LG Rebellion has performed well in second wheat situations, he notes.
Grain quality is excellent, o ering a high Hagberg and speci c weight, although he reminds growers that it is a hard Group 4 feed wheat with ukp export potential, rather than a Group 2 quality wheat like its parent. “It’s a KWS Extase derivative with 4% higher yield, o ering yields comparable with the best hard feed wheats commercially available.
Early maturity is a particularly valuable characteristic of LG Rebellion, o ering growers in many parts of the country, north and south, a way to
“It’s a high yielding hard feed wheat and has shown very consistent yield potential across testing seasons and regions, with additional desirable agronomic characteristics,” says Limagrain Field Seeds arable technical manager, Ron Granger.
“While LG Beowulf remains the highest yielding variety in late drilling situations on the present AHDB Recommended List, there is also a good opportunity for extended drilling dates with LG Rebellion, because it’s so quick out of the blocks regarding its vigour in the spring. It produces strong tillers and responds very well to PGR programmes.”
Another key strength of LG Rebellion is its consistently high untreated yield. The 2024 AHDB provisional harvest results (published 26th September) show that LG Rebellion delivered the second highest mean untreated yield over the four
“But choosing a variety should never be just about yield,” he adds. “While yield is important, it’s also important to consider all of the other attributes that a variety o ers growers on farm, whether that’s variety positioning, early maturity, disease resistance, or grain quality.” FG
Control boost for di cult weed populations
Blackbird (42g/litre pyra ufen-ethyl) is a contact herbicide for use in winter wheat, winter barley, winter rye and winter triticale.
Typically applied at the earlypost emergence application timing, Blackbird o ers control of a wide spectrum of broad-leaved weeds. It can also be applied as part of the pre-emergence programme o ering an additional boost of control where broad-leaved weeds are beginning to emerge and o ers a bene t to grass weed control. For best activity, it is advised to apply when targets are at cotyledon to two true leaf stage and will o er control of di cult weeds such as cleavers, charlock and chickweed at this timing.
Blackbird has also shown evidence in trials to suggest control of groundsel at early emergence,
providing spray coverage is good and well timed.
With an active ingredient historically used in potato crops, Blackbird has been reformulated by Nichino into a suspension concentrate, making it safe for use on winter cereals. Stewart Woodhead, technical manager for Sipcam UK said: “We are delighted to have pyra ufen-ethyl for use in the cereal market. We can see it being a good t in herbicide programmes adding a unique mode of action for broad-leaved weed control.”
Blackbird is available to growers this autumn and will hopefully provide a valuable addition to the early post emergence application timings or in combination with autumn insecticide sprays.
For more information visit www.sipcamuk.co.uk FG
Team Sprayers trailed sprayer model now with guidance system
Team Sprayers has announced that its Leader 4 trailed agricultural sprayer model will now come tted with the Muller Track-Guide III parallel guidance system (GPS) as standard.
The Track-Guide III is Muller’s latest-generation parallel guidance system. It comes with an 8in display and a capacitive touch screen which guarantees an excellent overview and is very easy and intuitive to operate. The sprayer operator can change the screen view with just a swipe. The Track-Guide III can be expanded for use in a number of ways, for example to include automatic steering or even a fullyedged Isobus terminal with task management and automatic boom section control.
Adding this technology to the
already impressive Leader 4 model from Team means that growers can be sure that they are spraying with more accuracy and e ciency, minimising overlap and skips whilst maximising their chemical usage, the company says.
Team Sprayers’ Leader 4 model incorporates a low-folding boom and its pro led tank ensures a low centre of gravity. Coupled with the air ride axle suspension the stability of the sprayer is guaranteed. The Leader 4 model comes with boom widths from 21m up to 36m and tank capacities of 3,000 or 4,000 litres. Other key features include the boom recirculation, steering/axle tracking system, fully electro–hydraulic control system, HD PTO driven air compressor and a work station with simple control valve layout. FG
The future of precision weeding technology
The pioneer of the Robocrop advanced precision guidance technology for mechanical hoeing and weed control, Garford Farm Machinery has launched the next generation, multi-modal vision guidance system, Robocrop AI.
Delivering higher uptime, increased capacity and lower cost of operation, the new Robocrop AI InRow option has been developed exclusively by Garford’s project team of mechatronic, software and data engineers, to provide greater exibility and higher resilience to light conditions and weed pressure.
Representing a leap in vision guidance capability with ‘green on green’ plant recognition, Robocrop AI uses arti cial intelligence to combine colour, infrared and depth information to precisely identify crop plants and stem location.
A big step function bene t of Robocrop AI, di erentiating it from other AI systems, is the multimodal camera system. By using infrared cameras, as well as a colour camera, depth imaging, calculating vegetative index and then using data fusion techniques, the system accurately detects stem locations, even where multiple leaves overlap.
“In practice, this means we can hoe closer to the plant to achieve a higher weed control e cacy, ultimately bringing value to the user,” explains Garford Farm Machinery managing director,
Jonathan Henry.
The new vision guidance system also brings new levels of resilience to varying light conditions, as well as weed pressure in the eld.
The multi-modal camera is combined with an AI neural network, which is trained to identify and recognise the crop plant and stem location, then distinguish it from weeds and non-crop plants, using colour, as well as leaf shape and pro le.
The rst release Robocrop AI is available at launch for the 2025 Garford InRow electric rotor weeders for use in salad, brassica and sugar beet crops. FG
Green on Green plant recognition
AI neural network trained to recognise crop plants
Multi-modal camera system computes exact stem location
Resilience to varying light conditions
The future of precision weeding technology. A leap in vision guidance capability, using AI to combine colour, infrared and depth information.
For Garford InRow electric rotor weeders, for use on salad, brassica and sugar beet crops.
Make SFI work for you
In September, Hutchinsons invited growers to its annual Environmental Demonstration Day, entitled SFI: Right action, right place. Rachel Hicks was there.
Hosted by the England family in Warboys, Su olk, the trials site is part of the Hutchinsons Helix initiative, and is dedicated to testing out environmental stewardship options which fall under the Sustainable Farming Incentive part of ELMS.
During the open day, growers could join a tour of the crop plots, in which they could learn about the di erent stewardship mixes, learn how to establish them successfully and discuss the bene ts they deliver to biodiversity and soil health.
Getting the right benefits
Alice Cannon, agronomist and regional technical support manager, talked through selecting the right cover crop species, in order to address identi ed needs, and build diversity into the rotation.
She said it’s not just about getting the payment for the SFI option – it’s important to ensure your farm gets the right bene ts from the cover crop, too.
bit of a nightmare to manage once it sets seed – but with a challenging soil comprising Grade 1 Fenland and heavy clay-based soils on at the Warboys site, the phacelia helps to crumble the soil surface, creating a friable layer and giving better seed-to-soil ratios.
“Diversity is the absolute key when selecting covers. Cover crops won’t work 6–7 inches down – that’s for the metal to take care of. But creating that friable, structured soil near the top is where they excel,” Ms Cannon shared.
She added that turning to the spade and having a dig to see what’s going on underneath is really important for greater soil management.
“For the 2024 SFI options, phacelia works well because you need a herb, a legume, a cereal or an oilseed in a lot of the spring or summer cover crop options, compared to the 2023 options where you only needed two species for the winter cover or companion crop options,” Ms Cannon commented.
Phacelia, she explained, is fantastic for pollinators. However, it can be a
The management and termination of covers was also an important consideration when deciding what to grow, she said.
“White mustard, for example, is cheap, and can do a great job for soil structure given its deep tap root. But it does have a high carbon:nitrogen ratio, which means that if it’s not managed correctly, there can sometimes be a yield loss of 30–50% in the following spring cereal as so much nitrogen is used by the soil biology to breakdown all that carbon.
“It also wraps around the drill, so while the biomass above the ground
Hutchinsons agronomist and regional technical support manager, Alice Cannon.
legumes.
The work found that the sudden release of natural nitrogen that built up in the root nodules over the course of a four-year AB15 grassfree legume fallow (containing vetch, clover, sainfoin, lucerne and others) acted as a “super food” for soil biology, prompting a spike in the consumption of organic matter, that in turn, caused soil aggregates to collapse.
is helpful for pollinators etc, it needs to be managed properly for the following commercial crop. It has to be sprayed o 6–8 weeks before drilling your commodity crop, or alternatively, and preferably, use it more sparingly within a wider cover crop mix.
“Every species has its pros and cons, so you need to understand those fully to deliver the bene ts you want, both above and below ground. And if you’re intending to drill your cover crops beyond September, you’re seriously limiting the bene ts they will bring.”
Understand
and manage soil impacts
Trials at the Warboys site have highlighted one potential risk that should be considered when planning to grow a multi-year stewardship mix containing a high proportion of
“Soil aggregates form around organic matter, so when that is consumed, the structure collapses, causing the soil to become tight,” Hutchinsons technical manager, Dick Neale, explained. “The soil’s not compacted, and is still in good condition, full of roots, with decent in ltration, but it does need to be managed carefully to open that structure back up.”
A comparison of a multi-species MaxiCover mix versus just wheat grown in plastic grow tubes neatly illustrates this. The mix of root architecture and depths in the MaxiCover mix leaves a stable, moist, friable soil, whereas the wheat is a dense mat of roots.
“It’s still good rooting and soil aggregation, but with such a thick mat of root, it could be tricky to drill into and achieve good seed-to-soil contact, especially when you consider a disc drill travelling at 10kph has around seven hundredths of a second to cut a slot, place a seed, and cover it over with the press wheel,” explained Mr Neale. FG
Combining commodities with cover crops
Charles Parkinson farms on brashy soil in Stamford, Lincolnshire. The rotation of wheat, barley, winter oats, winter beans and winter OSR is joined by rotational land in the NUM3 legume fallow under SFI, as well as 60ha of unproductive land under wild bird cover mixes. A total of around 10% of the farm is guaranteed an income under SFI, but Charles has stacked yield maps to work out the productivity and pro tability of each area in order to get the best out of his land.
“ We also undertake companion cropping, with berseem clover and buckwheat alongside OSR, for pest control and soil health. Where it’s pro table to grow commodity crops we do, but where it’s not we can guarantee an income for that land under SFI,” commented Charles.
SOIL COMPACTION: The “hidden killer” of root systems
Speaking at Groundswell 2024, Canadian agricultural engineer, Odette Ménard delved into the importance of alleviating soil compaction via
the CROP concept. Rachel Hicks reports.
Odette Ménard has been working in soil health for the past 36 years. During her presentation, she commented that what we call regen ag today, 36 years ago was referred to as soil conservation. “Then it became sustainable agriculture, then we went through agroecology, ecoagronomy, and now we’re up to regen ag – but for me really it’s always been about soil health.”
There was a lot of talk about root systems across the Groundswell discussions, but Odette was keen to emphasise what she considers to be “real soil potential” – meaning the 30–40 inches of soil below the surface.
“We put a lot of e ort into the top 6–8 inches of the soil; what I call the direct intervention zone, where we do a lot of soil disturbance – ploughing, discing, planting, and harvesting –but yet all of this work has collateral damage – with soil compaction, soil surface pulverisation and erosion all being caused,” Odette explained.
Below this is the “costly intervention zone” which, according to Odette, refers to soil management practices such as subsoiling, drainage and levelling – but pointed out that these still won’t reach through the whole soil pro le to alleviate compaction.
For Odette, soil pro ling is vital. “This is the very rst step we should be taking, and you should soil pro le in good and bad parts of the eld and when there are active roots in
the system.
“Something we don’t do enough is pull our shovels out to dig at least 90cm deep into the soil pro le to nd out what’s going on.
“We spend hundreds of hours a year on machines, and I wish we’d spend as much time soil pro ling. If we’re soil pro ling and we see a compacted layer at a certain depth, then it’s possible to determine that subsoiling should be done 10cm below this – if we subsoil above or too far below the area of compaction then we aren’t tackling the issue, but without soil pro ling we wouldn’t know.”
She continued to say that soil surface compaction is the “hidden killer” of root systems, and can have a profound e ect on soil health as well as crop performance.
“80–90% of the root system is typically in the top 30cm of the soil. If you’re lacking 90% of these roots to begin with, you won’t have a root system that goes deeper.”
In a good soil, wheat crops can have roots that reach 1m down into
the soil. “That can be about 5% of the root system,” Odette explained.
“In a drought situation, that 5% of the root system can provide up to 20% of the water the plant needs.”
Through the CROP concept, Odette and her team have been working towards building resilience through soil health, and investigating the impact of compaction on soil.
Odette pointed out that, in order to improve the rate of di usion of nutrients within soil, we need to avoid or reduce compaction. Well-structured soil o ers air, water, organic matter and minerals. Compacted soil has a reduced level of air and water (see chart below).
The second element of compaction is subsoil compaction. Odette explained that over time, since the introduction of annual crops where previously there had been forests and then perennial crops, we have been losing the soil organic matter throughout the soil pro le.
She told the audience that soil organic matter is built by residue but
Tyre pressure and compaction
One signi cant on-farm element impacting on soil compaction is tractors, in particular the tyres. According to Odette, good practice when setting up your tractor to protect soil porosity includes:
• Balancing the tractor
• Adjusting tyre pressure to the weight
• Aiming for a maximum of 12.5psi
• Slowing the speed
• Working in optimal eld conditions
• Respecting a maximum load of 3,500kg per wheel.
Both surface and subsoil compaction will be a ected by the air pressure in your tyre. A lower air pressure increases the surface area, which reduces the amount the tyre sinks into the soil.
So, asked Odette, what does soil surface compaction do?
“Well, it will kill the zone where the germination occurs and we’ve seen up to 95% less roots in a surface compaction layer. To protect our soil porosity then we’ve got to look at a maximum of 12.5psi in our tyre, which I believe is highly possible.”
that only 8% of the carbon in residues will end up in soil organic matter in no-till systems. “But with cover crops and organic manures this will go up to 12–23%, and from the root system, 45% of the carbon will become soil organic matter, so it’s important to get more roots into our systems, feeding the soil with the roots.”
This brought Odette back to the CROP concept. The C stands for cover, the R is for roots, the O for oxygen, and P is porosity.
“These four areas need to be worked out and moved forward together to make the agricultural system work,” she said.
“We know cover crops protect the soil from erosion and o er sun protection. But each CROP aspect also has an impact on the others. The cover crops impact on the root systems – when there’s less crusting, there’s better germination, therefore there’s better root growth. With higher root systems come more microbial life; more microbial life means increased oxygen, increased porosity, which allows deeper root exploration, which means less soil compaction.” FG
OSR portfolio o ers maximum flexibility
The provisional results of the AHDB winter oilseed rape Recommended List (RL) trials have underlined the success of the NPZ UK portfolio of hybrid OSR varieties, the breeder says.
Candidate Maverick’s excellent yield potential is combined with exceptional RlmS and Rlm7 stem canker resistance, TuYv resistance, and outstanding vigour.
Vegas is very high yielding with exceptional RlmS phoma resistance. It has very good light leaf spot scores, mid-maturity and is very vigorous –particularly in the spring.
Turing o ers a very strong performance in both East/West and North regions. Its excellent yield potential is combined with very good light leaf spot resistance, and outstanding vigour.
Murray has high gross output and high seed yield combined with exceptional RlmS phoma resistance. Plus, with the new AHDB ratings for verticillium wilt resistance, it features in the highest category of ‘moderately resistant’.
Crome has a Speci c Recommendation for growing on
land infected with clubroot. It has a high gross output, good resistance to light leaf spot with good stem sti ness and resistance to lodging.
Crusoe and Cromat are both Candidates for the RL for land infected with clubroot. Both o er increased yield, much improved disease resistance in the instance of phoma stem canker, and are TuYV resistant.
Resort is a high erucic acid rape (HEAR) hybrid intended for specialist use in industrial processes.
“In summary, the eight NPZ UK varieties featured on the 2024 AHDB harvest results list give growers a sure foundation for success with their oilseed rape cropping in the coming season,” commented NPZ UK managing director, Chris Guest (pictured). commented Chris Guest (pictured).
KRM SM P tine drills provide the versatility to ensure your crops can be planted in hard dry conditions through to the wettest of seedbeds with the benefits of less weight, less horsepower and less fuel used Simple precise calibration and full ISObus control make these drills simple to setup and operate.
Minimum soil disturbance leads to good soil health
As farmers themselves, the Horsch family say they deeply understand the importance of good soil health.
From its foundation, Horsch has focused on no-till and min-till farming. From shallow and ultrashallow cultivators to min-till, strip-till and direct drills, the guiding
principle has always been on improving soil health by minimising soil disturbance.
Humus formation is a complicated biological process that
sees organic material and minerals break down in the soil, which is humi ed by organisms such as bacteria, microbes, nematodes and earthworms. As well as a key factor in good soil health, humus creation is considered an important part of carbon sequestration.
“The average humus content of our arable land in Germany is just below 2%, but for grassland it is 5%. How can it happen that the soil organic carbon (C-org) content of cultivated grassland is two and a half times higher than the content in arable land?” asks Michael Horsch, founder of Horsch GmbH.
“Little research has been done on this topic so far, but it is clear that with a wider rotation, a high share of catch crops and an adapted, nonturning cultivation you will get closer to the C-org rate of a cultivated permanent grassland. It should be possible to build up to 0.1% of humus per year. But the humus that is built up in this case normally is nutritive humus and not permanent humus,” adds Michael.
“The 25cm row spacing is proving popular with the very successful
12m Avatar model. Customers are reporting little to no detriment in yield in most crops, particularly in winter crops, yet lower input costs,” highlights Stephen Burcham, general manager at Horsch UK.
Horsch has added 8m, 9m and 10m working width models to its Avatar SD range of direct drills to o er these bene ts to customers wanting a smaller working width.
The latest models feature the same 25cm row spacing and speci cations, allowing the Avatar SD to meet a wider set of customer requirements regarding farm or tractor size. In addition, 25cm spacing is ideal for mechanical weeding management.
The latest models feature a versatile triple tank system with a capacity of 6,400 litres. The triple tank o ers a 60:10:30 split in capacity while a double-tank option with a 60:40 split is also available. Specifying the MiniDrill allows up to four components to be applied via the SingleDisc seed coulter, providing huge exibility when drilling and reducing the number of lling stops required. FG
RHIZOMANIA GADWALL
The past few years have seen some challenging conditions for Sugar Beet, but Gadwall excelled; delivering superb yields in the APHA Sugar Beet Variety List for UK and Northern Ireland and in field testing on Club SV farms. Excellent establishment with SV priming and pelleting in 2024, highlight why it has been fast-tracked for UK growers.
Gadwall is available for 2025 sowing with a wide range of seed treatments against pests and diseases; helping you to get all your ducks in a row.
Strategic partnership boosts beet seed market
Groupe Florimond Desprez and DLF Seeds A/S have announced the signing of an agreement to merge their sugar beet, fodder beet, industrial chicory seed businesses and the related R&D activities into a new joint venture called United Beet Seeds (UBS), commenting that this strategic partnership will position UBS as a leading player in the international beet seed market.
The sugar beet seed industry is facing demanding requirements and market segmentation due to new legislation and the impact of climate change. Recognising these requirements alongside rapid technological advancements, these factors continue to escalate investment demands in the sector. In UBS, Groupe Florimond Desprez and DLF Seeds A/S combine their extensive experience in breeding, seed production and processing, allowing them to leverage their complementary strengths and shared passions. The new company says it will prioritise continuous investment in expertise, research and sustainability, which are
essential to o er competitive and innovative solutions to growers and the industry and to support them to face important agro-ecological challenges.
United Beet Seeds will be led by Lilian Escalon, a seasoned professional with over 14 years of experience in the seed and breeding industry, previously with a global leading potato breeding company. Earlier this year he was appointed as CEO of SesVanderHave. FG
2024 harvest underway for SesVanderHave trials teams
Early signs from both trials and commercial crops are that sugar beet is performing well despite late drilling and above average rainfall, according to breeder SesVanderHave.
“The rains washed away the threat of virus yellows, whilst good summer temperatures have helped the crop to pile on yield in recent weeks, while the incidence of foliar disease is mercifully low so far,” comments trials manager, Wayne Tonge. “We have started harvesting replicated plots testing the next generation genetics and treatments with our bespoke mobile tarehouse.”
In parallel, broader screening of commercial performance across the network of Club SV Growers continues apace, with early indications of good yields, sugar contents and low impurities from new
varieties Gadwall and Hoopoe.
“Results from our beet cyst nematode trials for Hoopoe are demonstrating superior performance to Jackdaw which many growers planted this spring,” says Mr Tonge.
The mobile strip trial harvest is proving extremely popular with Club SV growers, and is generating considerable interest when neighbours see how easy and fast the process is, according to seed sales adviser, Hector Adcock.
“It’s giving growers some really useful insights into performance. Combined with our drone image analysis, linked weather station network and the immediacy of generating data and the ability to sequential harvest using GPS locators it’s proving an extremely powerful tool.” FG
Essential Nutrients, Exceptional Results
Stand out from the crowd
BCN RHIZOMANIA HOOPOE
Beet Cyst Nematode continues to spread, threatening yields. Hoopoe has been tested thoroughly in the presence and absence of BCN consistently giving excellent performance. It allows growers to mitigate risk of this damaging pest and lack of genetic diversity currently available. Following on from Jura and Jackdaw, Hoopoe’s excellent performance against BCN is why it has been fast tracked for UK Beet growers. Hoopoe is available for 2025 sowing with a wide range of seed treatments against pest and diseases to help you stand out from the crowd (and ruffle some feathers on the way).
The benefits
of COLLABORATIVE FARMING
for food production and conservation
The NNCG, founded by local farmer and environmentalist David Lyles, has grown rapidly from a small group of landowners into one of the UK’s largest farm clusters. The group now includes more than 80 farmer members, from vast estates to smaller, one-person tenancies. This unique collective aims to bridge the gap between agriculture and nature conservation.
As NNCG director Charlie Ennals put it: “We recognise that there is no ‘one size ts all’ solution. Our aim is to help farmers do better within their own context.”
This year’s conference focused on knowledge sharing and the importance of collaboration. Speakers covered various topics, from hedgerow management to controlled environment agriculture (CEA), o ering practical insights for improving biodiversity on farms while maintaining agricultural productivity.
Vital role of hedgerows in farm ecosystems
One highlight of the conference was a presentation by hedge-laying expert Richard Negus, who emphasised the importance of hedgerows in providing biodiversity bene ts and agricultural value. Hedgerows serve as essential habitats, linking various ecosystems across farms. Mr Negus explained how well-managed hedgerows create safe corridors for wildlife, serving as ‘rivers of habitat’ across agricultural landscapes.
Mr Negus detailed the biodiversity bene ts of these hedgerows, noting their importance for species like the grey partridge, whitethroat, and dormice. Hedgerows, which can be tailored to each farm’s needs, also play an agricultural
More than 90 farmers and conservationists gathered for the North Norfolk Coastal Group’s (NNCG) second Autumn Conference, held at Holkham Hall on the Norfolk coast. Sarah Juggins reports.
role, ltering chemicals, preventing runo , and sheltering crops. He highlighted how Defra’s HRW2 scheme supports hedgerow management by o ering nancial incentives to farmers. “A ail,” Mr Negus remarked, “is a conservationist’s ally,” underscoring the importance of incremental cutting for conservation purposes.
BBC: Beetle banks, biochar and carbon
Dr Alastair Leake, director of the Allerton Project, discussed the role of agriculture in carbon sequestration. As the world grapples with increasing methane and carbon dioxide emissions, farmers have a unique opportunity to help manage these emissions and contribute to climate solutions.
Dr Leake explained the concept of Climate Neutral Farms, where farmers use speci c techniques to reduce nitrogen usage and increase soil carbon sequestration. One piece of research at the Allerton Project aims to use satellite technology to assess soil carbon levels, allowing farmers to target speci c areas for soil sampling and management.
The session also addressed the role of hedgerows as highly e ective carbon sinks. Hedgerows act as ‘solar panels’ that capture carbon, and their management can be ne-tuned to maximise both carbon sequestration and biodiversity.
When it comes to farming practice, Dr Leake stressed the importance of nding a balance between ploughing and minimal tillage, noting that while ploughing can cause carbon loss, good rotation practices can restore carbon levels. “This
is the home of the four-course rotation,” he said. “As we trial the use of cover crops and various legume and ower mixes, we are just trying to improve upon it.”
When it comes to beetle banks, Mr Leake says these can be “seams of gold carbon running up the eld. Everything that dies, sinks into a beetle bank. But we have found that after 10 years, carbon doesn’t go up anymore, it attens. However, a beetle bank is a great place to live. It creates a haven for earth worms and other soil living insects so really, we should see it as a biodiversity credit, not a carbon credit.”
Navigating natural capital markets
Daisy Darrell from legal rm Birketts LLP gave a presentation on biodiversity net gain (BNG) and natural capital markets. These emerging markets, which aim to compensate for environmental impacts through restoration and conservation e orts, present both opportunities and risks for farmers.
BNG requires developers to achieve a 10% biodiversity gain on new developments, and farmers can play a crucial role by o ering land and/ or actions for these projects. Ms Darrell advised farmers to seek baseline surveys from ecologists to determine what their land can o er, and emphasised the importance of understanding the long-term commitments involved in natural capital markets.
Water neutrality, a newer concept, is also gaining attention, said Ms Darrell. As water security becomes a growing concern, farmers may have the opportunity to partner with developers to o set water usage and contribute to environmental sustainability.
The conference also heard from David Sillett of Defra, who gave assurances that the government was supportive of ELMS and would be publishing news on Higher Tier Stewardship in due course. He also spoke of the 101 SFI actions and the new endorsed actions in which an adviser will judge whether a standalone action may attract funding.
Conclusion
The North Norfolk Coastal Group Autumn Conference highlighted the potential for collaboration with a widening number of organisations. However, it also served to throw a spotlight on the ever-present uncertainty of the future of farming in the UK and, as one member said as they left the conference hall: “With all the things we are being asked to do, I am not sure how I will ever nd the time to farm.” FG
Mac Mic Group uses its wealth of experience to help landowners across the UK make strategic land development decisions.
As a fourth-generation, family-owned business and custodians of landholdings across the UK, Mac Mic Group says it fully understands the pressures and commitment needed to be a responsible landowner. Founded in 1925, the company has evolved over the years, under the stewardship of the Mickel family, expanding its reach and adapting to the ever-changing landscape of the UK land and property markets. At the heart of each evolution of the company, each generation has contributed their unique skills and perspectives. Mac Mic Group uses its wealth of experience to help landowners across the UK make strategic land development decisions. Its strategic land development team are experts in the delivery and promotion of strategic land and planning.
It guides its clients through the ever-changing planning process, unlocking the hidden value in its clients’ land by:
• Helping clients to identify the potential worth of their land with a forensic analysis of the local policy and physical landscape
• Guiding clients through the ever-changing planning process to identify the right solution for their land, establishing policy support where possible before moving forward
• Obtaining planning consent and then managing the marketing process to sell the land to housebuilders or developers. Mac Mic Group actively pursues the best return for its clients and improves the living experience in and around the development.
Working in collaboration with its partners – the landowner, local authorities and local residents –the company promotes suitable and sustainable land to help communities evolve, protecting and enhancing the environment. It is committed to unlocking land value for landowners by shaping communities through healthy design, creating places where people want to live, leaving a legacy we can all be proud of.
There is powerful evidence that the places we live directly a ect health and wellbeing. Mac Mic Group is passionate about creating active and inclusive communities, where everyone has easy and safe access to open spaces and nature. It is deeply committed to these principles, as evidenced by its recent achievement of a Building with Nature Design Award for a project in Keynsham, Somerset.
A farmer in Oxfordshire who works with the company said: “Our land has been part of our family history for nearly 400 years, so we care deeply about what ultimately happens to it. Our experience with Mac Mic Group has been very positive. They are approachable, professional, and honest. They are a very safe pair of hands and I’d recommend you talk to them.”
Meanwhile, a farmer in Hampshire commented: “I’ve been approached by lots of developers over the last 15 years and Mac Mic Group have been the only ones with a workable solution. They are professional, fair and persistent and that’s what got this across the line!” FG
Michael Tomlinson, Michael E Tomlinson Contractors
• 1.43m (4’ 8”) working width
• 40mm – 100mm cutting height for cutting verges, ditches and embankments
• Hydraulic motor
• Galvanised finish
In preparation for the approaching colder months, Ceres Machinery says it has the ideal machine – the Ceres 20t Log Splitter.
The Ceres Log Splitter is a very powerful and capable machine, recommended by all levels of rewood processors, and is suitable for agricultural and commercial use, the manufacturer says. It is able to cope with a wide variety of wood with ease, including knotted, twisted and burled rings, as well as root balls.
The Log Splitter is powered by a hydraulic ram which produces 20 tonnes of pressure and it is operated by the safe and easy-to-use twinhandled operation, which meets all the latest safety requirements, Ceres explains. The legally required twin-handle operation works its own independent spool block, with the splitter only requiring a single-acting hydraulic feed from its power source. The Log Splitter has Category 1/2 linkage mounting for use with a tractor, but alternatively it can be used with a hydraulic power pack or telehandler.
The central beam is robust and strong, limiting the possibility of any bending or twisting during operation of the Log Splitter, while the specially-shaped splitting head slices through wood e ortlessly, with a maximum splitting height of 650mm. The base of the splitter is fabricated from checker plate which prevents the danger of the wood sliding.
The Ceres Log Splitter can be used as a single piece, or in conjunction with the optional heavyduty table. The table makes a great addition, increasing the splitter's e ciency and ergonomics, with a height of 710mm (28in), a width of 1,980mm (6ft 6in), which provides a working space of 740mm (29in) on either side of the centrally-positioned splitter, and a top thickness of 6mm (0.25in). The heavy-duty table is particularly useful for processing large quantities of wood, because it makes the process of loading bags, boxes or bins much quicker and
easier. The table also comes complete with Category 1/2 linkage mounting and two large box section feet for stability as well as compatibility with forklifts and loaders. The splitter is easily detachable from the table, meaning that you have the choice of using the Log Splitter alone, so you can still gain access to challenging environments.
Both the Log Splitter itself and the heavy-duty table come painted as standard. Alternatively, they are available with a hard-wearing, galvanised nish, for increased longevity and durability. Due to the splitter and the table being separate components, you can choose whether to have both or either parts with the galvanised nish. FG
CLAAS WESTERN
Please contact your local CLAAS Western branch or call WESTERN Cirencester (Head Of ce) on Tel: 01285 863190 western.claas-dealer.co.uk
Fully integrated chassis and tank for a longer working life
Weight Sensing Sprung Drawbar System for operator comfort
Collared Dish-ends for increased overall strength
Patented ‘Double Trap System’ for maximum pump protection
From 1300g to 6000g (Standard, Recess, Tandem and Tridem)
Please contact your local OLIVERS branch or call OLIVERS Luton (Head Of ce) on Tel: 01582 727111 www.oliveragriculture.co.uk
Retaining Walls
Unit 6, Martells Quarry, Slough Lane, Ardleigh,
AGRISCOT RETURNS WITH EXCITING 2024 LINE-UP
A cutting-edge livestock handling system, debate with the cabinet secretary and big cash prize competitions are among the show highlights.
New for this year at the popular winter farm business event, which will be held at Ingliston near Edinburgh on 13th November, are two live demonstrations of the Te Pari sheep handling system from New Zealand – with commentary from The Sheep Game’s Cammy Wilson. Additionally, seminar topics will address key challenges and highlight potential new income streams; while a new Mixed Farm category has been added to the long-standing Farm of the Year awards.
The wellbeing initiative, Farmstrong, which has been gaining momentum since its launch earlier this year, will also be hosting a pre-event breakfast for visitors to meet up and network ahead of the doors opening at 9am.
“We’re looking forward to a really good mix again this year of innovation and practical information from our seminars, trade stands and demos, and some healthy competition in and out of the showring for all the di erent awards,” says AgriScot chair Robert Neil. “AgriScot has its roots in dairy and is what it became renowned for, but we are very proud that we have evolved to create a broad showcase and are now widely regarded as one of the leading farm business events across farming sectors.”
AgriScot welcomes around 10,000 farmers and agribusiness professionals each year to network and see rst-hand the latest advice, technology and practical solutions for their agricultural business.
An annual highlight is the panel debate and Q&A session with the NFUS president, Martin Kennedy and the cabinet secretary for rural a airs, land reform and islands, Mairi Gougeon.
Alongside this, business seminars run throughout the day o ering important technical insights and updates for di erent sectors, including, this year, growing maize in Scotland; livestock health, welfare and disease updates from the Moredun Research Institute; net zero baselining; addressing water scarcity; electrical infrastructure upgrades and protecting your land and business; and the popular panel discussion with the Scottish Dairy Hub and Kite Consulting.
All indoors, the four exhibition halls include the country’s largest winter display of machinery where visitors can see rst-hand a wide range of the latest hardware and technology, and a total of 240 trade stands.
The Awards are also a huge draw to AgriScot with the dairy classes o ering some of the highest cash prizes in the UK. Also judged ahead of the event are awards for outstanding farming businesses from all sectors across Scotland, including arable, dairy, sustainable, beef, sheep and, new for this year, Mixed Farm of the Year.
The Business Skills competition for young people aged 18–25 seeks to bring emerging young talent to the fore, and the new product innovation competition showcases some of the most exciting agricultural products coming to the market. FG
Wednesday 13 November 2024
Royal Highland Centre
Ingliston, Edinburgh EH28 8NB
Over 240 trade stands 10 seminars
Dairy cattle judging
Beef demonstration
Automated Sheep Handling Demonstration
Silage, Business Skills & Product Innovation Competitions
Free parking & entry
Venue within walking distance of Edinburgh
Airport & direct train links
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Hugh Pearl Land Drainage
FARMERS ENCOURAGED TO ADD VALUE TO THEIR PRODUCE
Rural Asset Finance is encouraging farmers to keep that extra profit for themselves by implementing new ideas.
Have you done the hard and stressful work growing your produce, only to watch your buyers process it and then sell on at a higher price?
Thousands of farmers add value to their produce on the farm by packaging, processing, and then selling it directly to the customer. Rural Asset Finance says it supports every farmer to do the same, commenting: “After all, why let someone else turn your grapes into wine, your potatoes into crisps, your fruit into preserves and juices, and your milk into cheese, yoghurt or ice cream – when you can make more money doing it yourself?
“Then of course you can sell your own beef, pork, poultry meat, eggs, fruit and vegetables online, or on your premises with a shop, café or even a restaurant.”
Maximising profit
The nance experts explain that all these actions maximise farmers’ pro ts, which in these times is more vital than ever for enterprises needing new revenue streams.
The good news is, even the biggest projects are achievable –with the right help, of course.
Ben Wood, sales director at Rural Asset Finance, explains that more and more farms are seeing the bene ts of processing food products and retailing them directly, which keeps more pro t on the farm.
“Even just washing and packaging your products before sale can add value – but you can do so much more.”
Rural Asset Finance gives farmers access to funds for a range of added-value equipment supporting a wide range of diversi cations and has nanced some impressive innovations.
Its recent projects include the UK’s rst batch milking system, and it is currently funding an arable farmer to build their own our mill.
Mr Wood adds: “There are so many opportunities to maximise the value of what you produce. Consumers are more conscious than ever before of food traceability but also sustainably – and there’s no better way to do that than by buying fresh food and drink that’s produced locally.
“This is a fantastic market for farmers who can add value to their produce. And it doesn’t just keep more of your pro t within the farm itself – it can open up whole new revenue streams.”
Power of farm shops
Rural Asset Finance believes that smart farmers are following the market to maximise that value.
Of the 1,500 farm shops in the UK, a third opened within the last 10 years, attracting thousands of customers wanting to reduce their
carbon footprint, generating a huge total annual revenue of £1.4Bn.
An upsurge of 70% in British wine sales over the past ve years has prompted hundreds of farmers into viticulture, including bottling wine on site.
Increasing numbers of farmers are now making their own cider to serve a UK population that drinks more of the stu than any other country on the planet.
Rural Asset Finance explains that these are all excellent and relatively straightforward ways to add value, but it does not have to be food based.
Some farmers have been especially inventive. One in South West England uses the heat from an on-site anaerobic digestion plant to dry and produce straw pellets for sale as cat litter.
A wool farmer in the South East uses lanolin from wool to make toiletries and soaps.
“You just need an idea. Farmers are fantastically resourceful people who are brilliant at thinking outside the box.
“It requires investment, but as we all know, many lenders don’t really understand day-to-day farming and its volatile cash ows. Farmers need specialist nance partners who ‘get’ what your business is about,” Mr Wood says.
Rural Asset Finance’s core team grew up on farms and knows rst-
hand the challenges farmers face. “I think our customers appreciate that we speak their language, we know one end of a combine from the other, and that we have lived everyday farm life.
“Crucially, we understand every farm is di erent. We listen and work with farmers to structure an individual repayment pro le that suits them and their cash ow.”
Rural Asset Finance can help add value by o ering xed-term, xedrate nance for machinery, vehicles, xed equipment, land and buildings.
This can work alongside government grants, including the Farming Investment Fund, the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund and the Farming Transformation Fund, which can provide up to £500,000 towards equipment or building projects.
“Grants complemented with the right credit agreements make even the largest projects more achievable than ever with minimal cash commitment required to get started.
“And getting started is easy – there’s never been a better opportunity to make your farm the business you want. Whatever your idea, we’ll listen to it,” Mr Wood concludes.
To nd out how to add value to your farm, visit www. ruralasset nance.com for more information and contact details. FG
The national Tillage-Live cultivations and drilling working demonstration took place near Tadcaster in North Yorkshire in mid-September. David Williams was there.
Latest technology features at TILLAGE-LIVE cultivations event
The event was an ideal opportunity for those considering purchases of new ploughs, cultivators and drills to nd out what is available and compare performance. Field conditions were sticky, but dry enough for most machinery to perform well.
Genuine enquiries
Many stands were sta ed by manufacturer and local dealer representatives, allowing on-farm prices to be discussed and deals negotiated. Challenging weather in the region meant many farmers still had their cereal harvests to nish, and as the damp, overcast morning gave way to hot temperatures and bright sunshine in the afternoon, the attendance dropped as growers
returned to their own farms. Most exhibitors reported a positive event, with quality enquiries for follow-up, particularly for machinery which could improve timeliness of operations following the late harvest, or reduce growing costs.
First time working
New machines demonstrated at a major public event for the rst time included the Claas Xerion 12.650 with up to 650hp available. Claas Eastern franchise and media manager, Richard Sharman, told Farmers Guide at the event that the new four-tracked tractors have generated considerable interest from current Claas customers, as well as those considering changing from competitor brands. FG
Quality fertilisers supplied promptly
At the event, Thomas Bell & Son reported plenty of interest in its range of fertilisers, especially megAN 33.5, ahead of later autumn drilling as farmers aim for early rapid growth.
The company manufactures and imports fertilisers and specialises in blends to meet speci c requirements identi ed through soil analysis. Limus urea with an inhibitor coating is manufactured, meeting latest requirements. Its megAN granular ammonium nitrate can be spread at up to 50m accurately, compared to lower quality alternatives which are usually suitable for applications only up to 24–36m.
Pictured on the Diamond Fertilisers stand are (l–r) Alison Scho eld, Dale Gri n, Michael Farmery, Dale Boyd and Nick Hutchinson.
Technology to improve results and reduce costs
Väderstad demonstrated its TopDown with E-Services. E-Services provides complete adjustment of the cultivator through a Bluetooth-linked iPad.
Sales and marketing manager, Andy Gamble explained that this allows operators to conveniently alter the machine set-up on the move, rather than adopting the usual on-farm technique of setting all the elements for worst case scenarios. “For conscientious operators, this means they can always achieve the best results while also taking advantage of opportunities to reduce the working depth and reduce soil movement where conditions allow, to reduce fuel and wearing metal costs. Each of the TopDown’s four working elements can be individually adjusted, but once preferred working pro les have been identi ed then these can be stored in the memory for quick recall. Whenever the working depth is altered, then the system automatically adjusts relative settings for all the working elements to suit, rather than the user needing to adjust them again separately.”
Further opportunities to maximise working e ciency while reducing operator fatigue are available by linking E-Services to variable rate-type eld maps. “Depth control functionality is being added to some tractor manufacturers’ precision farming systems, and this allows tillage depth to adjust according to the soil type, for example,” continued Andy. “The automatic settings can be overridden at any time just by touching the screen and, as the whole operation is recorded, any areas where changes are made can be identi ed and investigated later.”
Andy Gamble is pictured on the left with marketing coordinator, Tom Wyles, and practical service support, Joe Ward.
MACHINERY
Traditional solution remains popular
Maschio Gaspardo UK demonstrated drills and cultivators, but challenging establishment conditions during the past few years meant most enquiries were for its traditional power-harrow drill combination. “During this event and generally, there seems to be growing interest from farmers considering returning to ploughing. The ever popular 3m Alitalia Isotronic combination drill was drawing in the crowds, and here at Tillage–Live visitors were impressed by its ability to operate in conjunction with the Gregoire Besson Planipack front press on a smaller tractor of under 150hp,” commented territory sales manager (West), Mike Bywater. “Interest continues in versatile drills capable of direct drilling and reduced cultivations, and our Gigante 6m drill with twin hoppers for simultaneous application of seed and fertiliser is an attractive option with a generous speci cation and a competitive price.”
Pictured (l-r) are Mike Bywater; service manager/territory service manager (North), Chris Carter; territory sales manager (East), Matt Coulby; and territory service manager (East), Matt Tomkinson.
Mechanical weed control has wide appeal
In the Kverneland demonstration area, the Onyx inter-row hoe operating on a Lynx camera-guided headstock was in action. “I’ve been surprised by the amount of interest from cereal farmers since we displayed it for the rst time last year,” explained Kverneland product manager, Adam Burt. “Obvious applications are for weed removal in maize and sugar beet, but the Lynx headstock and close-mounted design allows operation in rows of just 12.5cm, making it capable of working in cereals drilled with traditional spacing too.
“Most customers using it in cereals are on 15–25cm rows though, which are generally better suited to mechanical hoeing especially later in the season. We have farmers with up to 400ha using the Onyx to control weeds on half the cropped area. The prolonged wet spring weather this year meant soil conditions were sometimes unsuitable for mechanical hoeing, which is where a hybrid system using both mechanical and chemical weed control techniques o ers advantages.”
Also working on the Kverneland stand was a 9f plough with new No 40 slatted bodies, designed to operate at a 40-degree angle to the landside.
“It’s a very universal body and available for all our ploughs,” said Adam. “Even in the most workable soils it’s proving popular, mainly as it reduces the need for further cultivations.”
Drill demonstrated for first time
Products demonstrated by Wox Agri Services included the Güttler Supermaxx tine drill, working for the rst time since it was rst shown at Cereals. “It can be used as a cultivator as the seed tubes are tted and removed in seconds without tools,” explained managing director Geo rey Wox. “It’s available in 3, 5, 6 and 7m mounted versions and the electric seeding unit can be linked to the tractor’s Isobus system to achieve variable seed rates. It’s ideal for companion cropping, or just as suitable for Avadex applications.”
The Supermaxx drill was partnered with a front synthetic press. “The Synthetic-Ultra has hard-wearing synthetic discs which are lighter than standard cast discs,” continued Geo rey. “This allows widths up to 7m to be lifted easily on the tractor front linkage.”
Pictured are new recruit, Stewart Peckitt (left) who is assisting with sales mainly within the Eastern Counties, and Geo rey Wox with the Supermaxx drill.
Precision systems for increased accuracy
John Deere’s display and demonstration area featured the 750A direct drill, as well as the company’s range of precision farming systems and services. A Kuhn Striga strip-tillage cultivator was equipped with a mounted John Deere Star re GPS receiver for increased accuracy compared to relying on only a tractor-mounted version. “Active Implement Guidance o ers advantages for precision tasks such as inter-row hoeing,” explained John Deere marketing manager, Chris Wiltshire, who is pictured (left) with Ripon Farm Services area sales manager based at the dealer’s Ottringham depot, Thomas Pickering.
Up to four hoppers
The Espro drill was the main attraction on the Kuhn stand. Available in 3, 4, 6 and 8m working widths, it can have up to four separate hoppers allowing seeding of multiple crops combined with fertiliser applications. The drill can be tted with front attachments including press wheels, a levelling board or wheel track eradicators – all with hydraulic adjustment. A standard feature is that the working elements drop into work automatically in stages as they pass a pre-set point. UK sales manager, John Hull (pictured) said that optional Vista Flow seed distributors providing compatibility with any tramline sequence are proving popular. Vista Flow distributors are Isobus and GPS controlled and provide automatic seed ow switching.
“Demand is strong as the Espro is incredibly versatile,” commented John. “The ability to place up to four di erent products simultaneously accommodates complex seed and fertiliser mixes for companion cropping.”
High outputs and added versatility
A Horsch Joker 12 RT was demonstrated behind the new Claas Xerion 12.650 by members of the Claas, Claas Eastern and Horsch teams. “The ability to t front attachments to the latest Joker is proving popular,” commented Horsch UK general manager, Stephen Burcham. “The standard cultivator can deal with high volumes of trash, but an optional knife roller will appeal for tackling dense cover crops and we expect increased interest due to SFI schemes. Other options include a levelling board. It’s all about getting as much as possible from each implement and every pass, and it’s possible that being able to add a front attachment might save purchasing two separate machines.”
Pictured with the new Xerion and 12m Joker are members of the Claas, Claas Eastern and Horsch teams (l-r): Claas UK product manager, Patrick Fawley; head of tractor sales, Oliver Beekes; digital product manager, Andy Bell; Claas Eastern sales director, Jeremy Preece; Horsch UK general manager, Stephen Burcham and Claas Eastern Catfoss eld sales manager, Will Jones.
The right franchises and products
Claas Eastern franchise and media manager, Richard Sharman said the dealer has what today’s farmers need.
First time working
The Lemken Karat 10 made its UK public working debut. The new cultivator, launched last year at Agritechnica, features front-mounted discs to chop straw residues, long stubbles or cover crops and start the mixing process ahead of the tines. The front discs are also an advantage in hard, dry soils, explained Lemken UK general manager, Paul Creasy, as they help break down clods to achieve a ner tilth in a single pass.
The Rubin 10 compact disc harrow also had its rst UK showing. The biggest advantage over its Rubin 9 predecessor is the ability to carry a range of front-mounted tools. These include a hydraulic paddle board and a crosscutting roller, both of which will be delivered early in 2025, and a straw rake which is available now.
Paul Creasy is pictured with a new Rubin 10 tted with the optional straw rake.
“At Claas Eastern, our teams are fortunate having the right franchises and products to o er in today’s market environment. With the addition of the Xerion 12.650, we have one of the widest tractor ranges in the industry allowing us to meet the needs of all sizes and types of farms. Demonstration events targeted at potential customers were well attended and created genuine interest as large scale farmers could see how it would bene t their farms. With Claas C-Matic transmission, long service intervals, and back-up from our Claas Eastern service teams, the new tractors o er opportunities to maximise e ciency while reducing operating costs at a time when farm margins are under pressure. Of course, our Horsch product line-up also o ers implements of all sizes including larger versions complementing the new Xerion.” Discussing Claas combines, Richard said that this year’s harvest was a success for the dealer.
Large presence
Agco main dealer, Peacock & Binnington reported a busy event. The dealer is celebrating 130 years of trading this year, and represents brands including Massey Ferguson, Valtra and Fendt, as well as JCB, Lemken, Väderstad and Grange Machinery from six branches in Lincolnshire and Yorkshire. Many of the dealer’s demonstration tractors were in action, working with Lemken and Väderstad cultivators and drills at the show.
Pictured (l-r) are: Claas Eastern Catfoss eld sales manager, Will Jones, Richard Sharman, and Henry Robinson who is farm manager for Bridlingtonbased AB Coleman. Henry told Farmers Guide that he was at the event looking at the latest cultivators and drills.
“Demand is strong for cultivation products capable of achieving high work rates, and we are seeing additional interest in technology to increase e ciency, minimise costs and help growers obtain best results and returns from their land,” said o ce manager, Sadie Richardson. “Our precision farming specialists have been particularly busy, and we recently added a new service accurately mapping eld boundaries using a low ground pressure vehicle.”
Pictured (l-r) are Adam Clubley, Steve Carlill, Steve Pullen, Will Brader, Chris Smith, George Houseman, John Wray, Steve Mills, Ian Hopper, Keith Brocklesby, Mark Wood, Ella Hawse, Sadie Richardson, Lee Say and James Clark.
New subsoiler complements direct drilling philosophy
Fentech Agri chose Tillage-Live to display its new Tremor subsoiler for the rst time. The Tremor has a row of leading discs, followed by J.J. Metcalfe & Son NG system legs. Rear press options include a DD roller, a crumble roller or a rubber packer. Initially only a 3m version is available but wider, 4.5 and 5.0m models are under development.
“All models are mounted currently,” explained nance director, Paul Chapman. “As a direct drill supplier, we recognise the need for occasional soil loosening and this new Tremor subsoiler ts in with our crop establishment philosophy. The discs cut through trash and create a narrow opening, and the legs minimise surface disturbance while providing the loosening needed.”
New plough addition
Pöttinger demonstrated its new Servo 3000-series plough at the event. The Servo 3000 is designed for tractors up to 240hp, and the heavier Servo 4000 models are for tractors up to 360hp. Currently only in-furrow versions are available, with an on-land model due early next year. The new ploughs feature Nova – Pöttinger’s hydraulic auto-reset system integrated within the plough casing. “It’s a tidier design with fewer moving parts for less wear and reduced maintenance,” said territory sales manager for the East, Steve Passam. “A pre-series on-land version has been trialled very successfully in Scotland and models with up to 6f can be ordered now for delivery next year.”
Continued investment in service
Steve is pictured (left) with after sales and product specialist, David Meins. “Demand for ploughs remains strong, particularly in northern areas,” con rmed Steve.
New drill in action
KRM demonstrated its Sola SMP 8m drill with 25cm seed row spacing for the rst time at the event. “It was at Cereals, but this is the rst time it’s been seen in action,” said KRM managing director, Mike Britton. “The 6m model can have 16 or 25cm spacing, but wider spacing gives more space for trash ow and allows higher tine pressure for increased penetration. It also o ers increased compatibility with our Carre inter-row hoes for mechanical weed control. Grant funding for direct drilling and mechanical hoeing has increased interest in our solutions, but even without this they are a practical investment for many farms.
“Most customers buying hoes invest in optional Kipline camera guidance and Isobus section control too.”
Mike (right) is pictured with local dealer Websters Cranswick depot-based, Jim Richardson.
Reliability and productivity at a competitive price
Kubota had a joint display and demonstration area with Kverneland. Tractors working included two M6-142 models with IntelliShift powershift transmission and two larger M7-173 models, one with Terrapower powershift transmission and the other with a premium KVT CVT unit. “Interest is increasing as more customers regard Kubota as an alternative brand when existing tractors are due for replacement,” explained dealer manager for eastern England, Will Barker. “The brand is known for reliability and practicality and the tractors come with a competitive price and one of the best manufacturer warranties on the market providing ‘bumper to bumper’ cover.”
Will is pictured with graduate management trainee, Lucy Amos.
RTKFnet continues to invest to ensure best possible reception for its customers. The company supplies GPS guidance signals throughout the UK, and technical sales engineer (North) Martin Alderson-Crombie (pictured), explained that three new base stations in Plymouth, Birmingham and Devon have recently been erected to serve multiple industries including agriculture. “Those areas already have coverage, but it’s all about building in redundancy to guarantee a reliable signal if a station elsewhere is temporarily unavailable.
“We o er national coverage through sim card-based Ntrip, and radio coverage across East Anglia and Lincolnshire. The number of users is growing, 80% are through dealers and the rest are direct, as people are using our signal in many ways.”
Demand for deep and shallow tillage
Pictured on the Sumo stand are (l-r): Sales coordinator, Frankie Chalcraft; territory sales manager for the SouthWest and Ireland, Macaulay Forward and UK sales manager, Philip Stephenson. Philip told Farmers Guide that there was particular interest at the event in the company’s Mixidisc shallow disc cultivators and Strake straw rake, as well as the Vaxio 4 versatile combination cultivator. “Many expected that after the wet spring all the interest would be in deep working cultivation to remove soil compaction, but as harvest is nishing and farmers start land preparations for drilling, they are nding that only shallow to mid-depth soil movement is needed in most situations. As usual, we are supplying large numbers of deep subsoilers for arable work as well as low-disturbance subsoilers too, but demand is for products across the range,” he said.
Supplying what is needed
J.J. Metcalfe & Son manufactures and supplies a full range of wearing parts as well as the company’s own range of min-till and low-disturbance legs and various tine options for drills. “The trend towards moving less soil continues, and we o er tine systems for a wide range of soil and working conditions,” explained director, Mike Metcalfe. “We supply components to manufacturers for new machines as well as alternative and replacement parts direct to customers. This year, tungsten leading edges are proving advantageous in hard, dry conditions where they help penetration, but also where conditions are wetter as they cut and lift, helping prevent smearing of the furrow bottom which can cause compaction.”
Pictured are (l-r) sales administrator, Joanne Franks, Soil First Farming agronomist James Warne, and Mike Metcalfe.
Precision ag solutions
John Deere main dealer Ripon Farm Services had a stand and several tractors working at the event. Products demonstrated from the dealer’s many franchises included Kuhn and Sumo cultivators and drills, and Kramer handlers were displayed. The dealer’s precision farming specialists were on-hand explaining products and services on o er, including John Deere’s Essentials Kit which is a new addition to the line-up. “For a competitive and a ordable price, the kit includes everything needed to add John Deere Precision Ag Technology to older or more basic tractors,” explained Ripon’s technology manager, James Parker. “We have already supplied one for an older 6530 tractor. Not everyone wants or can a ord to invest in brand new machinery, and this is a great solution – including for mixed eets.”
Pictured (l-r): Ripon’s demonstrator, Mike Parvin; group technology manager, James Parker; group sales manager, Richard Halsall; and precision ag specialist, Josh Beavers.
Removing compaction behind the wheels
The Amazone Cayena drill was working with the new SL3000 wheel track eradicator. Designed to operate with a drill or cultivator, the SL3000 hitches direct to the tractor rear linkage, between the tractor and implement. “The ability to utilise front-mounted attachments, such as front cutting discs on our Cayena for improved passing of crop residues, is increasingly popular but this often means losing the ability to t wheel track eradicators,” explained Amazone UK marketing specialist, David Thomson. “The SL3000 solves this problem, while also allowing the use of proper deep working subsoiling tines to remove compaction behind the tractor wheels. Moving the pivot position back also allows tighter headland turns due to increased clearance behind the wheels.”
Also working was the latest third generation Catros cultivator. “Previously the discs were xed within the frame, so it relied on the front linkage and rear packer to adjust the working depth,” said Amazone cultivators and drills territory sales manager for the north, Oliver Watson. “On the new version, the working depth adjusts by pivoting the disc assemblies within the frame, so the frame angle doesn’t alter. Clearance between the frame and ground remains constant and it is also better for mounting front attachments.” Oliver Watson is pictured on the left, with David Thomson and the new SL3000 wheel track eradicator.
Optimising the Future of Tillage
Experience precision farming like never before with the introduction of E-Services for TopDown and Opus.
Now these machines can seamlessly utilise prescription maps for automatic, in field machine adjustments.
Alternatively, with a touch of a button the driver can dynamically adjust the working depth or intensity of the discs, tines, levellers or packer while in operation.
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Reduce Operator Stress
Cover More Acres
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Maintain Proper Spray Tip Height
Protect Sprayer From Damage
Other Benefits/Features
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Hybrid Mode™
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Lowlander® Manure Spreaders
The Xerion 12 has been added to the Claas Terra Trac range, and has just had its first live field demos in the UK. Neale Byart reports.
FIRST LIVE FIELD DEMOS OF TRACKED XERION 12
Terra Trac refers to the tracked versions of Claas’ agricultural machinery. Until recently, Terra Trac was only available on the Lexion combine harvester, the Jaguar forage harvester and the Axion tractor. Now, a new Terra Trac is available in the shape of the Xerion 12. Claas dealer, Manns of Saxham, recently held a Terra Trac roadshow at R H Forrest in Su olk, and Farmers Guide was invited to see and drive the Xerion 12 and Axion 900.
Tracks will spread the load of the machine over a greater surface area and are therefore much better for the soil. Less concentrated weight equals less compaction, and compaction has proven to be a serious problem with modern machines getting ever larger and heavier.
35% more contact area with the soil, and 50% less soil pressure than the wheeled version of the same machine. It also promises more exibility in the choice of implements as the steering does not generate any lateral movement at the rear, so no side loading is transmitted to the implement.
The Xerion 12
Axion 900
Soil compaction causes a reduction in pore spaces within the soil, oxygen de ciency, reduced micro-organisms and drainage problems, ultimately leading to reduced yields. While compaction is reversable, avoiding it in the rst place will save both time and money.
The Axion 900 has been around for a few years and uses Claas’ traditional Terra Trac system of two wheels and an oval track, or ‘ at track’ as Claas calls it. This system is like that seen on the Claas combine and forager ranges with some modi cations for cultivation draft work, such as a
A combine or forager will have equal-sized idler wheels, as it is designed more around carrying its weight vertically, whereas the Axion has the additional need to pull weight horizontally, hence the slightly larger rear drive wheel. The at track system works as a friction drive unit and is particularly compatible in this horsepower category, with up to 445hp available.
The Xerion 12 was launched to some overseas markets around 18 months ago, but here in the UK we have had to wait a little while longer while Brexit-related road homologations issues have been overcome. The upside to this, of course, is that any early teething problems have been eliminated and the machines coming into the UK now are very much snag-free.
The Xerion 12 series is an extension to the long running range of wheeled high-output tractors that have been on o er since the late 1990s. The model on test in Su olk was the Xerion 12.650, which, as the name suggests, o ers 653hp. There is also a 12.590 model available with 585hp. The Xerion 12 is a new machine from the ground up with everything made bigger, but the Xerion DNA is still obvious.
variable transmission. This delivers an easy and
traditional gearbox, and subsequently any wear
The driveline comprises a 15.6-litre, sixcylinder Mercedes engine that, on the 650 version, produced 3,100nm of torque (2,850mm on the 12.590), which then goes through the constantly variable transmission. This delivers an easy and smooth drive when your implement is in the ground, and completely eliminates any ‘whip’ that you might get when changing gear with a traditional gearbox, and subsequently any wear that the ‘whip’ can cause on various components.
The Axion 900 comes with 4-point cab suspension, Claas’ CMATIC continuously variable transmission and, in the Terra Trac version, delivers
The obvious di erence between this machine and any other Claas Terra Trac model is the triangular track drive system. These have been designed speci cally to put large amounts of power to the ground and to
The traditional Claas Terra Trac uses a at track drive unit.
However, an all-new triangular track unit features a positive drive system.
high horsepower tractors at Claas UK.
larger rear drive wheel.
a claimed 15% more traction,
Patrick Frawley, product manager for
pull big cultivators, and are unique in the Claas line-up to these two new models.
The Xerion 12 series has been designed as a eld-based lugging tractor. There are no reverse drive options, no tool carriers... What you see is what you get. The two Xerion models mentioned are also sold as wheeled versions elsewhere in the world, but for the UK market they will only be available in Terra Trac con guration, largely due to the fact that putting 650hp through wheels required a dual wheel set up which makes them 5.5m wide and therefore not right for the UK market. The tracked Xerion 12 can be used on the road, as it is within 3m width, and is said to be surprisingly nimble when used like this, despite its size.
New drive unit
running along the bottom of the triangle is at to the ground. The front and rear lower idlers are carried on separate arms with the front idler weight supported by a rubber silent block to reduce the e ect of any bumps being driven over. This means that the drive unit is not fully suspended, like our at tracks, but neither is it fully rigid, like some other triangular tracks. This sits somewhere in between.”
It’s all about the weight
Patrick Frawley, product manager for high horsepower tractors at Claas UK, talked through the design of the Xerion 12. “At the top of the triangle you have your large drive idler. We don’t use a friction drive system here due to the amount of power we are putting through it. Instead, we use a positive drive system whereby the track has lugs on the inside that locate into cut-outs on the drive wheel.
“One of the key bene ts of the Claas design over other triangular systems on the market is that we have the tightest angle on the top of the triangle. What this means is that we have the greatest number of lugs located in the drive idler at any one time – eight and a half to be exact. Because we have a rigid frame, rather than an articulated chassis, we can use a straight, xed driveshaft rather than one that needs to articulate with the chassis and the problems that that brings with this amount of power. This increases simplicity and reliability.
“The lack of articulation also brings other bene ts such as integrating the exhaust and the air intake into the frame using space that would have to be kept clear in an articulated machine. This means that we don’t need to run the exhaust up the side of the cab helping to improve all-round visibility. It also means that overall, the Xerion 12 is a little shorter than an articulated machine, although it does mean it is also a little higher, which I see as an advantage as height allows you to look down, rather than across your implement. So, when using something like a cultivator, the operator can look down into the frame and see what more of the legs
Other notable features of the new model include the positioning of the fuel tank. With an articulated machine this would normally be placed over the rear axle, but Claas has again used the rigid chassis to its advantage and placed a tank behind the cab, and another behind the steps below the cab, both inside the wheelbase of the machine, close to the centre of gravity and helping to maintain that 50:50 weight distribution. Together, these tanks will hold 1,400 litres of fuel.
The base weight of the machine, without an attachment or any additional ballast is 25,500kg, which makes it good for high-speed discing, high speed tilling and drilling etc. As the machine starts working the ground and the speed drops to around 12kph, you can add 1,800kg on the front. Work a bit deeper or wider, and at speeds of around 9–10kph, and you can add another 400kg on the front. If you need to work at subsoiling depths of around 16in, with a 6 or 7m wide attachment, you can add a further 1,000kg on the rear, bringing the maximum weight up to 28,700kg. The ballast can be added or removed singlehanded with pallet tines in around 15 minutes.
In the cab
Claas has equipped the Xerion 12 with a purposebuilt tractor cab, rather than using an existing combine cab. The seat comes with 40-degree of swivel in either direction, providing almost 90 degrees of rotation in total for additional comfort
transmission just e ortlessly delivers the right power to the tracks all the time.
The ride is smooth with the four-point cab suspension and semi suspended track system taking out the bumps in the eld brilliantly. During our test drive we were pulling a 6m Horsch Fortis AS set at 10in deep and typically saw fuel burn of around 70 litres per hour and a work rate of 7.5ha per hour at a speed of 12kph.
and visibility.
up the side of the cab helping to improve all-round little shorter than an articulated machine, although an advantage as height allows you to look down, are doing.
“We have four track steering, as well as 10-degree forwards and 10-degree backwards movement on the pivot, which is around double what you would see on any other triangular track unit on the market. This in turn allows us to have a completely at belt which means that the belt
“We have four track steering, as well as unit on the market. This in turn allows us to have
steering system, with just small amounts of wheel
At the headland, this large machine is very sprightly in the turns thanks to the Claas dynamic steering system, with just small amounts of wheel input delivering good turning angles. In fact, it’s somewhat surprising just how tightly the Xerion 12 can manoeuvre. When turning, the rear tracks turn less than the front tracks, unless you spec the machine without a rear linkage, in which case all
four tracks move equally.
Driving the Xerion 12 is child’s play. Just engage the AB line, drop the cultivator and tap cruise control and you can stretch out in that spacious cab while the technology does all the work. You don’t need to think about gear changes, and there is no possibility of stalling the engine as the CVT
don’t need to think about gear changes, and there
Whilst the Xerion 12 has four track steering, are xed and the steering is just undertaken by the might experience with an articulated machine. FG
Whilst the Xerion 12 has four track steering, when it is locked onto the AB line the rear tracks are xed and the steering is just undertaken by the front tracks, which removes any twitchiness that you might experience with an articulated machine.
Extra oor space makes for a spacious cab.
Front and rear weights can be easily added and removed with fork tines.
Members of the Claas and Manns of Saxham teams during the demo day (l-r): Aaron Geary, Ross Leach, Nick Searle, Oliver Beekes, Will Hall, Paul Moss, Carl Evans, Christopher Scott, Paul Clark and Ben Harrison.
STARTING YOUNG:
Five years ago, Tom Wisson-Burton was not your typical 12-year-old. Even today, at the grand old age of 17, it’s fair to say he is rather an exceptional young man. Barely out of school, Tom runs his own successful machinery business.
Growing up on the family’s 1,200ha mixed farm in Cambridgeshire, the highlight of then 12-yearold Tom’s month was when Farmers Guide dropped through the letterbox. “I would grab it before anyone else had a chance and go straight to the back pages to look through the machinery sales section.
“From a young age I had visions of being a machinery dealer, but I always imagined I would be working for someone else at an established business. I never thought I’d be where I am today. Luckily my grandfather was well known on the auction circuit and that really helped with me being taken seriously. If it wasn’t for him, and my parents, I would not be where I am today. My mum, for example, helped with my accounts when I rst started. My dad has been a great motivator, keeping me going when things have got tough.”
Starting out
It all started with Tom’s grandfather, who would often attend local auctions, and young Tom would go with him. “I loved the atmosphere and the adrenaline, and was desperate to be involved. So, when I was 12, he gave me a small amount of money so I could make my rst purchase,” said Tom.
“I decided to spend it on a lot of old grey Massey Ferguson parts, which turned out to be fortuitous as, when Covid-19 hit, there was a sudden increase in people working on their old vintage tractors and the parts were in high demand with prices rising.
Understanding the sector
“In those early days, I was buying older, smaller and cheaper items such as the old 9-tine cultivators that I could pick up at an auction for £50 which, after an overhaul, I could sell for £200. As the business has grown, so has the value of the machines I am buying and selling,” Tom explained.
Machinery dealer at the age of just 12
Setting up a business is hard; and more so in the agricultural sector. But to do so successfully at the age of 12 is nothing short of remarkable. Neale Byart explains.
“Although I’ll buy and sell anything agricultural as and when it comes up, I do try to work around seasonality as much as possible. Sometimes it pays to buy out-of-season though, so I can do the machines up and put them in stock ready for when demand is high.”
Tom has also exported overseas. While he admits there can be lots of paperwork involved when selling abroad, he says the upside, especially in the early days, was that the buyer didn’t know that they were dealing with someone of such a young age.
For Tom, it has been hard to balance school and the business. “We weren’t allowed to have our phones in the classroom at school, but at lunchtime I would conduct business or check up on an auction.
“I passed my driving test a month after turning 17 and now have my own truck and trailer, which makes attending auctions much more convenient.”
Growing the business
Tom has his own workshop on the farm where he overhauls used machinery or assembles new items, and admits that he is at his happiest when working in here. “However, as much as I enjoy working on older machinery, I really like buying and selling new or nearly new items as well. I sometimes pick up ex demo equipment, or unsold new stock, and I currently have several new or newish items available including a brand-new Wessex rotavator and a pair of 2022 ails,” he shared.
“As yet I don’t have franchise dealership status with any brands, but I am in discussion with someone, so that may change soon. I am not about to turn my back on the used machinery market though. I really enjoy it, and the margins can be better if I buy and sell right.”
Networking and knowledge
Tom has come a long way in ve years, from selling £20 drawbars at the start to £10K machines now. He has his own website, and business either comes through that, by word of mouth, or via his regular advert in Farmers Guide
“When I rst advertised in the Guide, I really saw an upshot in enquiries. I placed a trial ad with nine pieces of equipment, and sold six of them in that month alone,” he explains.
But Tom also still loves attending auctions and speaking directly to farmers. “So much business comes from just talking. I might be delivering an item, and the buyer will happen to mention that he has something he no longer uses, so a delivery turns into a purchase and so the business grows.”
Of course, starting a business so young had some administrative issues, as Tom explained: “I haven’t been able to get a business bank account as I’m under 18, so my bank has allowed me to run the business through my personal account until I turn 18 later this year, and then will switch me over to a business account. I have also had to get to grips with VAT, dealing with exports and, despite failing my maths GCSE, run the nancial side of my business, and operating pro t and loss accounts, although I do now have an accountant to take much of this burden away.” FG
See Tom’s full machinery stock at www.wbmachinery.co.uk
Tom aged 12, shipping his rst pallet of tractor spares to Scotland.
TRAILER FIRM UNVEILS NEW “BIG BEAST”
An MP has hailed the ingenuity and innovation of flagship trailer company, Ifor Williams Trailers.
MP Liz Saville Roberts, who represents Dwyfor Meirionnydd, was shown Ifor Williams’ newly-launched 16ft trailer – the biggest in the range – during a visit to the company’s main group o ce in Corwen.
The Ty’n Llidiart site makes components for its ve other manufacturing sites in Denbighshire and Deeside where 600 people
are employed. As well as livestock trailers, the rm makes horseboxes and a wide range of other trailers “for every conceivable use”. Its product ranges include everything from atbeds and tippers to car transporters and box vans, from catering units to mobile business trailers and medical clinics. They are sold through a network of more
than 100 distributors across the UK, most of Europe and as far a eld as Australia and New Zealand.
The MP was already a fan of the company as she has an Ifor Williams horsebox. “The quality of what is being produced at this site in Corwen, their sheer ingenuity and the investment in the engineering is exciting,” she said. “The components are all made here at Ty’n Llidiart, so it’s the hub of the whole operation. [...]
“It is a fantastic Welsh brand which we should all be proud of. What’s impressive is the sheer quality of what’s manufactured here [...]. I have seen the accuracy of the engineering, whether you’re talking about the machined hubs, the axles and the quality of the whole trailer, it’s been produced to nanometre accuracy.
“You can have faith in these materials and many people like me do and they buy again and again from Ifor Williams Trailers, although
such is the quality of their trailers, they can last for 20 years or more.”
Ifor Williams’ head of manufacturing Richard Bull said the new 16ft trailer has come about through popular demand as farmers are going for bigger and bigger trailers. “Previously, our biggest livestock trailer was 14ft and it was clear our customers also wanted the choice of a larger livestock trailer,” he explained.
New upgrades include: LED lights as standard and improvements to the sump tank for slurry, making it easier to empty. Additionally, the handle for the spring-loaded release mechanism for the second deck is now inside the trailer instead of outside the trailer, so it’s easier to use.
The new trailer debuted at the Royal Welsh Show where it was a big hit with the farming community and Richard said they already have lots of advance orders. It will start rolling o the production line later this year. FG
understanding of
Liz Saville Roberts MP with Richard Bull, Jeremy Lambert and Gerallt Parry of IWT.
Weigh cells and widebody augers central to spreader range
Bunning’s Twin Vertical Auger (TVA) spreaders are available with an application rate controller using weigh cells via Isobus or various Topcon screens, o ering users precise manure management and application, the company says.
control of the spreader and the option to integrate with third party systems to display guidance, precision farming and variable rate application from prescription maps.
farms install solar panels or EV charging stations?
Weigh cells allow the operator to enter a target rate into the controller, which the spreader will then achieve by controlling the oor speed in relation to target rate and the tractor’s forward speed. Weigh cells are a factorytted option on all Bunning spreaders, and an Isobus ECU on the spreader allows integration with compatible screens.
There are three Topcon screen options. The entry level Isocan o ers users application rate control, basic recording of data and variable application from prescription maps. The XD and XD+ screens have sophisticated
Widebody augers can also be tted to increase the spread accuracy of ne products at low application rates. Lowlander models from the 105 TVA up to the largest Lowlander 380 TVA either have the Widebody augers as standard or can have them optionally tted.
The 865mm (695mm standard) diameter Widebody augers and optional large 1.1m diameter Boron bottom blades allow TVA spreaders to achieve higher throughput and wider spread patterns for a variety of lightweight products. The slurry door and Widebody augers are wider than the spreader body to prevent throughput being the limiting factor. FG
Both solar panels and electric vehicle (EV) charging stations provide farmers with the tools to run more e cient, environmentally friendly operations while reducing costs and generating additional income, according to The Electrical Network Ltd.
Bene ts of installing solar panels:
• Reduced operating costs and energy independence –Dramatically reduced energy costs and mitigating the risk of uctuating electricity prices from external providers
• Sustainability and environmental stewardship – Reducing the farm’s carbon footprint and potentially attracting eco-conscious buyers and consumers
• Government incentives and longterm pro tability – Tax credits, subsidies, and grants are available for renewable energy projects. Surplus electricity can also be sold back to the grid.
Bene ts of EV charging stations:
• Support for electric machinery and EV adoption – Supporting the growing number of visitors, employees, and delivery vehicles using electric cars, as well as potentially farm equipment as the industry moves towards electricpowered tractors, machinery, and vehicles
• Additional revenue streams and cost reductions –Generate revenue by o ering EV charging services to customers, suppliers, or visitors to the farm. Plus, electric vehicles and equipment often have lower operational and maintenance costs compared to diesel-powered alternatives
• Enhanced reputation and compliance with future trends –Appeal to eco-conscious buyers and prepare for future trends as governments phase out diesel and gasoline vehicles. FG
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UK AGROFORESTRY: FUNDING OPTIONS, USES AND INCOME STREAMS
Agroforestry is gaining popularity in the UK as a sustainable land management approach.
Agroforestry o ers numerous environmental bene ts, such as improving soil health, enhancing biodiversity, and increasing climate resilience. Additionally, agroforestry provides farmers with diverse income streams, making it a viable option for sustainable agriculture.
Agroforestry practices in the UK can be tailored to various farming systems.
Silvopasture combines trees with livestock grazing, where trees provide shade and shelter for animals, enhancing their welfare and productivity while also improving soil fertility and sequestering carbon.
Silvoarable systems integrate rows of trees with arable crops, such as timber, fruit, or nuts, planted between crop rows. This not only diversi es income, but also improves soil health and water retention.
Riparian bu ers involve planting trees along waterways to protect water quality by reducing runo and preventing soil erosion. These bu ers support wildlife habitats and can qualify for conservation payments.
Forest farming involves cultivating high-value crops like mushrooms, medicinal herbs, or fruits under existing woodland canopies, allowing
farmers to diversify their income while preserving natural habitats.
The UK o ers several funding schemes to support the adoption of agroforestry practices. The Countryside Stewardship Scheme (CSS) provides grants for planting and managing trees within agroforestry systems, including hedgerows and riparian bu ers. The Environmental Land Management Scheme (ELMS), set to replace CSS, will reward farmers for delivering public goods such as improved air and water quality and increased biodiversity, with anticipated support for agroforestry.
Woodland Creation Grants cover costs related to tree planting, fencing, and maintenance, making it easier for farmers to establish agroforestry systems. Additionally, agroforestry practices that sequester carbon can qualify for carbon credits, o ering an extra income stream while contributing to climate change mitigation. Agroforestry can diversify farm income through several avenues. Timber and wood products from trees grown for timber, rewood, or biomass provide a long-term income source.
Fruit and nut production o ers high-value
crops for sale or can be processed into valueadded products like jams or oils. Silvopasture and silvoarable systems enable the continued production of traditional agricultural products, such as livestock and crops, while bene ting from the resources and shelter provided by trees. Additionally, environmental payments for ecosystem services, including carbon sequestration and biodiversity enhancement, o er a stable income stream that is less in uenced by market uctuations.
Agroforestry is a promising option for UK farmers seeking sustainable and pro table land management. With the right support, it can transform agricultural landscapes, providing both environmental and economic bene ts. Finding a good tree supplier is a vital component, and Frank P Matthews is a good place to start, o ering what it claims to be the UK’s widest range of trees. FG
LIVESTOCK
SRUC veterinary investigation o cer, Fiona Crowden, o ers advice on steps you can take to make sure your vaccinations are e ective.
VACCINATION: MAKE SURE YOU DON’T WASTE YOUR INVESTMENT
Often, vaccines administered to cattle and sheep represent a signi cant nancial investment, so it’s important they are used correctly – the best way to make a vaccine even more expensive is by using it in a way that means it doesn’t work.
The most important point to remember is that vaccines are an aid to control a disease, rather than an absolute preventative. Taking a parallel with the Covid-19 vaccinations, while vaccines decreased the severity of disease and reduced deaths, they did not provide absolute protection against infection, illness or deaths – and the same is true of veterinary vaccines.
It is always important to consider the factors which contribute to the disease you are trying to control. Vaccination is often used to prevent respiratory disease in cattle, however if shed ventilation is poor, with draughty areas, damp bedding, and/or regular mixing of stock, then respiratory disease is still likely to be a signi cant issue. E ectively controlling disease requires the risk factors to be considered, controlled, and minimised as far as is possible within that system, alongside the use of vaccines.
Storage
Ensuring vaccines are stored properly is an essential part of maintaining their e ectiveness. Most vaccines should be stored between 2-8ºC, however studies have found that perhaps half of medicine fridges could be too warm or too cold. Using a digital thermometer probe placed in the fridge with an external screen, or a temperature logger, are cheap and simple ways to monitor temperatures.
Also ensure that vaccines are kept cool prior to use – a live EAE vaccine left in the farm truck while the ewes are gathered can be inactivated. Attention should also be paid to the time a vaccine remains e ective after opening the
bottle – usually between 2–8 hours, with leftover broached vaccine discarded after this time. The data sheet found within the packaging of all vaccines will provide details of the speci c conditions of storage/use.
Timing
The timing of vaccinations is also important to ensure they are e ective. Very broadly, vaccines work by ‘training’ the immune system to look for a particular part of a bacteria or virus, to produce speci c antibodies to identify and neutralise the speci c disease if infected in the future. Generating immunity is a biological process and takes time, therefore courses of vaccines and boosters are given at the intervals featured on the data sheet, generally in advance of the risk period.
There is sometimes a practical trade o on farms when animals are outdoors, where periods of adverse weather mean that animals should not be handled or vaccinated, not least because of the risk of causing abscesses and spreading infection when animals are wet/dirty.
where things can go wrong – at best the vaccine may not work, and at worst it can cause the death of the animals. The most common routes for vaccination in ruminants are subcutaneous (under the skin), intramuscular (into the muscle) and intra-nasal (up the nose). Again, the data sheet will instruct the route and usually the area of administration.
the correct length of needle helps to avoid
A vaccine intended to be given under the skin, behind the ear in sheep can cause large tissue reactions when given into the muscle and can occasionally be injected close to or into the spinal column, with fatal consequences. Selecting the correct length of needle helps to avoid misplacement of vaccines.
Vaccines given to pregnant cows and ewes to help protect their o spring from disease (e.g. clostridial vaccines in ewes, calf scour vaccines) work by stimulating the dam to produce antibodies in the colostrum. The timing of vaccination is important, but it is critical for newborn lambs and calves to get su cient colostrum from the dam in the rst hours of life in order for the desired immunity to be transferred.
Administration
Route of administration is another key area
Cross-reactions and interactions of vaccines and other medicines is another area to be aware of. Treating lame sheep with oxytetracycline antibiotics at the same time as using a live enzootic abortion vaccine will lead to the antibiotic killing the vaccine. Similarly, using wormers at the same time as the live lungworm vaccine has a similar e ect. Sensitisation of sheep to the excipient polysorbate 80 (present in Footvax, Cydectin 1% injection and Porcylis Ery), means that treating sheep with two of these products in their lifetime can cause fatal adverse reactions.
wormers
Vaccines are key to controlling disease on farms, however there are many situations where the vaccine you have invested in may be prevented from being e ective. Even with vaccines you have been using for years, taking time to read the product data sheet, and ensuring you are using the vaccine correctly, will be time well spent. FG
Fiona Crowden, SRUC veterinary investigation o icer.
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HOW TO OPTIMISE CALF HOUSING
Housing management of pre-weaned calves strongly impacts health, welfare, and profitability. Dr Ti any Etherington, of Westpoint Farm Vets, shares advice.
The two major causes of mortality and poor performance in calves are pneumonia and scours. These diseases can often be prevented by providing calves with a clean, dry, and well-ventilated environment.
Grouping and space: Newborn calves can be housed either individually or in groups, however it is compulsory to group house calves over eight weeks of age. Group pens improve behavioural development and are associated with increased growth rates. Despite this, it is important to remember that sick animals present a disease risk to others in the group. In these circumstances, sick animals should be managed appropriately and isolated in individual pens.
cleansing and disinfection protocol and be left to dry prior to subsequent use. Calf pens should be mucked out and disinfected as frequently as you practically can, and fresh bedding added regularly to provide comfort and warmth.
Ventilation: Good ventilation is essential in preventing respiratory disease as this helps to remove stale, damp air. Cobwebs in calf sheds are often a sign of poor ventilation. Whilst fresh air and good ventilation is vital, it is important to avoid draughts particularly when housing young calves. The target wind speed within a calf shed is 0.2m/second. Excessive wind speed at animal height will cause wind chill and should be avoided.
With more than one out of two herds testing positive for Q Fever (in some areas of the UK), farmers can no longer
Cattle are mainly infected by breathing in air particles contaminated with the bacteria. Infected cows, even if asymptomatic, shed C. burnetii mainly through birth or abortion products, but also in vaginal mucus, faeces and milk4
Calf pens should be large enough that they can exhibit normal behaviours such as standing up, lying down, stretching, and turning around to groom. The minimum pen size per calf for individual pens (according to Red Tractor Assurance Standards 2017), is:
• 1m x 1.5m for calf weight of <60kg
• 1m x 1.8m for 60–80kg.
The minimum pen size per calf for group pens is:
• 1.5m2 for calf weight 50–84kg
• 1.8m2 for 58–140kg
• 2.4m2 for 140–200kg.
Hygiene: Good hygiene practices prevent the build-up of diseasecausing pathogens within the environment and maximise calf performance. Feeding equipment should undergo a thorough
Temperature: Providing calves with e ective barriers to draughts such as places to shelter, bedding and calf jackets, will protect them from cold stress. As soon as night temperatures drop below 150C, calves use energy from the milk to keep warm rather than grow. Growth rates will then fall, and calves will become more susceptible to disease. During the colder months ahead, make sure to supply plenty of dry straw bedding to allow calves to nest and help keep them warm.
The Animal Health and Welfare Pathway is a good opportunity for your vet to perform a housing assessment to help identify problematic areas and provide solutions to reduce disease challenge within the calf shed. Contact your vet to discuss this further. FG
• Q Fever is endemic in GB dairy herds1
• It causes reproduction and fertility issues to cattle, sheep and goats2
• It is also a zoonosis, risking the health of those working with livestock
• It is caused by the bacterium Coxiella burnetti
• Infection is generally via inhalation but also via faeces, milk and vaginal mucous
b.
“Game-changing” control of calf crypto now within reach
Cryptosporidium parvum is the leading cause of scour in young calves, resulting in reduced growth rates and sale prices, as well as extra work, treatment costs and mortalities. It also puts additional strain on farmers’ mental health, and as a zoonoses, can infect humans. Calves with severe cryptosporidiosis in the rst 16 days of life weigh 34kg less on average than low disease calves, equating to a loss of £161 in sale price, according to a recent study. Even those with mild clinical disease weigh less and the di erence does not even out with time.
For the rst time, a C. parvum vaccine, Bovilis Cryptium, from MSD Animal Health, has been licensed for use in late pregnancy heifers and cows. MSD has also launched a vepoint scour control plan for farmers, covering ve key areas:
1. Diagnosis
Identifying the cause of scour is important as treatment approaches di er depending on the pathogens involved. Rainbow calf scour testing kits, like ScourCheck, are simple and quick to use on farm and can identify
C. parvum, rotavirus, coronavirus or E. coli K99). Further testing is needed for coccidia and salmonella.
2. Colostrum
Dr Katie Denholm, an academic clinician at the University of Glasgow Veterinary School, said the ve Qs of colostrum management are critical to giving calves the best immunity:
• Quantity: 10–12% bodyweight in colostrum, 150–200IgG supplied
• Quickly: In the rst six hours
• Quantify: >10g/litre IgG in serum, >50g/litre IgG in colostrum
• Quietly: Reduce stress, as cortisol impacts absorption of antibodies.
Meanwhile, extended colostrum feeding, beyond day one, is an emerging area of interest and o ers a myriad of bene ts for calf health and growth. As well as immunoglobulins, colostrum also contains immune modulators such as oligosaccharides, valuable enzymes, lactoferrin, cytokines, hormones, vitamins, and
minerals – all of which are important for long term gut health, function and development, Dr Denholm explained.
To supplement colostrum, you can add 2–3 large ice cubes of frozen rst milking colostrum to milk replacer feed, or add 40–70kg colostrum replacer to MR feed. Transition milk can be mixed into pasteurised milk and fed for 3-5 days.
As it’s often di cult to harvest enough rst milking colostrum to feed this alone in an extended way, transition milk is preferable for longer term feeding. Storage was highlighted as another barrier to farmers adopting extended colostrum feeding. To keep colostrum and transition milk for longer, you can add chemical preservatives (e.g. 1% of a 50% potassium sorbate solution), or store at a low temperature.
3. Environment and management
Dr Baxter-Smith advised disinfecting the entrance to the calf shed, and having strict hygiene protocols for feeding equipment – daily cleaning and disinfection.
“Muck out, steam clean, disinfect and leave to dry as often as you practically can,” she said. “Many common farm disinfectants are not e ective against C. parvum, so only use those that are licensed to control this pathogen. And leave disinfected pens to dry thoroughly because C. parvum does not like dessication.”
Sick calves should be isolated and kept warm and hydrated, and sta should work with healthy calves rst, to avoid spreading disease. Never mix newborn calves with those older than 3–4 days. Bedding must be replaced and replenished every 1–2 days, and feeding and drinking troughs should be raised at least
0.75m o the ground to prevent contamination.
4. Prevention
For the rst pregnancy, dams need two doses of Bovilis Cryptium 4–5 weeks apart, three weeks before calving. For subsequent pregnancies, only one booster 12–3 weeks prior to calving is needed. The Bovilis Rotavec Corona vaccine can also be given at the same time if needed.
For immunity to be transferred to the calf, they will either need to feed entirely from the dam for ve days, or, in the case of most dairy farms where calves are removed from the dam, supplemented with colostrum/ transition milk from vaccinated dams.
This can be fed separately or added to usual milk replacer feed in the following quantities:
• Day 1: At least 3 litres of day one colostrum
• Day 2: At least 1 litre of day one colostrum
• Days 3–5: At least 0.5 litres of transition milk.
UK stock of the vaccine will be available in November; previously it was available under special import licence.
5. Treat
It may still be necessary to treat individual calves where pathogen infectious pressure is very high. It’s crucial to provide rehydration in the form of oral or intravenous uids (in addition to the normal milk feed) – and, under veterinary guidance, pain relief and antibiotic treatment if required.
Farmers interested in the new ve-step calf cryptosporidiosis control planner tool should contact their local MSD Animal Health account manager for further information. FG
Dairy farming is tough. Few people appreciate this as much as those working the farms do. The public may tune into a popular farming series (you know the one!), but the reality is hard work, and long hours.
Since 1987, Silclear has been a dedicated partner to many farms in the dairy industry, and therefore understands and recognises the hardships that come with dairy farming. The company says its expertise has enabled it to create milking liners and silicone milk tubing that is soft, exible, and longer lasting than traditional rubber products. Silclear products are “easier to clean and less likely to harbour bacteria that lead to mastitis, thus improving milk quality”.
Proven durability and longevity mean that the company’s milking liners last up to 10,000 milkings
(four times longer than traditional rubber liners), resulting in less frequent replacements and reduced long-term costs, Silclear says. They are made with tough lightweight materials; the company’s whole milking cluster weighs just 1.3kg. This protects against muscle fatigue compared to other, heavier clusters on the market.
Silclear’s range of milk tubing is more resilient to harsh environments and cleaning chemicals, and can withstand a wide range of temperatures from -70˚C to +180˚C, the company continues.
Choosing Silclear products means embracing sustainable, long-term solutions that minimise labour, reduce expenses, and support animal welfare, the company concludes. FG
BUMPER CROWDS AT UK DAIRY DAY 2024
The 10th anniversary show in Telford in September drew in the crowds and was hailed “a fantastic event” by exhibitors.
There were over 280 trade stands at this year’s UK Dairy Day, of which over 100 exhibited at the rst event 10 years ago in 2014. An impressive display of trade stands promoted all aspects of the dairy industry and was enjoyed by bumper crowds with a buzzing atmosphere.
“Tremendous” cattle show
Over 150 dairy cows were shown under the spotlights in the largest show of in-milk cows seen this year in Britain. The electric atmosphere was absorbed by the crowds watching around the ring and a worldwide audience watching via live streaming. A leading line-up of judges tapped out the winners throughout the day for the six dairy breeds. The National Holstein Show was judged by Marcel Egli of Switzerland and saw Evening Sidekick Jennifer, exhibited by Evening Holsteins win back-toback Holstein Championships at UK Dairy Day. Rivermead Verdi Pixie, from The Davis Family, was also crowned as breed champion for a second year running by judge Willie Taylor.
The Grand Champions were:
• Holstein Grand Champion: Evening Sidekick Jennifer, Evening Holsteins
• Ayrshire Grand Champion: Swaites Lois 8, J Adamson & Son
• Brown Swiss Grand Champion: Kedar Rhappily Ever After, T Lochhead & Sons
• Guernsey Grand Champion: Kimcote Brogdon Fragrant 8, AD & RM Thomas
• Jersey Grand Champion: Rivermead Verdi Pixie, The Davis Family.
The Holstein UK Premier Exhibitor Banner was won by Tregibby Holsteins and Premier Breeder Banner was won by Wormanby Holsteins. And the Howard Sneesby Memorial Trophy was presented to Ian Gibson for his contribution to the National Holstein Show.
Sharing knowledge
Sharing knowledge is a key focus at UK Dairy Day and this year the industry panels featured leading gures from the dairy sector discussing the opportunities for cows, carbon, culture and costs. Recordings of panel discussions and seminars are available online.
On the external stands, visitors watched the ever-popular foot trimming and knife sharpening demonstration by Tim Carter. And the Scarsdale Vets team returned for the 'Beneath the Black and White' calf painting demonstration which focused on twin pregnancies, what causes them and how to manage them. The NBDC Classi cation team also ran two Type Classi cation and
Linear Scoring demonstrations. Meanwhile, the New Product Competition featured 11 nalists, with Hoofcount Ltd winning the award for PediVue. A Highly Commended was presented to Oxi-Tech Solutions Ltd for Pulse Oxidation and a Judges Special Mention was presented to milkrite | InterPuls LTD for MIPulse.
“Extremely buoyant”
Ben Yates, UK Dairy Day cattle show director, said the show’s atmosphere was “extremely buoyant”. He added: “The display of cattle in the ring gets better and better each year, seeing the nal line-up of six Holstein cows standing side by side in the Holstein
Championship was a sight to behold and will be talked about for many years.”
Event director Hannah Williams added: "UK Dairy Day would like to thank all exhibitors, visitors and sponsors for yet again supporting UK Dairy Day and celebrating the 10th anniversary [...]. UK Dairy Day really is the most important and dedicated event for the dairy industry; it is where new concepts, products, ideas and innovations are shared and where dairy farmers can do business. We look forward to welcoming everyone to UK Dairy Day 2025.”
Save the date for 2025: UK Dairy Day will be held on Wednesday 10th September 2025 at The International Centre, Telford, Shropshire. FG
New generation of self-propelled diet feeders launches
Lucas G has announced the launch of a new generation of self-propelled diet feeders, Classic and Performance (capacity up to 24m3) for intensive users or farm collectives. The new ranges join the Compact model (capacity up to 16m3), which launched in 2022.
Additionally, version 8 of the DTM feed management software, has a more intuitive interface for precise remote programming of recipes and even distribution of rations.
New features for additional operator comfort include: a new ergonomic command arm and joystick, the option of a new pedal mode for driving and a new layout of the control screens. Operating comfort and visibility have also been enhanced with the addition of a new 360-degree panoramic glass cab for optimum working conditions and safety.
The new cab is tted as standard with a comfortable air seat, air conditioning, a sun visor and a front defrosting window.
There are 12 models across the two ranges and a multitude of possible con gurations: engine up to 245hp and six cylinders for a forward speed of 25kph or 40kph; and three loading modes ( bre, supplement and maize) with the possibility of di erentiating mill speed and loading belt.
The machine also features automatic controls for greater productivity. It is equipped with an automotive system and a distribution box. Finally, options available include: two extra knives, a hydraulic hopper, LED lights, cameras, etc. FG
BED-ANY-SHED
The ST (Side Throw) new head option for Micro ST, Mini ST, Midi ST and Midi XL ST models
• For buildings with narrow access doors and passageways from 2m wide
• One vertical rotor
• Spreading to left, right and front. 0.5m wide, up to 8m throw
• No chopping, lowers dust levels, saves straw
• Spreads any bale in under one minute
• Self-loading, requires only one tractor / loader
• Improves efficiency, profitability and environment
MAIZE VARIETY SELECTION FOR THE 2025 GROWING SEASON
Nine new varieties have been added to the British Society of Plant Breeders’ 2025 Forage Maize Descriptive Lists (DL).
New entrants on the 2025 Favourable First Choice List are: KWS Granturismo, KWS Bravo, KWS Kampinos, KWS Temprano, Papageno and Rejko from KWS; Promise, AYA and Duke from Limagrain; Justice from Grainseed Ltd; and Starlord and MAS 075B from Bright Seeds.
LID0720C and RGT Muxxeal from Grainseed, along with RGT Buxxton from RAGT and KWS Leto from KWS, were added to the Favourable Second Choice List. KWS Temprano, KWS Leto, KWS Bravo, Rejko, Duke, Aya, MAS 075B and Starlord made it onto the First Choice List for Less Favourable sites.
The Very Favourable Descriptive List has two additional varieties from Grainseed Ltd: Micheleen and Jakleen.
Commenting on the new varieties from Limagrain, maize manager
Tim Richmond said: “Duke will have broad appeal for farmers across the maize growing spectrum. It is a rst choice variety on both the Favourable and Less Favourable lists, having performed consistently in trials and demonstrated an ability to produce outstanding yields of very high quality forage in a short growing season.
“Its very early maturity gives many growers the opportunity to drill later and still harvest in good time, exploiting optimum conditions and allowing time to establish a
range of following crops. With good early grain yields, Duke o ers some growers the potential for crimping or grain production.”
Promise, meanwhile, has the highest dry matter yield of all varieties in the Early category on the latest list for Favourable sites (19.6t/ha) and is very high yielding on the list for Less Favourable sites (19.4t/ha). It has good cell wall digestibility, high rumen starch degradability and high overall ME yields, as well as very good early vigour and standing ability, and good stay-green characteristics.
“For farmers looking to ll their clamps with high energy maize, well within a safe harvest window, the high yielding and early maturing Promise will be a very good option,” added Tim. “Given its combination of yield and high energy, this variety also has potential for AD, and its earliness also makes it a candidate for crimping or grain.”
Limagrain is also highlighting Harmony, which is scheduled to be available for the 2026 growing season. Another early maturing variety, trials data is showing it to be very high yielding with outstanding starch and ME, very good early vigour and strong standing ability.
The BSPB 2025 Forage Maize Descriptive Lists are available to download from the BSPB and NIAB websites. FG
The quality ultra early maize variety with a touch of class!
Wayne Bean, Newcastle upon Tyne
JONES BROTHERS
Pre-Stressed Concrete Wall Panels
Inspired by the latest technology in Pre-stressed Concrete Wall Panels, and with the desire to continue in meeting our customers' requirements regarding Quality, Design, Volume & Delivery... ...we have opened a new & improved manufacturing facility in Green eld, Flintshire, North Wales
• Brand new precision built moulds & tooling
• Larger range of sizes & loadbearing options (95, 145, 200 & new 240, 280mm)
• Selection of Concrete Lego Blocks
• Increased capacity
• Made to measure
• Shorter lead-times
• Established Quality Assured products at competitive prices
From simple Visser palletisers to the Symach’s “all singing, all dancing” alternatives and from the incredibly accurate Manter weigher baggers to the tough and reliable Sack Filling Company stitching line they will, along with expert back-up, help to keep your packhouse both proftable and fully operational. David Harrison Handling Solutions Ltd are proud to have possibly the UK’s largest stock of used and refurbished potato handling equipment.
HK Timbers answers the often-asked question –"how long should my potato boxes last?"
It depends on how well you look after your boxes. Like all equipment that you invest in, the better you care for your boxes, the longer they will last.
The United Kingdom is one of the very few countries in the world where there is a national standard which governs the manufacturing of wooden potato boxes for long-term storage. First introduced in the 1990s, BS 1176 of 1992 Potato Storage Boxes for Mechanical Handling sets out the strength requirements for potato boxes. The British Standard does not set out what materials are used in the construction of the boxes. It purely stipulates strength requirements needed to safely and securely stack boxes. The standard allows for four strength groups; most boxes manufactured in the UK are Group B boxes, which allow for stacks of up to eight high indoors.
At HK Timbers, we only select timber for our boxes that will meet the strength requirements of the standard. For this we predominantly use kiln dried European redwood from Scandinavia. Kiln drying has the added bene t of killing pathogens that are present in the timber which cause decay. Kiln drying doesn’t prevent decay setting in the timber in the future – it merely gives the timber its best chance to achieve a decent service life, without the use of preservatives.
Main risks
GETTING THE MOST OUT OF POTATO BOXES
The most severe risk to boxes is either via wood boring beetle, or decay caused by rot. While damage to boxes caused by woodworm is less prevalent in the UK, we do come across instances where boxes are damaged to such an extent that they are no longer useable. Woodworm can be quite a challenge, considering how limited our options are in controlling an infestation.
Care should be taken to ensure that boxes infested with woodworm are isolated from your box stock and destroyed to prevent any crossinfestation between boxes. Boxes should be inspected regularly for insect damage. Woodworm will leave little pin-sized holes in the timber, and you may also nd small sawdust mounds in and around the boxes.
The two main risks associated with the premature failure of boxes are wood destroying organisms such as rot or wood boring beetle (woodworm), or failure through mechanical damage. Mechanical damage can be minimised, when forklift operators are trained and highly skilled. Ensure that forklift times are su ciently long enough to lift the box from the underside of the deck starter boards. Mechanical damage to boxes is the easiest cause of box failure to prevent.
The most signi cant risk to boxes though is damage caused by timber decay. There are two types of decay, either wet or dry rot. The ideal conditions for decay to set into boxes is when you have a high relative humidity and temperatures typically above 20°C. When the moisture content of the timber is above 20%, the ideal moisture range though is above 25%.
Keep an eye out for the development of moulds on your boxes; while mould is not damaging to timber, the environmental conditions for mould to take hold are the same as for decay. As decay takes longer to set in and to be noticed, the presence of mould is an indicator that there is insu cient ventilation and the potential for a decay issue in the future.
Ideally boxes should be stored indoors or undercover. If kept in the store it is important to monitor humidity and temperature levels and ensure that the store is well ventilated. It is important to run your fans so that you have su cient air movement through the boxes to dry them.
Should you store your boxes outside, best practice is to keep them on a hard surface that drains easily. Store your boxes in such a way that allows for the free movement of air through the boxes. Store like-for-like boxes together when storing outside; i.e. you should not keep closed boarded boxes next to gaped boxes in a stack. This will interfere with the air ow through the stack and slow down the drying of the timber. When boxes are stored outside, best practice is to have two rows of tightly tted boxes, with a gap of 5–10cm between stacks.
At the end of this season, implement a box inspection and repair programme. Each box should be inspected for mechanical damage and decay, and damaged components should be replaced immediately. FG
Since 1967, we have been a leading manufacturer of specialised doors for the farming industry, food sector and pharmaceutical industry. Our product range includes personnel doors, slam face doors, sliding doors and temperature-controlled doors, designed to meet the stringent hygiene, safety, and thermal requirements of these critical industries. With a focus on durability and compliance, we deliver reliable solutions that enhance operational e ciency.
New research delivers positive, more profitable results for potato growers
Recent research1 has proven the use of Maxstim’s complex biostimulants to enhance potato growth and increase commercial yields.
This new evidence suggests that a biostimulant based on plant avonoids can signi cantly enhance potato growth and yields, providing an important tool for growers looking to improve agricultural productivity in a sustainable manner.
The researchers investigated the impact of this biostimulant on various growth parameters, including plant height, leaf area, root development and overall biomass. They also measured the impact on tuber yield and quality on Maris Piper potatoes grown in south east England.
Key ndings include:
1. Growth enhancement: The biostimulant signi cantly improved plant growth, with increases in height, leaf area,
and root development. This suggests that Maxstim’s avonoid-based biostimulant positively in uences the physiological processes involved in plant growth.
2. Yield improvement: The application of the biostimulant led to a notable increase in tuber yield. The potatoes produced were of higher quality, with better commercial characteristics such as size and uniformity.
3. Mechanism of action: The avonoids in the biostimulant appear to interact with plant hormonal pathways, enhancing nutrient uptake and stress resistance. This contributes to the overall improved growth and yield outcomes.
4. Sustainability: The study emphasises the potential of
using natural plant-based compounds as sustainable agricultural inputs, reducing the reliance on synthetic fertilisers and chemicals.
To nd out how Maxstim’s complex biostimulants can enhance your crops, visit www.maxstim.com FG
Reference 1: Research carried out by researchers at Queens University, Institute of Global Food Security and Maxstim Ltd.
• Automatic Error messages
• Irrigation control via mobile devices
• Team management
• Automatic reports
YOUR AVR CONTACT
07955 232433 | nealkinsey@avr.be
YOUR AVR DEALER
stewartb@peck.co.uk 07818 030552
07967 575004
•
Haith has also replaced the shaft-mounted motor gearbox units with powered drum motors, and a positive drive rack and pinion arrangement has been used instead of the traditional chain and sprocket transmission.
The result of these innovations is a box ller that can handle up to 60 boxes per hour, which is achieved as one box lling conveyor can be lowered into position while the opposite side is lling. Single belt machines cannot deliver this.
Haith developed the XL version of the Supa Fill 600 PRO at the request of David Goose when he was visiting the company’s factory searching for a wellbuilt, suitably wide box ller with high capacity.
“When I saw Haith’s new box ller being built, I was so impressed that I asked Duane if he had plans to develop an even larger version,” said David. “I was really pleased when Haith took on the challenge; the result is a fantastic machine.”
David farms in partnership with his wife Julia and daughters Holly and Nenah, growing potatoes, onions, brassicas and cereals.
Holly and Nenah have been impressed with the Supa Fill 600 PRO XL, with Holly saying: “Every box is perfectly lled and we haven’t seen any damage –even on our most delicate potato crops.”
F F Goose & Sons in south Lincolnshire took delivery of Haith’s latest box ller recently to replace a 2014 Haith box ller.
Designed to work across the end of a 2,400mmwide (8ft) grader, the Supa Fill 600 PRO XL removes
the need for a cross conveyor and uses one less drop point.
The Supa Fill 600 PRO XL o ers several innovative features, including a patented three variable speed belt system for gentle crop transition.
Duane Hill, Haith’s managing director, adds: “We are extremely proud of the new box ller, which is a modern-day version of the original 1995 Supa- l 600. If our new model is as popular as its predecessor over the next 30 years, we will be very happy. We are fortunate to have customers like F F Goose who trust us to design and supply their vegetable handling kit across multiple generations.” FG
Farmer David Goose’s daughters Nenah (left) and Holly.
Driving yields and profitability
The Farm Electronics Samro stone and clod separator and the Optica Q optical sorting machine represent advanced solutions for agricultural sorting, particularly in the potato and root vegetable industries, the company says.
These machines o er signi cant advantages over traditional sorting equipment, particularly in e ciency, accuracy, and adaptability, Farm Electronics further points out.
The Samro stone and clod separator employs a mechanical sorting process that distinguishes between stones, clods, and crops based on density and size. This results in a highly e cient separation, minimising the risk of crop damage. Unlike other machines, the Samro system reduces the need for manual labour and works well in a range of soil conditions, enhancing operational exibility. Its robust design ensures reliable performance in the most challenging environments, outshining older models that often require frequent adjustments or maintenance, says the company.
The Optica Q optical sorting machine utilises cutting-edge camera and laser technology to sort vegetables based on colour, shape, and size. Its precision is impressive, detecting even
the smallest defects in real-time and rejecting unsuitable products with minimal waste. Compared to standard optical sorters, the Optica Q is able to process large volumes at high speed without sacri cing accuracy, reckons Farm Electronics. Its advanced software allows for easy calibration and adaptability to di erent crop types, which reduces downtime between sorting runs.
Together, these machines signi cantly reduce manual sorting labour, minimise waste, and improve overall product quality. These technologies streamline agricultural operations, driving higher yields and greater pro tability. FG
Elevating harvesting performance
Dewulf has introduced a comprehensive redesign of its agship Enduro harvester, just over three years after its initial launch. The second-generation model builds on user feedback and evolving market demands to deliver enhanced performance and features.
The second generation Enduro is now available in a 4x90cm con guration. A key improvement is the newly designed ring elevator, which o ers around 50% more processing capacity, thanks to a larger bag volume, higher running speed, and better product distribution.
Additionally, the secondgeneration Enduro o ers two engine options: the well-known 450hp Scania engine and a more powerful 550hp version. This upgrade is ideal for users operating in hilly terrains or those requiring higher harvesting speeds. The machine’s design has
also been streamlined, with fewer guards for improved accessibility and a sturdier main frame. The larger anthracite-coloured fuel tank enhances both the aesthetics and balanced overall look of the machine.
Dewulf has retained the features that it says made the rst-generation model successful, such as the continuously adjustable inclination angle (0–12 degrees) on its cleaning modules and its superior 9t capacity two-part bunker. In terms of ground pressure, the Enduro claims to provide unrivalled traction, even in challenging conditions.
For its receiving hoppers, the MH 241 and MH 242, Dewulf now o ers the Scotts Evolution cleaning module, featuring eight spiral rollers that excel in both dry and wet conditions. The ribs on these rollers allow for exible cleaning, ensuring exceptional product handling and processing, the company says. FG
Ensure irrigation equipment is ready and reliable
There was little need to think about irrigation early in the last growing season, but next spring could be di erent. On the other hand, many potato growers have needed to work their irrigation equipment hard over the summer. Servicing and maintenance during the autumn is therefore important to ensure equipment is ready and reliable.
Winterising hosereels, pumps and booms should be completed before the coldest months, as Adrian Colwill, managing director of Briggs Irrigation, explains: “Another ‘Beast from the East’ could catch us out, and it’s always a good idea to winterise machinery in
good time. We can help by carrying out a full service on the farm, where hosereels can be blown out quickly and e ciently using our high-capacity compressor. We can also carry out a complete test of the farm’s pump units.
“At our Corby factory we can replace the PE hose on the hosereel where this has su ered excess wear and can test water meters.
“For farmers who like to carry out DIY servicing there are service manuals on our website which are available to customers via a password, while for growers who nd they need to replace or update their systems, out of season discounts are currently available.” FG
Organised by the company behind Agritechnica, the new-to-the-UK event was held on Dyson Farming’s Nocton Estate in Lincolnshire, across a 20ha site.
Machinery editor Neale Byart attended the first ever Potato Days UK event in early September, which promised visitors the latest innovations in potato growing and harvesting.
POTATO DAYS 2024 –A new event for the potato growing and processing industry
Around 150 exhibitors had signed up for the inaugural show by DLG – a non-pro t, politically independent organisation with around 31,000 members.
There were abundant static displays outside, featuring many of the most recognisable names in potato growing and harvesting, while a purpose-built marquee at the entrance housed various potato industry-related services.
Over 12ha of potatoes were harvested during the working demonstrations which were spread across the two-day event, with harvesters from the likes of AVR, Grimme, Dewulf and Standen. An array of other handling, sorting and loading equipment was also featured.
A designated area for trial crop plots allowed exhibitors to display and demonstrate new products and new ideas, while the DLG expert stage hosted a full programme of knowledge exchange workshops over the two days. The over-arching theme of these was ‘sustainable productivity’,
UK farm assurance standards, net zero potato growing, and policy and practice for a sustainable future. These workshops featured a prominent line-up of experts tackling the various topics. Feedback from the exhibitors Farmers Guide spoke to was generally favourable – especially given it was an inaugural show – and most reported a good number of positive enquiries and serious leads to be followed up.
Four-row harvester delivers speedier harvest
Oxbo o ers a range of agricultural machinery for a diverse array of crops, but the company’s AR-4BX four-row self-propelled potato harvester was a particular focus for the Potato Days event. Steven Skipper, sales manager for Ploeger UK which is part of the Oxbo group, explained:
“We don’t o er a two-row harvester, for the simple reason that a four-row machine isn’t twice the cost of a tworow model, but it will do double the work – making it a simple economic decision.
and topics covered included automation and AI in machinery,
“This is also driven by our unpredictable weather windows, such as the prolonged wet periods we have experienced recently, where the four-row machine will get the better use of those shorter harvesting
harvest in twice as fast, allowing opportunities. processing happening in the eld, with up to six sta on the machine.”
“Business has been good over the last couple of years, but we are expecting a slight slowdown just due to the normal agricultural cycles over the next couple of years.
“Oxbo is a niche supplier and builds to order – with the potato harvester built in the Netherlands and other machines, such as beet harvesters and maize machinery built in the UK. This show is in a good location for us, with numerous customers all within half an hour so of the event. In the future we see a move towards more automation, but in the meantime, we are experiencing sales based on o ering more cleaning and
The right conditions for long-term storage Omnivent provides custom-made solutions for the storage of fresh produce, particularly, potatoes, onions and carrots. The company builds the insides of storage facilities with plenum walls, fans and control systems to allow for extended periods of storage.
Ronnie Laing, Omnivent UK director, commented: “Once a storage system is set up, it can feed back all the environmental information to a phone, computer or tablet that not only allows careful monitoring of
the storage facility, but also remote adjustment of any settings, if needed.
“We focus more on air power
Steven Skipper of Oxbo.
than many other manufacturers, which allows us to use short, sharp bursts of power rather than weeks or months of continual power usage. It’s all about controlling temperature, humidity, and CO2 levels. With the right conditions, we can store potatoes right through from now until the end of next July without losing quality. Everything we supply is built in-house in the Netherlands.”
Chemicals for sprout suppression
DormFresh is the UK and European arm of the Idaho, USA-based, 1,4Group – a company which has used science to delve into the art of preserving stored potatoes and, in particular, stopping them sprouting.
energy by using less ventilation and refrigeration. The aim is to get the potatoes out of storage after up to nine months and they are still rm, fresh and unshrunken.” The DormFresh product, called 1,4Sight, is a chemical that is naturally occurring in potatoes.
The latest self-propelled sprayer from John Deere
Six of the tractors being used at the show were supplied and on loan from Ben Burgess, who themselves were displaying the new John Deere 340M self-propelled sprayer. Andy Webb, precision ag specialist and customer support at Ben Burgess, showed Farmers Guide around the 340M.
Henning Bergmann, manager of the European technical department, told Farmers Guide: “We work across 26 European countries with licensed partners, and my role is to service and support these partners, the end customers and the industry and to help them understand how to best use our product and get optimal performance out of it. Our products keep the potatoes ‘sleeping’ and not only prevent sprouting, but also
reduce weight loss and all the while saving 6068 John Deere engine, the same as around 8in for a lower centre of gravity making it very nimble on the eld. It tread adjustment, or with a xed axle,
“This new model uses a double pump system with a 600-litres/min ll pump and a 750-litres/min spray pump that is controlled by a hydraulic motor and a sophisticated valve block, which can bring the pressure up from zero to a maximum of eight bar in just three seconds. The spray pack is taken from the 700 series sprayer, so it uses the same induction hopper and all the same facilities. It has a 4,000-litre tank and a choice of booms between 24 and 36m and is powered by a 6cyl 6068 John Deere engine, the same as in the 6R tractors.” Andy also explained how its predecessor's chassis has been modi ed to drop the engine down by around 8in for a lower centre of gravity and it has a 4.2m steering radius, making it very nimble on the eld. It is available with hydraulic or manual tread adjustment, or with a xed axle, and there are three di erent base axle widths o ering between 1,500mm and 3,000mm.
Retrofit precision ag technology
Ben Burgess was also displaying the latest precision ag tech with a new
StarFire 7000 Universal Receiver and Gen5 plus GreenStar Display on show. This system is designed as retro t for all kinds of agricultural machinery, as well as an option on new John Deere equipment.
Matt Wilkinson, precision ag specialist at Ben Burgess explained: “The StarFire 7000 picks up more satellites for a faster and more accurate position x, with accuracy now available down to 2.5cm. The new display uses the same operating system as the previous version but it has a bigger, brighter screen and runs much faster.”
Cost-e ective drainage system cleaning
Graham Mitchell-Rowlands, owner of Mitchell-Rowlands, which is the UK and Ireland importer for the S-S Professional Drainjetter range, said he was at the show as a “ ag waving exercise as much as anything else” as it was the rst Potato Days event, so he said it was di cult to know what to expect . But actually a handful of positive enquiries by day two lifted expectations. Mitchell-Rowlands has been importing S-S Professional Drainjetters from the Netherlands for 27 years, with the Professional
Omnivent’s Ronnie Laing. Variety plots at Potato Days UK.
Henning Bergmann of DormFresh.
Ben Burgess’ Andy Webb.
Matt Wilkinson of Ben Burgess.
Mitchell-Rowlands owner, Graham Mitchell-Rowlands.
being the most popular model. “It comes with full wireless control, with mechanical lever backup, uses a double hydraulic motor drive for both insertion and retrieval and can come with up to 700m of hose. It can also be built to the customer’s speci c requirements,” Graham told Farmers Guide
Also on display was the compact MD50 Drainjetter unit, which Graham said sells well to farmers with short drainage systems. With a pump pressure of 50 bar, the nozzles will automatically propel themselves into drainpipes and the hose retracts on a foot operated belt drive retrieval system, with hydraulic drive option.
“It’s been a good year so far, partly due to a current grant and partly due to the wet weather at the end of last year and the beginning of this one. Drainage is not cheap, at well over £1K per acre, so cleaning out what you have with a machine like ours is a cost-e ective solution,” Graham commented.
Organic weed control from Einböck
David Coleman, director of Terrington Machinery expressed a little disappointment that he didn’t have the opportunity to demonstrate his range of inter-row hoeing equipment to the best of its ability.
“The focus was going to be a working demonstration of our 6m Einböck Aerostar Fusion mechanical weed control. Unfortunately, that didn’t go to plan, as the demonstration area is nicely cultivated, but has no weeds, so it turned into a bit of a static display. You can still see the principle of the machine though, in that the tines are all independent and will follow the ridges of the rows.
“It’s one of our newest models and is particularly useful for organic potato growers. The tine pressure is adjustable from the cab hydraulically from around 200g up to 6kg, and it will deliver an equal pressure on each individual tine across the whole width, regardless of whether a tine is on top of a row, or low down between rows.”
The Aerostar Fusion is available in working widths of between 2–12m and has a clearance of up to 530mm for use with taller crops.
New products on the stand and in the field
The Grimme stand was packed with the latest machinery including a third generation Varitron 470 – Grimme’s rst four-row self-propelled harvester with a picking-o table. It comes with a re-designed topper at the front for a more consistent cutting
NEXT GENERATION
GRIMME SELECT 200
2 Row Trailed Harvester
The GRIMME SELECT 200 really impresses with advanced new features
web with increased sieving capacity
reversible VarioDrive. A huge choice
A transport width that’s less than 3 metres is achieved thanks to the NEW sliding axle.
Both of these harvesters are available for demo this season.
Scan the QR code to find out more
David Coleman, director of Terrington Machinery.
height, and a redesigned MultiSep for improved extraction, better crop ow and reduced wear on the components.
It also has the latest CCI control box and SmartView video system to allow the operator to pause, rewind or view in slow motion; a system that is exclusive to Grimme.
Also on the stand was a GB430, speci cally cut down for UK use to be 3.65m transport width, and a Haith
mobile washer to promote Grimme’s developing relationship with the brand.
Adam Johnson, Grimme marketing manager for UK and Ireland, said of the show and business in general: “We’ve had a good turnout, so are feeling positive about the show and see that it has good potential going forward. The working demos have also been well attended.
“The biggest problem we have
had is nding demo units to use, as business is doing well, and our machines are not sticking around very long. Luckily, we were able to borrow machines from customers to bring to the event and we have a Varitron 470 and a new Select 200 being demonstrated throughout the show.
“Potato prices are strong at the moment, which in uences where farmers will spend their money, and we have seen a signi cant increase over the last 12–24 months in investment in the machinery sector, with good forecasts for the 2025 season as well.”
Potato and material handling equipment
Lincolnshire-based Tong Engineering has been producing handling equipment since the 1930s, and its continued growth has seen it expand its range of products not just through innovation, but also through company acquisitions.
The latest of these was the takeover of Terry Johnson Ltd – a company known for its Swift Lift range. Now known as Tong Swift Lift, it operates as a separate arm under the Tong Engineering Ltd group, and both entities were exhibiting at Potato Days. From Tong Engineering
there was the Jet ll big bag ller, manufactured in the UK and designed to ll potato bulk bags gently, and from Tong Swift Lift there was a 75L elevator that provides an a ordable, convenient and e cient method of moving crop from one level to another, to remove soil from a grading line, or a multitude of other uses where material needs shifting from one place to another. Carole Metcalfe, marketing manager
– SAME DNA
GRIMME VARITRON 470
4 Row Self-Propelled Harvester
The Gen3 VARITRON 470makes harvest easier topper with advanced suspension and a NEW control matches the web speed to the forward speed of the machine and ensures maximum extensionisideal for higher trailers andopeningthe latest Smartview camera system and the NEW CCI 1200 operator terminal.
GRIMME VARITRON 470 – UK spec now includes a picking off table option.
Scan the QR code to find out more
Grimme marketing manager for UK & Ireland, Adam Johnson.
Tong Engineering marketing manager, Carole Metcalfe and Tong’s Katy Gilbert.
for Tong Engineering, explained; “Tong Engineering exports around 40% of its output worldwide, with the USA being a growing market, and since our acquisition of Swift Lift we are looking to replicate that with Tong Swift Lift. Here at the show, we were not sure what to expect, as it’s the rst time, but we have seen more people than we expected, and it has de nitely been worth being here.”
Trailed harvesters still in demand
Standen Engineering Ltd was at the show with its latest SR400 fourrow planter, one of its best-selling Powavator bed tillers, and a Baselier front topper, which is available in two-, four- or six-row versions.
The company also had a new T2XS machine at the show running demonstrations. The T2XS was originally launched in 2020, but has had a few modi cations for this year including machine levelling on both sides, rather than just one side as seen on the previous version.
Ed Gilbert, sales and marketing director, told Farmers Guide: “We had a good spring, and harvest has been ok too, but the market has shifted a bit with lots of self-propelled machines being sold. We o er an all-trailed
up to 2.9
line-up of potato harvesters, but there is still an appetite out there for trailed machines with their lower running costs, lower purchase price and the fact that they are easier and faster to move around on the road. We didn’t know how the show was going to go, we probably started a bit sceptical, but it has been good so far with some new enquiries, some existing enquiries being reinvigorated, and orders being placed for next spring. The potato market is quite buoyant right now, and with this year all but done we are now looking positively towards next year. Our exports are also doing well with Denmark being an important market for us, supported by an excellent Danish dealer.”
Contracting business doing well
Stored Crop Conservation is a Washingborough-based, third generation crop protection contracting company whose main business is potato sprout suppression and potato store hygiene, but which also deals in grain store hygiene as well glasshouse fumigation. Director, Tom Green, explained more: “For sprout suppression, we use Biox-M, which is spearmint oil, Argos (orange oil), and 1,4Sight
dimethylnaphthalene (DMN), which is a chemical naturally given o by potatoes.
“We build our own machines in Lincolnshire to apply the suppressants and, working with growers, we will work out appropriate dosage rates and make recommendations for the optimum long-term storage solutions for growers all around the UK.
“The Potato Days event has been very productive, turnout seems good, and we have seen lots of existing customers, as well as receiving decent enquiries from new growers.”
Helping to turn potatoes into crisps for 20 years
With its HQ in Cheshire, Mercian is a potato contracting company supplying over 230,000 tonnes of potatoes to all the major crisping processors in the United Kingdom, as well as chipping and packing potatoes to various UK supermarket chains.
With
seven regional o ces from Cornwall to Scotland, Mercian is the supplier behind many of the ‘big brands’ of crisps sold in the UK. Mercian business manager, Jon Kemp, o ered Farmers Guide an insight into how they operate: “We contract the farmer to grow potatoes – we give them the varieties to grow, the tonnage and the schedules, and we contract the price. We then sell these on to the processors. We have been operating for 20 years, and with a recent acquisition and some organic growth, we are an expanding business with around £65–70M turnover target in 2025.
“This show gives us an opportunity to meet our existing growers, meet new ones and see some of our customers, such as KP who visited today.
some of our customers, such as KP
“We didn’t know what to expect from the show but so far, I would say it’s been a success.
say it’s been a success. been fantastic, we have contacts, seen lots
The outside demos have been fantastic, we have made good quality contacts, seen lots of farmers and would go as far as to say it’s one of the better shows we have attended.” FG
Standen sales and marketing director, Ed Gilbert.
Stored Crop Conservation director, Tom Green.
Mercian’s Jon Kemp.
Mercian’s Jon Kemp.
NEW INSPECTION LAMPS WITH A
Thousands expected for MIDLANDS MACHINERY SHOW 10TH ANNIVERSARY
A packed schedule of events, demonstrations and conference seminars has been confirmed as the programme for November’s Midlands Machinery Show takes shape.
Thousands of farmers and contractors are expected to attend to see the latest products and hear solutions from industry experts about the key issues facing agriculture.
Over 200 exhibitors have booked stand space for 20th and 21st November at the Newark Showground, bringing machines, carrying out practical demonstrations and o ering support and advice to show-goers.
Across both indoor and outdoor stands, organisers have arranged for workshops, training, driving experiences and a health hub to support agricultural businesses, their sta and families.
“We’re pulling together a very special programme of events and exhibitors to mark our tenth anniversary, with exhibitors from across the region and beyond coming to showcase their products and share their knowledge,” says show organiser, Elizabeth Halsall.
“It’s not just about machinery. We have a variety of free training, seminars and drop-ins for visitors to take advantage of. It’s a packed two days of learning, training, and discussions, in addition
to seeing the latest machinery, and we really encourage visitors to bring their whole team.”
The National Farmers’ Union’s Environment Conference, focusing on water, is being held at this year’s show. Expert guest speakers including Paul Carrott from Dyson Farming, Severn Trent Water, NFU water specialist Mark Betson, and Professor Jerry Knox from Cran eld University will be presenting the latest thinking in terms of capture, storage, abstraction and ood prevention.
Many exhibitors will be on hand to add to the wider discussion on the environment, including Terrington Machinery Ltd.
“Managing the farmed environment is now a big aspect on how businesses are thinking, and the Midlands Machinery Show is a great opportunity for them to nd new machinery solutions to help them move away from chemicals, for example,” says David Coleman, the company’s director.
Technology is a key focus of this year’s show, and the demo ring has a full line-up with
exhibitors showcasing their latest machinery and technology in action.
Training will be a huge aspect of this year’s show. From the Midlands Agricultural Engineering Apprenticeship Awards to practical HGV driver training, a wealth of knowledge is available to all attendees.
LIVES will be providing demonstrations on how to react in a range of emergency situations, and after its success last year the Transport Hub will be returning, with industry experts on hand to provide useful tips and advice on towing regulations, road safety, and load security.
BASIS and NRoSO points are on o er, with two points available for attending this year’s show.
Tickets and parking are free, but pre-registration is required at www.midlandsmachineryshow.com FG
PREPARING SEEDBEDS is the key to success
Although Fentech Agri’s core business is built around the Simtech drill brand, recently the team has been giving attention to the business of soil preparation prior to seeding.
Establishing stale seedbeds has always been a critical part of weed control, and the company has been using Fentech Agri’s new Phoenix
6m mounted machine working the top with its Max-Life carbide edge 16mm straw type tine to disturb as much as possible before the
rubber roller consolidates and gives seed-to-soil contact. Establishment of the stale seedbed prior to seeding is essential.
The alternative to working the top is earlysown cover cropping to ensure the weeds are kept to a minimum; and Fentech Agri says this is always possible, even in the driest conditions, with the Simtech tine drill that’s capable of generating tilth where you would think it impossible.
Alongside the Phoenix, Fentech Agri is also introducing its rst in-house sub-soiler which utilises the Metcalfe NG ultra low disturbance system. Well-proven over a number of years, this will give the exibility to work a range of depths and widths with the same principle technology to break up any problem pans and fracture the soil vertically to give roots the space to grow.
Fentech Agri explains that these machines, coupled with the expansion of the Simtech Seeder range to cover split products hoppers and integrating applicators have culminated in an expensive year, with R&D budgets blown out the water; however, the result is a far broader range and possibly the most bespoke o ering of a seeder to suit the given conditions on the market, the company claims.
The technical team is always happy to discuss how Fentech Agri can help improve your e ciency and capitalise on the changing way you farm to make your business more pro table. FG
East Anglia’s Premier Cleaning Equipment Supplier
Premium tyres at a more a ordable price tag
Ascenso Tyres designs, manufactures and engineers tyres for hard-working machinery that must perform over a number of challenging terrains and environments.
The company produces tyres for tractors, sprayers, combine harvesters, farm trailers, material handlers and industrial loaders.
Ascenso says it understands that e ciency is key to your businesses’ success, and choice of tyre plays a particularly signi cant role in that. “This is why we spend hundreds of hours testing and evaluating our tyres before they go into production, all so that when you need them to perform, they will not let you down,” the company comments.
“Ascenso tyres are a coste ective tyre solution that not only looks good but performs fantastically. In recent independent testing our XLR800 agricultural tyre outperformed a leading premium tyre brand for fuel e ciency, traction, and importantly reduced soil compaction.”
You will be able to chat directly with the Ascenso Tyres team at the Midlands Machinery Show this year, where they will be available to talk visitors through the Ascenso range of tyres and o er solid reasons as to why you would bene t from tting Ascenso Tyres. FG
“We are immensely proud of our premium products, and what sets us apart from other such brands is that we do not have the premium price tag that goes with them.
Right machine, right task...
Hugh Crane (Cleaning Equipment) Ltd manufactures the Commando range of independently powered pressure washers and jetting equipment and will be exhibiting again at this year’s Midlands Machinery Show.
Formed in 1983 to satisfy a demand for high quality industrial cleaning equipment, Hugh Crane (Cleaning Equipment) Ltd says it is now one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of cleaning equipment in the agricultural sector. A commitment to continued innovation and investment ensures that the range is always at the cutting edge of technology.
Commando machines are ideal where arduous duty cycles occur and reliability is important, Hugh Crane says. They can be easily transported to virtually any terrain where power washing is required. These British designed machines are built to comply with BS EN ISO 9001: 2015.
The Commando range o ers a choice of petrol or diesel engine
powered machines, PTO driven or hydraulically powered units, to suit individual applications.
The range includes barrow, skid, trailer, vehicle and bowser mounted units, so there is always the right package to suit the customer’s exact needs.
The Honda petrol engine powered range includes the 250P, 350P and 500P barrow mounted
machines, with the option on the 500 series of electric start, or auto intelligent engines for maximum fuel e ciency.
The diesel range includes the Hatz single cylinder 500D and twin cylinder 1030U series machines and the Isuzu three cylinder 3000 series. A wide choice of four cylinder diesel engine units are available for larger applications, with pressures ranging from 200–500 bar.
Hugh Crane says that by listening to its customers, the company prides itself on allocating the right machine for the cleaning task to be undertaken.
Once the correct Commando high pressure model is selected, hand over instructions and installation is provided.
Comprehensive stores facilities at the company's three UK sites, with 22,500 line items ensures immediate supply of parts and accessories and combined with factory trained mobile service engineers, this ensures peace of mind for the customer and reliable operation at all times.
Commando machines are available to buy, lease or hire directly from Hugh Crane.
For more information visit www.commandoequip.co.uk FG
MJP Supplies is encouraging farmers visiting the Midlands Machinery Show to plan spring applications well in advance by o ering a large discount on high-capacity reusable bulk containers (RBCs). Since their introduction by MJP Supplies in February 2024, the 1,000-litre RBCs of Algifol have proven incredibly popular with growers looking for best value. And visitors to the Midlands Machinery Show will be able to take advantage of special show price, which represents a 5% discount on high-volume orders.
“Algifol has a large number of repeat users, and we expect this to increase after this harvest as people see the bene ts of applying the seaweedbased biostimulant to their crops,” says MJP Supplies owner, Marcus Palmer. “Our 1,000-litre RBCs, present the lowest cost per acre possible.”
plant hormones.
Jones Engineering Manufacturing Ltd
Diferent cleaning optons available to suit your crop & conditons
ROOT CROP CLEANER LOADER:
Capable of carrying 12 to 15 tonne whilst maintaining a light foot print. It is designed to be strong, tough and reliable. The 1.2m elevator has been designed to load into bulk trailer with ease.
IRRIGATORS:
Strong Britsh constructon
Easy to use computer
Vari-angle gun.
Up to 650m pipe
Tandem axle for increased stability
E - MAIL: sales@jonesengineering.co.uk
Manufactured by Neomed Pharma in Germany, Algifol is derived from brown algae, which is dried and re ned. The result is an entirely natural liquid boasting a wealth of trace elements, vitamins, enzymes, amino acids, carbohydrates, polyuronides and growth-regulating
Algifol is also a natural nitrogen source due to the high presence of amino acids and peptides. When used with a reduced amount of fertiliser, Algifol naturally improves the nitrogen use e ciency of the crop, producing a better yield and reducing the use of costly fertilisers.
As well as RBCs, Algifol is
MJP's Marcus Palmer with Algifol RBCs.
Multipack bale packing
Arcusin UK Ltd says it has seen increasing demand for its small conventional bale packing machines. The company still o ers two models – the Arcusin Multipack D14 and the improved Arcusin Multipack E14. This year the Arcusin Multipack E14 will be on display at the Midlands Machinery Show 2024 on Arcusin’s stand in the George Stephenson Exhibition Hall.
Arcusin says the new 2024 E14 model machines have some control improvements that give the machine operator the ability to independently vary the speed of the bale pusher for the rst two bales that enter the chamber. This is bene cial because the rst two bales entering the chamber take the twine into the chamber at the same time. Plus, the operator can
independently vary the opening speed of the rear doors enabling the pack to be gently placed on the ground, to better retain the shape of the pack being produced.
The Multipack E14 now produces a better shaped pack that is compact and can be secured with up to ve knotting twines. Four knotting twines can be used on a bale length of 80–90cm, and ve knotting twines will secure a pack with a bale length of 100–120cm.
Arcusin says it understands that potential customers will have many questions about its equipment, and that the team are always pleased to answer these questions as the company always makes sure that its Multipack machines suit your business operations. FG
Highlighting the crucial role of hydraulic adaptors
In an era de ned by rapid technological advancements and evolving industrial demands, the crucial role of hydraulic systems cannot be overstated. At the heart of these systems lies the often overlooked yet vital component – hydraulic adaptors. Among the leaders in this eld is Burnett & Hillman, a company that not only manufactures high-quality hydraulic adaptors but which says it also sets the standard for reliability and customer service.
So, asks Burnett & Hillman, why should you care about hydraulic adaptors? Simply put, they are the unsung heroes of hydraulic systems, ensuring that pressure and uid transfer between components are seamless and e cient. In industries ranging from construction to agriculture, malfunctioning adaptors can lead to costly downtime and safety hazards. This is where Burnett & Hillman says it has built a reputation for excellence over
decades of service.
Based in the rural village of Wrington, just south of Bristol, Burnett & Hillman now numbers over 50 employees and supplies to a truly global customer base. In recent years, additional complementary items have been added to the range; these include Hydraulic Test Points, Quick Release Couplings, and High Pressure Rotary Swivel Joints – all of which have been well received, particularly in the agricultural sector.
The company recently launched a new web shop which makes purchasing all parts even easier than ever – visit www.burnettandhillman.co.uk
Samples of the core products will be on display at the company’s stand at the Midlands Machinery Show. FG
Half price o ers from Cousins
Cousins will once again be exhibiting at the Midlands Machinery Show and says it is the perfect opportunity to take advantage of its new ‘Out of Season Deals’.
For example, when purchasing a new Contour HZ Cambridge roller, a whopping 50% discount is on o er for the springboard levelling or rake tine kits to suit when ordered together.
Running a springboard levelling system ahead of a Cambridge roller intensi es the cultivation achieved with its shattering and levelling action, says Cousins. It also enhances the consolidation by presenting the roller with a more levelled surface, allowing the rings to do their work more e ectively.
Alternatively, for those looking to redistribute crop residues or promote weed seed germination the straw rake kit is the preferred option.
The 50% o er also applies to all tine kits ordered with a new front press. There are three tine options available to enhance your front press – springboard levelling system, rigid leading tines or spring tine kit.
On display will be a 12.4m Contour HD HZ Cambridge Roller with 24in breaker rings and tine options along with a 6m Straw Rake and a 3m Patriot.
As part of the Out of Season Deals, some ex-demo machines are also available. O ers valid until 1st December 2024 and subject to availability. FG
Poacher Blocks from Goodfellow Farming Ltd are 4m wide concrete blocks to prevent poachers accessing land through eld gateways.
This is a long-term solution to blocking gateways preventing poachers entering elds causing crop damage whilst also allowing tractors and sprayers access to elds, but prevents car and 4X4 access. This means there is no time wasted opening and closing gates as the poacher block allows you to simply drive over it.
Access by y tippers is also
prevented as Poacher Block will prevent vans and lorries from entering your land. Gates can be broken or stolen – but Poacher Block, which weighs over 1 tonne, makes it hard to move.
The 4m Poacher Block will protect a gateway from 12–20ft wide.
All costs include delivery UK-wide. Goodfellow Farming Ltd also o ers lifting clutches for easy movement and placement of the blocks at a small addition cost as seen on the company’s website: www.poacherblock.co.uk FG
• Patent Approved. £600/Block or 5 for £2,625 including delivery
• A long term solution to blocking gateways preventing poachers entering fields causing crop damage.
• Allows tractors and sprayers access to fields but prevents car and 4x4 access.
• No wasting time opening and closing gates, simply drive over it.
• Prevents access to fly tippers as Poacher Block will prevent vans and lorries entering your land.
• Gates can be broken or stolen but Poacher Block, which weighs over 1 tonne, makes it hard to move.
• Poacher Gate in development for livestock farmers.
• 4M Poacher Block will protect a gateway between 12ft and 20ft wide.
Main image shows contour roll tted with springboard levelling system; inset shows a rake tine kit.
The CropTec show delivers key information and innovative practices to help arable farmers plan for future challenges and opportunities.
A NEW ERA OF CROPTEC -
Focusing on innovation, knowledge and profit
Taking place at NAEC Stoneleigh, Warwickshire from 27th-28th November, the show aims to help farmers discover how the most recent advancements in arable farming are shaping the future of the arable industry.
Shining a light on critical industry topics, from crop protection and production to soil health, sustainable farming, and diversi cation, this platform brings together arable and mixed farmers from across the UK to share their experiences, best practices, and valuable insights. During the show visitors will delve into industry leading innovations such as geneediting for crops, AI and robotics, automated weather systems, and controlled environmental agriculture, ensuring that attendees are equipped with the knowledge and tools needed to thrive in the future.
Attendees will have the opportunity to gain valuable insights from esteemed experts in the arable sector. Industry leaders, government bodies and farmers bring their extensive knowledge and experience in arable farming to the educational hub including conferences and workshops, providing practical advice and invaluable expertise. This year, CropTec is introducing three keynote theatres focused on Innovation, Knowledge, and Pro t, o ering practical advice to help farmers navigate an evolving landscape and futureproof their business. Sessions include a combination of panel discussions, keynote speakers and lectures from experts in their eld. Attendees
will have the opportunity to learn from the Agricultural & Horticulture Development Board (AHDB), Adam White, head of agriculture at Barclays Business and David Exwood, NFU deputy president, to name a few.
Explore innovative ideas such as gene-editing for food and crops, the role of AI and robotics in arable, automated weather systems and controlled environment agriculture. Attendees at CropTec have the exclusive chance to gain valuable insights from esteemed industry leaders and experts. These seasoned professionals bring their extensive knowledge and experience in arable farming to the conferences, workshops, and presentations, providing practical advice and invaluable expertise.
Hear from arable farmers across the UK, as they share their experiences in adopting di erent farming systems for their business, their farming best practices and the learnings that farmers can take from each other, o ering a prime opportunity for networking and fostering meaningful connections within the arable farming sector. Participants have the chance to engage with peers, exhibitors, suppliers, and prospective partners or clients, facilitating valuable interactions and relationshipbuilding within the industry.
Visit the Sprayer Showroom to view the latest sprayers on the market. Visitors can speak to leading manufacturers, and nd the perfect sprayer for their requirements. CropTec highlights the most recent
advancements in arable farming machinery. Attendees are invited to discover a diverse range of state-ofthe-art equipment, technologies, and products presented by numerous exhibitors, providing a
comprehensive glimpse into the industry's latest innovations. Full show address: NAEC Stoneleigh, Kenilworth, CV8 2LZ. Visit www.croptecshow.com for further information. FG
Move NIR analysis from lab to field
Speed up testing, save costs, and streamline operations with the NeoSpectra handheld NIR scanner. This all-in-one platform for NIR analysis allows for on-the-go analysis of the samples traditionally tested with benchtop NIR in the lab. The NeoSpectra can be used for accurate composition analysis of your grains, silage, by-products, forages, hay, haylages, oil seeds and pelleted seeds – wherever you are.
Available in UK and Ireland through Photonic Solutions, the NeoSpectra allows for instant on-farm or in-factory analysis of feeds, feed ingredients, forages, and many other products, providing immediate results to allow for more consistent and e cient feed and livestock production.
The NeoSpectra Scanner, together with over 1,000 calibration models
available from leading developers in the NeoSpectra LabStore, gives producers versatility and a ordability for on-farm or at-line material analysis. This handheld device has already been used directly on farms, checking the nutritional values of the available food. Determine the composition of your sample with simultaneous measurements of critical parameters such as moisture, protein, fat, dry matter, CP, NDF, ber and ash across samples from whole crop beans, mixes and processed feed. The results appear right after the scan on your mobile device or tablet.
Enhance your analysis processes and make informed decisions on the go using the NeoSpectra Scanner’s cutting-edge technology. Visit the company at Croptec for a demo. FG Stand number: 1.140
Options for converting your subsoiler
There are various options for subsoilers and min till, but J.J. Metcalfe & Son o ers the ability to convert your existing subsoiler for lower draft and disturbance.
Three di erent models are available. Firstly, the original NG System was designed to create the best possible soil structure for the crop, whilst being versatile in the way that di erent wing and shin options can be applied to the leg, allowing for many di erent con gurations dependant on soil type.
The second option is the JJMCS150 range, which allows any 100mm box section frame to be adapted into a low disturbance min till machine by bolting on a top bracket or welding a bracket
onto existing legs. You can then bolt on various leg options, ranging from 100mm, 150mm and 200mm wing width, with a standard point or a stone point, if the soil is abrasive or stony.
The NG LT System is the third option. It’s an amalgamation of the NG and CS150 systems; the CS150 leg has been adapted to take the NG shins and a tungstened wing has been designed using the same wing angle as the CS150 range. All these parts are replaceable as and when they wear, allowing more versatility and keeping costs down. These systems are available to view at Croptec 2024, or contact the company directly for further information. FG
Stand number: 2.240
The new Pantera 7004 self-propelled sprayer comes with a tank size of 7000 litres (6,600 nominal) and boom widths up to 48 metres.
The new, weight-saving chassis design offers machine self-levelling and independent front to back track width adjustment, so more focus on ergonomics and comfort.
Don’t get left behind; spraying technology is changing and the AMAZONE Pantera is leading the way in intelligent crop protection. See it for yourself at CropTech 2024.
Technology to maximise fertiliser e ciency
No matter whether applying base fertiliser in the autumn, or a spring application of potash or straight N, then getting the fertiliser on at the right rate, at the right time, and in the right place is the key to achieving good yields, yet with the minimum of input cost.
With well over a million spreaders produced since its rst foray into fertiliser spreaders well over 100 years ago, Amazone says it has been at the forefront of accurate fertiliser application. Spread widths have progressively increased, from 2m in those days, but up to 54m tramlines now, yet fertiliser quality has potentially worsened in that time.
Luckily, today, technology is there to support and no matter whether it is application rate, fertiliser quality, topography, ambient conditions or driver behaviour, then Amazone says it has it covered. The company takes a look at these challenges in more detail:
• Application rate – The Pro s Pro spread rate control system, found on the agship ZA mounted or ZG-TS trailed spreaders means that
not only is the overall total weight applied kept spot on but also the quantity owing from each disc is kept uniform.
Pro s Pro works by using twin 200Hz weigh cells in conjunction with a tilt sensor for hillside correction plus a torque monitoring set-up on each disc that compares the rate of discharge from each individual shutter and automatically changes the aperture size when necessary.
The mySpreader App ensures that the operator has the best information regarding spreader settings and gives mobile access to Amazone’s extensive fertiliser database. On selecting the fertiliser to be spread, the settings from the app are transferred to the spreader using Bluetooth. With the EasyCheck mats, the accuracy of spread can then be veri ed in a few minutes and the spreader set to do the optimum job.
• Changing fertiliser quality – In the eld, any changes in
fertiliser quality, driver behaviour or spreader angle across slopes can be automatically checked and compensated for using the ArgusTwin system, 7 radar sensors each side read the spread pattern and compare it to the perfect result and adjust the delivery point setting if the pattern deteriorates from the optimum accuracy.
• Maximising eld shape – Overlaps are avoided by sophisticated section control software giving 128 part-width sections on the ins and outs. The
GPS-Switch software not only alters the application rate each side, but also the speed of each individual disc and the drop point of the fertiliser onto the disc to minimise wastage.
• Ambient conditions –WindControl senses the wind speed and direction during the spreading operation and automatically compensates for any change in spread pattern caused by the in uence of any wind. FG
Stand
Farm software demos available at CropTec
Farmers will be able to get a free review of their current farm management software, plus demos and advice on other options available, at this year’s CropTec event.
Landmark Systems Ltd provides award-winning software tailored to agriculture, including accounts, payroll, property management, crop recording and land management, and livestock management.
Landmark is a renowned provider of solutions for UK farms and estates, with over 38 years of experience in the industry and a UK-based support team that understands farm businesses. Landmark o ers a faceto-face service and takes the time to understand what matters most to its customers.
At CropTec, demos will be available for:
• Geofolia – Landmark Systems’ crop and land management software, including SFI
reports, with farm mapping as standard. Field records can also be viewed and updated direct from the Geofolia Mobile App
• Pear Agri – Agronomy software that links with Geofolia, streamlining processes for agronomists. The LIAISON pesticide database and RB209 link are included as standard to ensure compliance
• KEYin nity – The new cloudbased farm accounts software, tailored to rural businesses, with familiar terminology and reporting speci c to farm businesses.
Landmark’s specialist team will be on hand to o er a free review of your current software, as well as advice on other suitable options.
Visit the company at CropTec or get in touch directly to speak to a local consultant and arrange a demo or software review. FG Stand number: 1.348
AXIS MOUNTED FERTILISER SPREADER
Unrivalled spreading precision!
• Spreading widths of 12 to 50 metres
• Capacities from 1,000 to 4,200L
• Very high flow rate of up to 500kg/min
• ‘EMC’ regulation to adjust the left and right application rates independently
The strong arm of your business.
• Five new SCORPION with 3.3 to 4.2 t lift capacity and 6.7 to 10 m lift height.
• DYNAMIC POWER for efcient engine speed management.
• Optional VARIPOWER 3 drive for SCORPION 738 and 742 giving 20% more tractive power for the most demanding tasks.
• SMART LOADING for convenient automation and operator assistance.
• New cab with optimised ergonomics.
Introducing fve new SCORPION telehandlers in the 3- and 4-tonne class. Featuring signifcant improvements in comfort and convenience, plus improved stability and enhanced lift capacity.
Speak to your local CLAAS dealer today.
Scan to discover more or visit claas.co.uk
MATERIALS HANDLERS
Until now, the Scorpion range consisted of eight models in total, with three in the ‘large’ range (746, 756 and 960), four in the ‘small’ range (635, 732, 736 and 741) and one double-extension model (1033). The model numbers refer to height, 6, 7, 9 and 10 metres, with the last two digits providing the lifting capacity, for example 3.5 tonnes for the 635.
This latest model revision applies to the four ‘small’ models, together with the 1033, for the 2025 model year. The 1033 retains the same capacity and name designation but the four ‘small’ models have all received a capacity uplift and hence have been rebranded as 638, 733, 738 and 742.
range feature the same engine, a 3.6-litre 4cyl Liebherr engine producing 140hp.
Updated cab design
The main di erences you will nd on the new models are in the cab, where several improvements have been made. The rst of these is the door, which used to be all glass but is now half glass and half metal.
Farmers Guide was given an exclusive preview of two of the new Scorpion models at Claas UK’s Saxham-based Customer Experience Centre. Neale Byart was there.
THE SCORPION RANGE OF CLAAS TELEHANDLERS HAS RECEIVED A MAKEOVER
The loader controls have also been modi ed. They are still hydraulically controlled, but now have electronic features built in such as automatic boom retraction, bucket shake and speed control of the hydraulics to make control a little bit more precise.
All revised models have seen enhancements in other areas, both internally and externally.
Improved power and new transmissions
Claas started building Scorpion branded telehandlers just after the turn of the century. The current 2024 series is the third generation and since 2021 has featured the Claas Varipower 2 drive system.
For the 2025 model year, the Varipower 2 transmission will still feature on some of the models, but the 738 and 742 machines will now o er Claas’ new Varipower 3 with a larger dual hydraulic motor that transfers up to 20% more tractive force to the wheels, while retaining the precise control found with Varipower 2.
All models in the ‘small’ Scorpion
This not only helps to reduce noise levels in the cab, it also provides additional storage in the lower half of the door. The top section of the door folds back slightly further than the old model, making it more ush with the body, and the way that the top door is mounted has also been changed to make it more solid when xed in the open position to eliminate vibration and rattle when driving. Another important change that is not initially obvious, is that the protection frame/roll bar, which used to be internally mounted on the smaller models, is now tted externally. This delivers more room within the cab and reduces the likelihood of knocking yourself on it when embarking or disembarking.
An important detail inside the cab is that the joystick is now mounted to the seat. Before it was separate and xed to the side console, so any seat movement had to be countered by arm and shoulder movement if you were bouncing around on uneven ground. Now the seat and joystick move together.
Other improvements include the steering column, which is completely new and now pivots from the top, rather than the bottom, allowing more oor space for the operator’s feet and ease getting in and out.
The air conditioning system is larger and more powerful than it was previously, and the controls are now at hand alongside the steering wheel, rather than mounted behind the operator on previous models.
The brake pedal, that used to be mounted from the oor, is now hung from the top, providing a more car-like feel, and the dash and side panel have been redesigned for neater aesthetics and to allow the placement of the joystick onto the seat. The seat itself is still a pneumatic Grammer model with di erent options available.
One subtle new feature is the tment of cabin pressure relief valves behind the seat. Without these on the old models, the pressure buildup as the door was closed meant it didn’t always shut fully, but now it closes with ease.
All four new models are powered by a 140hp Liebherr engine.
The cab has many new features including a redesigned steering column and the joystick is now incorporated into the seat design.
The headstock can be tted with an optional lifting pin and hook.
External features and upgrades
The 635 and the 732 used to have a slightly shorter chassis than the other ‘small’ models. With this latest upgrade, the now renamed 638 and 733 models will share the same chassis as the others and have been increased in length by around 100mm. To make up for the slight loss of turning circle that a longer chassis brings, Claas has increased the steering angle to bring the manoeuvrability back to where it was. This does mean that the two smaller models cannot have 500 width tyres
like the others, and so are tted with Michelin 460s as standard.
The Claas headstock is standard across the range, but an option that many will nd useful is a lifting pin that ts into the centre of the frame onto which an optional crane hook can be tted for lifting duties. The headstock comes pre-drilled for this pin, and it comes with a capacity of 3.9 tonnes. The bene t of this option, over simply attaching chains or straps to the head stock, is not just its perfectly central location but that it also comes fully certi ed from the factory.
All UK machines come as standard with a pickup hitch, twin line hydraulic trailer brakes and a trailer socket. They also come with a single acting hydraulic service and free ow return as standard, with the option of a double acting service if something like a hydraulic trailer tailgate is needed. A new feature for these latest models is an additional hydraulic pressure dump button at the rear. Hydraulics are powered by a load sensing 160-litre pump, and third service is standard front and back, with an option for a fourth service at both ends. An optional leak o , large or small, for attachments that require it is also available. The four small models also have optional uprights with wear pads for boom support when pushing into a heap or mucking out a yard and
pushing up against a wall, to reduce wear on the rear pin if the machine is not perfectly square. Models tted with air brakes have an additional connection installed by the cab steps to allow air powered machinery or a blow gun to be used for cleaning and maintenance.
An insider’s view
Michael Ives, product manager tractors and material handlers Claas UK, o ered Farmers Guide his take on the new models. “Most of the new features that appear on the four small models are already standard on the larger range, so what this latest launch has done is to bring the whole range onto a more consistent plane.
The UK is an unusual market in as much as we tow with them and we use them on the road more than other European markets, so pulling performance is as important as their pushing capability. The transmissions and engines will be standard, with no option choices on either, so of the four-model ‘small’ range you will get Varipower 2 on the 638 and 733 and Varipower 3 on the 738 and 742.
“We o er a well-equipped telehandler and are competitive in the market for higher spec machines. In fact, all the improvements and added features have not adversely a ected the price of the new models, with an increase of only around 1.5 to 2% compared to last year’s price list for the previous generation. The November EIMA show in Italy will be the rst public showing of the new range, but orders are being taken now for delivery in early 2025.”
On test
range with the 638 being equipped with Varipower 2 and the 742 having the new Varipower 3 transmission.
Sitting in the cab it is very di cult to tell the models apart. Even when underway, the di erences in the two drive types is not really noticeable to the layman, although it becomes more obvious when towing.
The Dynamic Power system automatically adjusted engine speed as the joystick was worked, making using either telehandler very simple.
The new boom retraction button is a nice feature, as is the bucket shake function that is operated by holding the joystick to one side. The whole range also o ers an automatic bucket return function that puts the bucket back in a previously saved position, which is great when performing repetitive tasks. These features all help to make life just a bit easier for the operator.
Other little touches we noticed have improved the driver experience were an audible indicator, which the previous models did not have and should ensure that the indicators are not accidentally left on, and a smaller steering wheel which made turning faster and a little more controlled. Generally, all the controls were intuitive to use, meaning a less experienced operator should be able to go from zero to hero in no time at all, and generally the cab is comfortable, quiet and o ers good all-round visibility.
The two machines on test represent the smallest and largest of the ‘small’
The Varipower transmission provides great control on hills, holding the machine stationary either facing up or downhill without the need for brakes. Although we didn’t go above 30kph on the test track, the top speed of the whole range is 40kph. FG
The new models are easy to use and comfortable to work with.
All UK models feature a pickup hitch and third service hydraulics as standard.
Michael Ives, Claas product manager for tractors and material handlers.
THE RELIABLE CHOICE FOR EVERY SEASON
EASY CAB ACCESS
The Easy Step cab features a curved floor sill, offering plenty of space for the operator's feet and clear visibility to the step. Large handles on both sides ensure effortless access, while a light under the door illuminates the floor for added convenience.
The roof grill guard is angled to give you a clear view of the load from any position. Additional visibility features include a single-piece windshield, a cutout at the front, and a curved rear window, all designed to improve your line of sight.
JSM® JOYSTICK
The innovative control system lets operators manage all movements with their right hand, keeping their left hand firmly on the steering wheel for full machine control.
Mounted on a floating armrest, this design enhances comfort and ease of operation.
Scan the QR code to unlock the full potential of Manitou's agricultural telehandlers – your perfect partner for every farming task
COLLABORATION BETWEEN PEOPLE, MACHINES AND ATTACHMENTS
Nicholsons Agriculture, main dealer for Weidemann, says the machines become a farmer’s daily companion.
Nicholsons Agriculture supplies machinery from top manufacturers such as Case IH, Weidemann, Pöttinger, McHale, and many more.
Weidemann understands and listens to what the consumer wants and needs, to create a product that really works. This was illustrated when it became a winner of ‘Innovation Farm Machinery 2025’, announced at the Innov-Agri trade fair in Ondes, France, Nicholsons adds.
The Weidemann material handling products include Hoftracs, wheel loaders, telescopic wheel loaders and telehandlers. The multi-functional Hoftracs feature a compact design, low centre of gravity, and small turning radius, allowing them to work quickly, exibly and safely.
The company says it is proud of its after sales service, given by its dedicated, knowledgeable team who are ready to help with any problem you may face, whether its servicing, repairs or sourcing parts.
Nicholsons is the main dealer for Weidemann in Norfolk, stocking a variety of the Weidemann material handling range from the 1260LP to the 7042.
Weidemann understands
the importance of the perfect collaboration between people, machines and attachments, Nicholsons reckons. It creates machines that will be a farmer’s daily companion and after just a short time, they won’t be able to do without it. As a company,
Meanwhile, the articulated Weidemann wheel loaders improve productivity of any type of work, thanks to their manoeuvrability and lifting force. A telescopic wheel loader is particularly suitable whenever more lifting height is required. The Weidemann telehandler range is unique in its combination of lifting height, width and machine e ciency, along with emphasis on very good all-round visibility for the operator, Nicholsons concludes.
Contact Nicholsons directly to nd out more. FG
Nicholsons Agriculture stocks a variety of the Weidemann material handling range.
The
Compact, manoeuvrable, powerful
ENGINE 100 LIFT HEIGHT 6.7 LIFT CAPACITY 3.0 t
The TurboFarmer 30.7 is the ultimate compact telescopic handler at 2m x 2m. Despite its compact dimensions the new TF 30.7 packs a punch when it comes to performance, powered by a 100hp Deutz TCD 4-cylinder Stage V diesel engine this new model ofers almost 7 meters of lift and 3-ton capacity.
SIGNIFICANT GROWTH IN REMAPPING
Remapping engineers are seeing a rise in farmers and growers needing increased work e ciencies from existing agricultural machinery.
Eoin O’Brien, based in Ireland, and Steve Davies, from St Neots in Cambridgeshire, are part of Avon Tuning HD’s extensive network of remapping engineers and both o er agricultural remapping as part of their wider engineering businesses. Farmers extending machinery replacement windows as well as requiring more power for wider implements are among the reasons for remaps.
“One of the biggest motivations for purchasing an Avon Tuning HD remap is the quality of the maps that are supplied, along with the backup,” says Eoin from OB Tuning. “We can install remaps on farm in under two hours, which involves us saving the original map and uploading and testing the new one. It minimises downtime, while improving work e ciencies.”
Steve Davies from SD Mechanical Engineering agrees and says the individual nature of farmers’ requirements means each map is di erent, so speci c demands of certain jobs can be met.
“A key aspect is understanding each model of tractor before advising the farmer it is ok to t a remap. We all want to maintain reliability so a modest increase in power and torque is a much safer way to achieve increased work rates rather than excessive power that could result in failure. The Avon Tuning HD team o er support and advice in the eld and knowledge is shared throughout the network.
“Sometimes it can be a small increase required and customers can be very speci c, so the software engineers creating the maps at Avon are precise and have lots of experience and
knowledge to support requests.”
Reliability of tractors following an engine remap is still a big consideration for farmers and is one of the most common questions asked before installs. However, Steve and Eoin both agree that increasing smaller models in the range to operate at the same power as larger ones is very safe.
“When manufacturers build a tractor, they will overengineer it to cope with the workload. They will build the largest model in the range and then detune the machine to create smaller models, all we are doing is reversing this. The running gear is more than capable of handling the power increases we are adding to the tractors. It’s why we are seeing more farmers turn to professional engine remapping for e ciency gains,” concludes Eoin. FG
POTATO BOX REPAIR
• On site box repairs
• Fast, efficient, professional service
• Flexible to suit your needs
• Large or small quantities
• Box alterations, re-branding and other work considered
• Store cleaning also offered Lincs based – will travel
Don’t let timber quality deteriorate Safely harvest while it has value!
• ash and poplar dismantling and purchase
• hedge and woodland coppicing
• site clearance
• felling licence applications
• contract chipping
• supplier of dried and screened woodchip
m: 07850 988808
e: info@collinsfarmingandforestry.co.uk
w: www.collinsfarmingandforestry.co.uk
• Sugar Beet Harvesting • Muck Spreading
• Tractor & Operator Hire • Spraying
Cultivations
Base Fert
Straw Purchasing • Various Drilling Services
• Driveway/Hardstanding Chemical Application
• Pressure Washing
• Lawn Care
• Turfing/Seed Planting
• Hedge Cutting • Grass Cutting
• Garden Waste Removal
• Re-Graveling Driveways
• Weed Control
Low Loader • Abnormal Loads • Grain, Sugar Beet & Straw Hauling • UK Delivery • Man with a Van Service
Managing director Julie Goulding julie@farmersguide.co.uk
Director Greg Goulding greg@farmersguide.co.uk 01473 694454
Marketing executive Patrick Over patrick.over@farmersguide.co.uk 01473 691888
Publishing assistant Kat Morton kat.morton@farmersguide.co.uk 01473 691888
Highly respected
TEESIDE DISPERSAL SALE marks end of an era for family farm
Heather, and her late husband Jim, had farmed Gilly Flatts Farm for quarter of a century, during which time they earned an enviable reputation for their beef cattle, described by Darlington Farmers Auction Mart eldsman, Stephen Dodsworth as some of the best put through the sales rings at Darlington market. As well as a commercial fattening herd, the couple showed and bred pedigree cattle too –mainly Limousin and Blues, and they won many prizes. Stephen said that Heather and Jim were popular and highly respected members of the farming community, and the sale attracted tremendous support; resulting in high prices achieved across the wide variety of lots on o er.
Approximately 430 lots sold, and included all the modern and older machinery, livestock equipment and sundries from the beef, grassland and arable mixed farming enterprise.
Tremendous support
“Without doubt, it was one of the highest dispersal sale attendances we’ve seen in recent years,” stressed Stephen. “From the o set, the auction looked to have all the ingredients needed to make it a success from the highly respected and well-liked vendors to the impressive collection of farm machinery that had been gathered over many years.
“Trade was fantastic from the start, from the tremendous display of workshop tools to the machinery
and the well-maintained tractors and other vehicles at the end. The lots sold to 123 individual buyers from across the UK, although the high prices achieved meant that many who had hoped to make acquisitions went home empty handed.”
Tractors were the highlights
Sale highlights included a New Holland T7.270 which made more than £70,000, a Case IH Farmall with a loader which made more than £30,000, and a classic MB Trac 1000 that made almost £20,000.
Brilliant team
“The Darlington Mart team have been brilliant,” stressed vendor, Heather Marks. “My late husband and I used their services for more than 20 years, prior to this nal dispersal sale. We kept suckler cows and sold the fat cattle through the market there, and when Jim became ill, they arranged our herd reduction sale which attracted buyers from all over the UK.
“The auction team have remained supportive throughout, and when I see any of them around in the local area then they are always very friendly. We had a lot of kit to dispose of and they did a great job, achieving excellent results.”
Stephen concluded: “All the sta and directors at Darlington Mart would like to take this opportunity to thank Heather Marks for her kind instruction to conduct this sale.
“The Marks’ have always been a pleasure to work with, and we wish Heather now all the very best for her well-deserved retirement.” FG
A dispersal sale arranged by Darlington Farmers Auction Mart Co Ltd, at Bishopton, near Stockton-on-Tees resulted from the retirement of farmer, Mrs Heather Marks. David Williams reports.
The McHale V660 variable chamber round baler with a crop press and chopper was in excellent order, and it sold for £9,800.
The McHale 991LBER bale wrapper shown above was in very good condition, and it achieved £6,500.
The McHale machinery attracted competitive bidding.
Carrying Russell Group supplying dealer stickers, the 2018 McHale C430 straw chopper made £9,000.
Anvils attract high prices, but at £380 this example did particularly well. This electric-powered circular saw sold for £50.
Merlo
was registered in 2012 and had recorded 8,828 hours. It had a new engine in November 2023, which carried the remainder of its 12-month warranty. The winning bid was £16,200.
condition. It generated huge interest, and eventually achieved an impressive but well-deserved winning bid of £14,500.
Star of the sale was this 18-plate New Holland T7.210 AutoCommand. It had front linkage and a front PTO, was on Trelleborg TM800 tyres which had 80% tread, and it had worked only 2,180 hours. The winning bid of £70,500 was from a local farmer.
This classic
Autotronic with a Dynashift transmission was registered with an L-pre x and had worked 9,224 hours. The cab frame had some corrosion, but the interior was in good condition for its age, although the seats both needed recovering. There was a lot of interest, and it eventually sold to a local farmer for £7,400.
A desirable classic – this MB Trac 1000 was tidy inside and out and was shod on good tyres. Heather and Jim acquired it second-hand from a local farm, and it replaced a similar machine they owned previously. It carried an H-pre x registration, had worked only 9,258 hours, and it sold to a collector from York for £19,500.
This
P40-7 telehandler
The Darlington Farmers Mart Auction team (l-r): Melanie Robson, Megan Dowson, Emma Sanderson, Ian Sellar, Carly Glasper, Ashleigh Fenwick, Scott Ferrie, vendor Heather Marks, Oliver Chapman, Georgina Laws, Josh Burton (high vis), Will Burton, Stephen Dodsworth and dogs – Henry and George.
The Darlington Mart catering team also provided refreshments for those at the sale. (l-r) Elaine Stones; business owner, Dorothy Macdonald; Dawn Catrell and Kathryn Sumpton.
A Polaris Ranger Diesel UTV with a full cab and an LED light bar had worked only 1,100 hours and remained in excellent
Massey Ferguson 3095
This Case IH Farmall 115U with an LRZ100 loader was in superb order, having worked only 945 hours since it arrived new registered on a 63-plate. Auctioneer, Scott Ferrie is pictured taking bids surrounded by trade representatives and local farmers. Competitive bidding eventually pushed the price to £31,100.
with
An elderly Spearhead trailed rotary topper sold for £220.
With a Tinknell dealer sticker, this Farm Force front-mounted press made £1,250.
This Mustang 620 skid-steer loader with a large front bucket appeared in good order, although the tyres were worn. It sold for £4,800.
On Instructions from T J Bates & Son
At Manor Farm, Kimbolton Road, Pertenhall, Bedfordshire MK44 2AZ
On Thursday 24th October 2024 at 10.30am
Viewing from 10am until 4pm on Wednesday 23rd October 2024
George Watchorn 07919 015675 george.watchorn@brown-co.com
On Instructions from J D Mawby & Sons Ltd
Red Lodge Farm, Ravens Gate, Holbeach St. Johns, Spalding PE12 8RD
On Thursday 31st October 2024 at 10:30am
Viewing from 10am until 4pm on Wednesday 30th October 2024
Including: Combine Harvester: John Deere T660i with 22 Premium Flow header (12); Tractors: Fendt 724 Vario Profi Plus (19), Massey Ferguson 7718 Dyna-6 (18), Massey Ferguson 6475 Dynashi (04), Massey Ferguson 398 (96); Self-Propelled Sprayer: Househam Air-Ride 3000 24m (12); Excavator & Forklif: Bobcat 1.44t mini excavator, Caterpillar V40B industrial forkli ; Trailers: Richard Larrington 16t Rootking (05), AS Marston Lynx 14t grain (97), Barry Ayton 10t grain (85), Barry Ayton 8t high tip (83), flat bed fertiliser trailer with HIAB; Cultivation Equipment & Implements: Cousins V-Form 3m (14), Lemken Europal 8 5f rev plough (04), Kuhn HR5004DR 5m power harrow (19), Cousins Packa-Rolla 4.2m, Armer Salmon Proparator Comdor 4m (00), Vaderstad Carrier CR500 (10), Lely 4m combi drill, Vaderstad Rapid A400S drill (05), Kuhn Axis 20.2MEMC 24m fertiliser spreader (18), Cousins Contour 12.8m Cambridge rolls (96); Misc Equipment: Qty workshop equipment and spares etc.
HAVERFORDWEST, WALES 18TH OCTOBER 2024
PERTENHALL, BEDFORDSHIRE 24TH OCTOBER 2024
SPALDING, LINCOLNSHIRE 31ST OCTOBER 2024
NEWARK VINTAGE AUCTION 9TH NOVEMBER 2024
COUNTESTHORPE, LEICESTERSHIRE 14TH NOVEMBER 2024
ST NEOTS, BEDFORDSHIRE 23RD NOVEMBER 2024
Jon Clampin 07717 512498 jon.clampin@brown-co.com
FARM DISPERSAL SALES
Friday 1st November 2024 at 10:30am
BLIDWORTH DALE FARM, Ravenshead, Notts, NG15 9AL
Claas 510 Arion 4WD c/w Power Loader (18’)
Case Puma 155 4WD, Claas Scorpion 7035 (17’)
Telehandler And Attachments
Trailers And Bowsers, Land Rover 110, Range Of Pig Arks, Troughs, AI Service Barn, Shelters And Sow Barns, General Sundries, Bulk Leg Bins, Workshop Items and Barley Straw.
Catalogues
Kingquad 400, 2017, 11200 miles, 1870hrs, manual gears, very tidy, but requires attention to front diff. £2,400+VAT. J Ramsey Tel 01653 628366 (North Yorkshire)
POLARIS Ranger 6 wheel drive, petrol, low hours. £3,500. R Hopkinson Tel 07976 424263 (Lincolnshire)
POLARIS Ranger 900 XP, only 35hrs, 369mls from new, perfect condition, petrol 68hp, electric p/steering, detachable roof c/w lining, removable f/& r/window, 2 sets keys, c/w aluminium canopy from TFM Engineering Ltd with 2 doors. £10,900+VAT ono. C Stummer Tel 07572 785159 (Lancashire)
BALERS & BALE HANDLING
VICON 8100 baler, single axle, 80x80, 4 string, average condition. A Burgess Tel 07889 640457 (Northamptonshire)
BALE spike with adjustable mountings, strongly built. £150+VAT. N Pritchard Tel 07889 896872 (Herefordshire)
TEAGLE Tomahawk 8100 straw chopper, 2015 but has had very little use. £6,000+VAT. A Burgess Tel 07889 640457 (Northamptonshire)
BROWNS Flat 8 grab, currently f/w Euro 3 fittings, all working, with good hydraulic ram. £250+VAT ono. N Pritchard Tel 07889 896872 (Herefordshire)
RWM150 mid range waste baler, in working order, perfect for dry paper, cardboard & plastic materials, to create recyclable bales of up to 150kg. £2,000 ono. J Brankley Tel 07977 042084 (East Yorkshire)
REKA big bale shredder for biomass burner, virtually new condition, c/w professionally removed electronic panel, 20m of big bale conveyor, high output double motor drive, 7m discharge auger. I Leonard Tel 07831 601213 (Norfolk)
KRONE Big Pack 120 70 high speed big baler, 2012, 55,500 bales, owned from new, very good condition. £35,000. J Brocksopp Tel 07890 567794 (Derbyshire)
MASSEY Fermec 860 wheel digger, 4wd, 1994, 4 in 1 self levelling front bucket with forks, extend-a-dig rear arm with full set of buckets, Perkins engine, new battery & starter motor, 8300hrs, 2 owners from new, ready for work. £12,500. M Mitchell Tel 07788 643254 (Suffolk)
CATERPILLAR D6D, 1984, 4424hrs, ready to work, recent u/c & eng overhaul inc pistons, liners, injectors & turbo, hyd seals, track adjusters, new track spring, Cat 3 3pt linkage w/hyd top link, 10' carry blade, a/c & fire suppression. £29,500+VAT ono. G Springell Tel 07831 096485 (Buckinghamshire)
TRACK Marshall 135 angle dozer with linkage & PTO. POA. T Austin Tel 07831 295954/01223 871166 (Cambridgeshire)
CONCRETE breaker, came off Priestman Mustang 120 Mk3, sold as seen. £900+VAT ono. J Hurd Tel 01985 840260/01985 840039 (Wiltshire)
RARE 2t swivel hydraulic high discharge dumper, working order, 2 cyl Petter diesel engine, may suit farmers or small builder, useful for concreting. £2,900+VAT. J Hurd Tel 01985 840260/01985 840039 (Wiltshire)
hydraulic rock drill
JCB 24” bucket suitable for 3CX type machine, with weak floor. £75+VAT collection only. B Vaughan Tel or WhatsApp 07831 665757 (Staffordshire)
full set of buckets, dealer serviced every 500hrs, very tidy, well maintained machine, please call for more details. P Walton Tel 07850 510103 (Northamptonshire)
2016 Thwaites 9t 4x4 dumper, Deutz 4 cylinder water cooled engine, powershuttle transmission, 1800hrs, fold down roll bar, 2 owners from new, good clean condition. £9,450. A Burt Tel 07970
BOOM extension from Priestman Mustang 120 Mk3 digger, in good working order, may fit other machines. £2,200+VAT. J Hurd Tel 01985 840260/01985 840039 (Wiltshire)
PRIESTMAN Mustang 120 MkI, 360deg, vgo & working condition, starts on the key every time, new pins, sprockets, etc, for wide filled tracks, 95% wear left, 2 buckets, can still get spares, selling as project finished & I'm 90 now! £6,500 ono. J Hurd Tel 01985 840260/01985 840039 (Wiltshire)
The Merridale rangeincludes fuelmanagement systems,fuelpumps anddispensers, fuelstoragetanks, tankgaugesandfuel managementsoftware forclientandweb-basedsolutions.
VADERSTAD Rapid 600S third row kit, c/w connecting rods, etc. £1,000+VAT. A Alden Tel 07850 468101 (Norfolk)
HORIZON DSX 75-20, 2021, 7.5m but can easily be reduced, Isobus, also c/w control box, split hopper, only done 1050ha. £65,000 ono. D Hald Tel 07765 447368 (Suffolk)
LEMKEN Solitair 9/400 4m folding power harrow combination unit, 6200ha, pre-em markers, wheel eradicator tines, Guttler roller, 2005/2006. £9,700+VAT ono. J Cheesbrough Tel 07769 792096 (Northumberland)
2018 Cameleon 6m System drill/inter-row hoe, designed to drill your crop then hydraulically side shifts over to be used as an inter-row hoe, very good condition, 2 sets of wheels, rowcrop & flotation, low area count. £55,000+VAT. L Nobes Tel 07789 273550 (Norfolk)
LELY DKL 300/25 combination drill, heavy duty, power harrow, lights, tramlines, pre–emergence markers. £1,500+VAT ono. J Jewson Tel 07732 042987 (Cambridgeshire)
KUHN/ACCORD 3m combi drill, gwo. £6,000 ono. S Payne Tel 07831 382322 (Buckinghamshire)
KRM 4.8m tine drill, gwo. £14,000+VAT ono. S Payne Tel 07831 382322 (Buckinghamshire)
WEAVING 6m Sabre tine, 2021, pre em markers, excellent condition. £36,000. W Beers Tel 07712 435168 (Northamptonshire)
SUMO Versadrill 3m hydraulic folding, system Moore tandem Unidrill direct drill, 16 row linkage headstock, 4 hyd reset subsoiler legs, tandem front press wheel, radar metering, Stocks subsoiler. Offers. P Freeman Tel 07711 145124 (Lincolnshire)
EQUESTRIAN
SHIRE colt foals, fully registered, one black, one dark bay – perfectly marked, show & stallion potential, very quiet. Priced to sell. K Smith Tel 07940 049960/01335 330346 (Derbyshire)
FENCING & GATES
EYEBOLT fence bolts 10” x 3/8” welded, BSE10W BZP BSE10W, 2225091 reference model, (6000), galvanised, assembled & c/w two bolts & two washers, brand new, sealed in cartons. £3,000 ono. A Mughal Tel 07470 396193 (Berkshire)
01377 270251 (East Yorkshire)
RYE Engineering dust extractor, 415v, 3 phase, 7.5kw, all working, 5 inlets 1 outlet. £250. R Hodgkins Tel 07747 623124 (Hertfordshire)
GRAIN pusher, hardly used, 5m long, 2.5m wide front with rubber trim, 1.2 wide at back, 1m centres of fork slot, good condition. £2,350+VAT. R Rayner Tel 07808 066655 (Cambridgeshire)
POTTINGER 4 rotor hay turner, hydraulic fold, 6 double tines per rotor, full complement of tines, one rotor needs new bearing – parts are available, neat handy turner. £800. H Rutter Tel 07729 315750/01507 466860 (Lincolnshire)
collection. £700 ono. R Rayner Tel 07808 066655 (Cambridgeshire)
RECON DRIERS
Opico 600 fully automatic gas fired grain drier, fully reconditioned new augers, belts bearings all other parts been replaced or checked, as new in appearance
Please call anytime
07980 140935(T)
GRASS MACHINERY
McCONNEL Rhino SE5 topper, good working order, c/w PTO, parts manual, good solid machine, little used. £900 ono. T Gallimore Tel 07849 405044 (Staffordshire)
FLEMING FM180 1.8m finishing mower, brand new, 25–100mm cutting height, weight 228kgs, 3 blades, Cat 1 pins, min 20hp power requirement. £1,850+VAT. A Robinson Tel 07876 711477 (Bedfordshire)
KUHN Gyrotedder GF6401 MH, in good working order. £3,000+VAT ono. Owen Smith Farming Tel 07885 594143 (Suffolk)
SPEARHEAD 620 Multicut, 2022, genuine machine, always stored inside, genuine reason for sale. £22,500+VAT ono. J Binning Tel 07765 064694 (Oxfordshire)
MALONE ProCut 800 disc mower, very good condition, 8’ cut, hydraulic lift, had little use, off small farm, Comer gearbox, strong mower. £2,800. H Rutter Tel 07729 315750/01507 466860 (Lincolnshire)
HEDGING & FORESTRY
McCONNEL front hood for flail head, originally supplied with PA35 hedge cutter, c/w side skids & full set of grass flails, never used, so just slight rusting from storage. £80 ono. R Peak Tel 07860 165381 (Essex)
McCONNEL Swingover arm hedge cutter, PTO with hydraulic swing action,
71081348 John Deere 8RX 410 2021, 2840hrs, Signature Edition, 40K, AutoTrac Ready (no dome), Activations, Cab suspension, Ultimate comfort, visibility & connectivity package, air seat, £199,950
41083738 John Deere 6175R 2017, 5160hrs, Premium Edition, AutoQuad Plus, 50K, ISOBUSand Green Star ready (no Activation), TLS, HCS, air seat, A/C, 3ESV, 114L min hyd pump, £64,950
81089222 John Deere 6175R
2015, 3747hrs, DirectDrive, 50K, AutoTrac Ready, TLS, air seat, A/C, 3ESCV, PUH, hyd/ air brakes, 540/65R30 650/65R42, Road Registered: 28/05/2015, April 2015 Build. £74,950
11090202 John Deere 6155R 2017, 4010hrs, AutoQuad Plus, 50K, ISOBUS/Green star ready (no activation), TLS, HCS, air seat, A/C, 3SCV, PUH, 114L/ min hyd pump, Premium Light package, £67,750
£67,950
11089358 John Deere 6155R 2017, 4770hrs, AutoQuad, 50K, AutoTrac Ready, TLS, HCS, air seat, A/C, 3SCV, PUH, front linkage, air/hyd brakes, NEW 480/70R30 520/85R38, Road
2022, 1050hrs, 40K, Hydrostatic Ecospeed, boom suspension, air seat, A/C, 4th service, PUH, rear SCV, JCB Q Fit Headstock, hyd brakes, Michelin Bibload £79,950
51082205 Kramer KT407 2021, 3097hrs,, Hydro, 40K, boom suspension, central lubrication system, LED lights, Pin and Cone headstock, 3rd service depressure button, air seat, A/C, £59,950
WEEKLY TUESDAY SALES
Prime Lambs,
RED Angus, 7 years old, very docile & an easy calver, still capable of doing a good job but farm is selling cows so he’s surplus to requirements. POA. M Mark Tel 07977 586196 (Hampshire)
CHAROLLAIS shearling rams, top quality, all worked as lambs, straight in every way, raring to go. POA. K Smith Tel 07940 049960/01335 330346 (Derbyshire)
PEDIGREE polled Hereford bulls, good selection of quality bulls ready for work, 17–20 months old, g;ood pedigrees, shape, quiet temperament, easy calving, HiHealth, BVD tested clear & IBR vaccinated, delivery available, TB4. £2,500–£3,000. J Speirs Tel 07979 463480 (Bedfordshire)
NINE weaner pigs for sale, Large White X Duroc, 10 weeks old. £65 each. R Giles Tel 07909 474275 (Norfolk)
CLEMENT Herefords, registered pedigree bulls & females, quiet & easily handled, all bulls halter trained & guaranteed under Hereford Society rules, TB4
SUFFOLK rams, quality homebred pure Suffolk rams available, yearlings. £500. R Gilder Tel 07952 754067 (Gloucestershire)
ABERDEEN Angus bulls from the Park Wall herd, Johnes Level 1, BVD accredited, BVD vaccinated, IBR marker vaccinated, TB4 (last tested March 2024). J Musk Tel 07748 850465/01638 724831 (Suffolk)
LINCOLN Red steers (5), spring born, single suckled, all well grown. J Barlow Tel 07968 969424 (Nottinghamshire)
POINT of lay pullets, 100’s available, quantity discount, possible delivery. C Guy Tel 07801 163027 (Norfolk)
PEDIGREE Limousin bulls (2), 19 months old, easy calving lines, Hi Health herd, BVD accredited, ready for work. £3,000 ono. J Jackson Tel 07817 682041 (Gloucestershire)
MARSHIEW pedigree Jersey in milk, TB4. £1,000. D Bolderston Tel 07887 925550 (Suffolk)
MARSHIEW pedigree Jersey in milk,TB4. £1,000. D Bolderston Tel 07887 925550 (Suffolk)
PEDIGREE Ayrshire heifer, Marshview Scooter, heifer in milk, 4yr TB. £1,200. D Bolderston Tel 07887 925550 (Suffolk)
CAST iron pig troughs, four 34" & two 26", good condition. £90 each ono. A Howell Tel 07528 729118 (Cambridgeshire)
DOWDESWELL rotary brush, 7’, PTO driven, working order. £550. N Atkins Tel 07956 167510 (Leicestershire)
POULTRY eq – EB feeders, qty of good used EB centreless auger systems, Ska pan feeder lines, Lubing drinker lines, Space Ray & Sierra gas brooders & Hired Hand fan heaters, feed bins 7–18T, new Ziehl multi speed 600mm fans. J Saunders Tel 07725 050065 (Suffolk)
MACHINERY
MATERIALS HANDLERS
JCB 531-70, 8000hrs, needs tidying. £20,000 ono. K Pugh Tel 07977 912970/01694 771258 (Shropshire)
JCB 531-70, 2018, 3000hrs approx, full working order. £38,000. K Pugh Tel 07977 912970/01694 771258 (Shropshire)
CHALLENGER 3 point linkage crane, ideal for filling seed drill or fert spinner, will lift 1t bags, had a telescopic boom that pushed out, also linkage to carry a spinner on the back for self loading, works well, has slight oil leak. £750 no VAT. A Clarke Tel 07708 205708 (Norfolk)
SMALL clay pigeon thrower with seat attached, c/w full box of clays. £60. A Phillipson Tel 01777 702815 (Nottinghamshire)
DIESEL engine & concrete vibrating poker, single cylinder, not running at the moment, needs TLC. £100+VAT. J Brocksopp Tel 07974 669997 (Derbyshire)
PARKER Britain clay launcher. £150. R Hodgkins Tel 07747 623124 (Hertfordshire)
LOGIC CTM600, 2019, 6m weed wiper, only done 20 acres, excellent working condition, brilliant machine, west Wales. £13,500+VAT ono. H Lewis Tel 07771 867092 (Carmarthenshire)
FLAME thrower weed killer in weathered condition. £20. R Sinkler Tel 01377 270251 (East Yorkshire)
SHOTBLASTING gun c/w 20kg of shotblasting grit. £50. R Sinkler Tel 01377 270251 (East Yorkshire)
Manitou Spare Parts
JCB 3CX Sitemaster backhoe loader, 4050hrs, 1983, 4wd, extending dipper, 6 in 1 front bucket, rear ditching bucket, one owner from new, excellent condition. £8,000+VAT. P Hirst Tel 07712 676012 (Lincolnshire)
Deere telehandler joystick, part No. AZ72230, needs refurb as some broken wires. £350+VAT. J Ramsey Tel 01653 628366 (North Yorkshire)
JCB Loadall front loader bucket/shovel, Scott telehandler, excellent condition. £150,000 ono. W Edwards Tel 07745 743374 (Flintshire)
KOMATSU FG15-12 forklift truck, LPG, three stage mast, good runner. £1,000. M Stewart Tel 07775 793556 (Bedfordshire)
LIEBHERR L538 loading shovel, only 5778hrs on the clock, with industrial quick hitch & third service, sold with no attachments, wide flotation tyres. £34,500+VAT ono. J Binning Tel 07765 064694 (Oxfordshire)
JCB Toolcarrier loader brackets (pair), weld on with backing plates, 520mm under top hook to centre of bottom pin, 35mm pin hole, like new condition. £120. J Hodge Tel 07815 698617 (Essex)
CATERPILLAR forklift, in good working order, 2010, 6.5t. £6,000+VAT ono. J Hurd Tel 01985 840260/01985 840039 (Wiltshire)
CHERRY Products pin & cone bucket, 1.98cu/m, more photos available online. £975+VAT. P Skinner Tel 07711 405100 (Northamptonshire)
Tel 07909 910005 (Lincolnshire)
Feed Processing Specialists
Tub Grinders
- Exclusive UK Distributor of VDW, Haybuster and Rotogrind Tub Grinders
- Range of models from 5t - 25t / hour output.
- New, used & refurbished machines available.
- Ideal for straw, hay, green waste, roots, biogas feeds etc.
Root Choppers & Cleaners
- Loader, 3 point linkage, free standing PTO and electric drive available
- UK Distributor of VDW range of choppers, cleaners & feed dispensing equipment
- Output from 10t/hour to over 120t/hour available
Diet Feeders
- Largest stock of mixers in the UK - over 50 machines in current stock
- Breaking for parts Trioliet 28, Shelbourne 11, 13, 19, Abbey 1500, Strautmann 1250, Siloking 22
BEET HARVESTERS TIM & THYREGOD 2–3 ROW
Beet buckets – choice of standard & toe tip
BEET CLEANERS – CHOICE OF CTM & TODD with picking tables etc
VOGEL NOOT 5 FURROW PLOUGH WITH PRESS
S-950 manual vari width & hydraulic press arm
TERRADISC CULTIVATORS 3 & 4M
Dutch & combination harrows – 3 to 6m
BOMFORD 8M VIBROFLEX HYDRAULIC FOLD
Dalso 6m hyd/fold pigtail cultivator with rear discs
FLAT LIFTS – SUBSOILERS 2 TO 5 LEG
Westfield 3 phase 10” grain auger x approx 42’
STAINLESS STEEL WATER/FERTILISER BOWSERS
Choice of 10,000 - 18,000 - 25,000 litres on air or hyd brakes
6T LOW LOADER – HYD LOWERING REAR AXLE
12 ton Marston tipping / flat trailer with lift off side
14T LARRINGTON ROOT CROP AIR/HYD BRAKES
Griffiths 28’ flat trailer with steel floor & front/rear ladders
14T ALLOY LORRY CONVERSION – ROLL SHEET
Pettit grain trailers 5 & 12 ton very old and very good
50’ NEAN COMBINE / MACHINERY TRAILER full MOT wells & outriggers
POTTINGER Servo 45S plough, 5 + 1 (6 furrow), 2013, all good metal, 240hp, head stock, depth wheel has been upgraded & a new turnover ram, hydraulic press arm. A Shorten Tel 07920 789118 (Norfolk)
RANSOMES TSR300FD reversible plough, 5 furrow, good working order. £1,750 ono. B Ives Tel 07787 876216 (Buckinghamshire)
2007 Standen Enterprise, one of the last, from a siltland family farm, twin omega cleaner, wheel drive, selection of spares & 40 & 50mm webs, well-maintained (new elevator cover 200 acres ago).
£12,000+VAT. m naylor Tel 07970 576362 (Lincolnshire)
Graders (both screen & lift roller) hopper cleaners/graders, brushes, box & big bag llers/tippers, etc Field equipment Vegetable transplanters, drills, top lifters, toppers, hook tine cultivators Grimme DL/GZ/GT/SE harvesters Payment prior to collection • Any condition
Lukasz
T6.175
HOLLAND T6.175
HOLLAND T6.175 - 2023, 591 hours, 50K Dynamic Command with creep., £70,400.00, Stock No:A1054648
REEKIE 4153S destoner, 2008, thee web with stone box, one brand new web, good condition. J Brocksopp Tel 07974 669997 (South Yorkshire)
PRECISION FARMING
TRIMBLE CFX/FM750 with Ez-Pilot, 2016, c/w Trimble flat steering wheel & spinner, full kit to fit New Holland (taken off T7.210), unlocked to Glonass & variable rate, RTX Rangepoint subscription to 15/07/26 (normally £400/yr), exc cond. £3,200+VAT. A Robson Tel 07769 320066 (Northumberland) TRIMBLE Nav 500, 2024, c/w mounting bracket for receiver & cable to go from receiver to display, only runs of Egnoss so 30cm pass to pass, 2024 receiver used for summer spraying, selling as not very suited for us, excellent condition. £1,000. L Forrest Tel 07572 669283 (Lancashire)
PUMPS
sets of wheels, both 95%, immaculate condition. £33,500+VAT. K Gedge Tel 07880 743335 (Norfolk)
Boston Crop Sprayers Ltd
incorporating VASSGRO SPRAYERS
Agricultural Application Machinery Specialists
Landquip
SPRAYER & SLUG APPLICATOR NSTS TESTING AT OUR LOCATIONS OR ON SITE FULL ON FARM SERVICE & REPAIR
Main Agents for TEAM HYPRO TEEJET RDS ENDURAMAXX DUAL PUMPS
AGRIFAC Condor 2, 2012, 9695hrs, 24/30/36m, 4000L, GPS section control 13 sections, auto steer unlock, 380/90R46 50%, 650/60R38 50%, auto fill program,
New Holland CR9.90 Revelation 2021 -979 rotor hrs -Auto Guidance Level 3 - 12.5m Varifeed header with 4 wheel steer trailer- 2 Vertical side knives
New Holland T7.225 2023, Auto Command, 1005hrs, Sidewinder, 140L/min, 8 LED work lights, cab susp, front susp, 3 speed PTO, 150A alternator, front linkage with joystick, a/brakes, 4x electric remote valves, Fender controls, high mount road lights, Bluetooth radio, Dynamic front fenders, telematics, Intelliview IV -110mm lift rams, GPS Ready, Firestone 600/65 R38 and 480/65 R28
Hi-Spec 4000 TD-S
2022, unused, 18,886L capacity, 50mm swivel ring hitch, sprung drawbar, 11000 Jurop pump, hydraulic & a/ brakes, 650/55R26.5 tyres, LED strobe beacon, LED road lights, 3 point linkage brackets
New Holland T6.175 2023, 552hrs, Dynamic Command, 50km/h, APUH, Cab suspension, 8 LED work lights, 3 speed PTO, high visibility roof, 90mm lift rams, 4 mechanical remotes, Fender controls, Bluetooth radio, Dynamic front Fenders, large fuel tank, a/c, Bridgestone 460/85R38 and 420/70 R28
New Holland T7.245 2023, PowerCommand, 1266hrs, classic, 120L/min, 8 LED work lights, cab susp, front susp, 4 speed PTO, 150A alternator, a/ brakes, 4x mechanical remote valves, Fender controls, high mount road lights, bluetooth radio, Dynamic front Fenders, telematics, Intelliview IV, 10mm lift rams, front linkage, Michelin 650/65 R42 and 540/65 R30
New Holland T7.315HD NEW GEN -Blue Power
2023, Auto Command, 739hrs, 50km/h, 220L/min, 14 LED work lights, cab susp, front susp, 4 speed PTO, 250A alternator, a/brakes, 5x electric remote valves, 2 mid mount valves with advanced joystick, Fender controls, high mount road lights, Bluetooth radio, Dynamic front Fenders, ISO power beyond, telematics, Intelliview 12, full GPS, 120mm lift rams CAT3, front Linkage with PTO, cooled storage box, external a/line -Mitas 710/70 R42 and Mitas 600/70 R30
New Holland T7.210 Classic 2023, Range Command, 704hrs, 110L/min, 8 LED work lights, 50km/h, cab susp, front susp, 3 speed PTO, 150A alternator, air brakes, 4x mechanical remote valves, Fender
high mount road lights, Bluetooth radio, Dynamic front Fenders, telematics, 100mm lift rams, Maxam 650/65 R38 and 540/65 R28
New Holland T7.260 2022, PowerCommand, 1129hrs, 140L/min, 8 LED work lights, cab susp, front susp, 3 speed PTO, 150A alternator, a/brakes, classic spec -4x mechanical remote valves, Fender controls, high mount road lights, Bluetooth radio, Dynamic front Fenders, telematics, 110mm lift rams, front linkage -Firestone 650/65 R42 and 540/65 R30
Kuhn
Cultimer HD-Liner
unused, 6m trailed cultivator, 19 tines with mechanical safety, 19 x 80mm carbide share, 19 x 350mm carbide wings front control depth wheels, smooth leveling discs, 600mm HD-Liner roller 2 x 3m, mechanical roller adjustment, hyd brakes, road lights
2018 Case Puma 165, 3279hrs, Powershift 50kph, air brakes, front & cab suspension, 3 electric spools, 3 speed PTO, LED work lights, big screen, deluxe seat, exhaust brake, front tyres 480/65r28 70%, rear tyres 600/65R38 .....................................................£53,000
2021 Case Optum 300 CVX, 2135hrs, GPS ready, front linkage + SCV 900 Tyres, 5 spool valves........................................................... £117,000
December 2020 Case Quantum 110N, 2232hrs,40kph, front linkage & PTO, electric hydraulics, 4 rear electric spool valves, 3 mid mount spool valves, front tyres 280/70x16 75%, rear tyres 360/70x28 75%, immaculate .................................................... £34,000
2021 Case Puma 200 CVX, 4227hrs, front linkage, 1 hydraulic front service, Power Beyond, hydraulic top link, 4 speed PTO, guidance ready, deluxe seat, front tyres 600/65x28 70%, rear tyres 650/70x38 80%, very tidy tractor .....................................£71,000
NEW HOLLAND
2023 New Holland T8.435 SmartTrax, 275hrs, front linkage, 1 front service, front suspension, full guidance. air brakes, 5 rear spool valves, Cat 5 drawbar, PLM Telematics, Cab Luxe pack, tyres 650/65x34 Michelin, 30” tracks ....................................................£215,000
2015 New Holland T6.160 f/w NH 750 TL loader, 7918hrs, 50kph, front & cab suspension, air brakes, with soft ride and 3rd service, front tyres 480/65x28 40%, rear tyres 600/65x38 90%, just had transmission clutch packs overhauled, immaculate for the hours ...£34,000
MASSEY FERGUSON
2019 Massey Ferguson 7726S Dyna 6 Exclusive, 8423hrs, 50kph, Front linkage, guidance ready, Power Beyond, Datavision screen, climate control, front tyres 540/65x30 85%, rear tyres 650/65x42 85%, (seat cushion and 1 headlight to be replaced) ..........£52,000
2021 Massey Ferguson 8S 225 Dyna 7, 5900hrs, 53kph, full RTK, front linkage & PTO, 2 front hyd services, Isobus, Power Beyond, front tyres 600/65x28 new, rear tyres 650/75x38 80%, tractor had a brand new transmission ftted May 2024 ..............................................£62,000
JOHN DEERE
2012 John Deere 6330 Premium with JD 631 loader, 6866hrs, 40kph, TLS, front tyres 420/85x24 70%, rear tyres 18.4x38 (rear tyres will be changed to 80%) small amount of rust on rear mud guards, been out on hire for 6 weeks no problems .....................................£32,500
2013 John Deere 6150R, 9002hrs, 50kph, Autoquad, guidance ready, front linkage & PTO, electric spool valves, mid mount valves, extra work lights, front tyres 540/65x30 30%, rear tyres 650/65x42 0%, needs new rear mud guard ...............................................£33,500
Robert Webb: 07860 801322 Anthony Williams: 07711 947189 Phil Ramsey: 07934 799628 Andy Gemmill: 07802 336880
TILLAGE TACKLE
SIMBA Cultipress, 2010, 4.6m, Pro Active tines, levelling boards, done around 500 acres from new, selling due to change of system, excellent condition, any questions please ask. A O’Dell Tel 07763 853247 (Warwickshire)
RABE 5m disc press, good condition, tidy, stored inside, used mainly on establishment of cover, catch crops & SFI schemes, long frame allows fitting of any size seed hopper, APV hopper extra, lights, ready to work. £12,000+VAT. P Garner Tel 07740 410915 (Leicestershire)
KONGSKILDE Triple K spring tine, 9m, hydraulic folding, following harrow, low hp requirements, perfect for opening up autumn seedbeds pre drilling, or working down spring seedbeds, average condition. £2,500 ono. L Northern Tel 07519 634008 (Hertfordshire)
CHEVAL heavy duty 9m zig zag pressure harrows, hydraulic folding, wheel eradicators, c/w new 10" tines, ideal for low cost spring & autumn cultivations.
£2,450+VAT. P Skinner Tel 07711 405100 (Northamptonshire)
COUSINS 8m ring rolls, hydraulic folding, good condition. £3,000+VAT ono. S Payne Tel 07831 382322 (Buckinghamshire)
KUHN HR 4004 power harrow, 2009, 4m, good condition, works well, trailer included, near Huntingdon. £8,500+VAT. R Rayner Tel 07808 066655 (Cambridgeshire)
CAMBRIDGE roll, 8' wide, 22" rim on 2" shaft, one rim has slight breakage but have a spare rim. £250 ono. A Howell Tel 07528 729118 (Cambridgeshire)
CAMBRIDGE roll, 8.5' wide, 19" rim, 2" shaft. £250 ono. A Howell Tel 07528 729118 (Cambridgeshire)
McCONNEL Discaerator 2012, c/w 2022 Stocks i-Con8 seeder, will sell separately if required. £11,000+VAT for Discaerator & £2,500+VAT for Stocks seeder. Spare leg shins & points. £13,500+VAT ono for the lot. G Wakeham Tel 07759 709617 (Cambridgeshire)
COUSINS Type 28 4m trailed press, 2002.. £3,500+VAT ono. G Wakeham Tel 07759 709617 (Cambridgeshire)
CLAYDON Furrow Cracker for 5 furrow plough, still in good working order. £200+VAT. T Johnson Tel 07752 027631 (Suffolk)
9-TINE cultivator, depth wheels need attention. £200 ono. A Howell Tel 07528 729118 (Cambridgeshire)
KVERNELAND furrow press for a 3–4 furrow plough. £450+VAT. P Freeman Tel 07711 145124 (Lincolnshire) KUHN bolt on tine kit for 4m HR4002D power harrow. Offers. P Freeman Tel 07711 145124 (Lincolnshire) TWO-LEG subsoiler. £325+VAT. P Freeman Tel 07711 145124 (Lincolnshire) CONCEPT 4m SpeedTill. £1,600+VAT. P Freeman Tel 07711 145124 (Lincolnshire) TRACKS
A Burgess Tel 07889 640457 (Northamptonshire)
JOHN Deere 4040, 2wd. £8,995. R Hopkinson Tel 07976 424263 (Lincolnshire)
TRACKS in stock to fit most tracked tractor models Brands: Camso
JOHN Deere 2130, all good. £6,995. R Hopkinson Tel 07976 424263 (Lincolnshire)
2022, 5100hrs, Dyna VT Exclusive, f/links & PTO, 50kph, air brakes, RTK guidance, 4 spools, Data 5, LED lights, hyd top link, 710/60/42 & 600/60/30 tyres TEN 30kg weights, c/w frame to carry them, total weight 330kg. £320 ovno no VAT. A Clarke Tel 07708 205708 (Norfolk) JCB Fastrac 1115,
Refurbished Power Harrows:
• All New Bearings and Seals in the Trough and Gearbox
• Blade Holders All New are fitted
• New Genuine Kuhn Tines fitted
• New Packer Roller Kit fitted
• Shot Blasted, Repainted and New Stickers
• New PTO and Guards fitted as standard
• Models of Power Harrows used: HR3001, HR3002, HR3003, HR4001, HR4002, HR4003 and HR4004
• Front or Rear Levelling Board as standard
• Cam Clutch new fitted on all machines
• Wheel Track Eradicators are available as an optional extra
All Seed Drills Totally Refurbished:
• New Main Frame with Extra Strength
• New Coulters and Pivot Bushes
• New Metering Device
• Vertical Folding Markers Power Harrow mounted
• New Disc Marker Pivots and Discs
• All New Hoses and Hopper Cover
• New Hopper Extension and Double Step
• Tramliner c/w 2 or 4 Shut Offs and Low Level Sensor
• All Shot Blasted, Repainted and New Stickers
• S-Type Following Harrow Standard on complete combinations
• 2 Rows of Coulters as standard – 3 rows optional extra
• Pre Emergence Markers available as an extra – £850
• Hydraulic Coulter Lift – £875
Refurbished Combinations
3m – from £14,100
Kuhn 3001 3002 3003
Power Harrow:
• New Maxi Packer Roller & Clod Board
• Accord 3m DA Seed Drill c/w Tramliner
• 2 row Suffolk Coulters
• Vertical Folding Markers fitted on harrow
• Hopper Extension
• Step and S-Harrow
Email: simon@andrewguest.co.uk
4m – from £15,900
Kuhn 4001 4002 4003
Power Harrow:
• New Maxi Packer Roller & Clod Board
• Accord 4M DA Seed Drill c/w Tramliner
• 2 row Suffolk Coulters
• Vertical Folding Markers fitted on Harrow
• Hopper Extension
• Step and S-Harrow
12 Months Warranty on our combis
WEIGHT block, 3pt linkage, ideal for a loader tractor. £70. R Sinkler Tel 01377 270251 (East Yorkshire)
JOHN Deere 3040,1986, SG2 cab, 6 cylinder engine 90hp, 12800hrs, been on light work for last 20yrs, original condition, straight off the farm, all runs & drives as it should, located Newmarket, Suffolk. £8,500 ono. T Anderson Tel 07770 598099 (Cambridgeshire)
MASSEY Ferguson 6170 Dynashift, 1997 R reg, 6250hrs, 600/480 Michelin tyres, air seat, air con, 40K, good condition. £15,000+VAT ono. D Hudson Tel 07889 055974 (North Yorkshire)
JOHN Deere 1950 tractor, 9162hrs, has been well looked after & is in good condition inside & out, registered in 1992 with V5. £10,850+VAT. T Schembri Tel 07919 624032 (Essex)
VARIOUS front & wheel tractor weights. £30 each ono. A Howell Tel 07528729118 (Cambridgeshire)
1999 Zetor 8540 4wd, 80hp, V5C, Jubilee monitor, weights, 3 spools, hyd valve for trailer brakes, recent engine recond, fuel pump, injectors, crankshaft reground, new oil pump, clutch, compressor, small farm, retirement. £10,000+VAT. A Howell Tel 07528 729118 (Cambridgeshire)
2014 Case Farmall 115 U Pro, high spec tractor in excellent condition, Michelin tyres, air con, air seat, 40k, push back hitch, full set of weights, Multicontroller, 2 electric & 2 manual spools, 2100hrs only. S Powell Tel 01454 324486/07970 504749 (Gloucestershire)
MF7718S 2021, 710/42 & 600/30, f/linkage & PTO, LED lights, hyd top link, guidance inc pod subscription until spring 25, Telematics, 50kph & air. £69,950+VAT. I Leverton Tel 07988 286608 (Lincolnshire)
2020 John Deere 5075E, Quick X3S loader, 1200hrs, bought new from Ripon Farm Services at Darlington, only been used on small holdings, c/w bucket & tyres, excellent condition. £40,000+VAT. C Crow Tel 07792 470376 (South Yorkshire)
JOHN Deere 6900, 1995/96 N reg, f/linkage & weight block, nearly new BKT 420/85R28, 130hp, 60% Uniroyal rear 20.8R38, air con, fully serviced, immaculate, professionally painted, all new plastics, 40K gearbox. £23,000. J Hickman Tel 07766258224 (Hertfordshire)
JOHN Deere 7290R, 2018 68 reg, 1898hrs, Ultimate Edition, Autopower, 50k, autotrac, GPS receiver, f/& cab susp, leather interior, a/c, PUH, 5ESCV, JD f/linkage, Command Arm, excellent condition, for sale due to retirement. £130,000+VAT ono. R Sanderson Tel 07702 624721 (North Yorkshire)
FENDT 1800kg Big Pack weight, c/w drawbar bracket, vgc. £2,500. J Murrell Tel 07770 692891/01603 712222 (Norfolk)
2022 Bateson 16’ 3500kg tandem axle flatbed trailer, 6’6” wide, headboard & ladder rack, ramps & drop stands, recessed lashing rings in bed, LED lights, mainly used for hay & straw, excellent condition. £2,950+VAT. M Cooper Tel 07703 459651 (Bedfordshire)
MEC-MAC 6m drop flat trailer, on 12.5/80/153 wheels, hyd brakes & lights, Beds/Cambs border. £3,000. D Compton Tel 07764 687201 (Bedfordshire) NEW Holland TN60SA, 2006, 4wd, 2006 sub 2400hrs, very good condition, turf tyres, air con, SuperSteer front axle, front weights, well loved from private home. £15,750 no VAT. Flail topper not
trailer. £1,500. R Hopkinson Tel 07976 424263 (Lincolnshire)
2024 Ifor Williams 16’x 6’6” trailer, 3.5t, bought new April 2024, little used. £3,600+VAT. S Bygraves Tel 07973 117993 (Cambridgeshire)
LARRINGTON 14T grain trailer, spr/d/ bar, hyd tailgate c/w grain chute, 1 centre mtd fast tip ram, full width f/window, roll over sheet, high & low level LED lights with
4 spools, front susp, front PTO, front linkage, GPS steering, a/c, a/brakes, electric hyd, PU hitch MF-XEX68E43LA21C.A
40kph, 145hp, AdBlue eng, 5535hrs,
CLAAS AXION 850 CEBIS EXTR £84,950
2019, 50kph, 265hp, AdBlue eng, 3401hrs, 600/65R30 fronts, 710/70R38 rears, 4 spools, N/A loader, front susp, front linkage, GPS steering, a/c, a/brakes, electric Hyd, PU hitch, Power Beyond, cab susp, new rear tyres , RTK steering CL-A6000936.A
CLAAS ARION 530
£75,000 2021, 50kph, 145hp, EGR eng, 963hrs, 420/85R28 fronts, 520/85R38 rears, 3 spools, front susp, front linkage, eco PTO, a/c, electric hyd, PU hitch, cab susp CL-A9400605.A
GRAIN MAIZE GAME FEED
• UK Grown non-GM grain maize
• High Quality ideal for game feeding
• Direct Supply from farm
• Can be supplied whole or split/kibbled
• Available in bulk l000kg/500kg bags
Dan 07966 103821 o ce@prwormellfarms.co.uk www.prwormellfarms.co.uk
JOHN DEERE 7310R 2018, 3169hrs, E23 50kph, VF900/60R42 – IF620/75R30, front suspension, front linkage, LED lights
JOHN DEERE 6195M 2022, 1477hrs, Autoquad 40kph, 650/65R38540/65R28, front & cab suspension
Stk No.81079981 £115,000
JOHN DEERE 6175R 2021, 2563hrs, Direct Drive 50kph, 650/65R42540/65R30, front & cab suspension, front linkage
PREMIUM USED MACHINE
Stk No. 21072450 POA
Stk No. 81077164 £85,000
JOHN DEERE 8370R 2021, 1818hrs, Autopower 50kph, IF900/60R42 –IF650/60R34, front & cab suspension, front linkage
Stk No. 81078210 POA
JOHN DEERE 6215R 2019, 5017hrs, Autopower 50kph, 710/70R38600/65R28, front & cab suspension, front linkage
Stk No. 81077293 £82,500
JOHN DEERE 6130R 2022, 2500hrs, Autopower 50kph, 600/65R38 - 540/65R24 front & cab suspension, front linkage & PTO
PREMIUM USED MACHINE
Stk No. B1076656 £88,500
20 reg MF 7720s 4x4 2347hrs FS CS 50K air brakes warranty to 3000hrs 19 reg MF 7718s 4x4 2300hrs FS CS air brakes
62 reg MF 7624 4x4 Dyna 6 50K FL 5366hrs
20 reg MF 7718s 4x4 Dyna 6 50K 1600hrs air brakes 2 years left on warranty
13 reg MF 7618 4x4 Dyna 6 7500hrs 50K air brakes
06 reg MF 6480 4x4 CS 5927hrs
67 reg JCB 536/60 Agri Super teleporter 3400hrs
19 reg JCB 532/70 Agri Super 4600hrs 125hp new tyres
06 reg JCB 526s 4x4 5000hrs
53 reg Manitou 731/120 4x4 5500hrs
L reg Manitou 2600 4x4 teleporter
19 reg Bobcat E45 midi excavator 2050hrs
C reg Deutz DX390 4x4 4300hrs
J reg Ford 5610 AP cab
J reg MF 135
Benford 5T dumper 12T dump trailer
JOHN DEERE 6110M 2021, 5422hrs, Autoquad, 600/65R34 - 480/65R24
Stk No. 11079403 £39,000
JOHN DEERE 6R185 2023, 458hrs, Autopower 50kph, 650/65R38 –540/65R28, front & cab suspension, front linkage & PTO
GALWAY 22.5LL-16.1 rears & 12LLx16 front turf wheels & tyres. £250. J Murrell Tel 07766 216100/01603 712222 (Norfolk)
MANITOU MLT 625-75 H
HORSCH LT sprayer wheels, Alliance VF 520/85-R46, to suit Horsch LT trailed sprayer, have hardly been used & are as new. £2,000+VAT. H Parrish Tel 07971 930545 (Bedfordshire)
PROSTOR pair 30.5x32 Russian radial wheels/tyres,
sets
260224 (Derbyshire)
CLAAS Lexion
(Norfolk)
Kings Langley • Tel: 01923 265211 T kingslangley@oliverlandpower.co.uk
Agco DM255/P mower conditioner, very good condition
Bomford TW 4.6m heavy duty batwing grass topper
Bailey 12t trailer, rollover sheets, complete refurb by Bailey 2 yrs ago, as new – 2 available
PlantMec 319 Q-bedder, 2020
Twose hedge cutter
Hi-Spec TD-S 4000 gallon slurry tanker 2019 2 available
Hi-Spec TD-S 4 gallon slurry tanker 2020 c/w dribble bar
526060/01406 330769 (Lincolnshire)
PAIR of Mitas tractor rear tyres 650/65R42, no punctures, splits or cracks, 40% wear left. £495+VAT ono for the pair. P Maw Tel 07768 322275 (Lincolnshire)
TWO front tractor tyres, 75% tread, 420/70-R28, good condition. £400. W Gould Tel 07930 631878 (Norfolk)
NEW BKT 13.6x38 tyre. £340+VAT. C Jackson Tel 07768 755036 (North Yorkshire)
20X38 Stocks, 13x38, 16x38, all with clamps, 9.5x44 rowcrops complete (unknown centres), 9.5x20 rowcrops, 900x16 army style wheels (2), shed clearance, if no interest I'll sell clamps separately. Offers. F Johnson Tel 07442 991763 (Lincolnshire)
SET of wheels & tyres, c/w John Deere rims, centres BKT AgriMax 420/80-R46 (16.9-R46) 380/85 (14.9-R30), very little use from new. £3,000+VAT. L Baker Tel 07823 402815/01449 766133 (Suffolk)
VEGETABLE EQUIPMENT
GIMME 1988 Continental onion harvester, fully webbed machine, 50mm front web, share & gate, good working order. £1,850+ VAT. D Brown Tel 07710 316205 (Cambridgeshire)
VEHICLES
LAND Rover Defender 90 pickup 300TDi, M reg, only 69k miles, I’ve owned it for the last 15yrs, I’m the 3rd owner, very tidy for year, will put 12 months MOT when sold, only selling due to not getting used enough, call for more info. £11,500. A Clarke Tel 07708 205708 (Norfolk)
LAND Rover Defender, 1988, good chassis, truck, cab, for spares or repair, 64,000mls on clock. £6,500 ono. K Pugh Tel 07977 912970/01694 771258 (Shropshire)
SYM Jet 100cc scooter, 02 plate, has had engine rebuilt. £725. V Smith Tel 07876 770545 (Warwickshire)
2022 Yamaha Kodiak 450, very low hrs, only 24hs with 32miles, road registered with V5 present, everything works as it should, basically a brand new quad! £6,200 ono. J Walker Tel 07944 415796 (Argyllshire)
RANGE Rover Vogue TDi, rare model with hard dash & 300TDi engine having covered only 98000 miles, 1993, manual, cloth interior, no rot, just top tailgate, runs & drives as it should, servicing & MOT. £5,500. C Bigley Tel 07909 910005 (Lincolnshire)
JEEP Grand Cherokee, auto, first & best generation, rugged off-road favourite, bomb proof engine, no timing belts or chains, cheap tax, MOT to March 2025, good electric leather seats, good treated chassis, cheap farmer's tow truck. £1,200. H Rutter Tel 07729 315750/01507 466860 (Lincolnshire)
LAND Rover Freelander GST D4E, 2010, leather interior, electric sun roof, new MOT, 75,000mls. £5,000. T Shipway Tel 07748 518206 (Essex)
CHERISHED personal number plate, A403 KAY, on retention, £80 registration fee paid. £1,000. E Calcott Tel 01827 62265 (Staffordshire)
MINI Cooper S diesel Paceman, 2015, all wheel drive, 56,000 miles, MOT May 2025, new clutch, timing chains, seals, oil & filter 1500 miles ago. £6,750. J Weston Tel 07803 270448 (Lincolnshire)
LAND Rover Defender, 2014, 45000 miles. £30,000. C Bigley Tel 07909 910005 (Lincolnshire)
VINTAGE
& CLASSIC
VERY rare single cylinder diesel engine air compressor. £325. V Smith Tel 07876 770545 (Warwickshire)
FORD 5000 Preforce, 1968, incomplete restoration due to ill health, excellent starter/runner, almost new engine & clutch T5 as 6600, power assisted steering, new fuel tank, dynamo, lights & flashers, downswept exhaust. £5,500 no VAT. B Gould Tel 01638 663310/07894 470640 (Suffolk)
MIL power loader, quick fit type brakes to fit Marshall/Leyland 802, c/w muck fork & materials bucket, Cambs/Beds border. £750. D Compton Tel 07764 687201 (Bedfordshire)
FOUR FMC front inner wheel weights to fit size 7.50x16 wheel, excellent condition. £80 cash only, no VAT, buy to collect. R Fordham Tel 01284 787207 (Suffolk)
We are suppliers of USED PARTSfor ANTIQUE,VINTAGE & CLASSIC TRACTORS
British & American, built 1920's–1980's
LTD www.pocock-tractorsupplies.co.uk
DAVID Brown 900 diesel, good runner. £3,000 no VAT. K Atkin Tel 01522 752624 eves/07835 086831 (no voicemail) (Lincolnshire)
INTERNATIONAL 434
VINTAGE water bowser, approx 1000L capacity, tyres hold air. R Hodgkins Tel 07747 623124 (Hertfordshire)
SPRINGTINE drag, old. £40. S Mackman Tel 07599 526060/01406 330769 (Lincolnshire)
TRANSPORT box for tractor. £25. S Mackman Tel 07599 526060/01406 330769 (Lincolnshire)
NUMBER of different power shafts. £10 each. S Mackman Tel 07599 526060/01406 330769 (Lincolnshire)
SET of harrow, c/w pole. £40. S Mackman Tel 07599 526060/01406 330769 (Lincolnshire)
TRACTOR seat, as new. £20. S Mackman Tel 07599 526060/01406 330769 (Lincolnshire)
FERGUSON bar for skerries. £25. S Mackman Tel 07599 526060/01406 330769 (Lincolnshire)
SINGLE phase electric motor, rev 1440. £20. S Mackman Tel 07599 526060/01406 330769 (Lincolnshire)
TWO Garret skerries. £50 each. S Mackman Tel 07599 526060/01406 330769 (Lincolnshire)
FORDSON pulley. £50. S Mackman Tel 07599 526060/01406 330769 (Lincolnshire)
PLOUGH parts for Ransomes 2 furrow reversible. £25. S Mackman Tel 07599 526060/01406 330769 (Lincolnshire)
PLOUGH parts for Ransomes reversible TS106. £50. S Mackman Tel 07599 526060/01406 330769 (Lincolnshire)
SIX Massey Ferguson 100 Series front weights. £240+VAT collection only, call between 10am & 6pm or WhatsApp. B Vaughan Tel 07831 665757 (Staffordshire)
TRACTOR cab for David Brown 880
MURATORI or Kuhn flail topper required, 2.9m or 3.2m, c/w rear wheels (not roller), in working condition. P Harvey Tel 07484 702754 (Cambridgeshire)
Good Quality Woodland Grown Oak Required. (Not Hedgerow Trees)
TRACKED post driving machine required, all types & sizes considered. C Wheeler Tel 07977 474408 (Wiltshire)
MOBILE corn drier required, with cleaner if possible, around 15t size, diesel powered, call or email admin@chriswheelers.co.uk. C Wheeler Tel 01635 810315 (Wiltshire)
4X4 truck required, anything as long as it goes. K Pugh Tel 07977 912970/01694 771258 (Shropshire)
We can help with woodland management schemes and felling licences - must be good quality.
Whatsapp photos to 07848 459863 or email to hugh@whippletree.co.uk Call 01763 208966
MOBILE corn drier required, with cleaner if possible, around 15t size, diesel powered. C Wheeler Tel 07977 474408 (Wiltshire) SANDERSON 622 telehandler or similar type of machine in reasonable condition required for smallholding. P Jackson Tel 01422 243914 (West Yorkshire)
DISC coulters for Accord grain drill required. T Burnell Tel 07811 496811 (Devon) CLAAS Medion 310, Dom 98VX or Mega Vista combine wanted, with C450 header & 3D sieves. S Eddon Tel 07979 984796 (North Yorkshire) FORD Consul Mk2 Lowline wanted, decent or for spares, or Classic Capri, or Mk1 Capri. J Weston Tel 07803 270448 (Lincolnshire)
WANTED
John Deere 00, 10, 20 & 30 Series tractors
Please email your machine to info@jamesmurrell.co.uk or call
KONGSKILDE Vibro-Flex 4000 Series wanted, the
STANDEN Statesman Two gearbox that drives the main hydraulic pump wanted, Part no 27834, or the whole machine. D Scott Tel 07747 628481 (Cambridgeshire) HARDI sprayer, 21m, vertical boom folding, in gwo. T Burnell Tel 07811 496811 (Devon) MASSEY 6499 engine side panel wanted, left side, 2011. D Bastable Tel 07770 273630 (Kent)
LOOKING for a farm trailer, 20' or thereabouts, any condition, but must be towable & close to Halifax, would the farmer from Greetland call again as I've lost phone number. P Jackson Tel 01422 243913 (West Yorkshire)
50-YEAR-OLD agricultural correspondence course college learning booklets wanted. Please write with details & prices to Mr D G Drew, 21 High Street, Foulsham, Norfolk NR20 5RT. D Drew Tel 01362 683307 (Norfolk)
JOHN Deere 8640/8440, 1983-ish, Super singles, UK tractor, wanted for working collection. Call or text Harvey (private buyer). H Crocker Tel 07971 849545 (Berkshire)
CLEAN & genuine Case 956XL or 1056XL tractor for light use by owner, alternatively, I would also consider a tidy Case 5140 or 5150 tractor. K Potter Tel 01223 290349 (Cambridgeshire) HAY mower & tedder required, in good order please. P Brand Tel 07867 558318 (Lincolnshire) JONES Panascopic telehandler for spares, or sell mine needing some attention for £3,000. J Weston Tel 07803 270448 (Lincolnshire)
CLAAS
BROCHURES WANTED All tractor and machinery brands, all years, complete collections. Cash or cheque on collection. Please phone Graham 07889 792875 59-105031
PERROT irrigation reel, 110/500, twin axle. D Brown Tel 07710 316205 (Cambridgeshire)
IRRIGATION pipes, 5", preferably razor. D Brown Tel 07710 316205 (Cambridgeshire)
ONION harvester, preferably with rotating bar & paddle. D Brown Tel 07710 316205 (Cambridgeshire)
MOUNTED sprayer wanted with 15m rear folding hydraulic booms. S Eddon Tel 07979 984796 (North Yorkshire)
WINGET 10NT/R batch concrete mixer in running order, as in photo. May be interested in non-runner as a spare, if available. J Hurd Tel 01985 840260/01985 840039 (Wiltshire)
SIMBA Mk3s wanted, hydraulic folding (?), preferably in the Grantham area. J Weston Tel 07803 270448 (Lincolnshire)
Tel: 01473 691888
We are recruiting
Passionate about delivering top-tier management services and understanding farm business performance? Join our team and make a real impact in agricultural consultancy, shaping the future of rural enterprises.
Wilson Wraight is a trusted and well-established leader in agricultural, environmental, and planning consultancy services. Based in Bury St Edmunds, our team of six Partners o ers high-quality, e cient management services designed to support landbased businesses for the long term. We are dedicated to fostering a dynamic environment where our team can grow, achieve, and thrive.
Yara welcomes new account managers
Yara UK has welcomed Sarah Walby and Simon Boucher, who join the crop nutrition services team as farm account managers.
Please apply in strictest confidence with CV and covering letter to sdoogan@wilsonwraight.co.uk
As part of her new role, Sarah will be supporting direct farmer customers with crop nutrition solutions in the Lothians, Borders, Northumberland, and Yorkshire areas, with a particular focus on liquid fertiliser.
Sarah is a
Sarah Walby
Harper Adams University graduate who comes from a farming family. Before joining Yara, she spent ve years working for an independent merchant in Herefordshire that supplied Yara products. Simon, who will cover the south west of England, will also be working closely with farmers, giving them expert advice, and coordinating product sales and deliveries. Simon brings over two decades of agronomic and fertiliser product knowledge to the role. Originally from Zimbabwe, he went on to work as a strawberry production manager in Herefordshire, before relocating to Zambia to work for a fertiliser
company, working directly with large commercial farming businesses. After Yara acquired that company, he remained in his role for eight years before accepting his current
cover the role with Yara in the UK.
Simon Boucher
New service manager at CTM
CTM Harpley Engineering has appointed Gilles Van Buynder as service manager – rst line contact for repairs or any service requirements. Gilles, who has been working with the company for just
over a year as assistant to service director Adrian Mountain, will continue to work closely with Adrian to give the best possible support to CTM and growing ROPA customers.
Contact Gilles on 07917 075214.
Omex has appointed Mark Paton as its district sales manager for Scotland, where the company is experiencing signi cant growth in liquid nitrogen fertiliser sales from all sectors of agriculture.
New district sales manager for Scotland
Neil Ford joins Ascenso family
To continue its predicted growth into the UK o highway market, Ascenso Tyres has announced that Neil Ford has joined the company, as a consultant for training and OE2, as well as supporting technical.
agriculture for this role at Omex.
He comments: “My intention is to build on relationships with existing customers and to ensure there is a seamless transition from solid to Omex liquid fertiliser systems for new customers.”
trading gave Mark 20 years
2021, Mark took up a role
Mark, who has over 30 years’ experience in the industry, has a degree in Agriculture and Forestry from the University of Edinburgh, plus a chartered surveyor quali cation, which led to employment with Smiths Gore. A switch to grain trading gave Mark 20 years of experience honing his sales skills in Scotland. In 2021, Mark took up a role with a highly regarded Borders-based estate agency, before coming back to
Omex commercial director Rob Burton adds: “[Mark] joins our nationwide liquid fertiliser team, o ering bespoke local advice to Scottish farmers. Mark is an excellent addition to the company salesforce with whom he will help deliver our company’s Greener Planet Commitment sustainable fertiliser strategy.”
team, o ering bespoke whom he will help deliver Commitment strategy.”
Kubota appoints area dealer manager
Kubota (UK) has appointed John Davis as agricultural and ground care dealer manager for the south and south west of England.
John has worked in the industry since leaving school, when he enrolled in an apprenticeship scheme with former dealer Tincknells, some 30 years ago. He joins Kubota following eight years with a specialist manufacturer, and brings with him considerable experience gained during his most recent role with self-propelled crop spraying equipment.
John says his industry experience working for dealers, importers and manufacturers has provided a solid foundation from where he can support Kubota dealers across the south and south west of England.
“There is growing demand from the industry for Kubota tractors, loaders, telehandlers and
ground care machinery,” he said.
“It’s a great time to be involved with such a well-respected, global manufacturer.”
Kubota’s agricultural and ground care sales manager, Tim Yates added: “John’s knowledge provides us with a great opportunity to continue supporting dealers as they build on the growth already achieved in the agricultural and ground care markets.”
Neil’s career began with Michelin Tyres where he worked in several departments including truck and o highway sales, before moving across to technical OE1 and OE2 plus manufacturing.
After 17 years with Michelin, he joined Goodyear AG which saw him focus on technical, sales and training, travelling extensively between Luxembourg and the UK. He then moved to Titan International to transition its supply chain, and technical and manufacturing structure across
Europe. Soon after joining Titan, he was asked to go to Volgograd in Russia as Titan had purchased a third share in Voltyre Prom. Following his work at Titan, Neil consulted for several years for many companies from o highway seating assigned to AGCO to global OEM1. OEM1.
Hydrokit expands to meet hydraulics demand
Arnold Shatwell has joined the Hydrokit UK team as technical sales manager, as part of an expansion to meet the ever-increasing demand for hydraulics.
Arnold began his hydraulics career at test equipment and control valve manufacturer Webtec and has most recently been advising agricultural dealers for Granit Parts in all things hydraulic. Arnold brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to Hydrokit, where he will support UK sales manager Dave
Freeman. Thanks to his training at the NFPC, where he completed the mobile hydraulics level 3 programme, he will be able to assist new and existing customers with their hydraulic enquiries, covering the whole of the UK and Ireland. Hydrokit UK is the professional partner for companies involved in the sales and repair of agricultural equipment; and designs, sells and delivers customerspecific hydraulic and electro-hydraulic solutions. Complementing this is an extensive range of essential workshop equipment.
partner for companies repair of agricultural sells and delivers customerelectro-hydraulic solutions. extensive range of
Ceva appoints group CFO
Ceva Animal Health has appointed Christophe Bailet as group chief nancial o cer. Christophe joined Ceva on 1st October, 2024. He began his career as a nancial analyst at Société Générale and then spent 20 years at Saint-Gobain in various senior nancial positions, particularly in international roles. He subsequently served as CFO for the Benvic and Kem One groups, both LBO companies and leaders in the vinyl sector.
Normale Supérieure in Letters and Human Sciences. He brings to Ceva extensive international experience in nance, with a particular expertise in managing LBO operations and corporate re nancing.
CFO for the Benvic and strengthening nancial
Christophe holds an MBA from ESSEC Business School and he graduated from the École
In his new role, he will be primarily responsible for overseeing the group’s next re nancing cycle and strengthening nancial performance to meet Ceva’s ambitious goals. He succeeds Alain de Woillemont, who held the position for 10 years and who will continue to provide his expertise throughout the next re nancing phase.
Ceva’s ambitious goals. He Woillemont, who held the his expertise
Adrian Mountain (left) and Gilles Van Buynder.
The fast and efcient advertising service for private farmers wishing to buy & sell their used machinery, livestock or equipment
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A LONG WAY TOGETHER
AGRIMAX V-FLECTO
No matter how challenging your needs, AGRIMAX V-FLECTO is your best ally when it comes to soil tillage and haulage applications. The tyre features excellent traction along with enhanced driving comfort both in the fields and on the road. With the exclusive VF technology, AGRIMAX V-FLECTO can carry very heavy loads with a lower inflating pressure even at high speeds providing reduced soil compaction, best self-cleaning properties as well as fuel economy.
AGRIMAX V-FLECTO is BKT’s response in terms of both technology and performance for high-power tractors.