December 2018 Farming Monthly National

INSIDE: LAMMA ’19 – new era begins for premier event page 30

Farming

MONTHLY National

December 2018

Also in this issue...

Arable

| Persistence of pesticides threatens European soils page 12

Intercropping field lab Also inside this month..

Plant teams give farmers a boost page 10

£100/ha savings possible p14

Buildings Allowance stimulus p17

Diversification after Brexit p45

PLUS: Arable | Grain | Shows | Forestry | Buildings | Machinery | Energy | ATV | Motors

CONTENTS December 2018

FEATURES 08

19

12 Arable

45 Diversification

Persistance of pesticides threatens European soils

48 Tyres Revolutionary Cup Wheel Tyre

46 Forestry

What could be simpler than a farm building?, Buildings allowance to stimulate farm investment

Perrys Savanah series driers, Gions makes new fans at MMS

48

A fifth of UK farmers are planning to diversify after Brexit

15 Buildings

20 Grain

25

Enhanced land use strategy for Scotland

REGULARS

22 Livestock Farmers in England now able to apply for all Moocall Sensors via Small Grant Scheme

06 News Winter Avian Flu threat

10 On Topic Performance is key

30 LAMMA LAMMA 2019 preview plus an outline of who you’ll see there

04 | Farming Monthly | December 2018

28 Energy Latest energy news

44 Machinery Latest machinery news

50 ATV ATV news...covered.

54 Motors Latest motors news

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

55

Agriculture. Covered.

EDITOR Andrew Poulton editor@farmingmonthly.com

Plant teams give farmers a boost in intercropping field lab

p10

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ISSN 2044-0190 (print) ISSN 2044-0200 (digital)

December 2018 | Farming Monthly | 05

| News

Poultry farmers and pet bird keepers urged to prepare for winter Avian Flu threat The Chief Veterinary Officers across the UK are encouraging all poultry keepers to take action now to reduce the risk of disease over the winter. ince June 2017, there have been no detections of avian influenza in poultry or kept birds in the UK and the UK has retained its OIE country freedom status since September 2017.

There are some simple measures that all bird keepers, whether they are running a large commercial farm, keeping a few birds in their back garden or rearing game birds, should take to protect their animals against the threat of avian influenza in the coming winter months. These include: Keep the area where birds live clean and tidy, control rats and mice and regularly disinfect any hard surfaces. Clean footwear before and after visits.

Place birds’ feed and water in fully enclosed areas that are protected from wild birds, and remove any spilled feed regularly.

Put fencing around outdoor areas where birds are allowed and limit their access to ponds or areas visited by wild waterfowl.

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Where possible, avoid keeping ducks and geese with other poultry species For poultry keepers in England, Wales and Scotland, sign up to a free APHA service to receive text or email alerts to any outbreaks of bird flu in the UK. In Northern Ireland, all bird keepers are encouraged to subscribe to a free text alert service by simply texting ‘BIRDS’ to 67300.

These measures are particularly important if you are in or close to one of the GB Higher Risk Areas.

You can check whether or not you are in a Higher Risk Area by using our interactive maps.

A joint statement by all four of the Chief Veterinary Officers in the UK today said: “Avian flu continues to circulate in many parts of the world and with the colder months upon us the risk of disease from migrating birds is increasing. It is critical that all keepers of poultry, including game birds and pet birds, act now to reduce the risk of transmission of avian flu to their flocks.

“Good biosecurity should be

06 | Farming Monthly | December 2018

maintained at all times, including regularly cleaning and disinfecting the area where you keep birds and separating them from wild birds wherever possible.

“Keepers should also ensure they register on the Great Britain Poultry Register and we are pleased that new forms are now in place to simplify this process.

Keepers in Northern Ireland must register their birds on the DAERA Bird Register. This can now be completed and submitted on-line.”

All bird keepers across Great Britain should also register their birds on the Great Britain Poultry Register (GBPR). If you have 50 or more birds, this is a legal requirement, although keepers with fewer than 50 birds are also strongly encouraged to register.

New simplified and user-friendly forms will speed up the process this year.

In Northern Ireland it is a legal requirement for all bird keepers to register every bird on the DAERA Bird Register, other than pet birds kept in the owner’s home.

Registering your birds means the government can contact you in the case of an outbreak and provide information on the steps to take to limit the chances of your birds getting the disease.

Last winter, the H5N6 HPAI strain of bird flu was only detected in wild birds and there were no outbreaks in domestic birds, either in commercial or small holdings.

Although there have been no findings in the UK since June 2018 the virus is still circulating in wild birds in North Europe (including Denmark and Germany) and has caused outbreaks in poultry. In addition, the H5N8 HPAI virus continues to circulate in Eastern Europe, highlighting the need to stay vigilant.

The Government continues to monitor for incursions of avian flu and is working with the poultry and game bird industries; hen rehoming and pure and traditional poultry breeds stakeholders to help prevent incursions.

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| News

UK farmers committed to improving environmental standards in 2019 New research shows UK farmers are taking action on the environment, with an overwhelming 98% saying they have measures in place to drive environmental improvements on their farms. he latest Farm Forward Barometer – part of an ongoing research programme commissioned by McDonald’s UK and conducted by the National Farm Research Unit – found 62% of farmers also plan further green investments in 2019. It found farmers’ current priorities are improving soil management (84%), preserving the countryside (84%) and better water management (70%).

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“We want to use our scale for good, to minimise our impact on the environment and help the farmers who supply us to do the same. We’ve done this over many years, from working with the beef industry to reduce carbon emissions, to planting trees across the farms that supply our free-range eggs” Asked why the environment is such a focus, farmers are driven first and foremost by a sense of personal responsibility with more than half (53%) saying they believe improving environmental standards is the right thing to do.

In comparison, a third (31%) say they are responding to increased customer demand for sustainably sourced products and only 7% say that government moves to link subsidies to environmental improvements like planting meadows and protecting wildlife are among the main reasons they think change is important.

Andrew Francis, Farm Manager, Elveden Farm Estate, potato supplier to McDonald’s UK, said: “I strongly believe we should grow food responsibly and consider how to make environmental improvements. For example, we take action to preserve habitats for rare species by managing field corners and headlands to enhance habitat, and monitor inputs like fertiliser to produce our crop as efficiently as possible. As an industry, we need to take a cross sector approach to evaluate our impact and address

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concerns together.”

The research also highlights many challenges farmers face when it comes to driving environmental standards. 79% cite high production costs, 68% say it is difficult to find viable alternative farming methods and 60% say they struggle to raise funds to make improvements. A further 40% say they cannot get access to the right skills, advice and expertise.

Technology could be part of the solution. For example, 94% of farmers say they are keeping tabs on soil testing equipment like moisture and organic matter sensors to help with soil health, while 87% are interested in satellite technology and 78% in self-driving tractors which can help to apply nutrients and harvest fields more accurately.

Pete Garbutt, Agriculture Manager for McDonald’s UK, said: “This research shows the huge strides farmers are making to protect the world around us. They believe that good food can also be sustainable and are committed to making this a reality.

“We want to use our scale for good, to minimise our impact on the environment and help the farmers who supply us to do the same. We’ve done this over many years, from working with the beef industry to reduce carbon emissions, to planting trees across the farms that supply our freerange eggs.

“The findings of this research bring to light a number of environmental challenges, which we will work on with our suppliers and experts to consider how we can help farmers tackle these critical issues.”

December 2018 | Farming Monthly | 07

| News

Be responsible for your drone Despite the increasing use of drones in agriculture, there remains a grey area when considering the insurance implications of using unmanned aerial systems as a farm business tool. irst and foremost, insurers and brokers need to be aware if drones are being used, and for what applications,” explains Paige Dalby, of Farmers & Mercantile Insurance Brokers (FMIB).

“Each individual insurer will take a slightly different stance. Some may include it as part of a standard farm-policy, but as drones represent a civil aviation risk, it is possible that operators will need to

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use a specialist insurer for commercial use.”

There are several key points that every drone operator must consider.

You are responsible for each flight. Take time to understand the rules as you are legally responsible for every flight. Failure to comply could lead to a criminal prosecution. Visit www.caa.co.uk/drones for information from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

Keep your drone in sight at all

times, and be aware of the height restrictions. Stay below 400 feet.

Keep your distance. It is illegal to fly your drone over a congested area. Never fly within 50 metres of a person, vehicle or building.

You are responsible for avoiding collisions. You should never fly a drone near an airport or close to aircraft. It is a criminal offence to endanger the safety of an aircraft in flight.

Learn to fly your drone. Why not join a local flying club to help you learn new skills and keep within the

law?

Consider rights of privacy. Think about what you do with any images you obtain as you may break privacy laws.

FMIB’s advice is to speak with your broker, ascertain the risks and balance that with the benefits.

Insurance products will be available should you decide to proceed.

Meet the FMIB team at LAMMA 2019 (Hall 10, Stand 10.520) to discuss your requirements or call 01604 782782 for more details. Visit www.fandmgroup.co.uk

The farming friend you might not have met yet We all like something for nothing, so how about free protection for your land, animals and property. omeone to untangle the sheep when they're stuck in the fencing and someone to put the animals back into the field and shut the gate properly so they don't wander off down the road again.

If you were a bit shorthanded, it would be nice for someone to help out, oh yes and possibly someone that may help with new machinery or a new barn - it would be nice to

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have an extra couple of hands, if need arises.

How about a few more eyes keeping watch on things while you are at the market or ploughing fields away or just having lunch?

Someone could be doing all of this for you for free and quite often they are still there when the suns gone down.

Who is it I hear you ask? Well it is a stranger that you probably said no to sometime before. This is the stranger who will do that and more.

08 | Farming Monthly | December 2018

It is the person with the metal detector who really does these things, throughout the year for very many happy farmers and land owners across the country, making the farm, animals and it all it contains that little bit safer.

Only a phone call away when help is needed. And as for the many thefts from farm lands these days a detectorist out there wandering the fields will possibly be the first person to spot anything unusual going on. He can make a

quick phone call to the farm and let them know what's happening. As for buying those possible extras the machinery, the barn and more well many farmers have benefited from treasure trove so please remember next time there's a knock at the door with a simple request, it could be a blessing in disguise if you choose to say yes.

Gerry Llewellyn, Bristol Detectorist 30 years in the field

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| News

LJ Fairburn & Son wins prestigious Amazon Growing Business Award Lincolnshire family food firm named Rural Business of the Year. n Alford-based food company which is one of the UK’s largest egg producers and packers has been named Rural Business of the Year at the annual Amazon Growing Business Awards.

LJ Fairburn & Son was crowned the winner of its category at a showpiece ceremony in London last Wednesday evening (28 November) after competing against companies from across the UK for the top prize. cid:image001.png@01D48A92.2016F220The Amazon Growing Business Awards, which celebrates 20 years this year, are the UK’s most established and respected recognition of SME and entrepreneurial success. The awards were created by Real Business and backed by the CBI. Along with LJ Fairburn & Son, 16 other businesses from across the country were recognised for their successes in a range of different categories.

Sarah Louise Fairburn from LJ Fairburn & Son said, “I’m thrilled to be bringing this award back home to Alford. Our team is so dedicated and together we have helped to grow our business into something we can all be really proud of.

Being rurally-based is not only crucial to our business, but part of our family heritage, and with the development of technology we are now connected to businesses and customers all over the country. It’s wonderful to be recognised by industry leaders like Amazon, the CBI and Real Business and goes to show that our hard work is definitely getting noticed!”

“A huge congratulations to all the winners and

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businesses highly commended at this year’s Amazon Growing Business Awards”, said Doug Gurr, UK Country Manager, Amazon.

“Businesses like LJ Fairburn & Son are the lifeblood of the UK economy and a true inspiration to others, so it’s great to see them recognised for their incredible entrepreneurship, creativity and innovative spirit at the awards.”

“For over two decades the Growing Business Awards have spotted real raw talent and growth potential in businesses of all sizes and helped propel them into the limelight. This year is no exception. The winners are all true leaders in

their own right, heading up true growth businesses with limitless potential.” added Praseeda Nair, editorial director, Real Business.

This year’s winning businesses come from a range of industries including design, manufacturing, travel, healthcare and retail. They join a prestigious list of businesses who have gone on to further successes after competing in the Amazon Growing Business Awards.

Companies like Revolut, Go Ape, Innocent Drinks, Betfair and Fever-Tree have become household names.

Crops can be grown in Arsenic contaminated soil without being poisonous Researchers at the University of Warwick are working on ways to contribute to developing safe crops which can be grown in As contaminated soil but reduce the amount of As going to the edible part. fter World Soil day 2018 (5th December) the University of Warwick looks at ongoing research into the growing of crops in Arsenic contaminated soil without the edible part of the plant being effected.

Arsenic in soil is a worldwide problem. The chemical is carcinogenic and is naturally found in water supplies and soil particularly in Bangladesh and the north-eastern part of India.

Arsenate is the most abundant form of arsenic and is structurally similar to phosphate.

Therefore, it is easily incorporated in to plant cells through phosphate uptake pathway – the process of the roots absorbing nutrients.

However when a plant absorbs Arsenic it can translocate it up to the edible part of the plant – ultimately arsenic enters food chain.

Plants have an inherent capacity to cope with arsenic stress by producing metalchelating peptides called phyochelatins (PCs).

PCs detoxify the arsenic and restrict the

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movement of arsenic in the roots. Which in turn helps to reduce the root-to-shoot translocation of Arsenic. Phyochelatins are therefore essential in trapping the arsenic absorbed by the plant in the roots.

Scientists at the University of Warwick wanted to make plants with more phytochelatins in the roots, to stop any of the arsenic escaping and travelling up the shoot to the edible part of the plant.

This is being done by making transgenic plants with reduced cytokinin hormone in the roots. Which means phytochelatin is boosted and can detoxify and hold more arsenic in the root.

Dr Mohan TC, from Dr Alex Jones Laboratory, School of Life Sciences at the University of Warwick is doing this pilot study in transgenic Barley, and is now looking at doing it in rice plants thanks to funding from the Medical and Life Sciences Research Fund (MLSRF), UK. He comments:

“To stop the cancer causing arsenic entry into the food chain, it is essential to develop safe crops, through restricting the translocation of arsenic to edible part.

In our current project, we are trying to manipulate cytokinin hormone in rice plants through genetic engineering and we expect to increase the roots detoxification capacity of the transgenic rice.”

December 2018 | Farming Monthly | 09

| On Topic

Plant teams give farmers a boost in intercropping field lab Farmers have been reaping the benefits of growing two crops side by side, in an intercropping field lab with the Innovative Farmers network. he field lab saw three farmers pair crops into teams they hoped would best suit their farms and looked at beans grown with winter wheat; Carlin peas intercropped with triticale; and oil seed rape (OSR) also paired with beans. It was sponsored by the Diversify Horizon 2020 project* and coordinated by the Organic Research Centre in partnership with Innovative Farmers.

Results from the trials have been varied but positive for all three farmers involved in the trials, who have been able to share their

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10 | Farming Monthly | December 2018

knowledge and results with others through the Innovative Farmers network, which enables and promotes farmer-led research.

The farmers reported seeing increased weed suppression, bonus crops, and easier harvesting, and as a result they are continuing the trial next year and encouraging others to take part.

James Hares, from Roundhill Farm in Wiltshire, said: “We are definitely doing this again next year, we’d be stupid not to. In fact, we’ve already ordered our seed.”

Beans and winter wheat team - Roundhill Farm, Wiltshire:

As an organic farmer, James Hares trialled intercropping as a weed prevention technique.

He hoped to tackle his wild oat burden by growing winter wheat alongside his bean crop.

He drilled the beans at his usual rate (175kg/ha) and added wheat at 50% of his usual drill rate (125kg/ha).

Although his bean yield was slightly lower, the wheat provided an extra crop, and both will be used as feed on farm. In addition, the intercropped plots saw 62% less weed biomass in comparison to the control plots.

He said: “The beans were our main crop so any wheat we got was a bonus – the lower

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| On Topic

bean yields were more than made up for by the wheat. This is our first foray into intercropping and we are convinced it was worthwhile.

Having the extra biomass in the form of a wheat crop - rather than weeds - is hugely beneficial.

Next year, we’ll probably drop the wheat rate to around a third to try and boost our bean yield while still suppressing the weeds.”

Carlin pea and triticale team - Green Acres, Shropshire: Mark Lea, organic pulse grower for Hodmedod’s, grew triticale alongside his Carlin peas with the aim of providing scaffolding for the peas to prevent crops lodging on the ground and make harvesting easier.

He planted triticale at various rates to provide comparison - 0%, 5% (12.5kg/ha), 10% (25kg/ha), 20% (50kg/ha) and 30% (75kg/ha).

He found he had the highest pea yield at the 10% rate.

However, he found the peas easier to harvest at the 30% rate and will continue to plant at this higher rate in the next season, particularly as the low rainfall this year meant there was a lower chance of lodging. He also saw a small reduction in weed levels.

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Bean and OSR team – Bockhanger Farm, Kent: Andy Howard from Bockhanger Farm in Kent, who has completed a Nuffield scholarship on intercropping, took part in the field lab as he was looking to grow two marketable crops side-by-side. He conducted a replicated onfarm trial with spring oilseed rape as a companion crop for his beans.

He had a disappointing OSR crop - a wet March meant drilling a month late, plus issues with slugs, wet soils and pollen beetle later in the year. However, he saw an increase in flowering on his beans and is keen to continue the trial next year, hopeful for less challenging weather.

He said: “I was growing the oilseed rape as a companion crop. This year pollen beetle was a major problem in the OSR and we spent money trying to control them, but it didn’t work. Next year, I may use spring OSR again – maybe with a higher value pea – but I won’t spend money on inputs for the companion crop as it’s not worth the risk, whatever we get from OSR will just be a bonus.

“The other interesting thing we noticed was that, in July, the intercropped beans had at

least 50% more flowers. They were podding right down the stem whereas the monocrop only started halfway up. Unfortunately, we then had the long, hot spell, meaning that the flower potential didn’t translate to the final yield.

Whether this difference was down to seed rates or something else we can’t be sure, but I’m interested to see whether it’s repeated next year.”

As well as the trials on James, Andy and Mark’s farms, there were trial plots at the University of Reading, and the whole field lab was part of Europe-wide research into intercropping and ‘plant teams’ as part of the Diversify, which this year also included on-farm trials in Austria, Denmark, Italy, Portugal, Scotland, Spain and Switzerland alongside plot trials.

Any farmer can take part in next year’s intercropping field lab with Innovative Farmers by contacting group coordinator Charlotte Bickler, from the Organic Research Centre, on charlotte.b@organicresearchcentre.com.

For more information visit www.innovativefarmers.org

December 2018 | Farming Monthly | 11

| Arable

The persistence of pesticides threatens European soils A study developed by researchers from the Diverfarming project finds pesticide residues in the soils of eleven European countries in six different cropping systems. he use of phytosanitary projects to combat weeds and other pests that affect the crops has led to an increase in the productivity of European agricultural crops in the last 50 years. Their use has been one of the principal mainstays of the intensification of agriculture in recent decades and has enabled greater crop yields to be obtained, but this advantage has been at the expense of the agricultural soils of the European Union.

Two researchers from the scientific team of the European Diverfarming project at the University of Wageningen (Netherlands), Violette Geissen and Coen J. Ritsema, have analysed surface soil samples from 11 European countries, searching for traces of the pesticides used in the area of agriculture and they have confirmed the persistence of this type of product in the land.

After analysing 317 samples taken in 2015 from 11 European countries belonging to six different

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cropping systems, the study “Pesticide residues in European agricultural soils: a hidden reality unfolded” concluded that 83% of said samples contained pesticide residues (76 different types of compounds). Some 58% of that percentage were mixes of pesticides, as opposed to 25% which came from a single type of substance. Glyphosate, DDT (banned since the 1970s) and broad-spectrum fungicides were the main compounds detected.

Increased social concern regarding this issue has two basic precepts: the major persistence of pesticides in the soil (as shown by this study) and the toxicity for some non-objective species (those which are not targeted).

Considering that the residues accumulate in the uppermost part of the soil, they will easily become airborne due to air currents.

To face up to this problem, the Diverfarming project financed by the H2020 programme of the European Commission, proposes a more rational use of the land and the inputs that are incorporated therein: water, energy, fertilisers,

12 | Farming Monthly | December 2018

machinery and pesticides. A series of alternatives are proposed for preserving the soil microorganism balance and, therefore, the biodiversity and its very health.

These range from the use of new non-persistent pesticides, biostimulants, organic composts or to ally with crop diversification which contributes to balanced insect communities and thus to the absence of pests.

According to the study, the presence of mixes of pesticide residues in the soil is more the rule than the exception, which illustrates the need to evaluate environmental risks in the case of these combined compounds to minimise their impact.

Those who are cultivating the land are becoming increasingly aware that in order to have good produce they need good soil, which means that studies such as that by Geissen and Ritsema, as well as strategies such as those proposed by Diverfarming are more and more essential in the European agriculture sector.

Diverfarming is a project financed by the Horizon 2020

Programme of the European Commission, within the challenge of “Food Security, Sustainable Agriculture and Forestry, Marine, Maritime and Inland Water Research and the Bioeconomy”, which counts on the participation of the Universities of Cartagena and Córdoba (Spain), Tuscia (Italy), Exeter and Portsmouth (United Kingdom), Wageningen (Netherlands), Trier (Germany), Pecs (Hungary) and ETH Zurich (Switzerland), the research centres Consiglio per la ricerca in agricoltura e l'analisi dell'economia agraria (Italy), the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (Spain) and the Natural Resources Institute LUKE (Finland), the agrarian organisation ASAJA, and the companies Casalasco and Barilla (Italy), Arento, Disfrimur Logística and Industrias David (Spain), Nieuw Bromo Van Tilburg and Ekoboerdeij de Lingehof (Netherlands), Weingut Dr. Frey (Germany), Nedel-Market KFT and Gere (Hungary) and Paavolan Kotijuustola and Polven Juustola (Finland)).

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| Arable

Contact your nearest dealer: Central Cropsprayers Limited Unit J Sandford Industrial Park Whitchurch Shropshire SY13 2AN 01948 840187 www.centralcropsprayers.co.uk Agratech NW Ltd Unit 8 Dale Mill Burnley Road East Lancashire BB4 9HU 01706 211399 www.agratech.co.uk

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December 2018 | Farming Monthly | 13

| Arable

Farmer sees £100/ha savings with biological system One farmer has cut his crop establishment costs by more than £100/ha, without compromising yield, by switching to a conservation agriculture crop establishment system which incorporates biological farming. peaking at the recent QLF Agronomy Soil Event, Jake Freestone, farm manager at Overbury Enterprises, told delegates that the estate has benefited from increased soil health and reduced input costs since switching to a biological system in 2013.

“Before moving to this system our average wheat establishment costs were £169/ha. This has now dropped to £52/ha with a switch to no-till farming”, explained Jake.

“When planting oilseed rape we are spending an extra £30/ha on seed, because of the introduction of companion crops. However, the benefits significantly outweigh this additional cost, with a net margin improvement of £35/ha.

“We include the carbon-based

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liquid fertiliser, L-CBF Boost, with all synthetic applications to all crops, which has allowed us to cut back our use of artificial inputs by enough to keep it cost neutral, without compromising the efficacy of the input and reaping the added benefit of increasing soil health.”

He added that there are also time benefits to a biological system. “It now takes us a quarter of the time to get a crop established, so we have more time to dedicate to other enterprises.

We also need less equipment, because of the introduction of our one pass system, which all has a positive effect on our bottom line.”

Also speaking at the event, Joel Williams from Integrated Soils, explained that all farming systems can take steps to adopt biological practices to mimic Overbury’s success.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re

conventional, organic, no-till or a tillage farmer, there are biological practices that work with the ecology of every farm system to benefit the soil, crop health and productivity,” said Joel.

“For example, one way to increase soil health and plant productivity is by adding diversity to your rotation, which can be achieved by introducing cover or companion crops.

“By growing different plant species with different rooting depths or different growth stages, more nutrients are unlocked and made available to the plant, reducing the need for synthetic inputs.

“Growers are often worried that ground will be taken out of production in this scenario, but this doesn’t have to be the case, for example, companion cropping allows you to grow a cash crop

and a legume simultaneously,” he explained.

“Another simple step is grazing livestock on arable land, whether on stubbles, cover crops or rotational leys. This can increase soil organic matter and improve soil structure, via the action of hooves ‘stomping’ residues into the ground.”

The QLF Agronomy Soil Event was held at Overbury Enterprises on the Worcestershire/Gloucestershire boarder on 14 November.

Autumn micronutrients improve oilseed establishment By: Natalie Wood, Country Arable Agronomist at Yara UK. dequate nutrition has always been important for good establishment of oilseed rape and autumn micronutrients have an important part to play.

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Large plants that haven’t had any foliar micronutrients applied may be struggling to get sufficient nutrition from the soil, having depleted the reserves.

Typically there always tends to be a wide variation in the state of oilseed rape crop across the country. Some crops drilled into moist seed beds have faired well are already getting well established. Whereas other crops which went into drier conditions are struggling, particularly since OSR roots aren’t able to grow through solid soil very well and tend to curl up rather than

penetrate through.

Micronutrients play an important role at either end of this spectrum.

Large plants that haven’t had any foliar micronutrients applied may be struggling to get sufficient nutrition from the soil, having depleted the reserves. Small plants will need all the help they can get to overcome pests and grow sufficiently before winter arrives and soil temperatures start to drop.

Several key micronutrients are needed by oilseed rape Manganese, boron and molybdenum are the main micronutrients for oilseed rape and are important for early plant establishment and maintenance of healthy green leaves.

Manganese is necessary for photosynthesis and protein synthesis whilst also regulating the activity of nitrate reductase. As such deficiency leads to an accumulation of nitrate in plant tissue which can encourage diseases as well as reducing the plants tolerance to cold temperatures over winter.

14 | Farming Monthly | December 2018

Boron has several key roles in plants and is required for both cell division and cell elongation, boron is particularly important for root development, during stem extension and at flowering.

Molybdenum is needed by plants to utilise nitrogen and similar to manganese a deficiency can lead to high levels of nitrates in plant tissues.

Improve oilseed rape establishment Consider a specific application of a balanced combination of micronutrients including manganese, magnesium, boron and molybdenum as a foliar application that are important for oilseed both in the autumn and spring. This application is a precaution for potential

micronutrient deficiencies before they start to show symptoms; as once this occurs then yield is already being lost.

An autumn application can reduce the susceptibility of oilseed rape to disease and help to increase establishment. Recent Yara trial data from the 2018 harvest has shown an average yield benefit of 0.46t/ha from an application in the autumn and the spring. At Ex farm prices of £320/t this yield benefit would give you an extra £147/ha with a ROI of about 4:1 from the two applications.

For further information visit https://www.yara.co.uk/cropnutrition/agronomy-advice/oilseedrape-autumn-micronutrients/

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| Buildings

What could be simpler than a farm building?

By Jim Rogerson of FarmPlus Buildings. here’s nothing simpler than a farm building, yet why do the majority of people get this wrong? Sure farm buildings are simple, everyone can do a simple basic building, and we probably all can and do.

The biggest problem with getting a good job done comes down to a bit of time and money.

In this instance time should play the biggest role, because if you are controlling the job yourself then you probably aren’t paying yourself anyway. So if you spend extra time getting it right, it probably doesn’t cost you anything. Yet the benefits can be far reaching.

Simple mistakes can be made, especially late in the year: “We are desperate to get some cows undercover”.

“I need the cheapest option to get some cattle off the land”.

“We have a gap here close to the house, its wasted space, we might as well use it for now, and we’ll use it as a garage/workshop later”.

Yet mostly, once cattle go into a building, it is very difficult to turn the building back to anything other than cattle housing.

Did you stop and think is it in the right place to get rid of all the muck?

Does the ground slope away from or to the house?

Water runs downhill naturally, so does dirty water and muck....

With this adage in mind and a bit of thought, a simple well designed farmyard will help to wash itself with every bit of rain. To put it simply, if you can keep the farmhouse and yard at the top end and direct all the muck to the low end, cleaning will be a lot simpler and life a lot more pleasant with a lot less ear-ache from the housekeeper!

Just because you wear wellington boots to walk through the cattle field and gateways, it doesn’t mean it’s alright to need them around the farmyard. When you are designing your building make sure you know what you really want and design it for the real use. £2,000.00 goes nowhere with vets bills, antibiotics and loss of growth rate or even lost/dead animals. All too often these factors are just put down to a fact of life, especially on a farm, just by buying/using the cheapest options at the beginning.

Very few open sided buildings work well for animal housing as far as ventilation and air exchange work and people say to me, “oh it will be alright with one side open”.

After buying a smoke machine some 5 years ago and testing buildings I can assure you they don’t work. They may work reasonably well on a cold, wet, windy day when all of us are glad of shelter but if you get a good spring

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day with the sun shining, with a bit of warmth in the building you will find there is probably no air movement at all and if there is any, it is going out through the back side of the building.

Animals need basic simple shelters: • Shelter from the wind.

• Shelter from the rain.

• Shade from the sun.

• Plenty of fresh air movement above animal height.

Left alone in nature, animals will always find natural shelters, behind a wall, hedge, shelter belt, in a hollow, all with movement over the top of them so they always have fresh air to breathe in.

So the starting point for animal housing has to be shelter and air exchange.

Animals like having a wall to shelter behind but need plenty of air movement over the top of them.

All of us probably understand about trying to keep the prevailing wind and rain to the closed side of a building, yet we all fail to leave enough openings in the ridge to allow warm stale air to rise up naturally and exit the building as soon as possible.

I hear all too often that we need a big tall building with lots of air for all these animals. The basis of this is totally wrong. What is needed is a high rate of natural air exchange to keep your animals healthy, which overall will reduce vets visits and antibiotic use (possibly saving you thousands of pounds annually), all for a bit of time planning and no more expense than a couple of thousand upfront to begin with.

All too often I get told we have to put a fibre cement roof on livestock housing to stop the condensation, I put it to you that this idea has had a disastrous effect on animal health because it absorbs the condensation and hides any ventilation problems.

You only get condensation through a build-up of humidity and if this is happening there is a ventilation problem.

You have to do something to increase the air exchange.

A bigger volume of air won’t increase the air exchange it will probably only exasperate the problem.

Your starting point needs to be air exchange and getting the correct number of air exchanges per hour.

This needs to happen every day of the year, not just on windy days. The cheapest solution is always the stack effect from warm air rising, and, in reality a lower ridge height will allow the air to leave the building quicker. In a tall building the warm air rises, cools and comes back down before reaching the ridge.

Fresh air is free, where else can you get free animal health.

December 2018 | Farming Monthly | 15

| Buildings

Compressed is best for corrugated sheet Fibre cement corrugated sheet is the ideal roofing and cladding material for livestock buildings, says Ged Ferris of Cembrit. ommonly seen on agricultural buildings across the UK, fibre cement was first manufactured in Europe at the end of the 19th Century. Cembrit stepped into this market in the 1930’s.

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Cemsix comes with all the product quality and environmental management accreditations you would expect At Cembrit, we believe that compression is a vital step in the manufacturing process of fibre cement corrugated sheeting. The reason for this is that the fixing is a weak point in the cladding, whatever material is used.

Because it is exposed to the elements a roof is under immense stress and fixing tolerances will be tested to their limit. A higher density cement sheet, such as our Cemsix sheet, will mitigate some of this and provide a more durable fixing location.

Cemsix Cemsix fully compressed

corrugated sheet is produced in the traditional 6" UK profile with six corrugations and overlaps/underlaps on both sides of the sheet. Cemsix is available in three colouration types, all with matching accessories; natural grey, “low sheen” Cemscape or with Cembrit’s three stage coloration process in 7 colours. All sheets are guaranteed for 30 years with a 10 year colour stability guarantee on painted product.

Cemsix corrugated sheet can be fixed to steel or timber purlins.

Fixing holes should be predrilled, or self drilling self tapping top fix fixings can be used. Fixing should always be undertaken according to BS 8219:2001.

In addition to over 100 years’ experience manufacturing fibre reinforced cement roofing and cladding products, Cemsix comes with all the product quality and environmental management accreditations you would expect.

Cembrit corrugated sheets is a high-quality fibre cement product used as roofing and cladding on agricultural and industrial buildings.

To view Cembrit Cemsix, visit the Cembrit stand (Hall 8 Stand 8.402) at LAMMA in January 2019.

16 | Farming Monthly | December 2018

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| Buildings

Buildings allowance to stimulate farm investment Erecting and refurbishing farm buildings will be more financially viable now that farmers can benefit from the new Structures and Buildings Allowance (SBA). ccording to accountant Old Mill, the SBA – announced by chancellor Philip Hammond in the autumn Budget – is a big tax change which could make a significant difference to farm investment. It allows landowners to offset 2% of the building cost against their Income Tax or Corporation Tax each year, for the next 50 years.

“Alongside the increase in the Annual Investment Allowance, to £1m a year, this is the biggest thing to come out of the Budget,” says rural tax specialist Catherine Vickery. “Since the government abolished the Agricultural Buildings Allowance in 2011 there has been no tax relief available on new farm buildings, so this is an exciting change.”

The SBA applies to the erection or refurbishment of commercial buildings from 29 October 2018. It covers commercial offices, storage and livestock buildings – whether for your own use or rental - but not residential dwellings.

“The aim is to get people investing to stimulate business growth,” explains Ms Vickery. “It’s not a huge incentive, but it may be enough to tip the balance when people are assessing their infrastructure. The tax saving, combined with improved building efficiencies, could make it more financially viable to erect a new build or carry out extensive refurbishment.”

For example, a farmer looking at spending £100,000 on a new barn would be able to offset £2,000 a year against Income or Corporation Tax. If paying tax at the highest rate of 47%, that would generate a tax saving of £940. They will most likely be borrowing money to finance the build, so can also offset the interest against tax.

“If you’re paying interest at 2%, and therefore saving £1,880 a year in tax when combined with the SBA, it effectively means the building is costing you £120 a year, excluding capital repayments.” (See table) There are some restrictions: Where contracts have been signed or work commenced before 29 October 2018, the SBA will not apply. “There are anti-avoidance measures in place to prevent anyone trying to fabricate eligibility,” warns Ms Vickery. That said, it may be possible to claim partial eligibility, where one contract has been signed covering the structure, but

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Spending £100,000 on a new building Borrowing £100,000 interest only at 2% Basic Rate

Higher Rate

Additional Rate

Tax Rate (Inc Class 4 NIC)

29%

42%

47%

Annual Finance Cost

2,000

2,000

2,000

Less Tax Relief on SBA

(580)

(840)

(940)

Less Tax Relief on Finance Cost

(580)

(840)

(940)

Net Cost of Build per Annum

840

320

120

another is yet to be agreed for the concrete, for example.

In future years, the SBA is likely to affect farm prices, as the allowance transfers over to the purchaser, she adds. “However, the vendor should be aware that the base value of the building will reduce by the amount of allowance claimed, so the sale could generate a chargeable capital gain.”

The SBA also applies to structures – including walls, bridges and tunnels - so may be useful when refurbishing or erecting stone walls, for example. In addition, it covers the cost of necessary demolition and land alterations, but not the cost of the land or obtaining planning permissions.

When combined with the £1m Annual Investment Allowance – which gives 100% upfront tax relief on the purchase of eligible plant and machinery – now is an extremely good time for farmers to be improving or replacing their buildings, suggests Ms Vickery. “You could make your business a lot more efficient by having buildings which are really fit for purpose.”

December 2018 | Farming Monthly | 17

| Buildings

Speak one-on-one with RIDBA at LAMMA ‘19 Visit RIDBA on Marley Eternit’s stand 7.720 at LAMMA ‘19. gricultural building stakeholders are invited to speak directly to RIDBA about topical issues at LAMMA ‘19 on Marley Eternit’s stand 7.720 in Hall 7. This will be RIDBA’s first attendance to the agricultural and machinery show for a number of years, located at the NEC in Birmingham on Tuesday, January

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8 to Wednesday, January 9.

RIDBA Chairman, Mike Hammond, comments: “RIDBA is thrilled to have a presence at an exhibition again and delighted to be working with one of our members at LAMMA ‘19. We are the leading trade association for the modern agriculture and industrial buildings industry in the UK, and will represent the views of our industry, so we look forward to

18 | Farming Monthly | December 2018

speaking with you at the show.”

According to Martin Clunn, Profiled Sheet Marketing Manager for Marley Eternit, the UK manufacturer of fibre cement is supportive of the educational and legislative work RIDBA does on behalf of its membership to enhance and foster business practices in the agricultural building industry.

“The work RIDBA champions is

paramount to not only the business development of the agricultural building industry, but the quality and safety of projects,” says Martin. “From contractors, fabricators, designers, surveyors, planners to manufacturers – everyone in the agricultural building industry is invited onto stand 7.720 to have one-one-one conversations with RIDBA.”

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| Buildings

New JP Concrete silage clamp for Frogmary Green Farm’s AD plant JP Concrete has completed the supply and installation of high-quality pre-cast concrete panels for a silage clamp at a new farm-based AD/biogas plant in Somerset. orking closely together with David Civil Engineering, who wanted panels with a very high finish for their customer, Sustainable Energy Generation, a total of 73 panels (316/250 AGRI L) have created a clamp that will

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house arable crops, growing grass, cereals, maize and fodder beet from the 320ha Frogmary Green Farm.

“The leachate from storing this type of material can be very detrimental to concrete”, said Shane David, Director at David Civil Engineering.

“We searched long and hard for

a product that had a suitably hard surface and a very high standard of finish – with JP Concrete able to not only supply but install too.

With cheaper panels you can get twists and misalignments where the surface isn’t sufficiently tight, but the panels from JP Concrete are first-class for an AD silage clamp”.

In creating 182.5m of wall to maximise the storage space for Sustainable Energy Generation, the pre-cast JP Concrete panels were resin-anchored for added stability to a reinforced concrete foundation poured by David Civil Engineering, who also then laid an asphalt surface over the top.

December 2018 | Farming Monthly | 19

| Grain

Turn-Key grain handling & drying solutions from Perry of Oakley Limited With 70 years’ experience in the manufacture of materials handling, drying & storage equipment there are few types of projects that Perry of Oakley Ltd have not provided a solution for. erry of Oakley Ltd. provide high quality machinery to a wide variety of industries, including farms, commercial grain stores, waste & aggregate industries, feed & pet food, pharmaceutical & biomass industries, and many others.

Perry specialise in the manufacture of chain & flight conveyors, aspirator pre-cleaners, belt & bucket elevators, belt conveyors, augers & screw conveyors along with their range of grain driers & belt driers. Perry can also source products such as rotary cleaners, colour sorters, destoning equipment and full feed mill/flaking mill equipment, meaning they can provide full turn-key solutions to a wide variety

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of industries.

All of Perry’s machines are designed & manufactured in the UK based factory from high quality galvanised steel. Their range of handling equipment is available in capacities from 10tph to 1000tph, it can convey lengths of up to 150m and elevate to 40m. With a full range of accessories available, their products become a versatile option for handling a wide variety of materials.

Perry have 3 main ranges of equipment, agricultural (8-60tph), light-industrial (60150tph) & industrial machines (150-1000tph).

Each range has been specifically designed for its application, this helps ensure Perry’s machines stand the test of time. Perry are so confident in their range that for a limited time they are offering a 10 year guarantee on their agricultural range of chain & flight conveyors*.

To find out more about Perry of Oakley Ltd.’s range of handling & drying equipment call +44 (0)1404 890300 or email sales@perryofoakley.co.uk

*terms & conditions apply – see our website for full details.

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| Grain

Gibbons makes new fans at the Midlands Machinery Show Essex-based Gibbons Agricultural headed to the Newark Showground on 21st and 22nd November for a successful couple of days at the Midlands Machinery Show. The show features the latest innovations in agricultural machinery, so provided the perfect environment for Gibbons to exhibit their top-of-the-range grain storage solutions to thousands of visitors. s part of an established company about to celebrate their 50th anniversary, Gibbons Agricultural understand how important it is for farmers to have a reliable, easy and cost-effective solution to grain storage.

The Plug&Cool system showcased by Gibbons at the event offers an all-in-one solution to farmers’ crop storage. No wonder the enquiries came in thick and fast from farmers looking to save time and money next harvest.

Reliable 1.1kW aluminium cooling fans, which Gibbons have produced for years, form just one part of the Plug&Cool system.

Sitting on top of tubes connected to sturdy pedestals placed throughout the grain, the fans draw warm air from the base of the pile up through the grain and out of the fans at the top. Wireless probes are then placed throughout the crop store, which

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communicate constantly to an easy to use control panel right there in the barn where farmers need it, so they can monitor crop temperatures with total accuracy and ease.

Director Matthew Gibbons was delighted with Gibbons’ first Midlands Machinery Show appearance: “We engaged with farmers from all over Britain, many of whom have been using our pedestal fans for years and were very interested to learn out about our Plug&Cool Barn System.”

Gibbons are now looking forward to showcasing their Plug&Cool system in the new year at LAMMA – the UK’s largest agricultural machinery show. You can see the system for yourself at stand 8.412.

For more information on the Plug&Cool system or on any of the other products and services offered by Gibbons Agricultural, give them a call on 01621 868 138 or email fans@gibbonsgroup.co.uk

December 2018 | Farming Monthly | 21

| Livestock

Farmers in England will be now able to apply for ALL Moocall sensors via the Small Grant Scheme when it re-opens in January!

The grant pays 40% of the cost your project for you. The minimum the grant covers is £3,000, meaning you need to buy £7,500 worth of equipment to claim £3,000 back. he maximum you can receive from the scheme is £12,000, meaning the you need to buy £30,000 worth of equipment to claim £12,000.

This is the second year ag-tech startup Moocall has worked with the grant. The one-of-akind Moocall Calving Sensor and their Heat Detection system Moocall HEAT are available through the RDPE Small Grant Scheme.

Moocall HEAT sends a text or app alert at the start time of a heat.

It is 95% accurate.

The Moocall Calving Sensor is a tail-mounted sensor that alerts users 1 hour before calving.

They're transferable so you only need 1 sensor for every 40 cows.

Northumberland farmer Nick Oliver bought Moocall HEAT and Calving Sensors using the grant,

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however, he says the system would have been worth buying, grant or no.

He said: “We bought the Moocall HEAT system after having a very positive experiences with Moocall Calving Sensors.

"The bonus of receiving a 40% grant through countryside productivity scheme may have made it more affordable, but really it would have been a good investment regardless.

"The collars have helped us make more use of AI with a teaser, but also improved use of stock bulls.

"It helped us keep track on the status of cows and ensure bulls are working correctly."

What the Grant Process looks like • Apply for the grant online (you can only apply once per window) • Application will be accepted/rejected • Buy the equipment if grant is

accepted • Claim the money back within 150 days of purchase Applying for the RDPE in 3 simple steps Step 1: Application Information used to register your business with Rural Payments Agency (RPA) MUST match the application information. Have the following information ready for them: • Customer Registration Number (CRN) • Single Business Identifier Number (SBI) • Email address (Must match RPA account) • Full business address (Must match RPA account) • Correct post code (Must match RPA account) Step 2: Purchase Applicants must purchase the equipment themselves.

It is important to make sure the

store has the equipment in stock.

This was a minor issue last year, however the RDPE allowed extra discretion for this.

Step 3: Claiming • Email copy of invoices for each item to RDPE • Invoice must be address to the individual / business with the information corresponding to their RPA account • Invoice should also show suppliers name, address, VAT no. & date • Must quote code of items in Email (SG12 Calving sensor & SG 15 HEAT Detection) • Small Grant Handbook (Page 39 Codes SG12 & SG15) To learn more about how to apply for the grant, or for more information on either the Calving Sensor or Moocall HEAT, call Moocall on 0203-627-1126 or visit gb.moocall.com/rdpe-blog

High tech monitoring system for Derbyshire producer Derbyshire-based producer Peter Berresford has won the 2018 NMR show stand competition. In late November he took delivery of his prize; the sophisticated, modular cow health and fertility monitoring system SenseHub.

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e received 20 eSense flex tags and a SenseHub collector that will assist him and his team in the running of the 130-cow Ayrshire herd at Dale Head Farm, in Tideswell, near

Buxton.

Activity data, such as movement, eating and

22 | Farming Monthly | December 2018

rumination will be collected through the electronic eartag and relayed, wirelessly, through the electronic collector, to the PC monitor. Peter will be able to access this data and monitor trends.

“The movement data will help Peter to detect heats in his all year-round calving herd,” says NMR’s customer account manager Helen

Whittaker. “It will also monitor rumination and eating patterns. This data can be used to pinpoint changes that might suggest health or nutritional issues. Using this information to finetune rations or treat any cows will help to keep the herd on track.”

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| Livestock

Dairy-Tech 2019 Taking place at Stoneleigh Park on Wednesday 6 February, Dairy-Tech will return for a second show, focused on showcasing ground-breaking technology and innovation. ith the future of dairy farming reliant on innovation, innovative changes and the development of technology, the success of its inaugural event is testament to how these tools are at the forefront of industry thinking.

Visitors can expect to see more brand new concepts plus existing concepts that have evolved since last year. We will be aiming to answer questions such as: How can a better understanding of the complexities of genetics make a step change in herd performance? How can we influence food trends through consumer insight? How are we developing staff to drive business performance? Can new breeding technologies change the landscape of herd reproduction?

Last year’s hubs – dairy and innovation – saw many of their sessions attended by in excess of 100 people. Whilst the dairy hub offered advice, political insight, guidance, knowledge and take home messages for current on farm issues, the innovation hub was designed to expand horizons, ways of thinking and to introduce new concepts.

Once again there are an extensive number of new products being showcased, with the Royal Dairy Innovation Award finalists pitching to the judges on the innovation hub in a ‘Dragons

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Den’ style format, before the winner is unveiled later in the day.

Brand new for Dairy-Tech 2019 is the skills studio – a central point for career development –a topic becoming evermore important as the sector faces losing access to overseas labour as it currently knows it. This area will also host drop-in clinics and apprenticeship advice.

In addition to the tech-zone, where visitors can road-test new technology, this year’s show will house a brand new research centre, comprising of advice and guidance relevant to the whole spectrum of dairy jobs and dairy systems on the market. The popular foot trimming demonstrations will return, but for the first time ever, will showcase the use of thermal imaging to detect lameness problems not picked up by the human eye.

Tickets are now on sale; they cost £17 when booked in advance at www.dairy-tech.uk and are free for RABDF members. All pre-bought tickets are eligible for our personalised itinerary service, a copy of which will be emailed out ahead of the event. The itineraries are in place to ensure visitors utilise their time efficiently and will advise which exhibitors match up with the categories of interest they have outlined during registration as well as suggesting the most relevant seminars and workshops to attend.

The event opens at 8:00am and closes at

5:30pm and will be signed from all main routes; parking is on site and is free of charge.

For further information please visit www.dairy-tech.uk or call the office on 02476 639 317

December 2018 | Farming Monthly | 23

| Livestock

Dairy-Tech 2019 set to shine Over 170 companies confirmed for Dairy-Tech within four weeks of the show launching its stand sales. eading industry names have shown their support of the event in the form of sponsorship and stand space. After a hugely successful inaugural show earlier this year the 2019 event will continue at Stoneleigh Park on Wednesday 6 February.

With Barclays confirming their continuation as principal sponsor other headline sponsors include Cogent, NMR, World Wide Sires, Hi-Peak, Mole Valley Farmers and Semex.

Mark Suthern, head of agriculture at Barclays says it is great to be able to continue as principal sponsor of a dairy event focused on delivering technical knowledge and insight to farmers.

Hi-Peak ruminant commercial manager Rob Daykin says the 2018 event was a real success with a great quality of visitors attending.

“The organic session we sponsored on the dairy hub attracted a huge crowd so it’s fantastic to be able to do a similar session with a slightly different focus next year.”

After their success as an exhibitor at the show Cogent have confirmed they will become an event sponsor for 2019.

Stuart Boothman, UK business manager at Cogent says: “We’re excited to be returning to DairyTech as a sponsor, it’s great to be linked with an event aimed at progressive dairy farmers looking to innovate and learn to ensure

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they are operating as efficiently as possible.”

Julie Edwards, Head of Communications for Mole Valley Farmers says the event had exceeded their expectations.

“The Dairy-Tech event was well supported by farmers and the footfall to our stand was continuous throughout the day. It was great to see so many farmers eager to engage and talk about how our new Lifetime Dairy initiative could support their individual businesses. We are already looking forward to next year’s event.”

RABDF managing director Matthew Knight says the support Dairy-Tech has gained in such a small space of time only reaffirms that its content is absolutely correct for the dairy sector with new products, better service and innovation leading the industry.

“Dairy-Tech’s success is a result of hard work, evaluation of past events and feedback from members, industry companies and our advisory board. This guidance has been, and will continue to be, invaluable.

“The 2019 event will see the return of the dairy and innovation hubs, both of which will continue to address the newest concepts and address the key issues affecting the sector through workshops and interviews, providing technical information and guidance, opinions, market insight, new products and the latest innovation.

“We will also be vacating the Blackdown buildings and moving

24 | Farming Monthly | December 2018

to Hall 2, a purpose built exhibition hall that will allow us to grow the show, take more floor space and provide a heated environment for

exhibitors.”

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| Livestock

CowAlert introduces automated mobility scoring – a world first Entering a new era in cow monitoring.

n automated mobility scoring tool, developed specifically for the dairy herd, has been launched by pioneering cow behaviour specialists, IceRobotics.

A world first, the new technology complements the suite of monitoring tools already available from IceRobotics’ highly acclaimed CowAlert system. Using specialist software, CowAlert continuously tracks fertility, lying time, lameness and general animal health on a 24/7 basis.

The newly-launched mobility module is designed to replace the visual scoring method generally used by farmers which can be costly, time consuming and subjective.

Similar to the popular ‘Fitbit’ devices used to track human activity, CowAlert automatically records and collects animal behavioural data through a robust wireless sensor which is fitted to the cow’s hind leg where it captures accurate data on stepping, activity, standing and lying time.

Using a unique algorithm, that analyses each cow’s behaviour. The farmer can then make a fully informed decision regarding intervention and treatment.

“Mobility scoring is a very important tool when it comes to monitoring overall herd health and welfare,” said Douglas Armstrong, CEO of IceRobotics.

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“Until now, visual assessment was the only option, but its reliability, consistency and accuracy is increasingly becoming questioned.

It also places full responsibility in the hands of the farmer, stockman or farm manager which is, difficult, time consuming and highly subjective.

“CowAlert’s automated scoring system becomes the farmer’s ‘eyes and ears’, monitoring each animal’s behaviour round the clock. The cloud-based system is easily accessed by the farmer via his mobile device and can easily be shared with others such as vets. In our increasingly competitive and welfare-focused times, this gives the farming community a definite edge.”

Initially developed as a tool for researchers, and with the worldwide acclaim from over 80 leading institutes around the world, CowAlert was developed on this pedigree and launched to commercial dairy farmers in 2012. While it is not considered to be a replacement for good stockmanship, it is now a trusted, round-theclock support mechanism, enhancing the observations of a good farmer or stockman.

“No-one can monitor their herd on a 24/7 basis but CowAlert can do it on your behalf.

Ultimately this helps the farmer better manage his animals and his time, and through early detection, he can drive efficiencies and deliver more natural interventions. This is not only good for the farmer but good for his animals.”

Douglas added.

The new CowAlert module will be available to demo at the DairyTech event on stand I26, on the 6th February at Stoneleigh Park, Coventry.

December 2018 | Farming Monthly | 25

| Livestock

Livestock farmers warned of potential Bluetongue threat The NFU has joined with organisations from across the livestock sector to urge farmers to think carefully about importing animals from areas that are known to be infected with Bluetongue virus. he call comes after the virus was found, following post-import testing, in imported animals for the third time in less than 12 months. The infected animals have been slaughtered and no compensation was paid.

The midge-borne disease has been circulating around Europe with cases being reported in France, Switzerland, Cyprus, Portugal, Spain, Greece and Italy.

A cross-industry statement said: “Bringing in diseases into the UK such as bluetongue would have severe consequences on the health and welfare of our livestock, which can result in widespread movement restrictions and costly surveillance testing.

“In addition to these costs, if

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there is spread into the national herd or flock, the country loses disease-free status, which can have a significant impact on trade.

“In order to continue to protect our herds and flocks, both locally, regionally and nationally, we must be vigilant when importing livestock from high risk areas, and perhaps even reconsider importing animals from areas where BTV is present.

“Importers need to be aware of the risks to the national herd and at the very least must consider pre-export testing consignments of animals imported from BTV affected areas. Such tests should provide confirmation of the BTV and vaccination status of the animals. The movement of herds or flocks should then be restricted until the required post-import testing is carried out. If imported

animals are found to be infected with bluetongue, they will be culled, with no compensation.

“Any premises found to have bluetongue infected animals will then be placed under strict animal movement restrictions for a number of weeks, while extensive surveillance is carried out.

“Our message to all livestock keepers is to discuss any imports with their vets and consider choosing non-BTV restricted areas for the supply of stock.”

The three Chief Veterinary Officers of Great Britain said: “Bluetongue does not pose a threat to human health or food safety, but the disease can have a serious impact on farming productivity by causing infertility in sheep (which is particularly important at this time of year), and reduced milk yields in dairy cattle.

“The recent detection of bluetongue in imported sheep and cattle is another example of our robust disease surveillance procedures in action, and highlights to farmers the risks that come with bringing animals from disease-affected areas into their flocks and herds. It is also a clear reminder for farmers that the disease remains a threat, despite coming towards the end of the season when midges are less active.

“Farmers must remain vigilant and report any suspicions to APHA. They should also work with importers to make sure effective vaccination needs are complied with and that all animals are sourced responsibly.”

Midland Slurry Systems Ltd Your trusted partner in slurry and agricultural waste water management. ounded in 1985 by Peter Russell, Midland Slurry Systems Ltd specialises in the supply and maintenance of agricultural waste water treatment and animal slurry management across the UK. Since Peter’s retirement, the company remains a family concern with Giles and Ben Russell taking on the management of the business as we continue to grow.

We pride ourselves on a full service and bespoke offering to our customers – from initial advice outlining suitable options through

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to installation, commissioning and after sales service care. Our time spent in the industry has shown that no two jobs are the same, each site poses its own individual challenges. We bring to bear experience gathered from a wide range of installations and servicing, from farms with 80 cows to larger scale dairies with 2,000 cows and every herd size in between. We also count anaerobic digestion (AD) plants and pig farmers amongst our customer base.

Offering a full range of products from slurry scrapers, pumps, mixers, separators, sand bedding

26 | Farming Monthly | December 2018

reclamation systems, umbilical systems, to dirty water irrigation, pipe and fittings, we are confident we have something to suit most farmers. We work with industry

leading suppliers including McLanahan, Landia (UK), Storth Machinery and Briggs Irrigation to deliver the most cost effective solution for your needs.

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| Livestock

BVD screening hits 7,000 target in Wales Gwaredu BVD, the national programme to eradicate BVD from the Welsh national herd has reached 7,000 of the 11,000 herds in Wales, it was announced at the Royal Welsh Winter Fair in Llanelwedd. he Gwaredu BVD £10 million three year voluntary screening programme is available to all Welsh cattle farms, and is managed by Coleg Sir Gâr’s Agriculture Research Centre in partnership with the Royal Veterinary College.

BVD screening is undertaken at the same time as TB testing to provide the necessary support and guidance to ensure farmers can correctly and quickly identify herds infected with BVD. Support will also be available to find the persistently infected (PI) animals from infected herds.

The programme was promoted to the large number of visitors to the Winter Fair, where John Griffiths, manager of the Agriculture Research Centre at Coleg Sir Gâr’s Gelli Aur campus said: “We’re announcing that 7,000 of the 11,000 cattle herds in Wales have now been screened, and we’re really proud of this achievement, as we aim to eradicate the disease from Wales. Farmers are now much

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more aware of the implications of the disease, and have discovered just how quick and easy it is to get screened. Working together with farmers and vets we can beat BVD.” Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD) is a viral disease in cattle that causes immunosuppression and reproductive failure.

The disease can reduce fertility, increase incidences of abortion and cause pneumonia in affected stock, creating drastic, long-lasting personal and financial effects on all affected farms.

The welfare and financial consequences are significant, with an approximate cost of £4,500 per year for the average beef herd, and £15,000 for dairy herds as a result of poor fertility, reduced milk yields, low daily live weight gains, fever, diarrhoea and respiratory problems.

Screening is free, and the programme also provides up to £500 for livestock farmers to work with their vet, but this funding will run out in 2020 when testing is likely to be compulsory, so a new campaign is being launched to reach

all farmers in the country and get them to act now to stop the disease spreading.

Christianne Glossop is Chief Veterinary Officer for Wales, and visited the Gwaredu BVD stand at the Winter Fair. Christianne said: “Getting to 7,000 herds is amazing. I’m really excited, as this is about the industry coming together in a great collaborative effort, focusing on a common problem that’s causing hardship and affecting the bottom line of farms. It’s an ideal programme to get behind, it’s totally possible to eradicate BVD, and provides a working model for dealing with other diseases in the future. The vets are primed and ready, and the challenge is now on for those farmers who aren’t yet on the programme not to get left behind.”

Eradicating BVD is a priority of the Wales Animal Health and Welfare Framework Group, and is funded by the Welsh Government’s Rural Development Programme.

December 2018 | Farming Monthly | 27

| Energy

Beware mis-selling in the solar and storage markets Small-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) arrays and battery storage are looking increasingly attractive as capital costs decline and energy prices rise, but farms and estates should beware mis-selling in the market. ccording to the independent power and energy consultancy Roadnight Taylor, the cost of solar technology has fallen by over 30% this year and will drop further following the EU’s abolition of its minimum price for Chinese imports. Alongside more than an 80% rise in wholesale energy costs since 2016, this has made investment increasingly viable for businesses.

“Depending on your on-site demand, generating your own power could pay back in as little as seven years, even without Government support,” says chief executive Hugh Taylor.

Installing batteries to absorb

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and deliver energy can also pay back quickly. “As well as benefiting from considerable energy cost savings, rural businesses can generate income by storing electricity to sell back into the grid during price spikes, and also by helping the National Grid balance supply and demand in real time.

However, not all situations will be viable – yet – so it’s important to understand the intricacies of a specific project before committing to it.”

Mr Taylor suggests profiling the energy demands on-site – both on a half-hourly basis and throughout the year – to ascertain the feasibility and the correct size of any installation. “Some solar and battery installers are recommending that landowners

28 | Farming Monthly | December 2018

install much larger schemes than would be appropriate, falsely justifying investment in larger schemes and inflating income projections for unviable sites.

“There are many sites which are not yet financially viable, but as technology prices drop and energy prices rise, many are likely to become so in the next few years, so it’s important to know where your site stands.”

To help farms and estates who are considering such projects, Roadnight Taylor has developed a ‘TrafficLight’ study, which profiles the energy demand, considers generation volumes and tariff structures, and ascertains the viability of a project based on leading and independent energy market projections. A green result

means it’s worth investing now, amber means it is likely to be viable within three years, and red means it’s unlikely to be viable within that time.

“If you have an amber project we will monitor it for you over the succeeding three years and notify you when the site turns green,” explains Mr Taylor. “As our pool of green and amber sites grows, it is giving our clients more tendering power so they can also achieve higher revenues for lower investment.”

The TrafficLight study costs from £350 + VAT. For more information contact Roadnight Taylor on 01993 830571 or visit www.roadnighttaylor.co.uk

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| Energy

Northamptonshire farm trials innovative solar power with storage battery A Daventry farm has become one of the first businesses in the UK to trial an innovative battery system which would enable electricity from solar panels to be stored and then sold back to the National Grid when it is in demand, potentially increasing returns for greener companies. he low carbon pilot project will see local farmer Sue Harrison working in partnership with power firm Opus Energy to test the new technology, which has just been installed at family-run Home Farm in Braunston, Northamptonshire.

Solar panels on the cattle shed at the farm, which produces Aberdeen Angus beef as well as lamb, currently provide power to the farmhouse and the marquee from which they run their successful wedding business, which is already fully booked until 2020.

As the 50 kW panels generate more power than is consumed by the farm, the extra electricity is exported to the National Grid, and Sue and her family are paid for it

by Opus Energy through a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) – known as ‘prosuming’.

Experts at Opus Energy say the new battery technology being trialled at Home Farm, if successful, could open up revenue streams for businesses as it would allow excess electricity to be stored and then sold back to the grid when it is needed the most, therefore commanding a higher price.

Jonathan Kini, chief executive of Drax Retail, which provides power to smaller businesses through Opus Energy as well as to larger companies through Haven Power, said the pilot is one of a number of innovative low carbon schemes being looked at by the energy supplier.

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“We know customers and businesses are keen to embrace sustainability wherever they can and we’re keen to help,” Jonathan commented.

“It’s early days for this project.

We’ll need to see how it develops now it’s installed at Home Farm, but if it’s successful, this could provide opportunities for more and more businesses in the future to take control, generate their own energy and choose when they sell it to the grid to provide another revenue stream.

“The electricity industry is changing quickly and increasing digitalisation will help customers save money as they learn to use less, help us move to greener, lower-carbon energy sources and also see the rise of prosumers, like Sue and her family. We’re really grateful to the Home Farm team for agreeing to take part in this trial.”

Sue, whose family have been farming in Braunston for over 60 years, and launched the wedding business in 2015 said: “I’m really proud of the way our business has developed but I’m also keen to leave my children and even grandchildren a business which is genuinely sustainable.

“We’ve been on a PPA since 2012 but if this means we get more control of when we sell the energy we produce and don’t need, and make a little more money for the business, then that’s got to be worth doing.

“More and more wedding customers are looking for sustainable, greener venues and it would be great to able to

showcase our credentials through innovations like this to future customers.”

If successful, batteries similar to the one installed at Home Farm for

the trial could be available to other customers.

December 2018 | Farming Monthly | 29

| LAMMA

LAMMA ’19 – new era begins for UK’s leading agricultural event An exciting new era for LAMMA begins in January 2019 when it opens its doors at the NEC Birmingham for the first time. he move will deliver a whole new experience for visitors, with all stands at the UK’s leading agricultural event being fully under cover for the first time in its history.

LAMMA ’19, which continues to offer free entry and car parking, will build on the event’s reputation as the most diverse and innovative machinery, equipment and services show, covering all sectors of the farming industry under one roof.

Stand space is filling up fast with over 92% of the space sold.

The 11 halls at the NEC are set to host more than 700 exhibitors, reaffirming LAMMA’s unique position as a key diary event for dairy, livestock and arable farmers, specialist producers, contractors, other rural businesses and their staff.

LAMMA ’19 will once again provide a key platform for exhibitors to introduce groundbreaking innovations to the market.

The LAMMA Innovation Awards will be relaunched at the NEC. This competition champions agricultural machinery, equipment and services innovations, with the medal winners announced in December. A new guided LAMMA Innovation Trail will enable visitors to find out more about the gold and silver medal innovations that will be showcased on exhibitors' stands.

The trade halls will also be packed with new ideas and

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cutting-edge equipment of all shapes and sizes, allowing visitors to examine the latest technology in detail and quiz the experts, helping enhance operations and profits on their own farms.

The event will stay true to its roots, attracting not just large machinery manufacturers, but also smaller agricultural engineering and machinery firms from across the UK. Between them they will be showcasing the latest tractors, combines, drills and cultivation kit, some of it on view for the first time, as well as wide range of products and services and every type of tool imaginable.

To ensure visitors can track down exhibitors and areas of key interest and make the best use of their time, organiser AgriBriefing is this week launching the LAMMA ’19 floorplan (https://www.lammashow.com/eve nt-layout).

Given the size of the event, this is invaluable when it comes to planning a visit to LAMMA, while the interactive function means visitors can easily navigate their way around the event on the day.

Elisabeth Mork-Eidem, group events director at AgriBriefing, which owns LAMMA, says: “We are excited by the opportunities that the NEC creates for the LAMMA show. The new venue provides a professional, comfortable indoor venue that is appropriate for this key event in the agricultural calendar.

“Both visitors and exhibitors feedback has been incredibly

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supportive, with a real sense excitement regarding this important development for the UK agricultural industry. We are thrilled that such a large number of exhibitors are making the move with us and continue to view British farmers as their key market.

“It remains the case that no other show in the UK has such a diverse mix of cutting-edge innovation, which covers all farming sectors, new machinery and equipment,” Ms Mork-Eidem adds.

“Above all, the show will retain its informal, friendly atmosphere, which has helped make it such a draw with farmers from across the UK and beyond. We will ensure that it continues to build on its enviable reputation in the years to come and continue to claim its place as the leading UK agricultural show.”

Asset Finance Partners (AFP) is proud to be the headline sponsor of LAMMA 2019. The AFP team will be located at Stand 10, Hall 19 and will be on hand to provide show visitors with finance advice throughout the show.

The firm’s Jon Hercman says: “As headline sponsors we are particularly excited about the show’s new indoor format at the NEC, Birmingham and look forward to welcoming both existing and new customers alike to our stand.”

The first LAMMA show at the NEC will take place on Tuesday 8th and Wednesday 9th January 2019.

For further information on

LAMMA ’19 go to www.lammashow.com. You can follow LAMMA on Twitter @lammashow or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/lammashow Looking forward to LAMMA ’19 Fendt The move to the NEC is extremely positive; this is what is needed in the agricultural industry.

Manufacturers have an opportunity to launch new products and customers can easily see what’s available and can plan their current and future business investments.

Richard Miller, marketing manager Alpego UK We first exhibited at LAMMA in 2014, and it has become the single most important show in the farming calendar for Alpego. The event always attracts decision makers and their operators from all over the country. Now the show is moving to the NEC, the event will give British Agriculture that important centrepiece that we all deserve and should support.

Warren Rivers-Scott, managing director Krone LAMMA provides the agriculture industry with a central location for our industry to showcase the latest and greatest agricultural machinery. Moving to the NEC will address many of the issues with an outdoor LAMMA. We believe that our visitor experience will be greatly enhanced, and we can show in greater detail the internal workings of our machines and the technology.

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| LAMMA James Duggleby, marketing manager Vaderstad We’re excited about the move to the NEC. We prefer to be inside and the NEC will be good for us as well as the industry – it gives everyone a more level platform of how they exhibit and it will be easier to move round the show.

Michael Alsop, managing director JCB What we love about LAMMA is that it’s a great place to engage with customers and is free for people to get in. We get everybody on our stand, from people who sign the cheques to people who drive the machines, so we can talk to a whole range of people. Being undercover will be brilliant for exhibitors and customers.

Louise Hemmings, JCB marketing specialist Kuhn We’re excited about the location – it will be a great environment for customers to see our machines.

We also have a larger stand, which will mean we can show the complete range of machinery from grass machinery right through to the soil cultivation and bedding, feeding and spraying. All in all, for us it’s a good move.

Sian Pritchard, managing director Opico We’ve got one or two new

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grassland maintenance products in the offing. We are expecting to be quite a bit busier this year.

James Wooley, managing director Claydon Drills Having an indoor show in Birmingham with international transport links will hopefully put the UK on the map for having an international show.

LAMMA offers a good opportunity to release new technologies which we will be doing this year. It’s a good time of the year to have conversations with customers.

Spencer Claydon, commercial director Matthew Naylor, Lincs farmer Every winter, we sit down as a team, draw up a big shopping list and head off to LAMMA so that we can look round all those products we mentioned and also find a few that we hadn’t talked about.

Comparing products side by side is invaluable when it comes to making that final sales decision.

We have a bit further to travel this time, but the idea of taking the whole team and looking at what we’re going to be doing in the future is very valuable to us.

Advance registration for fasttrack entry To help make the most of their time at the event, visitors are being asked to register in advance. This simple four-step process is now

open at www.lammashow.com Badges will be emailed automatically within a few minutes of completing the form, ensuring visitors can walk straight through to the show when doors open on Tuesday 8th and Wednesday 9th January as long as they print out their badge.

As well as enjoying fast-track entry into the show, visitors will be able to use their badges to share details quickly and easily with exhibitors.

Registration will also play an important part in the development of LAMMA. Ms Mork-Eidem says: “By making LAMMA a register-toattend event, we can continue to develop the show – the more we know about our visitors, the better we can tailor future shows to meet their needs.”

Essential information LAMMA ’19, supported by headline sponsor AFP, takes place on Tuesday 8th January between 8.30am and 5.30pm and Wednesday 9th January between 8.30am and 4.30pm.

Venue: National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham B40 1NT. Parking is free for the event. The NEC is clearly signposted from all motorways and major routes.

Once at the NEC ignore satnavs and look for LAMMA show signs.

Once parked, visitors can take a free shuttle bus or signposted footpaths to the show entrance.

Birmingham International Railway Station is located within the NEC. For all events at the NEC, Virgin Trains offers 25% off advance tickets fares – see www.virgintrains.co.uk/nec There are numerous bus and coach options from within the West Midlands area.

The closest airport is Birmingham Airport which is connected to the NEC by a free and fast shuttle to Birmingham International Railway Station.

For more information on all travel options to the NEC see www.thenec.co.uk/visitors/gettinghere For further LAMMA visitor information go to www.lammashow.com/visitorinformation A detailed show guide will be handed out at the LAMMA entrance gates on arrival. It contains a full listing of exhibitors and a map to help navigate around the showground.

A full interactive map of the show will be available on the website prior to the event, and showgoers can download the LAMMA app to plan their visit and find their way around the event.

Visitor wi-fi is available.

December 2018 | Farming Monthly | 31

| LAMMA

Clean up around the farm with a superior range of powered sweepers and collectors from Spaldings A new line of powered sweepers and sweeper-collectors will be added to a growing implement range by Spaldings at the LAMMA show in January. he powered rotary brush sweepers with debris collection and dust suppression options are designed and engineered for cleaning tasks such as clearing mud and other debris from private and public roads while mounted on a loader or tractor three-point linkage.

They will be available from Spaldings – the direct sales specialist – online, by telesales and through the company’s field sales team in the UK and Ireland.

Powered sweepers For demanding routine or special clean-up jobs, the Padagas hydraulic motor powered sweepers from Spaldings provide a versatile solution.

The standard PI-25 model has a 600mm diameter, 2.5m wide rotary brush with a top shield, handcrank adjusted castor support wheels and 25deg hydraulic

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angling to sweep debris to one side.

This implement is available with couplings for tractor three-point linkage or loader/telehandler mounting and a collecting version comes with a 0.24cu m debris box.

The Padagas Shark sweeper in 2.5m and 2.9m working widths has an extra-large 915mm diameter bristle brush powered by a pair of hydraulic motors.

It also comes with a heavier duty frame with integral 25deg angling mechanism and adjustable guide wheels.

Sweeper-collectors Where larger quantities of debris need to be swept up, collected and removed, the Profi H-2501 sweeper-collector provides a 0.42cu m bin emptied by hydraulic cylinder.

This unit has an 800mm diameter brush powered by motors at both ends, up to 20deg angling for working widths from 2m to 2.2m, and a front castor

32 | Farming Monthly | December 2018

wheel in addition to the two rear ones for added stability.

A powered side brush option is also available for sweeping close to walls and kerbs.

Water tank options for dust suppression are available on the sweeper-collectors and all loadermounted models are fitted with a heavy duty floating linkage to

ensure that even bristle pressure is maintained to maximise efficiency and brush life.

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| Livestock

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December 2018 | Farming Monthly | 33

| LAMMA

Claydon’s new compact 6m trailed drill at LAMMA Claydon Drills, European market leaders in Direct Strip Seeding technology, will exhibit its new 6m OptiTill® T6c compact trailed drill at LAMMA 2019 (Hall 6, Stand No. 6.600).

The T6c is the latest development of the pioneering Claydon OptiTill® System which the company has perfected over the last 16 years to optimise crop establishment, development, performance and profitability; this latest model builds on the success of the existing 6m T6 drill, one of six trailed models from 3m to 8m.

“The new T6c is over 20 per cent lighter and more compact than our standard T6, which was designed for larger farms and contractors who can make full use of its 5500-litre hopper capacity to maximise the area covered between fills and daily output,” Jeff Claydon, founder and CEO of Claydon Drills, states.

“The T6c combines the high output of a 6m seeding platform with the nimble handling characteristics and manoeuvrability of our 4m T4 trailed drill, on which it is based.

We believe that the new model will prove very popular with farmers in the UK and other countries who value the combination of lower

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cost and greater manoeuvrability over ultimate hopper capacity and output.”

Capable of drilling typically 45ha per day behind a 300hp (223kW) tractor, the T6c is carried on the lower link arms and features a fully-floating seeding chassis which follows field contours exactly, ensuring accurate seeding depth under all conditions. It does this regardless of the weight in the hopper, which is carried on a separate frame supported on centrally-mounted depth wheels that run on clean, dry, uncultivated ground to avoid capping and compaction.

Providing a hopper capacity of 3500-litres, double that of Claydon’s 6m mounted drill, the T6c weighs approximately 7000kg unladen, compared with 9000kg for the T6. The hopper can be used for seed only or divided 60:40 between seed and fertiliser for combination drilling, a technique which is becoming increasingly popular with farmers and agricultural contractors throughout Europe and Scandinavia to get crops off to a fast start. The diameter of the

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pipes which transport seed and fertiliser from the hopper to the tines is 38mm.

Versatile, flexible, simple, strong, easy to use and with low operating costs, the T6c will sow directly into stubble, in min-till situations or on ploughed/cultivated land, across the widest range of soils, conditions and crops. This enables one drill to handle any crop establishment situation and minimises capital investment.

The 19 individually-adjustable tungsten carbide leading tines reduce compaction and aerate the soil. They optimise drainage, form tilth for the seeding zone and create a uniform seeding depth.

The following seeding tines create additional tilth and place the seed at the ideal depth, above the drainage channel. This highly effective system encourages very deep, complex rooting structures to develop quickly, which minimises soil erosion and produces stronger, healthier crops with optimum yield potential.

The new drill can be adapted to whatever the customer requires to suit different crops and conditions.

They can have the standard tine set-up with a variety of coulter and seeding boot options, choose to have fertiliser placed down the front or rear tine, and can specify front shouldered cutting discs or press wheels. At the rear, the double toolbar can be equipped with a range of press wheel, board and harrow configurations to fully cover the seed and leave the soil smooth and level.

Claydon’s extensive product range includes mounted and trailed drills from 3m to 8m, Straw Harrows from 3m to 15m, the 6m TerraStar light rotary cultivator, TerraBlade inter-row hoes from 3m to 6m, heavy rolls from 6.3m to 12.3m and an injector system which allows farmers to strip inject and cover sewage/digestate directly into stubble fields.

Claydon products are sold in over 30 countries by the company's commercial team through an everdeveloping distribution network and operate across the widest range of climatic conditions and soil types.

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| LAMMA

New Holland launches new TH Series telehandlers with extended offering and new transmission

NEXOS now with suspended front axle The NEXOS narrow-width tractor from CLAAS is now available with a suspended, 4-wheel-drive front axle. The PROACTIV suspension ensures greater comfort when working in the fields and driving on roads, and is available for the VE, VL and F NEXOS models.

New Holland Agriculture extends and upgrades its six to nine meter telehandler offering, which introduces the new naming and livery. he new naming consists of the TH letters, for Telescopic Handler, and the numbering based on the key machine specifications: this combination provides a quick and easy product identification, a hallmark of New Holland products.

The bright yellow of the new livery fully integrates the telehandler range into New Holland’s Harvesting family, benefiting from its well-known expertise in the sector, while the new dark grey color of the lower part of the machine confers a sense of solidity and strength. The cab interior has been refreshed with a new look for the seat.

“The new extended TH Series offers solutions tailored to the business and operational requirements of different farming operations, ranging from the entry level S version all the way up to the Elite version ideal for the large scale livestock farmers and contractors, as well as biomass operations,” says Sean Lennon, Head of Tractors.

Extended offering to match the specific requirements of the different farming operations The TH Series has been extended to offer 6 models and 14 versions. The entry level S version, available on the TH6.32 and TH7.32, delivers a powerful performance with its 133 hp engine and simple specifications for a small investment.

The Classic version, available on six, seven and nine metre models, is ideal for small livestock farmers and farmyard use. It features a limited-slip differential in the rear axle to increase the tractive effort in demanding conditions, variable displacement hydraulic pump and reversible cooling fan for high efficiency allday-long.

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ll NEXOS models can be fitted with the new PROACTIV front axle suspension.

Thanks to the two slanted, outwards-facing suspension cylinders, the tractor's weight is optimally supported by the front axle. This ensures passive roll stabilisation when turning around curves. It also guarantees optimal driving comfort when travelling along roads or rural tracks and when working in the fields. Journeys with heavy equipment in tow are also made safer, as the tractor and its attachment are less likely to rock.

The cylinders are installed behind the axle, thereby protecting them from damage.

The double-action suspension offers 80 mm of spring travel, thus absorbing most of the shocks to which the tractor is subjected when in use. The turning circle remains the same as that of the standard front axle. The suspended front axle can be driven in three different modes from the cab: automatic, manual and deactivated. In manual mode, the height can be adjusted with

The Plus version, perfect for livestock and mixed farming operations, adds a host of comfort features, such as the airsuspension seat, telescopic steering column and HVAC system. A hydraulic quick coupler makes it very easy and fast to change attachments, and rear cab lights enhance safe operation after dark.

The Elite version is the best choice for large scale livestock farmers, contractors and biomass operations. It features a more powerful 146 hp engine and additional advanced features such as hydraulic pressure release, heated air-suspension seat with integrated controls, and rear cab and boom lights maximize productivity even when dark.

New transmission with electronic modulation delivers smooth shifting The TH Series features a brand new transmission with electronic modulation that ensures enhanced shifting and shuttling modulation.

The 4x3 version on S and Classic models improves third gear travel on slopes and second gear operation for silage work. The 6x3 version on the Plus and Elite models offers two forward/reverse shuttling modes, resulting in easier and more efficient operation and an automatic gear shifting mode for travelling. The Elite model also features an additional automatic gear shifting and shuttling mode, further enhancing performance in yard operations.

the help of a potentiometer. This helps make it easier, for example, when attaching equipment.

Automatic mode counterbalances load changes and keeps the suspension in a central position for optimal spring travel.

The latest NEXOS generation, which was presented at EIMA 2016, comprises 14 different tractor models of varying levels of power and different dimensions.

These are the special features of the NEXOS: Powerful engines The NEXOS generation includes 14 tractor models with different outputs and dimensions. All models have a smooth-running FPT 4-cylinder engine which features a high torque and extremely low vibration. Engine output ranges from 75 hp to 112 hp, or up to 103 hp in the NEXOS VE which is designed for use in particularly narrow vineyard rows.

In the top 250 VL and 250 F models with CLAAS POWER MANAGEMENT (CPM), the 103 hp engine delivers a boost of up to 9 hp during PTO and transport work and achieves a maximum torque of 440 Nm.

December 2018 | Farming Monthly | 35

| LAMMA

Schaeffler prepares to showcase its latest technology to the farming community at LAMMA ‘19 The manufacturer of LuK clutch and drive components and INA front end auxiliary drives (FEAD), Schaeffler (UK), will be highlighting its latest tractor products, tools and technology at LAMMA 2019, as it seeks to demonstrate its highquality products and intelligent repair solutions to the farming community. eld at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) in Birmingham, on Tuesday 8th and Wednesday 9th January, Schaeffler will be one of more than 700 exhibitors at the show hoping to share new business with over 40,000 visitors during the two-day period.

While LuK clutch systems continue to be the most soughtafter product by agricultural engineers, the team will be demonstrating many products from its portfolio, including damper systems and new INA FEAD engine products, both of which are being introduced into the market to cater for developed engine technologies.

The team, led by Tractor Category Manager, Maurice Foot, will also be revealing details of what’s in-store for 2019, which includes the launch of an

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additional range of FEAD products for SDF applications, along with an extension of Schaeffler’s REPXPERT bonus points loyalty scheme.

Maurice said: “We will provide an insight into what we can offer to our customers with our online tractor parts shop, REPXPERT, with all new registered users set to receive 2,000 ‘welcome bonus points’ and a giveaway bag.

“We will also be on-hand to offer advice, help and training to all the visitors. We will achieve this by demonstrating correct alignment with our virtual splitting rail, FEAD technical information and much more.”

Another exhibit on the display stand will be a classic David Brown Selectamatic 780, which will illustrate how tractors have evolved and how Schaeffler has strived to stay ahead of demand and change in the agricultural world.

36 | Farming Monthly | December 2018

Maurice added: “Today, with higher commercial risks with crops and livestock, plus evolving technical specifications for machines to operate efficiently, agricultural businesses require a guaranteed quality product that

will deliver reliable performance – Schaeffler, as an OE and aftermarket manufacturer, will achieve that and more, which we will show at LAMMA.” Hall 18 Stand 18.416

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| Grain

Andrew Symons South Molton, Devon EX36 3L T: 01769 574455

Holsworthy, Devon EX22 6HL T: 01409 254040

Crediton, Devon EX17 1FB T: 01363 720430

www.andrewsymons.co.uk

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Sharnford Tractors Ltd Lutterworth, Leicestershire LE17 5EH T: 01455 209300 www.manitou.co.uk

December 2018 | Farming Monthly | 37

| LAMMA

Noise-insulated pump sets join Bauer’s irrigation range Fully noise-insulated irrigation pump sets for water abstraction in locations where an exposed diesel engine running for hours on end is likely to cause a disturbance will be added to Bauer’s comprehensive crop irrigation equipment range at the LAMMA show. he mobile pump set design offers a choice of engines and fuel tank sizes, has a wellproven pump, and an electronic control panel that can be linked to Bauer’s SmartRain remote control system via an App on a smart phone or other mobile device.

Unlike the open canopy pump sets produced by Bauer, the new design has a fully sound-proofed enclosure for the engine, pump and controller, which are accessible via lockable doors.

Only suction and pressure hose couplings, the engine exhaust silencer and an emergency stop button are located outside the canopy.

The pump set’s two-wheel

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chassis has galvanised steel mudguards, generous tyres and road lighting, plus four crank handle wind-down stability legs and a removable drawbar for security.

It also incorporates a choice of 650-litre, 1000-litre and 1500-litre diesel tanks with a lockable filler camp located within the canopy, to fuel an engine from FPT Industrial – successor to the Iveco engines business – tuned to provide the power and torque characteristics needed for an engine running at constant revs for long periods.

There is a choice of 4.5-litre four-cylinder engines from 100hp (74kW) to a 6.7-litre six-cylinder with 125hp (93kW) output driving Caprari MEC MG 80-4/3A and MEC 100HT/2a centrifugal pumps, which are popular units for this

38 | Farming Monthly | December 2018

application, having been proven in service for many years as an efficient and reliable design with low wear and maintenance demands.

This pump is primed manually as standard from the on-board Supertank supply or automatically with an upgrade to the Elcos CIM250 control panel that provides ‘ignition’ key start/stop, a rev counter and hour meter, engine protection in the event of low oil level or pressure or coolant loss, a flow switch connector and pump pressure transducer.

The optional CIM136 controller adds automatic engine speed control to maintain water pressure and an integrated modem for remote start/stop via a mobile phone, as well as the potential to remotely monitor, control and

receive status messages from the pumpset via Bauer’s SmartRain irrigation management and documentation system.

SmartRain enables users of Bauer Rainstar reel irrigator and Centerstar pivot systems to keep track of just one or several irrigators remotely via an office computer or using the free App available for mobile phones and other Apple or Android devices.

Having real-time access to information about the progress of irrigation sessions and any problems that arise can save managers a great deal of time while allowing them to focus on other tasks safe in the knowledge that their irrigation systems are being monitored at all times.

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| Pests

Visit:

YORKSHIRE HANDLERS Murton Lane, Murton, York YO19 5UY | Tel: 01904 489 988 www.yorkshirehandlers.co.uk

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December 2018 | Farming Monthly | 39

| LAMMA

High specification, purpose built tanker to be at LAMMA 2019 A particular feature of Hi-Spec tankers is the option to be able to have a tanker purpose designed and built to meet the customer’s specific needs, and just such a tanker will be on display at LAMMA in January. he tanker is based on a Hi-Spec 4000 TDS tanker, which has a capacity of 4,000 gallons (18,184 litres). This comes as standard with a sprung drawbar and commercial 150x150 sprung parabolic tandem axles, complete with steering, which have been fitted with 710/50 R26.5 BKT tyres.

The specific specification for this tanker includes commercial air/hydraulic 420x180 brakes. To keep turnaround time to a minimum, the tanker has been fitted with a high capacity, hydraulically driven 14,000 litre Jurop pump and a side-mounted, hydraulically operated 8-inch autofill arm, complete with a turbofill system controlled from the cab.

The tank, which is manufactured from 6-mm thick British steel, is fitted with anti-implosion rings and internal baffles.

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For spreading, the customer has opted for a Bomech 6.4 disc disc injector for injecting into grassland. The injector is carried on a four-point linkage and over its 6.4m working width there are 32 outlets, supplied via a Vogelsang Exacut distributor with stonetrap.

All hydraulic functions are operated via electro-hydraulic controls and the tanker has also been fitted with a Krohne flowmeter and a Tanlake DD slurry monitor for complete application rate monitoring and recording.

As a finishing touch, in order to match the customer’s tractor the tanker has been painted in John Deere green, complete with yellow wheel rims.

Largest Kompactor push-off trailer Also on display will be a K40 Kompactor Push-Off trailer, the largest in the Kompactor range.

The Kompactor features a hydraulically operated headboard powered by a triple hydraulic ram

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system, that can be used to compact material such as woodchip and grass or maize silage, so increasing the load carried by up to 40%.

The headboard can also completely empty the trailer in as little as 30 seconds. Because the load is pushed off and so avoids the need to tip the trailer body, the Kompactor is ideal for use in areas that conventional tipping trailers cannot access.

By using a push-off mechanism and due to its low centre of gravity, all the inherent risks posed by using a tipping trailer are avoided, such as striking overhead power lines or trailer instability when tipping on soft and uneven ground.

V12 Vertical Auger feeder Completing the display will be a V12 vertical auger feeder. The Hi-

Spec Vertical Auger range of feeders is available in both single and twin auger variants with sizes from 7m3 up to 32m3. The Vertical Auger range uses a low pitch mixing and chopping auger that creates a simple cycle action and is fitted with eight self-sharpening knives. A specific feature is its ability to quickly and efficiently incorporate complete bales into the mix, due to the unique knife arrangement, which also allows the Vertical Auger mixer to be used with lower horsepower tractors.

The V12 model on display features two feed-out doors, one at the centre rear and the second is on the right-hand side and is fitted with a teaser feed-out system. The feeder is also specified with a fully programmable DG600 Dinamica Generale weighing system.

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| LAMMA

Want to increase yields and lower costs?

Visit Hutchinsons at LAMMA to hear about the ground-breaking trials that prove the use of Omnia Precision Agronomy results in yield increases and lower costs of production. he trials conducted across the East Midlands last autumn compared variably drilled wheat alongside a farm standard rate on spilt fields, which were then taken to yield.

The statistically-valid work has proven that using Omnia Precision Agronomy can increase yields by an average of 0.6t/ha, worth £99/ha (based on wheat at £165/t).

“This went up to 1.4t/ha or £240/tonne in some cases which is a significant increase and was achieved with lower costs of production,” says Nick Strelczuk, precision technology specialist for Hutchinsons.

When combining this yield data with Omnia’s cost of production tool, it is possible to calculate the cost/tonne of producing the crop for different areas of the field.

“The calculations showed that costs for the area drilled variably were lower and in these trials by as much as £28/tonne ( an average of £15/tonne– so not only were we getting better yields but the cost of producing these yields was lower with Omnia,” he adds.

“This is really exciting news for the industry as it is the first time that we have been able to prove the financial benefit of the features that using Omnia for variable rate applications offers to growers such as more even establishment and targeting inputs.”

Also on display at from Hutchinsons at LAMMA is Connect, a cost-effective iPad app

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that has been designed to simplify precision farming by connecting the user to the machine to enable variable rate control.

• Connect allows the user to seamlessly and instantly receive variable application maps created in Omnia in the field • There is no handling of data and maps can be sent by any user to anywhere • Connect is really cost-effective in that it is one system that can be used across multiple machines and operations • There is no need to go out and buy any new expensive machinery; it enables variable rate control on existing machines, and there is no expensive machine unlock codes • Connect is compatible with a wide range of machinery including Amazone, KRM, Kuhn, Vaderstad, Horsch, Mzuri, Sky, RDS and more As a business Hutchinsons continues to invest heavily in all areas of research and development. Precision technology is a key part of agronomy for the future as growers look at ways that they can improve productivity in light of the imminent changes to support payments, whilst also demonstrating sustainability.

To find out more about how Hutchinsons agronomists can help you to increase your profits whilst reducing your costs, please visit us at Stand No 10. 908 (Hall 10).

Autumn 2018 Omnia Validation Trials 3 winter wheat farm trials in Lincolnshire and Leics Variable drilling using Omnia produced a more even crop establishment Omnia produced increased yields up to 1.4t/ha, average yield increase was 0.6t/ha.

At a feed wheat price of £165/tonne this benefit is worth an average of £99/ha, and up to £231/ha Using Omnia costs of production are lower and in this case by as much as £28/tonne

December 2018 | Farming Monthly | 41

| LAMMA

Claydon’s new compact 6m trailed drill at LAMMA Claydon Drills, European market leaders in Direct Strip Seeding technology, will exhibit its new 6m OptiTill® T6c compact trailed drill at LAMMA 2019 (Hall 6, Stand No. 6.600). he T6c is the latest development of the pioneering Claydon OptiTill® System which the company has perfected over the last 16 years to optimise crop establishment, development, performance and profitability; this latest model builds on the success of the existing 6m T6 drill, one of six trailed models from 3m to 8m.

“The new T6c is over 20 per cent lighter and more compact than our standard T6, which was designed for larger farms and contractors who can make full use of its 5500-litre hopper capacity to maximise the area covered between fills and daily output,” Jeff Claydon, founder and CEO of Claydon Drills, states.

“The T6c combines the high output of a 6m seeding platform with the nimble handling characteristics and manoeuvrability of our 4m T4 trailed drill, on which it is based.

We believe that the new model will prove very popular with farmers in the UK and other countries who

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value the combination of lower cost and greater manoeuvrability over ultimate hopper capacity and output.”

Capable of drilling typically 45ha per day behind a 300hp (223kW) tractor, the T6c is carried on the lower link arms and features a fully-floating seeding chassis which follows field contours exactly, ensuring accurate seeding depth under all conditions. It does this regardless of the weight in the hopper, which is carried on a separate frame supported on centrally-mounted depth wheels that run on clean, dry, uncultivated ground to avoid capping and compaction.

Providing a hopper capacity of 3500-litres, double that of Claydon’s 6m mounted drill, the T6c weighs approximately 7000kg unladen, compared with 9000kg for the T6. The hopper can be used for seed only or divided 60:40 between seed and fertiliser for combination drilling, a technique which is becoming increasingly popular with farmers and agricultural contractors throughout Europe and

42 | Farming Monthly | December 2018

Scandinavia to get crops off to a fast start. The diameter of the pipes which transport seed and fertiliser from the hopper to the tines is 38mm.

Versatile, flexible, simple, strong, easy to use and with low operating costs, the T6c will sow directly into stubble, in min-till situations or on ploughed/cultivated land, across the widest range of soils, conditions and crops. This enables one drill to handle any crop establishment situation and minimises capital investment.

The 19 individually-adjustable tungsten carbide leading tines reduce compaction and aerate the soil. They optimise drainage, form tilth for the seeding zone and create a uniform seeding depth.

The following seeding tines create additional tilth and place the seed at the ideal depth, above the drainage channel. This highly effective system encourages very deep, complex rooting structures to develop quickly, which minimises soil erosion and produces stronger, healthier crops with optimum yield potential.

The new drill can be adapted to whatever the customer requires to suit different crops and conditions.

They can have the standard tine set-up with a variety of coulter and seeding boot options, choose to have fertiliser placed down the front or rear tine, and can specify front shouldered cutting discs or press wheels. At the rear, the double toolbar can be equipped with a range of press wheel, board and harrow configurations to fully cover the seed and leave the soil smooth and level.

Providing unparalleled versatility, the T6c folds to 2.97m for transport and is equipped with a wide range of standard features, including single-point depth control, a stainless-steel Kverneland metering system and

an ISOBUS compatible RDS Artemis control system which provides tramlining and variable seed rate capability. The specification also includes a hydraulically-driven fan, Claydondesigned distribution heads for improved flow and seeding accuracy, together with a tramline kit and hopper cover. Amongst the options are a vision kit which incorporates work lights and cameras so that the operator can monitor the drill from the tractor cab, GPS variable-rate seeding, blockage sensors, pre-emergence markers and brakes.

Developed by Suffolk farmer Jeff Claydon, the Claydon OptiTill® System is up to five times faster, one-third the cost and more reliable than a plough-based approach and typically 50% cheaper than min-till. It significantly improves timeliness, enabling crops to be established at the optimum time, under the best conditions, resulting in significantly higher yields and profitability.

Claydon’s extensive product range includes mounted and trailed drills from 3m to 8m, Straw Harrows from 3m to 15m, the 6m TerraStar light rotary cultivator, TerraBlade inter-row hoes from 3m to 6m, heavy rolls from 6.3m to 12.3m and an injector system which allows farmers to strip inject and cover sewage/digestate directly into stubble fields.

Claydon products are sold in over 30 countries by the company's commercial team through an everdeveloping distribution network and operate across the widest range of climatic conditions and soil types.

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| Machinery

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December 2018 | Farming Monthly | 43

| Machinery

5th Midlands Machinery Show branded a great success Visitors at this year’s Midlands Machinery Show were enthusiastic about the rebranding that was launched at the Show. Since its inception in 2014, the MMS team have been listening, developing and constantly checking feedback to refine the event to make it the perfect platform for exhibitors and visitors. he new branding was evident around Newark Showground on flags, signage and promotional material. The team, responding to feedback, have refreshed the band to represent the growth and development of MMS whilst retaining a nod to the ploughshare emblem to show that agriculture is at the show’s roots.

Of the 300 stands exhibiting, 61 were new for this year. The space allocated to stands and the new demo area was up by 38% on 2017 and the team were delighted at attendance which was 25% up on Day 1.

Following on from last year’s success, Woldmarsh, who also sponsor the show, increased the size of their 4 x 4 test drive area bringing together seven dealerships and over 300 vehicles. Listers Toyota Boston and Grantham again displayed a full range of Toyota’s most versatile four-wheel drives from the durable Hilux pickup and new Land cruiser commercial ranges. Duckworth Motor Group brought the award-winning Isuzu D-Max and Ben Duckworth, Dealer Principal at Duckworth Isuzu commented, “We’re excited to support The Midland Machinery Show and be part of making it such a great event. Our range of Isuzu’s are the perfect partner for this show, demonstrating capability, reliability and a true workhorse nature, ideal for all business and industry needs.

Stuart McKenzie, CEO of Woldmarsh said, “If you want to do business with farmers, MMS is the place to be. It’s one of the few events where farmers are genuinely interested in doing business. Every conversation is a potential new lead”.

For the first time NRoSO and BASIS points were available to visitors to the Show and there

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were additional BASIS points for attending the technical seminars in the LEC, which saw record numbers of attendees this year. One of the founder members of MMS, Garford Farm Machinery ran a seminar on ‘weed control’ and Harry Coppin, Salesman, said ‘It’s obvious that the team have listened to our feedback because we have seen an increase in promotion of the event using social media and advertising has been across a wider variety of publications which has obviously paid off for us because we have had a lot of interest on our stand. We are local and being able to bring kit onto our stand has been positive for us.

Networking with other exhibitors, it has been obvious that it has been positive for them as well”.

Jayne Hunt of Lincolnshire Machinery Ring said they had had a great Show, “We had the highest number of people on our stand this year and everyone was so positive with many people commenting that the show was bigger and better than before. We didn’t hear one negative comment”. LMR were offering new members free members until the end of May 2019.

There were many product launches at this year’s show, including one for first time exhibitor, ELP Engineering Ltd, who brought the Radio-Controlled Ferris Brush Mower – an economic solution to mowing safely on slopes and banks.

Another new exhibitor, Portek, who won a Highly Commended in the Best Allied Trade Stand category, reported that they had had a successful show. Martin Young, Senior Sales Rep said, “We had good attendance on our stand in Crocker Hall 2 and we are already looking forward to next year.”

Phil Warham, an agronomist with Agrovista

said, “This is our first year here and we have had a lot of local growers on our stand and it’s nice to support a local show. Having a stand inside has been ideal and we are already talking about next year and there is no reason other than our own budgetary constraints why Agrovista will not be back in 2019”.

Five apprentices were presented with cheques for £250 each from the Society’s President, Tim Farr. Starting their courses and receiving the first half of a £500 overall award were Charlotte Barnes and Michael Kirk.

Charlotte is an apprentice at Farmstar and is studying agricultural engineering at Bishop Burton College in Beverley. Michael who works with G H Chennells Farms of North Scarle, Lincs, attends Riseholme Campus in Lincoln.

Both are passionate about their career choice.

Ben Robinson, an apprentice at Peacock & Binnington and studying at Moreton Morell College in Warwick, Dante Jarvis, who works with J T Friskney and is at Riseholme Campus and Jack Wallhead, an apprentice at Grundy Agriculture who also studies at Riseholme all received cheques for the second half of their awards. The scheme receives funding from the Midlands Machinery Show and the Society and reinvests income from the show in the future of young people joining the agricultural industry.

For exhibitor bookings for 2019 contact Rebecca.knight@newarkshowground.com, and for sponsorship opportunities contact unamarie.palin@newarkshowground.com For a full list of exhibitors at this year’s Show, see www.midlandsmachineryshow.com.

Dates for 2019 are Wednesday 20 and Thursday 21 November.

Follow us on twitter @midsmachinery #MMS18 Like us on Facebook

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| Diversification

NFU Mutual report reveals fifth of UK farmers plan to diversify to survive after Brexit Almost 20% of UK farmers are planning to diversify in to other enterprises to support their farm businesses after Brexit, research commissioned by NFU Mutual reveals. he research is part of a Diversification Report produced by the leading rural insurer. It provides information on latest trends, together with expert insight and analysis to help farmers make decisions on the future direction of their farm businesses after Brexit.

NFU Mutual surveyed farmers with established diversification businesses to gain insight into their experiences, as well as farmers currently solely involved in farming activities to understand their attitudes and plans for future diversification.

Survey results - currently diversified farms The research found that from the 62%* of UK farmers who have already diversified their businesses over nine out of ten schemes (94%) have been financially successful.

The important role diversification plays in the sustainability of many farms was demonstrated with nearly two thirds (63%) reporting that the income produced by diversification was ‘vital’ or ‘significant’ to their farm.

The most common diversification was renewable energy (29%), followed by property letting (15%) and holiday lets (12%). Other types of popular enterprises included: livery stables (6%), Outdoor leisure activities (5%), and farm shops (2%).

Not surprisingly, boosting farm income was the main reason for diversifying – quoted by 62% of farmers surveyed. Other reasons included: providing a business opportunity for a partner or other family member (26%), utilising redundant farm buildings or unproductive land (20%), and providing a short-term income (9%).

While 89% of diversified farmers’ said their schemes had a positive effect on the farm business; respondents highlighted a number of challenges running an alternative enterprise alongside a farm. These include: lack of time (22%); red tape (18%); unreliable broadband

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(15%) and cash flow (15%).

Of those farmers who had already diversified, 25% said they were planning to further develop non-farming enterprises after Brexit.

Survey results - currently non-diversified farms Amongst farmers who do not currently run diversification enterprises, 19% said they would probably or definitely diversify in the future.

However, just under half (46%) of nondiversified farms still believe farming provides the best potential for their holding. Other reasons for not planning to diversify included lack of access to finance, no interest amongst family members and poor broadband.

Top choices for farmers now planning to diversify are: caravan/camping sites (27%) other holiday accommodation (20%), and renewable energy (20%). Encouragingly for the rural economy, 80% of farmers planning to diversify expect their schemes to create between one and two permanent jobs.

Turning to farm business structures, NFU Mutual is concerned that less than a third of diversified farms surveyed have taken Inheritance tax implications into account in their new business plans. The insurer recommends farmers planning diversification seek expert financial advice as some types of diversification can alter the tax treatment of land and buildings.

As an organisation strongly supporting initiatives to promote mental well-being in farming families, NFU Mutual also looked at rural isolation issues. Almost half (46%) of farmers surveyed thought a diversification project would make them feel less isolated than working as a farmer in an era when most work alone for long periods.

“The UK’s farmers are currently facing the greatest challenge to their future for generations, so we are working hard to help them make informed choices about the best

Chris Walsh

route for their farms and families,” said Chris Walsh, NFU Mutual Farm Insurance Manager.

“The basic choices farmers have available to them as direct subsidies cease are to maintain their current business models, specialise, intensify or diversify.

“Every farm is different and making the right choice depends on many factors including the farm’s location, land type, family structure, financial and skills set. ”Farmers are incredibly resourceful - but for many farmers, setting up a non-farming business is a step into the unknown so our report sets out clear information on the opportunities and challenges of diversification, together with insight from existing diversifiers and industry leaders.

“As the insurer of over three quarters of the UK’s farmers, NFU Mutual has wide expertise providing insurance for farming and a wide range of diversification schemes. This means we are well placed to help farmers through this challenging period. The report also stresses the importance of detailed research and getting expert advice while planning diversification.

Involving insurers at an early stage means many risk can be designed out, keeping insurance premiums low when the project is up and running.”

For more information and advice on diversification options down load the NFU Mutual Diversification Report at www.nfumutual.co.uk/diversification. *DEFRA Farm Business survey 2016-17

December 2018 | Farming Monthly | 45

| ATV

Lakedale Power Tools Croydon, Dartford & London T: 020 8683 0550 www.lakedalepowertools.co.uk

World of Power Buxton, Derbyshire T: 01298 213145 www.worldofpower.co.uk

Charles H Hill Ltd Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire T: 01526 388281 www.charleshhill.co.uk

Ermin Plant (Hire & Services) Ltd Gloucester, Gloucestershire T: 01452 526616 www.erminplant.co.uk

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| Forestry

Positive vision for Scottish forestry would benefit from enhanced land use strategy A bright future for Scottish forestry lies ahead if an integrated land use strategy which underpins forestry, farming and other sectors can be realised.

cottish Land & Estates (SLE) made the comments in its response to the consultation on Scotland's Forestry Strategy 201929 which was undertaken by the Scottish Government.

The organisation said it supported efforts to promote and develop sustainable forestry but recognised achieving consensus over different land uses was not always a simple process.

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Katy Dickson, Head of Policy at Scottish Land & Estates said: “Forestry is a key sector for landbased businesses and the rural economy, and the private sector has a vital role to play in helping the Scottish Government achieve its increased tree planting targets.

“We welcome the long-term approach taken in this new strategy document and believe the government’s vision for forestry is broadly in tune with the wishes of rural businesses such as estates and farms who will work to deliver

many of these goals.

“Where we would like to see the strategy enhanced is in decisions regarding land use and in particular, diversification from one type of land use into forestry. Many businesses want a mixture of farming, forestry and other activities such as energy or tourism on their land. We fully support enabling landholders in making the correct choices for their business which will then go on to deliver for the economy, environment and community.

“We would like to see greater acknowledgement from government that there will be conflicts around land use choices rather than see integration strategies developed which dictate what a land use should be. We want to see an approach which creates a supportive framework to encourage land managers to achieve a mix of land uses and recognises that compromise will often be required in planting the right tree, in the right place for the right purpose.”

December 2018 | Farming Monthly | 47

| Tyres

Galileo Wheel’s revolutionary CupWheel Tire is back and accelerating towards broader release across agriculture and construction Over 100 years have passed since the invention of the pneumatic tire, without any major changes in the basic concept of an air-envelop. es, improvements in materials and structures (Radial Vs Bias for instance) but nothing in an entirely different geometrical engineered structure that enhances performance characteristics, including improving soil compaction, farming efficiency and minimizing downtime.

Developed by Galileo Wheel Ltd., the CupWheel Tire Technology combines the advantages of both radial off-road tires and tracks and presents the next generation of tires - without compromising any of the features the other solutions bring.

The CupWheel Tire, developed by Galileo Wheel, made a big impact in the farming community when it was first unveiled in 2013.

Now, following years of close and productive partnership with Mitas followed by Trelleborg, the CupWheel Tire is the subject of heated anticipation and discussion once again as Galileo Wheel expands its partnership network of forward-looking machinery manufacturers, farmers and construction operators.

The CupWheel Tire uniquely combines the advantages of both radial agricultural tires and tracks, delivering a brand-new design concept that maximises efficiency and reduces soil compaction while minimising downtime. “The CupWheel Tire is a new and transformational way of connecting your machine to the soil,” said Avishay Novoplanski, CupWheel inventor and Chief Technology Officer at Galileo Wheel.

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“For years we have been refining every aspect, every function, to create the apex of tire performance in agriculture and industry. This is a new dimension of traction efficiency and productivity, one that will boost results, cut costs, and offer greater user comfort. These are big claims, I’m aware. Galileo Wheel has worked intensively to ensure those big claims are matched by our technology.”

Key Features • Larger footprint with uniform load distribution • Better traction for enhanced efficiency and energy savings • Improved ride comfort and safety • Increased durability of tread and side walls • Enhanced lateral stability for improved steering and slope performance • Benefits to the user • Evenly distributes the machine’s weight on the ground.

• A much bigger footprint exerts less ground pressure and therefore significantly reduces soil compaction for maximum yield.

• Provides improved traction efficiency with lower slippage – leading to lower operational costs and greater fuel savings.

• Ensures stable driving even with low inflation pressures, for ride comfort and safety.

• Reduces downtime through run-flat capability with a promise to “finish your day” even with zero air pressure.!

In anticipation of their showing at SIMA 2019, Galileo Wheel have revealed their intentions for

the CupWheel Tire’s future. “As a business, we prefer to focus our resources on ensuring our products meet the high standards that farmers and construction operators expect – as they should – of their everyday machinery,” said Rami Einav, Marketing & Sales Director at Galileo Wheel. “As we enter new partnerships, the product development is now progressing at an astonishing rate. For our customers, this will transform everyday operations. For manufacturers, this is a chance to collaborate on ground-breaking new developments that redefine what to expect from their equipment.”

“We worked successfully with Trelleborg for several years,” said Alon Hayka, Managing Director at Galileo Wheel. “But now we have the opportunity to present this technology to a broader audience and for new applications. For example, we will soon be releasing the CupWheel tire for the irrigation and skid-steer markets, with field trials already demonstrating significant benefits. Additional new applications for the mass Agro market will be presented during SIMA. Working with partners that share our drive has enabled us to expand and develop innovative equipment that answers the realworld needs of farmers and construction operators. The CupWheel Tire has been designed with the user in mind, helping farms and operators to yield the results they deserve from their hard work.”

“We’re not trying to reinvent the wheel.

We’ve just invented the CupWheel.”

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| Education

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December 2018 | Farming Monthly | 49

| ATV

Polaris

Prepare your Polaris RANGER Cab for Winter

Keep the winter outside with Polaris Engineered Parts and Accessories for the RANGER cab, specifically designed to enhance the riding experience no matter the weather. ith the RANGER Pro Shield Cab System – the tightest sealing cab system in the industry – alongside a number of in-cab accessories designed to help with the cold, dark winter months, Polaris offer unprecedented cab comfort and protection from the elements with the RANGER parts and accessories lineup.

Andreas Geisinger, Manager of Polaris EMEA Parts, Gear & Accessories Business, explained: “The RANGER is completely adaptable to any riding conditions, and so the cab should be too. We created the Pro Shield Cab System exclusively for the RANGER XP 1000, alongside the design and development of the vehicle itself for the perfect fit. This resulted in a 360degree gasket seal that keeps draughts, dust and moisture out, fully preparing the RANGER for anything Winter has to throw at it.”.

RANGER Pro Shield Cab System With a variety of cab components available – from roofs and doors, to windshields and rear panels – there are unlimited ways to configure the RANGER cab system for any environment, any purpose and any

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weather. All of the RANGER Pro Shield Cab components are built with a seamless fit and Lock and Ride compatibility, giving maximum convenience with easy-on and easyoff installation without the need for any tools.

Roof – A winter must-have for protection against rain and maintaining heat, a Polaris Engineered roof delivers fully-sealed coverage and advanced integrated roof water channels, directing water away from the cab even when stationary. Choose from impactresistant poly, ultimate-strength steel, or lightweight canvas material.

Doors – Complete the cab with the RANGER Pro Shield Cab System door line. The premium, fully-sealed doors are finished with solid latches that feel sturdy and secure, integrated storage and controls, pre-designated mounts for audio speakers, and multiple window options for ventilation. Finalise the look with exterior accent panels colour-matched to the existing RANGER collection.

Windshield and Rear Panel – Keep riding regardless of weather, with Polaris Engineered windshields and rear panels. Choose from tempered safety glass for perfect clarity and top scratch resistance, standard

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poly for high-value durability, or hard-coat poly for 30x more scratch resistance than standard poly with extreme impact-resistance – all providing protection from dust-swirl and rain. Polaris have enhanced their windshields and rear panels with venting options, to control airflow into the cab depending on conditions.

Winter-proof Accessories Complete your preparation for winter by adding extra comfort and capability to your RANGER, with premium Polaris Engineered Cab accessories.

Windshield Wiper and Washer System – Add all-weather visibility to your ride with the top-selling wiper and washer system. The 17-inch mounted kit wipes away rain or snow with ease, meaning a safer, easier ride. Operated by a simple rocker switch to wipe/spray fluid, and all mounting hardware and wiring is included. Polaris Pulse ready.

Heater & Defrost System – With eight vents for the best coverage of air dispersion, the system can be used for heating or cooling the cab, as well as defrosting the windshield.

The dash-mounted controls allow easy control over the three levels of fan speed and temperature. Each

vent can be manually opened or closed. Polaris PULSE ready.

Heated Seat System – A heated seat is a premium cold-weather luxury you wouldn’t expect from a UTV, but the Heated Seat System for the RANGER is just that.

Designed to fit the RANGER threeperson stock seats and comes with all the necessary wiring for a straightforward installation. Polaris PULSE ready.

Multi-Function Cab Light – A valuable tool with a variety of light uses in and out of your RANGER. The light provides necessary light inside the cab during the dark winter months and the LED dome can also be detached to be used as a torch where needed. The light is battery-powered but usefully recharges when the vehicle is in use. With multi-colour functionality offering white, red, blue and green LED lighting options which allow for a host of night activity – red for preserving night vision, blue for night fishing as it doesn’t produce glare on water, and green for navigating without disturbing game.

Polaris PULSE ready.

With over 1,900 accessories in the range, Polaris offer a number of additional solutions to get winterready, such as Plows and Winches.

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| ATV

Honda ATV Versatile, comfortable and more affordable farm transport As winter weather sets in and cold, wet conditions make farm transport difficult, moving people and equipment where needed without causing ground damage is an issue facing most farms and estates at this time of year. Investing in an ATV or UTV from Honda’s leading range could provide a solution, treading lightly across sensitive areas and saving time and effort.

onda’s conventional ATV line-up includes models from 250– 680cc, all with low ground pressure tyres capable of treading lightly over sensitive ground, and with front and rear load racks to carry tools and equipment. Models such as the Fourtrax 250 2wd are ideal for lighter tasks while the Fourtrax 420, available with selectable 2 or 4wd is the favourite of livestock farmers for delivering feed and bedding out to the fields. For more demanding use the Foreman 500 carries and tows heavier loads with ease, and the Rincon 680, with automatic torque converter transmission and independent front and rear suspension tops the range, with superb go-anywhere performance.

Honda’s Pioneer 700 utility vehicle is quickly becoming a common sight on UK farms since its introduction last year, appealing to farmers and landowners with its smooth, quiet and powerful 675cc petrol engine and superb off-road capability.

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The Pioneer’s tipping rear load bed carries up to 386kg and for those with even heavier loads to move an optional rear hitch provides towing capacity up to 680kg.

The Pioneer is just as capable when it comes to transporting people. There are two versions including the 700-2, with seating for the driver plus a passenger, and the 700-4 with capacity for up to three passengers. The 700-4 uses Honda’s QuikFlip seating arrangement with two rear seats stored flat below the front section of the load bed, but they can be folded out in an instant when needed for passengers.

Convenient access is through conventional side doors.

For operator and passenger comfort the Pioneer is hard to beat, even on cold winter days.

Honda offers a range of weather protection accessories, from simple wind deflectors to windscreens and canopies to protect the driver and passengers from the sun and rain showers as well as overhanging branches.

For extra comfort half cabs

comprising a hard roof, glass windshield, hard rear panel and windscreen washer and wiper can be fitted and a full cab is also available, complete with an optional heater using heat from the engine’s liquid cooling system.

The Pioneer’s smooth, quiet petrol engine makes it ideal for use with a cab, avoiding the excessive vibration and noise which affects many diesel powered alternatives.

For a limited time Honda’s popular half-cab is available for just £999, saving more than £880 off the recommended retail price.

Coupled with an attractive 0 per

cent finance offer which allows purchasers of a new Pioneer to put down a 20 per cent deposit and spread the remaining cost over 2 years, there has never been a better opportunity to invest in this versatile vehicle and enjoy comfortable and efficient farm transport whatever the weather this winter.

For further information about Honda’s range of ATVs and Pioneer UTVs, as well as the current finance offers just visit www.honda.co.uk/atv or your local main dealer.

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Kawasaki Getting the job done

Kawasaki ATV’s are designed for all-day comfort and durability to assist in everyday tasks. Whether you are tending to animals in rough terrain, repairing a run of fencing or require industry leading power, a Kawasaki ATV will help you get the job done. vailable with either a 749cc Vtwin or 271cc single-cylinder engine, swing arm or IRS suspensions plus variable limited slip differentials (LSD), the Brute Force range has a vehicle to suit a variety of needs and budgets.

All Kawasaki ATV vehicles have CVT transmission as standard, contributing to ease of operation and leaving you free to concentrate on the terrain ahead. Kawasaki Brute Force ATV’s, the choice of professionals.

If you are looking for a compact, affordable and capable ATV, then look no further than the entry-level Brute Force 300. With features you’d expect from a much larger ATV, including CVT transmission, a generous 227kg towing capacity, disk brakes front and rear plus a water-cooled engine, this vehicle is designed to deliver. The transmission and CVT ratios are

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tailored for optimum power delivery appropriate for a smaller-displacement ATV. These ratios along with the hydraulically activated triple disc brakes contribute to engine braking, helping you conquer tricky downhill trails. The majority of balanced handling comes from the double wishbone suspension set with 5-way adjustable shocks up front whilst a lightweight, strong steel-tube frame makes the Brute Force 300 manoeuvrable and improves stability when cornering.

The Kawasaki Brute Force 750 4x4i EPS is designed for high performance off-road riding and boasts industry leading features. The Electronic Power Steering marries a sturdy yet refined fuel-injected, water cooled, V-twin engine with a 567kg towing ability plus electronically selectable two or four wheel drive.

The speed variable Electronic Power Steering (EPS) and revised steering column assembly

contributes to improved handling and makes light work of changing direction on tough terrain. The double wishbone front suspension ensures generous wheel travel and minimal body roll to ensure safety on uneven ground.

Rider control is improved by the specially designed handlebar grips and reduced vibration contributes to everyday comfort.

Adding security, the rear brake can be operated via either the handlebar lever or foot pedal.

Powerful twin, round headlamps cast a broad beam when working in low-light conditions, perfect for those early morning feeds during the winter months.

To find out more about Kawasaki’s ATV Brute Force range, visit the website or contact your local Kawasaki ATV and Mule dealer. www.kawasaki.co.uk

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| ATV

Suzuki ATV Suzuki’s new ATVs are the King of Quads

Suzuki has recently launched two all new and impressive ATVs – the KingQuad 750 with power steering and the KingQuad 500 available in power steering/non-power steering models. hassis upgrades mean that both models can now tow an impressive 600kg, an increase of 33% on the previous models.

Suzuki has also introduced sharp styling and a range of rider-friendly new features including a handlebar-mounted headlight to improve visibility into the turn plus additional water-resistant storage compartments to help you carry more equipment.

In addition, the front suspension, steering system and rear stabiliser are all new, which combine to deliver excellent straight line stability, sure footed handling when cornering and improved overall manoeuvrability. The handlebars have also been raised which improves the riding position, allowing for longer and easier rides.

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Impressive refinements have also been made to the tried and tested engine to continue Suzuki’s reputation for high levels of performance and reliability. The new multifunction instrument panel is also easier to view and includes a service reminder icon, which notifies the rider when the ATV is due for its routine service. Couple this with newly designed body parts that allow easier access to key components such as the fuel filter, means that customers will benefit from easier and lower cost servicing.

All of these new features created unrivalled attention of the new KingQuads during this summer’s agricultural shows across the UK. These new models are a result of 30 years of engineering experience, refinement through feedback from customers and an unequalled reputation for quality that Suzuki has earned through building each one.

Suzuki has also introduced sharp styling and a range of rider-friendly new features including a handlebar-mounted headlight to improve visibility into the turn plus additional water-resistant storage compartments to help you carry more equipment The all new and classleading KingQuad models have just arrived into the UK and are now available from selected Authorised Suzuki Dealerships, starting from £8,878.80 RRP (including vat).

Visit WWW.ATV.SUZUKI.CO.UK for more information.

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The new Range Rover Evoque The original luxury compact SUV has got even better. At home both in the city and the country, the new Evoque joins the Range Rover family with a choice of hybrid-electric engines. aving pioneered the luxury compact SUV market, with global sales of over 772,096 (20% sold in the UK) and more than 217 international awards, the new Range Rover Evoque is a sophisticated evolution of the original.

Combining unrivalled Range Rover heritage with cutting-edge technology – designed, engineered and manufactured in Britain – it meets the needs of today’s customers.

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“Evoque is now smarter than ever” Rawdon Glover, Managing Director, Jaguar Land Rover UK said: "The Range Rover Evoque has been a phenomenal UK success over the past seven years. It's proven very popular with customers from a broad range of segments with more than 60% of them being new to the Land Rover marque.

"With a fifth of global retails being in the UK, I am extremely confident this will be a great second album taking Evoque to a new level of refinement, luxury and sustainability while preserving all the charm of the first model which defined the compact SUV market back in 2011."

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Building on the original’s instantlyrecognisable design, the new Range Rover Evoque is a sophisticated evolution of the distinctive coupé-like silhouette, typified by its distinctive fast roofline and rising waist, which unmistakably identify the Range Rover family.

The outstanding volume and proportions are amplified by its pronounced shoulders and powerful wheelarches that, alongside new 21inch wheels, combine to create a strong and dynamic attitude.

The introduction of jewel-like elements such as super-slim Matrix LED headlamps provide a more sophisticated front and rear lamp graphic.

Flush door handles add to the smooth, sculpted aesthetic, while sweeping directional indicators create a purposeful signature.

Optional R-Dynamic details and burnished copper accents add to the unique appeal.

Inside, the finely crafted design integrates uncluttered surfaces and simple lines with carefully curated materials to create a luxurious, minimalist, digital cabin. Technical textiles that use recycled plastics are offered as premium alternatives to leather, such as a Kvadrat wool blend and Miko Dinamica® suedecloth, as well as Eucalyptus and Ultrafabrics™ options. The cabin is designed to be a calm and serene space, ensuring comfortable, healthy and

happy occupants, with technologies such as the twin touchscreen Touch Pro Duo system, featuring new, faster software, 16-way seat controls and cabin air ionisation that complement the increased interior space.

Gerry McGovern, Land Rover Chief Design Officer, said: “When Range Rover Evoque made its debut back in 2010, it transformed the world of compact SUVs and the new model is set to continue that remarkable journey. This characterful vehicle combines refinement and fun to create that all important emotional reaction that will turn heads and make people smile.”

The footprint is almost identical, yet built on Land Rover’s new mixed-material Premium Transverse Architecture, there is more interior space than before. A longer wheelbase yields 20mm extra rear kneeroom and an increase in small item stowage – the larger glove box and centre cubby can now fit tablets, handbags and bottles with ease. The luggage space is 10 per cent larger (591 litres) as well as much wider and easily fits a folded pram or set of golf clubs, with space increasing to 1,383 litres when the flexible 40:20:40 second-row seats are folded.

The new architecture has been developed for electrification, with a 48-volt mild-hybrid

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| Motors

available at launch and a plug-in hybrid model offered around 12 months afterwards. The mild hybrid powertrain is a first for Land Rover and works by harvesting energy normally lost during deceleration thanks to the enginemounted belt-integrated starter generator, storing it in the under-floor battery. At speeds below 11mph (17km/h), the engine will shut off while the driver applies the brakes. When pulling away, the stored energy is redeployed to assist the engine under acceleration and reduce fuel consumption. The result is a refined, quiet and efficient drive in built-up traffic heavy areas, in addition to efficiency savings.

Available across the range (when specified with automatic gearbox) of four-cylinder Ingenium petrol and diesel engines, the mild hybrid delivers CO2 emissions from as low as 149g/km and fuel economy from 50.4mpg (based on the new NEDC Equivalent WLTP test procedure). If the customer chooses the 150PS diesel engine with front wheel drive, Evoque only emits 143g/km. An even more efficient plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) model and three-cylinder petrol Ingenium engine will also join the range next year.

Every bit a Range Rover, the compact SUV combines all-terrain capability with all-weather assurance. New Evoque features All-Wheel Drive, as well as a second-generation Active Driveline with Driveline Disconnect to enhance efficiency and Adaptive Dynamics to deliver the optimum balance of comfort and agility. Terrain Response 2 – technology first found on full-size Range Rover – automatically detects the

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surface being driven on a adjusts the set-up accordingly, while Evoque can now wade through water up to 600mm (previously 500mm).

The famed Range Rover command driving position has jumped into the digital age, with a segment-first ‘ClearSight rear-view mirror’ that transforms into an HD video screen. If rear visibility is compromised by passengers or bulky items, the driver simply flicks a switch on the underside of the mirror and a camera feed from the top of the car displays what is behind the vehicle in crisp high definition. The screen provides a wider (50-degree) field of vision and superior visibility in low light.

The new Range Rover Evoque is also the first in the world to feature Ground View technology, which effectively makes the bonnet invisible by projecting camera imagery onto the upper touchscreen to show the driver a 180degree view under the front of the vehicle. This is useful when negotiating difficult parking spaces, navigating high city centre kerbs or tackling rough terrain and is the realisation of the Transparent Bonnet technology previewed

by Land Rover in 2014.

Nick Rogers, Executive Director, Product Engineering, Jaguar Land Rover, said: “Underneath the skin is an engineering and technical revolution. The architecture is all-new to accommodate both plug-in and mild hybrid systems, with only the door hinges remaining unchanged on the body. The chassis has been significantly reworked to make the most of the stiffer body, ensuring the characteristic ride comfort and refinement of a Range Rover.

“Evoque is now smarter than ever. The software that sits behind the infotainment “Underneath the skin is an engineering and technical revolution. The architecture is all new to accommodate both plug-in and mild hybrid systems, with only the door hinges remaining unchanged on the body. The chassis has been significantly reworked to make the most of the stiffer body, ensuring the characteristic ride comfort and refinement of a Range Rover” system has been refined to provide a more intuitive customer experience. On top of that we’ve added Apple CarPlay and Android Auto for seamless smartphone integration.”

Evoque is the first Land Rover with Smart Settings, which uses artificial intelligence algorithms to learn the driver’s preference and acts as an onboard butler. In addition to seat position, music and climate settings, Evoque can also control steering column preferences to maximise comfort and convenience.

Jaguar Land Rover’s commitment to the UK car industry continues following a £1 billion investment to support its creation and delivery.

This includes £110 million into the company’s UK manufacturing plant in Halewood, Merseyside, to develop the state-of-the-art flexible manufacturing facility.

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New Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk Pricing and UK specification for the new supercharged Grand Cherokee Trackhawk have been announced by Jeep.

Only 20 Trackhawks will be available this year, and with a starting price of just £89,999 OTR the high performance 4x4 represents fantastic value for money. he supercharged V8 unit, delivering 710hp (522kW) at 6,000rpm and 868Nm of torque, is combined with an upgraded high-torque capacity TorqueFlite eight-speed automatic transmission to give it ground-breaking performance: zero to 62mph in 3.7 seconds, a top speed of 180mph, and a 62 to zero mph braking distance of 37 metres thanks to its new Brembo braking system.

The Trackhawk’s modest price tag, but whopping power output, means that the cost per horsepower (£/hp) is around £127. This compares favourably with £296 for the Bentley Bentayga and £257 for the Lamborghini Urus.

World-class on-road driving dynamics and handling come courtesy of the Selec-Trac system with five dynamic modes and Bilstein active damping suspension.

The exterior of the new Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk is both aggressive and functional, and is set apart with body-coloured flared wheel arches, a sculpted bonnet with hood vents and

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quad exhaust tips.

New 20-inch titanium finish wheels, revealing distinctive yellow Brembo brake calipers, complete the look, along with a ‘Supercharged’ badge on both front doors and a ‘Trackhawk’ badge on the boot.

Drawing inspiration from the sports world, the racing-inspired interior is designed to provide a comfortable environment. Crafted in premium quality soft-touch materials, it is enhanced by exclusive finishes and carbon fibre inserts.

The standard interior for the UK features Laguna leather seats with an embroidered ‘Trackhawk’ logo. A new premium metal package is also standard and enhances the vehicle's interior with high quality real metal accents. Active Noise Cancellation, leather stitched instrument panel, doors, centre console and armrest, Berber floormats with Trackhawk badge and 825 watt Harman Kardon sound system with 19 speakers including subwoofers are also included as standard.

The new Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk offers more than 65 safety and security features,

including Trailer Hitch Camera View at Speed, offering a view of trailered items through the rear-mounted camera while moving; a Valet mode that allows for a personalised, selectable driving experience; Adaptive Cruise Control with stop function; Advanced Brake Assist; Blindspot Monitoring with Rear Cross Path Detection; Full-speed Forward Collision Warning with Crash Mitigation; Parallel and Perpendicular Park Assist; Lane Departure Warning-Plus and Ready Alert Braking.

“There won’t be many of these incredible Grand Cherokee Trackhawks available in the UK so, just like the car, customers are going to have to be quick,” says Andrew Tracey, Marketing Director, Jeep UK. “The Trackhawk delivers astounding performance, through renowned SRT engineering. Combining world-class on-road driving dynamics with luxury, refinement and an array of innovative advanced technology, it is surely the best value high performance SUV on the road.”

All-new 2020 Jeep Gladiator The all-new 2020 Jeep® Gladiator – the most capable mid-size truck ever – builds on a rich heritage of tough, dependable Jeep trucks with an unmatched combination of rugged utility, authentic Jeep design, open-air freedom, clever functionality and versatility, best-in-class towing and 4x4 payload, advanced fuel-efficient powertrains, superior on- and off-road dynamics and a host of innovative safety and advanced technology features. nquestionably a truck and instantly recognizable as a Jeep, the all-new 2020 Gladiator is the ultimate vehicle for any outdoor adventure,” said Tim Kuniskis, Head of Jeep Brand North America. “There is tremendous demand for this unique vehicle from our loyal Jeep customers and pickup truck buyers everywhere.

Born from a rich and proud heritage of tough, dependable Jeep trucks, Gladiator combines

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rugged utility, versatility and functionality resulting in the most capable mid-size truck ever.”

The all-new 2020 Jeep Gladiator delivers unmatched capability with best-in-class towing and 4x4 payload capacity, composed on-road driving dynamics and passenger safety.

Legendary off-road capability comes courtesy of the Command-Trac and Rock-Trac 4x4 systems, third-generation Dana 44 axles, Tru-Lock electric front- and rear-axle lockers, Trac-Lok limited-slip

differential, segment-exclusive sway-bar disconnect and 33-inch off-road tyretyres.

The 2020 Jeep Gladiator is available in these different trim configurations: Sport, Sport S, Overland and Rubicon.

Built in Toledo, Ohio, the all-new 2020 Jeep Gladiator arrives in US showrooms in the second quarter of 2019 - more on it’s European debut in due course.

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The new Tarraco: Seven-seater SUV completes SEAT’s biggest product offensive SEAT’s biggest product offensive reaches its climax with the introduction of the brand’s new flagship model, the Tarraco. The large SUV will bring higher margins to the company, growing its portfolio and increasing its competitiveness, allowing it to cover 80% of vehicle segments in the European market.

EAT’s outlook continues to be confident and upbeat as it introduces new vehicles to its line-up and refreshes those that are already mainstays in the market, offering vehicles that suit every aspect of our customers’ lifestyles.

Between January and October this year, the brand reached a total volume of 449,000 vehicles worldwide, which is 13.7% more than in the same period of 2017 (395,100). This is the best result in the history of SEAT, and it is above the figure achieved between January and September 2000 (433,600 cars).

The new SUV blends the key attributes of every vehicle in the SEAT range – design and functionality, sportiness and comfort, technology and emotion – but in a form that suits a wider variety of lifestyles. The new SEAT Tarraco is designed for drivers who need the usefulness of a seven-seater and the practicality of a higher driving position but are conscious of a vehicle’s aesthetics and appreciate the Tarraco’s balance between selfconfidence, elegance and sportiness.

As the SUV market continues to expand, Tarraco will play a key role for SEAT when it is introduced at the very beginning of 2019, strengthening the brand and aiding further growth at a time when the company’s sales are rising steadily already. With a trio of SUVs to offer, the opportunities for expansion become much clearer, with Tarraco leading the way.

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The SEAT Tarraco is here. The latest vehicle designed and developed at SEAT’s facilities in Martorell and produced in Wolfsburg (Germany), marking the third instalment in the company’s SUV product offensive. Tarraco brings a fresh look to the sector, highlighting greater self-confidence, elegance, sportiness and determination.

The new Tarraco sits at the top of SEAT’s SUV family, as the bigger brother to both the Ateca and Arona, mixing state-of-the-art technology, dynamic, agile handling, practicality and functionality with elegant, progressive design. Tarraco combines the many advantages of its larger dimensions to offer a vehicle that can take on all elements of modern life.

Named after the Mediterranean city of Tarragona – a historic, cultural centre with aweinspiring architecture but a spirit that is young and adventurous – the name Tarraco was chosen by a popular vote. More than 146,000 SEAT enthusiasts participated in the final phase of the #SEATseekingName competition.

The new SUV blends the key attributes that every vehicle in the SEAT range needs: design and functionality, sportiness and comfort, accessibility and quality, technology and emotion, which serve a diverse variety of lifestyles. The new SEAT Tarraco is designed for drivers who need the utility and convenience of a seven-seater and the practicality of a higher driving position but also appreciate a

vehicle’s aesthetics and value Tarraco’s balance between self-confidence, elegance and sportiness.

Inside the cabin, the Tarraco fuses a high quality, ergonomically designed interior space with state-of-the-art infotainment and connectivity technologies to maximise the interaction between driver and vehicle.

Tarraco benefits from a choice of two advanced petrol engines and two sophisticated diesel units, helping it to meet the most stringent emissions legislation while offering the best performance for the customer. The large SUV is also future-proofed and ready to take alternative powertrain technologies.

From the sculptured exterior design, highend feel of the interior, to the advanced engine line-up and dynamic chassis technologies, Tarraco epitomises the core values of the SEAT brand, and brings them to a segment that is primed for a disruptive force.

“SEAT is experiencing its biggest product offensive in recent times. The introduction of the SEAT Tarraco, our very first large SUV, forms part of our €3.3 billion investment between 2015 and 2019 in the company’s future and the range of vehicles we offer,” said President of SEAT, Luca de Meo, “It not only completes our family of SUVs, but brings a new vigour to the segment and will help bring new customers to the SEAT family.”

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New Ford Edge: More performance, comfort and technology The stylish, sporty and finely crafted new Ford Edge – the company’s most technologically advanced sports utility vehicle (SUV) ever – delivers greater comfort and enhanced performance for customers in Europe. he new Ford Edge large SUV offers a comprehensive range of cameraand sensor-based driver assistance technologies designed to make journeys more comfortable and less stressful, and to help drivers avoid or mitigate the effects of collisions, including Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with Stop & Go and Lane Centring; Post‑Collision Braking; and Evasive Steering Assist.

Available in stylish Titanium, Ford Performance-inspired ST-Line and upscale Vignale variants, the new Edge features technology to keep drivers and occupants connected while on the move, including FordPass Connect embedded modem and Ford’s

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SYNC 3 communications and entertainment system.

Luxurious features available to enhance comfort and convenience include a customisable digital instrument cluster; heated and cooled front seats, heated rear seats and steering wheel; a wireless charging pad for compatible smartphones; and a 1,000-watt, premium B&O Sound System.

A new 238PS bi-turbo variant of Ford’s 2.0‑litre EcoBlue diesel engine delivers the power of a larger capacity engine alongside the optimised fuel-efficiency of a smaller engine, and combines with an intelligent new eight-speed automatic transmission for effortless cruising.

The new Edge also enhances Ford’s Intelligent All-Wheel Drive

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system with new all-wheel drive disconnect, which can automatically switch seamlessly between two-wheel drive and Intelligent All-Wheel Drive as required, to optimise handling and help further improve fuel-efficiency.

"Helping customers effortlessly deal with stop-start traffic using our most advanced driver assistance technologies to-date, and cruise in comfort supported by our refined

and fuel-efficient new 2.0-litre EcoBlue diesel engine and eightspeed automatic gearbox, the new Ford Edge is our most compelling offering yet for the ever-growing numbers of European customers migrating towards SUVs," said Roelant de Waard, vice president, Marketing, Sales and Service, Ford of Europe.

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