May 2012 Farming Monthly National

Farming

MONTHLY National

May 2012

Inside this issue...

Suzuki presents model line-up

Cereals 2012 26 page preview

Manufacturer shows press it means business

Farm energy More options to consider

Water, water everywhere..

But do you have your own supply?

Contents

11

48

May 2012

14 72

Features

Regulars

17 43 44 48 52 54 58 61

06 14 45 62 65 70

Cereals Preview 26 pages to get your teeth into before the show.

Animal Health Pig & poultry health issues.

Sheep Electronic tagging from Daltons.

Beef Expo Beef & Cattle show update.

Buildings The latest info from the industry.

Grassland The show is imminent.

Shooting News from the shooting sector.

News All the latest need to know commentary.

On Topic Water, water everywhere...

Energy What’s new in on farm energy?

Machinery New equipment news.

ATV The essential workhorse round-up.

Motors What’s new on the road?

NEXT MONTH Shows, shows, shows...

Fencing Hampton’s X-NET for security.

We welcome feedback and encourage readers to air their views. Have an opinion on a story or agriculture in general? Write to us at the address below or email letters@farmingmonthly.com

Andrew Poulton EDITOR

Whilst every attempt is made to ensure accuracy, the opinions expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of the Editor. The Editor also reserves the right to alter or edit material as necessary and no responsibility is accepted for inaccuracies. Full copyright applies. All rights reserved 2012.

Connect with us:

Published in the UK by Farming Monthly Ltd, 15-17 Dugdale Street, Nuneaton, Warwickshire CV11 5QJ Tel: +44 (0) 2476 353537 Fax: +44 (0) 2476 353571 Editor Andrew Poulton Editorial Assistant editorial@farmingmonthly.com Advertising Director Shona Beedham s.beedham@farmingmonthly.com Senior Advertising Sales Jenny Tranter j.tranter@farmingmonthly.com Advertising Sales Edward Hickinbottom e.hickinbottom@farmingmonthly.com Accounts Manager Cheryl Arnold c.arnold@farmingmonthly.com Production Team Steve Wilson Andrew Poulton studio@farmingmonthly.com For editorial and general enquiries or to advertise please call Tel: 02476 353537 or email sales@farmingmonthly.com

04 | Farming Monthly | April 2012

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Competition Subscribe Win...East of England Show tickets he countdown has begun to the biggest family event in Peterborough. The East of England Show has announced this year’s dates and a packed calendar of new and exciting attractions for the region on July 6,7 and 8.

An outdoor evening concert, Friday’s Ladies Day, a brand new ‘green’ business hub, shopping village, a programme of interactive children’s events, food court and of course over 1,000 animals on show will make this year’s event unmissable.

Thousands of visitors from across the region are expected to attend the show – held at the East of England Showground in Peterborough – which in its hey day attracted 160,000 visitors.

Now in its 44th year at the Showground, the 2012 event sees an ambitious plan to recreate the countryside atmosphere but with a very modern twist.

“This is the biggest family show in the city’s annual calendar – we want it to be a true celebration of the countryside, in all its many guises and one that has something for everyone,” explained Andrew Riddington, Show committee chairman.

“While we continue to stage our traditional favourites including the livestock and equine shows, the prestigious Championship Dog Show and the floral and garden competitions, we also want to introduce some new themes,” added Paul Tate, interim Show secretary.

“We are finalising details on performers for the outdoor concert that will see live music returning to the venue on Saturday evening. On Friday we host a business hub and VIP Ladies’ Day beginning with a breakfast networking event.

“In addition to this, family fun is a top priority on all three days with a multitude of interactive events lined up. It’s about getting involved, taking part, really getting something out of the weekend and leaving feeling you’ve had a great day out and only had to travel as far as the showground to do so!”

For ticket pries and more information visit the new-look Show website www.eastofenglandshow.co.uk

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We have 3 family tickets to give away for entry on Sunday June 8th.

For your chance to win simply answer the following question:

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April 2012 | Farming Monthly | 05

| News

AtlasFram joins LEAF Very significant new member welcomed to Marque. tlasFram, one of the UK’s largest farmer owned cooperatives has joined LEAF (Linking Environment And Farming). AtlasFram which has an annual turnover of £168 million is now encouraging its 1250 farmers to become members and gain LEAF Marque certification. The LEAF Marque logo is widely recognised as the leading environmental food label, and a key reason why AtlasFram has elected to join LEAF. AtlasFram’s farmer members will have access to the services of Suffolk FWAG to help them with this process, including the completion of the LEAF Audit.

Suffolk FWAG, (which joined AtlasFram in January and is also a LEAF advisor), will work with

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farmers to help them implement LEAF’s Integrated Farm Management (IFM) principles, on which LEAF Marque is based.

Jeremy Boxall, LEAF’s Commercial Manager said: “AtlasFram is a very significant new member for LEAF. As the UK’s most trusted and highly regarded farm inputs purchasing and grain marketing cooperative, we are delighted that they have chosen to join LEAF. This is an especially exciting time for LEAF, as we have just announced that we are working with ADM on a new supply chain initiative that will see more farmers achieving LEAF Marque certification. This partnership offers benefits for farming businesses like AtlasFram, the environment and consumers. It

THE SCAREY MAN MKIII MODEL

is also testimony to the increasing importance consumers are placing on sustainable food production.”

Ashley Gilman, Group Business Manager for AtlasFram explains why they have joined LEAF: “The importance and benefits of strong environmental whole-farm business management has become more evident to us over the last few years. Now consumers are recognizing its necessity too and are encouraging the food and farming industry to demonstrate its environmental credentials more readily. For AtlasFram therefore, LEAF is the perfect umbrella organization to combine the expertise of Suffolk FWAG, the farm and land management expertise of the shareholders and

the strength of ADM, our grain marketing partner. LEAF provides practical guidelines for farmers, supporting them to achieve high standards of food production with minimal environmental impact; LEAF Marque then provides tangible evidence of this for the consumer. Many of the farming businesses within the cooperative are already incorporating high levels of environmental management whilst still achieving a very respectable commercial return. The LEAF Marque will provide AtlasFram Members with a genuine commercial advantage in the demanding premium and assured food markets in the future.”

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PATENTED Let us protect your crops, giving you both movement and noise if required negligible running costs

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HOLLOW FARM, TOSELAND, HUNTINGDON, CAMBS PE19 6RU FAX: 01480 476464 http://www.clarratts.com e-mail: enquire@clarratts.com

TELEPHONE: 01480 476376

06 | Farming Monthly | May 2012

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| News

Fuel for thought...

Biofuel policy is a slap in the face for farmers say NFU. K biofuel growers and processors have been left high and dry by the Department for Transports poor policy making, despite farmers making rapid progress with sustainability standards, say the NFU. The latest government figures reveal that the vast majority of biofuels supplied in the UK are made from imported feedstock, with almost nine out of every 10 litres of foreign origin.

This collapse in biofuel production from British raw materials is even worse than last year’s figures from the UK Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation (RTFO), which showed that less than a quarter (22 per cent) originated from British feedstocks in 2010-11.

NFU chief arable adviser Guy Gagen said: “The efforts of British farmers and certification bodies to meet EU sustainability criteria under the Renewable Energy Directive and the UK RTFO are being ignored. These figures show the damaging impact of UK government dithering over the past year, with British production capacity lying idle and British-

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grown and processed biofuel feedstocks progressively replaced by imports. A combination of policy delay, inaction and extending timescales for renewable transport fuel targets has hit UK use of home-produced biofuels hard.

“Biofuel imported from third countries and used cooking oil (UCO) is not expected to meet the same sustainability standards for crop feedstocks as EU and UK crop based fuel, a slap in the face for our farmers who have been at the forefront in demonstrating their sustainable production standards.

“As a biofuel feedstock, UCO benefits under the UK RTFO by being double-counted compared to UK beet, wheat or oilseed rape based fuels, but it is mostly imported and of uncertain provenance– a perverse outcome indeed.

“It was good to hear last week that the Prime Minister is ‘passionate’ about renewables, including bioenergy, but his government has got to get behind the domestic renewable fuels sector and stop putting barriers in the way of British growers and processors.”

Get the best deal on replacement belts for agricultural machinery Rema Tip-Top know how... he conveyor belt on a harvester, sorter, grader etc is one of those parts that is subject to wear and tear, and therefore will need replacing from time to time. The best advice in such a situation is to cut out the middle-man and go directly to the manufacturer, for both the best prices and the best service.

Rema Tip-Top is a UK manufacturer of conveyor belts for agricultural machinery. The company manufactures high quality, long lasting belts using a range of materials, including PVC, PU and rubber. Belts can be supplied “flat”, or with side walls or cleats for increased lifting capacity on inclined applications. As a result belts are available for any application in the agriculture industry, from harvesting produce in the field to packing ready for delivery.

Rema Tip-Top belts can be purchased from a network of

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service centres, which also offer installation services – staff there will even to help identify the correct belt for the machinery to make sure customers get the best product for the job.

So, for the best quality, the best value for money, and the best service, contact Rema Tip-Top. REMA TIP TOP INDUSTRY UK Limited, Plumtree Industrial Estate, Harworth, Doncaster, DN11 8EW Customer Service: 0870 143 1600 Fax: 01302 711-998 Email: info@tip-top.co.uk

LIMEX Contact our sales team:

Tel 0870 2402314 • Fax 0870 2402729

E-mail: limex@britishsugar.com www.limex.co.uk

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Mayl 2012 | Farming Monthly | 07

| News

Look after the environment with Birch Farm Plastics Have your waste polythene collected for re-processing - or take it to a local depot yourselves. irch Farm Plastics in Pontardawe is a secondgeneration, family run business that recovers agricultural polythene from farms and waste transfer stations across the whole of Wales and the borders.

The company operates a collection service to 6,000 farms across Wales, picking up around 5,000 tonnes each year of used plastic including bale wrapping, silage film and sheeting, feed and sawdust bags, polytunnel and crop film and fertiliser bags.

The polythene collected by Birch Farm Plastics is sorted and baled before being delivered to British Polythene Industries (BPI), the UK’s largest reprocessor of agricultural waste and the largest polythene film recycler in Europe.

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BPI processes 80,000 tonnes of plastic each year and has two dedicated agricultural recycling sites in Dumfries and Rhymney.

The plastic is transformed into pellets which are then used to produce other products including refuse bags, sheeting for the construction industry and Plaswood plastic lumber. The plaswood is purchased by Birch Farm Plastics’ sister company, Second Life Products Wales Ltd, to be manufactured into plastic street and garden furniture for sale to schools, hotels and local authorities.

Birch Farm Plastics was supported by WRAP Cymru to drive growth of its collection service of farm plastics in Wales.

The company used the funding to

08 | Farming Monthly | May 2012

invest in a new baling machine specifically for agricultural plastics along with a conveyor system, tele-handler and an extra lorry and trailer.

A weighbridge has also been installed to provide the facility for vehicles delivering the material to the site and to take baled material out to BPI with maximum loads to reduce haulage costs.

The new equipment will enable Birch Farm to deal with the increase in volume of material coming in to the site from other areas of Wales.

Cheryl Birch said: “The business of full-time farming and part-time plastic collection has revolved a complete circle in that now we have become part-time farmers and full-time plastic collectors.

“The team at WRAP Cymru was incredibly helpful in supporting the business and made the process very straightforward for us. They discussed with us our plans for expanding the business and assisted in many ways to move the project forward.

“The impact of this funding has also had a positive knock-on effect

to the rest of the supply chain.

Now that we can collect larger volumes of plastics from more sites across Wales, BPI has benefited also as it increases the volume of recycled pellets used at other BPI sites across the UK. “By providing more sites for farmers in localised areas, we offer an incentive for them to dispose of their waste in a sustainable way.

They can always have their waste collected by us, or deliver to their local site at a reduced price. Many local farmers deliver their material into our base site at Pontardawe as and when it suits them. With landfill costs rising every year it’s often more cost effective for farmers to bring the plastics to us.

“We are continually looking for more waste transfer sites, skip hire companies and also farmers, who may be looking to diversify.”

The company was originally set up in 1989 by Peter and Marilyn Birch, whom, with 20 years of farming experience decided to diversify into a project that could run alongside their farming business.

The pair saw an article in Farmers Weekly about a new

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| News scheme for free collection of waste silage and crop film from farms for recycling by BPI in Scotland.

The couple contacted BPI and discovered there was no agent in south Wales. Peter met with BPI and became an agent for the Glamorgan and Gwent regions initially, and then built up the company to cover the whole of Wales and the border counties.

Changes to legislation within the industry have driven demand for Birch Farm Plastics’ services and the company has grown to offer a greater option of service for farmers.

In 2005, Peter and Marilyn retired, handing over the business to their son and daughter, Brian and Cheryl Birch. They now employ seven full-time staff and have a large customer base, many of whom have been with the company for 23 years.

Birch Farm Plastics has a fleet of high sided, six-wheeler vehicles which are self-loading with a grab at the rear of the truck. This measures the weight of the plastics which are then loaded onto the truck.

Cheryl continued: “We have plans to grow the company by further increasing the amount of material we collect. Currently, 50% of plastics are still being sent to landfill so there is a large scope for us to expand our services and deliver benefits for BPI, particularly

to help grow their site in Rhymney, as well as the wider industry.”

Sian Miles from BPI said: “The support that Birch Farm received from WRAP has meant we have been able to reprocess higher volumes of waste plastics.

“We have worked with Birch Farm for a number of years and have always had to send the collected material up to Dumfries because there was not a specialist facility close by that could deal with this type of contaminated plastic.

“The situation has now changed and we are pleased to announce the opening of our new, £4.5m new washplant in Rhymney. This is an extension of our existing site that recycles waste polythene and manufactures building film for the construction industry. It means we can deal with the type of waste plastic that is collected from Birch Farm. This move has strengthened our commitment to sustainability by keeping the materials in Wales and reducing our mileage.”

“By providing more sites for farmers in localised areas, we offer an incentive for them to dispose of their waste in a sustainable way”

Wolagri R500 Combi Baler Farmer pays tribute to Rekord supplied machine. ane Rosam has a small farm in Hever, Kent where she makes 50 acres of hay and haylage. Ninety percent of this is sold to equestrian yards within a mile radius of the farm.

Traditionally the hay was made into conventional small bales but after requests for smaller bales from some of her customers, she ventured into making small round bales. These proved hugely popular as the stable girls could simply roll them around the yard or roll them into a wheelbarrow to transport.

The market grew and the following summer it rained non stop leading Jane to venture into haylage after borrowing a wrapper.

Again this proved to be a big success with the only downside being the amount of handling required to bale wrap and stack.

It was for this reason that she decided to investigate a baler combi option.

Jane was now getting numerous requests for contracting work and decided to purchase a machine that was capable of serious output. The chosen machine was a Wolagri R 500 Combi.

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Jane now makes several thousand bales a season. A lot of the work is on water and wild flower meadows for conservation trusts and this machine has proved perfect as it requires only one pass to bale and wrap and therefore has an extremely low ground impact.

Jane uses a 37hp tractor which is more than enough power for the job but again means that it can get into small fields/gateways and onto softer land.

The bales produced are approx 57x63cm, with weight varying according to density and moisture content.

In summing up, Jane conveys her thoughts on the Wolagri R500 Combi, “A professional machine that produces a professional product”.

Next Auctions on Monday 21st May 2012 & 18th June 2012 commencing at 10.30am

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May l 2012 | Farming Monthly | 09

| News

The 2012 South of England show 7th–9th June Special emphasis on activities for families and children this year with half term falling on show dates.

he South of England Show at Ardingly in West Sussex is a national institution rejoicing in the countryside heritage while embracing the demands of the 21st century. It combines two key

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ingredients, the best of British rural life with the finest entertainment.

Following on from the high standards of previous years, the 2012 Show looks set to be exceptional as it throws the spotlight on the best in British agriculture, equestrianism, horticulture, food and drink, country crafts, sports and activities.

The South of England Agricultural Society has chosen “Food for Sport” as the central theme for the Show, which chimes perfectly with the celebrations taking place all over the UK during 2012.

As this year’s Show falls during Half Term, there is special emphasis on activities for families and children, although there is plenty on offer for visitors of all ages and tastes.

Thousands of animals will be on display – from captivating creatures for children to enjoy including cuddly pets, birds of prey, interactive wildlife area and bee-keeping, to the striking

10 | Farming Monthly | May 2012

parades of magnificent prizewinning cattle, majestic heavy horses and carriage driving. Pigs, sheep and goats have their day as well – unmissable attractions include piggy pranks & sheep agility to entertain the whole family.

Spectacular entertainment in the guise of the acclaimed Bolddog Lings Freestyle team will amaze the crowds with their gravity defying motorbike show and Jean Monti with the highest swaypole in the world. Jean will climb the 58-metre pole (185ft), balancing on his hands and swaying to and fro. Lots of other exciting entertainment will be announced later in the month.

Green-fingered visitors will be fascinated by the flora, fauna and displays in the stunning horticultural marquee. There will also be a wide range of crafts and gifts and talented craftspeople can be seen at work making wooden carvings, hand-made jewellery, pottery, paintings and handbags.

On the subject of crafts, the unique Young Craftsman of the Year competition for young people aged 14 to 21 is an important opportunity to showcase artistic and creative abilities. The

categories of ceramics, metalwork, textiles, wood, design and technology traditionally attract impressive entries from youngsters throughout the South East region.

This year celebrates the 25th anniversary of the Competition and an extra special exhibition is planned. Many past winners have gone on to open their own businesses following such public recognition of their craft talents.

The broad appeal of the Show hinges on a wide range of attractions outside the central agricultural theme – including one of the best outdoor shopping malls in the South East.

Follow the Society’s activities on Facebook ‘South of England Showground’, Twitter @SofEShowground and read the Blog at www.southofenglandshowground. wordpress.com

“The 2012 Show looks set to be exceptional as it throws the spotlight on the best in British agriculture”

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| News

No margin of error when using Micron’s Enviromist sprayers Ultra-accurate application is now possible with Enviromist range.

liminating weeds in the crop and weed seed free crop yield are not the only priorities in contemporary arable farming. Farmers are increasingly mindful of obligations to establish and maintain biodiversity along field margins safeguarding them from contamination from herbicides used to treat the crop.

These eco-rich areas typically extend from the crop margin to the field boundary. The latter may be a hedgerow and/or a water course or a grassy bank to encourage and maintain populations of beetles and other useful arthropods.

However, there is a clear farming requirement for establishment and maintenance of a barrier against wild plant encroachment into the crop where ecologically valued species become weeds (a plant growing in the wrong place at the wrong time). In many instances, there is a pressing need to eliminate the opportunity for black grass to reestablish in the cultivated area. By the same token the eco-rich field margin must be delineated and protected against any ingress of herbicide by direct overspray or spray drift from applications to the crop.

The most efficient and costeffective way of achieving this delineation is through maintaining a completely weed free strip using a non-selective (total) herbicide such as glyphosate. However, there is then absolutely no margin for application error where the crop meets the strip or where the strip interfaces with the field margin.

Ultra-accurate application can be achieved with the Enviromist range of shielded CDA sprayers from Micron Group which satisfies the high degree of accuracy and safety demanded when spraying herbicides in such environmentally

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sensitive situations. The Enviromist range of sprayers is ideal for crop margin spraying and other applications such as spraying along pathways and fence lines where the same degree of accuracy in targeting and placement is required.

Reduced environmental impact The Enviromist range of sprayers includes the Spraydome, the Spraymiser and the Undavina, all of which use proven Micron CDA (Controlled Droplet Application) spray technology featuring spinning disc rotary atomisers to produce optimum sized droplets within a narrow size range for maximum spray efficiency. All Enviromist sprayers incorporate a shielded design which virtually eliminates the risk of spray drift whilst benefitting from the spraying accuracy and low volumes achieved by the use of CDA atomisers. This system offers significant increases in spray efficiency and crop and environmental protection and safety which include: Excellent targeting of spray droplets and accuracy of spray placement Optimum coverage of weed plant surfaces using significantly lower application volumes compared with traditional hydraulic pressure nozzle spraying Enhanced spray retention, with discrete spray droplets on weed leaf surfaces drying more quickly to protect against wash off and to allow more rapid entry of herbicide into the plant, and, with systemic products such as glyphosate, translocation to all parts of the weed for faster total kill.

Economical spray volumes of down to 20 l/ha which allow users to reduce both water and chemical volume, as well as the overall time taken to spray.

With virtually no drift onto nontarget areas or run off into the soil,

all-round environmental protection is ensured with minimum wastage.

Spraying along the crop margin and footpaths When it comes to crop margin spraying, the Spraydome is a perfect choice for achieving a delineated weed free strip along the margin. It has also been proven to be an effective tool for the demarcation of public footpaths across cultivated areas.

Incorporating CDA technology to optimise spray efficiency and a plastic shield to contain the spray, Spraydome is ideal for herbicide application in situations where it is critical to avoid contamination of soil in the adjacent areas, especially in crop margin treatment with an economically valuable crop on one side and ecologically valuable wildlife on the other.

The Spraydome uses up to 90 per cent less water compared to traditional hydraulic pressure nozzle sprayers and features the Enviromist control system to monitor the flow at each individual spray head. The system includes a light indicator to monitor the operation and working of the CDA atomiser.

Any trees encountered are catered for by Spraydome’s ‘breakaway’ system that gently rolls around the tender stems of young plantings to protect their soft and still green bark from mechanical abrasion and herbicide damage.

The sprayer can be ATV or tractor mounted to suit users’ requirements. With units from 40cm to 120cm in diameter within the range, the Spraydome is capable of spraying varying widths.

Along fence lines and pathways The sprayer of choice for herbicide application along fence lines is the Undavina which can be mounted on most ATVs and

tractors. Undavina’s freely rotating and shielded spray heads ensure precision application and minimal drift because the spray droplets are confined and contained under the soft vinyl spray hood.

The Undavina provides efficient application of spray liquid right up to fence lines. This excellent reach is awarded by the Enviromist ‘breakaway’ system which allows the spray head to swivel around fence posts and apply herbicide right up to the post. Like Spraydome, the Undavina also features the Enviromist flow control system including an indicator light to monitor the correct functioning of the spray head.

Undavina comes in a range of dome diameters - 30cm, 45cm, 60cm and 90cm – to cater for all required applications.

Whist Undavina is ideal for spraying along fence lines, the Spraymiser has been specifically designed for pathway spraying. A lightweight sprayer with universal fittings, the Spraymiser can be easily attached to the rear of an ATV, tractor 3 point linkage or any suitable vehicle with a 12 volt DC supply of at least 3 amps. A wide range of models (nominal working widths of 60, 120, 140, 160, 180 and 200cm) is available to cater for almost all pathway weed control requirements.

Spraymiser provides outstanding weed control at low volumes using its revolutionary vertically mounted CDA spray heads that allow for a low profile shield to fit around them to virtually eliminate spray drift. Optimum performance is ensured by Enviromist’s flow control system, allowing use of spray volumes down to 20 l/ha.

The Spraymiser can be used in conjunction with the circular Undavina or Spraydome units to achieve wider spray widths where required and to simultaneously treat pathways and fence lines, making the Enviromist range a versatile and cost-effective choice.

May 2012 | Farming Monthly | 11

| News

USED

CASEIH TRACTORS 495XL 4wd. 52hp. 5000 hours.

995XL Grassland Special.

3220XL 2wd. 3 cyl.52hp. one owner.

JX90 c/w Chillton loader, 2009.

JXU75 4wd. 2009, 1155 hrs. P/Shuttle.

JXU85 Statesman Special, 2012, low hrs.

JXU105 Two Wheel Drive, 310 hours.

JXU105 4wd. 45 hours, just like new.

JXU 105 high spec. New. JXU115 high spec. New. CS110 c/w Quick loader, 2406 hrs. 2003.

Maxxum 5130 Plus P/shift, one owner.

MX110, air cond. 40kph + Creep.

MX135 Suspension, 40kph + Creep.

Maxxum 110, 2006, 2500 hours.

Maxxum 125 c/w Loader, 2473 hours.

Maxxum 125 high spec. boost EP New. MXM130, 2004, 3228 hours, 40kph.

MXM140, 2004, 5000 hours, 40kph.

MXM 190 Suspension 50kph. 5200 hours.

Front weights, 650/65 x 42 tyres.

Puma 140 PowerShift 40kph. 553 hours.

Puma 140 PowerShift 40kph. 700 hours.

Puma 140 PowerShift 40kph. 569 hours.

Puma 155 MultiController 50kph. 250 hours.

Puma 155 P/Shift 50kph. 942 hours.

Puma 155 MultiController 50kph. 1049 hours.

Puma 155 Suspension 40kph. 2611 hours.

Puma 165 Suspension 50kph. 418 hours.

Puma 165 Suspension 50kph. 715 hours.

Puma 165 50kph. 2009, 2385 hours.

Puma 180, 50kph. 2011, Trailer air brakes, 650/65 x 42 tyres, 534 hours.

Puma 195 MC Suspension 50kph. 976 hours.

Puma 210, 2008, 2900 hours, 50kph.

Puma 210MC, 2010, 585 hours, 50kph.

Puma 210MC, 2009, 3900 hours, 50kph.

Puma CVX 210 F/Linkage, 3000 hours, 2010.

Puma CVX 225 F/Linkage, 2010, 785 hours, Trailer air brakes, 50kph.

CVX 1155 Suspension 50kph. 2004, 3300 hrs.

CVX140 Suspension 50kph. 2008, 3447 hrs. Trailer air brakes.

CVX150 Suspension 40kph. 2007, 3066 hrs. Front Linkage.

CVX150 Suspension 50kph. 2009, 2900 hrs. Front Linkage, 650/65 x 38 tyres.

CVX1170 Suspension 50kph. 2004, 6024 hrs. Weights, 650/65 x 38 tyres.

CVX1170 Suspension 50kph. 2004, 5276 hrs. Front Linkage, one owner.

CVX175 Suspension 50kph. 2009, 2578 hrs. Weights, 580/70 x 42 tyres.

TRACTORS & EQUIPMENT

CVX195 Suspension 50kph. 2009, 3351 hrs. 710/70 x 38 tyres, air brakes.

CVX150 Suspension 50kph. Unused.

CVX175 Suspension, F/linkage & pto Unused.

Magnum 7240, 1996, 6500 hours, 650 x 42.

Magnum 200, 2002, 3279 hrs. 40kph.

Creep, 540/1000 pto.

Magnum 225 Suspension, 2007, 2300 hours. 50kph. 710/70 x 42 tyres.

Magnum 280 Suspension, 2008, 3230 hours. 50kph. 710/70 x 42 tyres.

Magnum 310 Suspension, 2010, 1748 hours. Full AutoSteer, 50kph. Trailer air brakes.

Magnum 310 Suspension 40kph. Creep, 2007, 2607 hrs. weights.

Magnum 340 Tier4, 2011, 436 hours, Full Accuguide, 50kph. Trailer air brakes.

Magnum 340 Tier4, 2011, 507 hours, Accuguide ready, 50kph. Trailer air brakes.

Magnum 340 Tier4, 2011, 223 hours, Accuguide ready, 50kph. Trailer air brakes.

CaseIH Warranty.

Case finance subject to terms & conditions.

STX Quadtrac 480, rear Linkage & pto.

Drawbar, 2006, 5030 hrs.

STX Quadtrac 500, rear Linkage & pto.

Drawbar, 2005, 36” tracks, 5312 hrs.

STX Quadtrac 500, rear Linkage & pto.

Drawbar, 2005, 5700 hrs. one owner.

TRACTORS New Holland TM140, 2006, 2644 hrs.

New Holland TSA 115, 2006, 3254 hours, Air cond.cab, front weights.

New Holland 3930 c/w Trima loader.

New Holland TL80 2wd. 2002, weights.

New Holland TL90 P/shuttle 4wd.

2003, air cond. cab.

New Holland TD90 c/w Chillton loader, Just 228 hours.

New Holland TD5050 4wd. 1135 hours.

New Holland T6010 Delta, 1845 hrs.

New Holland TD75 4wd. 4238 hrs.

MF7480 Dyna VT, F/Linkage, 2007.

MF6499 Dyna 6, F/Linkage, 3300 hrs.

MF4455 4wd. 12x12 Shuttle, 2894 hrs.

MF 365 2wd c/w MF loader/fork, 3600 hours, 8 spd.gearbox.

MF 372 4wd. 3950 hours, weights.

Turf tyres, ex Council.

MF50 - 4wd Loader tractor, low hours.

MF65 mk2. Straight tinwork.

MF135 c/w loader/fork.

MF240, 1992, 2395 hours, puh.

MF410 2wd compact, roll bar, 55hp.

MF 20E 2wd on Turf tyres.

Fendt 820 F/lik & pto, 2009, low hrs.

Fendt 614 LS Turbomatic, 7500 hrs.

Marshall 802 showing low hours, original.

Claas Ares 826RZ Suspension 40kph.

F/Linkage, 170hp. 2347 hours, 2006.

Kubota 9000 4wd. 2005, only 195 hours.

Air conditioned cab, Creep gears.

Steyr 9094, 1999, 3563 hours, 40kph.

Valtra T151 Suspension, 2010, 1073 hours.

Valtra T152 Suspension, 2009, 870 hours.

Zetor 7211 2wd. 4149 hrs. very clean.

Deutz Agrotron M620, 1150 hrs. 2010.

Same Silver 95 – Quicke 930 loader, 2150 hrs. 54 reg.

John Deere 5620 F/linkage & pto. 2007.

John Deere 5090M, 2010, 197 hours.

John Deere 6320 F/linkage, 2004, 4320 hrs.

John Deere 6420s TLS Suspension, Loader Bkts. 2005, 3097 hrs.

John Deere 6630 Premium, TLS. P/Quad, 50kph. 1311 hrs. 2009.

John Deere 7530 TLS 50kph. 2007, 1924 hrs. Trailer air brakes, 710/70 x 38 tyres.

COMBINES Axial Flow 5088 c/w 20’ Vario header.

2011, just 30 hours, Case warranty For 2012 season + Case finance.

Axial Flow 2388 AFS ‘ Y ‘ reg. 22’ cut.

John Deere 1177, 816 header & trolly.

John Deere 9780 CTS Hillmaster, 22’ header & trolly.

Claas Dominator 76, 13’ header, trolly.

NEW McCONNEL HEDGECUTTERS In stock PA55 XTC controls, 1.2m head. Flap kit.

PA5455 XTC controls, 1.2m head.

PA65T EDS V4 controls, Hydraulic roller, 1.5m head.

PA6570T V4 controls, 1.5m head, hyd.roller.

PA6570 Revolution EDS, 1.5 head, hyd.roller.

Latest model & controls.

USED HEDGECUTTERS Bomford Kestral, cable control, 1.5 head.

McConnel PA35 Switch Box, 1.2m head.

McConnel PA55 Forward reach, 2009, V4 controls, 580 hours.

McConnel PA55 Hy-Reach, 1.2m head.

McConnel PA60e Hy-Reach, 2005, Linkage.

McConnel PA6570T, V4 controls, 1.5m head, Front flap kit.

McConnel PA6000, 1.5m head, 2001.

TRAILERS Weeks 3 ton Dropside.

Weeks Plus 40 Dropside.

MF22 Dropside.

Henton 10 ton Grain.

Henton 10 ton Sileage & Grain.

Fraser 10 ton sileage trailer.

AS Marston Ace 14 Hyd.door, grain Chute.

TELESCOPIC HANDLERS/forklift JCB 535-125, 2008, 790 hours.

JCB 536-60 Agri Super, 2009, 1980 hrs.

JCB 520 Farm Special, 2001.

JCB 526s, 2005, Air cond.

JCB 528-70, 2200 hours.

JCB 520-40, 2006, 1100 hours.

Manitou Buggiscopic, 4200 hrs.

Manitou M26-4 forklift, 3000 hrs.

Merlo 25-9, pallet forks & bucket.

CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT JCB 2cx Streetmaster, 3200 hrs.

JCB 3cx Sitemaster, manual gearbox.

JCB 4cx Sitemaster, 1998.

Case 580 Super M, 2002, 1930 hrs.

Case 580, 2001, 4544 hrs Case 590, 2005, 4635 hrs.

Lewis Badger digger / loader.

Takeuchi TB125, 2007, 2146 hrs.

JCB 8045 ZTS Excavator, 2007.

JCB Micro c/w buckets, 1275 hrs.

Volvo EC15 Canopy, 2800 hrs.

Hitachi ZX210 Excavator, 2011.

Ausa D600 swivel dumper, 2008, 428 hrs.

Neuson TD18s tracked swivel dumper.

MACHINERY Lemken 5 Furrow reversible plough.

12 furrow Gregoire Besson McConnel 7 leg Shakerator.

McConnel 5 leg Shakerator.

Vicon Greenland 6.6m air drill.

Vaderstad 6m Rigid Tine.

Vaderstad Carrier CR300 cultivator.

Simba Horsch 6 metre drill.

McConnel Discaerator 7 leg, 3 metre.

Amazone 3m Combination.

Knight 4m CultiPress.

7 furrow Gregoire Besson, 2006.

Kongskilde 3m Terra Disc.

| News

Strengthened cattle controls to help eradicate Bovine TB 26,000 cattle slaughtered last year. easures to reduce the risk of bovine TB being spread between cattle are to be strengthened as part of the Government’s plan to eradicate the disease in England.

From 1 July amendments to the rules on cattle movements will come into force, alongside changes to compensation policy, including reduced payments for owners of TB affected herds with overdue tests.

Announcing details of the changes, Agriculture Minister Jim Paice said: “We need to stop the spread of bovine TB, that last year led to the slaughter of 26,000 cattle and could cost the taxpayer a billion pounds over the next ten years unless action is taken. These strengthened measures, alongside work to pilot badger culling, and the development of badger and cattle vaccines, aim to help control the disease and eventually eradicate it.

“Farmers have shown their commitment to tackle this devastating disease which is

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taking a terrible toll on their communities and businesses.”

Changes to cattle controls were announced as part of the package of measures to tackle bovine TB in July 2011. The final details of the changes to be introduced on 1 July include: Removing the exemption allowing cattle held on a farm for under 30 days to be moved without being tested, in order to reduce the risk of untested cattle spreading bovine TB when they are moved between different holdings; Removing the pre-movement testing exemption for movements within ‘Sole Occupancy Authorities’ that have holdings in high and low risk TB areas; Pre-movement testing for cattle moved from higher TB risk herds to agricultural shows where cattle are housed or are held there for more than 24 hours – to reduce the risk of untested cattle, from higher TB risk herds, spreading the disease through close contact with other cattle; and Discouraging late testing of

cattle for bovine TB to reduce disease spread risks for all cattle, by reducing compensation for owners of TB affected herds if tests are overdue by more than 60 days.

To further reduce the risk of TB spreading we will tighten controls around linked premises. Farmers likely to be affected will be contacted, and from 1 July: No new Sole Occupancy Authorities will be approved; and No new Cattle Tracing System links between holdings in high and low TB risk areas will be approved, with existing links between high and low risk areas being removed on a phased basis.

Jim Paice added:

“The farming community has shown it is willing to shoulder its share of the burden to tackle bovine TB. There is already a comprehensive range of robust TB in cattle control measures in place, but we must continuously look for ways to tighten them if we are ever going to get on top of this devastating disease.”

Additional cattle categories are also being introduced to make the TB compensation system more transparent and to remove some anomalies. A new compensation category will be introduced for young pedigree beef animals, and the dairy calved animals category will be split into two age bands.

SOUTHAM AGRICULTURAL SERVICES Fields Farm, Station Road, Southam CV47 2DH

Tel: 01926 813426 Fax: 01926 817908

Always

2,000 in stock NEW

Out of season terms available

One Tonne Potato Boxes

NOW!!

Abergavenny

ONLY FSC TIMBER USED

Saw Mills

Telephone 01873 859188 www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

May 2012 | Farming Monthly | 13

| On Topic

On Topic

Reservoirs – follow the line of least resistance, says CLA ations, A new farm reservoir can involve at least ten different bodies and organis ions. regulat of myriad a and ments each with a host of restrictions and require

Water is increasingly becoming a valuable commodity.

14 | Farming Monthly | May 2012

hese can be overcome, but farmers aiming to combat water shortages with their own stored supply need to plan ahead to ensure they follow the line of least resistance. This means taking into account matters which may seem far removed from the project.

The exceptionally dry conditions of the past two years have brought constant queries about reservoirs to the Country Land and Business Association’s (CLA) East office. Planning permission and whether or not it is needed, is the most frequently raised question, but the whole system is complex. Obtaining the necessary consents from the various bodies can take many months and involve considerable up-front costs.

It is possible that ministers, as part of their push for simplification (and with the evidence before them of underperforming crops) may move to free up matters. However, that will require joined-up thinking. Therefore, the CLA is talking to a wide range of officials to highlight the essential need for additional reservoir capacity and to discuss ways of reducing the number of obstacles. Lessening the requirement for extensive and disproportionate up-front information seems to be a common goal – a clear indication of the willingness to listen.

The new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), in force since 27 March 2012, also gives some hope. It provides farmers, local people and authorities with a more balanced, positive and creative framework within which to make decisions for new on-farm reservoirs as part of a farming business. These new policies also recognize the importance of food production and water as benefits that people derive from land. A further requirement is for authorities to have a clear understanding of the business needs within the economy of their area.

However, this policy shift does not reduce the need for well-conceived projects that set out to minimise any potential problems from the outset.

One of the issues that must be addressed is the belief, outside the farming industry, that a reservoir is not the main objective – simply the end result of mineral extraction.

Income from minerals may be forthcoming, especially on some of the lighter soils where water is most needed.

But, in this situation, it is rarely anything more than a welcome contribution towards the higher construction costs incurred with artificial (as opposed to clay) linings. In many locations, the removal of surplus soil can actually add extra cost to the exercise, but in any case, it is seldom the prime consideration. Nonetheless,

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largely unfounded fears can add frustrating delays and accelerate costs – they should be addressed at the beginning.

Siting and design can go a long way to overcoming opposition. While engineering will dictate the most appropriate site, the many ways in which a reservoir can ‘add value’ in the wider sense should be highlighted to both the authorities and the local community. They can perform valuable functions such as habitat creation, flood risk mitigation and landscape enhancement while helping to ensure sustainable water use and food production.

But, to achieve this does require some thought.

For example, sites of scientific, environmental or archaeological value, areas near to housing and public rights of way should all be avoided.

While planning consent is required for many reservoirs, some can be constructed without the need for full permission; this is through the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995. They have to be ‘reasonably necessary for the purposes of agriculture within the unit’ and must not involve the removal of minerals from the holding.

There are a number of other limitations - size, proximity to roads, etc - and the rights provided under the order do not obviate the need to obtain other consents where appropriate. For example, certain designations will have an effect, but the order is well worth considering so long as specialist advice is taken.

With the onset of more stringent enforcement regulations, doing something without planning permission when it is required is not an option worth considering. In any case, where a grant is being sought, proof of planning consent is likely to be a condition that has to be met for the aid to be released.

Therefore, careful thought should be given to lead times in dovetailing grant and planning applications.

The CLA will be at Cereals 2012 at Boothby Graffoe in Lincolnshire on 13 and 14 June, stand number H904. Rural affairs experts will be on hand to give advice about new farm reservoirs and a whole host of other farming and land related issues. You can find out more about what the CLA does and why it is of benefit to join the membership association by calling in at Cereals or by visiting www.cla.org.uk

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| On Topic

On Topic

Planning apart, these are some of the current regulations which are easy to overlook and they are by no means exhaustive.

Abstraction Licenses: It sounds obvious, but an increase in reservoir capacity is likely to involve a new licence or a variation to an existing one. Either way, agreement with the Environment Agency (EA) should be sought prior to construction.

Water is increasingly becoming a valuable commodity.

Single Farm Payment (SFP) – Cross Compliance: In constructing a new reservoir, it could be possible to breach some of the conditions and requirements associated with crosscompliance. Many of these have their own statutory background so would be relevant even if SFP is not being claimed.

Habitats Directive:

Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations: Permission from Natural England will be required for reservoirs involving the movement of more than 10,000 cubic metres of earth or affecting two hectares of uncultivated or semi natural land.

Flood and Water Management Act 2010: This Act introduced powers to change the threshold for raised reservoirs from 25,000 cubic metres down to 10,000. This change has not yet been introduced, but all reservoirs are likely to be subject to a more thorough risk assessment and stricter requirements, including more inspections by panel engineers, regardless of size.

Tim Isaac, Deputy Director, CLA East

An offence could be committed if any operations associated with constructing the reservoir have an impact on any European protected species - bats, newts, etc. - and the necessary checks and licences have not been obtained.

Land Drainage Act: To carry out work in, over or adjacent to an ordinary watercourse, local authority and/or EA consent must be obtained. Written consent of the EA must be obtained to install anything which may affect the flow in a watercourse such as a dam, weir, headwall or culvert.

Felling Licences: If any trees need to be removed as part of construction, a felling licence may be required in addition to considerations under the Habitats Directive; consent is necessary for any tree protected by a specific designation such as a Tree Preservation Order (TPO).

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

May 2012 | Farming Monthly | 15

| Water

Why not have your own water supply?

With rising costs and an uncertain future, have you thought about your own water supply? ith water costs continually escalating and the Environment Agency calling for a water meter in every home and/or farm, there has never been a better time to consider having your own private water supply especially in the farming industry.

WHAT DOES A BOREHOLE COST ?

The cost of a borehole is dependent on the geological sequence, the nature of the water bearing stratum or aquifer and the depth to standing water in the borehole. It is also dependent on the yield required and the access to the borehole location. Some boreholes require a well screen and a gravel pack to restrict the amount of fine materials pumped through the borehole. It is recommended that you approach drilling contractors that are members of the WDA (Well Drillers Association) initially for a guide price and to discuss particular requirements that you have and then request a written estimate.

Remember to include the cost of the pump, rising main, electrics and discharge in any estimate.

WHAT YOU SHOULD GET.

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The illustration shows the detail of a typical water well construction complete with installed submersible pump. The illustration does not show the completed headworks, this is to be discussed with the contractor.

DO YOU NEED A LICENCE ?

In England and Wales, under the Water Act 2003 any borehole or well yielding less than 20 cu. metres per day (4,400 gallons per day) does not currently require a consent to drill and test pump or to extract water up to that limit. For intended yields in excess of 20 cu. metres per day then a Clause 32 Consent is required from the local Environment Agency to drill and test pump any borehole and an extraction licence is required to pump the borehole after the test pumping is completed.

At this stage it is worth noting that you may also require planning permission from your local council, please make sure that you or your drilling contractor ask the question from the relevant council, this should not incur any costs.

IS THE QUANTITY OR QUALITY OF THE WATER GUARANTEED ?

The key element to minimize the

16 | Farming Monthly | May 2012

risk is to obtain as much information as possible prior to committing to a drilling programme, hence the recommendation that a borehole prognosis be obtained. Whilst this is not a guarantee of success, it can highlight risk at an early stage.

There will always be an element of risk that no water will be found, and this needs to be fully understood by all parties.

A hydrogeological report can be obtained through your drilling contractor or by contacting the BGS direct at Wallingford, Oxfordshire e mail hydroenq@bgs.ac.uk or tel. 01491 692394 (Contact Rosemary Fry).

FURTHER INFORMATION Please contact direct the Secretary of the WDA – Mr. David Duke on 07736364259, alternatively visit the WDA web site – www.welldrillers.org or e-mail David on david.s.duke@gmail.com

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| Cereals

Cereals 2012 – building on success 13th and 14th of June should be firmly set in your diary. he Cereals Event returns to Boothby Graffoe in Lincolnshire this summer as organiser Haymarket Exhibitions looks to build on the success of last year’s event.

Cereals 2012 is set to be an even bigger draw than last year, when a record 27,000 visitors flooded through the gates to catch the latest technical and business advice.

“Grain prices may not be quite as high as last year but they remain strong, helped in no short measure by the lack of rainfall in the UK and across Europe,” says event director Jon Day. “However, coaxing more yield from crops to make the most of those prices in this drier environment whilst controlling costs is a real challenge. And it is something that more UK growers may have to face if these long, droughty spells become more common.”

Cereals is the place to find all the expertise and advice to help growers tackle that and a host of other technical challenges to keep their businesses profitable, he adds. “Whether you are looking for the latest varieties, the most up-to-

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date advice on blackgrass control or how to minimise establishment costs, the answers will all be found at Cereals 2012.”

Over 470 exhibitors will attend the event on Wednesday 13th and Thursday 14th June 2012, turning the 64ha site, mostly owned by host farmer Patrick Dean Ltd, into an unparalleled collection of arable expertise.

Several specialist areas will help visitors make the most of their day.

These include: • Crop Plots - more than 90 plots will be at the core of the event, helping researchers, manufacturers and advisers bring their technical messages to life.

• Working Demonstrations and Machinery Showcase - tractors, cultivators and drills will be put to work and leading manufacturers will exhibit a vast range of machinery and equipment.

• Sprays and Sprayers - a showcase of all the latest spraying technology and equipment plus 50 of the latest sprayers will be put through their paces.

• Renewables sponsored by Drax Power – keep up to date with innovations in renewable energy and biofuels.

• Potatoes - for agronomy, machinery, storage and handling advice.

• Post-Harvest Technology - on show will be the latest drying, cleaning and handling equipment to ensure safe and efficient post harvest handling and protection.

• Business Area - a great opportunity to keep abreast of the latest financial matters, including advice on containing those allimportant costs.

• The Arable Conference – this partnership between The Oxford Farming Conference and Cereals will tackle some of the key issues of the day, including attracting new farmers, increasing crop output, CAP reform and farming’s image.

Speakers include farm minister Jim Paice.

New attractions include a careers initiative where several exhibitors will outline prospects for new entrants in their sectors to help attract new blood into the industry. A Soil and Water Management Trail will highlight the importance of managing these critical resources and the Chlorpyrifos: Say No to Drift campaign will also be aired.

HSBC Bank returns as principal

sponsor for the ninth year, demonstrating the company’s commitment to the industry, says head of agriculture Allan Wilkinson.

"Agriculture and the food chain are vitally important sectors to the bank,” he adds. “It remains a key and very stable part of our funding to UK plc today.

“Cereal crops have probably the greatest impact of any part of the industry either as an income stream, or as a key input in the livestock sector, which uses 50% of all cereals produced here.

Supporting a major technical event such as Cereals helps us support the development and adoption of best practice across the board, with the aim of improving efficiency and the bottom line.”

Tickets for Cereals 2012 cost £22 each (£18 for students) and are available at www.cerealsevent.co.uk/tickets.

Visitors qualify for 2 NRoSO points and 4 BASIS points for attending either day, plus there are other opportunities within the event to earn extra points.

For further information on Cereals 2012 go to www.cerealsevent.co.uk

May 2012 | Farming Monthly | 17

| Cereals

Thought-provoking Agrii Marketing Seminar I nspirational global agricultural trade expert, Dan Basse from Chicago will kick-off Cereals 2012 with a thoroughly independent outlook on world food supply and demand at a special Agrii seminar in the Arable Conference Pavilion from 8.30 to 9.30 am each morning.

An adviser to the US and Chinese governments and leading world commentator, Dan has been involved in agricultural commodities since 1979. After working with

Professional Farmers of America and GNP Commodities, he founded international advisory and research specialists, AgResource, providing market analysis and intelligence to businesses in more than 80 countries around the world.

“With global food stocks on a knife edge and growing weather challenges across the world, Dan Basse is essential listening for everyone keen to chart the best possible path through today’s highly volatile marketplace,” stresses

Agrii business development manager, David Neale. “He has his finger securely on the pulse of the world food and commodities business and will start your Cereals visit with marketing facts you can really rely on.”

Admission to the seminar is by invitation only, with a limited supply of last minute tickets available from the Agrii stand (G826) together with bacon rolls and coffee from 7.30 am each day.

Wireless temperature monitoring from CropCool Control you grain storage more efficiently and more cost-effectively than ever. ropCool Wireless is the next generation of Differential Crop Temperature Controller for Grain stores which empowers the busy farmer to manage his Grain more efficiently & even more costeffectively’ declared Charles Goldingham.

There are No Trailing Leads, Massive power savings and the system enables farmers to monitor & store data either on or off-site, depending on need. Full Fan Control can be retained by the farmer locally on-site (as for the existing cabled CropCool).

The CropCool Wireless Temperature probes, with a long battery life, have a range of up to

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100metres. The data can be viewed or stored either in the Grain store or sent by Repeater to the Farm Office up to a mile away or with broadband or a mobile phone link the data can be viewed at any distance.

“This will be really helpful for the busy farmer running several Grain stores. The greater the distance the greater the benefit!’ said Charles.

CropCool Wireless enable farmers to control their Fans by Temperature Differential etc, Humidity & Time (& other parameters) as well as manage them in up to 4 zones per controller. Easily adjustable Factory settings will be similar to

18 | Farming Monthly | May 2012

those already well-proven in cabled CropCool, but updated to take account of Climate Change.

EasyGrain Software enables the farmer to view each temperature sensor on his PC with a schematic of your store, which is supplied Free with each control system.

Charles Goldingham said of CropCool “I really like this system as it enables farmers to start with the complete system. Or if he prefers, he can be build up his system gradually to suit need or whilst gaining confidence.

“For example he can start with monitor only; then add control, data storage, remote access etc. in whichever order is preferred or suits the farm best. Also for a small

subscription fee, the farmer can also have remote viewing & monitoring by the system manufacturers Farmex, who also provide full Back-up for the system.”

“We chose this system as it is already well proven within intensive livestock industry where quality ventilation control is essential to achieve highest welfare standards.”

CropCool Wireless uses Dicam Wireless technology which provides ultimate flexibility to fit each arable farmer’s individual applications & can be updated with the latest technological developments.

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| Cereals

Master Drier 2012 Range Brand new Moisture Meter amongst full range of equipment on show at Cereals.

n 2012 Master Driers celebrate their 30th anniversary of supplying the UK Agricultural industry with its highly acclaimed range of mobile grain Driers. From small beginnings back in 1982 supplying

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a small 5 Ton drier we have grown to become one of the leading Grain Drier suppliers in the UK. We confidently expect by the end of the 2012 season to have supplied over 2000 Driers during the last 30 years to the UK and overseas

markets.

Our range today covers models from 12-45 tons incorporating tractor PTO drive or electric drive with the option of full automation with Mastermatic control systems.

Add to this dust extraction, auto

lube, a three stage burner system and a 450 mm diameter centre auger and you are looking at the very best in mobile grain drying.

We have also introduced for 2012 our brand new moisture meter that can be fitted on to any mobile grain drier. This will provide you with the exact moisture of the crop throughout the drying cycle from loading to unloading. It is calibrated for up to 6 crop types and can be manually adjusted to agree with the ‘on Farm’ grain store meter.

For Customers who want to upgrade their Drier please get in touch with us to discuss ‘trade ins’ and financing at an early stage so we can schedule delivery in time for this year’s harvest. For those customers who value a pre season service we are offering a special deal that includes free fitting of the Moisture meter when ordered with an annual service.

We look forward to meeting old and new customers at the Cereals event during June of this year.

Telephone: Master Driers 01787 228450 www.masterfarm.co.uk

May 2012 | Farming Monthly | 19

| Grain

B. W. Mack (Machinery) Limited Downham Market, Norfolk PE38 0AL Tel: 01366 324256 Fax: 01366 324431

E.A. Clayton Limited Willow Bridge Works, Carlton, Stockton On Tees, Cleveland TS21 1EB Tel: 01740 630254 Fax: 01740 631097

Romsey Agricultural Machinery Limited Shorts Farm,Romsey, Hampshire SO51 6DX Tel: 01794 323159

Cooks Midlands Limited Horsepool Grange, Stanton Under Bardon, Leicester LE67 9TW Tel: 01530 249191 Fax: 01530 249199

Hayward United Farmers Limited Heliport Site, Ellough, Beccles, Suffolk NR24 7XD Tel: 01502 475111

TRP Pride Parkway, Enterprise Park, Sleaford, Lincolnshire NG34 8GL Tel: 01529 300111 Fax: 01529 300310

Day & Coles (Agricultural) Limited Park Farm Industrial Estate, Wellingborough, Northants NN8 6UW Tel: 01933 673900 Fax: 01933 675858

Keith Davies Agricultural Hem Manor Farm, Hem Lane, Shifnal, Shropshire TF11 9PT Tel: 01952 463840

Yorkshire Handlers Limited Unit 4-5, Fryors Close, Murton Lane, Murton, York YO19 5UY Tel: 01904 489988

Fax: 01904 489061

20 | Farming Monthly | April 2012

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| Cereals

Merlo UK further strengthens customer support New appointments and promotions will bolster already strong support team.

From left to right Nigel Perrin, Peter Coward, Graham Watkins erlo UK is pleased to announce promotions and recruitment that will even further strengthen their already strong support to UK dealers and customers.

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Current Service Manager, Nigel Perrin, is taking on the new role of Training and Product Development Manager. Nigel has worked with Merlo UK for 15 years and has already built an impressive training

package for UK dealer technicians.

The new position releases him from day to day technical problemsolving and will allow him to concentrate on training in all areas, as well as liaising with the Italian factory on product developments.

Stepping up into the role of Service Manager is Peter Coward, who has been Merlo UK’s Service Supervisor since 2004. He is now heading up the direct technical contact team throughout the UK. Joining that team and new to Merlo UK, but not the products, is Technical Support Engineer Graham Watkins.

Coming from an agricultural engineering background (his

father was also an agricultural engineer), Graham says that he has been ‘fixing tractors from childhood”. For nearly four years, Graham has been ‘fixing’ Merlo telehandlers with Lincolnshire dealer, TRP Ltd at Sleaford.

Previous to that he worked with an agricultural contractor and an irrigation pump manufacturer.

Graham will be providing in-field support and training to Merlo dealers throughout the East and South of the UK, but hopes to retain enough weekend time to keep up his hobby, managing the local White Horse football team at Cranwell!

First time out for DAMMANN This will be the first show for the new Mercedes-Benz Unimog based DAMMANN self-propelled sprayer from importers ChantryDammann UK Ltd, the Dammann DT500. ew features for the DT500 include 4wheel steering manufactured by Mercedes-Benz, a 4500 litre tank, a 60 litre induction hopper, and a 3-section folding 36 metre boom with aluminium outer sections; the boom can also spray at 24m, 30m and 32m spray widths. An all-new drivers’ cabin for 2012 is purpose-built by Dammann and will be fitted to their complete range of self-propelled sprayers. The new cab’ features sliding door access, improved visibility, driver comfort, storage, and enhanced accessibility for service maintenance.

Automatic transmission with 8-forward and 6reverse gears is fitted and an additional lowrange set. DAMMANN’s philosophy is to retain as much as possible of the original MercedesBenz Unimog componentry and layout, including the side mounted engine cooling radiator, positioned to reduce the risk of it becoming blocked with debris; particularly

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useful when spraying oil seed rape. The U500 also features all-round coil spring suspension with telescopic shock absorbers, stabilisers, and portal axles with rear differential locking.

Dammann is Germany’s leading selfpropelled sprayer manufacturer, at the quality end of that market and with more than 30 years’ experience converting the Mercedes-Benz Unimog for spraying applications. The DT500 2012 model is the company’s first Unimog based machine to feature 4-wheel steering; it offers the benefit of a full Mercedes-Benz warranty as it is a fully factory approved product.

As with all Dammann sprayers, the DT500 is covered by a 5-year spray tank warranty, and a 3-year warranty on the sprayer chassis and boom, reflecting the high quality levels these machines are built to. Dammann sprayers use pneumatic boom control rams for best possible control and boom stability with ‘softer’ inputs

than hydraulic rams; thereby reducing component stress and increasing long term reliability.

Pneumatic high pressure spray-line purging is standard equipment to allow efficient expulsion of all liquids to prevent freezing in low temperatures. The spray tank has a completely smooth ‘polished’ interior to enable easier and more effective cleaning.

Dammann also offers a range of trailed sprayers with single, double, and triple axles, as well as hydrostatic self-propelled machines with ‘DAS’ air assisted application, and ‘Highlander’ high-clearance model options.

See them on stand SS118

May 2012 | Farming Monthly | 21

| Cereals

New range of heaters

Erentek at Cereals 2012

Welvent develops more efficient grain drying solution.

Leading air brake and suspension company on hand.

new range of heaters has been developed for grain drying when the main fan is powered by a generator. The heat output from the heater warms the air, but it also puts extra load on the generator which in turn produces more heat. The generator which, if positioned in the air stream, will then add the extra heat to the airflow for increased drying, probably around 1.5 x as much again. i.e. 10kw of

ver the years, farm machinery has evolved to the stage where specialist knowledge is often required, and much of our work involves modifications to the air braking and air suspension systems found on today's vehicles. Updating an existing braking system to comply with the latest safety requirements, or installing an air suspension system, is typical of what we do.

This type of work is our specialty, but we also carry out work on hydraulic braking systems, as well as general modifications to agricultural equipment in which air/hydraulics are used. With over 40 years experience we have built up a wealth of knowledge of braking systems and air suspension systems. Every one of our customers benefits from our experience and personal service, and no job is too small or too large.

Our service to agriculture also includes supplying parts, many of

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heat = 25kw. It is a cost effective way of adding heat to the drying process.

Sizes available range from 10kw to 30kw. The heaters can be supplied with their own fan units which make them portable, or they can be fixed into the airstream.

The unit shown is a 15kw portable unit with its own fan unit.

• Heat Output – 15kw • Fan Output – 16,000 cfm • Motor Power – 1.1kw

22 | Farming Monthly | May 2012

which we have designed and produced ourselves. All our kits are built to your individual requirements and include all the necessary parts plus a layout drawing, help and advice.

In addition to our display of products and services at the Cereals show, we will be using a test rig to demonstrate the operation of air brake and air suspension systems, now commonly used on agricultural trailers and crop sprayers. We will also be demonstrating a hydraulic loadsensing valve suitable for agricultural trailers.

These demonstrations will be held at 11.00 AM and 3.00 PM on both days. For further information visit us at www.erentek.co.uk

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| Cereals

Drier major advantages Visit BDC Systems Ltd at Cereals 2012, stand no. J1104. t Cereals 2012, BDC Systems Limited, the UK supplier of the renowned Svegma grain drier range, is launching a new recirculating air drier.

It features RadiClean particle separation technology developed by manufacturer Akron and is a major step forward in the drive to minimise energy consumption in grain drying operations, whilst offering other major advantages too.

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With the ability to recirculate drying and cooling air prior to the burner or other heat source, energy savings with the new drier are achieved. Firstly the required amount of air that needs heating from ambient to operating temperature is decreased.

Secondly, the recirculated air needs less heat input to achieve operating temperatures. The result is a calculated energy saving of more than 15% for the user.

It is Akron’s RadiClean particleseparating fan technology, with its high particle-separating efficiency, that is central to the benefits of the Svegma recirculating drier. With less dust, there is a lower risk of fire as there is less chance of particles coming into contact with hot surfaces.

The drier can be heated using any technology and/or fuel including standard gas, oil or biofuel heaters, working either directly or indirectly. Stress on the heater is minimized since it does not need to work at excessively high temperatures.

“a major step forward in the drive to minimise energy consumption in grain drying operations�

Svegma driers have other beneficial features too. These include a smooth internal drying column, no fixings or ledges to hold up crop, pulse roller or shutter discharge, advanced touch screen control panel and Turboclean dust extraction fans.

Pound for pound, simply your best choice for land kit.

www w.cousinsofemneth.co.uk www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

Tel. 01945 584600 May 2012 | Farming Monthly | 23

| Sheep & Lambing

Anker of Coates Eldernell Lane, Coates, Peterborough PE7 2DD T: 01733 840777

Units 15-17, Brook Farm, Ellington, Huntingdon PE28 0AE T: 01480 890990 www.ankerofcoates.co.uk Ravenhill Beech Business Park, Tillington Road, Hereford HR4 9QJ T: 01432 352333 www.ravenhill.co.uk

24 | Farming Monthly | April 2012

Sharnford Tractors Ltd Lodge Farm, Broughton Road Frolesworth, Lutterworth, Leicestershire LE17 5EH T: 01455 209300 www.manitou.co.uk J. T. Friskney Limited 17-29 West Street, Horncastle Lincolnshire LN9 5JE Tel: 01507 523233 Dealer for central Lincolnshire Tel: 01205 361281 www.friskneys.co.uk

Farmstar Limited Grove Farm, Church Lane, Marr, Doncaster DN5 7AU T: 01302 786786

Becklands Park Ind Est., York Road, Market Weighton, York YO43 3GA T: 01430 875900 Bridge Street, Brigg, North Lincs DN2 8NF T: 01652 654944 www.farmstar.co.uk

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| Cereals

Upgradeable GPS guidance system Entry level system and more on display at Cereals. rack Guide II is an upgradeable entry level GPS guidance system manufactured by Muller Elektronik and sold in the UK by David King Electronics. This easy to set up and use guidance system has basic standard features that allow the user to calculate field area, record field boundary and work in parallel A-B lines or contour mode.

Obstacles in the field can be marked so that later a warning is given as you approach. Correction to a point is also possible to take account of satellite drift. A record of the area worked can be downloaded to a USB stick for printing and recording work done using free software.

The 15cm, colour screen is split in 2: the top header can be selected to show either light bar, text or section view mode. The later mode indicates when to manually turn sections on and off during spraying. The lower part of the screen shows the area being worked and can be viewed in 2D, 3D or birds eye mode with variable adjustable zoom.

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Command Pest Control: The farm pest control and grain specialists Company has always specialized in Farm pest control.

The TRACK Guide II terminal can be upgraded using the concept of software licensing giving the user the option to add automatic section switching, variable rate application using shape files, headland management and automatic steering function. Similarly the terminal can be upgraded to a full scale ISOBUS terminal enabling task management.

Visit David King Electronics, Stand No B204 at Cereals Event 2012 to find out more about the TRACK Guide II and other products manufactured by Muller Elektronik.

he company was established in 1986 to provide a wide range of services tailored to agriculture especially for those handling grain.

With a nationwide grain fumigation service, the company is involved in grain store cleaning, monitoring and pre harvest insect treatments.

Command has always specialized in farm pest control and has a unique approach to solving rat and mouse problems externally and internally for customers. When farm assurance was introduced farmers became more aware of precautionary control requirements especially with the potential problems following grain rejection.

Wheat and barley are the most susceptible crops to infestations with insects found outside and inside the storage facility. When in storage bins or in a flat store grain may still be warm providing an excellent habitat for stored-grain insects. Warm areas in the heap often indicate insect or spoilage problems. Turning and ventilation may not be enough and fumigation is then sometimes the only option to avoid costly rejection. Monitoring starts post harvest with traps, visual checks with a report completed on visits.

We record temperature, moisture and if insects, rodents or birds or spoil grain is discovered.

Command will advise the farmer when cooling is required in order to keep the grain in good condition.

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There is no minimum charge and we provide a free survey with a rapid response and have local technicians throughout the region. Treatment can be to commodities in containers, flat stores, bulk grain and silos- we also treat beans and seeds.

Our specialist experienced staff can identify pest species; provide expert advice along with free surveys for any pest control issues. Let us look at your pest problems and help deal with them swiftly and professionally.

Command will be exhibiting again at “Cereals� on stand C440 and we would be very pleased to welcome you to our stand and discuss any pest issues you may have.

Telephone 01787 248049 for help and advice

May 2012 | Farming Monthly | 25

| Cereals

Omex TEA for improved biogas production and profits Anyone for TEA? s the Government pushes for more take up of anaerobic digesters to help achieve its 2020 carbon reduction targets, farmers can ensure their own systems perform to maximum capacity with the use of Biogas Plus (Trace Elements Additives) from Omex Environmental.

Farm businesses are increasingly treating waste such as slurries and vegetable off-cuts through anaerobic digestion for the production of both biological fertilisers and constantly generated renewable energy in the form of biogas, which can either be used on farm to reduce reliance on costly fossil fuels, or sold as electricity under Government incentive schemes.

However, it is rare for anaerobic digester systems to have the complete range of nutritional elements present for optimal bacterial growth. Shortages of specific micronutrients, which are critical components of enzyme systems in the bacteria, often

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occur. This can mean that the digester plant does not run at full efficiency with a consequential loss of performance and output.

The introduction of bio available micronutrients like BiogasPlus into the anaerobic process boosts the availability of essential trace elements which can help to improve bacterial performance and increase the methane content

26 | Farming Monthly | May 2012

of biogas production – and in the process, increase profits for the farmer.

BiogasPlus is the latest in a range of safe-to-use bio available micronutrient supplements created to help farmers get more from their investment in anaerobic digesters.

Omex will assess a plant’s individual requirement through analysis of its influent, biomass

and effluent before producing a tailor made micronutrient solution in a form which makes it fully available to the bacteria.

Omex Environmental will be at ‘Cereals’, 13-14th June 2012, showcasing its Nutromex TEA products for biogas and anaerobic plants. Find out more by visiting stand number C248 Also visit www.omex.co.uk

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| Buildings

Morris Corfield & Co Limited Benthall Works, Shropshire TF12 5BB Tel: 01757 249799

Bellard Court, Platts Lane, Duddon, Tarporley, Cheshire CW6 0EU Tel: 01829 749391

Wandon End, Luton, Bedfordshire LU2 8NY Tel: 01582 727111

Newton Street, Craven Arms, Shropshire SY7 9PJ Tel: 01588 673325

Oliver Landpower Limited Home Park Works, Kings Langley, Hertfordshire WD4 8LW Tel: 01923 265211

Westington Works, Docklow, Leominster, Herefordshire HR6 0SJ Tel: 01885 488884

Nigel Quinn (AMS) Limited 89 The Marshes Lane, Mere Brow, Preston Lancashire PR4 6JR Tel/Fax: 01704 822272 Mobile: 07973 519491

A14 Telford Road, Bicester Oxfordshire OX26 4LD Tel: 01869 329988

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

April 2012 | Farming Monthly | 27

| Cereals

AutoTrac Controller widens the net Older John Deere tractors and other makes can now benefit from system. ohn Deere’s proven multibrand satellite guidance system is now available as a more fully integrated solution for other makes of tractor and older John Deere models.

New AutoTrac Controller will be featured on the John Deere stand at Cereals 2012 in June, as part of the company’s AMS (Agricultural Management Solutions) precision farming display. It provides nonJohn Deere and mixed fleet users in particular with the same benefits and advantages as the established AutoTrac automatic steering system.

These include less operator fatigue; consistent accuracy, with reduced overlaps and misses leading to increased productivity

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and machine efficiency; less wear and tear on equipment; and typical fuel savings of 10 to 15 per cent.

Experience with AutoTrac has shown that automatic guidance can achieve savings of between £6000 and £10,000 a year on a 500ha arable farm, for example.

AutoTrac Controller provides fast line acquisition and can be used at all accuracy levels, including the free StarFire 1 signal (30cm), StarFire 2 (10cm) and StarFire RTK (2cm). It operates with John Deere’s AMS GreenStar 2 1800 and GreenStar 3 2630 displays plus the StarFire iTC and 3000 satellite receivers to provide improved accuracy and repeatability, compared to other universal steering systems. It is

also compatible with John Deere’s iGuide automatic implement guidance and GreenStar documentation systems.

AutoTrac Controller needs to be fitted by a John Deere dealer, which may take one or two days depending on the level of modification required. Currently it can be fitted to selected John Deere 6000/6010 and 7000/7010 Series tractors plus Fendt Vario, Case IH Steiger and Case IH MX Magnum models – further information on approved platforms

can be found at the www.StellarSupport.com website.

In addition to AutoTrac Controller, the Universal AutoTrac 200 aftermarket steering kit continues to be available for more than 300 models of John Deere and competitive self-propelled machines, including combines and foragers as well as tractors.

John Deere launches JDLink app Want to monitor and manage your equipment fleets on the move? There’s an app for that... ohn Deere has launched its first mobile phone app in the UK and Ireland, following the introduction of the John Deere FarmSight wireless technology strategy.

The free JDLink mobile telematics application allows arable farmers and contractors in particular to monitor and manage their equipment fleets on the move, from a smartphone. While the app does not have as much functionality as the full JDLink system on a laptop or desktop computer, it does include the following features:

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• multiple machine mapping; • directions to machines (based on Google maps); • ping and share location of machines; • view and acknowledge message alerts.

After downloading the app, customers who already have a JDLink account can simply log in and check their machines’ location and service status. Non-users can use a Demo function to explore the features provided.

The newly developed JDLink Inside telematics machine monitoring system includes

hardware and a JDLink Ultimate subscription for the following John Deere product ranges – new 2012 models are being supplied with a complimentary subscription for the machine’s first year: • new Stage IIIB compliant John Deere 8R Series and 7R Series tractors; • new Stage IIIB compliant John Deere W660 • all T-Series and all S-Series combines; • self-propelled forage harvesters.

Derwent Road, Malton, North Yorks YO17 0NW Tel: 01653 695094 Fax: 01653 697979 Holme Road, Market Wighton, York YO4 3EW Tel: 01430 872421 Fax: 01430 872461

Agricultural Ltd

RBM

Clarborough Hill, Redford, Notts DN22 9EA Tel: 01777 704823 Fax: 01777 710299

28 | Farming Monthly | May 2012

Westrum Lane, Brigg, Lincolnshire DN20 9EY Tel: 01652 650600 Fax: 01652 658180 Bolingbroke Road, Fairfield Industrial Edtate, Louth LN11 0WA Tel: 01507 617588

www.rbmagricultural.co.uk www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| Cereals

Environmental Energies Limited - wind and AD added to its renewable energy range Rapid expansion for one of the fastest growing renewable energy companies in the UK.

idlands based Environmental Energies Limited has continued to rapidly expand the range of green technologies that it offers.

Environmental Energies now supplies and installs the MuckBuster™, a self-contained anaerobic digester, set up to process animal manure, organic or septic waste. Various size systems are offered to suit most processing needs. The MuckBuster™ converts what used to be waste into biogas - the biogas is then used to heat water or generate electricity.

In addition the MuckBuster™ provides a source of fertiliser ready for spraying or ground

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injection and dry mulch which can be re-used as animal bedding.

Environmental Energies also offers a broad range of wind turbines from 5kW to 500kW in addition to vertical axis turbines which are more suited to urban and semi urban environments.

Sales Director of Environmental Energies, Simon Glew, states; ‘As demand for green energy solutions continues to grow we believe that it is important that we keep abreast of new developments so as to ensure that our customers are offered the latest and most up to date technologies available.’

Environmental Energies is one of the fastest

growing renewable energy solution companies in the UK. Areas of expertise include photovoltaic, anaerobic digesters, wind turbines, biomass boilers, ground and air source heat pumps and LED lighting. The company prides itself on providing clear unbiased advice on the most appropriate system for individual situations.

Simon Glew, Sales Director states; ‘We pride ourselves in offering a very high level of customer service from technical design, specification and pricing right through to planning and final installation.’

Minimise risk and maximise income with Biogas, cereal growers urged Cereal farms can increase income and hedge against drought and price fluctuations by investing in green energy production, according to EnviTec Biogas UK. sing break crops to feed on-farm anaerobic digestion (AD) plants not only produces electricity, it also helps remove long-term risk and improve soil conditions, said EnviTec. EnviTec, one of the world leaders in planning, building and servicing AD biogas plants on farms, made the comments ahead of the firm’s appearance at Cereals 2012.

John Day, UK Sales Manager at EnviTec, said: “The Feed in Tariffs for biogas are set for 20 years.

How many other activities on arable operations offer that opportunity for predictable, longterm income?

“Turning break crops into electricity cuts energy bills and

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creates the opportunity to make money by selling power to the grid, but it has many other benefits for the cereal farmer.”

A tonne of maize used in an efficient AD plant can produce approximately the same amount of organic material – or digestate – at the end of the process.

Used as fertiliser, the digestate conditions soil, adding nutrients and improving moisture retention.

Mr Day said: “Moisture retention is going to be critical in the coming years for arable operations, especially in the South and South East.

“Using AD digestate can help mitigate drought conditions, reduce the demand for bought in phosphates and cut fertilizer bills.

“Rather than worrying about the

price of corn, cereal growers could be using maize or silage crops to increase revenues and allow longterm business planning.”

This year EnviTec Biogas UK has at least five AD plants on arable or mixed farms coming on line. Some will use a proportion of the electricity they produce, while others will export it all.

Mr Day added: “If a 2,000-acre arable operation uses 500 acres to produce feedstocks for its own AD plant, it can transform the business.

“Per acre, converting silage into electricity is more efficient than growing oilseed rape to produce biodiesel or bioethanol. It also reduces greenhouse gas production and improves biodiversity.

“Biogas is good for farming and it’s good for the environment.”

EnviTec Biogas UK will be at Cereals 2012, which takes place at Boothby Graffoe, Lincolnshire, on Wednesday, June 13 and Thursday, June 14.

It is part of EnviTec Biogas AG, which is listed on the Frankfurt stock exchange and which operates worldwide through subsidiaries, joint ventures and sales offices.

All EnviTec Biogas UK specialists are based in the UK, leading to quick response times from initial enquiry, through planning and construction, to service.

May 2012 | Farming Monthly | 29

| Cereals

BioG UK Ltd anaerobic digestion plants and energy crop contract farming ‘Out of the box’ tailor made plant packages and solutions for farmers, landowners and waste providers.

ioG UK Ltd provides “Out of the Box” tailor made anaerobic digestion (AD) plant packages and solutions of farmers, landowners and waste providers utilising the highly efficient Energy Ring technology from Austria. Our popular

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packages include joint ventures and complete contract farming partnerships by offering a retirement option.

Our Joint Venture Package BioG UK Ltd is currently working on a number of stalled projects, which have successfully

achieved planning permissions for on farm and off farm AD plants around the UK but are either struggling for finance, technology backup or feedstock. BioG UK Ltd will offer a joint venture to customers throughout the planning process around the UK

by providing a 100% finance package with the highly efficient Energy Ring technology. Each joint venture is a straight forward 50:50 split in shares between the farmer and BioG UK Ltd .

“We are currently experiencing a large uptake of new projects looking to construct a 50:50 joint venture to help farmers requiring a range of assistance including technology advice throughout the life of the project to an easier source of finance,” says director Rob Greenow.

“Projects range from pre planning, mid planning to fully granted sites that expected bank finance but are finding difficulty in achieving this without remortgaging the entire farm. The beauty behind our joint ventures is that we do not expect the farmer to put any asset down while they benefit from our helping hand throughout the project life.”

Rob Greenow, Director, BioG UK Ltd

Full size working turbine for Windcrop at Cereals Windpower comes to life. indcrop will once again be exhibiting its own demonstration turbine at this year’s event.

The full size working turbine was first exhibited at Cereals in 2011 (pictured) and proved to be a key attraction within the Renewables area of the show.

Bringing the turbine back for Cereals 2012 will once again give visitors the chance to see the turbine first hand and to allay any concerns about the size or noise of the system.

The demo turbine will be located at Entrance 1.

Windcrop will also be exhibiting at stand C363 and the team are keen to talk to more farmers and landowners who would be interested in having a turbine on their land, looking to find out if their land would be suitable or to find out more about the benefits and cost savings renewable energy could bring to their farm or business.

Windcrop gathered pace at gale force speed in 2011 and it ended

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30 | Farming Monthly | May 2012

the year by celebrating its 100th turbine installation and having more than tripled its workforce with the creation of twenty five new jobs at the company’s recently expanded head quarters in Honingham Thorpe, Norfolk.

Now, in April 2012, Windcrop has installed over 190 turbines with a further 370 contracts in the pipeline across its heartland of East Anglia - stretching across Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Hertfordshire and Lincolnshire.

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| Advertorial

| Cereals

When it comes to Agricultural testing, we’re ahead of the field Comprehensive testing for agriculture. ood analysis gives farmers the confidence to make decisions on inputs which can save time and money.

Eurofins offers a range of tests for the agricultural industry which include soils, organic materials such as compost, livestock manures, silages and feedstuffs.

Soil Analysis Soil is the foundation of agricultural production. Regular soil analysis is vital to know not only the nutrient status but also whether your soils are in good condition. Eurofins offers an extensive range of soil analysis including: • Routine next day turnaround on standard soils P, K, Mg and pH • Extras such as texture, organic matters and a range of trace elements • Mineral nitrogen testing • Potential toxic elements in soil e.g. copper, lead, nickel, zinc Silage & Feedstuffs analysis To check the value of feeds Eurofins offers a range of tests on silage and feedstuffs including: • Grass silage for livestock by NIR (FAA) • Maize Silage by NIR (FAA) • Whole crop silage for livestock

by NIR (FAA) • Minerals for feedstuffs Plant tissue analysis Eurofins offers analysis on plant tissue elements, so that you have a comprehensive breakdown of the elements contained in the plant which is a useful indicator of nutrient uptake.

Organic and Livestock Manure testing Manures and slurries are valuable fertiliser replacement products as well as providing organic matter to improve soils.

Knowing the nutrients they can provide means they can be used more carefully to maximise their value.

We can check the value of manures quickly, to set an accurate application rate for Good Agricultural Practice and Nitrate Vulnerable Zones.

Eurofins offers a range of analytical testing of manure and compost including: • A New NIR rapid* and cost effective service for cattle, pig manures and biosolids • Standard analysis of dirty water, slurries, manures, Anaerobic Digestate, and other imported organic manures • Compost Testing: Quick tests or to full BSI PAS 100 We can do more.....

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32 | Farming Monthly | May 2012

Our laboratories in the UK provide testing for pesticide residues, contaminants, mycotoxins, heavy metals analysis, microbiological testing and nutritional information. We are supported by an international network of Eurofins Competence.

For more information contact Eurofins on 0845 604 6740 or visit www.eurofins.co.uk

Ilex return to Cereals Ideal showcase to highlight products. lex EnviroSciences returns to Cereals after a superb first-time last year. As a direct-to-farm supplier of specialised crop nutrition products, Ilex recognises Cereals as the UK’s premier agri-business event and the ideal showcase to promote its products.

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Highlighting the increasingly popular Start uP® arable seed treatment together with brand new products CaPITAL and AdvoCate for 2012, our BASIS and FACTS trained advisors will be available to discuss how we can help you optimise crop quality and yield with specific plant nutrition programmes.

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| Cereals

Plan now and don’t leave liming to chance !

Correct PH levels are critical to maximise yields and therefore, returns. he correct pH range for any crop is essential to optimise yield and quality.

The British Survey of Fertiliser Practice shows that lime applications still remain significantly lower than they were a decade ago in both grassland and arable farming systems.

Are you risking yield and quality as a direct result of low pH? The decision to lime or not, needs to be determined by pH testing. On many soil types, liming a vital but low cost input as the cost of liming can be shared across the rotation between lime applications. The correct pH is a fundamental requirement for crop yield, and the risk of any consequential yield loss from suboptimal pH can be catastrophic: LimeX is available to all farmers, and our soil sampling services include detailed field pH mapping with liming recommendations via FACTS qualified advisors. We offer flexible delivery and application packages to our customers.

Alternatively LimeX is available via our network of regional distributors.

However, strong product demand encourages early

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ordering and campaign collection or delivery to avoid disappointment. LimeX45 is still available for summer 2012 from Cantley Sugar Factory. LimeX70 will be available for autumn 2012 from Bury, Newark and Wissington Sugar Factories.

Furthermore, LimeX contains a valuable integral nutrient package; and a pH maintenance application of LimeX70 at 5/tha (2t/ac) provides a minimum of: 50kg/ha P2O5 At P Index 2 this is sufficient maintenance phosphate for most cereals, winter oilseed rape, sugar beet, maize and some grassland situations.

35kg/ha MgO At Mg Index 1 this adds valuable maintenance magnesium and will assist cereals, oilseed rape and grassland.

45kg/ha SO3 Usually 25-40kg SO3/ha is sufficient to correct sulphur deficiency in cereals, oilseed rape, field brassicas and grassland.

This integral nutrient package is worth c.ÂŁ70 per hectare.

For more information, visit us at Cereals 2012 (Stand D407) or limex.co.uk .Alternatively contact us on 0870 240 2314.

May 2012 | Farming Monthly | 33

| Energy

34 | Farming Monthly | May 2012

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| Cereals

Kverneland ASA and Mayer Maschinenbau GmbH sign extension to distribution agreement for vertical mixers Demonstartes strength of relationship between the two companies. ollowing an initial term of 6 years of the distribution agreement whereby Mayer Maschinenbau GmbH manufacture and Kverneland ASA distribute the range of SilokingKverneland Vertical Mixers a new distribution agreement has been signed between the 2 parties.

The Distribution Agreement covers the complete range of Siloking Vertical Auger Mixers – trailed, static and self-propelled, which are manufactured at Mayer’s specialised production facility in Tittmoning (Germany).

Kverneland are responsible for the distribution, sales, marketing & after sales of the Siloking-

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Kverneland branded range of Vertical Mixers in many European countries, including France, UK & Ireland, Scandinavia, Switzerland plus many others.

Georg Mayer, General Manager and owner of Mayer Maschinenbau GmbH, confirmed that the distribution agreement in place with Kverneland since early 2006 ‘has been very successful in delivering significant volume and market share. With Kverneland we have a strong and professional partner whose strength in distribution really supports the sale of Vertical Mixer technology. We are very pleased that we are able to extend this successful

agreement for the next years’.

‘Since 2006 we have seen a significant growth in our market position on Mixer technology thanks to the Siloking-Kverneland range’ adds Tim Comer, Product Director in Kverneland. ‘This range is extremely important to Kverneland as it ensures that we have a full product range from grass harvesting right through to feeding. In addition the specialised knowledge of Mayer GmbH ensures that we can offer marketleading technology to our customers, which supports our customers in optimising their own businesses’.

The signing of the new

agreement underlines the strength in the relation between Kverneland and Mayer GmbH. Importantly the new signing coincides with the full launch of the new Trailed Vertical Mixer range (later in 2012) and the introduction of latest versions of the Self-Propelled mixers in the near future.

‘We are entering another very exciting period with our Vertical Mixer range – new look, new features, innovative control technology and much more.

Completely new products plus a strong distribution partner in Kverneland – the future looks very positive’.

Dancorn stirrer system Attractive solution for your grain storage requirements.

or farms thinking forward to the 2012/2013 season and contemplating the purchase a cost effective, purpose built grain drying and storage facility, the Dan-Corn silo/grain stirrer system offers a particularly attractive solution for consideration.

With individual capacities of up to 1,000 tonnes and capable of handling high moisture contents, their system offers a simple yet effective method drying grain over a short period of time combined with a safe, vermin free, weather protected bulk storage facility.

Filling and emptying can use a

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variety of options and capacities from a simple Westfield auger to a comprehensive arrangement of conveyors and elevators tailored to suit each specific application.

Because silo systems are modular in nature, silo sizes can varied to suit individual farm requirements and are simple to add to if a proposed plant is to be developed over a number of years or if new land becomes available.

With a wide range of storage and handling products on offer Dan-Corn will be exhibiting at this year’s Cereals Event and can be found on stand number K1137

May 2012 | Farming Monthly | 35

| Cereals

New Deutz-Fahr Agrotron L 730 220hp machine joins the Deutz Fahr tractor line-up.

oining the Deutz-Fahr lineup of tractors is the new Agrotron L730 model which, rated at 220hp, is powered by a Deutz common-rail, sixcylinder turbocharged diesel engine. This engine, which meets the current emission standards, employs a high pressure fuel injection system with seven-outlet injector nozzles.

In the transmission department, full powershift offers three speed ranges and up to 12 powershift gear ratios – gear changes can be made manually by pressing a button on the PowerComS control lever or automatically using a system which selects the optimum

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ration according to load conditions and engine speed.

Other features include the Comfort headland management system to allow the operator to program sequences of commands and functions and make headland turns with, say, a reversible plough, a more efficient manoeuvre.

For the operator, the new S Class cab offers pneumatic suspension, sound insulation, a high degree of all-round visibility and ergonomically positioned controls.

36 | Farming Monthly | May 2012

The all new Fengrain App Up to the minute market prices at your fingertips. n a volatile market place Fengrain know the importance of keeping up to date with grain market prices to ensure farmers get the best prices on their crops. With this in mind Fengrain has developed an ‘all new’ app which will ensure all its members can access the latest market news, even when they’re on the move.

In the same year that Fengrain celebrate its 40th anniversary, they demonstrate what a forward thinking organisation they are by introducing an App , which is currently available for use on Apple i-phones.

A recognised shift amongst farmers to get connected, with more and more of the farming community using smart phone devices, has been the catalyst which inspired the team at Fengrain to offer more mobility to its members. The app provides a potted version of all the news and information members have come to expect on the Fengrain Website.

Fengrain’s core objective has always been to ensure that their

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farmers can achieve the best returns from their crop; through marketing support and a strategic understanding of the world’s grain market Fengrain brings significant and immediate market news to their members, allowing those all important business decisions to be made from a more informed perspective.

It becomes increasingly important for farmers to be responsive and keep up to speed with market developments whilst securing the very best return on their yield; that can now be assured - whether they are at home, in the office or out on the land, the new App will bring support in a fast moving world.

Fengrain will be celebrating both their anniversary and the official opening of the new storage facility in October this year; media opportunities will be made available through England Marketing. (Of course the new storage facility will be serving Fengrain Members in time for Harvest 2012.)

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| Energy

KO Machines

Robson Tractors Ltd

Highwood

Whittinghams Farm Supplies

Lower Laches Farm, Laches Lane, Slade Heath, Wolverhampton WV10 7PA Tel: 01902 798771 www.komachines.co.uk

Ings Lane, Carlton Husthwaite, Thirsk, North Yorkshire YO7 2BP Tel: 01845 501602 www.robsontractors.co.uk

Yeovil Branch: 01935 478877 Dorset Branch: 01305 266058 Shepton Mallet Branch: 01749 841651

119 Garstang Road, Claughton On Brock Lancashire PR3 0PH Tel: 01995 640302 www.whittinghamsfarmsupplies.co.uk

service@highwood-ag.co.uk sales@highwood-ag.co.uk parts@highwood-ag.co.uk

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

April 2012 | Farming Monthly | 37

| Cereals

Lely introduces the Lely Vector Developed in close partnership with Lely customers. fter numerous Lely innovations in the field of automatic milking, the Lely Vector is the next major step in automating working methods within dairy farming and as such, it matches the impact of the milking robot. The Lely Vector makes sure that correct rations are fed to cows consistently and on time, allowing cattle farmers to achieve efficient and high-grade milk and beef production. This new system has been developed in close cooperation with Lely’s customers.

Flexible The system ensures a constant supply of feed in a flexible manner, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The process is fully automated and ensures optimal flexibility for cattle farmers using the system.

The Lely Vector enables cattle farmers to define and adjust their feeding strategy for different groups of animals. This results in improved animal health, improved feed efficiency resulting in optimal milk and beef production.

The feed is stored in the feed kitchen; an open area without any

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obstacles, in which all kinds of feed can be stored, each in its own location. Depending upon the size of the feed kitchen, feed can even be stored for a three-day period.

This means that there is sufficient feed for more than a weekend, so that cattle farmers and their families can enjoy more free time.

A feed grabber moves over the feed kitchen to select the feed, and load it in onto the mixing and feeding robot. The feed grabber scans the part of the feed storage area that has been designated for a specific feed and collects the feed from the highest point.

Fresh A concentrates dispenser monitors the feed quantities, which can be established and measured with the utmost accuracy. In addition, minor quantities of minerals and additives can be mixed with the concentrates. A user interface with touch screen is used to set up the feeding plan and the feed kitchen. It is also possible to programme rations and view a variety of reports.

The feed level sensor is a

HULL Robert D Webster Ltd 01964 670224 38 | Farming Monthly | May 2012

OXFORDSHIRE LJ + CA Cannings 01235 763103

technological tour de force. The robot knows exactly how much feed there is at the feed gate and it determines when and where feed is required, without any intervention from the cattle farmer being required. Because there is an ongoing supply of feed, it is not necessary to measure large doses, and therefore the feed at the feed fence is always fresh.

Economic feeding The Lely Vector saves money, labour, time and energy. It uses much less energy than many other feeding systems and is therefore less expensive to operate. Test farms have shown that labour savings are huge when feeding two or more different rations. The Lely Vector also saves dairy farmers a lot of hassle. Filling the feed kitchen is all that remains for them to do. Furthermore, thanks to the electric control system, the Lely Vector is noiseless and environmentally-friendly, and does not disturb either man or animal.

For Lely the Lely Vector is as groundbreaking as the introduction of the first Lely

EAST SUSSEX Curtis & Shaw 01323 833441

Astronaut milking robot. To safeguard a professional roll-out and development of the Lely Center distribution network, Lely has opted for a roll-out in phases over different countries. The first countries include the Netherlands and Scandinavia where Lely has been testing this concept, and France. For other countries, such as Germany, Australia and New Zealand no offers will be made yet, not even for deliveries in the future.

The Lely Vector is a complete and efficient feeding system that allows modern dairy farmers to control their business the way they want to. With the invention of this milking robot, Lely was the first company to launch an effective system on the market. The Lely Vector is a major step in the further automation of the dairy farming business.

DERBYSHIRE Alkmonton Tractors 01335 330460 www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| Cereals

Thirty years of foraging history So many advances have been made in 30 years and this line-up clearly demonstrates this. n celebration of the production of the 30,000th JAGUAR self-propelled forage harvester, CLAAS UK has brought together old and new JAGUAR models, from the original SF up to the latest 900 series, to tell the CLAAS forager story.

The line-up made their debut at this week’s Rickerby and Gordons Green Harvest Day held at Dumfries, where the highlight for many of those attending was to see an SF80 dating from 1981 being fired up and put to work alongside the very latest JAGUAR 960.

When the CLAAS SF was

I

launched back in the mid-1970’s it was a major step forward in forage harvesting technology, and the

Optimer offers strong solution for straw incorporation Compact machine on show at Cereals.

uhn’s Optimer stubble cultivator is part of a range of equipment for minimum tillage cultivation and straw incorporation that will be on show at Cereals 2012.

The range overall covers shallow working depths up to around 30cm.

The Optimer is a compact machine for use in shallow work. It has two rows of curved 510mm diameter discs, leveling tines, and a choice of rollers at the back including spiral roller, T-ring, or DD ring.

The range includes 3 and 4

K

K O Machines

metre mounted models and trailed machines in 4 metre and 6 metre formats.

In new upgrades of the Optimer, the disc gang is fitted on a tubular chassis for improved structural rigidity. There is also a protective feature in relation to each individual disc, with four polyurethane elastomeric blocks allowing independent movement of any disc if hitting an obstacle.

As each disc reacts independently, overall working depth is unaffected in the event of a collision.

Added strength and reliability is also built-in on the latest Optimer models with a robust disc hub design incorporating twin conical bearings double-sealed in a cast iron casing.

The Optimer also offers added versatility as can be fitted with Kuhn’s SH seeder to sow cover crops, or can be used with a front hopper and distribution head to broadcast seed.

Kuhn also has in its stubble cultivation range Discover heavy discs as well as the Mixter and Cultimer tine stubble cultivators.

SF80, with its 10cyl, 238hp Deutz engine was capable of clearing 12ha a day. By comparison, the modern-day top-of-the-range CLAAS JAGUAR 980 features a DYNAMIC POWER engine with a range of 11 power outputs from 272hp up to 884hp engine, and the capacity to clear 12ha in little over an hour!

This line-up clearly demonstrates the advances that have been made in just 30 years, from the SF 80 where a pair of ear defenders were probably an essential item, to the latest JAGUAR, with its air-conditioned

• Benthall Brosley, Shropshire • Craven Arms, Shropshire • Docklow, Herefordshire • Tarvin, Cheshire

luxury cab, Bluetooth stereo, CEBIS, TELEMATICS, automatic steering, yield monitoring and automatic spout control.

The SF80 and other historical JAGUAR foragers will be on display at this year’s Grassland UK to be held at Shepton Mallet on Thursday May 10th, where they are likely to attract a large crowd both from those contractors going down memory lane, and those in awe of the latest JAGUAR foragers working on the CLAAS demonstration plots.

Tel: 01952 881000 Tel: 01588 673325 Tel: 01885 488884 Tel: 01829 749391

Make the best start to your grass harvest!

Lower Laches Farm, Slade Heath Nr Wolverhampton WV10 7PA www.komachines.co.uk

forage harvesting I livestock husbandry I arable I landscape maintenance

be strong, be KUHN

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

May 2012 | Farming Monthly | 39

| Energy

Dealers: AGRATECH NW LTD Unit 8 Dale Mill, Burnley Road East, Lancashire BB4 9HU Tel. 01706 211399 www.agratech.co.uk LW VASS (AGRICULTURAL) LTD Springfield Farm, Bedfordshire, MK45 2AX Tel. 01525 403041 www.vassgro.co.uk CENTRAL CROPSPRAYERS LTD Unit B, Sandford Ind. Park, Shropshire SY13 2AN Tel. 01948 840187 Mob. 07850 744335 ACARE Norfolks 40 | FarmingSERVICES Monthly |LTD April 2012Sprayer Specialists, Bunkers Hill, Norfolk NR22 6AZ Tel. 01328 820449 www.acareservices.co.uk www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| Cereals

New VPTech inclined nozzle The ideal choice for Autumn grassweed spraying. he new VPTech nozzle assembly being introduced

by Hypro at Cereals 2012 is designed to provide the ideal spray configuration for pre-and postemergence autumn sprays. It delivers a flat fan spray containing a mixed droplet spectrum, which is ideal for the greatest coverage of small grass weed targets.

“Getting all the spray to the target and achieving uniform coverage is absolutely critical to making the most of pre-emergence autumn herbicides and getting blackgrass control off to a good start,” says Roger James, Hypro product manager. “The new VPTech nozzle can help by delivering a mixed droplet spectrum including fines, and by producing the correct overlap pattern for different boom heights – 110 degrees for 50cm boom height or 80 degrees for 5070cm.

The VPTech nozzle is an assembly comprising a Hypro TwinCap body, one 80 or 110 degree VP tip and a blanked second outlet. This is a versatile and flexible approach because the VP tip can be changed to another size; a different tip design can be fitted; and a second tip can be installed to create

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a twin spray nozzle for other applications.

For autumn spraying, the 30 degree inclination of the spray jet is a key feature; Hypro recommends that nozzles are fitted so the tips face alternately forwards and backwards along the boom. This overlapping inclined pattern will ensure effective coverage of both sides of the target – whether soil clods when applying pre-emergence sprays or small grass weeds when spraying postemergence.

“In laboratory trials, we found that spray coverage on to small artificial blackgrass targets was increased by an average of 8% when the spray was inclined 30 degrees forwards and backwards when compared to spraying straight down,” says Mr James.

Although spraying with the lowest possible boom height is always the preferred way to minimise spray drift, the 80 degree version of the VPTech is helpful where this is impractical because it produces a smaller proportion of the finest, most driftprone droplets and a slightly larger average droplet size.

“It can be difficult and risky to set the boom to the 50cm spraying height recommended for a 110

degree nozzle when the target for autumn spraying is at ground level,” notes Roger James. “In a survey of farmers representing over 50,000ha of cropping at last year’s Cereals Event, we found that 93% had concerns about boom height when autumn spraying.

“Setting the boom too high means spray overlap is not ideal and it increases spray drift, especially at higher speeds when there is little or no vegetation,” he adds. “Thanks to its droplet spectrum, the VPTech 80o allows the boom to be set 50-70cm from the ground with greater confidence.”

As a variable pressure design, the VPTech offers the flexibility to spray down to 1 bar pressure, giving a

high level of control over spray quality. With sizes 02, 03, 04 and 05 available, operators can use that feature to select a wide range of spray qualities to suit different targets and circumstances, from coarse to fine depending on tip size and operating pressure.

The new VPTech nozzle assembly can be seen in action along with others in the Hypro range on Cereals Event stand B215 alongside the Sprays & Sprayers arena.

May 2012 | Farming Monthly | 41

| Fuels

A G Ford Agricultural Engineering Nearton End Farm, Nearton End, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire MK17 0SL Tel 01296 728298

Andrew Marwood Ltd Unit 2, Full Sutton Ind. Estate, Full Sutton, Yorkshire YO41 1HS Tel 01759 372888

Cranworth Farm Services

Newman Enterprises Ltd

Cranworth Common, Thetford, Norfolk IP25 7SX Tel 01362 820077

The Gables, Brinkworth Road, Swindon SN4 8DT Tel 01793 853807 Mob 07435 780028

Lyndon Tucker

Stewart Morley

Oldwalls Garage, Llanrhidian, Swansea, SA1 1HA Tel 01792 391007

The Workshop, Bonds Farm, Morley Lane, Pilling, Preston PR3 6BY Tel 01253 799124 Mob 07802 638385

42 | Farming Monthly | April 2012

Wharfedale Tractors Ltd Unit 1, Riffa Business Park Harrogate Road, Poole-in-Wharfedale, North Yorkshire LS21 2XB Tel 01132 841117

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| Animal Health

Bayer highlights rodent Barrier introduce new poultry supplements risk to pig & poultry health

Nutritional supplements support all year round health and vitality & maximise performance.

Large amount of grain & feed on site is an attraction. oultry Vitamin Boost is a 100% natural premier blend, nutritional tonic to help support and improve all year round general health, vitality and maximise performance of layers and breeding stock.

Feeding and maintaining an adequate, balanced poultry diet with the required Vitamins and Minerals is essential for over-all health and well being. All poultry benefit from a multivitamin and multimineral liquid supplement added to their drinking water throughout the year and especially during colder months and times of stress. An excellent boost for exbattery hens showing a nutritional imbalance, poultry recovering from the moult and red mite infestation.

Vitamin and mineral deficiencies can relate to poor, inadequate, incorrect feeding regimes although disease, general bird management and the fact that some birds simply have varying dietary requirements must be taken into account. Deficiencies can produce many health problems for poultry including in some cases, death.

Some symptoms can be similar to each other and so it is terribly important to consult your vet if in doubt. An excess in vitamins and minerals is not only wasteful, but harmful by locking-up the availability of others and even toxic.

Containing only the best grade ingredients providing the essential vitamins and minerals for general health, growth, bone development and functions of the immune and nervous system. There is also no egg withdrawal period.

Poultry Calcium & D3 Boost is a premier blend calcium and vitamin

P

ighlighting the significant threat that rodents pose to stock health, Bayer are offering practical tools and expert advice to farmers at this year’s Pig & Poultry Fair.

Ken Black, Bayer’s national account manager for rural hygiene explains; “Pig and poultry farms are particularly susceptible to rodents due to the large amount of grain and feed on site. “This abundance of easily accessible food attracts rats and mice, and even where farm biosecurity is strong, rodents are sometimes overlooked as an important route of disease infection as well as contamination.

They can spread disease around an individual unit, as well as having the capacity to spread infection between neighbouring farms which is even more concerning. Rodents are known to carry approximately 45 diseases, including salmonella, pasteurellosis, leptospirosis, swine dysentery, trichinosis and

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toxoplasmosis. In an industry where health and biosecurity are paramount, it’s vital that rodents are kept under control.”

Ken adds that the economic consequences can also be important. “Just one adult rat will eat 25-30g of feed a day or nearly 11kg per year; an infestation of 100 rats could consume nearly 1.2 tonnes per year.

Providing information and advice at the Pig & Poultry Fair, Bayer will also be handing out free copies of the new Rodilon® user guide and record book.

“With comprehensive advice for rat and mice control the guide also includes bait placement maps to help farmers plan and record their rodent control programmes.”

Bayer also offers a comprehensive range of insecticides suitable for use in and around farm buildings and animal husbandry areas.

See Bayer at the Pig & Poultry event 2012, 15 – 16 May, Hall 2, Stand No. 74b

D3 supplement to maintain the required levels of calcium in laying hens and breeding stock.

A balanced diet with the required vitamin and calcium level is essential for over-all health and well being. Important minerals include calcium, phosphorus and salt in a proper ratio, for the formation and maintenance of the skeletal structures of the body.

The skeleton of a chicken contains about 99% of the calcium in its entire body and is required in the diet for bone formation in young growing birds, whereas, in mature laying hens, for the formation of egg shells. A chicken egg’s eggshell is 94% calcium carbonate. Older hens use calcium less efficiently and so the requirements rise as she gets older.

Calcium deficiency can rise in warmer weather. Calcium deficiency symptoms in a laying hen can be seen as a thin shelled egg and even a shell-less egg. If the calcium requirement is not met to help form the eggshells, the female will steal it from her own bones.

May 2012 | Farming Monthly | 43

| Sheep

ScotEID 2011 tag read rates published

Young Farmers follow wool journey

Dalton come out as top 3 tags in their category.

Lancashire Young Farmers learn what BWMB does with their sheep’s wool.

he ScotEID report 2011 focused on successful read rate over 3.3 million sheep reads in 228,677 batches.

The statistics therefore offer a significant indication as to which tags are working well.

With a reported average read over all sheep of 93.5%, the Dalton EID tags currently on the market have come out as the top three tags for readability in their category. The Dalton i-Rototag, the Dalton 25mm I-Tag Button and the Dalton I-Tag Loop scored overall reads of 96.11%, 95% and 94.14% putting them well above average and nearly 10% better than their poorest rival.

The use of quality materials, high end transponder technology and epoxy resin to encase the transponders in the i-Rototags has all ensured Dalton’s position at the top of this report. “The company have always used quality raw

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materials to produce tags and now, advances in technology and strong industry partners have meant we can use stronger, higher grade materials whilst keeping our cost low” comments Brian Naylor - Sales & Marketing Manager, “This allows us to produce a light weight, high retention electronic Rototag with a sale price of just 0.56p, which is the best value tag on the market. While the original Rototag has been a stalwart of the industry for over 50 years, the company continue to look at developments in manufacturing to ensure that Dalton tags remain at the top of the EID statistical analysis and are a product which farmers can rely on for accurate traceability.”

For more information go to www.thetags4u.com The report was carried out by Biomathematics and Statistics Scotland

44 | Farming Monthly | May 2012

A group of young sheep farmers recently got to see exactly what happens to their sheep’s wool once it leaves their farms thanks to a visit to the headquarters of the British Wool Marketing Board (BWMB) at Bradford.

The group all YFC members from Club’s in the Lancashire Young Farmers Clubs Federation visited Bradford as a result of Lancashire YFC member Lizzie Coar winning last year’s BWMB/YFC photographic competition.

The day included a chance to be shown every aspect of the BWMB’s work in grading, trading and promoting wool and also visits to the next stages of the wool chain, including to a scouring plant to see the first step in the wool supply chain after it has been sold at a BWMB auction.

First up for the group, which visited BWMB’s new Canal Roadbased headquarters was to see the BWMB electronic auction in progress.

National Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs youthworker Jodie Green said the group had found the visit a fascinating insight into what happens to their produce once it leaves the farm.

“Most of them simply weren’t aware of what happens to wool once it has been shorn from the sheep. Having the opportunity to see the wool chain and understand why some types of wool are more valuable than others provided a valuable experience for them.

“The group were also very impressed with the level of detail involved in grading wool and the ability of the BWMB graders to pick out fleeces from different breeds of sheep with such accuracy and speed.”

BWMB Product Development Manager Tim Booth said this was an area of BWMB’s work which many visitors found fascinating.

“Visitors are often surprised at the level of skill involved in grading fleeces and it always helps give them a real insight into the process and also the importance of presenting fleeces in the correct manner for grading.

“What was clear from the visit was that the YFC members were quite surprised at the scale that BWMB operates at. They were also impressed by the passion that everyone in the industry has for the product they’re dealing with

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and making the best of British wool.”

The visitors also saw a wool souring plant in action at Haworth Scouring, Bradford, gaining a valuable insight in to the work done by other parts of the wool supply chain, explained Ms Green.

“I think a lot of the group were surprised by how complex the process is once the wool leaves the farm and before it gets to the end consumer.”

The group were also talked through the promotion and marketing activity of BWMB, explained Mr Booth. “BWMB’s involvement in the Campaign for Wool, which is now a worldwide movement, has been instrumental in increasing awareness of the many varied qualities of wool and wool products which is helping to stimulate increasing demand.”

Speaking on behalf of the group prize winner Lizzie Coar said the visit had been invaluable in helping the members understand how BWMB operates and why they were paid the prices they were for their wool.

“I don’t think any of us comprehended how complex the wool supply chain was once the wool left the sheep’s back. The sheer scale of the Northern Wools depot was incredible and the skill of the graders really amazed us, particularly the fact that it takes up to six years to be a fully trained grader.

We really enjoyed our day and thank you to the BWMB for giving us all an insight into the wool industry. When clipping time comes every summer from now on, we will think twice about where the fleeces will be going and the process’s that they will be going through.

As ever with these visits, while the YFC members undoubtedly got a lot out of it, the BWMB staff also found it a useful way of getting feedback, said Mr Booth.

“We welcome any opportunity to speak to wool producers as it helps them understand out work better and also gives us the opportunity to understand their issues better.”

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| Energy

Leicestershire farmer Small wind turbines goes solar for pig power reduce energy bills for farmers Impressive 39.6kWp system installed.

Evance9000: the turbine of choice. ising energy costs are prompting farmers across the UK to look at generating their own power through deploying localised renewable energy systems.

Capturing energy with one or multiple small wind turbines is proving to be a sound investment for farmers, as they can enjoy substantial savings on their electricity bill.

The Evance R9000 small wind turbine - designed, developed & manufactured in the UK is enabling many farmers throughout the UK to power lighting, cereal dryers and milking parlours.

For example, in just three months one dairy farmer has seen his two Evance turbines make a substantial difference to one of his largest expenditures – electricity.

Milking 140 cows twice a day uses

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ne of Leicestershire’s largest pig breeding farms has switched to solar power to run its pig feeding facilities, with the help of renewable energy specialists Eco2Solar.

Kidderminster based Eco2Solar has been working with Lodge Farm in Leicestershire to reduce energy costs and introduce a new source of valuable income, by installing an impressive 39.6kWp solar PV system.

Owned by P J Gosling Partners, Lodge Farm’s solar panel system comprises 165 REC 240W solar PV panels and three Fronius IG PLUS 150 12kW inverters. It is expected to generate more than 34,153 units of ‘green’ energy every year – equivalent to the annual electricity use of 10 average households.

All electricity generated will be used on-site at the 320-acre family-run farm, which is home to 190 breeding sows (female pigs), to power the farm’s on-site pig unit.

Used to grind and mill over 1,000 tonnes of pig feed per year, the unit produces enough pig feed for all 190 sows and their offspring, which on average can reach up to 2,500 pigs.

Lodge Farm is expected to generate £11,236 in tax-free income from the Governmentbacked Feed in Tariff (FIT) scheme.

Philip Gosling, owner of P J Gosling Partners, said: “We are delighted with the work undertaken by Eco2Solar at our farm. They fitted our solar panels very quickly and efficiently in one single installation without causing any lengthy disruption to our

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farming activities.

“By utilising on-farm renewables, we are able to secure a valuable additional revenue steam which is vital for the future development of our facilities.”

Eco2Solar is proud to support Lodge Farm, as managing director Paul Hutchens explained.

“This installation is particularly rewarding for Eco2Solar as it has given us the opportunity to help a local farm diversify its revenue streams and save tonnes of carbon emissions,” he said.

“There are great opportunities for farmers to increase profits and produce their own electricity using solar panels.

“We specialise in designing and installing the best solar photovoltaic (PV) systems for a range of farm buildings including barns, stable blocks and land sites.”

The Lodge Farm installation follows the announcement by the Government to exempt small-scale renewable energy schemes on farms from planning regulations. It means planning permission will no longer be required by farmers who install renewable generators such as solar panels on existing buildings.

“This is excellent news for the farming industry and rural economy. It means farmers and land managers will no longer be ‘turned off’ from the benefits of solar panel installations through fear of facing complex and costly planning permission applications.

“By removing such barriers, the Government is delivering a green policy that will really benefit the economy,” added Mr Hutchens.

For more information, visit www.eco2solar.co.uk.

a lot of power, so the turbines are generating electricity to power the dairy as well as farm outbuildings.

The turbines at this dairy farm are predicted to cut annual energy bills by a third.

In addition, generating and using green energy supports the reduction of a farm’s carbon footprint, as well as contributing to the overall reduction in Britain’s carbon emissions.

Rural home owners, farmers and small businesses are increasingly turning to small wind energy systems – the recently issued UK small wind market report(i) shows that the market (1.5kW – 15kW) grew by 30% in 2011 compared to 2010. Over the same period, the Evance R9000 turbine accounted for a third of all small wind turbines sold in the UK - making it the turbine of choice. www.evancewind.com

May 2012 | Farming Monthly | 45

| Energy

10 things that you need to know about Solar PV Systems!!!

Solar Power Intl answer the important questions... olar PV systems. The latest and hottest trend in renewable energy generation is reaching near its peak. Suddenly now we all realise that it’s the only way to protect ourselves from ever rising energy bills.

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Why solar?

• Solar Power is one of the most reliable and cost effective ways to generate electricity, reduce CO2 emissions and secure an income on both commercial and domestic buildings. By installing a solar PV system you will be generating electricity directly of the sun.

• Choosing the right type of panels and inverters is an art. A poor design such as oversized inverter or mismatching panels will reduce the power and efficiency of your system. All resulting in poor performance and lower return on your investment.

• Multiple Mppt can improve

performance under shade conditions and will allow you to install your panels on more than one slope or orientation.

• Solar panels are static and silent and require minimal maintenance and come with a lifelong warranty, Along with your installation you can fit a Webbased monitoring system that will allow you to monitor the system performance and to track any faults that may arise in real time.

• A solar PV system is considered to be a secure financial investment just like having a small power station in your back garden.

And with energy prices going up and up so does the value of your investment grow.

Why now?

• The FIT’s are fairly generous at the moment and will secure high return on your investment guarantied for 25 years.

• You will be able to consume the electricity generated directly

46 | Farming Monthly | May 2012

from your system free of charge and avoid paying your energy supplier => save on your energy bills.

• Solar system can make use of any unused space such as roofs and fields or can be fitted as a car port or a field shelter, embedded in your roof or directly over your tiles.

• Only an MCS accredited installer can register your installation on the FIT’S scheme with your supplier and allow you to claim and enjoy the payments for the life of the system.

• Solar PV Panel prices have dropped by 30% in the last few months so an average 10Kwp system will generate more than £2000 pay back every year that’s 12.5% return on investment secured for 25 years.

To find out more please contact us on 01300 345668, email info@solarpowerintl or visit www.solarpowerintl.co.uk

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| Forestry

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

April 2012 | Farming Monthly | 47

| Beef Expo

BEEF EXPO Farm Forward is McDonald's long-term programme to help secure a sustainable future for British and Irish farming by supporting existing farmers and helping young farmers into the industry.

As a growing business, McDonald’s also needs to ensure the long-term and continued supply of quality ingredients for their menu, which is served to 2.5 million customers each day.

2012 Beef Expo Chairman Paul Westaway is very supportive of Farm Forward, and he’s at the helm of a pilot study under the banner of the programme which aims to increase the uptake of male dairy calves into the UK’s beef supply chain by proving it is commercially robust and improves animal welfare.

cDonald’s has been working on a project over the last few years to increase the number of male dairy calves used in its beef supply chain – calves that would otherwise be humanely destroyed at birth because of their lack of market value.

As an extension of this, Paul Westaway is currently working on a feed pilot study, sponsored by McDonald’s UK with support from EBLEX and the FAI, to show that these male dairy calves don’t require expensive cereal feed – an assumption which may discourage some farmers from rearing these calves on their farm. Paul is feeding his herd of Holstein Friesian bull calves a high forage, low carbon diet of minimal concentrate maize and lucerne feed to show that there is a sustainable way of farming these cattle.

On the eve of the 2012 Beef Expo, Paul Westaway is hosting fellow beef farmers for a walking tour of his farm, to explain the benefits of farming Holstein beef.

“I started beef farming around five years ago, and I rent my land from Gloucestershire County Council. Farming’s a relatively new career for me. I used to work in genetics, but I was drawn to a career in agriculture because I think there’s a great opportunity for farmers who are market-led and run their farming businesses with the end-customers’ needs in mind.

“I believe Britain makes the best quality beef in the world and I want

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48 | Farming Monthly | May 2012

us to be recognised for this. I’m proud of our high welfare standards and the investment we make in giving our livestock highquality feed in order to rear first class produce. I love the thought of someone tasting my beef and loving it to bits – it’s what motivates me to run my business as well as I can.

“Knowing that successful companies like McDonald's are committed to supporting farmers like me makes a huge difference.

The fact that there will still be a market for my beef in 10 years’ time gives me the confidence and certainty to invest in my farm. I use a lot of technology to run my farm efficiently and monitor the health of my livestock.

“McDonald’s is dedicated to finding quality beef for its burgers, and in my opinion you can’t get better than that produced from Holstein Friesians. However one of the big issues in farming pure Holstein beef is that traditionally they have been fed a diet high in wheat, barley or bought in feed – which can prove prohibitively expensive for many farmers as prices go up.

“Above all, sustainable agriculture needs to be profitable.

That’s why it’s fantastic that McDonald’s, EBLEX and the FAI are investing in this study to show that we can produce Holstein beef on a high welfare, low cost system which will be viable for everyone in the supply chain.

“As a farmer, I believe it’s our responsibility to look after the countryside and leave it better

than we found it. The commitments that McDonald's is making through Farm Forward will help farmers like me do just that.”

Brian Mullens, Senior Vice President, Supply Chain, McDonald’s UK: “It’s fantastic that Paul is taking the time to show fellow farmers around his farm to demonstrate and explain the benefits of initiatives such as the Holstein bull calf feed study.

“Knowledge sharing is at the heart of Farm Forward, which represents McDonald’s commitment to help ensure a stronger British and Irish farming sector. As a growing business, we want to make sure we have the continued supply of quality ingredients we need for our menu sourced from progressive, responsible farmers like Paul.

“We know how important it is that the industry continues to innovate and we’re delighted to be working in partnership with Paul to study and find new ways to run sustainable and efficient farm businesses that also drive improvements in animal welfare.”

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| Beef Expo

Ruminant mineral nutrition

By P.A Bone, Telsol Ltd s a ruminant livestock producer you may discuss trace mineral nutrition with many people, and I am sure that the subject of copper will be covered. This conversation may also include other elements which have been quoted as causing copper deficiency, copper lock-up or secondary deficiency. It is very important to define these descriptive words.

Copper deficiency: the inability to supply copper to meet the animal’s daily requirement of copper Author’s comment: this is a correct statement.

Copper lock-up: copper in the animal’s body is bound by molybdenum, sulphur and iron thus rendering the copper unabsorbable and unusable by the animal.

Author’s comment: This is a very misleading statement as it can prompt livestock producers and advisors simply to increase copper in-put to overcome the problem. This is a potentially dangerous practice and could predispose stock to copper toxicity.

Secondary deficiency:

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description is the same as “copper lock -up”.

Author’s comment: Secondary copper deficiency is cited by many when the availability of copper for absorption is decreased in the presence of molybdenum, sulphur and iron.

Whilst the author fully appreciates that this can happen in the rumen to a limited extent, it is not the full story and should not be taken as a simple reason to increase copper supplementation.

As a producer you supplement with copper in order to prevent the above, but you still see the clinical symptoms of copper deficiency.

Those clinical signs of a red/brown tinge in the coat, or in the black head of Suffolk sheep and/or a grey circle or panda eyes around the outside of the eye. It is also likely that fertility parameters will be compromised with poor signs of heat and/or early embryonic death.

Author’s comment: I have already stated that other elements are involved with this problem and they are iron, sulphur and molybdenum. The clinical problems are due to the interactions and are not due to

copper in the soil, or in the crop, being locked-up before the animal consumes it. The recent review of copper in ruminants by Gould and Kendall (2011) clearly shows that the clinical problem is thiomolybdate toxicity and not a copper deficiency.

Can thiomolybdate toxicity be treated?

Author’s comment: Yes it can , but remember it’s very important to have an understanding of what you are trying to do which is to stop thiomolybdate being absorbed before it does damage. The Cosecure range of blue soluble glass boluses are the only products that deliver a source of available copper into the rumen to bind with thiomolybdate and render it non toxic. Competitor boluses use copper oxide and the

copper in this compound is not available to react with thiomolybdate in the rumen and hence cannot prevent the toxin being absorbed into the body.

UK Trial Work Cumbria Vet David Black set up study with the “aim to confirm in my mind that Cu & Se injections as routinely used in our practice were “best”” • compared 3 methods of supplementing Cu; injection, matrix bolus (AllTrace) & (Cosecure POM VPS) • Cosecure treated cattle became pregnant at a rate 1.8 x Cu injections 1.4 x Matrix • Concludes that cows treated with glass bolus had better fertility.

Black DH & French NP. 2004.

Vet Record 652-658

May 2012 | Farming Monthly | 49

| Beef Expo

Quality livestock equipment from Teemore eemore Engineering Ltd based in Northern Ireland currently have two distribution yards in England and are building an excellent reputation within the UK market for supplying quality livestock equipment to beef farms. Some of the most popular products to date are the Jourdain Headlocking

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yokes, heavy duty telescopic dividing gates, calf dehorning boxes and creep feeders. When Teemore took the initiative to market their products in England and Wales some three to four years ago they found it difficult to find products which were comparable on quality.

Now with livestock finally turned

out to grass it is time to have a look at the current housing and plan for any redevelopment which may be necessary before the rush towards the autumn. When planning any investment it is important that quality v’s cost is assessed accurately and that products purchased will not only suffice the here and now but will

give years or service. The products supplied by Teemore offer the necessary flexibility on size, that should the building need to be rearranged down the line the same products are more than likely to be still usable.

For more information and advice please call George on 07738455842

Trial data shows benefits of modern silage sheeting rial data released by Silostop has shown that grass and maize silage stored under non-airtight conditions is susceptible to dry matter (DM) losses of up to 37% from the top 40 cm compared to less than 10% for crops stored under airtight conditions.

Conventional black plastic silage sheeting can allow up to 400cm3 of oxygen to pass through each square metre of film in a 24 hour period. In contrast, silage clamps covered with a Silostop oxygen barrier film allowed just 3 cm3 of oxygen to pass through. As a result, crops stored in non-airtight conditions are more susceptible to aerobic spoilage and increased wastage whereas the crops stored

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in airtight conditions remained in better visible condition and retained a higher nutritional value.

Experiments to compare the effects of oxygen barrier films on the composition and losses from the upper layers of ensiled crops were carried out by the Estonian Research Institute of Agriculture, the Research Institute of Biotechnology and Veterinary Medicine at Latvia University of Agriculture and the School of Biosciences at the University of Nottingham in conjunction with Silostop.

They found that after 120 days in storage, wilted crops of mixed grass and red clover ensiled in farm-scale bunker silos, suffered DM losses of 5.0% when stored

50 | Farming Monthly | May 2012

under conventional plastic sheeting compared to 2.5% for crops sealed under a Silostop oxygen barrier sheet. The total quantity of silage fresh weight discarded from the top layer of each crop – because it was judged to be inedible by livestock – was 1.7 tonnes (0.1% of the total 1,700 tonnes ensiled) of the crop under the Silostop barrier and 100 tonnes (5.9%) of the crop under the conventional sheeting. The crop kept under conventional sheeting was also found to contain high counts of yeasts, moulds and clostridial spores.

“It is a popular misconception that all plastic sheeting products are the same,” explains Jennifer Hitchman, UK Sales Manager for Silostop. “It’s not as simple as that.

Conventional plastic sheeting is porous to oxygen and allows aerobic spoilage to occur at the clamp margins. Silostop sheeting is unique in that it’s specifically engineered construction allows 100 times less oxygen through, thereby virtually eliminating any surface spoilage.

“The trial results clearly illustrate the importance of using an effective layer of oxygen barrier film to protect crops from aerobic spoilage in order to limit crop wastage and protect the nutritional value of silage.

“With less spoiled feed to dispose of, and a high quality of silage, Silostop sheets protect the value of ensiled crops and can help to reduce labour costs and time.”

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| Beef Expo

Best of home-reared beef Tag Law change to allow new sheep-tag design Beef Expo 2012 to serve up the best of home-reared beef – and raise money for charity. eef, arguably the best ingredient for the nation’s table, will be under a spotlight in new cookery and taste demonstrations hosted by Eblex and Ladies in Beef at Beef Expo 2012, at the Three Counties Showground, Malvern, Worcestershire, on May 24th, helping raise funds for Help for Heroes.

The cookery show will provide the final link in a chain showcasing all aspects of beef production from field to fork, says Beef Expo 2012 Chairman Paul Westaway.

He says: “In my mind there can be no better way to champion what we as beef and dairy farmers produce.

“As organisers, the National Beef Association’s aim for Beef Expo 2012 is to provide the latest technical and business advice for visitors. But as an industry event it would not be complete unless we also celebrate what we provide for the nation’s table.”

At hourly intervals, visitors to the beef industry’s must-see event of the year – sponsored by Lloyds TSB Agriculture – will be able to watch Eblex development chef Denise Spencer-Walker cook three

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mouth-watering recipes using quality home-reared beef.

Assisting Denise are the formidably talented Ladies in Beef, who will also be raising funds at the cookery area in aid of the charity Help for Heroes.

Mr Westaway explains: “If the cookery demonstration whets your appetite, we are also delighted to have joining the event this year South West butchers Gerald David and their mobile retail display. If you’re tempted by any of Denise Spencer-Walker’s recipes then what better way to end the day than buying quality home-reared beef and cooking it for yourself at home?

“As producers we get very involved in the business side of producing beef, but we are also consumers and – as such – our own best critics. The cook-off will be a lighter side to the core business themes of the event, but also serve to remind us that we all play a role in putting the ‘Great’ in front of home-reared beef.”

Full details of the cookery demonstration and wider event programme for Beef Expo 2012 can be found online at www.beefexpo.co.uk

Useful innovation prompts consultation and action.

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ag legislation is changing to allow for a new yearcolour coding on ROXAN

Tags.

Original legislation demanded purely yellow Electronic (‘EID’) sheeptags.

ROXAN realised that under this scheme all ages of breeding sheep will be wearing yellow tags !

If the non-yellow year-colour tag is lost, there would be no simple visual method for identifying the animal’s age.

Therefore Roxan designed TagFaster EID tags with an additional coloured-patch. Since this was not strictly legal, DEFRA consulted with, and received

support from the NSA, NFU and the LAA before deciding to change the law in favour of this useful innovation.

The ROXAN coding system provides a visible year-colour patch on the predominantly yellow EID tag. TagFaster has six year colours. The TagFaster applicator delivers 10 twin tag sets in alternating colours, or 20 single batch tags always with black tips to indicate short life animals.

For additional information on this and more tag-innovations call Roxan on 01750 22940 or email sales@roxan.co.uk. Roxan’s web site is www.roxan.co.uk

May 2012 | Farming Monthly | 51

| Buildings

What happens next?

Dairy or Arable Farmer?

Looking toward retirement? Help is at hand...

D and D has the answer to all your building needs!

here the next generation of farmers is coming from is the focus of current press attention. Our concern is where do the old farmers go?

The Addington Fund was established as the churches’ response to the outbreak of foot and mouth disease in 2001 and still responds in times of difficulty.

Since November 2002 the core work of the fund has been a strategic rural housing scheme, supporting farming families who need to leave their farm and in doing so lose their family home.

With nearly ten years of experience I am convinced that the major barrier to tenant farmers retiring from their holding is ‘where do we live’. These farm businesses are economically inactive and their asset base is continually shrinking but by remaining where they are

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they block an opportunity for a younger more enterprising farmer to develop a new business.

The objective of the fund is to find an appropriate home for a family which usually involves trying to keep them in their current locality so that they can continue to enjoy the support of local family and friends and they can continue to contribute to the social and economical fabric of their own community.

Over 44% of the families we have supported work with us on a shared equity arrangement which gives them a stake in the equity of the property and reduces the level of rent.

The overriding aim of the fund is to allow farming families to retire with the dignity that they deserve. enquiries@addingtonfund.org.uk www.addingtonfund.org.uk

52 | Farming Monthly | May 2012

airy and livestock buildings company D and D Construction appreciate that stock welfare is paramount to the careful planning of a new livestock building. The design must take account of other related features (e.g. feed barriers, trough levels, machinery access, stock numbers, water supply, holding pens, ramps, waste management, and bio security). Whilst we are eager to help you plan your building, we are also happy working with your advisors to ensure that the building functions at its best throughout the year.

Grain store and fetilizer storage Recent volatility in global markets has increased the necessity for good quality

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storage. The harvest must be protected to ensure it achieves best price at market. A high quality grain store is therefore essential and pre-planning the store should not be under estimated. D and D Construction have over 40 years experience in designing, manufacturing and erecting grain stores, and will be pleased to assist you throughout the process from planning through to construction.

When considering your new grain store it is also worth considering the purchase and storage of fertilizer. A large secure building can offer the farmer opportunities to purchase in the right volumes, at the right price.

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| Buildings

Cemsix protects the grain Robust and weatherproof solution installed at Mere Farm. he recent refurbishment of a seven bay grain store on Mere Farm, Lincolnshire, has seen asbestos cement sheeting replaced with a highquality roofing material from Cembrit. Cembrit’s Cemsix, in natural grey, was chosen for the 4000m² building and delivers a robust and weatherproof solution to protect the stored crop.

Mere Farm, owned by Patrick Dean Ltd, is a mainly arable farm, but also has a large pig unit.

Located near the large village of Waddington, Lincolnshire, the farm has seven linked grain storage buildings. The buildings are approximately sixty years old and a refurbishment was needed, to replace the original asbestos cement roof. Cembrit’s Cemsix was the perfect replacement, as the fibre cement sheets were the identical profile to the old asbestos sheeting (6" profile). Cemsix also incorporates integral polypropylene reinforcing strips making it a safer sheet for installers to use.

The installation of the new roofing sheets was not an easy task for the engineer. There were several obstacles including;

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different roof pitches, towers requiring cladding and several valley gutters to negotiate. The multi bay roofs incorporated two large "wendy houses" containing a batch drier and elevator head gear approximately 70' to the apex.

Engineering company, K.W. Timmins & sons, based in Lincoln, were in charge of the refurbishment at Mere Farm, and supplied Cembrit’s Cemsix. “We chose Cemsix because it is a firstclass material and the perfect replacement for the old roof,” says Edward Timmins, from KW Timmins & Sons. “We always use Cembrit because their service is unbeatable and the material is manufactured to a high standard.

On this project, the existing steel structure could be retained and the Cemsix non-asbestos formulation is equally as porous as the original material so provides protection from moisture condensation as well as being rust and rot proof. I expect the roof will now last another sixty years.”

Cemsix has the advantage of being slightly porous. This means that high levels of water vapour or humidity within agricultural buildings can be absorbed by the

sheets and gradually released into the atmosphere, rather than condensing on the underside of the roof and dropping back onto the crop. In effect the Cemsix sheets offers passive environmental control for the building interiors.

Cemsix is ideal for agricultural, commercial and industrial buildings, and is robust practical and requires no maintenance to preserve its strength. The durable and weatherproof sheets are not affected by destructive fungi, vermin or insects, so will not rot or decay; and are available in natural grey, matt black or matt green and ten attractive coated colour options. Offered in a standard imperial 6 inch profile it is strengthened with strategically placed polypropylene reinforcement strips. These are incorporated within the fibrecement sheet to comply with BS and H&S requirements for site safety and fragility.

Cemsix also conforms to the necessary fire safety requirements

being a Class 0 surfaced material with an EXT.S.AA rating. Available in a variety of sheet lengths, the Cemsix range also offers a wide range of corrugated sheet accessories including ventilation to satisfy any roof design. Cemsix has full BBA certification: 03/4049 and a warranty is available on request.

Using skills built up over 80 years, Cembrit offers a wide range of cladding panels, corrugated sheet and natural and man-made roofing slate.

Quality levels at group factories are rigorously maintained to high standards with many products manufactured under the control of ISO 9001 and British Board of Agrément. Cembrit UK is a member of Cembrit Holding A/S (formerly the Dansk Eternit Holding A/S) of Denmark, one of Europe’s major building material producers of fibre reinforced cement products for the roofing and cladding industry.

May 2012 | Farming Monthly | 53

| Grassland

New six-cylinder McCormick X70 Series tractors More power and performance on offer. new five-model range of six-cylinder tractors will be unveiled at Grassland UK (Somerset, May 10) and the Cereals Event (Lincolnshire, June 13/14) as distributor AgriArgo UK prepares to replace the popular McCormick XTX and TTX machines.

Revealing the top model in the new range at these two events emphasises the versatile role of the design in providing the power needed to operate silage-making and feeding equipment in the livestock sector and tillage equipment for growing arable crops.

Powered by a ‘leaner and greener’ version of the 6.7-litre McCormick BetaPower engine, the new X70 holds the prospect of lower fuel costs while also promising improved performance and productivity.

“The core features that make the current XTX and TTX tractors an increasingly popular choice for farmers and contractors will still be a part of the X70 Series,” emphasises McCormick product specialist Paul Wade. “The XtraSpeed transmission with its eight powershift steps provides a

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very accessible choice of 32 forward speeds, while the highoutput hydraulics system provides a quick response to pressure and flow demands from all types of equipment.”

For the X70 Series, engineering and design work have focused on the engine to deliver more performance while meeting latest emissions rules, and on the cab to provide operators with an even better place to work.

The line-up that progressively will replace the XTX and TTX ranges over the coming months comprises five models. Two are equivalent to the large-frame TTX – the X70.70 and the X70.80.

With 188hp for draft work and transport duties, and 218hp when driving pto-powered implements, the X70.70 has an 8hp and 19hp advantage over the TTX190, while at the top of the range, the X70.80 lifts performance over the TTX230 with 214hp and up to 232hp.

The X70 Series replacements for the smaller and lighter XTX tractors step up even more in the performance stakes with ‘boost power’ increases of up to 20hp over current models for pto and transport work.

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The X70.40 replacement for the XTX145 puts out 150hp for draft work and up to 175hp with boost activated when hauling a trailer or powering pto-driven equipment.

Equivalent figures for the X70.50, which replaces the XTX165, are 165hp and 188hp, while the X70.60 gets an 11% increase in boost output to 203hp, with 175hp on tap for draft work.

These performance gains result in part from optimising the engine’s combustion process in a way that also minimises the production of particulate matter – soot, in other words.

Nitrogen oxides (NOx) in the exhaust gases are neutralised by a catalytic converter and urea solution. Prior to injection at a rate determined by how hard the engine is working, the AdBlue solution is stored in a reservoir built into the tractor’s moulded fuel tank, making it easy to top up when re-filling with diesel.

In addition to the new-spec engine, the McCormick X70 Series tractors have some cabin enhancements, including a new roof assembly. With the heater and air conditioning unit now housed to the rear of this panel and controls conveniently mounted on the right-hand rear pillar, the operator enjoys more headroom

than before.

The re-design also allows a roof window to be installed for the first time, which lets even more light into a cab that already provides a comfortable working environment.

Its four-post construction means there are full-size door windows on both sides of the cab with no obstructions interrupting visibility.

Externally, the new X70 Series tractors are distinguished by new graphics on the bonnet and a more distinctive treatment for the integrated front and rear work lamps – they now have smart chrome-effect surrounds to make them stand out from the current style.

While production at the ARGO Tractors factory in Fabbrico, Italy progressively switches to the new X70 Series, supplies of current XTX and TTX tractors with nonSCR engines will continue to be available for a few more months to come

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| Grassland

First UK showing of New Holland’s small tractor range set for Grassland events Company will be in attendance at all three events.

ew Holland’s new T5 range will make its UK debut at the upcoming Grassland UK event at the Bath and West Showground in Shepton Mallet.

The redefined T5 series is a new concept in future-focused, powerful livestock and mixed farming tractors. With a fully Tier 4A-compliant, 3.4 litre Common Rail turbo-charged engine and fully-integrated, factory-fitted loader with lift capacity up to 1,850kg, these machines can now be supplied with an all-new modular front linkage and PTO, adjustable shuttle sensitivity as

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well as new load sensing rear and mid mount remotes.

Visitors will also have an exclusive opportunity to see working demonstrations of the new T4 PowerStar. The small but versatile tractor is available in three models from 55hp – 75hp.

With the VisionView™cab as standard, excellent operator comfort and visibility is guaranteed. It also features an outstanding lift capacity for a tractor of its size – comfortably managing 2,150kg.

Alongside this, there will be working demonstrations of the new T6 tractor, a popular choice

among farmers, thanks not only to its power and ease of operation, but also its fuel efficiency. The T6 includes a powerful Tier 4A compliant engine featuring ECOBlue™ SCR technology. This delivers responsive power, uncompromised combustion cycles and 100 per cent clean, fresh air intake which, combined with Engine Idle Speed Management (EISM) technology, delivers unrivalled fuel consumption optimisation and maximum productivity.

There will be more Tier 4Acompliant technology on show at the silage clamp. New Holland Construction will be demonstrating their new W170C agricultural wheeled loader. This has a new 5 speed ECOSHIFT transmission with torque lock up eliminating losses and reducing fuel consumption by up to 10% .

As with the new range of T6 tractors, further fuel savings are also achieved by using the

efficient Tier 4A- compliant engines with SCR technology.

Visitors will also be the first to see a public working demonstration of the new compact LM5020 / LM5030 models of telehandlers alongside their larger family members, the LM5040, LM5060 and LM5070.

In addition, show-goers will be able to take a look at the FR9060 self-propelled forage harvester in action. And, if that’s not enough, the New Holland BR6090, BR7060 and BB9060 balers will be hard at work completing the rest of the display.

New Holland will be taking part in all three Grassland events: Grassland UK 2012 at the Bath and West Showground on 10th May; FTMTA Grass and Muck 2012 at Gurteen Agriculture College near Birr on 17th May; Wales Grassland 2012 at Pentre Farm, Merthyr Cynog, Brecon on 8th June.

May 2012 | Farming Monthly | 55

| Grassland

Forward leap for reverse-drive forage-harvesters Capable of matching the output of smaller self-propelled harvesters, the LHII will handle up to 500hp new reverse-drive forageharvester is set to enter the UK market at Grassland UK in May. Over recent years increasing numbers of tractors (particularly Fendts, Valtras and Claas Xerions) have been sold with reverse-drive kits. However uses for the facility are still fairly limited, buck-raking and mowing being the most common tasks.

And, while reverse-drive foragers have been available previously, they’ve struggled to match the output of bigger trailed machines and smaller selfpropelled units. Crucially they’ve lacked a corn-cracker and the ability to process maize kernels.

Now that is set to change.

Somerset-based Noble Machinery has taken on the role of UK importer for Lacotec foragers which are the first machines of their type to boast an integral kernel-processor.

These are high specification harvesters. Standard features include: • metal detector with adjustable sensitivity • auto-sharpening controlled

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from the cab with automatic shearbar positioning and knock sensors • full auto-lubrication system • self-contained on-board hydraulics for feed-roller and header drive, enabling stepless chop-length adjustment • integral cooling pack with automatically-triggered reversedrive fan • ISOBUS compatible controls with colour-screen and joystick, if required Development of the Lacotec’s reverse-drive units has been spurred on by demand from contractors and farmers wanting to spread the cost and increase the workload of costly prime-movers.

Capable of matching the output of smaller self-propelled harvesters, the LHII will handle up to 500hp. Importantly it has the big advantage that when there’s no chopping to be done it can be unhitched and the tractor can be used for other tasks.

But it is the corn-cracker that is its most novel feature. For some years Lacotec has built its disctype kernel processor for retrofitting to self-propelled and trailed harvesters.

Unlike conventional units that use pairs of rollers running at different speeds to crush the grain, this version uses inter-locking discs running at identical speeds to do the job. The key advantage of this is that the discs present a much greater surface area (270% more) to the crop as it passes through with the result that the corn-cracker is no longer the bottle-neck for material running through the forager and power requirement is significantly reduced.

This concept has been adopted

by Fendt in its new Katana forager and other harvester manufacturers are following suit.

When it comes to crop intake the LHII can be kitted out with standard grass, wholecrop and maize headers from the likes of John Deere, Kemper and Claas.

However the demand for

machines capable of chopping maize has grown massively in recent times as biogas plants have become widespread across Germany and Austria.

While self-propelled foragers remain a popular choice, there are a good number of smaller operators who cannot stretch to the capital outlay required for such expensive machines.

While such businesses may already have larger, more powerful tractors for other work such as cultivations, slurry-tanking, etc…, they often have quiet times when these costly prime-movers are parked up. Adding silage harvesting to their workload is a simple means of spreading their cost.

Contact: Matthew Noble – 07988 816 752 or matthew@noblemachinery.co.uk www.noblemachinery.co.uk

Come and see us at Grassland UK

56 | Farming Monthly | May 2012

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| Grassland

Help for sand-laden slurry problems with Houle® If you’re having problems with removing sand-laden slurry speak to GEA Farm Technologies at Grassland UK. EA’s superior slurry systems from Houle® are designed for strength, stability, flexibility and durability to help tackle sand-laden slurries.

New to the market is the EL 44 range of spreaders, which are designed to improve slurry contractor productivity through their filling speeds, safe handling and

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steering and adaptation to sand-laden slurries.

“Houle® slurry handling equipment is known to be the toughest, most durable on the market, and these new tankers are no exception,” says UK Sales Manager Anthony Andrew. “We are excited to be showcasing our range of products at Grassland UK and especially doing a demo with our new EL 44 spreader.”

Farmers will also be able to take a look at the new cross-gutter scraper which are used to clean

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underground channels of slurry, sand and foreign objects by positively displacing the slurry to one end of the channel.

Where sand -laden slurries are an issue a cable cross-gutter scraper is by far the best solution.

In the cable system the box or boxes (up to five per drive unit) are of a very heavy construction and slide on 3/4 inch hardened steel runners. These runners are a replaceable wear item that, after many years of use, can be simply unbolted and refitted.

The forward motion of the box draws the slurry to the end, and on the reverse stroke a large ‘flap door’ is opened to allow slurry to pass through the box as it reverses. Then the process starts again with the flap door closed.

Each box can move slurry from approximately 200 animals, so a 5box system on a single drive unit could handle slurry from up to 1,000 cows.

In the event of a failure, a box or boxes can be simply lifted out of the gutter for servicing or repair.

The ½” galvanised steel cable is suspended in mid-air all its life and so the wear on this is absolutely minimal.

Visit GEA Farm Technologies on Stand 165 at Grassland UK to find out more plus watch the EL 44 Spreader in action.

Alternatively call 02476 692 333, email

info.geafarmtechnologies.uk@gea .com or visit www.youtube.com/geafarmtechnol ogies to watch all the latest Houle videos.

Farmer praises Sila-Cover Many benefits are apparent when using this product. ased near Leominster in Herefordshire, Richard Thomas runs a 300 acre mixed arable and livestock farm with his father and mother. They farm 340 Welsh Mule, Suffolk cross and Texel cross ewes, and 180 Hereford Cattle. The farm currently grows 50 acres of grass silage and 17 acres of maize silage. The silage is mixed and is fed to the cattle with straw added to help bulk out the ration. After years of using tyres and a traditional black plastic sheet, Mr Thomas opted for two Galebreaker Sila Cover 300 protection sheets, in the 20x10m size and Sila bags to hold the sheets in place while on the clamp. “I was not only impressed with the weight and quality of the product, but the time

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it took to sheet and cover our pit has been reduced from 4 hours, to 1 hour. We tested the DM content this year and it was 35% which is up by 3% on last years result. The added weight of the sheet together with gravel bags help to seal the clamp, compact the grass and speed up fermentation, this in turn reduces spoilage”. With no tyres on the clamp Mr Thomas also commented that the normal environment for rats is not present this year as there is no stagnant water or effluent on top of or around the clamp.

May 2012 | Farming Monthly | 57

| Shooting

Tailor made: In pursuit of the perfect ‘gun fit’ ‘Suits you sir’ - it’s just as important to get a well fitting gun as a well fitting suit! hat’s the first thing you do when you get into a new car ?

If your anything but lucky, you will have to adjust the seat to achieve your best driving position or even a position that enables you to drive somewhat safely and comfortably from the first off point.

If you are a shooter or maybe new to the sport or indeed, thinking of taking up some form of shooting then there are some similarities between both of these demanding activities. Clay pigeon or game shooting requires the use of a shotgun and the importance of a correctly fitting tool for the job is just if not even more important than with any other sport and just as in a perfect driving position required by car, a shotgun must fit nigh-on perfectly to obtain the best results possible.

With shotgun shooting, the position of the gun in the shoulder, the position of the eye related to the barrel and the overall dimensions of the gun in question must be compatible with each individual shooter otherwise some

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very poor results will be frustratingly experienced.

Ever since shotgun shooting has been a sport, this ‘Gun Fit’ as it is known, has been recognised as possibly the most important factor in taking up the sport (other than professional lessons or coaching which is obvious in just about everything we do) and with the shooting sport, like many other activities we all get involved with nowadays becoming ever more competitive and perfected, a perfect ‘Gun Fit’ is absolutely paramount.

There are many good coaches and shooting schools around the country offering this help but few offer the extreme ‘customization’ service that a man from Sussex does who runs a company called High Performance Shotguns.

With 50 years experience under his belt, John Jeffries, the company boss, is recognised to have a really special knowledge regarding shotgun shooting covering shotgun fit, compatibility, size and calibre and is adamant that if you don’t get all these points

right just as in driving a car, you will never realize your full potential.

He not only offers these important facilities when taking up the sport or purchasing a new gun, he even takes it a step further. He guarantees a perfect result too.

John works with a shotgun manufacturer in Italy who are regarded as possibly the best factory shotgun manufacturers in the world, Perazzi from Brecia, (outside of some of our still famous British names for a fully hand made product) who also have nearly 50 years of manufacturing experience and he enhances their product by finally customizing and tuning every shotgun he sells to each particular customer.

To perfect the fit of a shotgun, each individual users height, weight, face shape, strength and of course, gender all have to be taken into account before any final supply begins – yes it’s a great lady’s sport too. Experienced also as an instructor, John offers at least 3 sessions of practical help at his shooting range in Sussex with any purchase of one of his specialized shotguns -- all included in the price.

There are no extras at all with John’s guns and he also visits the factory in Italy several times a year

to be sure that good wood (required to make the stocks and forends of a shotgun) are selected to make the result even more of a speciality.

This year we are all getting excited about the Olympics and clay pigeon shooting is no exception here with all the world’s best shooters looking for a place on the rostrum. John too is quite excited here as he tells us that he has designed a new and somewhat controversial gun suitable for Olympic disciplines and he tells us that there is already good interest for his new competition gun that will be first seen around the Olympic time.

Maybe this new model in the HPX range will be a contender for the number one spot.

So, if you are thinking of taking up the sport, purchasing a new shotgun or getting your eye in for the local clay pigeon club or the annoying rabbit or for the demanding high pheasant, then take a look at John’s website, www.highpheasants.com and starting a new sport the correct way will surely give you the advantage over your friends and colleagues. As John says, a shotgun if for life and taking advice from an expert is surely the best way to start

BASC NI highlights threat to shooting in Marine Bill Potential restrictions highlighted with regards to wildfouling and other rural activities. he UK's largest shooting organisation, the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) has criticised the Northern Ireland Marine Bill for failing to take shooting interests properly into account.

The Marine Bill has been introduced to improve marine nature conservation. The draft Bill is making its way through the NI

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Assembly and is currently at the committee stage. BASC Northern Ireland has identified a number of clauses in the Bill which could potentially be used to restrict shooting and other activities in the future. BASC Northern Ireland is working with Countryside Alliance Ireland and has consulted wildfowling clubs and MLAs before responding to the Environment Committee’s call for evidence on

58 | Farming Monthly | May 2012

the Marine Bill.

BASC Northern Ireland Director Tommy Mayne said: “BASC welcomes the opportunity to submit evidence to the Environment Committee and while we welcome some aspects of the Marine Bill which will benefit marine life and biodiversity, we are greatly concerned about certain clauses within the draft Bill that pose a potential threat to

wildfowling and other rural activities. Working jointly with Countryside Alliance Ireland, we have met a number of MLAs to highlight our concerns, and further joint meetings are planned for the weeks ahead. We must remain vigilant and seek to improve the Bill as it makes progress through the Assembly."

Full details can be found at www.basc.org.uk

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| Shooting

BASC brews up bumper cash donation More than 1500 cups of tea helps to raise over £1000 Gamekeepers’ Welfare Trust.

isitors to the BASC stand at the Newark Show raised more than £1,000 for the Gamekeepers' Welfare Trust.

The money was made from donations for cups of tea made by BASC staff at the event.

A cheque for £1,051 was handed over to representatives of the Gamekeepers' Welfare Trust at the BASC Gamekeepers' Fair at Catton Park in Derbyshire.

The Gamekeepers' Welfare Trust provides financial grants for gamekeepers, stalkers and ghillies and their families in times of

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hardship, ill health and retirement.

Small grants are available for young people making gamekeeping their career and a helpline for Gamekeepers’ Stalkers and Ghillies is available 24 hours a day whether they belong to a gamekeeping organisation or not.

The money will go towards a new fund which is being launched in 2012. The aim of the fund is to provide yearly grants to people to cover general expenses.

Walter Cole, who is a trustee of the Gamekeepers' Welfare Trust and a member of BASC's game

shooting and gamekeeping committee, said: "This donation was very important to us because this money has been raised from shooters and gamekeepers and it will go to gamekeepers.

"Any sum of money is important whether it is £10 or £10,000. It will have a large impact. A small amount of money can make a huge difference."

Walter's wife Julie helped BASC staff to make more then 1,500 cups of tea at the Newark Show.

Helen Benson from the trust said: "The grants will go to people

who have depended on their livelihood of gamekeeping or their dependents. They can use the money to meet their most pressing needs. It could go towards groceries, hospital expenses, paying for a new pair of glasses whatever they need. The only criteria is that their household income is below a certain level and they must have been in gamekeeping for a considerable period of time.

Huw Lloyd, game and gamekeeping officer at BASC, said: "We made more than 1,500 cups of tea over the two days we spent at Newark. It was a great opportunity to meet lots of people as well as raising money for a good cause".

A helpline run by the Gamekeepers' Welfare Trust which provides information and support on a wide variety of issues including health, retirement, redundancy, housing and employment issues can be contacted on 01677 470180.

The helpline also offers a confidential listening service.

For more information on the trust, visit www.gamekeeperswelfaretrust.com

May 2012 | Farming Monthly | 59

| News

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www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| Fencing

Hampton’s XNET™ deals a steely blow to agri-crime Safe, strong and up to 500m long.

ampton’s XNET™ fencing can help provide piece of mind and the added security needed to protect farms from unwanted intruders in addition to animal containment.

Employing the highest level in technology, XNET™ features a smooth, animal and people friendly, knotted joint which locks vertical and horizontal line wires tight, guarding against even the most aggressive of attacks. The

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advancement in XNET™’s design compared to more traditional wire fencing solutions requires that every line wire must be cut for an intruder to gain entry, a truly safer perimeter system.

One of the core features that sets XNET™ apart from other similar fencing solutions is its versatility; mesh sizes can be as varied as the application or sector demands and a hinged lower or upper section is an easy addition

to the configuration.

Stay wire spacings can be set at between 2” and 48” and line wires can be spaced in 1” increments between 2” and 10” according to the individual’s requirements. XNET™ really can be configured according to customers’ requirements.

Hampton Steel recently unveiled their impressive UK manufactured fencing system, XNET™, to the international visitors of Düsseldorf’s WIRE and TUBE 2012 exhibition. “The show was a huge success with a really positive vibe. Both the quantity and quality of enquiries far exceeded our expectations and not just for our new XNET™ product. We are regular visitors to the Wire show but this was our first time as exhibitors so, to receive such positive feedback and more importantly real return on our quite considerable investment, has paid dividends” said Mark Johnson, Managing Director of Hampton Steel Ltd. Hampton’s now turn their focus

on the Driffield Show, 18th July. ‘We had such an amazing response at this show last year.’ Said Peter Matten, General Sales Manager of Hampton Steel Ltd ‘So we were very happy to become more involved and will be one of the main sponsors of this year’s Fencing Competition’. Visitors can expect to see some of the Country’s best fencers battling it out for the podium. Last years winner Charlie Hubbard will be returning to defend his title, with runner up Mike Ford hoping to go one better.

Hampton’s manufacture the longer, labour saving 500m rolls of XNET™ and hinge joint stock fence and up to 2000m rolls of high tensile barbed wire so customers can be sure to receive the most competitively priced products.

See Hampton Steel’s full product range at www.hamptonsteel.co.uk Brochures and multi-lingual product information sheets are also available online for download.

May 2012 | Farming Monthly | 61

| Machinery

Tractor Trek raises cash New model for 2012: Zetor Forterra HSX P

aul Taylor & wife Alison have some good friends, Stephen & Caroline Foster.

Sadly on New years eve 2007 they lost their dear daughter Alice ( who had complex medical needs) at Derian House children's hospice.

She was just 12 years old and every year in June they hold a Forget Me Not event in memory of Alice featuring singer Stephen Bayliss, to raise money as a way of giving something back to Derian from their family. The money raised all goes to the children's wish list at Derian (this list is for items that will benefit the children) like TVs, a safe bed, a zip bed & a mobile sensory unit are just some of the items bought from this event c/o Caroline.

For the last 3 years Paul has helped by raising money for this event, the 1st year he was subjected to a very painful chest wax, last year Paul & Alice's sister Katie took part in a sky dive which Paul hated, so this year farmer Paul decided to stick to something he was more at ease with...tractors!

He approached Ged Clarke, James Bond & John Horricks at Clarke & Pullman, Burscough, for the lend of a tractor to originally go from John O’Groats to Lands End, but they came up with the idea to bring a brand new Fendt 700 VARIO tractor straight from the factory in Germany back to Derian house on 1 tank of fuel. Donations of any size where asked for on Paul's just giving page and local businesses where offered their business logo made into a sticker for £100/£250 donation to be displayed throughout its journey.

The support team of James

Bond, John Horricks & local farmer Peter Ashcroft set off Thursday 15th April at 4.00am & reached the Fendt factory in Marktoberdorf Germany to find the Fendt TV film crew waiting for them. The TEAM re-studied their map again, had some sleep then set off for the non stop challenge which saw them cross the Rhine on a ferry into France, up through Belgium & Luxembourg then across the Channel to Dover. Travelling back through the night, they got pulled up twice in London (as they don't see many tractors travelling in the early hours), but having explained they were allowed back on their journey (after a joke photo shoot of Paul in hand cuffs! ) After 1080 miles, 36 hours, 510 litres fuel, 14.1 litres per hour & 10 litres of Red Bull they returned back to Derian House 2.30pm with a welcoming of great friends, family & children from Derian to welcome them...very moving. The children were so excited & it was great to see them home - we were all so proud of them.

This year Stephen & Caroline brought Alices Forget me not event forward to coincide with the weekend after the tractor trek & it was held at Walmer Bridge village hall which saw a raffle & auction (prizes all kindly donated by very generous locals one of the embroidered jackets worn on the trip (had Clarke & Pullman, Derian House & Sew Stunning Designs logos on), was auctioned off,so together with the tractor trek donations & money from this event the money raised has exceeded £11000 to date.

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A smart choice for everyone.

raditional Czech agricultural technology manufacturer Zetor has expanded its line of time-tested tractors this year. The new Forterra HSX offers many technological innovations that ensure higher performance, comfort and safety and also significantly raise its use value. One of the main innovative features of this model, with its new generation four-cylinder turbocharged motor, is its HSX reverse gear, which makes tractor control much easier.

The new five-gear synchronized gearbox enables speeds of 30 + 30, along with a three-stage automatic torque multiplier with pressure increased to 19 bar. The engine has high torque backup (34%), great startability even at very cold temperatures, excellent durability and low fuel consumption. Its high performance is guaranteed not

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only by modified cylinder heads, but also by enhanced hydraulic valves and the new fuel injection system. The engine is also equipped with a particular filter to lower emissions.

The new electro-hydraulic power shuttle provides greater ease and use value. Shifting of the PTO drive shaft is also hydraulically controlled. Two external auxiliary hydraulic cylinders ensure uniform load distribution on the tractor and a lifting force up to 7,000 kg. The reliability of the hydraulic system is secured by a moderated pressure filter. With its 2,490 mm wheelbase, the Forterra HSX is more stable and safer.

The universal agricultural wheel tractor Zetor Forterra HSX will be first introduced to the public at the TechAgro 2012 trade fair. Its serial production will start in June 2012

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| Machinery

Kubota welcome Spring with cashback offers A welcome opportunity to make substantial savings in these tough economic conditions. n these hard economic times it’s nice to get an extra bit of help. Kubota have announced the return of their spring cash-back programme on selected products bought by June 30th.

The purchase of a M130X tractor will see a cash-back of £2,000 or £3,000 if a loader is specified.

The M130X is a powerful tractor, engineered for demanding and wide ranging large implement work. Equipped with a powerful and fuel efficient 130hp Kubota four cylinder common rail system (CRS) diesel engine, it features an electronic engine management control system to deliver more power and torque than ever before.

High performance hydraulics offer a 5,800 kg lift capacity, and an independent hydraulic PTO (540rpm and 1000rpm) which makes for easy implement attachment and maximum productivity. Tight turns are effortlessly achieved with Kubota’s bevel-gear front axle and Bi-Speed turn feature.

Equally attractive an offer is the £200 cash-back on a GR1600 or

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T1800 ride-on mower or £300 on the GR2100 or GR2120 models.

Kubota's range of ride-on mowers incorporate a multitude of performance enhancing features, including Kubota's revolutionary Glide-cut system for unparalleled efficiency in cut and collection. In addition they boast multiple comfort features, including a full flat operator platform, deluxe adjustable seats, ergonomically positioned controls and power steering, to ensure ease of operation and reduced fatigue.

Advanced features, including the tilt up hood, to ensure maintenance is quick and easy and Kubota's unique Quick Clean System, where even wet grass can be cleared without leaving the driver’s seat.

With its high horsepower, the 4WD diesel GR2120 incorporates Kubota's revolutionary Glide Steer system which enables it to turn more sharply than a conventional mower. Other features include an easy dial cut height adjustment, hydraulic power steering, HST and a hydraulic mower lift.

The T1800 ride-on mower is powered by an OHV petrol engine, whilst the GR series have Kubota’s

renowned liquid cooled diesel engines, of differing power outputs dependant on style. Both offer high torque, super combustion capability and exceptional fuel economy. They incorporate a heavy duty shaft transmission system, allowing power to be delivered smoothly to the HST for maximum durability and minimise power loss, whilst significantly reducing noise and vibration

levels.

Coupled with optimum reliability, proficient fuel economy and outstanding versatility, they make light work of all groundcare tasks with the power to tackle the most demanding jobs.

Full details of the possible savings can be found on www.kubota.co.uk or via regional dealers.

May 2012 | Farming Monthly | 63

| Machinery

New two-man earth auger The professional powerhouse from STIHL.

eturning to the British market this year, a powerful professional earth auger from STIHL makes earth drilling jobs easier, more efficient and neat. The STIHL BT 360 earth auger is a professional two-man machine that drills holes up to 40cm diameter, making it ideal for post hole boring and fencing as well as for taking samples in tough soils.

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A powerful partner for hard landscaping, farm work and construction projects, the STIHL BT 360 earth auger is a particularly hard-working, two-man machine which returns to the British market this year with a powerful new engine and enhanced features list.

Drilling holes in even hard soils the auger is a real portable powerhouse, ideal for use where a tractor-mounted machine for

64 | Farming Monthly | May 2012

example, can not access a site.

Driven by a robust STIHL 2-MIX engine that meets stringent international (EUII) emissions regulations, the BT 360 delivers 2.9kW power to a range of auger attachments. Crucially it also drives impressively high torque, and its relatively slow 50 rpm spindle speed powers the auger steadily and comfortably into even tough soil.

Operation is straightforward and for two-person use, enabling absolute control of the auger’s level and depth. Each operator holds a large handlebar; one person controls the throttle to drive the engine speed and the other controls a stop-switch that is in easy fingertip reach. A second stop switch is located in reach of the ‘throttle’ operator on the powerhead itself, so the engine can be shut down by either person, making it safer to use.

A wide range of auger attachments is available for the machine – with diameters from 90mm to 350mm and each 700mm long. That makes the auger perfect for drilling planting, fencing or post holes, and a choice of two shaft extensions (50cm and 1m long), enables even deeper drilling to be achieved.

Extending the use of the auger still further, a special plant spiral earth auger bit is designed for drilling bore holes for plants, and a soil loosener does exactly as its name implies, with its special open-tip profile designed to cut broadly through the soil.

Portable, relatively lightweight and certainly easy to use, for compact storage and transport the frame of the auger folds neatly under the machine. Auger attachments connect easily and securely without the need for tools and in addition to a start position lock, a reverse rotation lock enables the auger to be manually ‘unwound’ from the earth should that be required.

The STIHL BT 360 two-man earth auger, plus STIHL’s popular one-man machine, are both available from STIHL specialist dealers nationwide. For information on the new earth auger and all products in the STIHL range, visit www.stihl.co.uk or call Freephone 0800 137574 to request a 2012 Catalogue by post.

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| ATV

Exceeding the demands of performance and economy.

s you battle the relentless succession of tasks, reliability is a necessity. Packing all the industry-leading features in an even more economical package, the KingQuad 500 won’t let you down.

The 500 exceeds the demand for performance and economy, a powerful 493cc engine, efficient fuel injection and optional electric power steering will tow, transport, traverse and tackle everything thrown at it.

The engine’s specially designed cylinder head and piston provide outstanding power and torque across the rev range for making light work of shifting hay bales and heavy kit around the farm.

With plenty of power and precise handling the KingQuad 500 ensures your daily route is anything but routine. When things get serious, the 4-wheel

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drive, fully independent suspension and advanced engine braking system will overcome the sinking feeling in your stomach on the way up and down misconceiving slopes.

The power steering model is perfectly suited to long stretches in the seat or regular riding on bumpy terrain, whilst the standard model is a smart choice for those with less extreme demands, but equal needs for the rest of the great features.

Whichever model you choose, you can rely on the KingQuad 500 to toil long before and past a nine-to-five.

We like the 500 Power Steering here at Farming Monthly and will have more on the Suzuki line-up in next month’s edition, after spending the day with Suzuki at their Milton Keynes headquarters.

Read more about it soon.

May 2012 | Farming Monthly | 65

| Motors

continues on page 68

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www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| ATV

The C-DAX original Weedwiper just got bigger and better Two different sizes are now available, ensuring a configuration to suit your requirements.

he C-Dax Eliminator is a particularly simple but highly advanced weed wiping implement and is designed to operate in a wide range of conditions to efficiently control a variety of weeds.

Two different sizes are now available, both come as trailed units, the original having a effective wiping width of 2.35 metres and the New Winged Eliminator which offers an overall effective wiping width of 4.3 metres. Both Eliminators (or Weedlicker as also known) have a heavy duty galvanized frame and feature a pressurized and patented chemical feed system to ensure that both ends of the wiper are fed equally with chemical, irrespective of the angle of the terrain on which the Eliminator is being operated.

This makes the Eliminator unique in this market.

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The New Winged Eliminator not only offers an effective wiping width of 4.3 metres but comes with new self-angling wings with dual or individual left or right wing operation to allow easy weed control on banks and edges of waterways.

Chemical is fed to the wool covered wiping arms which are strategically angled to the forward direction thereby providing increased contact time with the vegetation. Natural wool is chosen for its ability to retain a high capacity of chemical and to optimize chemical transfer to the vegetation. The amount of chemical which is pumped to the wiping arms is determined by and electronic controller which the operator adjusts according to the level of weed infestation being treated.

The 2.35 metre and 4.3 metre

units are both available with a fully integrated 50 litre tank producing a completely self contained unit, alternatively the Eliminator may be supplied with chemical from a remote tank mounted on an ATV or other vehicle. Application rates are between 3.9L/Ha and 40L/Ha. Wiping speed typically is between 10-12 kph.

Contact application (wiping) of herbicide as a means of weed control is becoming increasingly popular due to the time window in the weather allowing the operator to wipe even when the conditions are windy as there is no drift from the wiping arms. The Eliminator provides the answer to high output broadacre control as well as small paddock maintenance and is the ideal implement to operate in environmentally sensitive areas where restrictions prevent conventional methods.

The wiper is particularly effective on Ragwort, Rushes, Thistles, Bracken and Nettles.

If you are interested in purchasing a Weed wiper please contact your local C-Dax dealer or contact ATV City (the distributor for C-Dax product in Europe) on 01953 609999 or on email sales@atvcity.co.uk

“Two different sizes are now available, both come as trailed units, the original having a effective wiping width of 2.35 metres and the New Winged Eliminator which offers an overall effective wiping width of 4.3 metres.�

May 2012 | Farming Monthly | 67

| ATV

Bike Trac ATV launched by Road Angel Group Peace of mind from theft with further added benefits. enowned automotive technology experts, Road Angel Group, has today announced the launch of its proven tracking system for the ATV

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market, offering farmers, estate managers, local authoritys and individual users peace of mind from theft, but with productivity review and user safety functions

De-stress with Quad Centre ATV trouble? Get going again quickly... he Problem....Its raining....again. You have a million jobs which need doing. And just to make matters worse, your quad has just broken down for the tenth time this month…….

Sound like a miserable scenario you are all too familiar with?

The Simple solution in 6 easy steps: 1) Go inside and dry off 2) Make a cup of tea 3) Sit at your computer 4) Type www.polaris-parts.com into your browser 5) Order the parts you need 6) Wait for the postman to arrive and all will be well!

You see, The Quad Centre in Buckingham knows only too well how disruptive it can be when your

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ATV breaks down. 25 years’ experience in this industry means that we can give help and advice on just about any problem you can present us with. We can let you know the parts you need if you are unsure along with a few tips for fitting yourself. Or if you prefer we can do the work for you at our facility in Buckingham (collection/delivery and labour charges payable).

And don’t forget we have a great stock of new and secondhand quads and side-by-sides, and in some cases we can even arrange finance. Nationwide delivery and our helpful, knowledgeable no-pressure sales mean that no matter what the problem, the solution really is only an email or phone call away.

68 | Farming Monthly | May 2012

combined too. A leading and proven product in the motorcycle security market already, Bike Trac moved on traditional theft tracking technology when it was launched in 2009 by offering customers a product that provided useful interaction with the unit on a daily basis.

With this know-how and the latest technology built in to the new ATV version that is launched today, users are not only able to track the whereabouts of their machine night and day via the online web portal, but can also use the unit to view usage on satellite mapping, keep tabs on mileage or use and even know if a machine is involved in a roll-over incident.

Bike Trac's Bill Taylor announced the ATV version, commenting, "Our ATV product is the culmination of years of development and experience in automotive technology. We actually found that some ATV users had already discovered our motorcycle-specific unit and utilised it on their equipment, so we knew that there was demand and in practice that it worked well in this environment. Where our unit really scores over alternative products is the interaction that a user has with the ATV once fitted."

Bike Trac ATV's technology means that as soon as a machine is unlawfully moved, the unit will send the owner a text and email to notify movement, with the system automatically triggering a breadcrumb trail on the online portal for the user and law enforcement authorities to track.

On top of this, the system also keeps tabs on battery voltage, notifying the owner again via text or email if it drops below a certain level, as well as the unique 'Bike Over' function too that notifies a colleague or loved-one if a machine tips over an 80-degree angle with the ignition switched on. Other key features include

'Lock Down' - a function that will notify movement outside of working hours even if a key is used, an hours usage log for handy service tracking and a mileage log too.

On top of these functions, Bike Trac can really score for fleet users too, where the online portal can track numerous machines on onescreen allowing central control centres to know the exact whereabouts of their machines and staff, to be able to manage and react on location to jobs or tasks as they occur.

Bike Trac is backed up by Road Angel Group's Secure Operations Centre that also receives alerts and works with the authorities on your behalf to track and recover stolen machines.

Bike Trac ATV has a recommended retail price of £299 inc VAT, with subscription costs as follows: 1 year - £99.99, 2 year £179.99, 3 - year £229.99. Bike Trac ATV has no other hidden costs, all text notifications and emails are included in the subscription cost. And for the launch all NFU members can claim a 10% discount off the unit price.

For further information on the Bike Trac ATV system please visit. www.biketrac.co.uk/atv or for fleet buying enquiries please contact Bill Taylor at Bike Trac on 01327 855586 or 07799 626500 - email: bill@biketrac.co.uk

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| Motors

DORSET QUADS LTD

NORTH CORNWALL MOTORCYCLE CENTRE

Dorchester Tel 07969 047502 Email sales@dorsetquads.co.uk www.dorsetquads.co.uk

Hospital Rd, Stratton, Bude, Cornwall EX23 9BT Tel 01288 355162 www.ncmc.co.uk

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

XP BIKES Larkhall, Lanarkshire ML9 2EX Tel 01698 881885 Contact Ian www.xpbikes.co.uk

April 2012 | Farming Monthly | 69

| Motors

Mitsubishi Motors’ EV-based Plug-In Hybrid System new frontier First permanent 4WD vehicle in series production on it’s way.

pioneer in electro-mobility since 1966 and the first major manufacturer to launch a series production electric car (i-MiEV in 2009), Mitsubishi Motors is committed to explore the new frontiers that will allow electric vehicles (EVs) to venture beyond urban areas. This far-reaching outlook includes long-term R&D of new battery technologies (in line with METI’s Road Map for Next Generation Vehicle Strategy1), electronics, innovative powertrains (such as in-wheel motors2) and long-haul/-ultra-low impact vehicles.

Today, Mitsubishi Motors is delighted to confirm that the first manifestation of this technology will be available in the all-new Outlander, encompassing an EVbased plug-in hybrid (P-HEV), to be launched during FY2012.

An Industry First All these promising proprietary developments are not meant as showcases. Indeed, they are a viable proposition for the marketplace that will fulfil real-life needs and expectations of customers around the world and at the same time will blend with other Mitsubishi Motors technologies to result in a unique MMC product. In that sense, the forthcoming all-new Outlander P-HEV will be a milestone vehicle: Mitsubishi Motors’ first P-HEV vehicle will be an EV-based vehicle, relying on MMC’s

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Ashby & Mann Mitsubishi Hinckley, Leicestershire, LE10 1RL Tel: 01455 250052

extensive EV and electronic knowhow, supplemented by a petrol engine when needed.

Making the best use of Mitsubishi’s renowned extensive 4Wheel-Drive expertise, it will also be the first permanent 4WD electric car in series production.

The unique drive-train combination of front electric motor with rear electric motor plus front traction/generator petrol engine will translate into a choice of three driving modes: o Pure (Twin Motor 4WD EV) and; o Series (Twin Motor 4WD EV supported by ICE3 generator) and; o Parallel (Twin Motor 4WD EV supplemented by ICE3 powered FWD) Taking advantage of the possibilities of Outlander’s versatile architecture, it will be the first built-in P-HEV, designed and built alongside the more conventional ICE3 versions of the same vehicle – a first in the market.

This engineering integrity also means that it was not be a later PHEV adaptation of an existing ICE3 powered vehicle but instead, was envisaged from the start of the design of Outlander’s platform and electronic architecture.

Mitsubishi’s Plug-In Hybrid 4WD Crossover MMC’s EV-based plug-in hybrid system uses high-capacity traction batteries that allow the vehicle to

cover over 50 km in 4WD electric mode alone, allowing it to be driven solely as an EV for most everyday situations. Furthermore and amongst others: Depending on power consumption and remaining battery charge, the system will start the petrol engine automatically as a generator (“Series Mode”).

At higher vehicle speeds (within legal speed limits), the petrol engine, with its better high-end energy efficiency, will supply supplementary drive torque to assist the front and rear motors (“Parallel Mode”).

In addition, with the push of a button, the driver has the freedom to select a “Battery Drive Mode” when she/he wishes to drive quietly and emissions-free (at sufficient battery levels) in residential areas or the countryside using pure EV power.

At the same time, the driver can also switch to a “Battery Charge Mode” while on the move, controlling use of battery power and using the engine as a generator to charge the batteries.

When the driver applies the brakes, the front and rear motors act as a generator recovering kinetic energy and using it to charge the traction battery.

Mitsubishi Motors’ P-HEV system uses a newly developed twin-motor four-wheel-drive system mated to Mitsubishi's S-AWC

(Super-All Wheel Control). Based on the four-wheel-drive technology developed and honed in the Lancer Evolution, S-AWC it integrates control of the 4WD, ASC and ABS systems. Working in tandem with the Mitsubishi plug-in hybrid EV system, S-AWC also contributes to better fuel efficiency.

The two motors drive the front and rear axles independently.

Being virtually lag-free and offering superior control, the motors ensure finer, precise control of the 4WD system. The Twin Motor 4WD system does away with the propeller shaft, hydraulic system and clutch plate used to connect the front and rear axles in conventional 4WD systems.

In addition to the obvious active safety of such a sophisticated 4WD drive train, the Mitsubishi PHEV system gives the 100% instant off-the-line torque inherent to electric motors - with acceleration comparable to that of a 3.0-litre V6 engine - while its twin electric motor will guarantee the smooth progression required in difficult wintery driving conditions.

When fitted to the all-new Outlander, the Mitsubishi plug-in hybrid EV system (fitted with a petrol engine) will allow for a range and very low emissions similar to that of the Concept PX-MiEV II show car. That’s a driving distance of over 800 km and a CO2 target below 50 g/km4.

Grenson Mitsubishi

Lewis Mitsubishi

Rodgers of Plymouth

Tees Valley Mitsubishi

Middlewich Road, Crewe, CW2 8UY Tel: 01270 507490

Ronic House, Chicester, PO18 8PN Tel: 01243 574141

Brixton Road, Devon, PL8 2BL Tel: 01752 402623

McMullen Road, Darlington, DL1 1XP Tel: 01325 462222

70 | Farming Monthly | May 2012

www.lewis-mitsubishi.co.uk

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| Motors

New generation Audi Q5 rings the changes Latest incarnation of mid-size SUV combines subtle styling enhancements with significant efficiency gains and equipment upgrades. he Audi Q5 is about to climb to a new peak on the efficiency scale as new generation versions of the popular mid-size SUV are readied for their October debut on UK roads.

Combining subtle styling revisions and equipment enhancements with power increases and economy gains of up to 15 per cent, the remodelled range will be available to order from late May priced from circa £33,400 OTR. The updated Q5 will arrive in the UK with four engine options: two TDI and two TFSI. All of these engines combine direct fuel injection with forced induction, and a start-stop system is standard in all versions. Although most of the engines have enhanced performance, their fuel economy has been improved by up to 15 per cent.

The 2.0 TDI with 177PS and 380Nm of torque (with S tronic and quattro drive) is the entry point to the diesel range, and delivers 47.1mpg on the combined cycle.

The 3.0 TDI delivers 245PS and 580Nm of torque. This acclaimed V6 diesel has been completely redesigned and now combines the potential for up to 44.1mpg according to the combined cycle test (previously 37.6mpg) with a torque increase of 80Nm over its predecessor for even more forceful acceleration.

Equipped as standard with the seven-speed S tronic twin-clutch

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transmission, it powers the Q5 from zero to 62mph in 6.5 seconds on the way to a top speed of 140mph.

The petrol engine line-up also features state-of-the-art technology. Taking its lead from the advanced new 1.8-litre TFSI unit which already powers the latest A4 and A5 ranges, and employing the same innovations, the new 2.0-litre, four-cylinder engine is a particular highlight.

The control system for its valves and their stroke, its innovative thermal management, its fuel injection system, its turbocharger and the integration of the exhaust manifold in its cylinder head are all new developments.

The new 2.0 TFSI offers 225PS and 350Nm. It can cover up to 37.2mpg according to the combined cycle test.

Newly introduced supercharged V6 The supercharged 3.0-litre TFSI engine is also new to the Q5, and replaces the naturally aspirated 3.2-litre FSI. This powerful and efficient engine delivers 272PS and 400Nm of torque, enough for a 5.9-second sprint from rest to 62mph, a top speed of 145mph and combined fuel economy of 33.2mpg.

The four-cylinder engines are linked to a manual six-speed transmission as standard. The seven-speed S tronic twin-clutch transmission is standard for the 3.0 TDI quattro and optional for the

2.0 TDI quattro, while the eightspeed tiptronic automatic is standard for the 3.0 TFSI quattro and optional for the 2.0 TFSI quattro.

The transmissions are integrated in the innovative thermal management system of the four-cylinder versions, a system that significantly shortens the warm-up phase after a cold start. All transmissions have wide gear spreads – the long gear ratios in the upper gears reduce fuel consumption, while the short gear ratios of the lower gears optimise in-gear response.

The quattro permanent all-wheel drive system is standard for all launch versions in the UK. Normally, its centre differential distributes engine power to the axles at a ratio of 40:60 in favour of the rear, but it can rapidly redistribute the power at high speed when necessary. The torque vectoring system further enhances the feeling of reassurance and control it imparts with finely tuned brake interventions.

The chassis of the Audi Q5 – with its five-link front and trapezoidal-link rear set-up – adds new refinement and comfort thanks to changes to the spring, shock absorber and anti-roll bar settings. The new electromechanical power steering system gives the driver a better feel for the road with direct gearing. The system – which adjusts its power assist to vehicle speed – does not

consume any energy when the steering is in the straight-ahead position, helping to further reduce fuel consumption.

The Q5 driving experience is further enhanced when the optional Audi drive select system is specified. Audi drive select lets the driver vary the operating characteristics of the throttle pedal, the shift points of the automatic transmission, the degree of power steering assistance and the operation of the automatic air conditioning system via four modes, including an efficiency mode. When an Audi navigation system is fitted, a fifth ‘individual’ mode is added that is largely user-programmable.

In addition, three optional components can also be controlled by the Audi drive select system if they are fitted. These include adaptive cruise control, damper control and dynamic steering, in which the steering gear ratio is modified as a function of vehicle speed via a harmonic drive system. During higher speed cornering, it compensates for understeer and oversteer by intervening with slight steering pulses.

The Audi Q5 also performs very well on rugged terrain. Its maximum climbing angle is 31 degrees. The vehicle’s approach and departure angles are each 25 degrees, while its ramp angle is 17 degrees. The vehicle’s ground clearance measures 20 cm.

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| Motors

Tough new Isuzu D-Max Pick-Up: Prices and specification announced Promises to be a highly capable tool for those working in the outdoors, yet remaining extremely refined.

you t c ta r Con deale l loca

r

Alexander & Duncan Herefordshire 01568 613434 www.herefordshireisuzu.co.uk B&B Tractors Staffordshire 01283 521522 www.bandbtractors.co.uk Bob Gerard Limited Leicestershire 01162 592224 www.bobgerard.co.uk Cartsins West Midlands 01676 533145 www.isuzurodeos.co.uk

suzu UK has announced prices and specifications for the all-new Isuzu DMax pick-up.

On sale from June 2012, the tough new Isuzu D-Max will be available with four specification levels and, for the first time for Isuzu in the UK, with an extended cab body configuration – featuring rear-opening side-access panels – joining the single and double cab variants.

The entry-level Isuzu D-Max, priced from £14,499 (CVOTR) for the single cab 4x2 derivative, offers a generous complement of standard equipment, including air conditioning, daytime running lights, electric windows and front, side and curtain airbags.

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Every model is well-equipped and yet offers unbeatable load-lugging and payload capacities. It delivers on every measure without compromise.

The ‘Eiger’ double cab (from £18,499 CVOTR) adds projector headlamps, Bluetooth and iPod connectivity, 16” alloy wheels and body-coloured bumpers, while the ‘Yukon’ double cab (from £18,999

CVOTR) also features a leather steering wheel with cruise and audio controls, and a six-speaker sound system, chrome exterior detailing and 17” alloys.

The flagship ‘Utah’ model offers luxurious creature comforts inside, including leather upholstery, heated front seats and automatic climate control. The exterior is enhanced with roof bars and rear parking sensors. The ‘Utah’ double cab automatic is priced from £21,499 (CVOTR).

The all-new Isuzu D-Max is powered by a highly fuel efficient 2.5-litre twin-turbo common rail diesel engine, available with newly-developed six-speed manual or five-speed automatic transmissions. This advanced Euro5-compliant unit generates 163 PS and peak torque output of 400 Nm at 1400 rpm. The Isuzu DMax also introduces a new ‘shifton-the-fly’ system, allowing the driver to adjust between two- and four-wheel drive modes while travelling at speeds of up to 60 mph.

As well as being the most comprehensively developed, most efficient and most refined Isuzu pick-up ever produced, the all-new Isuzu D-Max is also the highly capable load-lugging workhorse: it has a three-tonne (braked) towing

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capacity and a payload capacity of 1,000 kg.

Isuzu UK expects its all-new pick-up to build on the remarkable success of its predecessor, the Rodeo. Consistent year-on-year sales growth throughout its lifecycle peaked in 2011 with 2,431 units registered, a performance which saw the UK become Isuzu’s biggest European market for the first time.

“highly capable load-lugging workhorse.”

William Brown, General Manager of Isuzu UK, said: “The tough new Isuzu D-Max is a significant step forward from its very successful predecessor. It is a highly capable tool for those working in the outdoors, and yet is extremely refined. It features a very efficient Euro5-compliant engine while also exhibiting that rugged toughness for which the Isuzu brand has built such a solid reputation. Every model is wellequipped and yet offers unbeatable load-lugging and payload capacities. It delivers on every measure without compromise.

“With the support and dedication of the expanding Isuzu UK dealer network, which excels in sales, customer relationship management and aftersales service, I am confident that the allnew Isuzu D-Max will continue to grow the brand’s sales and its enviable reputation,” concludes Brown.

For more information contct your local dealer or visit www.isuzu.co.uk.

Cross Roads Warwickshire 01608 661544 www.isuzuvehicles.co.uk Duckworth Isuzu Boston 01205 725700 www.duckworthisuzu.co.uk Duckworth Isuzu Market Rasen 01673 841410 www.duckworthisuzu.co.uk Hammonds of Halesworth Suffolk 01986 834090 www.hammondgroup.co.uk Lifestyle Isuzu Kent 01892 515666 www.lifestyleisuzu.co.uk Maple Garage Ltd East Yorkshire 01964 670392 www.maplegarage.co.uk Newcastle Isuzu Tyne & Wear 01912 573309 www.newcastleisuzu.co.uk Jeffries of Bacton Suffolk 01449 781087 www.jeffriesofbacton.co.uk RVW Pugh Powys – 01588 620545 Cheshire – 01477 533560 Shropshire – 01630 653801 www.rvwpugh.co.uk

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April 2012 | Farming Monthly | 73

| Motors

Seven new locations added to SsangYong dealer map More dealer appointments gives even further reach. sangYong Motor UK, the new importer of Korean SsangYong cars, has added a further seven locations to its dealer map. This brings the network strength to 51. 40 sales & service dealerships and 11 service centres.

The new appointments are: • A E Wilcox, Wickwar, South Gloucestershire • CJB Motorsales, Bishops Stortford, Hertfordshire • Richard Cort, Bury, Lancashire • Hursley Hill Garage, Whitchurch, Bristol • Ian Allan Motors, Virginia Water, Surrey • Mill Garages North East, Hexham, Northumberland • Sheaf Motors, Dronfield, Derbyshire Commented Paul Williams, CEO of SsangYong Motor UK: “We have worked tirelessly over the past eight months to re-establish SsangYong in the UK. While trading conditions are testing, franchised dealers have been very keen to talk to us and we expect to announce a number of further

S

appointments in the coming weeks.

“The new Korando crossover is winning a lot of friends - dealers, customers and journalists. With a market leading 5 year limitless mileage warranty and SsangYong’s heritage for producing well engineered, reliable and honest vehicles, the message is getting through and converting into sales.

“The company is continuing to look for dealers to take on the franchise in a number of open points across England, Scotland and Wales. These include: Aberdeen, Borders, Newcastle, Teesside, Leeds, Bradford, Nottingham, Greater Manchester, Liverpool, Coventry, Watford, Leicester, Reading, Exeter, Southampton, London/South East, Mid & North Wales.

“SsangYong is a great franchise for a range of businesses,” added Paul Williams. “From the smaller multi-franchise holder, caravan or 4x4 specialist, to a current used car or service outlet wanting to make their first move in to new car

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retailing, it’s an easy and affordable step to take.

“We keep things simple yet professional, and with short lines of communication, quick decisions are assured. We offer dealerselected objectives, competitive and straightforward dealer margins, all backed by a full range of support including a floorplan facility that is not linked to retail finance, plus a good parts supply.”

Said Steve Gray, SsangYong Motor UK’s marketing and communications director: “The new Korando gives dealers a

superb and well priced product to sell into the fast growing crossover segment of the market, while Rexton and Rodius have a very loyal following especially with those who tow a caravan, horsebox or trailer, have a large family or run a private hire business.

“We have supported the brand’s relaunch with national TV advertising, and in addition to the 5 year limitless mileage warranty there’s a 5 year financing offer with 5 year free servicing to help draw customers in.”

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| News

Cross Roads Treadington, Shipston on Stour Warwickshire CV36 4NN Tel: 01608 661544 www.subaruvehicles.co.uk

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Lifestyle Subaru Mount Ephraim, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN4 8AG Tel: 01892 515666 www.lifestylesubaru.co.uk

Newcastle Subaru 53 Queen Alexandra Road West North Sheilds, Tyne & Wear NE29 9AA Tel: 0191 257 3309 www.newcastlesubaru.co.uk

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