INSIDE: AgriScot: Your Farm business Event - 20th November page 36
Farming
MONTHLY National
October 2019
Also in this issue... Tyres
| Goodyear expand range for European market page 49
The benefits of agroforestry Also inside this month..
The benefits of agroforestry to farmers have been blocked by uncertainties - but times are changing page 10
Honda updates ATVs p54
Drone regulations explained p14
Grain analysis could save cash p21
PLUS: Arable | Muck| Grain | Security | Potatoes | Machinery | Energy | ATV | Motors
CONTENTS October 2019
FEATURES 13
22
12 Arable Hawk-eyed robot cuts chemical use by up to 95%
18 Potatoes
36
36 AgriScot
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39 Security
Show preview
38 Feature
Latest news
49 Tyres
The crackless egg
Latest tyre news
British Potato 2019 show preview
20 Grain Grain analysis could save you money in the long run
22 Buildings Ventilation in livestock and poultry housing for better health
28 Livestock Ruminant health and welfare
34 Muck and Slurry Grassland & Muck 2020
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REGULARS 06 News DEFRA opens ÂŁ2m fund for floods
10 On Topic The benefits of agroforestry
26 Energy Latest energy news
40 Machinery Latest machinery news
52 ATV ATV news...covered.
55 Motors Latest motors news
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Agriculture. Covered. EDITOR Andrew Poulton editor@farmingmonthly.com
The benefits of agroforestry
p10
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October 2019 | Farming Monthly | 05
| News
Defra opens £2 million fund to restore floodaffected farmland Farmers affected by last month’s flooding can now apply for support through the Farming Recovery Fund. £2 million fund to help farmers affected by summer flooding has opened for applications. Through the Farming Recovery Fund, farmers in parts of North Yorkshire and Wainfleet, Lincolnshire, who have suffered uninsurable damage to their property can now apply for grants between £500 and £25,000 to cover a number of repair costs. This comes after the Government confirmed up to £5.25 million to support wider recovery work in the area, including the repair of roads and bridges and activating the Bellwin scheme, which can be utilised when an emergency involving the destruction of or danger to life or property occurs, to reimburse local authorities for emergency work in flood-affected areas. Grants under the Farming Recovery Fund are available for a range of farm restoration work, including rebuilding dry stone walls, re-cultivating productive land and replacing damaged field
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gates. A handbook has been published today with full details of what is eligible and how to apply for funding. Environment Secretary Theresa Villiers said: “This summer’s unprecedented weather wreaked havoc on farmland in North Yorkshire and Wainfleet. The Government is taking action to help farmers get back on their feet in light of the extensive damage suffered. “I’m therefore delighted to open the Farming Recovery Fund and would encourage all those affected to check what they are eligible to apply for and to submit an application promptly to ensure they can access the money available to contribute to their restoration work.” To apply for this funding, farmers must submit an application to the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) which explains how their business has been impacted and provides the relevant evidence to show any damage caused by the flooding. For applications covering damage where the applicant has already paid for
repairs, farmers should provide copies of any receipts and quotes to help the RPA process them as quickly as possible. RPA Chief Executive Paul Caldwell said: “I welcome the opening of Farming Recovery Fund today for applications, following the destruction caused by unprecedented weather earlier this summer. “The RPA, alongside the NFU and CLA, has worked hard to get this scheme up and running, and we will continue to offer advice and support to affected farmers to complete their applications.” Farmers will have until 31 March 2020 to submit an application for this funding. NFU Vice President Stuart Roberts said: “The reinstatement of the Farming Recovery Fund will be a relief to those farmers affected by the recent flooding events in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire who’re now coping with a massive clearup operation. “We will continue to work with Defra to ensure that the scheme is
implemented and farmers are able to apply for the funding they desperately need.” CLA North Director Dorothy Fairburn said: “In early August, the CLA welcomed the Rural Payments Agency’s announcement of £2 million flood recovery funding for farmers in North Yorkshire and we are delighted that this funding can now be accessed by those affected by the flooding. “We collaborated with the RPA to make sure the application process is as simple as possible, and we encourage those affected to apply for funding under this agreement as it will enable farmers and landowners to re-construct the landscape, allowing communities and the visitor economy to re-boot. “We have been working closely with farming support organisations and the local MP to ensure a swift and robust response to this very difficult situation. The diverse nature and quality of this response exemplifies what resilience is all about.”
Integrated approach to more sustainable agricultural supply chain Indigo Agriculture expands to Europe and has opened a European headquarter in Switzerland. The US company offers a portfolio of advanced technologies to the agricultural sector, including microbial seed treatments, digital agronomy, and grain quality testing. The experienced industry specialist Georg Goeres will lead business operations as Head of Europe. Indigo will introduce itself and its innovative approach at Agritechnica 2019 in Hanover. ndigo Agriculture, a company dedicated to harnessing nature to help farmers sustainably feed the planet, announces its expansion into Europe and opens its headquarters in Basel, Switzerland. The company will service smallholders and
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largeholders, first in the German market and then gradually in other European countries. Indigo will connect with growers directly to bring high-quality and sustainably produced food to market. Indigo will then work with a range of other stakeholders to further optimize the agricultural supply chain, delivering traceable and nutritious products to consumers. Along with
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advances in soil science and pioneering technology platforms, Indigo is working to bring forth a more beneficial food system. In the first instance, Indigo will offer German farmers microbial seed treatments, digital agronomy, and grain quality testing. Rollout for the company´s other offerings - such as Marketplace, an ecommerce platform where growers and buyers connect directly to transact on grain - will follow throughout 2020. Going forward, Indigo will also enroll European growers within Indigo Carbon, a grower carbon sequestration and soil health program. This program complements The Terraton Initiative, a global effort to remove one trillion tons of carbon dioxide
from the atmosphere and store it within agricultural soils. “The European foodsystem is already at the forefront of setting consumer health standards and shaping sustainable agricultural practices," said Karsten Neuffer, Indigo´s Chief Operating Officer, International. "Bringing our range of microbiome and digital technologies to this market will further support a system change towards more beneficial agriculture. We look forward to working with growers, buyers, and other partners along the ag and food value chain to tailor our offer to the local diversity of European crops and farming."
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| News
Keep your engine cool this summer As temperatures heat up in the summer, engines are more prone to overheating so it’s important to inspect your coolant level more often. he names ‘antifreeze’ and ‘coolant’ are used interchangeably to describe the liquid in the cooling system that helps the engine run at the correct temperature. Back in the day it was more commonly referred to as anti-freeze – but nowadays you’re more likely to hear it called coolant. Together with the right engine oil, coolant is the most important liquid found within your vehicle. Without either, the engine will catastrophically fail. But did you know that using the right product throughout the year can extend the life of your vehicle’s engine? The main function of a coolant today is to stop the engine overheating when hot and / or freezing when the temperatures outside drop below zero. It also protects an engine from corrosion. Many modern engines are manufactured with aluminium components which are prone to water corrosion. What is anti-freeze? Antifreeze is a glycol-based liquid that used to fill up your car’s cooling system. Antifreeze prevents your engine’s coolant from freezing in sub-zero temperatures. It also helps prevent scale build up and corrosion in the engine. What is coolant? Coolant is the liquid that runs through an engine to keep it within its correct operating temperature range. An engine requires coolant 365 days a year. During cold weather, the
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coolant needs to have ‘anti-freeze’ properties in it to prevent it from freezing. A good quality coolant will already have antifreeze ingredients, so you don’t have to change the liquid inside the engine for each season. Which product is right for me? The Witham Group offers a range of coolants/antifreeze products - all contain an organic compound called monoethylene glycol (MEG), an odourless, colourless, sweet-tasting liquid renowned for its antifreeze properties. When added to water in a vehicle’s cooling system, ethylene glycol lowers the freezing temperature and raises the boiling point, so that the liquid circulating through the engine bay can continue operating regardless of the season or weather conditions. Witham’s range of coolants include: • Qualguard Hybrid Concentrated Coolant • Latest generation of long-life universal coolant (containing anti-freeze properties) • Over 5 years serviceable life • Suitable for more modern vehicles (2010+) • Meets majority of agricultural & commercial manufacturer specifications • Helps prevent rust and corrosion in cooling systems • Suitable for year-round use • Concentrated (just add water) Qualguard Hybrid 50:50 Coolant • A pre-mixed version of the above concentrated coolant • Already diluted and ready to use
• Suitable for year-round use • Qualguard Universal Blue Anti-freeze • A great all-round product • Protects iron & aluminium engines from frost damage and corrosion • Also acts as an engine coolant • Ideal for vehicles 10 years old or more • Perfect for vans, buses, tractors and plant machinery • Suitable for year-round use • Pre-mixed, ready to use When is the best time of year to buy antifreeze/coolant? Prices fluctuate throughout the year but it is often more cost effective to buy before winter before it gets too cold, as a cold snap will drive up demand so prices could increase.
October 2019 | Farming Monthly | 07
| News
The straightest furrow Over 250 of Great Britain’s champion ploughmen and women will soon be gathering on land near Lincoln to take part in this year’s British National Ploughing Championships & Country Festival which takes place on October 12th & 13th. ver 200 acres of prime farmland has been provided by Beeswax Dyson Farming on their estate at Nocton, to find who can plough the straightest furrow. These champions will be showing off their skills in the art of ploughing and thousands of visitors are expected to watch them over the two days in their quest to win a British title. The competitors will plough in various categories, from ‘world style’ reversible ploughs through to various vintage tractor ploughing classes and magnificent heavy horses.
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“This year, the event is promising to be one of the best ones ever!”
Even though there have been many changes in agriculture and the equipment used over the years, the plough has changed little and many farmers have gone back to using the plough as a proven method of reducing weeds. As ploughmen start to take a pride in their work, the popularity of ploughing matches is increasing year on year. The evolution of the plough can easily be seen this year, all working in one field – from the horse ploughing, with some of these gentle giants decked out in traditional harness, some dressed how the plough-boy would have gone out on a daily basis, reminding us of days gone by when it would have taken a day to plough
an acre. At the other end of the scale, today’s equipment will be on show or demonstrated by the machinery dealers and manufacturers; and in between there will be plenty of vintage tractors and machinery on display or being demonstrated and steam ploughing engines, which first took the place of the horse in the 19th century and used by farm contractors. These huge machines are fascinating to watch, pulling their plough by cable between two engines placed at each end of a field. The British National Ploughing Championships is one of the few traditional events which moves around the country and people travel from far and wide to see or be part of it, with competitors travelling from as far as the north of Scotland and the southern tip of Cornwall. The prizes many are chasing are the equivalent of the ploughing world’s World Cup or Grand Prix! It is the honour of representing their country in different international competitions, including the 2020 World Ploughing Contest, which will be an experience to remember as it will be held in Russia. An extensive trade area with a wide variety of trade stands, showing everything the farmer needs from tractors, trailers, sprayers, crop storage, fertilisers, pick-ups … the list goes on … and stalls selling everything from tools, clothing, plants and pies to take home for your dinner will be there for visitors to see. So all this, plus country crafts, displays of static vintage tractors and stationary engines, working demonstrations of some unusual tractors, including a 1923 International
Harvester Mogul 10-20 and the Doe Triple D, the event promises to be a lot more than just a ploughing match! Sue Frith, Chief Executive of the organisers, the Society of Ploughmen, said: “This year, the event is promising to be one of the best ones ever! It’s often hard to get the message across that you don’t need to know about or be involved with competition ploughing to come along as there’s something for everyone - some of the older generation can remember the horses or vintage tractors working the fields, farmers enjoy the agricultural stands and demonstrations, everyone can spend time browsing the crafts and shopping stalls, and children just love to be outside and enjoy it all! We feel strongly that it is important that children learn about our farming heritage, so we give under 11s free admission.” Main sponsors of the Championships are Bridgestone/Firestone, Maxam Tire and Continental Tyres and further support has been given by Cheffins, Fisher German, Friends of Ferguson Heritage, Ivor King, Spaldings, H Stacey, Chandlers, Doubleday and Grundy Agricultural. The event will be very easy to find. It will take place on land just 7 miles south-east of Lincoln on the B1188 between Branston and Metheringham. Further information can be found on www.ploughmen.co.uk or from the Society of Ploughmen on 01302 852469 who have regular competitions on Facebook to win free tickets.
UK Agricultural Finance joins the Alternative Business Funding platform The UK’s leading SME lender for the rural and agricultural sector has joined the Alternative Business Funding platform, to offer its expertise in rural finance to farmers and the rural economy across England, Scotland and Wales. K Agricultural Finance (‘UKAF’) offers loans from £100,000 to £10m, over one to seven years, with a maximum LTV of 65%. The organisation joined a select group of alternative finance firms on NatWest’s Capital Connections panel last year, becoming the 10th lender and first industry specialist on the panel, and is now thrilled to be joining Alternative Business Funding to offer its services to the broader SME market. Colin Pearce of Alternative Business Funding said: “Alternative Business Funding are really excited that UKAF has joined our panel, enabling us to extend our range and offer farmers even more specialist funding options, from a lender that is the established expert in this sector.” Typical loans where UKAF is well placed to assist include: • Diversification, to build new businesses
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• Purchasing land when additional acreage or a unique property opportunity may come available and often at short notice • Finance to develop, renovate or repair property for capital appreciation and income generation • Renewable energy projects can be a great source of additional income and add real value to under-utilised land on a farm, or even turn waste products into revenue • Livestock finance to expand the herd • Recovery and restructuring funds are needed when financial pressure is acute, and a facility can provide a window to take control and rationally plan • Enabling tenant farmers with a right to buy their land to secure the property • Generational transfer that helps farming families looking to transfer their farm to the next generation achieve this Robert Suss, Co-Founder of UKAF said “Given the uncertainty of Brexit there is a
“Alternative Business Funding are really excited that UKAF has joined our panel, enabling us to extend our range and offer farmers even more specialist funding options, from a lender that is the established expert in this sector.” continued drive to diversification in the rural community with an increase in the rural community looking at strategies to buffer the potential change in subsidies. We are thrilled to be joining the Alternative Business Funding platform as an enthusiastic supporter of farm diversification ABF gives us additional reach to providing farmers access to capital to diversify, sustain, grow and improve their businesses.”
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| News
(l-r) FUW President Glyn Roberts, Hywel Davies and Welsh Brexit Minister Jeremy Miles AM
‘Farming is the answer to climate change and food crisis’ Welsh Brexit Minister hears Farmers want to produce sustainable food and care for the environment, that was the message from 3rd generation livestock farmer Hywel Davies when he met with Welsh Brexit Minister Jeremy Miles AM. ywel Davies, who farms at Perthigwion Farm, Rhydfro, Pontardawe, Swansea, opened the gates to the farm, which has been in the family since 1952, showcasing how food production and caring for the environment can and do, go hand in hand. He owns 250 acres and rents 130 acres, keeping around 1000 sheep, 42 cows with calves as well as breeding around 35 rams a year for sale. The farm also has rights to graze two commons and is part of the Glastir Advanced Scheme. Speaking on his farm, Hywel said: “I am the 3rd generation to farm this land. I care for it deeply and I care about how our food is produced. We have known for generations that if we look after the environment, the environment will look after us. “So it worries me that 40% of the food that is being consumed in this country is imported and a fifth of the fresh foods imported come from areas that are threatened with climate chaos.” Hywel has been actively involved with Coed Cymru and the Forestry Commission since 1988 as well as engaging in various conservation and regeneration schemes that go hand in hand with food production. He added: “Governments must wake up to the fact that farmers here in Wales are the answer to that problem. We support local livestock markets, maintain the local rural economy, support local jobs, as well as producing top-class food. But the way things are looking at the moment, I worry about the future of our sector is. “Look at the price for sheep wool - it costs
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£600 for a contractor to shear the sheep and we only receive £200 from the Wool Board. We received £1.50kg for a lamb in Sennybridge Market last week, yet the price was £1.80kg the week before. “The price of commodities seems to be falling rapidly. And yes, at the moment we can just about handle that, but what happens when we have no markets to sell to in 4 weeks time or we are faced with tariffs that make it impossible to keep producing food or have to deal with further regulations that prevent us from producing food in a sustainable way? Not to mention the very real possibility of direct support disappearing. “What happens if we have to choose between food production and planting trees? If growing trees become more financially viable, where does that leave sustainable food production? Or will we be happy to increase our food imports, and with that our greenhouse gas emissions? “Are we going to achieve what we set out toreducing greenhouse gas emissions and feeding the nation- by supporting countries who produce food to standards that would be illegal in this country and make ourselves even more vulnerable to the ups and downs of global food prices and security? The answer I believe is no.” Aside from worrying about the sustainability of the farm business, Hywel is also conscious and concerned about the farms' environmental footprint. Keen to provide green energy to benefit the environment and generate another income for the farm, the family purchased a wind turbine in November 2012. “We are always looking for ways to positively contribute to nature, exploring ways to be
cleaner and greener. That’s why we invested in the wind turbine. The problem now is that we don’t know what to do with our farm plastic. Birch Farm Plastics used to collect it for recycling but now we have to send it to landfill. That just doesn’t sit right with us and we hope that something can be done about it as soon as possible,” said Hywel Davies. FUW President Glyn Roberts added: “The UK is supposed to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, yet our food system is vulnerable and dominated by complex global supply chains. Our farmers have the knowledge, skill, and willingness to produce sustainable food, that works in harmony with the environment but they need to be allowed to do their job. “If we want to save the environment and feed the nation, let’s focus on food that has been produced locally; food that has been produced in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way. “The environmental audit committee has only recently called on the UK Government to set out a clear plan for how the UK’s food supplies could be protected from climate emergency and explain how food might be affected by Brexit, as well as asking Ministers to ensure that food provided by the Government is “sustainable by default”. “Why has none of that been dealt with yet? We have 4 weeks before crashing out of the EU and nothing is sorted. Not with Brussels, not with the rest of the world and certainly not here at home. “Yes the situation is complex but farmers have the answer to climate change and the looming food crisis. It’s time governments listen.”
October 2019 | Farming Monthly | 09
| On Topic
The benefits of agroforestry The benefits of agroforestry to farmers have been blocked by uncertainties - but times are changing.
raditionally there’s been a hard separation between the disciplines of agriculture, horticulture and forestry. You focus on one and you don’t mix. This mindset has been reinforced by the CAP and the lack of clarity over whether grants may be lost from introducing trees onto land used for agriculture. There have been only vague promises so far from Government on “public money for public goods” as part of its plan for agriculture postBrexit. Our new reality is shaped by the ratcheting of the need to reduce greenhouse gases and increase carbon storage, with pressure from both from government policy and public awareness. This has been backed up by sector
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initiatives like the NFU’s 2040 goals ‘Achieving Net Zero’. Whatever form Brexit takes, the drive to carbon neutral agriculture is providing a new impetus for changes to the nature of British agriculture. More specifically, there’s the urgent need for more tree-planting. Scientists internationally have argued that planting more trees is the most effective - cheapest, most straightforward - way to absorb carbon on a vast scale. The UK’s Committee on Climate Change wants 1.5 billion trees across the nation by 2050, 30,000 hectares a year. Despite the national campaign, levels of tree-planting are falling short (13,400 hectares of trees were planted in the year to March 2019). Agroforestry ties together the loose ends of this picture. It offers farm businesses a means of becoming net absorbers of greenhouse
gases, a way to reduce air and water pollution (e.g. ammonia emissions, nitrate leaching and soil erosion), improve on-farm biodiversity - as well as the opportunity to maintain food production, secure price premiums, and find new sources of revenue. What’s needed is sensible land management, with eyes open to the benefits of integrating different forms of farming with trees. Intensive arable and livestock systems can produce high yields per unit area and labour, but they can also have the kinds of negative environmental effects that will increasingly need to be accounted for. Some British farms are already practising agroforestry - free range egg farms for example - but the full range of practices and their potential tend not to be recognised.
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| On Topic
David Christensen
Silvopastoral systems such as wood pasture and parklands, which combine trees with livestock and can provide animal welfare benefits, are the most common form of agroforestry in the UK. Sheep farmers in upland areas in particular are becoming more aware of the advantages of providing shade and shelter. There are silvoarable systems which combine trees with arable and horticultural crops. Examples include large estates and small farmsteads that are giving over land for growing strips of produce between trees, such as organic vegetables, chillis and elderflower for cordials. The Prince of Wales’s farm at Highgrove in Gloucestershire includes 1,000 different species of apple planted in rows which helps to reduce the pest pressure of intercropped organic vegetables.
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The other main form of UK agroforestry is the use of hedges, windbreaks and tree planting next to rivers. There is also forest farming such as the harvesting naturally occurring speciality foods like mushrooms and honey, decorative and handicraft products, and mulches and botanicals. And, of course, there’s the wood itself for fuel. The UK is currently one of the world’s largest importers of wood pellets (from the USA, Canada and Latvia) for use as bioenergy feedstock. Environmental benefits from agroforestry are clear and well-established, and will be the primary driver for change in coming years. Cranfield has been looking at the evidence around agroforestry for the past 27 years, including experimental work on silvoarable and silvopastoral systems. Although financial
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revenues and viability vary with the specific location and conditions, we can be certain that the increasing appreciation of the societal and economic benefits of agroforestry by farmers, policy makers, researchers, and consumers will mean it plays an increasingly important part in UK farm practice. Dr Paul Burgess is Reader in Crop Ecology and Management at Cranfield University's Soil and Agrifood Institute, and Secretary of the Farm Woodland Forum: www.agroforestry.ac.uk. He is co-author of The Agroforestry Handbook, working alongside the Soil Association and the Woodland Trust, which can be downloaded from www.soilassociation.org
October 2019 | Farming Monthly | 11
| Arable
Hawk-eyed robot cuts chemical use by up to 95% Research trials of a new automated weed-killing robot have reduced herbicide usage on crops by up-to 95 per cent. recent trial in Reading demonstrated how eyeSpot uses cameras to identify weeds in vegetable fields. It targets weeds individually and applies precise herbicide droplets with an ejector, which accurately fires treatment to individual leaves of each weed. “This is precision agriculture in action, the robot has significantly reduced use of herbicides, while practically eliminating any harm to non-target organisms,” said AHDB Crop Protection Senior Scientist, Joe Martin. Carried out at Reading University and part-funded by AHDB, the research set out to protect the environment and help the industry manage with less access to crop protection products. PhD researcher at the University of Reading, Nikolaos Koukiasas, who has been partly funded by AHDB and the Douglas Bomford Trust, said: “eyeSpot represents a paradigm shift to weed control by accurately targeting leaf-specific droplet applications. Preliminary results of manual droplet applications showed excellent weed control and a 95 per cent reduction of herbicide use in cabbages, and 74 per cent in leeks.”
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With big data becoming instrumental in farming, eyeSpot’s imagery also has the potential to be used for the observation of growth rates, enabling accurate scheduling of operations, early yield estimates and the detection of crop stress. Alistair Murdoch, Professor of Weed Science at Reading, said: “Yields and profitability are likely to equal or exceed those achieved by conventional herbicide treatments without applying any chemical to the crop. The environment also benefits greatly by reducing the need for mechanical weed control, eliminating spray drift and reducing the possibility of chemicals entering the surrounding area.” Partners involved in the development of eyeSpot robot include Concurrent Solutions llc in the USA. The remainder of the project is supported by Knight Farm Machinery and is being partly funded at the University of Reading by the Douglas Bomford Trust and AHDB. Opportunities for commercialisation are being explored, and if successful in later stages of trials, eyeSpot would be developed to serve the UK and potentially other worldwide markets.
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| Arable
Undersowing maize has soil health benefits Hutchinsons trials in Cumbria are showing how a low-cost way of undersowing maize with Italian ryegrass could have significant benefits for soil health. he trials at the firm’s Smalmstown Farm demonstration site near Carlisle, kindly hosted by Mr & Mrs R Fisher, aim to find a costeffective way of preventing the potential issues that can arise when bare maize stubbles are left over winter. Under-sown grass can help condition the soil, prevent winter erosion and nutrient leaching, and potentially provide grazing, local agronomist Jim Clark explains. It can also help dry the soil and improve ground conditions for cultivations or manure/ slurry applications ahead of following spring-sown crops. “In some areas cover crops like brown mustard, fodder radish, stubble turnips or vetch, can do well in a similar role, but they really need to be sown early in the autumn. A lot of cover crop mixes just don’t perform well enough in this region, especially if they’re being sown late after maize.” In contrast, the Italian ryegrass can be sown in the summer into a standing maize crop, so cover is already well established by the time the forager goes through. In the Hutchinsons trial, a slug pelleter mounted on a self-propelled sprayer was used to broadcast three rates of Italian ryegrass seed, at 3kg, 6kg and 9kg/acre, into the fivefoot high crop on 5 July and results so far look promising, Mr Clark says. “It rained two days later, so seed on the ground struck straight away and greened-up nicely with no detrimental effect to the crop. It seems 6kg/acre is the minimum seed rate needed, while the 9kg rate looks as though you could graze heifers on it. “Drilling Italian ryegrass as a cover crop after
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maize is popular in Holland where bare winter stubbles aren’t allowed. It is attracting more attention here, although drilling won’t work where plastic is on the ground until late in the season. There’s also the extra cost.” Broadcasting seed however, is relatively cheap given a typical contractor charge of £1/acre for slug pelleting and seed cost of £2025/acre at the 9kg rate. “You could get away with 6kg/acre, which would cost nearer £1517/acre.” Sowing ryegrass late in the season means it is unaffected by residual herbicides applied earlier, he notes. Spotlight on varieties and nutrition Some 17 new and existing maize varieties have also been trialled at Smalmstown Farm this season, sown on 20 April under plastic film and in the open. Of those trialled, Pioneer’s hybrid P7326 once again stands out, as does newcomer Cardiff, from Spanish breeder Fito. “P7326 has been the mainstay in this region and for good reason,” says Mr Clark. “It’s performed consistently and can deliver 30% dry matter and 30% starch despite the wetter climate. It’s got quite early maturity (rated 170), but still adds good bulk.” Cardiff appears a slightly more “bulky” variety that is later to mature (rated 190), so suits earlier drilling, he adds. It will be available through Hutchinsons next season. “All of my maize in this area is grown under plastic and from our trials I see no reason for this to change,” Mr Clark notes. The additional dry matter yield usually outweighs the extra cost, plus growers are guaranteed an earlier harvest and better feed quality by growing maize under film, he says.
But not all varieties are suited to growing under film, especially those that are very early maturing (150-160), which struggle to yield enough to justify the extra cost. Another trial at the site indicates there could be clear benefits from late-applied foliar nitrogen to feed maize during cob-fill. Observations so far show crops treated with the slow-release fertiliser N-Durance have slightly larger cobs and earlier maturity than untreated plots, Mr Clark says. “Widespread use of manures and slurries means there’s often high residual soil nitrogen on land going into maize, but levels decline through the season, just as crops need it to fill cobs. We’ve definitely seen a benefit from feeding maize late in the season, which this year was on 5 July, at the same time we broadcast the ryegrass. “We’re on the extremes of the maize-growing area here, which can make it a challenging crop and really highlights the value of local trials such as this for seeing how varieties and agronomy strategies perform before adopting them on-farm,” Mr Clark concludes. All plots will be taken to harvest, which is expected to be around the end of September/ early October, to allow final yield and quality comparisons. *The Hutchinsons Healthy Soils service offers growers a detailed assessment of all key soil health properties (biological, physical and chemical) to help manage soils more effectively and optimise crop performance. Visit https://healthysoils.co.uk or call 01945 461177 to find out how your farm could benefit from a Healthy Soils report.
October 2019 | Farming Monthly | 13
| Arable
Drone regulations explained Farmers are being urged to fully understand the legal implications of drone use and seek training ahead of new 2020 regulations. ew regulations published on 21st June by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) will require farmers to become more aware of how to deploy drones on their land. However, despite having been published, the EU unmanned aircraft regulations will not come into effect until July 2020. This gives farmers and other operators the opportunity to prepare for the proposed changes to drone use. Cranfield University is a leader in aerospace research and the use of drones in agriculture.
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Through the Agrifood Training Partnership (AFTP), Cranfield is offering farmers, agronomists, and anybody likely to use drones in agriculture, the opportunity to learn how drones can be used responsibly and effectively to monitor and manage crops. Dr Monica Rivas Casado, who will tutor a flexible e-learning online course entitled ‘Drones for crop production’ which starts on November 18th explains: “The use of drones in agriculture is increasing. However, regulations governing the use of drones in all areas are becoming more complex. It is therefore
important that farmers understand how drones can benefit crop production whilst also being able to use drones within the regulations set out by the CAA.” Research compiled by Price Waterhouse Coopers estimates 76,233 drones will be used in the UK by 2030. It is further estimated that over a third of these drones (25,732) will be used in agriculture. Farmers already use drones for crop spraying and health assessments. The drones use normal and thermal cameras to deliver a level of insight into field crop health that is not obvious to the eye
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| Arable
Michael Tait
and reduces the need for farmers to walk fields to understand how well crops are performing. “Drones offer farmers an opportunity to view crops quickly and efficiently. The efficiencies drones offer can save crops from disease and feedback vital information about how well crops are establishing. However, it is crucial that farmers understand how to deploy drones safely and effectively on their farm by being aware of these new regulations,” says Monica. In addition to being aware of CAA regulations, those who study the course will also learn how drones can be applied in
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agriculture, how to differentiate between drones, and what software is available for crop monitoring. The course will cover how to interpret the data generated by drones and how this can be used to improve crop and land management. Soil health, crop establishment and disease can all be assessed by evaluating drone data which saves time and discovers crop production issues more quickly. “The projected increase in food demand, driven by climatic factors, increased populations and land shortage shows that accurate information regarding crop production
is becoming increasingly important. This information will assist crop management decisions and improve farm productivity. Traditional crop monitoring methods, using ground survey and aerial photography, have limitations that the use of low cost, lightweight and easily deployable drones can overcome,” concludes Monica. For more information on the course offered by AFTP through Cranfield University visit https://www.aftp.co.uk/course/drones-cropproduction/single_course
October 2019 | Farming Monthly | 15
| Arable
Contact your nearest dealer: Agratech NW Ltd Unit 8 Dale Mill Burnley Road East Lancashire BB4 9HU 01706 211399 www.agratech.co.uk
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| Arable
The CropTec Show seminar programme: Helping farmers overcome uncertainty and manage for the long term Sixteen speakers covering four key areas in eight sessions over two days – this year’s CropTec seminar programme is packed full of information and advice to help farmers maintain and improve their businesses through one of the most uncertain periods the sector has faced for many decades. he seminar programme will provide an unmissable insight into the latest developments across crop establishment, crop nutrition, crop protection and crop breeding. Each session will examine how the application of science, research, new technology and knowledge exchange can help the UK crop production industry remain profitable. The CropTec Show’s development director Stephen Howe says: “The arable sector faces unprecedented uncertainty as farmers, their suppliers and the countryside grapple with the unknowns created by the Brexit debacle and as they wait to learn the full ramifications of the Agricultural Bill. “Making the right choices at the right times is never easy for any business, but the long-term nature of farming means growers need as clear a vision of the future as possible so they can find ways to adapt to change. “There’s no better place to discover some of the answers to those questions than at CropTec. “Whether it’s about the future shape of farm support; business expansion or contraction; the role of environmental schemes or the future of the crop protection armoury, the seminars will be packed full of expert advice.” Seminar programme Crop Establishment Sponsored by Horsch Session Chair: Will Gemmill, chairman, regional executive and head of farming, Strutt & Parker Profiting from tough decisions: Making every hectare count The Agricultural Bill of 2018 proposes to link any future support to improvements in soil health, air and water quality, plus climate change mitigation. How can farmers adapt to those, as yet, vague proposals? Speaker: Andrew Pitts, Northants farmer and consultant Rooting for profit provided by cover crops A look at the latest findings and recommendations from Cranfield’s BBSRCfunded project examining the impact of different cover crop rooting systems on soil properties. Speaker: Sarah De Baets, lecturer Plant-Soil Systems, Cranfield University Crop establishment – it pays to be precise Precision drilling of cereals using variable seed rates, based on soil type and previous yield data, can improve crop yield and quality, optimise seed utilisation and boost profitability. Speaker: Matt Ward, agronomist and services leader, advisory and agronomy business, Farmacy Session chair Will Gemmill says: “Cost-effective crop establishment is critical to farmers’ future profits. How farmers manage
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their soils and find more innovative ways of keeping them healthy whilst capturing carbon emissions will be critical in the future. “In addition, reducing chemical solutions coupled with a desire to continue making efficiencies on fixed costs means finding innovative solutions to soil management becomes ever more important.” Crop Nutrition Sponsored by Yara Session Chair: Mark Tucker, agronomy and business development manager, Yara UK Implications of the Clean Air Act An overview of the greenhouse gas intensity of cropping and the importance of nitrogen fertiliser, plus the value of agronomics to demonstrate the benefits and prevent on-farm penalties. Speaker: Daniel Kindred, head of Agronomics, ADAS Evidence-based approach to crop nutrition Building on new evidence based on grain benchmarking and the work of the Yield Enhancement Network, here’s detail of a new approach to nutrient application to minimise losses while maximising profitability. Speaker: Natalie Wood, arable agronomist for UK and Ireland, Yara UK Navigating the right course for quality water and profit What is a realistic target for nitrogen use efficiency to realise optimum yield and profitability while minimising leaching? Here are some solutions, including the uses of nitrogen loss inhibitors. Speaker: Keith Goulding, Sustainable soils research fellow, Rothamsted Research Session chair Mark Tucker says: “Over recent years crop nutrition has grown to be the number one area where farmers are demanding more information to build their knowledge. This, coupled with it being such a significant investment and linked to numerous environmental issues, makes being mediocre not good enough. “The Croptec Crop Nutrition seminars have always sought for excellence in key topic areas. 2019 is no exception and once again brings experts together to address both agronomic and environmental issues currently at the heart of many discussions with efficiency a thread common throughout.” Crop Protection Sponsored by Nufarm Session Chair: Emma Hamer, senior plant health adviser, NFU Managing with fewer pesticides Losses of valuable fungicides have a severe impact on disease control, resistance management and profitability across a range of arable crops. Speaker: Fiona Burnett, head of Connect for Impact, Scotland’s Rural College Knowledge and Innovation Hub and chair of the Fungicide Resistance Group
Profiting from early disease detection Early crop disease detection, using drone and satellite technology, would be of great benefit to farmers and the countryside. What are the principles behind this innovation and what technology will be required? Speaker: Matt Kettlewell, agronomist, Hummingbird Keeping up with changing herbicide dynamics Broad-leaved weed dynamics are shifting, making control more challenging in arable crops. What can be done to prevent the problem building up and to protect profits? Speaker: Sarah Cook, weed scientist and senior research consultant, ADAS, Boxworth Session chair Emma Hamer says: The NFU wants British farmers and growers to remain the number one supplier of choice to the British market. We want all consumers to be able to enjoy sustainable, high quality, affordable British food, irrespective of their income. Having a toolbox of effective solutions to crop protection problems is our goal so that pests, weeds and diseases can be managed. By listening to the speakers in this session, the audience can stay on the front foot and keep up to date on current research being carried out in this area. Crop Breeding Sponsored by BASF Session Chair: Russell McKenzie, Cambridgeshire farmer and AHDB Cereals & Oilseeds Board member Winning ways with wheat lies in its genes The Wheat Genetic Improvement Network is a rolling BBSRC project, funded by DEFRA. Its research on a range of traits is designed to reduce production costs while offering environmental benefits. Speaker: Kim Hammond-Kosack, research leader, wheat pathogenomics and deputy head, Department of Biointeractions and Crop Protection, Rothamsted Research Breeding resilience into oilseed rape Research is helping plant breeders take the risk out of growing winter oilseed rape by selecting traits to produce varieties which are resilient to pests, such as cabbage stem flea beetle, and weather variation. Speaker: Steven Penfield, group leader Genes in the Environment, John Innes Centre Variety selection in uncertain times Given the uncertainty surrounding future trading conditions created by Brexit and the talk of trade wars, it will pay dividends to consider the markets for your combinable crops. Speaker Cecilia Pryce, Head of Compliance, research and Shipping, Openfield
October 2019 | Farming Monthly | 17
| Potatoes
While trading relationships change, the potato industry becomes ever more global in outlook.
Market uncertainty fails to dampen international outlook at BP2019 As Farming Monthly goes to press few seem ready to call whether the BP2019 show in Harrogate this November will be following hard on the heels of Britain’s departure from the EU, or whether the whole issue will still be rolling on. But what’s abundantly clear is the potato industry is doing what it always does and looking to get business done, says show organiser Steve Wellbeloved. his will be the largest British Potato show yet and, as always, will be showcasing large numbers of companies with new goods and services they’d like to market here and around the world, as well those from further afield looking to develop or secure the business they currently do into the UK,” he says. “Indeed, a look at the numerous first-time exhibitors from outside the UK, confirms the determination to develop and maintain trade whatever the political and regulatory framework that will finally emerge.” Visitor registrations are also
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following the exhibitor pattern, says Steve. “Of course, it’s early days for visitor tickets, but we’re already seeing the usual wide range of countries represented. We also anticipate that the UK Government’s focus on opening up new global markets may see delegations from an even wider range of emerging markets than has previously been the case. Part of this interest obviously reflects the UK’s reputation for innovation, but our surveys also tell us that many see the whole-industry focus of the event as a draw. “Quite a few good potato shows around the world are mainly focussed on potato production. The British Potato event had similar origins – in fact starting life
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as mainly a harvesting demonstration, before expanding to cover agronomic inputs in general. However, from 2003 onwards the UK show started to widen its scope following potatoes all the way from breeding, through to all aspects of the post-farm business including handling, packaging and presentation. “So one of the unique features of the event is that as you wander the aisles, you’re as likely to encounter an expert in retail presentation, or hydro-cutting technology for the perfect chip, as you are a scientist specialising in trait selection or looking to deploy novel technologies to tackle a particular pest or disease,” he says.
What: BP2019 Potato Industry Show – the UK’s largest potato gathering from seed to supermarket. When: 9 - 5.30 Wednesday 20 November, 9 - 4 Thursday 21 November. Where: Yorkshire Event Centre, Great Yorkshire Showground, Harrogate HG2 8QZ. Information and free tickets: www.BP2019.co.uk
For British potato growers this whole industry approach, plus the valuable window on international developments, makes the event unmissable, argues event coorganiser Carla Lowndes. “There’s so much to see that we know people travel from all around the world, whereas it’s a relatively short journey for GB growers to see absolutely everything new about growing and marketing potatoes. That makes it time well spent in order to stay ahead in a sector that’s becoming more competitive by the season.” More information about all aspects of the show and preregistration to achieve fast, free access is available at www.bp2019.co.uk
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| Potatoes
Conditioned potato storage facility Beeswax Dyson, Lincolnshire. HE CLIENT The client is a large landowner farmer in Lincolnshire with a desire to produce high quality crops for storage in a purpose built conditioned facility, designed to ensure that the potatoes stored there would reach the public in the best possible condition. THE BRIEF As a forward thinking business, Beeswax Dyson were keen to invest in an energy efficient long‐term solution to provide high quality storage conditions for fresh produce. They were keen to look at alternatives to traditional refrigeration systems due to the rising cost and limited supply of fluorinated refrigerants. The new complex is capable of storing up to 7,500 tonnes of potatoes per annum, in a controlled ventilation environment. A principal local building contractor was employed to design a building to meet these requirements. The JD Cooling Group, along with our Omnivent colleagues, a specialist Dutch company experts
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in the field of providing highly efficient air circulation systems, were employed to look after all of the mechanical and electrical design and installation work associated with the environmental requirements of the building. THE SOLUTION JD Cooling were able to offer a system that not only uses a secondary cooling system using chilled water as the cooling medium, but removes fluorinated refrigerants by using propane as the primary refrigerant. This reduced not only the global warming potential of the system but increased the efficiency due to the design of the chillers and properties of propane as a refrigerant. The building is a typical steel frame agricultural building, clad in the same profile cladding as used on neighbouring buildings. Additions to the buildings that distinguish it from others are its intake and exhaust vent systems positioned on the outer side walls of the building, which provide automatic control of the airflow into the building. Internally the building is sectioned into six individual product storage
areas and one large product grading area. The JD Cooling Group along with our Omnivent colleagues were tasked with providing the environmental conditions required to meet the storage of the product. Omnivent erected their plenum chambers in each storage facility, these are designed to hold the large circulatory fans needed to provide a flow of ambient air through the crop. These chambers are all uniquely manufactured on site to suit the space available, and provide the means of directing the flow of air into the storage facility. JD Cooling installed coolers in each of the storage areas, which provides the client the opportunity to store other crops where a temperature controlled environment is needed. These coolers are supported by two large chiller units positioned outside the building. All associated pipework is routed through a purpose built plant room, fitted out by JD Cooling with system pumps, pressure vessels, and a cooling chiller control panel. Electrical Installation
The design and installation of the electrical needs of the project was carried out by JD Power and consisted of a complete low‐voltage design/ installation. This included the installation of a 1,250 amp mains panel located in the plant room and fed directly off a new transformer. This mains panel provided a supply to the outside chiller units, Omnivent fan control panel and the two number 250 amp sub‐panels. The sub‐panels would then be used to feed local distribution boards, cooling control panels, and supplies to additional Omnivent fan control panels located throughout the building. Control wiring to all coolers fitted throughout the project, and network cabling to a monitoring system was also carried out as part of the scope of works. In addition, fire detection in the plant room, and the use of high powered sounder/beacons were installed in all working areas. The building is now fully operational, with all of its storage full to capacity, and ‘to date’ all systems operating to design.
October 2019 | Farming Monthly | 19
| Grain
Perry and SiloMaster: A winning combination Perry of Oakley Ltd., the UK’s most experienced manufacturer of grain handling & drying equipment, have teamed up with SIloMaster, to help offer customers a complete handling, drying & storage solutions of the highest quality. erry of Oakley Ltd. manufacture a complete range of chain & flight conveyors, elevators, augers, belt conveyors, twin trace conveyors, aspirator precleaners and much more, to complement the range of in-house designed and manufactured continuous mixed flow driers & belt driers. Capacities range from just 8tph all the way through to 1200tph (based on wheat at 750kg/m³), meaning solutions can be provided for small farms to commercial grain stores. SiloMaster have developed a new range of flat bottom & hopper bottom silos, that Perry of Oakley Ltd. have some exclusive rights to. The silos will be designed & manufactured to the highest specification, using quality materials, with an ethos of “on-time, right the first time!”. The new silos will proudly adorn both the Perry & SiloMaster logos, as a symbol of both companies co-operating together to provide customers with a complete solution, tailored to individual requirements. The partnership between the two companies will allow them to offer a complete solution, supporting other dealers, from concept, to
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layout & design, through to manufacture, supply, installation & on-going support. To find out how Perry of Oakley Ltd. could take
your project from concept to reality call +44 (0)1404 890300 or email sales@perryofoakley.co.uk
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| Grain
Grain analysis could save you money in the long-run There’s plenty going on at harvest time to keep everyone busy but spending 10 minutes sending off a grain sample for analysis could save you money in the long run. rain analysis has been available in the UK for a long time, but it’s not something that farmers tend to carry out as part of their on-farm routine, in the way soil or tissue analysis would be,” says Natalie Wood, Agronomist – Arable Specialist at Yara, one of the UK’s leading providers of crop nutrition products and services. “Grain analysis is important because it shows what nutrients the grain contains and therefore whether the crop has had sufficient levels of each nutrient in the growing season. Other tests show the middle parts of the growth process, whereas grain analysis is to better understand the final result.”
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By knowing the nutrient levels within the grain, it’s possible to better understand whether your crop nutrition strategy was ultimately successful – did the crop have everything it needed to achieve optimum growth? Having this information then allows you to change your fertiliser plans for the next season. For example, if the grain results are coming back as low in potash then this could indicate you need to review the amount or timing of application next season. “Analysing your grain reveals exactly what has been in the plant right up until the point of harvest, which is a good indicator of what’s occurred during the season. If there's a deficiency in the grain, then the likelihood is that your nutrient levels aren’t sufficient
Natalie Wood
throughout the season.” A good example of how to utilise the result is looking at the sulphur level within the grain. You want an N:S ratio of below 17:1 in wheat – if the ratio exceeds this then it is an indication that there wasn’t enough sulphur available to the crop. For sufficient supply through the season, it’s recommended that you apply 50kg SO3/ha for wheat and 75kg SO3/ha for oilseed, little and often, to ensure the nutrients are readily accessible consistently. “This is a way to make sure what you’re doing is right,” adds Natalie. “Grain analysis is another tool in your toolbox to fine-tune nutrition and ensure that the crop is getting what it needs, when it needs it – ultimately helping towards that optimum yield.
October 2019 | Farming Monthly | 21
| Buildings
Ventilation in livestock housing The need for animal housing to provide a comfortable, clean, dry and healthy environment is well understood. he control of the internal atmosphere, in terms of temperature, air quality and moisture content, is arguably the most important consideration when designing a new building for livestock due to the impact that this has on animal health and welfare. The provision of adequate ventilation is an essential element of this design process, since clean fresh air regulates temperature and removes excess moisture from the building. The design of the building, including its location, geometry and cladding, has a major impact on the effectiveness of natural ventilation and, consequently, on the performance of the building as livestock housing. At this point, a distinction needs to be made between a wellventilated building and a draughty one. Ventilation is the supply of an adequate flow of fresh air in a controlled manner, either by natural or mechanical means. A well-ventilated building will supply the correct amount of air to the correct location and ensure that stale air is removed from the building. By contrast, a draughty building is one that lets in cold air whenever the wind blows, causing discomfort and potentially ill health to the occupants. Care needs to
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be taken to ensure than measures intended to provide ventilation do not inadvertently result in draughts, such as incorrectly locating air vents so that cold air blows directly on the animals. This article aims to provide an overview of the main factors that contribute to a well-ventilated building and some of the pitfalls to avoid. Temperature and overheating The main source of heating in animal housing is the livestock itself, although solar gain can also contribute to the total heat energy in a building, especially through windows or rooflights. The heating effect from the animals can best be controlled by ensuring that each animal has sufficient space and that there is adequate ventilation to remove the heat (see below). Solar gain can be controlled by careful design of any glazed areas of the building envelope, including in-plane rooflights, to ensure that the correct balance is achieved between the benefits of natural daylighting and the risks of overheating. The ideal temperature range for livestock is known as the thermoneutral zone (TNZ), within which the animals will be at their most comfortable and productive. The TNZ varies with species, so the building designer needs to know the species of animal the building
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is being built for in order to optimise the internal environment. This is an important consideration for farmers thinking about changing the use of a building, since modifications may be required to provide the desired conditions for the new building occupants. Some animals have a very narrow TNZ, requiring an insulated building with mechanical ventilation, while others such as dairy cattle have a wide TNZ (15°C to +25°C) and will generally live happily in a naturally ventilated building. Farmers should be aware however that cattle housed indoors all year round may experience temperatures outside their TNZ during very hot summer weather if the housing relies on natural ventilation. If this becomes problematic, it may be necessary to install ventilation fans to encourage air movement in summer. In a well-ventilated building, heat will be removed at the same rate as it is generated, but where this is not possible and the temperature increases above the upper limit of the TNZ, the animals run the risk of hyperthermia or ‘heat stress’. In the case of cattle, symptoms may include reduced appetite, greater water intake, lower milk yield, sweating, increased respiratory rates and lethargy. Young animals and those with other health
problems are especially vulnerable to heat stress. Moisture and condensation Moisture in animal housing is unavoidable. Animals quite literally exhale moisture with every breath, not to mention the outputs from the other end! Excessive moisture in the internal atmosphere is, on the other hand, easily avoided by proper building design and must be controlled for the health and well-being of the animals. High humidity reduces the ability for animals to lose heat through evaporation, thereby increasing the risk of heat stress. It also increases the risk of respiratory infections. Condensation occurs on a surface when the temperature falls below the dew point for a given relative humidity. Therefore, at a particular temperature, the risk of condensation increases with relative humidity. Importantly however, condensation does not cause high humidity, but is actually a symptom of it. Allowing condensation to soak into the building fabric (out of sight, out of mind) does not reduce the moisture content in the air or the risks associated with it. The only way to remove the moisture is through good ventilation. Ventilation design When assessing the ventilation requirements of a particular livestock building, account should
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| Buildings
Image Courtesy of Haston Reynolds
be taken of the geometry of the building (including internal layout), the proposed occupancy and the availability of wind to drive natural ventilation. Local features such as landscaping, trees and other buildings may provide shelter from the wind and reduce the effectiveness of natural ventilation. Even at fairly modest wind speeds, the ventilation of a typical livestock building will be governed by the “wind effect”, meaning that sufficient fresh air will be supplied naturally by the wind. A building containing livestock must, however, be adequately ventilated even on the calmest of days, relying on what is known as the “stack effect” (warm air rising replaced by cooler air). The adequacy of stack effect ventilation will depend on the geometry of the building, the location and size of the inlets, the location and size of the outlet vents and the heat generated by the livestock. While the principles of stack effect are straightforward, the calculation required in the case of livestock buildings is relatively complex and requires detailed knowledge of the building design and of the heat produced by the livestock (which depends on animal age, food intake, metabolic rate, etc.). A detailed design procedure for calculating stack effect ventilation is given in the RIDBA Farm Buildings Handbook. The number, size and position of the openings (inlet and outlet vents) will determine whether a building is well-ventilated or
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draughty. The inlets are normally positioned below eaves height, while the outlet vents are often located at the ridge. To avoid rain entering through the ridge vents, these are often protected from above with the hot air escaping from the edges of the vent. The inlet is often provided by space boarding. It is important that the inlets are positioned above the stock level to avoid draughts and, in some cases, additional shelter may need to be provided within the pens. Importantly, increasing the area of opening does not necessarily improve the degree of ventilation as it will not guarantee the free movement of air within the building and could be detrimental in this respect. Indeed, it is entirely feasible to have a poorly ventilated open-sided building! Conclusions Good ventilation is essential to control the internal temperature and moisture content of animal housing and prevent heat stress and respiratory infections. A welldesigned building will balance the heat generated by the animals with that expelled through the ridge vents to prevent overheating in summer while maintaining warmth and shelter in winter. It will also balance the benefits of natural daylighting with the risk of overheating. With careful consideration at the design stage, it is possible to create a healthy and pleasant environment, with humidity and temperature levels that are comfortable for the animals. This should be the
priority for all animal housing designers.
Article written by Dr Martin Heywood, RIDBA Technical Consultant
October 2019 | Farming Monthly | 23
| Buildings
Proactive maintenance key to healthy and productive flock It is now widely accepted that effective ventilation is essential for healthy poultry. As well as maintaining animal welfare, those flocks with access to clean air are more productive. Yet all too often, the maintenance of ventilation systems is neglected. Shaun Morris, Installation and Commissioning Engineer at Hydor, discusses some of the simple steps that can be taken to ensure healthy and productive birds and how to avoid unexpected maintenance costs. hile an effective ventilation system is now a vital part of any new barn or shed, it won’t be able to operate to its full potential without ongoing maintenance. With budgets stretched, it’s not uncommon for farmers to let ventilation systems slide during the colder months as more emphasis is placed on heat. This can lead to bird welfare issues and reduced returns, as well as unexpected costs when it comes to the peak ventilation seasons of spring and summer. A 12-month proactive maintenance programme minimises this risk. Undertaking a spring MOT Spring marks the perfect time to undertake a thorough review of all air movement systems ahead of the summer months. The first thing
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to confirm is that all of the fans are operating correctly. This includes checking motors, fan blades, fan belts and louvres. With the functionality of the fans confirmed, a thorough audit of the temperature, CO2 and humidity sensors, as well as all of the vents within a shed, can take place. At this stage, it is really important that those operating the buildings understand how the system has been working for them over the last crop, so that recommendations and small changes can be made in order to give them optimum performance. This type of check can be conducted between each flock and customised dependent on the time of year to ensure all of a shed’s systems, whether that be lighting, ventilation or heating, are functioning as they should be.
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Tackling heat stress in summer Summer marks the start of an ongoing battle to protect poultry against the effects of heat stress, which is a particularly prevalent risk in conditions like those we saw earlier this year. It’s important that ventilation systems are continuously monitored, optimised and, where needed, upgraded to ensure birds are kept within optimum conditions. According to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), an increase in body temperature of just 4°C can result in fatality, and it can take as long as five days for birds to acclimatise to high temperatures. Early warning signs of heat stress in poultry include avoidance of other birds, reduced feed intake and increased water consumption. To tackle the issue, farmers
Meadowland shed
should ensure their sheds are able to draw through as much air as possible. Faults with fans, inlets, control systems and sensors can reduce airflow and lead to heat stress, so a full audit of ventilation systems is essential. If a particularly hot day is approaching, over-ventilating the night before to drop the temperature by 2-3°C can make it easier to maintain optimum temperatures for birds, from 21 days into the cycle, throughout the
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| Buildings
Shaun Morris, Hydor
hottest parts of the day. As an added measure, some sheds are now being designed with summer inlets at the front and additional fans on the rear. On a particularly hot day, the side vents are closed and the roof fans are shut down to allow the summer ventilation system to take over. This creates a tunnel ventilation effect, increasing the airspeed in the shed and therefore boosting the thermal comfort of the birds. This may not be the answer for every farmer, due to the added upfront cost, but those who do have it, swear by it. Avoiding wet bedding during autumn and winter Rapidly falling cold air can cause wet or sticky bedding during colder months, which can lead to red marks or hock burns on the feet and legs of chickens. Thanks in part to the rise in demand for chicken feet in China, there are often premiums available for unmarked feet and thighs and effective ventilation is key to making this possible. Ensuring side inlets are closing effectively and increasing the air pressure intake to direct cold air to the roof of a shed are two of the ways in which farmers can avoid cold air reaching the ground. Calibrating the air vents to provide a narrower opening draws the air through at a higher pressure, so that it rolls along the roof.
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Conversely, increasing the vent openings during summer will allow the cold air to drop down to the birds more quickly. Ventilation often becomes a secondary consideration during the winter, as the number of fans in use can reduce by as much as half. As a result, the audit will focus more on heating and lighting. Checking and replacing fluorescent tubing annually to ensure the correct lux level on the floor for the birds is important, as is the functioning of heaters. One energy-saving technology that had been popular - and is likely to make a return now that biomass incentive payments have reduced is heat exchangers. In effect, heat exchangers warm the incoming air with the stale air leaving the shed, helping reduce energy costs and avoid issues such as wet bedding. Increasingly sophisticated technologies are making it easier to understand and control the performance of a given crop. As well as avoiding an unexpected failure in key services when they’re needed most, a regular review of shed systems can help to optimise conditions to ensure the best possible result for a given flock, increasing premium payments and preventing issues such as heat stress and wet bedding. For more information on of the range of services offered by Hydor, please visit hydor.co.uk
October 2019 | Farming Monthly | 25
| Energy
French manufacturer of potato chips opts for biomethane WELTEC plant processes leftovers into green energy.
ecently, biogas plant builder WELTEC BIOPOWER completed a biomethane plant for ALTHO, a French manufac-turer of potato chips in St. Gérand,
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Brittany. The plant was planned and set up by the German manufacturer in collaboration with its French partner WELTEC France. Some 200 standard m³/h of biomethane are generated from production waste and sludge from
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the company‘s own wastewater treatment plant. This corresponds to the gas consumption of a town with a population of 5,000. For more than a year, France has promoted the establishment of biomethane plants. Now, an action package implemented by the government makes sure that the projects can be rolled out speedily and with minimum bureaucracy. The improved framework conditions have started showing up in the order books of experienced biogas specialists like WELTEC BIOPOWER. The biomethane production is in line with the CSR (corporate social responsibility) policy of ALTHO, which holds more than a third of the market share with its chips brand “Bret‘s”. Via the ALTHO subsidiary SOBER, which operates the biogas plant, we actively participate in recycling, producing a green energy source from waste. Additionally, we contribute to the reduction of greenhouse emissions and the energy dependence of the region“, says Christophe Chrétien, Managing Director of the biogas plant of SOBER. The chips production yields 22,000t of leftovers and sludge a year. Potato and starch leftovers as well as other production waste account for about half of the substrate; the rest is made up of the sludge from the washing process. First, the solid and liquid substrates are mashed and shredded in the sturdy MULTIMix input system. After this preprocessing, the mixture is fed into the stainless-steel digester, which has a capacity of 4,436 m³. A post-
digester with the same capacity is the last step in the material cycle. Subsequently, the digestate is sold to local farmers, who use it as high-quality fertiliser. The process that transforms the biogas into biomethane also stands out with its sustainability: To condition the biogas, WELTEC BIOPOWER has integrated the membrane technology in a compact container solution. “In the container, the raw gas passes through special membranes that separate it from carbon dioxide, steam and other components. The three-stage separation, which has already been successfully employed in other WELTEC plants, reduces the methane slip to less than 0.5 percent, says Alain Priser, who is responsible for WELTEC‘s business in France”. Another major benefit is that thanks to the upstream compression, the methane has exactly the right pressure that it needs in order to be fed into the natural gas grid without any further compression. The separation takes place at ambient temperature and without using any chemicals. In this way, 400 standard m³/h of raw biogas yield about 200 standard m³/h of processed biomethane. “Owing to the durable membranes, the plant availability is high, and the maintenance overhead is low”, says Alain Priser. He adds: “In St. Gérand, we ensure uninterrupted gas feed-in with our custom-developed LoMOS PLC.”
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| Security
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October 2019 | Farming Monthly | 27
| Livestock
Help to decide on a coordinated approach to tackling ruminant health and welfare The levy boards have launched a consultation with industry on a proposal to form a Ruminant Health and Welfare Group to deliver a simpler, more co-ordinated approach to tackling primarily sheep and cattle health and welfare across the UK. griculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB), Quality Meat Scotland (QMS), Hybu Cig Cymru/Meat Promotion
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Wales (HCC) and Livestock and Meat Commission for Northern Ireland (LMC) are facilitating the consultation on behalf of the industry and are looking for feedback and comments to assist with defining and supporting the
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next steps. We would like to hear from businesses and trade organisations involved in the cattle and sheep industry including producers, processors, animal welfare groups, pharma businesses, academics and experts in the field of ruminant health and welfare. Gwyn Jones, Chair of RUMA and AHDB Dairy Board said: “Domestically, we face ongoing challenges over health and welfare and continuing high levels of endemic disease which erode reputation and public trust as well as margins. “In terms of export of meat and dairy, there is recognition that improving animal health and welfare status would enable the UK to access more markets. “Discussions have been taking place across the cattle and sheep industry and with UK Governments over the last 12 months over how we can collectively accelerate the pace of progress on endemic disease in ruminants. “There is broad agreement that a simpler, more co-ordinated approach to ruminant health and welfare is needed and that a united industry voice would be powerful and influential, in deciding spending priorities and champion innovation and best practice. “The formation of an industry Ruminant Health and Welfare Group has been proposed to deliver this.” HCC Chief Executive Gwyn Howells said, “Flock and herd health and welfare is vital to our whole supply chain. Proactive health management is key to good
husbandry and the sustainability of farm businesses. It’s also central to the message we wish to convey to consumers. This consultation should help to gain the input of the wider industry into how these issues can best be addressed in a co-ordinated and holistic way.” Alan Clarke, QMS Chief Executive commented: “Our farmers have some of the highest welfare standards across the globe however we are increasingly being faced with a backlash of illinformed anti-red meat propaganda. “The formation of this proposed group will help to strengthen the story we have to tell and enhance our high animal health and welfare standards. I’d encourage everyone across the industry to respond to the consultation to help form the next steps.” Ian Stevenson, LMC Chief Executive added, “Regulatory responsibility for animal health and welfare is fully devolved however endemic diseases do not respect borders. It is therefore important that we work together to tackle ruminant health and welfare across the UK. Through a coordinated effort, sharing knowledge and experiences it is hoped that we will collectively be in a better position to meet the challenges that lie ahead.” You can find more details and take part in the consultation on the AHDB website www.ahdb.org.uk/consultation-acoordinated-approach-to-tacklingruminant-health-and-welfareacross-the-uk The consultation closes at 5pm on Friday 25 October.
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| Livestock
Maximising carcase value when selling deadweight With the majority of prime beef cattle and young bulls now being sold deadweight, more finishers are becoming attuned to the need to avoid out-ofspec penalties. owever, they are also keen to ensure cattle do not fall too far short of their processor’s maximum top weight and so forfeit potential value. For many professional finishers, regular weighing is the solution even though they might consider themselves to be fairly accurate at estimating weight by eye. One Scottish producer however, has discovered that the stress involved in regular ‘manual’ weighing sessions could in fact slow down or even temporarily halt an animal’s growth rate, and this is something which can go undetected. The family business, popularly known as Greens of Corskie, is run by Iain Green and family, trading as W.J. and J. Green. The business is based at based at Corskie Farm, Garmouth in Morayshire, and totals 1,716ha (4,240 acres). This comprises their own three farms along with a number of contract farming agreements. They have some 905ha (2,235 acres) of cropping along with cattle, sheep and pigs. The cattle enterprise includes the Greens’ wellknown180 pedigree Simmentals under the Corskie prefix which have been on the farm for more than 30 years. It has been a closed herd for many years, only buying in bulls, and runs in tandem with approximately 380 Simmental cross cows and in-calf heifers. Progeny are reared for both pedigree replacements, market stores and some which are taken on to finishing. Says Iain Green: “All we finish here are heifers not suitable for breeding, plus autumn born young bulls from the suckler herd, and all the pedigree Simmental bulls we consider not good enough for one reason or another for sale as breeding animals. Bulls are finished on ad-lib bought-in ration plus hay and bedded on straw.” Regularly involved in trialling new ideas, with Corskie being a participant in the three year monitor farm programme in Scotland funded by the Scottish Government and EU’s Knowledge Transfer and Innovation Fund, the farm has been evaluating a new automatic weighing system for beef cattle in which the animals voluntarily enter the weigher with no human persuasion. It was the results recorded form this technology which drew the Greens’ attention to the fact that the regular handling to assess fat depth and eye muscle by ultrasound, as part of their Breedplan recording programme with the British Simmental Cattle Society, did in fact impact on weight gain. Says Laura, one of Iain’s daughters: “When we did this with a bunch of 32 pedigree bulls, the automatic weighings afterwards, revealed it took between seven to 10 days before these bulls began to put on weight again. We are quite sure this can be put down simply to the stress of being handled. Normally, you just wouldn’t know that this was happening and so anything which can be automated to minimise the need to handle cattle has got to be good for both men and cattle, and of course, it will reduce the days to slaughter.” The weighing system is the Ritchie Beef Monitor which is designed to work with groups of up to 50 animals, similar to the group sizes used at Corskie. It is a free access crate with load-bar weighing platform which the cattle visit
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several times a day to drink. Carrying EID eartags, the cattle are automatically identified as they lower their heads to the water, and the weight is recorded and transmitted to cloudbased storage. However many weighings have been recorded for an individual, they are averaged at the end of each day to produce both the actual weight and updated daily gain, and weights therefore are a combination of full or empty stomachs and bladders. “We have found that some animals might visit 12 times or so in a 24 hour period but the readings are averaged for the day and provide us with a very accurate indication of weight on an on-going basis, says Laura. “We have tried many innovative technologies and systems as a Monitor Farm and the weighing system has revealed some interesting data we would otherwise have been unaware of, on top of the basic purpose of keeping a close eye on animal performance.” Iain Green is keen to ensure that to maximise returns, they are hitting abattoir spec with every animal. “This system is giving us the accuracy I could not achieve by eye and would have to weigh manually. We have been weighing pedigree animals conventionally for a long time and I have always liked to think I have a good eye for assessing weight, but I know it is not necessarily so,” says Iain. “What it means is we are not sending in cattle which will be penalised on being over- weight – in our case 400kg dw for our buyer --- but also we can take them closer to target weight safely. The system flags up all animals calculated to be 100kg off finishing.” Iain says he would be prepared to pay the circa £4,500 for an automatic weighing unit for each pen of as many groups of 50 animals as they might ultimately decide to finish. “We send bulls in at 13 to 14 months old weighing 700kg liveweight and since we have been using the Beef Monitor, our average deadweight has risen from 376kg to 399kg. That is an extra 23kg of value per beast and on that basis, coupled with few weight penalties, I think this system can certainly pay for itself,” he says. The Corskie cattle actually grade well with the majority ‘U’ and rarely any ‘R’s, and consistently fat class 3 or 4, and on top of that, there is the potential for native breed premium. “We have seen the benefit of using the Simmental bull on Angus cross, and Hereford cross black and white cows but we are also now using the Beef Shorthorn which is doing a good job and the progeny can be eligible for the premium depending where you sell them,” says Iain. However, he believes if additional technology could be built into the weighing system, it could offer even greater value. With a 380 sow indoor pig breeding herd also part of the business, the Greens are well aware that technology for auto backfat scoring is available in this sector and suggests it could be a useful facility for cattle finishers as well. Says Iain: “There could be instances where, in seeking to take cattle close to maximum required deadweight, odd ones could be at risk of going into penalty on fat classification and this additional monitoring would be useful as well if it could avoid manual handling.”
All cattle are grazed, apart from the finishing bulls after they have been weaned. The pedigree cows have three calving groups, some with the commercial spring-calving cows, (mid-March to mid-May) which just come inside to calve. Some are autumn calvers, again calving with the commercial cows and but there are also a number of pedigrees calving in January. But now, the weighing system also has highlighted pointers to how calf weight loss can possibly be avoided after weaning at seven months. Says Iain: “One batch of calves we recorded did not lose weight after weaning and these had been born on the upland farm. All we did was shut the cows out and move the calves right away down to Corskie where they were on the same creep feed and the same feed hoppers in the yards as they had been on the other farm.” The system, which can also be used at grass where water is available and with solar panel power source, has also confirmed the extent to which a change in feed can impact performance. Says Iain: “It showed that ‘diluting’ the bought-in finishing blend with home-grown cereals to reduce costs, was actually not that cost-effective. The whole pen stood still for two weeks afterwards, something we would just not have known, and so we then switched back to 100 per cent blend which is basically sugar beet pulp, cereal, maize, distillers’ dark grains and minerals,” says Iain. The last complete batch of 50 bulls achieved an average daily liveweight gain over 93 days of 2.16kg, the highest being 2.73kg which was a Simmental cross. The best Shorthorn sired was 2.37kg. Ritchie’s Scotland area manager Ross Robertson points out recommended group size ensures all animals get sufficient water and bullying is minimised. He also says it does not take long for cattle to find the water provided all other sources have been excluded. “Within the first 24 hours of introducing them to the Beef Monitor, they will all have been weighed at least once,” he says. The system can recognise erroneous weights, like a beast with just a front leg on the weighing platform, and flags this up, as it will an animal which has lost a tag. “It can also be an indicator of a potential health problem, if an individual animal stops putting on weight while the rest are still gaining,” he says. Farmers can access data from their own dashboard on the Ritchie website via office pc, laptop or a mobile app. There is a monthly charge of £25. The nine monitor farms in Scotland are run jointly with Quality Meat Scotland and AHDB Cereals and Oilseeds.
October 2019 | Farming Monthly | 29
| Livestock
Leading line up of judges at this year’s Winter Stock Festival The premier livestock event in the East of England returns for its 12th year on 29th & 30th November 2019. wo days of hot competition will banish any seasonal chills as the best of cattle, sheep and pigs from across the country battle it out at the East of England Showground in Peterborough. Friday afternoon also features an
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auction run by Melton Mowbray Market, the perfect opportunity to purchase new stock in anticipation of the Christmas market. CATTLE Beef cattle are the heavyweights of the show, with classes for purebred and crossbred animals, Baby Beef, Pedigree Heifers, Pedigree Calf shows, Pedigree
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Calf Interbreed, Group of Three, and Supreme Championships offering up something for everyone spread over the two days. Cattle section judges are Jason Wareham, who will be overseeing the commercial cattle classes, Sophie Harvey, (Aberdeen Angus and Hereford classes), Simon Key (Charolais and Simmental), Caroline Ivinson (Beef Shorthorn), Richard Burton (Lincoln Reds and Any Other Native), and Paul Walker (Limousin and Any Other Continental). David Thornley, from Hartshorne, Swadlincote has the tough job of judging the overall pedigree calf interbreed and group of three. SHEEP The sheep section has seen a huge boost in entries in recent years, and will showcase commercial lambs and breeding ewes of pure, cross, native and continental varieties. Livestock farmer Andrew Atkinson of Harrogate will judge the commercial lamb classes, and pedigree Charollais breeder Charles Marwood of York will decide the breeding ewe classes. The North of England Mule Sheep Association (NEMSA) single and pairs classes will be judged by experience sheep breeder, Graham Taylor from Appleby. Sheep will be sold by Melton Mowbray Markets at the Friday afternoon auction. PIGS The commercial pig classes at the Winter Stock Festival are a goto point for breeders, exhibitors and buyers. Friday features a range of butchers’ classes including modern, traditional and cross-breed sections for both singles and pairs. Championships and Supreme Championships
follow the individual class. Classes will be judged by Richard Taylor, Managing Director of awardwinning catering and retail butchers Owen Taylor & Sons Ltd. Pig young handler classes take place on the Friday. Judging covers handling, presentation and knowledge skills of the animal. Classes are for handlers aged less than 15 years and handlers aged 15-21 years on the day of the show. Pigs will be sold by Melton Mowbray Markets at the Friday afternoon auction. Farmers of the future will also have the opportunity to rub shoulders with professional exhibitors, thanks to the Festival’s Young Stockperson of the Year (YSPOTY) and College Challenge classes. Qualifiers for the YSPOTY class are running at various shows throughout the summer and autumn including Royal Cornwall Show, Royal Norfolk Show, Lincolnshire Show and many more. Closing date for livestock entries is Friday 25th October, to view and download the schedule please visit www.winterstockfestival.co.uk The organisers would like to thank sponsors Melton Mowbray Market who will be returning this year with their live auction. Also, in attendance at the show will be a variety of trade stands selling agricultural related products and services. Organisers of the Festival are also looking for stewards for this year show, anyone interested in getting involved with this fantastic event please contact Kerry Buttriss on kbuttriss@eastofengland.org.uk
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| Livestock
Be coccidiosis aware Strip grazing, winter with calves this autumn grazing, movable fencing? Farmers with autumn calving herds are being encouraged to be vigilant for coccidiosis during the high-risk period, of three to four weeks post weaning, especially if the weather is mild and damp.
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W hoebe McCarter, NADIS veterinary advisor, explains that coccidiosis remains a major issue across the industry and outlines how a combination of good husbandry, testing and prompt treatment with an appropriate coccidiocide can help gain control of the costly disease. Prevention with good husbandry “Many herds are still calved outside during the autumn, so one of the first things to consider is whether your field is likely to harbour disease risk, as coccidiosis oocysts can survive year-to-year from previous stock,” she says. “I’d also recommend fencing off any stagnant water or natural watercourses, as these can harbour higher levels of the parasite. Similarly, poached areas around troughs and feeders make for oocyst survival conditions, so frequent relocation of these is key.” Indoor calving herds have different risks to monitor for, so it is vital to ensure bedding is kept clean and dry, with sheds are cleaned down and disinfected appropriately. Identify the species Phoebe explains that on top of environmental pressures, periods of stress, such as weaning, castration or housing will leave calves more vulnerable to infection.
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Therefore, at the first signs of disease, including weight loss, reduced appetite or a general dull appearance, it is essential to consult your vet to carry out diagnostic tests and oocyst counts, which will confirm the species and severity of the infection. “There’s no point in treating calves for coccidiosis if it turns out to be a different disease with similar symptoms, such as cryptosporidiosis. You’ll end up wasting money on ineffective treatments and losing valuable recovery time,” says Phoebe. Prompt treatment Once coccidiosis has been diagnosed, the infected calves should be promptly treated, before clinical symptoms can develop further. Administering a toltrazuril based product, such as Baycox®, will stop the disease taking hold before it becomes more serious. “This metaphylactic approach to treatment will help calves recover quickly and avoid major impacts on production, all while developing the calf’s immunity. “As always, if you’re in any doubt about coccidiosis, speak to your vet about prevention and treatment, as the disease can rapidly eat into farm profits,” concludes Phoebe. For further information on coccidiosis please visit https://www.nadis.org.uk/diseasea-z/cattle/coccidiosis-in-cattle/ and to find out more about Baycox, please contact your local Bayer territory manager.
ith this in mind do to keep your livestock contained temporarily.... or rotate their
pasture? www.electricfencing.co.uk sells electric fencing online. We have a wide range of products and kits to suit keeping in or keeping out most livestock and predators. Check Out Our Autumn 2019 Offer – Three Reel Systems Two Of Our Three Reel Systems Are Discounted! We have amazing autumn deals on our Premium and Standard Three Reel Systems which each cover 500m. Our Premium Kit Contains: 3 x 3:1 Geared Reels 3 x 500m 9 strand poly braid 5 x 10 pack posts 2 x End system post with insulators
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October 2019 | Farming Monthly | 31
| UK Dairy Day
UK Dairy Day marks its Dedication to Dairy The BEST yet! Fantastic support was evident at the sixth UK Dairy Day demonstrating the strength, positivity, and dedication of the dairy industry with thousands visiting Telford to network, learn and do business. he dairy industry faces great challenges; the negativity in the media, the financial pressures of milk prices and the uncertainty surrounding Brexit can leave every one bewildered on the future. However, UK Dairy Day attracted over 9,000 visitors bringing together all facets of the industry and saw excellent support from dairy farmers visiting the event, trade exhibitors, cattle exhibitors and sponsors, making it yet again one of the best dairy industry events. Internal and external exhibition areas were full with over 300 exhibitors representing all sectors of the industry showcasing their products and services, offering advice, innovative giveaways and fantastic hospitality. The weather was fantastic for machinery and equipment to sparkle in the sunshine throughout the external area which included a very tall bulk tank shadowing the venue.
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“The dedication of everyone in the industry supporting UK Dairy Day made me immensely proud of our 6th event. The excellent support from our sponsors, trade exhibitors and cattle exhibitors makes UK Dairy Day one of the best dairy industry events. Since 2014 and the first planning meetings with Carl Smith and the team, we are now attracting a huge UK and international following and it was a privilege to meet so many people from right across Europe and further afield who had made the journey to the Telford.” The standard of trade exhibitors was excellent and Hettle Andrews had the challenge of judging the trade stands to review attractiveness, staff presentation and interaction, clarity of branding and stand layout. Internally the best small trade stand award went to Antonelli, a family business experienced in the ice cream industry. Medium trade stand was awarded to LLM Farm Vets for their Lucky Cow bar and best large trade stand was awarded to Norbrook showcasing their animal health range. Externally, for a second year running, Hoofcount won the best external trade stand award. The New Product Competition, sponsored and judged by IDEXX, featured 12 innovative products launched into the market since last year’s event. Taking top award and the Winner prize card was DeLaval Evanza Milk Cluster, closely followed as Highly Commended was Allflex with Youngstock Application. Two further products were awarded a Judges Special Mention; these were Alltech Navigate™ and Buitelaar High Health Unit. The 12 finalists were: • Agriton PowerGrain® from EM Agriton Ltd • Alltech Navigate™ from Alltech & KEENAN • CLARIFIDE® Plus from Zoetis • Cockpit from Afimilk • DeLaval Evanza Milk Cluster from DeLaval • Feed Alert from Collinson
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• Fibraque Oriane from Celtilait • LACTORGANIC 26-16 from The Calf Company • Optima Climate Calf Barn (OCCB) from The Calf Company • The High Health Unit from Buitelaar • Total Transition from Premier Nutrition • Youngstock Application from Allflex Livestock Intelligence Sharing knowledge was again at the heart of the event with the dedicated first-floor zone featuring seminars, careers board and table top displays promoting industry initiatives, training providers and charities. The seminars, sponsored by XLVets, ran throughout the day with an excellent turnout listening to a wide range of topics from future-proofing your herd, to achieving a successful transition, to giving the dairy bull calf a life. Practical demonstrations drew visitors in their numbers, with more than last year watching the foot trimming, blocking and knife sharpening by Tim Carter and his team. Scarsdale Vets presented their innovative and engaging ‘Beneath the Black and White’ calf painting. Throughout the day various colours of paint were used to help visitors understand calf health and welfare, demonstrate disbudding nerve blocks, calf chests and abdomens to talk about pneumonia and digestion. New for 2019 was a Genomic Clinic with experts on hand to offer advice on how to interpret genomic reports and results. Alongside the clinic in the NBDC Breed Village were Type Classification and Linear Scoring demonstrations for Ayrshire, Jersey and Holstein breeds. UK Dairy hosted The National Holstein Show, The National Ayrshire Show and The National Brown Swiss Show along with classes for Dairy Shorthorn, Guernsey and Jersey. The amazing showcase of over 170 dairy breeds is all credit to the cattle exhibitors who travelled from across the UK to exhibit and compete for a share of the £25,000 prize fund. The cattle show was live-streamed allowing a wider audience to see the best of the best on show and to promote UK breeders and the genetics that are on offer to European and International dairy farmers. Judging the leading line up of cattle for 2019 was Patrick Rüttimann for the National Holstein Show, Gilmour Lawrie as National Ayrshire Judge, Robbie Radel from Queensland, Australia as National Brown Swiss Judge, Seimon Thomas as Dairy Shorthorn Judge, Colin Gleed as Guernsey Judge and Matt Pye as Jersey Judge. The heifer champions were: • Ayrshire Heifer Champion - Triclo Joybell, E T Tomlinson & Son • Brown Swiss Heifer Champion - Aurora PI, Toi Toi Genetics • Holstein Heifer Championship - Absolute Springsteen, Riverdane Holsteins The Interbreed Heifer Champion judged by Patrick Rüttimann was awarded to Riverdane Absolute Springsteen, Riverdane Holsteins and reserve champion was Allstar Triclo Joybell, E T Tomlinson & Son. The grand champions were: • Dairy Shorthorn Grand Champion - Susie 69, Pearn Wyatt & Son • Jersey Grand Champion - Sams Dreaming,
A H Wilson & Son • Guernsey Grand Champion - Princess Leia, C & M Moody • Brown Swiss Grand Champion Rhapsody, T Lochhead & Sons • Ayrshire Grand Champion - Triclo Joybell, E T Tomlinson & Son • Holstein Grand Champion - Jazz 1584, R & E Butterfield The Interbreed Grand Champion, judged by Patrick Rüttimann, was awarded to Newbirks Jazz 1584, R & E Butterfield and reserve champion was Allstar Triclo Joybell, E T Tomlinson & Son. The Interbreed Dairy Pairs Champion was awarded Holstein with Jersey as reserve. The Best Presented Cattle Lines, sponsored by NW Resources, was awarded to Sandyford, E T Tomlinson & Son and the Best Tidy Cattle Lines to Kedar, T Lochhead & Sons. The dedication to dairy continued with an evening of celebration and socialising at the Champions Dinner and presentation of awards. The Holstein UK Premier Exhibitor Award was presented to Evening Hill Farm Ltd and the Premier Breeder Award went to Riverdane Holsteins, both sponsored by World Wide Sires. The Howard Sneesby Memorial Trophy was awarded to Carl Smith who from the ideation of the very first UK Dairy Day in 2014, brought the event to fruition and was instrumental in making it happen. Sue Cope, UK Dairy Day Event Director, said; “The dedication of everyone in the industry supporting UK Dairy Day made me immensely proud of our 6th event. The excellent support from our sponsors, trade exhibitors and cattle exhibitors makes UK Dairy Day one of the best dairy industry events. Since 2014 and the first planning meetings with Carl Smith and the team, we are now attracting a huge UK and international following and it was a privilege to meet so many people from right across Europe and further afield who had made the journey to the Telford.” She adds; “Whilst we still have the uncertainty of Brexit we hope UK Dairy Day helped visitors seek advice and view products to help them grow their businesses, whilst also networking and socialising. It was fantastic to welcome Minette Batters to the event and hear her positive messages in our VIP & Sponsors networking lunch. We must remember to stay positive and be proud of the industry and what we are providing consumers. Remain Dedicated to Dairy.” Save the Date for 2020! UK Dairy Day returns on Wednesday 16th September 2020 at The International Centre, Telford, Shropshire.
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| UK Dairy Day
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October 2019 | Farming Monthly | 33
| Muck & Slurry
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| Muck & Slurry
Ragley Estate gearing up for Grassland & Muck ‘20 Plans for Grassland & Muck 2020 are rapidly falling into place, with the new Ragley site being drilled with a mix of silage and grazing leys ready for the event on 20-21 May. he grass seed mixtures have been specially chosen to be at their best in time for the event, with 170 acres of silage fields used for real live grass harvesting, baling, clamping and muck spreading. A wide variety of the latest machines and equipment will be in action, alongside a rotational grazing feature demonstrating how to maximise performance from mob grazing. As seed partner, DLF recommended a shortterm, very vigorous mix for the silage ley, featuring the new Festulolium Perseus – the only grass to achieve a maximum score of 9 for crown rust resistance on the BSPB recommended list. The mix also includes the high performing multi-cut Westerwold variety Lolan and the top performing Italian ryegrass, Alamo. With maturity planned to coincide with the date of the event, it should offer optimum conservation performance, says the firm’s Rod Bonshor. “The triennial Grassland & Muck event has
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long been the primary occasion in the British Isles for those with a vested interest in all aspects of grassland management,” explains Mr Bonshor. “This presents a wonderful synergy for DLF Seeds where grass breeding, production and supply is integral to our position as market leader in this sector.” The Century grazing mix features lateheading grasses which produce a very dense, hard-wearing sward with excellent palatability and D Values. Varieties include the new perennial ryegrasses Nashota and Thegn, alongside Cancan, Romark, Toddington and the Timothy grass Winnetou, he adds. “The event offers us the opportunity to showcase our latest concepts in growing plots as a living catalogue, linking seeds with science yet keeping closely allied to farm practice for maximum relevance.” Visitors will be able to see the Century mix grown both with and without clover, as well as individual plots of Nashota and Thegn. The RASE event is being partnered by Yara for the fifth time, so the grassland will be
treated to a tailored fertiliser regime – based on accurate soil testing - to maximise yields and grass quality. It is the first time it will be held at the Ragley Estate near Alcester, Warwickshire, and covering 206 acres it will comprise the biggest display of working machinery demonstrations in the UK. “Visitors will be able to see a wide range of the latest grass and muck machinery in action, alongside plots of new grass varieties and a packed technical programme,” explains event organiser Alice Bell. “With leading industry partners and all the major manufacturers present, everything is tailored to helping farmers get more from their grass. And with 94% of visitors rating Grassland & Muck 2017 as good to excellent, visitors to the 2020 event are sure to be inspired.” Video of grass drilling can be found here https://youtu.be/SZ2H_19mX9o For more information about the event visit www.grasslandevent.co.uk. To view a short video of the event highlights https://youtu.be/lx99YYGp9sI
October 2019 | Farming Monthly | 35
| AgriScot
AgriScot: Your farm business event AgriScot, “your farm business event”, will take place on 20th November in Edinburgh. griScot is now a key event in the farming calendar, attracting almost 12,000 farmers and other agri-professionals from all corners of Britain and beyond. Held at the Royal Highland Centre, right next to Edinburgh airport, visitors can fly-in, fly-out same day. The location also means easy motorway access and a direct tram route from the main-line train station at Edinburgh Waverley. TRADESTANDS AgriScot 2019 will feature over 240 trade stands and a machinery hall packed with the latest information, innovation and advice to help today’s farmers get the most from their business. BUSINESS SEMINARS The free to attend business seminars at AgriScot are a major attraction year after year. For 2019 the packed programme will include political debate, new entrant advice, digital accounting and a sneak insight into the Oxford Farming Conference. WORKSHOPS AND DEMONSTRATIONS A main ring demonstration of beef cattle management techniques and workshops with appeal to all farming sectors will take place throughout the day. SHOWCASING BEST PRACTICE AgriScot seeks to demonstrate, showcase and reward best practice. Part of this aim is delivered by the Farm of the Year Awards. Awards are made annually to nominated farms, judged by the assessors to be the best, arable, beef, dairy and sheep units in Scotland. DEVELOPING THE NEXT GENERATION The AgriScot Business Skills competition encourages young farmers, students and other young agricultural professionals to demonstrate and further develop their farm business management skills. The final of the competition takes place on the day of AgriScot with the winner presented with a cheque for £1000 courtesy of sponsors, Dairymaster. SHOWCASING INNOVATION To further the AgriScot aim of showcasing new and innovative products, services and thinking, each year the AgriScot Product
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Innovation Award is presented. The award is open to all AgriScot trade stand exhibitors and is judged by a panel of expert judges on the day prior to AgriScot, enabling award certificates to be proudly displayed to visitors on the big day. NEW PRODUCT LAUNCHES AgriScot is the number one winter business event for new product launched. The event has regularly hosted the UK public debut of machines from major manufacturers such as John Deere. TOP CATTLE ON PARADE Top dairy cattle from throughout the British Isles make an annual pilgrimage to AgriScot to compete for the prestigious Super Cow and Super Heifer titles. INDOOR COMFORT AgriScot utilises every available square metre of the huge exhibition hall complex at the Royal Highland Centre. With the whole event undercover, it can cope with the worst of Scottish November weather. AGRISCOT 2018……… THEY SAID WHAT? FEEDBACK FROM LAST YEAR The first thing that struck me was the buzz! I had some specific people to see and this is a great opportunity. AgriScot is great for networking and business. Bill Gray, Arable Farmer
AgriScot has been very good for us, we have seen people from all over Scotland, England and Ireland. People like the fact that this is a free event and come to do business. I hear feedback that farmers sometimes don’t get to summer shows as they’re too busy, but this is an ideal time of year for working farmers. Dave Badder, Isuzu UK
We have had a very busy day. The new 9000 forager harvester range has attracted a lot of interest. Farmers at AgriScot love to talk tech and get an insight into new and future products. Michael Warden, John Deere
There are plenty of chances to network at AgriScot and the variety of trade stands presents some brilliant business opportunities. One of my friends even had a job interview!
Amelia Lynch, Vet
AgriScot is the place for making professional contacts and getting business advice.
Hugh St Joseph, Beef Farmer
AGRISCOT ON SOCIAL MEDIA AgriScot is very active on both Twitter and Facebook. Look out for increasing activity as the 2019 event approaches, and on the day of AgriScot. Twitter is an especially useful platform for AgriScot visitors and exhibitors to interact and exchange information. Please follow @AgriScot and use #AgriScot to share your views, find out more about exhibitors’ products and services, discuss seminar topics and interact with other AgriScot visitors. AgriScot is your farm business event, established to help your business to pick up the latest business trend, innovative products and useful advice. Discussing, sharing and commenting via #AgriScot can help your business get more out of the AgriScot experience. WE LOOK FORWARD TO WELCOMING YOU TO AGRISCOT 2019 AT THE ROYAL HIGHLAND CENTRE, INGLISTON ON WEDNESDAY 20th NOVEMBER. REGISTER NOW FOR FASTRAC ENTRY AgriScot 2019 will take place at the Royal Highland Centre, Edinburgh on 20tha November, but visitors are encouraged to register their attendance much earlier than that, in order to beat the potential entry queues on the day. Fastrac online registration, sponsored by Scot JCB, is open now. Martin Dare, who organises the event on behalf of the farmer led AgriScot board, stated: “Thanks to the support of our sponsors and trade exhibitors we do not charge visitors for entry to AgriScot, but simply ask that they register online in advance.” “Whilst we will have registration desks available on the day at all entrances, we would strongly recommend that, in order to avoid having to queue, visitors take advantage of our Scot JCB sponsored online Fastrac registration at the AgriScot website www.agriscot.co.uk “
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| AgriScot
Hi-Spec at AgriScot 2019 Slurry and muck are valuable commodities and at this year’s AgriScot Hi-Spec Engineering will be focussing on the extensive range of muck and slurry handling machinery manufactured by the company in addition to their popular range of diet feeders. or spreading solid muck, on display will be the unique XCEL 1250 rear discharge spreader which uses a combination of rotary chains with flails to achieve a good break-up of material, which is then spread by a pair of spinning discs. Also on display will be a 10 cubic yard Hi-Spec SS1000 side spreader which, as with all side discharge spreaders is built using heavy duty 5mm thick steel. Representing the Hi-Spec slurry tanker range, will be a Hi-Spec 3500 TD-S (Tandem-
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Axle Standard) tanker with a Julia 106 rain gun. The tanker is fitted with a high speed parabolic suspension running gear fitted with commercial air/hydraulic brakes, hydraulic top fill, and LED strobe beacon and rear lighting. Options available for the tanker range include a Turbofill high capacity filling system, Autofill, anti-lock braking, GPS and a wide range of dribble, trailing shoe of injector disc applicators. Representing the wide range of diet feeders available from Hi-Spec will be a T18 vertical feeder. This is fitted with a front feed out door with a 36-inch elevator and teaser roller system,
with a second door on the left-hand side. It features a programmable DG600 weighing system and a movable bale ring. As with all Hi-Spec vertical feeders the T18 feeder features a low pitch mixing and chopping auger that creates a simple cycle action and is fitted with eight self-sharpening knives. A specific feature of Hi-Spec Vertical Auger feeders is their ability to quickly and efficiently incorporate complete bales into the mix.
NZ judge to preside over AgriScot The dairy cattle judge for this years’ AgriScot has been announced as New Zealand farmer and pedigree breeder, Selwyn Donald. elwyn milks 400 cows on the outskirts of the Featherston Township approximately an hour’s drive from New Zealand’s capital city Wellington. Commenting on his AgriScot appointment, Selwyn said: “My ancestors came over to NZ – I’m the fourth generation to farm here – from Ayrshire.” “We run New Zealand’s longest established pedigree Ayrshire cattle studs, suitably named ‘Arran’!” “With all of this family history, I am very excited about AgriScot!” The Arran herd is not only long-established, it has also achieved significant show throughout New Zealand. A major highlight for Selwyn was when he won Supreme of the Ayrshire Breed at the 2016 NZ Dairy Event. Success has also been forthcoming for the other breeds run by Selwyn, who is the only exhibitor in the 10 years that NZ Dairy Event has been running to have won the Intermediate
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Championship in the Holstein, Ayrshire, Jersey and Combined Breeds (once with a Milking Shorthorn and once with a Brown Swiss) Sections. Selwyn is also no stranger to judging, being New Zealand's most travelled judge of any breed. Major shows he has judged at include NZ Dairy Event 10 Year Celebration Youth Show 2018, and the New Zealand Royal Easter Show (Ayrshire and Holstein Friesian). He has also judged internationally at Royal Shows in Australia (Sydney, Adelaide, Melbourne, Brisbane), at Louisville in the USA and also in South Africa. Closer to home Selwyn has judged at The Great Yorkshire show, UK Dairy Day and the Royal Ulster Winter Fair. “It’s a privilege to be invited to return to the UK to officiate at AgriScot. I have been very impressed with the cattle when judging in Britain previously and I believe I will see the best of the best at AgriScot.” “The UK is my favourite part of the world to judge in and I am looking forward to catching up with old friends and meeting new ones.”
“I have never judged in Scotland, but I visited the Highland Show a few years back and always wanted to come back sometime. Now I get the opportunity to judge AgriScot it’s a dream come true! Hopefully, my daughter will be able to come too and will get a chance to see where we started out from.” This years’ AgriScot, the farm business event, will take place on Wednesday 20th November, and will feature classes for Ayrshire, Holstein, Jersey and Red & White classes. A new class, first introduced in 2018, for Any Other Breed, will also make a return. The show classes culminate in the prestigious Super Heifer and Super Cow awards, which each come with a £1000 prize pot for eligible cattle. In total, £25,000 in prize money will be up for grabs thanks to the generous support of sponsors including NWF Agriculture, Moredun, Turcan Connell, Kilpatrick & Walker and others. For details of how to enter animals into the dairy cattle classes at AgriScot please visit www.agriscot.co.uk
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| Feature
Wynnstay’s CracklessEgg™can revolutionise your Poultry Farm Wynnstay have introduced the revolutionary CracklessEgg™ technology to help their poultry feed customers save hundreds or even thousands of pounds in wasted, cracked eggs on their poultry farms. he electronic yellow egg sits next to real eggs, rolling gently along with them, as they go through the complete production and packaging process. But what separates it from its fragile, shellbound neighbours is that it is impossible to crack. Instead of ending up chipped and covered in yolk, the ‘artificially-intelligent’, bespoke egg records any knocks and dents experienced by real eggs through its micro sensors, that are linked up to a tablet through state-of-the-art wireless technology. Jim Turner, Wynnstay’s Poultry Product Manager says: “The CracklessEgg™ is an amazing addition to our on-farm service package, we are extremely impressed with it. “I’ve never seen anything else as high-spec as this and I was so impressed with a demonstration of it in Germany, that we had one made for us at Wynnstay, which came from Canada.
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“As we follow our CracklessEgg™ along the production process, realtime reporting pinpoints exactly where hairline cracks that are invisible to the naked eye occur and where eggs experience more damage, or can break on transfer or around bends.” CracklessEgg™ identifies and measures root causes of eggshell damage, from point of lay to final packaging. Each measurement is repeated at least 10 times and recorded to find a shock level trend. Jim says: “In most cases, overall shell damage from hairline cracks and total shell failure can be reduced by over 50%, taking graded seconds from cracks in the best cases below 1%. In one instance, the CracklessEgg™ has identified a number of areas needing attention. After some fine tuning of the system, gradings reported a 61% fall in cracks, saving that farm over £4,500 in downgraded eggs and losses. We’ve set ourselves the challenge of reducing this even more. “This is fabulous news for our high-end egg contacts. Our poultry team members can visit
your farm with this ingenious egg and give you tangible results within a week. We can then revisit your farm, to reduce breakages even further, down to 2% or 1%, streamlining your business. “Such a service can cost £500 a day but we offer this as an added-value, free service to our Wynnstay Bulk Poultry Feed customers. “This is part of a host of on-farm services we can offer poultry farms, contact us today to see how we can help you and your business,” Keeping the shell intact Damage in the egg-handling process creates a mess and reduces product quality and bottom-line profit. Customers using our CracklessEgg can measure the impacts eggs are receiving during processing. By addressing weak spots, your on-farm quality rates can routinely improve by 2% to 10%. For more details about the egg technology visit: https://aaggrrii.com/products/cracklessegg
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| Security
Quad bike security reminder after rural thieves thwarted Police are urging rural residents to stay vigilant after three quad bike thieves were thwarted in the act.
t about 9pm on Monday 23 September 2019, a woman spotted three men in the carport at her rural property near Thirsk. She challenged them and they ran away empty-handed. Police officers attended immediately and conducted a search of the area with a police dog, but the men were not located.
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It’s far better to spend some time and money now on high quality security measures However, one of them dropped a pair of bolt croppers, which have been recovered for forensic examination. A quad bike that had been parked in the carport appeared to have been moved by the men. Officers investigating the attempted theft are appealing for information – anyone who can assist the investigation is asked to
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contact North Yorkshire Police on 101, quoting reference 12190177081. North Yorkshire Police’s Rural Taskforce is reminding all quad bike owners to take extra precautions, as these vehicles are often targeted by thieves: • Park as close to your premises as possible, ideally in a locked outbuilding with CCTV and security lighting, preferably out of sight from nearby roads. • Remove keys when not in use, and do not leave them near the vehicle. • Fit wheel clamps and/or locking posts, and consider an alarm. • Mark or customise your vehicle so it is easily identifiable. • Consider fitting GPS tracking devices for high-value vehicles. • Keep a record of all vehicles, including photographs and serial numbers. PCSO Bryan Tongue, of North Yorkshire Police’s Rural Taskforce, said: “I would ask anyone who owns a quad bike, particularly if
they live in a rural or isolated area, to take extra steps to ensure their vehicles are always left safe and secure. “It’s far better to spend some
time and money now on highquality security measures, rather than have to go through the inconvenience and upset of having your quad bike stolen.”
Police locate stolen quad and arrest suspect within hours of theft A stolen quad bike has been recovered and a man arrested in connection with its theft from North Yorkshire. t about 2pm on Tuesday 24 September 2019, a Honda quad bike was stolen from a farm in the Hambleton district, near Stokesley.
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The Honda Fourtrax quad, worth about £6,000, had been fitted with a tracker device by its owner. Later that evening, officers from North Yorkshire Police’s Rural Taskforce, working alongside colleagues from the Tees and Hartlepool Harbour Police, and Cleveland Police, traced the quad to a premises in the Redcar area. A 35-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of the theft of the vehicle. He remains in custody at this time. The quad has been recovered, and will be returned to its rightful owner – enquiries into the theft are ongoing. On Monday, a quad bike at a property near Thirsk was targeted in a separate incident. On that occasion the suspected thieves were challenged by a vigilant resident, and ran away emptyhanded. North Yorkshire Police is urging all quad bike owners to take extra precautions to secure their vehicles.
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| Machinery
Save the date for Midlands Machinery Show - 20 & 21 November! The 6th annual show is fast approaching, with thousands of people from the farming and agriculture industry expected to attend the 2-day event at Newark Showground. he rural yet easily accessible venue, enables the Midlands Machinery Show to have a unique combination of indoor exhibition stands, large outdoor stands and plenty of room to see machinery in action. This year promises to be our biggest and best show yet, with a fantastic line-up of exhibitors and live seminars, it’s the perfect opportunity to connect with the farming community. Whether you’re looking to purchase your next vehicle, meet with a supplier, collect NRoSO or basis points or connect with familiar faces from the industry, the Midlands Machinery Show provides the perfect day out. Exhibitors come from all over the UK to connect and trade at the show, with exhibitors such as BDC who are displaying their latest grain moisture monitoring system and Scorpion Security who are showcasing their independent remote security systems to protect your premises, machinery and livestock – there are so many ways to learn how to future-proof your business. Why you should attend • Network with 1000s of like-minded professionals • Over a hearty breakfast or browsing the latest products and machinery, it’s the perfect place to meet and connect. • Meet up to 300 UK exhibitors • Products you know and love, and some brand new to market, our indoor and outdoor exhibition space offers a great chance to meet suppliers. • Ride and drive a range of 4x4s and pickups • Get hands-on with an exciting range of farming and agricultural vehicles. • Source the latest products and services • From land management, crop-growing and animal husbandry to caring for the
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environment, our industry experts will be onhand to give information and advice. • Join our inspiring live seminars Addressing some of the biggest issues and challenges of the day, NRoSO and BASIS points are available for attending the show and some of the seminars. Keep your finger on the pulse with our timetabled seminars Our technical seminars, held in the Lady Eastwood Centre, bring you up-to-the-minute information on some of the UK farming sector’s most pressing themes, featuring: • Try farming a day without water. Could you do it? Michael Jorden, JRH Water Management Learn how sustainable and profit-making water systems could benefit your business. We’ll discuss return on investment, and everything you need to know about sustainable water systems like harvesting rainwater. • Eco-focus: Recycling biosolids Abigail Cutts, Severn Trent Water We take a closer look at the recycling of biosolids to land and the nutritional benefits of recycled sewage sludge to soils and crops. Learn about the process of making the product safe for use in agriculture, the benefits, and how you can apply to have it on your land. • Struggling with planning permission? Your guide to finding a solution Denise Knipe & Tony Aspbury BA MRTP, Aspbury Planning Hear about current town and country planning issues for the agricultural sector. We’ll focus on operational agricultural matters such as polytunnels, grain stores, intensive livestock units, and non-operational matters such as farm diversification, the conversion and re-use of redundant farm buildings, and how best to ‘grow’ houses. • Future-proofing your business with TerraMap
Ed Barnatt, Hutchinsons Find out how TerraMap is revolutionising arable farming with its innovative soil-scanning and data collection technology. Helping arable farmers across the UK to optimise their land, learn how this digital tool translates to practical advice, better planning and clear results for growing crops. • Living well, farming well: Supporting mental health in our community Alan Robson, Agricultural Chaplain for Lincolnshire With four-fifths of farmers under the age of 40 considering mental health to be the biggest problem facing the agriculture community, Alan Robson and the Rural Support Network bring you an uplifting and informative workshop to discuss some of the key issues. The workshop will identify common problems, ways that we can support each other, and sources of help for farmers who are struggling with stress and mental health. Pre-register your attendance today! Online registration for visitors is now open for the very first time, make sure you register your attendance to skip the queues. Register for your free entrance ticket at: www.midlandsmachineryshow.com, where you can also find out which companies are exhibiting or to find out how you can become a part of this year’s show. We look forward to welcoming you! Contact MMS If you are interested in exhibiting, there are limited number of exhibition stand spaces available, please contact Rebecca.knight@newarkshowground.com If you are interested in sponsoring an element of the event to increase your brand presence, please contact info@midlandsmachineryshow.com
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| Machinery
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| Energy
Sharnford Tractors Ltd Lutterworth, Leicestershire LE17 5EH T: 01455 209300 www.manitou.co.uk
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| Machinery
New compact TORION CLAAS UK is to expand the TORION range of wheel loaders with the addition of two compact models, following the initial successful introduction of the medium and large frame versions. he new TORION 639 and 535 are compact wheel loaders with articulated steering and a low overall height of less than 2.5m, making them ideal for use on livestock and dairy farms, or for smaller re-handling facilities. Both the TORION 639 and 535 are powered by Yanmar 3.3 litre, 4cylinder engines with power outputs of 68hp and 63hp respectively. These engines are Stage 3B compliant using the combination of a Diesel Oxidation Catalytic convertor (DOC) and Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF), without the need for Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR). Drive is through a 20kph hydrostatic transmission with two speed ranges of 0-6kph and 0-20kph, which are selected at the flick of a switch. The articulated joint
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incorporates a double-acting steering ram. Articulation angle is 10° and the steering angle is 40°, resulting in a tight inner turning circle of just 2.5m on standard tyres. At maximum articulation, the TORION 535 has a Full Turn Tipping Load (FTTL) of 3450kg, rising to 3850kg for the TORION 639. In common with many other wheel loaders of this size, both machines are fitted with a Zettlemeyer Wide (TPZ Wide) headstock. As with other models in the TORION range, the boom has Z kinematics, which provides true parallel lift when used with buckets or pallet forks and a high tear-out force. The hydraulic system on the TORION 639/535 has a maximum capacity of 77 litres/minute and 70 litres/minute respectively, both with an operating pressure of 230 bar, so ensuring a fast response for quick and accurate loading.
The cab features a full height front windscreen, giving excellent visibility over the front wheels and attachments fitted to the tapered boom. A rounded rear window provides clear rearward visibility. The steering column is infinitely
adjustable for ease of operation and access, with all the main controls easily accessible and colour coded on the operator’s right hand side, alongside the joystick.
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| Glamping Show
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| Machinery
John Deere 6250R rakes 188.9ha in 8 hours A John Deere 6250R tractor equipped with a Kuhn four-rotor Gyrorake GA 15131 with a working width of 14.7m has set a new windrowing world record, raking 188.9ha of grass on four different fields in only eight hours. The tractor’s light weight, strength and ‘smart’ features kept productivity at the highest level, even in hilly conditions. he world record was set on a typical dairy farm in the Central Jutland region of Denmark. The DLG Test Centre validated the record after carrying out several spot measurements during the attempt. Forage quality was confirmed, as well as an average output of 23.6ha per hour. The John Deere 6250R has therefore proved once again to be the perfect partner when it comes to setting new performance levels. Thanks to the additional horsepower delivered with Intelligent Power Management, this flagship 6R Series tractor provided up to 300hp (maximum power with IPM) in the hilly field conditions. At 9.3 tonnes empty, the tractor delivers more power than any other in this weight category along with an unrivalled power density of 31kg/hp. Combining this with the proven AutoTrac guidance system, intuitive Gen4 CommandCentre
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console and ergonomic CommandPRO joystick enabled the 6250R to achieve a maximum operating speed of 22kph for a record high productivity level of 32ha per hour. The tractor was driven by Mikael Skeldal, who runs the dairy farm
with his family. He says he benefited from the CommandPRO joystick and appreciated both its ISOBUS compatibility to operate the rake as well as the ability to monitor operations via the Kuhn CCI 1200 terminal and WTK joystick. This allowed him to see
the work in progress and optimise the rotor adjustment without any interruption to the record attempt. More details of the record and a video of the event can be found on YouTube: https://youtu.be/GxWE49OFguU
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| Machinery
New Holland unveils the first pre-development of its Low Carbon Tractor at Low Carbon Vehicle Event 2019 New Holland Agriculture unveiled today the first pre-development of its Low Carbon Tractor (LoCT) at the Low Carbon Vehicle Event 2019, which is taking place in Millbrook, Bedfordshire, UK. he tractor is a first result of the LoCT project, partly funded by the Advanced Propulsion Centre UK (APC UK) and led by the global capital goods company CNH Industrial together with its agricultural brand New Holland and its powertrain brand FPT Industrial. The project aims to design a commercially viable tractor capable of operation on biomethane while complying with the latest European and US emissions standards. New Holland and FPT Industrial, which has pioneered natural gas traction for more than 20 years, are partnering with Eminox, an exhaust after-
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treatment technology specialist, Zircotec, a thermal management and ceramic coating specialist, and Ricardo, an engineering consultant specialising in technology, project innovation and strategy. Sean Lennon, New Holland’s Head of Tractor Product Management, stated: “The LoCT project fits within New Holland’s pioneering work in the use of alternative fuels in agriculture. In collaboration with our partners, we aim to develop a commercially viable tractor that can operate on sustainable locally sourced biomethane. This is the vital link that closes the virtuous cycle of the Energy Independent FarmTM, which sees farmers producing fuel
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from waste products, taking sustainability all the way to possible carbon neutrality. APC funding is critical to ensuring the commercialization of a truly sustainable low carbon and fully practical tractor in the UK, as it is enabling us to take an earlier innovation further towards a fully commercial solution.” Eminox is contributing to the project its 35 years of exhaust engineering expertise, from design and manufacture, in the application of specific exhaust systems to fit precisely in the available vehicle space envelope. It is also bringing the extensive experience, which it has developed working with CNH Industrial, in the heavy-duty
application of gas engines in commercial vehicles. Zircotec, originally spun out of the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) and now operating independently, is providing its expertise on the management of the heat generated by the gas engine in tractors, which is considerably higher than in an equivalent diesel engine, while respecting the packaging constraints and mission profiles of the agricultural tractor. Ricardo is providing engineering support with the integration of the gas engine, fuel tanks, exhaust system and associated parts into the current New Holland agricultural tractor offering.
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| Machinery
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October 2019 | Farming Monthly | 47
| Tyres
New VF tyres from Continental offer farming flexibility New, more versatile tyres from Continental will be safer on the road, reduce soil compaction and save farmers time. he new range of very high flexion (VF) agricultural tyres, which will be launched at Agritechnica in November, feature a more flexible side wall. On the road this enables the vehicle to carry forty percent more load than a standard tyre at the same pressure. Alternatively, in the field, the pressure of VF tyres can be lowered by forty percent compared to standard tyres, even when carrying the same load. This
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spreads the weight of the vehicle over a larger surface area and reduces soil compaction. VF tyres also offer time and fuel savings. The more flexible construction of the tyre makes it possible to transition from the field to the road without adjusting the pressure. At the reduced pressure required for field use, the tyre can also run at full speed on the road yet deliver the same fuel efficiencies as a standard tyre at road pressure. “These tyres deliver what
farmers need; the opportunity to drive to a job and start work without having to change tyre pressure. VF represents the biggest fundamental shift in tyre design for years,” explains Richard Hutchins, Continental UK sales manager. Continental has invested in a dedicated agricultural tyre research and development facility at its factory in Lousado, Portugal. The new VF tyre will be available for both tractors and combines and has been developed with a
new, more flexible bead design to soak up the stress agricultural tyres experience during varied farm work. Patented N.flex technology used in the construction of the VF tyre improves impact absorption whilst also helping the tyre return to its original form after heavy use. “Continental has developed VF tyres that are safer, longer lasting and kinder to the soil. We expect to see the first VF tyres available in the UK in February 2020,” concludes Richard.
BKT and CESVI - saving the Amazon rainforest The project “Save the Amazon rainforest” presented in Madrid during the official announcement of the partnership with LaLiga. n Madrid, BKT’s course in the realm of solidarity moves on. This time it is about our planet’s suffering, and in particular that of the Amazon rainforest. Deforestation has never been so alarming as in recent months – a widespread practice that is becoming more and more difficult to impede. As a small gesture, on September 26 in Madrid, Mr. Rajiv Poddar, Joint Managing Director of BKT, handed over a check for 5,000 euro to Cesvi, an Italian NPO operating since 1985 in the field of international solidarity, to sustain the project “Save the Amazon rainforest”. A small but symbolic gesture that gave Cesvi the opportunity to tell the project story to an international audience. Madrid was actually the setting where the official announcement of BKT as Official Global Partner of LaLiga, Spain, took place – undoubtedly one of the most popular football championships worldwide. The presence of international press provided Cesvi with the opportunity to demonstrate its strong social commitment, in particular in Amazonia. The friendship between Cesvi and BKT and a common engagement in these territories is
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nothing new. Thanks to the recreational engagement project “Play and stay green!” at the Bauma trade show a few months ago, 350 trees have been planted and protected in the Amazon rainforest. The economic contribution received in Madrid, instead, will enable Cesvi to further sustain local communities that are in desperate need of protection from any point of view. The recent fires in Brasil’s Amazon have focused public and media attention to the need of taking action to protect the world’s largest lung and its local communities. Amazonia is, indeed, the rainforest that is home to the worldwide richest variety of both animal and plant species. According to a study conducted by NASA in 2011, each hectare of the Amazon rainforest absorbs about 125 and 200 tons of CO2. Nonetheless, just in the month of July 2019, a surface corresponding to 1,345 square meters of Amazonia was destroyed. A severe damage, if we consider that the destroyed part of the rainforest would have absorbed the sum of Norway´s and Switzerland’s CO2 emissions in a year. “As a global brand, we have a great responsibility,” Rajiv Poddar, Joint Managing Director of BKT pointed out on the occasion of
the event in Madrid. “A responsibility towards the community we represent – I am referring to India, our home country – but also towards the less fortunate, and towards those suffering from the consequences of climate change. That is why we feel it is our responsibility to be a carrier of the message to care for the environment and the people living within.” Our planet is in danger, and BKT is fully aware of it committing itself to research into sustainable processes and materials; starting from the first wind power plants installed in 2004 at the Indian production site in Bhiwadi to the most recent research center in Bhuj, which was inaugurated in 2017, where intense activities heading at a sustainable future are in full progress. Hence, as a leading global Off-Highway tire manufacturer, BKT pursues its path of growth under the sign of social responsibility by sustaining CESVI. The company’s business concept is deeply rooted in ethics, displaying around the world not only products, but also projects, values, and ideas - fundamental elements of its mission, namely quality, technology, innovation, services, but also care for the community, the environment, and people’s future.
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| Tyres
Goodyear Farm Tires expand range for European market
One of the most established and well-respected agricultural tyre brands is increasing its product portfolio to better serve the UK and Europe.
he new series of Goodyear Farm Tires is now available to purchase via distributors after Titan International reintroduced the famous brand to the UK and European markets following a five-year absence. A strong range of 34 brand new radial Goodyear Farm Tires – to complement the current radial portfolio - is being introduced to the market. The range includes 85, 70, 65 and XL Tractor Drive Radials, as well as specific designs for sprayers, harvesters and industrial applications, with plans already in place to expand the offering over the next 18 months. With a heritage and expertise dating back more than 120 years, Goodyear Farm Tires is breathing fresh life into some of the most important and trusted tread patterns in the Goodyear range, and re-introducing them into the UK and Europe will be seen by farmers as a significant landmark.
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Lindsay Hart, European Tyre Sales Director for Titan International, said: “We are hugely excited to be expanding the Goodyear Farm Tires range for the UK and mainland Europe and we are expecting a very positive reaction from the agricultural community. “The name Goodyear has been synonymous with agriculture for well over a century and it has been trusted for generations by the people at the heart of the farming industry. “Both Goodyear Farm Tires and Titan International have a long-established heritage, and with that comes a high degree of knowledge behind the products and trust from customers. “We are also acutely aware of – and ready to meet - the increasing challenges facing the industry and are confident we have a range of products to suit all the needs of the farming community. “Innovation, reliability and performance are so important for our customers and they are the principles which will be at the heart of how we
drive Goodyear Farm Tires forward in the months and years to come. “We have built a strong distribution network in the UK and major European countries including France, Germany, Spain and The Netherlands and are continuing to expand.” Titan International has been manufacturing Goodyear Farm Tires in America for more than a decade and has recently purchased the licence for the European and UK markets. It has also made a significant investment in new plant and equipment to manufacture tyres specifically for the European market. Lindsay added: “Goodyear is a flagship brand in agriculture and there will be many customers who will be familiar with the products and the reliability, performance and durability they provide. “We are excited about introducing them to our new Goodyear Farm Tires products and giving new customers the chance to start their own journey with such a trusted and wellrespected brand.”
ALLIANCE tire wins an Agritechnica Innovation Award Agritechnica Innovation Award Silver Medal for Alliance 398 MPT / first agricultural tire with the speed of up to 100 km/h on the road / stability, low noise and vibration, low heat build-up, safe and comfortable ride / perfect traction, high load capacity, good flotation and soil protection properties in the field gritechnica Innovation Award Silver Medal goes to Alliance 398 MPT – world’s first agricultural tire to develop a speed of up to 100 km/h on the road. Designed for the agricultural trucks, this tire is a game changer in agricultural transportation. It behaves as an agri tire in the field and as a fully on-road tire on the highway, developing high speed and ensuring safe and smooth ride. Direct concept of transportation Agro-truck should not wait for the crop loads at the edge of the fields any more. From now on, they can go directly into the field and work alongside a harvester or combine and then being fully loaded go back to the highway to transport the crop to its next destination at a
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speed of up to 100 km/h. This new direct concept of transportation eliminates additional equipment (grain carts etc.) from the cycle thus reducing manpower, time and fuel consumption whilst boosting efficiency of operations. As unique world novelty, Alliance 398 MPT offers features and performance unparalleled by any other tire of any other manufacturer. It has an all steel radial flotation construction. First of all, it is an agricultural tire with perfect traction, high load capacity, good flotation and soil protection properties. But at the same time, it is also an on-road tire featuring high speed, stability, low noise and vibration, low heat buildup, safe and comfortable ride. Game changing approach A Central Tire Inflation System changes the pressure swiftly from a high road pressure to
low field pressure and back – thus greatly increasing efficiency. Inflation pressure can be reduced to 0.8 bar in the field, and increased to 6.5 bar on the road. “Alliance has been developing tires since the 1950s, being an absolute leader in flotation technology. This Innovation award is a tribute to Alliance engineers who broke a myth and delivered an impossible – a tire which combines the best of two segments in one innovative and game changing approach. It is definitely a new chapter in the history of tire industry and agricultural operations,” says Angelo Noronha, President Europe for Alliance Tire Group.
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| Tyres
Bridgestone reap the rewards after VX TRACTOR road run Bridgestone is reaping the rewards of a hugely successful tractor tour during September, where hundreds of farmers came together to learn about vital tyre savings and up to £2,000 was donated to local Young Farmers’ Clubs. ridgestone has embarked on its first nationwide tractor tour, involving two John Deere tractors stopping off at 10 different locations in Scotland and England to bring its new VX TRACTOR product to farmers to appreciate in person. A series of comparisons were made with their upper premium rival products to underline Bridgestone’s superior tread depth and lug volume, which provides greater traction and durability, respectively. During the pit stop, Bridgestone also donated £200 to the young farmers’ club, to help keep the future generation of farming on the right track. Tyre dealer Rob Hastie, of C&R Tyres, said: “The VX TRACTOR is the best tyre that we have seen in a long time. It means such a lot to the farming community for Bridgestone to come out and visit us, explain the benefits of the tyre
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and the ways in which they can save money and increase productivity. “There is more to agricultural tyres than meets the eye. While they are all black and round, there is a great deal of technology that goes into each tyre, particularly the VX TRACTOR, which offers outstanding durability for carrying extremely heavy loads – even at higher inflation pressures.” Bridgestone’s sales manager Stephen Lamb said: “This has been a really good opportunity to meet farmers and bring our products to them. Feedback has been really encouraging, as we have been able to communicate how good our tyres are out in the field – and on the road.” The VX TRACTOR has been comprehensively designed and tested to work hard in both the field and on the road, even under heavy payloads. It is constructed from robust casings with extra-deep and extra-long lugs, ensuring outstanding traction and
extremely long wear life. This means that farmers can go further and get more done, time and time again. Developed for tractors of 100bhp and above, the VX-TRACTOR is available in 38 and 42-inch rear sizes as well as 24 to 34-inch front wheel sizes. Stephen added: “The VX TRACTOR is such a top performing product that we were pleased to be able to bring it to the eyes of as many farmers as possible, courtesy of this specially created road run. “We have focused on increasing wear life, especially on the road, and have made the lug on the VX-Tractor longer and wider, with up to 20 per cent more lug volume than many competitor products. “A six-layer tread belt also helps to protect against damage and potential punctures and the surface area of the sidewall has also been reduced and reinforced, further diminishing the tyre’s vulnerability to puncture.”
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| Tyres
Michelin XeoBib tyres provide RG Contracting with reliability on the road and great performance in the field RG Contracting plans to move its entire fleet onto Michelin XeoBib agricultural tyres after being hugely impressed with the fitments specified on nine new John Deere tractors. he Scottish farming business spends a lot of time transferring heavy silage and slurry machinery from its Port William base, in Dumfries and Galloway, to sites as far north as Angus and Fife – around 200 miles away. Looking for a tyre that was both durable on the road and effective in the field, owner Russell Gaw specified the Michelin Ultraflex Technology tyres on nine new John Deere 6145R, 6175R and 6195R tractors – selecting 710/60 R42 and 600/60 R30 XeoBib fitments recommended by dealer J&S Montgomery. “The tyres have been very good since day one,” says Gaw. “We do a lot of road work and obviously we’re out in the field a lot as well and they have been excellent for both aspects of our operation. “It’s the reliability of the tyre that we’re looking for when we’re out on the road,
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because we’re pulling slurry tankers and heavy machinery over big distances. They’ve got to have strong sidewalls to stand up to any potential damage and these do the job very well indeed.” The XeoBib range, specifically designed for tractors between 120hp – 220hp, benefit from a large footprint which helps to reduce soil compaction, reducing rut formation. The tyre is also more fuel- and time-efficient, reducing slippage to ensure more traction on soft ground than conventional tyres. On the road, the XeoBib significantly reduces vibrations, offering farmers greater precision and a more comfortable ride as well as impressive durability. Gaw was so impressed with the performance of the tyres on the nine tractors, he is now planning to transfer his entire 16-strong tractor fleet to the Michelin XeoBib range. “Currently we use a variety of different tyre
brands, but we will make sure we get XeoBib tyres on all of the remaining tractors as well. They have lasted and performed so much better than the rest,” he adds. “We do a lot of road work and obviously we’re out in the field a lot as well and they have been excellent for both aspects of our operation”
RG Contracting offers a wide range of services – including silage operations, crop and maize, slurry work, ploughing and muck spreading – to farmers and landowners throughout Scotland.
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| ATV
Polaris
New additions to the Polaris Off-Road 2020 lineup offer even more styling options
Polaris Off-Road Vehicles today announced even more additions to its 2020 lineup, including the introduction of the new-and-improved Sportsman 570 EPS Agri PRO Special Edition, as well as three new Hunter Special Editions, an upgraded Ranger Crew model and a host of new colours available across its European lineup. ur new 2020 lineup offers our customers more options than ever before,” said Rodrigo Lourenco, Vice President and General Manager of Polaris OffRoad Vehicles EMEA. “With their versatility across any task, off-road capability on any terrain and ease of carrying the right accessories safely and securely with our Lock and Ride solutions, the new models are the ideal companion for farmers, hunters and off-road enthusiasts alike.” Agri PRO Special Edition Building upon the existing Agri edition announced for 2019, the new special edition delivers the renowned performance of the bestselling Sportsman 570 and is loaded with hardworking features to make it the ultimate agricultural tool – now with even more features to help get the job done. Equipped with carbon fibre foil and metal heat shields underneath the fuel tank, as well as a sealed battery, new independent rear suspension with stronger springs and durable steel racks on the front and rear; perfect for hauling the right tools for the job
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at hand. A variable low speed limiter is now available on the Agri PRO edition of the Sportsman 570 EPS, that allows riders to restrict the speed to assist with low-speed tasks, such as mowing, towing, ploughing or spraying. With the reliable ProStar 570cc engine with electronic fuel injection (EFI), high ground clearance and dependable all-wheel drive, the new Special Edition allows riders to tackle even the toughest terrain and take on any task. Hunter Special Edition Polaris announces the new Hunter Edition lineup for 2020, complete with Polaris Pursuit® Camo finish available for the Sportsman 570 EPS, Ranger XP 1000 EPS Deluxe and Ranger EV models. The Sportsman 570 EPS Hunter Edition comes with front and rear racks for enhanced storage capability, front and rear brush guards for improved resistance to damage from delving deep into the forest, as well as hand and thumb warmers for added rider comfort. Whether it’s to blend into the forest or just for a wild ride, the Hunter collection has been specifically designed for hunting and outdoor pursuits with a premium, special edition camouflage design.
Ranger Crew 1000-6 Premium Alongside the new Special Editions is a new model for 2020; the Ranger Crew 1000-6 EPS Premium. Available with a striking Steely Blue paint finish, the 2020 Ranger Crew model offers premium features with aluminium wheels and more refined interior accents, including plush seating that delivers all day comfort for up to six people, and an all-new steering wheel that provides an upgraded, automotive-style look and feel. New Colours The 2020 lineup packs a host of premium styling upgrades with all-new colour options available across the Ranger and RZR offering. The RZR XP 1000 EPS and XP4 1000 EPS are now available in White Lightning, whilst the RZR S 1000 EPS now comes in Turbo Silver and the RZR XP Turbo S comes in Ghost Grey. Now available in the Black Pearl colour option is the Ranger XP 1000 EPS, and for the younger riders, the Ranger 150 now comes in Sagebrush Green or White Lightning with Indian Sky Blue.
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| ATV
Suzuki ATV
Save 10% on a new Suzuki atv with the Blackface Sheep Breeders association
Suzuki ATV is delighted to announce that eligible Blackface Sheep Breeders’ Association members* can now receive a 10% discount on selected Suzuki ATVs to use around the farm. he Suzuki ATV range features powerful and comfortable utility ATVs suitable for a variety of applications, with the ability to carry and tow heavy loads (up to 600kg) and help you to rule the land. From the new, range leading KingQuad 750 with a 722cc engine, power steering, independent suspension and a sealed rear brake, to the compact but powerful Ozark 250 with a large towing capacity for its size and a highly efficient, economic engine, the Suzuki range has a variety of models available to suit every element of farm life. The range also features Suzuki’s unique Tshaped seat and selectable 2 and 4-wheel drive options on selected models, which make the
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already fuel efficient ATVs even better. This offer is available for eligible members* on the KingQuad 750, KingQuad 500 power steering/non-power steering and Ozark 250 (at participating Suzuki ATV dealers only). All Suzuki’s also come with free EASI rider training. They also come with a free CESAR Security System powered by Datatag, giving each ATV a unique ‘fingerprint’ with an identity that cannot be erased. This acts as a powerful deterrent and a tool for recovery should the worst happen – NFU Mutual customers receive 12.5% discount on their ATV premiums when CESAR is installed! Harvey Day, National Sales Manager for Suzuki ATV for GB, said; “We know that a large number of ATV users are sheep breeders, and
we wanted to partner up to offer this great discount on our ATVs. Utility ATVs are an essential part of modern farm life with large areas and tough terrain to conquer. Suzuki ATVs are well known for being reliable, powerful and comfortable workhorses for the day’s graft, which we know is invaluable to our customers when out in the field.” For more information on the Blackface Sheep Breeders’ Association Suzuki ATV discount please visit: http://www.scottishblackface.co.uk To find out more about Suzuki KingQuads visit: www.atv.suzuki.co.uk *Membership eligibility and terms & conditions apply
October 2019 | Farming Monthly | 53
| ATV
Honda ATV
Honda updates market leading Fourtrax 420 and Foreman 500 ATV models Honda has launched updated versions of its market leading Fourtrax 420 and Foreman 500 ATV ranges. vailable to buy now, these models have benefited from a number of enhancements to deliver improved performance, usability and versatility, while the Foreman 500 has received an engine upgrade and been renamed the Foreman 520. Prices start from £6,425 (excluding VAT) for the TRX 420FM1 with the range topping TRX520 FA6 costing £8,600 (excluding VAT). Forward/reverse skip switch The first change is an all-new forward/reverse skip switch for Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT) and Electric Shift (ES) models, offering easier and quicker shift in and out of reverse with just one lever. This fully electronic operation is perfect for applications such as snow ploughing or yard clearing, where constant shifting between forward and reverse is required. Manual-override capability DCT models also get a new manual-override system, allowing the operator to manually change gear even when in automatic drive, with the transmission reverting back to fully automatic mode after a few seconds. Such capability gives more control of speed and
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power than ever before, ideal for upshifting on descents or downshifting into corners. New shift map A further change for DCT and ES models is a new shift map which monitors engine RPM in real-time during shifting, rather than just before shift, delivering much smoother transition between gears. Front-mounted 1.9-litre water resistant utility box and redesigned front and rear cargo racks All models also benefit from an integrated front-mounted 1.9-litre utility box with weatherproof cover, designed to keep personal items and tools safe and protected from the elements. The new box is easy to access from the riding position for added convenience and usability. Newly engineered front and rear cargo racks on all models provide greater surface area for carrying larger loads. New full-length suspension guards All models get new guards covering the full-length of the suspension arms, providing comprehensive coverage of the driveshaft and outboard CV joints, for even further trademark Honda durability. Engine upgrade for Foreman 500 models The Foreman 500 has been
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renamed the ‘Foreman 520’ thanks to an engine upgrade. The new engine delivers 518cc up from 475cc on the outgoing model. With updated mapping the TRX520 delivers stronger low-mid range power and torque, for quicker acceleration and better ascent. Other changes for the Foreman range include the addition of 50-watt LED lights, and a new front bumper and grille. Honda’s Fourtrax 420 and Foreman 520 ATVs set the standard in the utility market and are built-for-purpose and developed using Computer Aided Engineering at Honda’s R&D facility in Ohio. Both ranges feature a longitudinally mounted liquidcooled engine to deliver smooth power to the rear wheels, and a double-cradle steel frame for exceptional durability and handling. All models also offer Honda’s own Traxlok® system, allowing the operator to quickly switch between the ‘go-anywhere’ traction of 4WD and the increased manoeuvrability and lighter steering of 2WD. The Fourtrax 420 is the UK’s best-selling ATV, a mid-sized allrounder with class-leading power and ability, offering a towing capacity of 385kg. It’s bigger brother, the Foreman 520, is the ultimate workhorse, a heavy hitter
for hard work and hauling big loads and offers a towing capacity of 600kg. These new models are available now from Honda’s UK network of Authorised Dealers and also benefit from the addition of Datatool, the state-of-the-art tracking equipment, free-ofcharge. The TQA-approved TrakKING Adventure package uses GPS chip set technology to offer theft protection, instant notifications and full journey history logging. The only cost to the customer is a nominal monitoring subscription of £9.95 per month or £109 for a year (incl VAT). For further information or to find your nearest dealer please visit www.honda.co.uk/atv
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| Motors
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles reveals dark side with exclusive Amarok Black Edition model Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles has launched a pair of new Amarok special editions. Available to order now, the Amarok Black Edition and Amarok Aventura Black Edition are among the most powerful and luxurious variants of the award-winning pick-up ever created. lack Edition models, which start from £34,835 (excl. VAT), are powered by the Amarok’s standard 3.0-litre V6 TDI engine with either 204 or 258 PS and with an eight-speed automatic gearbox. Aventura Black Edition models, priced at £40,995 (excl. VAT), will be available with only the 3.0 TDI V6 258PS engine.
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The Black Edition and Aventura Black Edition models come with all the other capabilities of the standard Amarok, including front and rear parking sensors, a generous load bay capacity, Trailer Stabilisation and Automatic Post-Collision Braking System Both special editions are based on the range-topping Highline specification but add a host of extra premium features. Black Edition models add 20-inch black Talca alloys, a Lights & Vision pack which includes a windscreen
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wiper rain sensor and Discover Media Navigation which features European map data and Off-road information display. Further styling add-ons include a black styling bar, black rear bumpers, black sidebars, black fog light frames, a black polish trim strip on the grille, black headliner and a gloss black decorative insert on the dashboard. In addition, Aventura Black Edition models feature exclusive Nappa leather interior, Ergo Comfort front seats with electric adjustment, leather multifunction steering wheel with paddles, power folding wing mirrors, front fog lamps with cornering feature, front underbody guard, styling for under body cladding and load compartment protective coating. Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles is also offering customers matt paint for £2,420 – a 24 per cent saving. Mountain Top roll covers will be available on the special editions with a fitted price of £1,665. The Black Edition and Aventura Black Edition models come with all the other capabilities of the standard Amarok, including front and rear parking sensors, a generous load bay capacity, Trailer Stabilisation and Automatic PostCollision Braking System.
Further styling add-ons include a black styling bar, black rear bumpers, black sidebars, black fog light frames, a black polish trim strip on the grille, black headliner and a gloss black decorative insert on the dashboard. In addition, Aventura Black Edition models feature exclusive Nappa leather interior, Ergo Comfort front seats with electric adjustment, leather multifunction steering wheel with paddles, power folding wing mirrors, front fog lamps with cornering feature, front underbody guard, styling for under body cladding and load compartment protective coating. Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles is also offering customers matt paint for £2,420 – a 24 per cent saving. Mountain Top roll covers will be available on the special editions with a fitted price of £1,665. The Black Edition and Aventura Black Edition models come with all the other capabilities of the standard Amarok, including front and rear parking sensors, a generous load bay capacity, Trailer Stabilisation and Automatic PostCollision Braking System.
October 2019 | Farming Monthly | 55
| Motors
ŠKODA Auto produces 250,000th Karoq compact SUV The 250,000th ŠKODA Karoq has rolled off the production line at the ŠKODA AUTO plant in Mladá Boleslav. The milestone model is a 1.0 TSI, 115PS Karoq in a metallic Black Magic finish. The compact SUV celebrated its world premiere in Stockholm in mid-May 2017; serial production began in July 2017. The Karoq has therefore surpassed the mark of a quarter of a million units manufactured just two years since start of production.
ichael Oeljeklaus, ŠKODA AUTO Board Member for Production and Logistics, commented: “This milestone is proof of how popular the ŠKODA Karoq is. The fact that it has just taken a little over two years after start of production to exceed the mark of 250,000 cars manufactured is a huge success and underlines the importance of the Karoq in our attractive model range.” ŠKODA has been building the Karoq at its plant in Kvasiny since mid-July 2017 and also in Mladá Boleslav since January 2018. In 2018, the Czech car manufacturer delivered 115,700 Karoqs to its customers and this year it has so far delivered 97,900 vehicles; making it one of the brand’s most popular models. ŠKODA’s SUV campaign started in 2016 with the Kodiaq, the carmaker’s first large sport utility vehicle. Production began in Kvasiny in October 2016 and the model was launched onto the markets in the spring of 2017. Having the Kodiaq, Karoq and the new Kamiq city SUV in its line-up, the Czech brand now offers its
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customers three attractive models in this vehicle segment. All of them bear the new trademark ‘ŠKODA’ in block lettering on the tailgate instead of the logo. For the 2020 model year, ŠKODA has provided the Karoq with visual and technological enhancements: the successful compact SUV now comes with a comprehensive range of equipment for even more safety and comfort. Side Assist is available for example, warning the driver of vehicles in the blind spot up to 70 m away. The Karoq’s connectivity is also state-of-the-art, offering a plethora of different online services in addition to the innovative ŠKODA Connect features. What’s more, the
ŠKODA Karoq sets benchmarks in terms of its chassis too, allowing for trips on rougher terrain at all times, and adaptive Dynamic Chassis Control (DCC) being available for both the front- as well as all-wheel-drive variants.
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| Motors
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| Motors
There is a breed of chef making their mark on the culinary world by quite literally going the extra mile There is a breed of chef making their mark on the culinary world by quite literally going the extra mile to find the perfect ingredient. ith so many exotic ingredients available off the shelf, it’s easy for a dish to lose its connection with the place the food was produced. However, seasonal wild ingredients foraged from the local area can elevate a menu, adding complementary, exciting and fresh flavours to the dishes, as well as displaying a sense of adventure. Chef Neil Rankin, owner and head chef of the Temper restaurants in London, has introduced foraged ingredients to his menus, with tasty results. “As a chef it’s easy to get claustrophobic in your own kitchen. You can become very blinkered in what your suppliers give you, or what your repertoire is, and become disconnected from that which is natural,” said Rankin. “A very special thing in this country, in any country, is its natural ingredients, and it’s those sorts of things that tend to work the best.” Ford challenged Rankin, as well as chefs in France, Germany, Italy and Spain to come up with original and innovative dishes using native, foraged ingredients, and then include the dishes in their menus. Each chef had the support of a Ford Ranger Raptor pick-up to help them source their ingredients, often from isolated hard-to-reach locations. We followed each chef into the hills, countryside and beaches to
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watch them collect the illusive ingredients, with the help of a local expert, and create some spectacular dishes. In the first of five videos, Rankin travelled to Cornwall and met up with Mike de Stroumillo to forage for bell heather, as well as coastal herbs, rock samphire and sea beans, in order to create his burnt sea dust to accompany 60-day, dry-aged, rib-eye Hereford beef. “I naturally went for a seasoning or a rub, and then looking at it from a natural perspective I went for stuff that could be foraged and came from the natural territory of what I wanted to season. I believe that the things that grow near the cattle have some sort of flavour symmetry.” Future videos in Ford’s Eat My Dust series will feature Paris-based chef Mattias Castro at Chardon in Arles, Eugenio Boer and his Milanbased restaurant Bu:R, Javier Alvarez, executive chef at the Zoko Group, in Spain, and Nicholas Hahn, the chef de cuisine at Restaurant Ai Pero in Andernach, Germany. The new Ford Ranger Raptor The new Ford Ranger Raptor is the toughest and most highperforming version ever of Europe’s best-selling pick-up. Developed by Ford Performance for the true enthusiast off-roader, the first-ever Ranger Raptor is powered by a Bi-turbo version of Ford’s 2.0-litre EcoBlue diesel engine that delivers 213 PS and 500 Nm of torque when paired
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with a responsive 10-speed automatic transmission. The commanding presence delivered by the ultimate Ranger’s imposing dimensions and extreme styling is supported by a unique Ford Performance chassis optimised for high-speed off-road driving and go-anywhere capability. UK ingredients • Salty fingers, better known as sea beans, are a salty ingredient with a crunchy texture. The slightly bitter taste can be a valuable addition to a dish and it goes great with fish and shellfish and can even be pickled and used in Bloody Marys. • Sea Aster, one of the most flavoursome wild edible plants found growing up to 1m high by the sea or on tidal rivers, but most prolifically on saltmarshes. • Bell heather is flowering plant native to western and central Europe. It grows on heaths, woods and coasts with purple-pink flowers that attract all kinds of nectar-loving insects. Bell heather emits a light floral tone mixed with a heavy musky scent and has been used as an aromatic in many
applications for centuries. • Rock samphire is an edible wild plant found on southern and western coasts of Britain and Ireland. It is described as having a pleasant, hot and spicy taste and the stems, leaves and seedpods are great when pickled, while the leaves can be used fresh in salads. • Hereford is a British breed of beef cattle from the county of Herefordshire in the U.K. Rib-eye steak is taken from the rib section of the cow and cooked with the bone still attached. Beef is aged for several weeks to allow enzymes naturally present in the meat to break down the muscle tissue, resulting in improved texture and flavour. • Pepper dulse, otherwise known by chefs as the “truffle of the sea” is a red seaweed with hints of garlic, truffle and black pepper. • Aromatic alexander seeds from the wild alexander plant usually sourced in open woodlands and grasslands near coastal areas.
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| Motors
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