The Leeb CS mounts to the tractor’s 3-point linkage to form a compact and manoeuvrable unit that is ideal for smaller fields. Active boom control system is a unique feature in this class, while continuous cleaning system CCS Pro, the induction tank and the 25cm nozzle layout are available for the new Leeb CS. HORSCH.COM
Unique BoomControl active boom control system with 3-point linkage
2200 litre tank offers high efficiency and extended working
One-sided or partial folding to reduce working widths
HorschConnect for simple data transfer
TOGETHER FOR A HEALTHY AGRICULTURE
ACTING EDITOR Graeme Kirk
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to Farm Machinery Journal, the monthly magazine dedicated to modern agricultural equipment.
I ended this column in the February issue with praise for the NEC for being warm and waterproof – and thank goodness that’s the case! I attended the second day of LAMMA 2024 at the exhibition centre near Birmingham and was met with a temperature of -5C and frost on the ground on the short walk from my hotel to the show.
Once inside, however, and with my heavy coat in the cloakroom, the exhibition halls couldn’t have been more comfortable for a day taking in the sights and sounds of what is now undoubtedly the UK’s leading farm machinery event.
I hadn’t been to LAMMA since the rst NEC event in 2019. Back then, frankly, I wasn’t impressed. Something about the layout just didn’t work; the large NEC halls felt sparsely populated and the excitement of, say, Agritechnica or SIMA was missing.
This time, however, I had no such complaints. There was a new level of professionalism, and time, money and e ort had clearly been put into the layout of the stands in the hall, and the building and presentation of the stands themselves.
Whatever the investment involved, there’s no doubt that this year it paid-o for the organisers and exhibitors alike. Visitor numbers hit a record 40,000-plus and there was a real buzz about the event that suggested business was being done. That can only be good news for British farming.
Graeme Kirk Acting editor
We’re in Dorset to see a contractor who’s happy with his Krone BiG X 980
A round up of the latest stories from across the farm machinery sector
We’re on a Derbyshire pig unit to see its 2023 New Holland T6.180 tractor
We meet the owner of the first RT ProArm JA2122T telescopic hedgecutter
We’re in the driving seat to form a view on the Bobcat L95 wheeled
We look at the technology used by overseeders to rejuvenate grassland
We outline the main players in the UK’s mounted crop sprayer market
An Irish contractor running a 2009 Claas Cougar 1400 self-propelled mower
Farmer JF Tomlinson & Co runs
but e ective
FMJ report from the 2024 LAMMA Show at Birmingham’s NEC that proved to be the event’s most successful edition yet
We’re in Wales to meet the owners of a 2022 Major 3100LGP slurry tanker
The first part of a new series on the history of high-horsepower tractors Technical
How today’s hybrid tractor tyres can help reduce soil damage in wet fields 73
Everything you could possibly need to know about tractor front axles
All you need to know about buying the classic John Deere 6400 tractor
Farm machinery auction sales at Lower Hall Farm and Ford Valley Farm
All the latest models that wouldn’t look out of place in any miniature fleet 98
A look at some of the lesser-known tractor brands at this year’s LAMMA Show
Dorset contractor Philip Trim took delivery of the UK’s first Krone BiG X 980 in spring 2023. FMJ found out why he opted for the brand and what the machine brings to his business
WORDS AND IMAGES KEN TOPHAM
rone launched the BiG X 980 in the UK at LAMMA 2023. The machine wasn’t a revolutionary new design but a model that filled a gap in the widebody forage harvester range. The larger BiG X 1180 still sits at the top of the heap as the most powerful machine on the market, but the 980 looks a good choice for cost-conscience operators.
KThe BiG X 980 is something of a wolf in sheep’s clothing. It shares the V12, 24-lit Liebherr D 9512 motor used in the 1180 – unlike its predecessor, the BiG X 880, that was powered by a Liebherr V8. This gives it a trick up its sleeve; if you find you need a few more ponies under the bonnet, you can rent them.
“A machine with this horsepower made sense for us, with the potential to pay for the extra power if needed”
The power output can be increased to that of the 1180 by buying a block of hours, and it’s only used when needed, so it won’t necessarily be exhausted in one go. These “XtraPower” hours are purchased through the Krone owner/operator portal and can be used straight away – it’s easier than ordering a takeaway. Adding 100hp for 10 hours costs about £29/hr, while 250 hours of 200hp extra costs about £37/hr.
Although owner Philip Trim hasn’t needed the extra power so far – 2023 yields haven’t been stellar – he wanted this additional forager, which joins a Claas Jaguar 970 already in the fleet – to be in the 1,000hp bracket.
“We could see an increase in maize growing for energy production, so a machine with this horsepower made sense for us, with the potential to pay for the extra power if needed,” he says.
First Impression // Krone BiG X 980
Krone BiG X 980 Engine Liebherr
D9512, max power
979hp, max eco power 600hp
Chopping drum
36 knives
Headers
XCollect 900-3, EasyFlow 300 and XDisc 620
Annual output
1,400ha maize, 600ha wholecrop
All of Krone’s current widebodied 80 Series machines have XtraPower available except the rangetopping 1080 that isn’t marketed in the UK anyway. Arguably, the smart money is on the 980 as it offers the potential to have the output of an 1180 when you need it, and the fuel economy of a 600hp machine in EcoPower mode when you don’t.
Philip Trim is a first-generation contractor who started out his business with a round baler and one tractor. Things have escalated somewhat since and he now runs two forage harvesters and 21 tractors, as well as some HGVs for bulk haulage.
The operation’s forage harvesting service caters to dairy and beef customers, and with a growing energy production base on Philip’s doorstep, running two forage harvesters has become a necessity. Chopping 6,000ha/yr between the two high-output machines is fairly manageable, and a large part of the workload is providing 30,000t of forage to an anaerobic digestion (AD) plant. This was instrumental in
“The crop flow is excellent, always smooth in di erent crops; with varying chop lengths, you can definitely see the benefit of the six feed rolls”
the decision to run the Krone as its 36-blade cutting drum has the flexibility to run one cylinder and either a full set of blades for maize or a half set for grass. An optional Variloc drum pulley that has an internal reduction gear further increases the chop lengths to give the customer the best material for their application.
Philip chose the 36-blade unit for maximum flexibility; it offers a 3-17mm theoretical chop length with a full set of knives and 6-34mm with half a set. The half knives are accompanied by blanking plates to protect the knife carrier surfaces. These should see out a few sets of knives, as they clear the shear bar by quite a distance. This configuration currently suits the demands of stock farmers, but can be changed by adding a full set of grass knives if the customer’s nutritionist recommends short-chop feed.
Chopping grass at 12-15mm is the norm for most of Philip’s customers, as is high-volume additive.
“We’ve tried to get them to change over to low-volume, but they’re not keen,” Philip says. “We use a bulk tank mounted at the rear of the 980 that’s fairly easy to fill, and the auto-shut-off
Main image: Pictures don’t do justice to this dip; tractors of every brand were struggling, but the BiG X strode up.
In the BiG X 980 the Liebherr engine works from 600-979hp with the potential of 200hp more.
Operator pros and cons
+ Feed of crop is excellent in all crops
+ Blow and adjustment are very useful
+ Visibility to trailers to the side or behind
– Noise level in the cab is higher than Claas
– No hands-free option for CB radio
– Fuel tank could be larger
and application rate system works the same as using the BigX’s built-in tanks.
Wholecrop is part and parcel of contract foraging these days and the 980 is equipped with Krone’s XDisc direct cut header that is available only with a 6.2m working width. Running a full set of 36 knives for the job, a separate crop processor takes care of the smaller grains.
Maize knives are installed after the
summer harvest is finished, and Philip has been impressed by the results.
“We like the sample; there are very few unchopped leaves, which is what digester customers prefer as big pieces of leaf end up floating and affect the reaction in the AD plant,” he says.
Most of the digester ration gets chopped at 5mm that’s comfortably in the range of the 36-blade drum. Of the 1,400ha of maize Philip’s team harvests, the BiG X does the lion’s share because of the quality of the sample.
Kevin Evans is the usual pilot on the BiG X and is a Claas convert, having used the Harsewinkel-made machines in the past.
“We use the crop sensor more in maize as we supply an AD plant that wants to know what the quality of the crop was when it was harvested”
“I really like the Krone,” he says, “it feeds really well, and the adjustable blow feature is brilliant. Cab visibility is excellent, although it’s a bit noisier in the cab compared to our Claas.”
Having almost completed a full season with the BiG X when we caught up with it, Kevin has given it a good test. He has been particularly impressed by the VariStream crop accelerator that boosts the 980’s ability to swallow lumps in grass.
“You can see the lumps, particularly when the crop is short, and they just flow through, it’s very good,” he says. “The overall crop feed is one of the 980’s strengths. The whole machine seems very well tuned-in, and the
crop flow is excellent, always smooth in different crops with varying chop lengths. You can definitely see the benefit of the six feed rollers.”
The XCollect 900-3 header has been available for a few seasons now, updating the stationary knife Krone was known for. It has a rotating blade that is hung from a gearbox, unlike other disc-type headers where the drive is below the cutting surface, leaving only skids and crop guides below.
Top right inset: Maize for biogas is usually chopped at 5mm, and the sample has been well received by customers.
Below inset: The XCollect header has high-speed cutting discs and shatter the stubble effectively.
One of the drivers for a spinning disc system is the corn borer beetle that likes to make its home in the stubble after harvest. Thankfully UK growers haven’t seen this pest yet. But, the spinning disc does smash the stubble noticeably more than the original endless chain and knife method, which should aid decomposition. The only notable downside is a slight increase in fuel consumption.
Having used the EasyCollect and XCollect, Kevin praises the newer model.
“It works very well, and seems comparatively lighter row-for-row than other maize headers I’ve used,” he says. “The discs are very robust,
and if you do catch a stone and bend the tip of the cutting edge, you can tidy it up with a battery grinder and carry on.”
The 980 is fitted with Krone’s EasyLoad automatic trailer loading solution that was taken from a previous Krone forager operated by the business. Fitting the camera pod under the spout was the biggest job when preparing the new machine for work. The system employs a 3D camera array and can follow trailers alongside or behind the forager with programmable strategies for loading.
The system did take a bit of dialling-in on the latest forager as it had been set up from the factory on a
Krone 880 that was previously in the fleet.
“It works well while the load is below the sides, then you have to top it off manually,” Kevin says. “The output of the machine outpaces the loading camera, and you can end up with crop on the floor because it doesn’t move fast enough.”
Crop analysis has become commonplace on forage harvesters lately, and it’s particularly important for
energy producers that buy-in or grow their own forage. On the contract growing side of this equation, dry matter at harvest and crop readiness will be easy information to extrapolate from the recorded data.
“We use the crop sensor all the time in maize,” Kevin adds. “The AD plant we work for wants to know what the quality of the crop was when it was harvested, while the tonnage is also useful to record for bought-in crop and a customer’s own maize.”
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Thanks to Philip Trim Contractors for its time and assistance with this feature
Above: The EasyLoad system was swapped from the previous machine.
Left: Philip runs a bulk additive tank, but still uses the machine’s automatic application functions.
Left: Philip says the XCollect gives a good result with a clean cut whether the rows are followed or crossed.
Deere & Company has announced it has entered into an agreement with Ellon Musk’s SpaceX to provide cutting-edge satellite communications (satcom) services to farmers. Utilising the Starlink satellite network, the solution will allow farmers facing rural connectivity challenges to fully engage with precision agriculture technologies.
The partnership, an industry first, will enable John Deere customers to be more productive, profitable and sustainable in their operations as they continue to provide
food, fuel, and fibre for their communities and the growing global population.
“The value of connectivity to farmers is broader than any single task or action,” Deere’s Aaron Wetzel said. “Connectivity unlocks vast opportunities that were previously limited or unavailable.
“For example, throughout the year, farmers must complete tasks within extremely short windows of time. This requires executing incredibly precise production steps while coordinating between machines and managing machine performance. Each of these areas are
enhanced through connectivity, making the entire operation more efficient, effective, and profitable.”
The satcom solution will connect both new and existing machines through satellite internet service and rugged mobile satellite terminals. This will fully enable technologies such as autonomy, real-time data sharing, remote diagnostics, enhanced self-repair solutions, and machine-to-machine communication, all of which help farmers work more efficiently while minimising downtime.
“John Deere has led the agriculture equipment industry for more than two decades with satellite-based precision guidance technology,” Deere’s Jahmy Hindman said. “Now, we’re bringing satellite communications service to the farm at scale so farmers with cellular coverage challenges can maximise the value of connectivity to their operations. The satcom solution unlocks the John Deere tech stack so every farmer can fully utilise their current precision agriculture technology in addition to the new innovative solutions they’ll deploy in the future.
The satcom solution will initially be available through a limited release in the United States and Brazil starting in the second half of 2024.
In celebration of 50 years of its iconic Jaguar forage harvester, Claas of America has introduced special equipment packages on various models. And while all 2024 Jaguar foragers are considered anniversary editions, all models ordered with the optional Operator Comfort Package will receive a special 50th-anniversary graphics and accessory package (pictured) at no additional cost.
The Jaguar line paved the way for an unprecedented success story in the self-propelled forage harvester segment when it launched 50 years ago in Germany, and it has been a leader in the category ever since. Featuring many innovations over the years, the Jaguar attained not only a worldwide reputation but also world market leadership with more than 45,000 units built.
The Fendt Rotana 160 V Combi baler/wrapper is now available with film binding and a variety of features that enable it to produce 30 more bales a day and save up to 3m of film for every bale. The new model also features a quick-change system for film and net rolls as well as a ‘Speed’ tailgate function.
“Film binding is already available for the fixed-chamber, baler/ wrapper combi machines,” Fendt’s Ed Dennett said. “To offer variable-chamber baler operators the same advantages, this technology has been transferred to these models of the Rotana.”
Using only film, the Rotana 160 V Combi reduces the air between the bale and the film. This reduces feed losses caused by mould formation and also protects the bale in freezing temperatures.
“Two gathering arms, and a shaft binding system specially
developed for the variable presses, guide the binding material into the baler chamber,” Mr Dennett said. “The shaft formation also protects the film from damage. An electro-magnetic brake controls the pre-stretching of the net or film according to the binder and its roll diameter.”
Only one waste material is created with film binding, and film is typically much less contaminated and, therefore, easier to recycle. Usage is also reduced compared to net, and Fendt’s new film binding system can save up to 3m of film/bale.
The arrangement of the rolls on a magazine enables a quick change between film and net. This allows operators to quickly switch from silage to hay or straw bales.
This new model benefits from a faster ‘Speed’ tailgate capable of baling up to 30 more bales/day than the previous Rotana.
Above: The new model features a quick-change system for film and net rolls.
Kuhn Farm Machinery has introduced a new flagship FC 13460 RA trailed mower conditioner aimed at users requiring increased mowing capacity and e iciency from a wider trailed machine.
The FC 13460 RA features a 12.4-13.4m cutting width, allowing operators to benefit from reduced fuel consumption and lower soil compaction due to covering a wider area with each pass. It also has well-known features from current Kuhn machines, such as Lift-Control and the Optidisc Elite cutterbar.
Kuhn’s grassland product marketing specialist, Rhodri Jenkins, said the increased output from running a wider width should be a key consideration for users this season.
“The FC 13460 RA o ers significantly higher output from a single machine handling large areas and operators can expect a 25-30% wider cut on each pass than a mounted triple mower combination,” he added. “Across a single season, the savings in fuel, labour and time are considerable.”
The FC 13460 RA uses Kuhn’s proven Optidisc Elite cutter bar featuring Fast-Fit quick knife system to reduce downtime. The mower has 12 discs on each unit, with improved crop flow and an increased knife overlap to ensure all crop is cut. A greater distance between the discs allows improved crop flow to the rear of the mower and away from the cutting area. Disc skid linings and Triple 5 knives are standard.
Central to the design is an innovative frame that o ers constant ground pressure control through the Lift-Control suspension. The weight of the mower is spread between the tractor’s drawbar and the mower’s axle, with flotation tyres helping to further protect the soil. Users can adjust bed pressure during work.
25 years experience
Applies all small seeds, Avadex granules, cover crops and slug pellets
Powerful hydraulic fan
Garmin GPS control system
200l or 400l hopper
Configure the spec to suit your needs
12m/15m boom available
Dual hopper option
Excellent service and spares support
A maximum cutting width of 13.4m is possible with Kuhn’s latest flagship trailed mower.
The wider width of the FC 13460 RA helps reduce operating costs and soil compaction.
T Bunning & Sons is returning to trailer manufacturing after a 13-year break in production. A new four-model range will be built at the firm’s factory at Gressenhall, Norfolk.
The reintroduction of the trailer line has been driven by increased customer demand, and will maximise output from a
6,840sq.m factory expansion that has been completed during the past two years.
“We’ve been asked by existing Bunning trailer customers for several years to start production again, and our recent factory expansion has allowed us to streamline the build process with cutting-edge technology,” the company’s sales director, Chris Druce, said. “We’ve improved some
The new Vogelsang XSplit slurry separator is claimed to be the first to produce material with a dry matter content of 40%. The screw press machine is, therefore, capable of producing separated dry matter that’s suitable for bedding.
Vogelsang’s separation specialist, Andrew Hayhurst, said he expected farming grants to be a key to unlocking the benefits of slurry.
“By separating slurry, farmers can reduce the volume being sent to storage and improve the nutrient value of the slurry that is stored,” he added. “Dry matter can subsequently be used as a soil conditioner or a cost-e ective and sustainable bedding material.”
The XSplit is designed and engineered to be both economical to run and easy to maintain. The drive is arranged on the solid matter outlet side, which gives the XSplit an excellent cost-benefit ratio with no need for an extra shaft seal. This reduces both the cost of spare parts and the time required for maintenance work.
key areas of the trailer that will please old and new customers, and we’re delighted with the final product.”
The new range is based on the old design but has been improved and modernised in certain areas and features a completely new tailboard. Four models will initially be available in 14-, 16-, 18- and 20-tonne formats.
Kubota North America unveiled its vision for 2030 at the world’s biggest tech event, CES 2024, showing a novel autonomous farm vehicle.
The company’s New Agri Concept is a fully electric, multipurpose unit that will bring autonomous technology and AI together to provide solutions for small-acreage growers. Key technologies highlighted include: automatic data collection, real-time monitoring, AI identifying potential issues, automation addressing labour challenges, water management automation, and a data platform enhancing productivity.
The fully electric New Agri Concept is designed for flexibility and to support a wide range of tasks. The vehicle’s six independent drive motors and a standard three-point hitch allow it to use many existing implements. Fast charging, from 10% to 80% in less than six minutes, allows flexibility by not constraining customers with long charge times that reduces vehicle downtime.
The well-known UK importer of Vervaet machinery, J Riley Beet Harvesters (UK), is celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2024.
Company founder Jeremy Riley, who left the business in 2022, was heavily involved with the establishment of six-row self-propelled sugar beet harvesters in Great Britain. He set up the company, where he was joined by Peter Smith and David Oakley, in 1994 to import Vervaet harvesters from The Netherlands. Vervaet’s 17t harvester was the go-to machine for British farmers and contractors for more than 20 years.
The German Agricultural Society (DLG) will present its new FarmRobotix feature at this year’s DLG Feldtage event taking place at Erwitte, Germany, on 11-13 June.
An international platform, FarmRobotix will o er farming experts a comprehensive overview of the latest developments in robotics, artificial intelligence (AI), automation and digital solutions in crop production.
FarmRobotix has been established to meet the needs of farmers, manufacturers, start-ups and suppliers of technology for a comprehensive and practical overview of farm robotics that will aid decision-making for farmers and o er impetus for product development.
Agricultural machinery auctioneer Che ins has reported total farm machinery and plant sales of £71 million in 2023, a £23 million increase compared to the previous year.
Demand for top-quality, low-hour machinery remained strong, and good examples were sold at a premium as buyers looked to the second-hand market for sound financial investments and a significant saving on buying new.
The Che ins team conducted 51 sales during the year, made up of 34 on-site farm or dealer dispersals, 12 monthly Cambridge Machinery Auctions and five Vintage sales – the same number as 2022.
Farming in Pakistan is booming as the country targets higher crop production to meet staple food requirements. This has had a knock-on e ect on tractor sales, with the number of locally assembled models sold doubling in the six months to the end of December 2023.
Massey Ferguson is the largest domestic manufacturer and it produced 15,258 tractors in the latest half-year compared to 7,430 in the same period of 2022.
Another familiar name, Fiat New Holland, assembled 8,325 tractors compared to 6,664 in the previous corresponding period.
Spearhead Machinery has appointed Scot Agri as its new dealer throughout the North and East of Scotland in a strategic move to strengthen sales activities. The brand says it has only scratched the surface in terms of what it has to o er Scottish customers.
Tyre maker BKT and Europe’s Tractor of the Year (TotY) awards organisation has renewed its partnership for another four years. The managing director of BKT Europe, Lucia Salmaso, and TotY president Fabio Zammaretti signed the new sponsorship deal.
Bailey Trailers has raised more than £36,000 for Breast Cancer Now by ra ling a special pink TB2 15t model that’s the first and only of its kind. The free prize draw was run in conjunction with Bailey’s UK dealers, and the winner was Ripon-based farmer and contractor Charles Waudby.
The Thompson family has run Ford and latterly New Holland Tractors for more than 30 years on its 100ha pig farm situated in the picturesque Moss Valley. FMJ visited to see the unit’s latest fleet flagship, a 2023
Oliver Thompson is a fifth-generation pig farmer who currently runs Povey Farm and Moss Valley Fine Meats with his parents, Stephen and Karen, full-time farm worker Sam Wainwright and their dedicated butchery team.
The business is situated in the beautiful surroundings of the Moss Valley on the border with South Yorkshire and Derbyshire, close to the city of Sheffield. The farm is home to 220 Large White and Landrace cross sows plus their offspring, while 100ha of arable land is used to grow feed wheat in rotation with winter barley and oilseed rape.
The Thompsons also run an
award-winning onsite butchery, Moss Valley Fine Meats, that produces more than 25 different varieties of sausages, pork pies and cooked hams. The operation also includes hog roast and catering facilities, while they also supply cuts of meat to the general public, restaurants and hotels, and are the only pig farm to have been awarded the “Made in Sheffield” mark.
For more than 30 years the Thompsons have remained loyal to Ford and New Holland tractors supplied by Platts Harris and more recently Russells from its Darley Dale depot.
“We’ve always maintained an excellent working relationship with
Above: The T6.180’s slimline steering column is simple to adjust and features a conveniently positioned shuttle lever.
the team at Darley Dale, most of whom have been there since the early days of Platts Harris,” says Oliver. “They’ve always provided us with an excellent trade-in deal on new tractors, and when we’ve encountered any issues its service and back-up has been second to none.
Below: The Thompson family has been running Ford and New Holland tractors supplied by Platts-Harris, and latterly Russells Darley Dale depot, for more than 30 years. This 2023 New Holland T6.180 Dynamic Command is the most recent addition to its fleet.
“Fortunately, other than the occasional minor niggle, we’ve never encountered any serious problems with the Ford and New Holland tractors we’ve operated during the past three decades.”
The Thompson family has run a whole host of compact six-cylinder New Holland tractors including a 100hp TS115 and a 127hp T6050 Delta that came equipped with New Holland’s 24-speed Dual Command transmission.
More recently, Oliver and his father Stephen, along with full-time farm
worker Sam Wainwright, have operated a high-specification 2012 New Holland T6030 Elite alongside one of the first 154hp T6.155s to be retailed in the area back in 2012.
The T6030 Elite was purchased as an ex-demonstration machine and was powered by a 6.7-litre six-cylinder turbocharged and air-to-air intercooled FPT NEF engine fitted with New Holland’s Engine Power Management (EPM) that boosted the 4.9t tractor’s horsepower up to an impressive 152hp. The Thompson’s T6030 Elite was also equipped with the 16F/16R Electro Command semi-powershift transmission that provided a top speed of 40kph.
“The T6030 Elite had a fantastic power-to-weight ratio and was very manoeuvrable too,” says Sam Wainwright. “It was ideally suited to pulling a New Holland 570 small square baler and flat eight bale sledge up some of the Thompsons steepest fields in the Moss Valley.
“The Elite specification Horizon cab was comfortable to spend a long day aboard and was loaded with lots of useful creature comforts including New Holland’s Comfort Ride cab suspension and additional work lights.”
“Since arriving at Povey Farm, the Thompsons’ new T6.180 has clocked 250 trouble-free hours”
Prior to commencing harvest last year, the highly regarded T6030 Elite made way for Oliver and Stephen’s newest fleet flagship, a 2023 New Holland T6.180 Dynamic Command that has now taken over most of the T6.155’s frontline tasks.
“In the past, we’ve normally part-exchanged tractors every three to four years,” explains Oliver. “However, when profit margins began to tighten within the pig industry, we chose to hang onto the T6030 Elite and T6.155 a little longer.
“Both tractors have served us well, and by the time we decided to move on the 11-year-old T6030 Elite last year, it had only clocked 3,300 hours and remained in excellent condition. This enabled us to obtain a decent trade-in price against our new T6.180 Dynamic Command.”
Since arriving at Povey Farm, the Thompsons new T6.180 has clocked 250 trouble-free hours with Oliver and Sam at the controls. It spent most
of summer 2023 corn carting, before moving onto spraying duties with a 1,200-litre Hardi sprayer equipped with 24m booms.
In between last Autumn’s inclement weather, the T6.180 also completed its fair share of slurry spreading with the farm’s 8,000-litre Marshall tanker, applied fertiliser with a Sulky twin-disc spreader and carried out all of the winter drilling with the Thompson’s immaculate mid-1980s 4m Bamlett drill.
This spring, the T6.180 will be expected to complete primary cultivation work with a set of trailed Ransomes discs, and share powerharrowing duties with the older T6.155 that’ll now play a crucial supporting role to its more
Left: Oliver and operator Sam Wainwright have been impressed with the specification and layout of the T6.180’s quiet 69dB(a) and spacious four-post Horizon cab.
Above: The T6.180 comes equipped with a 218-lit capacity fuel tank and a 31-lit AdBlue tank, as well as a useful factory-fitted toolbox.
Below: The T6.180 comes equipped with the SideWinder II arm rest that features the IntelliView IV touch screen and CommandGrip joystick. The smaller advanced loader joystick is used to shift up and down through the 24 speed Dynamic Command transmission.
powerful and advanced younger brother.
“Since it arrived on our farm, I haven’t been able to fault its performance, reliability and efficiency,” says Oliver. “It’s the quietest and most comfortable tractor we’ve ever owned, and has more than enough power for tasks we will use it for. I’ve become a huge fan of New Holland’s Dynamic Command gearbox too.”
“It’s the quietest and most comfortable tractor we’ve ever owned”
New Holland added the six-cylinder T6.160 and flagship T6.180 tractors to its T6 range in November 2018. The four-cylinder turbocharged T6.145, T6.155, T6.165, T6.175, and T6 Methane Power make up the rest of the current range.
The Thompson family’s T6.180 is powered by a six-cylinder turbocharged 6.7-lit NEF engine developed by New Holland’s sister company FPT Industrial. It complies with Stage V emissions regulations; it produces 175hp at a leisurely
2,200rpm and 740Nm of torque at 1,500rpm.
“It’s an incredibly quiet and efficient engine that’s never overly stretched on any of the PTO-driven implements we currently own, even when working in our steepest fields,” says Oliver.
The four-post
increased number of options to match the correct gear to any given task without having to change ranges as often.
Below: Fifthgeneration pig farmer Oliver Thompson and farm worker Sam Wainwright have been impressed with the New Holland T6.180’s performance and reliability since it arrived at Povey Farm in July 2023.
Power is fed to the ground through New Holland’s award-winning Dynamic Command semi-powershift transmission that was first announced in 2017 and made available on the T6 range the year after. Dynamic Command was introduced by New Holland following an extensive customer research programme to sit between its four-step semi-powershift Electro Command transmission and its Auto Command CVT unit.
Moss Valley Fine Meats
Location Lightwood, North East
Derbyshire
Cropping 100ha of feed wheat, barley, spring and winter oilseed rape
Livestock 220 Large White and Landrace cross sows plus offspring
The Dynamic Command transmission’s 24 forward and 24 reverse ratios are arranged in three ranges of eight gears and are suited to heavy draft, PTO and haulage work. This configuration is designed to give the operator an
Dynamic Command can also be specified with 40kph or 50kph ECO modes for haulage to reduce fuel consumption. Other notable features of the transmission include steeringcolumn-mounted power shuttle, and the Dynamic Start/Stop function that enables the operator to press the brake pedal to bring the tractor a stop, and release it again to set off – all without using the clutch. This is particularly useful for loader work.
The Dynamic Command transmission also features a kickdown mode, enabling it to change down a gear automatically when additional acceleration is required. The transmission can also be set up to mimic a CVT gearbox using the tractor’s Ground Speed Management II system to automatically control engine and transmission speeds.
“It’s one of the smoothest and simplest transmissions I’ve ever operated,” says Oliver. “It’s easy to configure and provides you with precise speed control when drilling and spraying.
“The T6.180’s Transport
Power Management system, that’s fitted as standard on Dynamic Command tractors, also creates a useful flat power curve to maintain forward speed and improve fuel efficiency when pulling loaded trailers uphill.”
Oliver and operator Sam Wainwright have also been impressed with the specification and layout of the T6.180’s quiet 69dB(a) four-post Horizon cab.
“It’s been very well thought out and is the most spacious cab I’ve spent a day aboard,” says Sam.
Externally, the Horizon cab comes equipped with 12 LED work lights and adjustable two-piece mirrors, while inside there’s a movable steering
Top: New Holland’s sixcylinder 175hp T6.180 was added to the top end of its T6 range in 2018. This example is equipped with the award-winning 24F/24R Dynamic Command semi-powershift transmission.
Above: The T6.180’s Horizon cab comes equipped with New Holland’s Dynamic Comfort seat that features lumbar support, heating controls and a swivelling back rest.
column, sun visor and New Holland’s Dynamic Comfort seat that features pneumatic lumbar support, a swivelling back rest and two-stage heating controls. A leather buddy seat is also fitted as standard.
The Horizon cab also comes equipped with the SideWinder II armrest featuring the CommandGrip joystick that provides Oliver and Sam with various linkage controls as well as a forward/reverse shuttle rocker switch and controls for setting up the Headland Turning Sequence II management system.
Alongside is the advanced loader joystick that incorporates the T6.180’s transmission up and down buttons, alongside the controls for a front-end loader. The Thompsons specified their SideWinder II console with mechanical remote hydraulic levers rather than the higher-specification electro-hydraulic paddles.
“Despite appearing old fashioned, the hydraulic levers fall easily to hand and aren’t cumbersome to use at all,” says Sam.
The Thompsons T6.180 is also equipped with the 26.4cm IntelliView IV touchscreen performance monitoring terminal that incorporates New Holland’s Precision Land Management (PLM) telematics.
“I’ve really enjoyed analysing the
tractor’s performance through the Intelliview screen,” says Oliver. It’s easy to navigate and provides you with a lot more detail and feedback on the tractor’s behaviour, enabling you to make informed adjustments to improve its efficiency on the move.”
The T6.180 is fitted with a 3.2t capacity front linkage and a Category 3 rear linkage capable of lifting an impressive 7.9t.
“The tractor’s front and rear linkages are well made and haven’t been under any great stress,” says Oliver. “They provide ample capacity for all the implements we use with the T6.180 each day.”
Oliver and Stephen anticipate keeping the T6.180 for four to five years and have been very impressed with its performance, comfort levels and reliability so far.
“It’s a fantastic mid-range tractor loaded with lots of useful tech that’s not overly complicated to use,” says Oliver. “Its compact size is ideally suited to the confines of our yard and the narrow tracks that link most of our land together, while its 6.7-litre engine provides us with plenty of power to negotiate our steepest fields in the Moss Valley safely and efficiently.”
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Thanks to Oliver Thompson and Sam Wainwright for their time and assistance with this feature.
We visit Mike Collins Agri, the contractor running the first RT ProArm hedgecutter conceived and built in Ireland by RT Sales WORDS AND IMAGES EOGHAN DALY
Being the first purchase of any newly introduced machine often attracts a degree of hesitation with a tendency to wait until the longer-term performance and reliability aspects of its design are established. However, for County Cork-based Mike Collins Agri, being the first to purchase the all-new Irish-designed and manufactured RT ProArm from RT Sales wasn’t viewed as having any element of risk thanks to the innovative features it presents coupled with the considerable experience of the team behind its development. As one of the few machines on the market developed by end users, the RT ProArm was subject to considerable advance testing and much design refinement before its official launch last year.
With prior knowledge of the machine’s looming introduction, Mike Collins
had deferred his hedgecutter purchasing to coincide with the availability of the RT ProArm. This decision was based on his early assessments of the initial machines operated as part of its designer’s contracting operation, followed by a period of operation of a prototype machine that left a lasting impression.
Impressive prototype
“I’d tested the prototype and was really impressed by it,” he says. “At that point, I was looking for a replacement for my ArboCut hedgecutter and waited until the RT ProArm machine became available. It was delivered in August 2023 and I’ve already worked it for more than 450 hours. During that time, it’s been first rate and I can’t fault its design or performance in any way.”
Not only was Mike the first
purchaser of a production RT ProArm machine, he was also the first to put RT Sales’ JA2122T telescopic boom model into service.
Presenting individual thinking when it comes to the design features adopted, the RT ProArm presents many unique traits, which is deeply suggestive of how the company is eager to innovate instead of mirroring existing manufacturers’ designs. This has led to the emergence of a machine with several groundbreaking features starting with the process of mounting the hedgecutter on the host tractor.
“RT Sales is eager to innovate instead of mirroring existing manufacturers’ designs”
RT ProArm JA2122T
Working reach 6.7m
Head type 1.2m flail Flails 24
Head rotation
Unlike other hedgecutter designs that necessitate the inconvenient fitting of brackets to the host tractor’s main frame, which depending on the tractor’s design can be a difficult and in many ways awkward task, the RT ProArm adopts a totally different
240 degrees Controls Proportional electronic joystick
Operating weight (including head) 1,530kg
Power requirement 70hp or more Oil tank capacity 180 lit
patented concept that involves the replacement of the pickup hitch’s hook by a specially designed anchor block for two adjustable stabilising links that contribute to anchoring the hedgecutter to the tractor in a stable fashion.
With this anchor block fitted to the host tractor, it’s merely a case of attaching the hedgecutter to the three-point linkage and tensioning the stabilising links to the appropriate level before raising the hedgecutter clear of its support legs, which are then easily removed. By linking the hedgecutter to the tractor via the pick-up hitch, it draws stability from the strongest point of the rear of the tractor, while the low set anchoring position also contributes greatly to
Left: Immense thought has been invested in boom construction, geometry and hose routing to ensure long-term service.
Right: The electric canbus joystick controls all machine functions and has a very user-orientated profile for ease of use.
Below: The machine presents a compact transport position and doesn’t impede rearward visibility during road travel, especially towards the outer side.
reducing the centre of gravity. This approach also means the hedgecutter is easily mounted on any tractor within the owner’s fleet.
Stabilising system
just a case of mounting the control joystick to the armrest in the cab and the machine is ready for work.”
Below: The machine presents a compact transport position and doesn’t impede rearward visibility during road travel, especially towards the outer side.
“The build quality of the machine shows real strength without being too heavy”
“The design of the stabilising system for mounting by using the pick-up hitch works very well and means the RT hedger can be mounted on any of our tractors not just the 2005 registered Valtra T120 it’s most commonly paired with,” says Mike. “My other Valtra tractors have Dromone pick-up hitches and the lads at RT provided me with an anchor block to suit this design on to which the stabilising arms are linked. Then it’s
Nevertheless, it’s not just an alternative mounting arrangement and the added flexibility it brings that set the RT ProArm apart from others as its design has a range of other fundamental differences in many key areas. A theme of maintaining simplicity and the use of proven easily accessible components runs through the machine, while the essential durability of construction in the areas that matter most is ever evident.
Mike Collins Agri Location Freemount, County Cork Main activities Mowing, raking, baling, slurry spreading, reseeding, low-loader work and hedgecutting
“Looking at the build quality of the machine, it shows real strength while it still isn’t too heavy,
The hydraulic valve chest is identical to that
a
Below inset: The stabilising system is unique to RT and requires no brackets on the tractor chassis. Instead, a special anchor block is fitted to the hitch and two stabilising arms linked to it and tensioned to pull the hedgecutter down to the strongest part of the host tractor.
this particularly impressive build strength are the mainframe and boom base, while the boom itself reflects a sensible design with positive hose routing evident. However, the real test of the machine is in its cutting capabilities and the performance of its hydraulics to deliver effective operation and oil-cooling properties.
proving it has durability in the right places,” says Mike. “The Valtra T120 it’s normally mounted on isn’t a big or overly heavy tractor and is still capable of working very well with this hedger despite its impressive reach.”
Among the areas benefitting from
Looking in greater detail at the machine’s hydraulics, the system centres on a proven gearbox that propels the hedgecutter’s main pump and secondary hydraulic pumps. Hydraulic oil is pumped through a high-pressure filter and into a PDG valve chest that’s controlled by the electric canbus joystick from the tractor cab. The system’s return line from the head goes through a radiator with a thermostatically controlled fan with
RT Sales, the company behind the RT ProArm hedgecutter range, has more than 20 years’ experience of the operation of such machines as part of its contracting operation, RT Hedge and Tree Cutting. From its base just outside the County Kerry town of Castleisland, founders Johnny Reidy and his son-in-law Padraig Teahan run a sizeable fleet of hedgecutters working for local authorities, landowners, utility companies and forest owners. Its experience of hedgecutters also extends to a sales role as it has been a dealer for the Irish-built ArboCut range of machines for many years. Through this considerable engagement with the industry, RT Sales has amassed much practical experience of running machines from various manufacturers and became aware of the shortcomings and inadequacies of a range of design features. This experience was put to good use when it came to designing and building its own machine with a range of innovative new features. With the testing of initial prototype machines ongoing for more than four years, it’s clear that consideration has been given to this vital development aspect. As the first units sold now begin to prove their long-term e ectiveness with early users, RT Sales is concentrating strongly on extending its range of machines with active product development underway to ensure it can o er a complete range of machines to cater for every operator’s needs from smaller farmer-orientated units right up those for the most demanding contractor.
In addition, the company founders believe a hedgecutter should be more versatile than just completing hedge and verge-cutting operations based on the relatively short operating season imposed on their use in most applications. Consequently, they’re exploring the possibility of developing other attachments that can be used to broaden their application range and transform a seasonal machine into a unit with year-round uses.
With the company devoting its energies towards product promotion, testing and future development, manufacturing is completed by County Kerry-based Torc Precision Engineering. It has built considerable experience in steel fabrication and precision engineering since it was established in 1979, and this shines through in the quality of the RT ProArm.
oil subsequently fed back to the 200-litre tank before passing through another filter on the circuit. All components that combine to make up the system are sourced from a proven local source, Cork-based Hi-Power Hydraulics, with the valve block assembly being identical to that used on McHale balers. In addition, the valve block can be controlled manually from outside, bypassing the control joystick, allowing the boom and head to be folded to the transport position in the event of a problem such as a wiring malfunction – a feature applauded by Mike.
“My first season has been very successful with the RT ProArm”
“The machine is very simple and a lot of things have been thought of in its design that shows the people behind it have hands-on experience with hedgecutters,” he adds. “It could be a big advantage if there was ever a problem with the machine by being able to fold the boom and head and move it back to the workshop for repair.”
Intuitive design is also reflected in the machine’s flail head that has a cutting width of 1.2m. Since the bearings are located on the outside, the rotor facilitates a full bank of 24 flails, instead of the usual 22, to achieve the
cutting width. Having the bearings on the outside also provides immediate and direct access for replacement. In addition, the rotor is secured by just five bolts that ease the process of its removal should repair work be necessary.
Mike uses F10 flails instead of the more aggressive F14, but remains impressed by the machine’s results, which he puts down to the head design.
“I like the fact it will be easy to work on if there’s a problem in the future,” he says. “But it also performs very well whether handling light or heavy material.”
Another factor that assists in the user-friendliness of the machine is the contoured in-cab joystick selected for use with the RT ProArm hedgecutter. Its profile ensures it gives a positive grip while it requires minimal effort to receive a response when contrasted with servo joysticks. Two thumb rollers are integrated into the upper face of the joystick with one activating head tilt while the second fulfils slewing motions of the boom. A click diverter button switches head tilt motions to control of the telescopic extension.
Mike’s RT ProArm JA2122T telescopic boom hedgecutter has performed flawlessly during its first six
Above inset: Reassuringly strong construction and high levels of workmanship are manifest in the machine’s build quality.
Right and above right: The head gives a full 1.2m cutting width and employs 24 flails instead of the more normal 22. This is made possible by positioning the bearings on the outside, improving access considerably.
Below: Mike Collins using his RT ProArm JA2122T hedgecutter on a 2005-registered Valtra T120 that has worked in excess of 20,000 hours on its original engine.
months of operation with this County Cork contractor.
“My first season has been very successful with the RT ProArm, and I can honestly say there’s nothing I would change about its design as it’s a first-class machine to operate and can get through work at a great pace,” he says. “What’s even better is being able to buy a quality Irish-built machine made by people who know the demands of contracting through their involvement with the job.”
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As ever-increasing global demand is likely to top US$6 billion in the next few years, compact wheeled loaders may be relatively small in stature, but are big business. Traditionally, the market has been largely driven by the needs of European customers, but their popularity is spreading, particularly in North America. Extremely versatile machines, they’re either used with a bucket and/or pallet forks on general loader work, or as a tool carrier to host a range of hydraulically-powered attachments.
Bobcat’s first in-house designed and built compact wheeled loader –the high-spec 5.1t/68hp L85 – was launched in 2021. In 2022 the firm
“Even with an overflowing bucket of heavy clay at full height, the new bobcat L95 remained stable”
introduced the L75 Value model, weighing 4.6t and powered by 55hp engine, equipped with the same 0.80cu.m bucket as the L85.
At Bobcat’s most recent Demo Days
event in the Czech Republic, the company previewed its largest compact loader to date, the L95 Premium, a 5.4t unit powered by a 75hp engine. With an operating weight of 5.4t and offering a rated bucket tipping load of almost 3.4t, the stylish Bobcat machine, which is at the heavier end of this category of compact equipment, certainly looks the part.
Access to the falling object-protected (FOPS level II), air-conditioned cab is easy, as the door is vast, or rather the doors. There’s an offside door of the same proportions, handy if the operator wants to speak to anyone on that side, but with steps and handrail provided only on the nearside. For those who prefer to keep one or both doors open, they fold back and lock into place, well protected from any accidental damage.
With no joystick, a flip-up armrest and an adjustable steering wheel, there’s little to hinder access into the flat-floor cab from the traditional left-hand side of the machine. An orange-topped compartment, conveniently located to the left of the seat, opens to reveal a surprisingly large storage box.
The first thing that struck me was
how much glass there is. Both large doors are made from a single pane, which makes for excellent visibility to the sides. The front screen is slightly curved back, which I discovered allows a much better view of the bucket when it’s fully raised, without the need to lean forward.
The fully adjustable, air-suspended seat features an integrated multifunction joystick on the right, which rises and falls with the operator, as the seat is doing its job when the machine is travelling over rough terrain, to ensure full control at all times.
The complex-looking joystick turned out to be easy to use and, above all, comfortable to operate. Raising the loader arms and tipping the bucket is performed by the industry standard joystick control pattern. The direction of travel rocker switch is located on the front of the joystick, operated by your index finger.
The top of the joystick has buttons for: the diff-lock; low- and high-speed travel; the loader arms’ float function; and auxiliary hydraulic flow control. To the operator’s right there are three banks of soft-touch switches for a multitude
of functions including: lights; windscreen wipers; flashing beacon; and the heating element in the seat.
Engine speed can be controlled by a rotary hand dial that’s part of Bobcat’s smart Flex Drive feature. Intended to speed up the operation in certain applications, it features an engine auto-idle function. However, I opted to use the traditional foot throttle.
Simple cab
I really loved the simplicity of the cab, which is all very clean-cut, workmanlike and user-friendly. The 5in display screen is minimal, but extremely practical and doesn’t obscure the operator’s vision. It also doubles as the reversing camera
screen, which is automatically engaged when reverse is selected. A familiar jog dial, as we so often see in excavators, is used to access the various menus, including the ability to alter settings such as auto ride control and hydraulic oil flow. Having settled in the cloth seat,
“With global demand likely to top six billion dollars, compact wheeled loaders are big business”
adjusted it and the armrests, and popped on my lap belt, it was time to give the machine a bit of a workout. A key is used to initially start up the machine, thereafter, red and green buttons on the right-hand console are used as a quick and easy way to stop and start it.
This recognises that in many applications for a compact loader, the operator will frequently dismount, typically to assist those working on the ground.
The 75hp compact loader has a two-speed, electronically controlled hydrostatic transmission that provides a maximum road speed of 40kph, although on the demo ground I was only ever going to need first gear.
The bucket position indicator on its cylinder lets you know that it’s level. The L95 displayed plenty of grunt and breakout force as I drove the bucket into the pile of dirt, then curled it back as I powered forward to retain the material. Selecting reverse on the joystick, the feed from the rear camera popped up on the screen, but the view through the large rear window was good and required very little effort.
Below: The huge door provides easy access into the cab and can be locked back, out of harm’s way if required.
Below right: Bobcat’s latest compact wheeled loader is the L95, a 5.4-tonner powered by a 75hp engine, due to go into production anytime now.
Over the course of this workout, I was impressed with the ride quality and the overall stability of the machine. Even with an overflowing bucket of heavy clay at full height, the new Bobcat L95 remained stable. The layout of the controls and the good visibility from the seat contribute to a comfortable and relaxed operating experience.
The L95 is a lively machine, quick, nimble and powerful, at the larger end of the compact wheeled loader scale. I would be quite happy to spend a few shifts on, and couldn’t fault it in any way.
These larger machines follow the conventional wheeled loader layout of cab and engine on the rear part of the articulated chassis, with the loader arms on the front section. It feels more grown up and logical to operate than some of the smaller compact loaders, where the cab is mounted on the front section of the chassis, which is fine, but can take some getting used to.
Assisted by two gas struts, the stylish, rear one-piece bonnet raises up to reveal superb access to all the engine components. This example was shod with the much-applauded Michelin XMCL 400/70R20 tyres, but di erent options are available to suit various applications across many segments of the market.
The loader arms feature twin lifting rams neatly located on the inside frame, together with the single ram for the bucket tipping function that forms part of a classic wheel loader Z-bar linkage. The demo machine sported a larger than standard 1.0cu.m bucket, mounted on Bobcat’s Power Quick-Tach attachment pick-up system. This has been redesigned to simplify and protect the hydraulic connections from any potential damage. It can be used to share Bob-Tach attachments with wheeled and tracked skid-steer loaders.
The standard-flow auxiliary hydraulics are designed to power attachments such as a multi-function bucket, a broom and a sweeper. This example was fitted with high-flow hydraulics with quick-connect couplers mounted on the inside of the nearside loader arms. This provides 100 lit/min at 225 bar to feed oil-hungry attachments such as planers, flail mowers, cutting wheels and snow blowers.
The Tomlinsons bought this 90hp John Deere 6300 new in 1996 to replace a 1983 two-wheel-drive Ford 6610. Originally used for drilling, it now completes all of the business’ baling with a 2019 New Holland BC5070.
“The 115-150hp New Holland and Case IH tractors we run are reliable, economical and easy to maintain”
The Tomlinson brothers farm 200ha of heavy clay land in North Nottinghamshire with a trio of modestly powered six-cylinder Case IH and New Holland tractors free from technological wizardry and touch screen terminals. Farm Machinery Journal travelled to Beckingham to find out more about their fascinating fleet.
WORDS AND IMAGES DAVID LALEY
You’d think farming some of the heaviest clay land close to the River Trent would demand a significant amount of horsepower to make the most of it. However, the Tomlinson brothers, who grow 200ha of oats, barley, wheat and beans at Wood Farm, near Beckingham, are proof that you don’t necessarily require a sledgehammer to crack a nut.
Robert Tomlinson and his older brothers Mike and John currently run a bog-standard 175hp Case IH Puma 150 as their front-line tractor that’s used to complete all of their ploughing and cultivation work alongside a pair of modern classic 132hp and 115hp
New Holland TM125 and M115 tractors.
“We’ve learnt over the years that the heavy land we farm tends to be less forgiving on more advanced higher horsepower models at the top end of manufacturer’s tractor ranges,” says Robert. “Their components are designed to work at faster speeds approaching their maximum tolerances at higher temperatures leading to poorer reliability.
“We prefer to run rugged entry-level models equipped with large-capacity, low-revving, six-cylinder, normally aspirated and turbocharged engines at the lower end of their power scale matched to simpler transmissions and hydraulic systems.
“Although they’re not loaded with the latest creature comforts, the
Above: The Tomlinsons’ 300hp New Holland CX5090 has little trouble harvesting 200ha of oats, barley, wheat and beans each year on their ring-fenced arable unit in North Nottinghamshire.
115-150hp New Holland and Case IH tractors we run are reliable, economical, easy to maintain and provide us with sufficient horsepower to establish our arable crops successfully with a wide range of mounted machinery.”
The Tomlinsons began farming about 80 years ago when Robert’s grandfather John, a coal miner by trade, invested in a smallholding near Mansfield Woodhouse, Nottinghamshire. He then moved his family to a larger farm at West Bretton, near Wakefield, before having the opportunity to purchase Top Farm near Beckingham in 1959, which he ran with his son Fred.
Above: This 132hp New Holland TM125 Classic arrived new at Wood Farm in 2002 to replace a temperamental Track Marshall 155. It’s now clocked 9,000 hours and still carries out its fair share of cultivation work.
Shortly afterwards, the Tomlinsons purchased a 60ha farm near Epworth, North Lincolnshire, that remained in their possession until 1967, when they sold it to fund the purchase of Wood Farm that was situated next door to Top Farm at Beckingham.
“My father Fred wanted my brothers and I to grow up on the same ringfenced farm together, and ensure we could all make a living from the land in the future,” says Robert. “The combined hectarage of Top Farm and Wood Farm has provided us with an immense amount of stability over the years, and we’ve been able adapt our crop rotation and diversify the business successfully without treading on each other’s toes or falling out.”
Fordson and Ford tractors were the preferred choice at Wood Farm during the 1960s and 70s, with the vast majority of them coming from local dealer Harris of Epworth.
“The first tractor I can recall operating was a late 1950s Fordson Dexta that we still use on the farm for spreading slug pellets,” says Robert. “During the 1970s we also ran a trio of 67hp Ford 5000s before they were replaced with a pair of more modern 78hp Ford 6600s equipped with Q cabs.
Below right inset: Robert Tomlinson enjoys maintaining and operating the simple rugged tractors and equipment he runs with his older brothers Mike and John on their 200ha
“In 1983 we bought a new Ford 6610 followed by our first larger six-cylinder tractor, a two-wheel-drive 95hp International 955XL supplied by Platts’ Doncaster depot. This tractor remained on our farm for 18 months before it was swapped for a similar 956XL that we still own and use for hedge cutting.”
Below: This basic-specification
Case IH Puma 150 arrived at Wood Farm new in 2018. Its main roles are ploughing, power harrowing and pulling a 2.5m Watkins Tri-Till one-pass cultivator.
During this time, Wood Farm was home to a suckler herd and the Tomlinsons also diversified successfully into road haulage, purchasing their first lorry, a Leyland Clydesdale, in 1980. The cattle were sold off in 1985 as their transport business, known as JF Tomlinson & Co,
continued to expand. Robert and his brothers currently run three DAF, Iveco, and Scania rigid and articulated lorries that carry out bulk haulage work within the agricultural sector.
In 1986, the Tomlinsons purchased their first six-cylinder, four-wheeldrive tractor, a 110hp Massey Ferguson 2640, to complete all their subsoiling and ploughing. This was joined in the mid-1990s by a much rarer 112hp articulated Massey Ferguson 1250 that remained on their farm until 2018, when it was traded in against a new Case IH Puma 150.
“The 1250 was a lovely tractor, but we only really used it for two years before retiring it to our collection of classic tractors because we were concerned our heavy land might cause a serious component failure to an incredibly rare and desirable tractor,” says Robert.
In 1996 the Tomlinsons ageing two-wheel-drive 1983 Ford 6610 was replaced with a 90hp four-wheel-drive John Deere 6300 supplied new by RBM-Agriculture at Clarborough. The 6300 completed all of the Tomlinsons drilling with a trailed Massey
Right: John Tomlinson says the 1999 New Holland M115 he operates is ideally suited to the 4m KRM Sola 799 tine drill they acquired in 2010. arable farm in Nottinghamshire.Ferguson 30 until 2010, when they invested in a much heavier and wider 4m KRM Sola drill.
Nowadays, the 12,000-hour 6300 carries out all of the family’s spraying and also powers a 2019 New Holland BC5070 baler each summer to produce several thousand small square haylage and straw bales for customers throughout England and Wales.
The Tomlinsons also briefly operated a reconditioned Track Marshall 155 yoked to a six-furrow Dowdeswell DP1 plough that suffered from a litany of driveline problems and was swiftly disposed of in favour of a 2002 New Holland TM125 Classic equipped with a 132hp 7.5-litre six-cylinder turbocharged PowerStar engine.
“We purchased the TM125 Classic new from Platts-Harris and it’s been one of the most impressive pulling tractors we’ve ever ran,” says Robert. “The 7.5-litre PowerStar engine provides you with an enormous amount of torque backup when operating PTO-driven implements, while its closed-centre hydraulic system and 6.8t capacity rear linkage is ideally suited to most of the heavier mounted cultivation kit we run.
“We originally used the tractor with a four-furrow Lemken reversible plough and a 3.5m Maschio power harrow, before we bought a wider 4m Kuhn HR last year to run behind our more powerful Case IH Puma 150 CV. It has now clocked 9,000 hours and still completes its fair share of primary cultivation work, discing, subsoiling and corn carting.”
Following the business’ decision to invest in a new 4m wide KRM Sola tine drill in 2010, the Tomlinsons required an additional longwheelbase six-cylinder tractor to lift and pull it. They found just what they were looking for in the shape of a 1999 115hp New Holland M115 in the yard of former Fiatagri dealer Lyons of Gainsborough, where the drill was also sourced.
“It was originally a terracottaliveried tractor, but the dealer had struggled to sell the tractor so he decided to replace and repaint all of its panel’s blue in a bid to make it more appealing to potential customers and increase its resale value,” says Robert. “It still has the original brown interior, and I recently acquired a terracotta bonnet so I can return it to its original livery one day.”
The 9,000-hour M115 is powered by a normally aspirated 7.5-litre PowerStar engine that’s matched to New Holland’s 40kph 18F/6R Range Command partial powershift transmission.
“Its rugged hydraulics and long wheelbase make it the ideal tractor for lifting and pulling the KRM drill across either cultivated or ploughed and power harrowed seedbeds, while the Range Command transmission is very smooth,” says John Tomlinson.
In 2018, the Tomlinsons’ modern classic New Holland tractors were joined by a new Case IH Puma 150 purchased from local dealer Farmstar near Doncaster. The Puma became their frontline ploughing, powerharrowing, and primary cultivations tractor and is equipped with an almost identical 18F/6R transmission that’s fitted to the older M115.
The Puma 150 is powered by a 6.7-litre six-cylinder turbocharged FPT NEF engine that produces 150hp as standard and boosts up to 175hp at just 2,200rpm when required. The Puma’s Category 3 rear linkage is capable of lifting an impressive 8.3t and features three mechanical remote valves.
“It’s a very basic tractor inside and
out, but does everything we require of it reliably and efficiently,” says Robert.
“There are very few electronic systems that can malfunction on the tractor, nor are there any unnecessary and complicated screens or terminals to get confused by.
“It’s a brilliant ploughing tractor and handles our five-furrow Lemken reversible plough with ease and is also ideally suited to operating our new heavy-duty 4m Kuhn that arrived in spring 2023. It’s also the only tractor we own capable of maximising the capability of our 2.5m Watkins Tri-Till one-pass stubble cultivator on our heavy land.”
All three of Robert, Mike and John’s frontline tractors are fitted with standard-size wheels and tyres so they can all be used to plough in-furrow when necessary. In order to spread their weight over a wider
Above and above inset: Despite being repainted blue during its lifetime and fitted with a blue seat the M115’s original brown interior trim remains intact.
Right: The Tomlinsons five-straw-walker New Holland CX5090 combine is powered by a 6.7-lit six-cylinder turbocharged FPT NEF engine matched to a three-speed hydrostatic transmission. It also comes equipped with an 8300-lit grain tank and a 6m header.
Left inset: This 1999 New Holland M115 had its original terracotta livery changed to blue by dealer Lyons of Gainsborough, hoping to make it more appealing to potential customers. Robert hopes to return it to its original colour scheme.
surface area, they’re equipped with dual wheels when cultivating, power harrowing and drilling during the autumn and spring.
“Aside from 4ha we own in Beckingham, all of our land is ring-fenced between Wood and Top Farm, so there’s no issue with keeping our frontline tractors on dual wheels
“Dual wheels are fitted to the tractors for cultivating, power harrowing and drilling”
The Tomlinsons replaced an old, trailed Massey Ferguson 30 drill in 2010 with this new KRM Sola 799 tine drill from dealer Lyons of Gainsborough, which also supplied the family with the second-hand New Holland M115 that lifts and pulls it.
JF Tomlinson & Co
Location Beckingham, Nottinghamshire
Cropping 200ha oats, wheat, barley and spring beans
Frontline Fleet
● 2018 Case IH Puma 150 CV
● 2014 New Holland CX5090
● 2012 Manitou MLT627 Turbo
● 2002 New Holland TM125
● 1999 New Holland M115
● 1996 John Deere 6300
when they’re busy cultivating and drilling,” adds Robert.
Harvesting is currently carried out by a 300hp five-straw-walker New Holland CX5090 combine equipped with a 6m header and 8,300-litre grain tank that was bought new in 2014 from Platts Harris’ Tuxford depot.
“We bought it to replace an ageing 190hp New Holland TX62 equipped with a 5.2m header,” says Robert. “It was the first new combine we’d bought since my parents purchased a Ransomes Crusader in 1971.
“From the late 1970s, we began running second-hand New Holland combines, starting with a 105hp 1530 before this was swapped for a more modern 116hp 8060 in 1983. We then ran a 155hp New Holland TX32 equipped with a 4.5m header prior to the TX62 arriving in the early 2000s.
“Our CX5090 is significantly more comfortable to operate compared to the TX62 thanks to its larger Discovery
III cab that’s well laid out and provides you excellent visibility.”
Materials handling at Wood Farm is carried out by a Manitou 627 Turbo telehandler bought new in 2012 to replace an old Manitou rough terrain forklift that remains in the fleet today.
The 627 is powered by a 100hp four-cylinder turbocharged Perkins 1104C matched to a bulletproof four-speed torque converter transmission.
“Like all of the equipment we run, the Manitou isn’t the most advanced or sophisticated telehandler, but it does everything we ask of it on daily basis reliably and economically and, like all three of our frontline tractors, it’s simple to maintain and operate.”
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Thanks to Robert, Mike and John Tomlinson for their time and assistance with this feature.
Above: The M115’s front linkage is equipped with 450kg of weights to help keep its nose on the ground when lifting the fully loaded KRM Sola drill. Above: John Tomlinson is pictured applying fertiliser in spring 2023 with the M115 and an Amazone ZA-M 1001 twin-disc spreader.
LAMMA 2024 didn’t disappoint, with the return of big names and lots of new equipment on show. Visitors flooded the halls on both days, keeping exhibitors reassuringly busy
WORDS AND IMAGES KEN TOPHAM AND MICK ROBERTS
After a few of the big manufacturers took a LAMMA break, it was great to see some more of these brands back at the show. CNH made a splash, bringing the new CR11 combine. JCB also populated a good area with kit. There were more than 40,000 visitors over the two days, and the halls were busy.
After Agritechnica, the worry of slim pickings of new machinery to look at were quickly subdued. There were lots of new machines and innovations. UK and global companies made the show great, putting plenty of effort in to engage with visitors and press alike.
We can’t not mention the big-bang items. Massey Ferguson and Valtra brought their new flagship tractors to LAMMA, the first UK showing of these AGCO machines. Fendt didn’t bring a 600 series over, but instead wrapped a Gen 7 720 in gold, to celebrate 50 years of Fendt in the UK.
The vibe around the halls was very positive, with busy stands
throughout the two days. After a bit of post-Covid lull, LAMMA seems to be back, bigger than ever. We’ve tried to show a balanced range of equipment, there were new offerings to satisfy almost every size and type of UK farm.
Back with a bang, JCB previewed a new high-reach loader, the 542-100. It’s ideal as a straw contractor’s machine, with 9.8m of reach and 4.2t of lift. The new loader will be offered in the familiar specs: AgriSuper with 130hp; AgriXrta at 150hp; and AgriPro with 170hp and a 50kph option.
Not just a bulked-out existing loader, the
new machine has a redesigned chassis and is fitted with wider axles to improve stability. The new loader can be fitted with air brakes, a pebble guard on the top of the roof and a windscreen guard. A weighing system is also optional, connected to LiveLink to document the day’s work. JCB also had its new bale grab fitted to the 542-100. This features an integrated side-shift of 100mm.
The latest model from Polaris is the XP Kinetic, an electric side-by-side that may appeal to operations where the vehicle is used in a business where short work periods are the norm and it returns to
base often so it can be plugged-in ready for the next job.
Built on the same chassis as its fuel-based stable mates, the Kinetic can carry 567kg in the rear box, and tow 1,134kg. There are three user-selectable drive modes: Eco+, Standard and Sport. Batteries come in 14.9 and 29.8 kW options.
The model is an addition to the rest of the range as Polaris understands that diesel or petrol engines still offer the most practical solution for many farming businesses.
Last autumn, Case IH launched the Quadtrac 715. The uprated model received a larger engine and is now fitted with the Cursor 16 power unit. The rest of the tractor has been uprated to cope with the increased output. The drive wheels are larger so that six drive lugs are engaged. The undercarriage is longer and the idlers are now bolt-on modular units.
The transmission has upgraded to take more power, as has the three-point hitch, which no longer derates the engine if in use. The fuel tank and AdBlue storage have also seen increased capacities; the DOC pack has been reduced in size.
As well as the obvious aesthetic change, there are improvements throughout the Quadtrac including lighting rails on the side of the cab.
Moore has updated its Unidrill, which is now available with a 50/50 split tank. There are individual metering units enabling users to sow seed and fertiliser, or two seed varieties for herbal grass lays for example.
The two tanks feed the same coulter, and the drill metering can be through a land wheel, a GPS control unit or via ISObus utilising the tractor GPS. Consolidation options are a Gutler Roller, flat roll or tyre packer.
If desired, a small seed unit can be added that can
also apply slug pellets if needed. The new drill is equipped with a generous loading platform for accessing the new hopper arrangement.
Extending its range of four-rotor rakes, Krone showed the new Swardrow 1570, which is its largest model with 15 tine arms/rotor. Working width is from 11-15.7m. The new rake is configured more like the larger TC2000 unit, with the front arms that unfold in a vee format and with a large guide wheel.
There are four rows of tines on the front rotors and five on the rear, and it can leave a swath from 1.4-2.9m wide. Control is via ISObus, either tractor terminal or standalone screen. A joystick can be used to control the rake. It’s sure to be a hit with contractors who run larger foragers, but don’t want a six-rotor rake.
Slurrykat had its new 18m Duo Premium Plus dribble bar on show. The unit can be used on a tractor as a three-point linkage-mounted unit, or mounted onto a capable tanker. The latest addition to the range has a 18m working width, and it will soon be joined by a 24m option.
Duo Premium Plus 18m dribble bars fold vertically, and the wings are completely hydraulically folding. Each
batteries under the boom and keep any maintenance points under the bonnet. Manitou claims four hours of constant use, which may well suit a business where daily chores in a noise or emission-sensitive area can be carried out within that time.
Joining its high-output triple mower gang, SIP showed off its 10m unit that will work in conjunction with an existing 3m front mower. The rear units are built around a 3.5m fully welded bed.
Spread-a-Bale
The conditioner has adjustments on both the leading edge and the rearmost part of the hood to configure it for the desired treatment of the grass.
UK and global companies made the show great, putting plenty of effort in to engage with visitors
The mowers are ISObus controlled, with speed monitoring and down pressure adjustment through the screen. Groupers can be added, and these can be removed easily when not needed and are speed adjustable. The rear mower units are hydraulically telescopic, and work lights are fitted.
wing is fed by its own SlurryKat macerator, while a stone and debris trap is also built into the Duo. The units are flow-meter ready, and maintain the same build concepts as Slurrykat’s smaller applicators.
Bringing its all electric offering to Lamma, Manitou previewed the compact MT 625e. Coming in at 1.8m wide and 1.9m high, it will fit those traditional small access holdings. The lithium-ion batteries can be charged from almost any outlet – from three phase to 240v outlets, or an EV outlet – because the loader has a built-in charger.
The loader has a new design to accommodate the
A new machine to fill the boots of the P32.6 and a compact machine that fits in the 2m x 2m access class, the new 30.7 is built using Merlo’s latest modular construction and has the same cabin as the larger machines.
Featuring a 100hp engine and 24in wheels, it has the same control features as the larger family of Merlo loaders.
With a 3t lift capacity and a maximum lift height of 6.7m, the new loader has a transport speed of 40kph from its new high-torque hydrostatic transmission. There’s also 95 lit/min of hydraulic flow to ensure the Merlo has enough oil to carry out multiple functions.
Spread-a-Bale launched a new option to its M range of straw-spreading machines at LAMMA 2024. Called the ST (Side Throw), the header avails side discharge of straw either to the left, right, as well as forward, and can be fitted to any Spread-a-Bale model – Micro, Mini, Midi or Maxi – mounted on narrow front-end materials handler models up to 2m wide.
Extending the range, the side throw is suited to those who have narrow passages or restricted access. The direction can be changed via a valve, and sliding the hood in the desired direction. The ST received the Gold LAMMA Livestock Innovation Award 2024.
He-Va showed off its new pasture regenerator, a 6m machine with a front row of shatter boards, followed by three rows of 12mm tines. The seeder is a Stocks Turbo Jet unit that feeds 16 outlets equipped with spread plates.
A new cab heads the list of changes to the new McConnel Agribuggy V300.
The shatter board element is manually adjustable, and the tine pitch can be adjusted hydraulically, enabling on-the-fly changes to the aggressiveness of the three rows.
The hydraulic folding frame is engineered to enable a 6m roller to be towed behind for a one-pass solution. The frame is designed for working on established pasture or on broken ground.
The revamped Zelon 290 has a 28cu.m capacity and is aimed at farmers rather than contractors. Making its UK debut, it has seen significant upgrades, with a 1.8m pick-up feeding a 37-knife Exact Cut bank delivering a theoretical 39mm chop.
In sizes from 24-35cu.m, the Zelon range features much of the same design that’s seen in contractor-level wagons, from the camless pickup to the CFS roller.
The control interface can be either a stand-alone Strautmann control box or an ISObus tractor terminal, bringing the machine up to current customer demands, and expected connectivity capability.
Bednar refreshed its line up in autumn 2023 and one of the machines to be upgraded was the Directo no-till drill. Running a 60/40 split pressurised tank it offers accurate applications at higher rates. The coulters are spaced at 16.7cm and can exert 250kg of downward pressure.
The latest Bednar Easy Control software allows for smooth ISObus control, either through a standalone screen or tractor terminals.
An Alpha seeding unit can also be added for small granules or seed, allowing the Directo to plant up to three different types of seed or fertiliser.
For the owners of tractors with the Fendt One system (500 Series and bigger), there was an interesting steering system on show. Fendt has come up with a retro-fit joystick for those carrying out high-frequency shunting manoeuvres and is ideal for loaders or clamping.
The joystick comes with an armrest and can be tailored to driver preference. With forced feedback, the driver should get a feel for what’s going on under them. The stick matches the wheel position, and stays where you leave it.
The stick also features buttons for engaging automatic steering, so those with multi-shunt headland manoeuvres may also be attracted to the system.
Joining the 2m x 2m club at Lamma, Kubota brought its latest offering to the show. New to the UK market, the compact telescopic is actually 1.6m wide, and can lift to 4.5m with a rating of 1.5t. The engine is an EU Stage V emissions-compliant Kubota D1803 three-cylinder.
The driveline, while equipped with Carraro axles connected by mechanical driveshafts, is hydrostatic. A Bosch Rexroth hydraulic motor delivers propulsion in two speed ranges – 0-7kph and 0-25kph.
Though the base machine will remain the same, there will be four offerings in the range, from a lightweight version, with a slightly lower lift capacity, to the high-spec cabbed version on show.
With the first showing of its latest baler, McHale has widened its range again to offer plastic-on-plastic binding in a variable-chamber baler. Bale sizes are 0.6-1.68m in dry crop that isn’t being wrapped, or 1-1.45m when wrapping.
The model is intended to appeal to customers who bale larger areas of
dry crop as well as wanting a baler to offer plastic-on-plastic for green crop.
The belt baler features the familiar 2.1m pick-up along with a drop floor and 15-knife chopper unit. It can be controlled via a McHale screen or ISObus-enabled tractor terminal. The vertical wrapper unit remains the same as on the rest of the Fusion line.
Ever popular in Continental Europe, bucket grabs seem to be gaining popularity in the UK, particularly with livestock farmers who need to load concentrates into a feeder as well as handle fodder.
The new bucket is stronger and larger, and comes in four widths from 2-2.6m, the largest weighing in at 694kg. There is a range of accessories available to tailor to individual needs. Bolt-in sides close it into a bucket with a reversible and replaceable blade.
The grab can also be specified with a bolt-on toothed plate, or used open like a traditional muck grab.
Malone expanded its grassland equipment offering with two new large trailed tedders. The 846T and 1128T are sixand eight-rotor machines respectively. Both are trailed with seven tine arms/ rotor. Aimed at large farms and contractors, the models feature the hooked tine designed for green forage crops.
The new models have a modest 80hp tractor requirement, but needs two double-acting SCVs. The gearboxes are maintenance-free, liquid grease units, and easy height adjustment can be carried out on the three settings on the rotor wheels.
The Bogballe mounted fertiliser spreaders sold by KRM in the UK have seen significant updates. The implementation of ISObus is the big news, but there are also improvements to the spreading system.
There’s now left and right border control, which can be switched on the fly, fitted to units with 28m spread and above. Retaining the double overlap spread pattern, the latest machines use an adjustable drop point to control borders and sections.
The section control is effectively infinitely variable and can be controlled with a standalone screen like the Tee-Jet unit shown, or a tractor terminal.
A new cab heads the list of changes to the new McConnel Agribuggy V300. Sticking to its low-ground-pressure roots, the 3,000-litre capacity machine weighs less than 10t.
A new, Cat IV cab features a sloping front screen design. This spacious workplace houses an air-suspended seat with floating console as well as buddy seat. Control is via an 8in Teejet Matrix 908 computer and Teejet sprayer control terminal.
A Pommier aluminium 12/24 boom is standard, and the sprayer pack remains largely unchanged. Power is delivered by a 148hp Cummins engine. The driveline is now hydrostatic to axles that can be equipped with up to 600/60R28 tyres.
Four new models in the Knight Farm Machinery 24 Series are built on a compact chassis. All feature the Maximizer Pro circulation system, updated cab and axle suspension, and the ability to fit 600/70R30 tyres. The range offers the same tank capacities of 3,5006,000 litres and a range of booms up to 40m wide. Perkins engines deliver power from 175-300hp, depending on model.
The Maximizer Pro system took the Gold 2024 LAMMA Arable Innovation Award and was the competition’s overall Gold Award winner. Judges praised how the design further reduces pipework by 21%, helping reduce retained volume and improving sprayer hygiene and rinsing time.
Electronic updates include new boom height control software that improves response and accuracy. There’s also enhanced reactivity for the Active Hillside Stability system.
A new ePlumbing RinsePro system with its dedicated clean water pump heads the list of updates introduced by Chafer Machinery for its Sentry range of trailed sprayers.
The additional 120 lit/min diaphragm pump handles just clean water, filling both the main and rinse tank as well as being used to prime the main, 3in centrifugal pump. It also reduces the chance of any contamination of the auto-rinsing system.
Air tank capacity rises from 90 to 120 litres, which helps improve the performance of the air purge on wider booms as well as the central tyre inflation system (CTIS). All Sentry axles now come ready-drilled for CTIS.
Chafer now offers the latest Hypro ProStop E twin-line nozzle holders that have four nozzles that are able to operate in pairs. This allows them to maintain the correct droplet size as speeds change by switching between the two or using both at the same time.
Equipped with 156 closely spaced nozzles and an on-board weed detection system, the Swiss-built Ecorobotix ARA sprayer provides ultra-precise plant by plant treatments.
It can work in a wide range of vegetables and salad crops, large-leaf plants such as sugar beet and rape, as well as spot broadleaf weeds in grassland. It works in a range of modes such as: applying selective herbicides close to crops; applying non-selective products while avoiding the crop; insecticides and fungicides to just the crop; or to cover everything apart from the crop.
It costs from £100,000 plus an annual software licence,
but the firm says this can be recouped in two to four years from savings in chemicals, extra yield and better quality.
An additional wheel and new spot spray option increase the versatility of the distinctive solar-powered FarmDroid that’s designed to carry out autonomous seeding and weeding. With pairs of wheels running in the same track, the machine can now straddle crop rows and plant into flat seedbeds. It can then return to weed between the seedlings without running on the crop.
Autonomous operation, with RTK guidance, means it can return to the same wheelings with 5mm accuracy. This precision also enables it to record exactly where it plants the seed, which means the knife shares hit the weeds not the crop.
A new spot-spraying option sees a single solenoid-operated nozzle mounted on the coulter assembly. Like the weeder, this uses the map to differentiate the crop from the weeds, and can be used in spot or band spraying mode.
Give your spring cropping the
DIRECT DRILLS from 3m - 6m for grass and arable
Ultra low disturbance
SIMTECH T-Slot technology for quick seed germination
Well-built, reliable and cost-effective
Minimal moving/wearing parts
Suitable for very hard ground
Proven SULKY metering system
Front & rear mounted hoppers available
Tillso tine technology
Minimal surface disturbance
Better root establishment
3m up to 6m
Mounted or trailed
Extra ad-ons available
Following the winter’s horri cally wet weather, a large area of grassland will have been severely poached, waterlogged and even completely under water, putting it at risk of a dramatic loss of production for the coming season. With many farms considering spring reseeds, overseeding is one option to establish new leys or rejuvenate old ones
WORDS TOM LAIGHT IMAGES MANUFACTURERSIn FMJ’s 2023 contractor handbook, the cost of ploughing light land is £72.85/ha, while power harrowing is £64.82/ha. In contrast, the contract price for direct drilling grass comes in at £63.53/ha, while drilling with a harrow is £47.86. These figures suggest significant cost savings compared to traditional methods when establishing new leys.
It’s not only cost and time savings, overseeding can bring many other benefits. It’s seen as an environmentally sensible way to drill. As one manufacturer suggests, soil ecosystems are preserved with a reduction of soil movement. The organic matter is kept in the top part of the soil and as it decays it helps to feed the next crop.
The seed is also planted into an already firm seedbed and with minimal soil disturbance moisture is retained too. Another advantage is, as in an arable situation, dormant weed seeds aren’t brought to the surface by cultivations where they
would germinate and compete with the new ley.
Overseeding machines are versatile bits of kit and are equally as suited to working in conventional tillage situations as well as direct. Manufacturers are also finding renewed interest in the technique because of new stewardship schemes and the Sustainable Farming Incentive that offers payments to introduce new species into grass leys.
Overseeding takes two basic forms, slot seeding and broadcasting. Here, we take a look at some of the systems different manufacturers use for overseeding leys.
Well known in the groundscare and golf course sectors, Dutch manufacturer Vredo also offer an agricultural spec version of its overseeder, the DZ5. Distributed in the UK by Campey Turf Care Systems, its unique feature is the company’s proven double-disc system. Vredo’s philosophy is that the seeding is only successful if the seed is directly sown into the soil. Discs are mounted in pairs that create a V-shaped slit in the sward whatever the conditions. Coulters are individually sprung and are spaced 75mm apart. They can plant seeds up to 35mm deep and work through cover crops up to 150mm high.
A pioneer of direct drilling is the Moore Unidrill. Available as a grass version, this machines can be mounted or trailed. Featuring 90mm narrow row spacing makes the crop competitive against weeds, which as the company says is becoming more important due to herbicide resistance. It features the original Moore tungsten tipped coulter that’s infinitely adjustable, meaning it can be adjusted as the disc wears. Coulter pressure is altered by adjusting the hydraulic rear packer.
Newly emerged grass established using a Moore Unidrill.
Fitted with 32 coulters as standard, the 3m Weaving Fenix drill can also be specified with 24 coulters as an option. The 405mm boron discs have a pressure of 95kg. The seed coulter is angled at five degrees to the disc. The two rows of discs are mounted in opposite directions.
Dales Agri Sales Agency distribute the Erth Agriseeder. Fitted with 410mm serrated discs, these are mounted in opposing pairs. The disc is angled both vertically and front to back and creates a small amount of tilth into which a 1cm band of seed is placed by a tungsten tipped coulter. This is set higher than the bottom of the disc so that small seeds such as clover aren’t planted too deep.
The coulters are mounted in three sets of eight on the frame, with each section having its own hydraulic ram for depth control. This setup is also key to the companies
Auto Contour system. Each of the three rams are linked together so that if one section encounters a ridge, the other two sections have more pressure applied as it travels over it ensuring an even drilling depth.
Creating a slot in the shape of an upturned T is a key feature of the T-Sem Grass (TSG) drill from Fentech. Developed over many years based on an original concept from New Zealand. A T-shaped coulter cuts through the sward effectively creating a small greenhouse into which the seed is placed. The wings of the coulter also trim the root structure of the existing sward as it cuts through, reducing competition for the new plant. The slot is left firm but with tilth created. Mounted on the end of a spring tine, this system offers two advantages: it allows the coulter to flex away from obstacles, as well as creating an element of tilth as it vibrates in the ground. The slot is left slightly open allowing light to penetrate. A leading disc cuts through the sward allowing the coulter to pass through preventing clods from being brought to the surface.
Part drill and part harrow is the unique Güttler Tine Seed distributed by Wox Agriservices. Based on the GreenMaster range, the two rows of 12mm diameter non-stop harrow tines are equipped with seed tubes allowing positive distribution of seed as opposed to simply broadcasting. The tine effectively creates a slot into which the seed is blown. The machine is equipped with 40 tines, mounted in two rows giving 75mm spacing.
The standard Güttler GreenMaster is a five-in-one machine. Up front is a sprung loaded ripper board, made of five sections on a 3m machine. Alternatively, a full width levelling rail can be supplied. This is designed to level molehills and poached ground. This is followed by the HarroFlex harrow consisting of 12mm double spring tines. Both the levelling and harrow elements are fully adjustable.
A simpler way of introducing new seed to pasture is by fitting a seeder to an existing grass harrow. Opico pairs its Hatzenbichler grass harrows with the company’s Air range of broadcasters. The 7mm or 8mm tines of the harrow first open the surface of the sward by removing dead grass and thatch. The tines also then stir the surface of the soil effectively creating a tilth into which the seed is broadcast into. Spread plates are fitted across the width of the machine just in front of the harrow section that carries out the final process of mixing and covering the seed in the soil.
Einböck, whose machines are distributed in the UK by Terrington Machinery, prefers to broadcast the seed from the centre of the harrow sections of its Pneumaticstar harrows. This allows the front harrow sections to do their job before seed is mixed into the equation. These harrows can also be fitted with a front levelling board.
The Erth Agriseeder is fitted with a single row of harrow tines up front that help remove dead thatch ahead of the coulters, as well as creating an element of tilth. A rear row of harrow tines can also be specified to cover any exposed seed or seeds spread by the additional distributors that can be fitted to the rear of the machine.
The simplest way of introducing new seed to a pasture that needs rejuvenating is by fitting a seeder to an existing grass harrow
He-Va’s Grass Rejuvenator, sold by Opico, is similar type of machine but uses the aggressive Shattaboard normally found on the company’s rolls. These boards are fitted with slicing plates that are constructed from sprung steel. They’re designed to break up and level hard soil and can be adjusted hydraulically.
The Prarial, distributed by KRM, is described as a grassland regenerator. It features two rows of spring tine harrows at the rear of the machine. These are preceded by
two rows of toothed spring mounted levelling paddles. The machine is designed to work at speeds of up to 15kph.
The Prarial also features two rows of adjustable springloaded knives that slice the surface as it goes, providing aeration and relieving surface compaction. The spring loading allows the knives to vibrate, aiding its ability to open the surface. The Prarial is fitted with reversible boron knives with the option of non-reversible tungsten blades for use in abrasive soils.
Featuring a rear three-point linkage, the 3m Wox AerMaster aerator can be used in combination with the Güttler GreenMaster to allow one-pass pasture renovation. Mounted on C springs that provide stone protection. the spikes work down to a depth of 200mm, and their pitch can be altered in 2.5-degree increments to alter the lifting/ cultivation effect.
Relieving surface compaction and allowing water percolation, as well as improved root development, is a benefit of using the Browns Renovator that combines both the company’s aerator, grass harrows and is fitted with a Stocks seeder. Comprising of Boron steel blades mounted in a spiral formation around the shaft. These tines can work to a depth of 205mm.
For its Renovator machine, Browns has teamed up with Stocks for its seeding unit, fitting the spinning disc Fan Jet Pro 65 and 130 models as a lower-cost option on the smaller 2.4m and 3m machines. The larger machines come equipped with the pneumatic Turbojet.
The narrower TSG drills use a gravity fed metering mechanism with a full width hopper. Vredo also use a similar system on its narrower drill. Providing the option on pneumatic distribution.
The Moore drill now has a split hopper option that allows two crops to be sown at the same time down the same slot. This system is said to be ideal for companion cropping. Another novel feature from Moore is the option to buy just the base unit frame, coulters and press, and the customer can fit their own hopper. Ordinarily, an Accord hopper is used.
Weaving has opted to use GPS-controlled electronic metering in the form of RDS Artemis Lite controls as standard on its Fenix drill. This also allows tramlining capabilities.
Erth also use a landwheel driven Accord metering mechanism but prefers to fit its own 400-litre plastic hopper with a 1,200-litre version as an option. The distribution head is external from the hopper and has a clear cover allowing the operator to see what’s going on. An additional hopper can also be specified allowing a second crop to be drilled, or alternatively broadcast at the rear of the machine. This could also be used for slug pellets. Fan drive is hydraulic.
Hydraulic fan drive is standard on the Güttler GreenMaster, with PTO and electric drive options. The
seed distributors blow seed ahead of the roller, allowing it to be gently pressed into the tilth created by the previous elements.
The addition of a rear roller or press aids the closing of the slot
Synonymous with cast-iron self-cleaning Prisma rollers, Güttler offers two size options of its press on the GreenMaster machines. The Matador uses 450mm and 500mm rings with 330mm and 380mm rings used on the Mediana version. Another unique feature is the fitment of the seed hopper and above the roller unit. This unit is attached to the front element of the GreenMaster by a three-point linkage and can be unhitched and attached to other pieces of equipment such as a power harrow for one-pass cultivating and seeding. It can also be mounted on the front linkage as a press!
The addition of a rear roller or press aids the closing of the slot in terms of the drills and acts as a depth controller. Its other function is to press any stray seeds into the ground that don’t make it into the drill slot. This is the principle behind the roller on Erth’s drill that uses a full width flat roller. An Otico FarmFlex roller is an option.
Vredo will also supply a flat roller with its overseeder but offers a packer ring roller. This allows the cast rings 50mm of vertical play and is suited to undulating ground. The toothed rollers also aid tillering of the good grass species while also crimping weeds.
An interesting yet effective design is dragging chains behind the drill. A feature of the TSG drill, these gently pull loose soil over the slot.
Unusually for a harrow-based seeder, the Einböck machine can be specified with a rear press unit.
• 3,200 and 4,100 litre tank options and 18 to 38 metre boom widths
• EQUILIBRA boom suspension system
• Precision spray system with smart nozzle technology
• Ensures accurate application over a range of operating speeds simply by setting droplet size and dose
ISObus is now pretty much standard for mounted sprayers
We take a look at some of the smaller, but no less capable, mounted sprayers that are competing with self-propelled and trailed models for market share
For smaller acreage farmers, mounted sprayers can offer a cost-effective spraying solution. Increases in tank capacity and the opportunity to use a front-tank mean these outfits can provide a spraying capacity to rival smaller self-propelled units at a fraction of the cost. Mounted sprayers can also offer advantageous in tricky conditions compared to a trailed sprayer as the weight is carried across the field rather than dragged. An advantage to self-propelled models is that the tractor can be used for other jobs throughout the year.
Traditionally the booms on wider sprayers folded in a gullwing formation and tucked either side of the tractor cab. However, modern tractors with their much larger cabs
Tank size 1,680 lit
Amazone UF1602
Booms 12-30m, rear-folding
Pump 150 lit/min, 250 lit/ min, 300 lit/min, hydraulic pump drive option
Controls ISObus, Amapilot, Amaspray
have necessitated the development of rear folding booms.
These clever bits of engineering allow booms of up to 30m to concertina up to the rear of the sprayer.
Manufacturers have also put a lot of thought into keeping the sprayer close-coupled to help with weight distribution and balance. Technology continues to evolve apace, as with most pieces of kit, with
many of the developments being necessary to meet increasing legislation. ISObus is now pretty much standard and most manufacturers offer some sort of automatic section control. Interestingly, one manufacturer has recently bucked the trend for these technologypacked sprayers and started importing more basic machines that come with a lower price tag.
Our round-up takes a look at some of the larger mounted sprayers currently on the market.
The UF02 range has a wide range of tank size options as well as boom widths. Starting with 1,000-litre machines, stretching up to 2,000 litres. A broad range of boom widths from 12m right through to 30m are also available. Two new features include hydraulic pump drive
TECHSPECS
Bargam Super
BDU Plus
Tank size 1,600 lit
Boom ,20-30m, rear-folding
Pump 6-cylinder, 250 lit/min
Controls Electrohydraulic switching, Arag Bravo 180s and 400s terminal
for the largest two models, the 1602 and 2002, in lieu of PTO drive. This is integrated into the load-sensing system of the sprayer and runs in conjunction with the Comfort-Pack controlled through the ISObus screen. Benefits are said to include constant pump speed regardless of tractor engine revs and ease of use. The pump can be turned on and off easily through the TwinTerminal 3.0 when filling. Hydraulic drive also makes attachment to the tractor simpler and safer. Another new feature for the larger two sprayers is ContourControl. Available for boom widths more than 27m, this fully automatic system allows the boom to maintain a constant height above the target even at high speeds. For reduced drift work, the option of AmaSwitch and quad-nozzle bodies provides a nozzle spacing of just 250mm. Working in conjunction with ContourControl, close working is now
Knight has teamed up with Beyne to offer a low-cost sprayer
possible, dramatically reducing the risk of drift.
TECHSPECS
Hardi Mega 1800
Tank size 1,800 lit
Boom 15-18m PRO, 20-28m VPZ rear-fold
Pump 280 lit/min
Controls ISObus, HC9600, HC8600, HC7500
Mearse Agriculture supplies the Bargam range of sprayers in the UK. The Super BDU Plus is a heavy-duty range featuring rearfolding booms of between 20-30m. Stainless steel spray lines are standard fitment along with triple nozzles. A hydraulic accumulator provides boom suspension. Tank capacities are 1,300-1,600 litres and are designed to completely empty. An A-frame makes hitching/unhitching easy. Full electric controls come as standard. Other electronic options on this sprayer come courtesy of Arag, with the Bravo 180s and 400s terminals both optional. The latter provides GPS section control. The auto boom height and level are also thanks to Arag, which also supplies the tank level indicator. A novel yet simple feature is pallet tine
TECHSPECS
Berthoud
Hermes 2 Dark
Tank size 2,000 lit
Boom 20-24m, ALSR rear-folding
Pump EcoMatic 260, Gama 130 lit/min
Controls DPAE ECTronic, ISObus
sockets for moving the sprayer around the yard.
The Hermes 2 Dark models from Berthoud slot in between the Hermes Blue range and the monster Heracles machines. Two tank sizes are available, 1,600 and 2,000 litres, and these machines are fitted with the company’s new ALSR rear-folding booms with widths ranging from 20-24m. The clever design of these machines provides optimal tank capacity while maximising weight transfer to the tractor. Control comes via a DPAE ECTronic control console or through the host tractor’s ISObus terminal using the VT Tronic system. This features the new EcoMatic system as standard to improve operator useability.
Featuring four tank sizes, the Mega sprayers are the largest mounted models from Hardi. Specifying the VPZ rear-folding booms offers widths of 20-28m with the larger widths still offering compact transport dimensions. A unique feature for the Mega range is the AirRide suspension. Permanently active, the air cushions are attached to the lower link arms to provide damping. An anti-yaw device is standard on both the Pro and the VPZ booms. Another feature unique to the Mega range is the SmartCom digital platform. This system not only gives the sprayer ISObus capability, but it also runs with the Dynamic Fluid 4 system. A key advantage of SmartCom is reduced downtime as it allows service engineers to detect faults quickly. Dynamic Fluid 4 allows for faster spraying speeds. A total of four sensors measure pump RPM, flow, pressure and regulator valve position, using these measurements to maintain correct application rates. A choice of ISObus terminals is
available, all compatible with the Hardi Grip control joystick. The entry-level screen is the HC7500, while the HC8600 and HC9600 terminals benefit from touchscreen controls. These also allow data transfer via WiFi. All screens can operate the sprayer’s auto height and section control.
TECHSPECS
Knight Beyne
Gecko RF
Tank size 1800 litres
Boom 18-28m, rear-fold
Pump 165, 196 or 225 lit/min
Controls Muller S-Box
Complementing its British-built range of mounted sprayers, Knight has teamed up with Belgian manufacturer Beyne after identifying a need for a lower-cost sprayer. Its new offering of Red Line sprayers is aimed at those users who are running older, smaller machines that are reaching the end of their lives. The top two models in the new range are the Gecko PLK and Gecko RF. The range-topper has an 1,800-litre tank and their hydraulic rear-folding booms span 18-28m. These feature fully automatic boom height control. Other standard equipment includes boom suspension and individual electronic boom section switching. The RF is available with a choice of controllers or can be operated through the tractor ISObus terminal. It is also GPS compatible. The RF also benefits from Knight’s Maximiser boom circulation.
electrohydraulic, Comfort terminal, Touch 800 or 1200 terminals
individual shut-off, and Electronic Continuous Circulation ensures instant nozzle priming and consistent pressure. Three boom levelling options, H-Matic, Boom Assist Slant and Boom Assist Total, are available. The latter systems use gyroscopes to keep the booms automatically adjusted. A 42-litre induction bowl is standard, with the option of Diluset+ offering semi-automated filling. ISObus control is standard, or CCI800 or CC1200 screens.
Packed full of innovation the iXter range comes in A and B designations, with the B offering featuring more technological features and allowing a
maximum tank size of 1,800 litres. The smallest for both ranges is 1,000 litres, and all models benefit from an easy-view tank level indicator. Two boom versions are available on the iXter A and iXter B sprayers. The HOSA is a 15m-only Z-folding aluminium boom. Available in widths of 18-30m, meanwhile, is the HC vertical-folding steel boom. They feature a unique anti-yaw system as well as single-side folding and part-width folding. The Easy Hitch A-frame system is a clever quickattach frame that allows close mounting for better weight transfer, as well as making the operator’s life easier and safer when coupling and uncoupling. IsoMatch Tellus Pro or Tellus Go+ provide control of all sprayer functions, with full
Falling in the middle of the three mounted sprayer ranges Kuhn offers is the Deltis 2. The frame design couples the sprayer close to the tractor for better weight distribution. With tank sizes ranging from 1,130 to 1,620 litres, it can be equipped with booms of 14-24m. For machines with booms of up to 21m, Kuhn fits its Trapezia boom suspension. For larger widths sprayers come equipped with the more advanced Eqilibra suspension. This features independent left and right anti-yaw as well as hydraulic tilt and shock absorbers as standard. A new feature for 2024 machines is the horizontal unfolding MEA3 HD aluminium booms with widths up to 24m. Each nozzle is equipped with a motor for
TECHSPECS
Kuhn Deltis 2 1502
Tank size 1,620 lit
Boom 20-24m, rear-folding
Pump 120, 170 or 200 lit/min
Controls ISObus, CCI800 or CCI1200
TECHSPECS
Kverneland iXter B
Tank size 1,800 lit
Boom 18-30m, rear-fold
Pump
Controls
IsoMatch Tellus Pro, Tellus Go+
TECHSPECS
Landquip
Cropmaster
Tank size 1,700 lit
Boom 18-30m, rear fold
Pump 235-450 lit/min, PTO or hydraulic drive
Controls Electrohydraulic,
ISObus compatibility with most tractor screens. An additional joystick is an optional extra. Another option is IsoMatch Geo control that provides automatic section control, while Boom Guide Comfort and Boom Guide Pro bring boom contour following. iXspray Control and iXclean Pro are standard, the latter allowing full liquid management and autocleaning functions. Also standard fitment is iXflow boom recirculation that also provides individual nozzle selection.
The rear-fold boom range of Cropmaster sprayers from Landquip offer widths of 18-30m. Benefitting from a close-coupled design, the slimline tanks offer capacities of 1,300 to 2,000 litres. Booms are constructed from aluminium and can be specified with single-nozzle shutoff controlled via ISObus. An additional ISObus function is to add three or five ultrasonic boom levelling sensors that maintain a constant nozzle height even on undulating ground. Automatic nozzle selection can also be specified, ensuring the correct nozzle is used according to rate and speed. The Poziflow recirculating system reduces the risk of blocked nozzles, while the air-switched multi-nozzle system brings up to five ceramic-tipped nozzles. Available as an option to aid the operator when
switching chemical is an air blow-out system that reduces chemical residue in the spray line. LED road lighting is fitted as standard, and a blue LED lighting option is available to aid night-time spraying. Pump options include both PTO and hydraulic drive, with pump capacities to match boom widths.
The Arian 2 is available with either side-folding or rear-folding booms. Side-folding allows boom widths of 20-24m with the addition of a 27m boom when opting for a rear-fold setup. Pendulum stabilisation and anti-yaw devices are standard fitment, and it’s also possible to work with the boom part-folded. Single-side boom folding is an option. The operator can lift each side of the boom individually when working over contoured land. Nozzles and spray lines are mounted within the boom sections for protection. It’s possible to specify stainless steel spray lines for use with liquid fertiliser as well as opting for boom recirculation. Three tank sizes give 1,200, 1,600 or 1,800 litres of capacity. A single in-cab switch box
Vicon iXter crop sprayers are solely available through the Vicon dealer network
TECHSPECS
Vicon
controls all electrohydraulic functions as well as pressure control. Upgrading to a Müller Track Guide 3 GPS terminal gives the operator boom section control as well as mapping and guidance, and is fully ISObus compatible. Automatic section control is an optional extra. A large 60-litre induction hopper features a rotary nozzle for cleaning out containers.
Team Arain 2
Controls
Sharing many of the features of its Kverneland cousins, the Vicon iXter sprayers are solely available through the Vicon dealer network. A novel new feature for machines running the iSpray software through the IsoMatch Tellus screen, is the SpotSpray feature. Essentially, only areas in a predefined area are targeted, providing not only significant cost savings but also many environmental benefits.
A sprayer so advanced it uses up to 80% less agrochemicals
When it comes to chemical saving, AMAZONE’s unique AmaSelect nozzle control ticks all the boxes. of nozzle on the move – controlling droplet size and minimising drift. Around bends, CurveControl gives you even dose rates across the full boom width and the individual nozzle switching means less wastage. Band spraying with AmaSelect Row can further cut chemical usage by up to 65% but, to top it all, spot-spraying to a predetermined weed map using AmaSelect Spot can save you up to 80% of active ingredient use. More clever thinking from AMAZONE.
Add a little dose from the NEW DirectInject system and those savings go up yet another notch.
MACHINE CLAAS COUGAR 1400
Claas’ Cougar self-propelled mower is no longer sold, but a 15-year-old example is delivering fast and efficient cutting with an Irish silage contractor
Already staunch supporters of Claas when it came to tractor and self-propelled forage harvester selection to serve its contracting operation, the ultimate endorsement of the marque came in 2021 when County Westmeath-based Malone Agri Contractors purchased a used 2009-registered Claas Cougar 1400 self-propelled mower. Having craved such a machine for many years, once the opportunity to purchase a machine with a known history arose, it was immediately seized and now, following three successful seasons of use, has proven to be a most practical purchasing decision.
Even though purchasing a machine of this age as a key part of a silage harvesting fleet may seem a less attractive prospect for some, the incredible work rates the Cougar 1400 self-propelled mower is capable of achieving mean it’s never placed under any form of operational strain and can always easily satisfy this contractor’s mowing requirements. In addition, the knowledge of Claas mowers amassed by Gerard and Michael Malone, who run the well-known contracting business, means the long-term wellbeing of the machine is ensured. They have the in-house knowhow and ability to conduct all necessary repairs and rebuilds necessitated by the prolonged service of the machine’s mowing units.
“We were using tractor-mounted mowers to do all the mowing ahead of our self-propelled forage harvester and always wanted to upgrade to something capable of higher output,” says Gerard. “We had set our sights on
“Claas Cougar 1400 run by Malone Agri Contractors is the only one of its type in Ireland”
Malone Agri Location Mullingar, County Westmeath Activities Silaging, maize sowing, slurry and muckspreading
Right: When facing forward for road travel, the Cougar 1400 has a view similar to that of any large tractor, which makes it particularly driver-friendly when negotiating narrow country roads.
Right: The front view of the machine when fully unfolded gives a real impression of its immense working width.
a Claas Cougar, and even though we knew they don’t become available for sale very often, kept in close contact with our sources at Claas dealerships that indicated when the next one was likely to become available.
“The machine came from Wiltshire and we knew its full history, which was a major reassurance and removed a high element of risk from the purchase.”
Clearly a machine with an immense appetite for work, the Claas Cougar 1400 run by Malone Agri Contractors is the only one of its type in Ireland. Despite the popularity of the main competitors’ machine in the form of the Krone Big M, the choice of the Claas Cougar 1400 was an easy
one for the Malone brothers as it immediately presented unparalleled work rate capacity in a design that addresses the shortcomings of other manufacturers’ machines from an operator convenience perspective.
Viewing the machine in the transport position, it soon becomes clear that it’s like nothing else offered on the market when it comes to self-propelled mowers. Offering a sleek folded formation, the mowers don’t protrude unduly in the folded position while also yielding an acceptably low transport height. Meanwhile, the outermost pair are folded horizontally instead of vertically.
As the Claas Cougar 1400 relocates to the next farm, travelling the often narrow country roads of County Westmeath, one of the major positives of the machine’s design becomes immediately apparent. Unlike other units, the Cougar 1400 has a distinctly different road travel mode to its working format as it faces in the completely opposite direction thanks to its rotating operator’s cabin. This bidirectional capability means the Cougar 1400 has all its mowing units positioned towards the rear in road travel mode, which presents a distinct advantage.
“The absence of the mowing units in front of the cabin in transport mode means the Claas Cougar is not
unlike driving any large tractor on the road since you basically just have an engine hood out front,” says Gerard. “The high driving position also means it’s a very safe machine on the road thanks to the visibility it gives with the tyres being its widest point.”
While the design may result in a slight rear tail-swing by the centre unit of the five mowers employed by the machine when negotiating field entrances, this is something that’s easily allowed.
“You need to make an allowance for the rear tail-swing when turning in field entrances off narrow roads, but it’s not an issue once you get into using the machine,” says Gerard. “It’s manoeuvrable with its four-wheel-
steer and easy to handle in relation to the scale of the machine, so Claas has done well in how they designed it from this point of view.”
While these traits are obviously a crucial factor in the use of the Claas Cougar 1400, it’s the ease of transition to the working position, coupled with the user-friendliness and incredible work rates the unit is capable of, that really set it apart from any other mowing combination.
Once the cab is rotated to the mowing position, this bidirectional beast begins unfolding its mowing units with the complete process possible without the need for the operator to Tech
Below: For grass haulage, Claas and Deutz-Fahr tractors pulling Smyth Super Cube Fieldmaster trailers are the combinations of choice for Malone Agri.
Bottom: Raking is tasked to a Krone Swadro 1400 Plus four-rotor rake pulled by a Deutz-Fahr 6185TTV tractor.
leave the cab. While this rapid transition to working mode is welcome, it’s the operating experience that really sets the machine apart from other selfpropelled mowers. As the first circuit of the field commences, the sense of perspective afforded to the operator becomes extremely apparent. Despite the outermost mowing units being a distance away from the cab, the fact that all five mowing units are in front of the operator’s cabin is a very important factor.
“There’s a direct view of everything,” says Gerard. “It’s easy to judge the position of the outer mower to safely work right into the verge of fields so there is no time lost.”
Both outer mowing units are fitted with a hydraulic collisionprotection systems that allows breakback in event of accidental impact. In addition, when negotiating corners during the initial passes before advancing to the main central block, the design also contributes to further user-friendly working capabilities. Since the five mowers employed by the mower are positioned closely together, they result in a clean cut across the entire working width when cornering.
“Controlling the five mowers is done by the joystick. They can all be raised at once or independently”
if desired, it isn’t necessary to deploy all five.
Looking at the control layout, everything necessary to activate and control the machine is positioned on the right-hand side console and armrest mounted joystick with a wealth of machine settings and different parameters adjustable through the Cebis control system.
“Controlling the five mowers is all done by the joystick,” says Gerard. “They can all be raised at once or independently as they finish a cutting cycle. It’s possible to adjust settings in the Cebis system computer including the downward pressure of the mowers that dictates the level of float. This can be changed to give better performance in uneven or sloping ground.”
While the design concept of the machine obviously has many positives, the overall specification is also of an
extremely high level and this contributes greatly to the performance and economy of the machine. Working rates remain impressive and, most importantly, are achievable without placing any kind of strain on the machine because of its dedicated design and admirable power output from its Mercedes Benz OM457LA six-cylinder engine that has a power rating of 450hp.
With a hydrostatic mechanical transmission, it boasts a maximum road speed of 40kph, while mowing speeds of up to 21kph are possible. Work rates of up to 18ha/hr are possible, and even in slower working conditions the Claas can mow an 8ha field in less than 40 minutes.
Even though the machine’s work rates are among its principal advantages, the level of fuel efficiency puts the mower in a different league to other mowing combinations. The fuel consumption of five lit/ha compares favourably compared to the tractorbased mowing combinations used by Malone Agri Contractors.
“We have run a Deutz-Fahr 7250
“Unless you’re mowing a very sharp corner, there’s never any of the crop missed,” says Gerard. “The outer mowers are mounted on telescopic arms, which means they can be brought in to increase the cutting overlap. The most common approach is just a case of mowing right into the edge in front of you and then reverse back slightly at an angle before aligning the machine to run down the next stretch.
“Manoeuvring the machine in these situations is really easy and because of the impressive cutting width, two runs around a typical field are enough before opening up the first sets.”
All coordinated from the commanding position of the operator’s cabin, which is identical in its construction to the Claas Jaguar self-propelled forager, the control orientation is viewed as being totally user orientated. All five mowing units can be controlled independently and,
Above inset: The front view of the machine when fully unfolded gives a real impression of its immense working width
Above: The outer mowers of the Cougar are mounted on side arms and benefit from a break-back function should an accidental impact occur when mowing field verges.
Right: Road travel mode presents a truly compact formation since all the mowing units are positioned towards the rear of the machine and don’t protrude or extend upwards unduly.
TTV tractor with Claas 9300C butterfly mowers and a Claas front mower,” says Gerard. “This is obviously much narrower than the cougar, yet is still consuming 6.25 lit/ha, which shows how efficient the self-propelled mower really is.”
Obviously, there are obviously other factors to consider when building a complete picture of the machine’s
Above: The four-wheel steering on the machine makes it particularly manoeuvrable, while its low centre of gravity means it’s very stable when turning on headlands.
Far eft: The mowing units on the Malone Agri Cougar has tine conditioners, although roller conditioners were also available.
operating costs, with downtime and replacement part costs being a factor, particularly in a machine like this working over an extended operating life. But even when things are assessed from this broader, working-costs perspective, the Cougar 1400 still emerges as an impressive and effective large-scale mowing solution.
With a number of areas requiring attention during the second season of operation on the Malone Agri Contracting fleet during 2022, the Cougar then presented an effective 2023 season, showing how it’s very much capable of high output and consistent reliability.
“We replaced an ECU in 2022, and a few disc modules as well as two angle gearboxes, but still consider it a fair machine to get through work,” says Gerard. “It’s definitely a purchase we have never come to regret. Parts availability isn’t an issue as the mowing units are common to standard Claas mowers, with the base machine sharing many components with the Claas Jaguar forage harvesters and Xerion tractors.
“The working capacity of the machine means we can get a large area mowed at the optimum time, which gives us much greater flexibility and makes it easier to deliver on our commitment to our farmer clients.”
Claas introduced the Cougar 1400 self-propelled mower in 2003, with production continuing until 2009. During this time, it’s believed about 100 units were produced, with the final machines not sold until 2012.
The machine continues to hold the record for the world’s largest production self-propelled mower, and the Cougar 1400 was awarded the accolade of Machine of the Year at Agritechnica back in 2003. It also received a silver medal award at SIMA 2005 in Paris.
It’s believed that fewer than 10 examples went to work in the UK, with the current number of working machines believed to be in low single figures, and possibly as few as two units. Of the UK-based machines, one found its way to Ireland.
Sourcing a Claas Cougar 1400 selfpropelled mower on the used market is a relatively rare prospect, although opportunities do arise. One of the documented recent sales saw a 2007 machine with a mere 2,318 hours recorded being o ered in 2022 at a Kivells Machinery Auction and selling for £39,000.
MACHINE MAJOR 3100LGP
Major’s 3100LGP slurry tanker is performing well for a dairy farming family in Wales, helping it deal with the waste from their 400 milkers
Aeron Jenkins and his son Eurig – a sixth-generation dairy farmer – have increased the size of their dairy herd at Pentrefelin Farm, near Lampeter, West Wales, from 300 to 400 cows during the past 10 years. The non-pedigree New Zealand Friesians are all spring calvers, and the expansion was achieved using only home-bred replacements.
The business farms 280ha of grassland, of which 75ha are owned and the rest is rented. They carry out all their own machinery work in-house, with the exception of some umbilical slurry applications on difficult land that are carried out by a specialist contractor.
All the land is on a heavy clay soil and is essentially split into three blocks: there’s 90ha around the home farm site that’s typically used for grazing the dairy herd, while the other two blocks are six and nine miles away and are used for winter forage production.
The herd is housed through winter as dry cows, but as soon as they calve in February/March, they’re turned out if ground conditions allow. The typical herd average yield is 6,200 litres and there’s total solids of 525kg/cow from a little more than a tonne of concentrates.
Originally, the Jenkins shifted slurry using a 20-year-old, 6,800-litre Alfa Laval tanker, but because of the increase in milking cows and youngstock – as well as the ageing equipment – there was a need to review the farm’s slurry handling capabilities. One of the big challenges was the distance that the slurry had to be transported from the home farm to
Right: The Jenkins’ John Deere 6930 pulling the 14,000-litre Major Slurry tanker and applying macerated slurry from its 7.5m dribble-bar applicator.
the silage pastures.
“Because of the 30%-plus increase in milkers, we had a massive increase in slurry and therefore our waste management policy had to take a big leap forward,” says Eurig. “We took a look at several brands of slurry tanker on the market and for several reasons, we decided on a Major Alpine 2300LGP tanker that came fully galvanised inside and outside the tank. It also had 30.5R32 Alliance lowground-pressure tyres and an 11,000 lit/min vacuum pump.
“What we liked about it was the fact that it was galvanised throughout, so well protected from corrosion and
Pentrefelin Farm
Location Lampeter, Ceredigion Farm area 205ha rented, 75ha owned Main enterprise Milk production, 400 milkers
Right: Eurig Jenkins is a sixth-generation dairy farmer milking more than 400 New Zealand Friesians near Lampeter, Wales.
Far right: With a 13,500-litre vacuum pump, Eurig Jenkins reckons he can fill the tanker in about three minutes.
promising a long life. Another big plus was that the manufacturer allowed us to specify it to precisely how we wanted it, and on top of that the quality of build was exceptional.”
Some of the personalised specifications on the 2300LPG back in 2013 included a right-hand-sidemounted sight glass. Because the spool valves inside the tractor cab are mounted to the right of the operator’s seat, it was much more convenient to operate the macerator control and see the sight glass without too much twisting and turning.
“I’m a great believer in having a galvanised tank because it’s dipped and protected throughout”
Air brakes were also specified because all the equipment on the farm has this; it’s essential when constantly hauling heavy loads several miles on public roads.
“So, we’ve had the Major Alpine for almost 10 years now,” says Eurig, “and I have to say that it’s been a fantastic tanker because it’s been very reliable, without any problems of note. It has a low centre of gravity due to the fact that the entire tank is slung into a full-length sub-frame that obviously avoids torsion twist and the possibility of tank ruptures, so it’s a very wellbalanced and solid piece of kit.
On the road it pulled so easily and
without affecting the stability of the tractor. We ran it on either a John Deere 6930 or a John Deere 6155R. We specified the original tanker exactly as we wanted it through our local dealer, TAG at Narberth, and that’s exactly how it was delivered.
“I’m a great believer in having a galvanised tank because it’s dipped and protected throughout, whereas with just a painted machine deterioration can happen anywhere,” adds Eurig. “If it’s untreated then you can be certain that it’s likely rusting from the inside out, so machine lifetime without galvanising would likely be reduced.”
In May 2022, Aeron and Eurig decided to upgrade their tanker to the very latest Major 3100LGP – with a 14,092-litre capacity – and also decided to include a dribble bar for slurry application instead of the splash plate specification on their previous machine.
“The splash plate system throws the slurry into the air and in doing so contributes to ammonia losses from the slurry – as much as 50% – which is a big number in terms of cost or lost potential nutrient value,” says Eurig.
“There are some losses with the dribble bar, but because it places the slurry on the soil or turf in bands of
Below: The Major 3100LGP has a sprung drawbar that, together with a fully independent chassis, makes it much more comfortable for the tractor operator in both road and field work.
Bottom: The dribble-bar applicators are flexible tubes fed directly by a network of individual distribution supply pipes
material, the application surface area is greatly reduced therefore we are cutting aerobic losses down to about 20%. The splash plate produced a thinner covering over the pasture, which tended to exacerbate evaporation and nutrient loss.”
Despite their Major Alpine 2300LGP being 10-years old, it still looked almost like new. Yes, the tyres might have
needed replacing soon, but for the amount of work it had carried out, the business had certainly had value for money from its investment. So, why didn’t they just change the tyres instead of replacing the machine?
“Quite simple,” says Eurig, “we really needed a little more capacity for the amount of roadwork involved in reaching the extremes of the farm, and
at the time there was a 40% grant available against a new machine which made the deal a little sweeter.
“Another big plus was because the trade-in price on the 10-year-old tanker was excellent – it really held its value. I strongly believe that was because of the galvanised finish. If we
had kept the older model, we would have had to spend another £5,000 or so to replace the tyres and we felt it was best to upgrade to a higher specification, larger tank capacity and the larger low-ground-pressure tyres. With the grant allowance, it was pretty much a no-brainer.”
Again, the Jenkins chose their own specification for their new tanker, keeping the sight glass to the right of the machine, including air brakes and, this time, a 7.5m dribble bar. It also came with a much higher capacity 13,500 lit/min vacuum pump and 800/65R32 low-ground-pressure Alliance tyres.
“Despite being a much larger tanker than we had previously, it still runs really smoothly behind our tractors”
The standard specification on the Major 3100LGP Slurry tanker meant that it came with a 6mm baffled tank that’s galvanised throughout. It also had a sprung drawbar, incorporating a special rubber buffer suspension system. This, together with the fully independent chassis, makes it much more comfortable for the tractor operator both on the road and in the field.
Fully loaded, the Major 3100LGP weighs about 18.5t, so it uses some very heavy-duty running gear based on a commercial-spec axle fitted with 420x180 air brakes.
“Despite being a much larger tanker than we had previously, it still runs really smoothly behind our John Deere tractors and doesn’t push them around on the winding country lanes,” says Eurig. “I’ve followed it to the remote fields on our other farm, and even when fully loaded, it runs easily, tows very smoothly and you can see it follows the tractor perfectly.”
The slurry collection system at Pentrefelin Farm consists of a central lagoon site of two 4.5m deep slurry storage facilities, with the main slurry holding reservoir having a capacity of around 5.7 million litres, plus an additional 900,000-litre reservoir holding mainly dirty water from parlour and yard washings. All waste is delivered and applied onsite, by road,
handling it once.
“After each silage cut, we apply neat, macerated slurry with the dribble-bar,” Eurig says. “Anything from between 4,500-6,750 lit/ha. Our last cut tends to be mid-August because we want to reserve some grazing for youngstock and replacements. We need and use about 4,000 round bales of silage annually, buying in hay if necessary.
“We keep a close tally on the grazing platform to ensure sufficient grazing material, otherwise we substitute with silage. We do have some wet ground close to the home farm and this helps to maintain grazing demand through the summer months if required. We’ve never yet run out of grass because we carefully manage and forecast our likely yields.”
The typical maintenance programme on the 3100LGP consists of hosing down the dribble bar after each application and especially for winter storage so nothing gets blocked, clogged or seizes up. The entire slurry tank is easy to clean out if necessary as there’s a 30cm access point at the front end of the tank and also a stone-trap at the rear.
Washing-out is aided by pointing the tanker downhill a little so it’s easy to drain. Internal baffles help control load movement on the road, maintaining a smooth transport experience. From November 1 the slurry tanker tends to be stored away because it’s starting to get too wet under foot and the business wants to avoid damaging the soil structure.
“With the much higher capacity vacuum pump, it’s only taking about three minutes to load our new tanker, so there’s no hanging around,” says Eurig, “and because we have extra capacity compared to our previous model, it’s amazing how much more we can move and spread in a day.
“Our decision to upgrade to a higher volume was definitely the right thing to do. Our decision to choose and stay with the Major tanker brand was based on our previous 10 years of experience, and I have to say that this really is a quality product, both in the way it is constructed, the design of the chassis and in how it runs smoothly behind our tractors.
“Add to that it comes fully galvanised, and we see this investment paying us back handsomely during the years to come. We’re well satisfied with our decision.”
Back in the late 1950s, tractors that weighed 2.5t and produced more than 50hp were considered large. In the rst of a three-part series, FMJ looks at some of the most signi cant and rare high-horsepower rigid tractors sold in the UK during the past 70 years
In just seven decades, horsepower levels in rigid conventional tractors sold in the UK have risen tenfold. British built tractors from the late 1950s such as Fordson’s 52hp Power Major, Nuffield’s 53hp Universal 4, International’s 55hp B-450 and Massey Ferguson’s 57hp 65 were all considered powerful tractors of their generation.
If you wanted more power to pull heavier and wider implements, you had to rely on steel track crawlers manufactured by Caterpillar, Fowler and International, or four-wheel drive conversions such as the articulated, twin-engine Doe Triple D.
However, following the introduction of Marshall’s 70hp MP6 and John Deere’s return to the UK market in the 1960s with its two-wheel drive 4020 and 5020, progressive arable farmers and contractors suddenly had a wider array of high-horsepower conventional tractors to choose from.
As grain prices increased throughout the 1960s and 1970s, the quest for power increased and this resulted in several manufacturers supplementing their UK ranges with higher-horsepower two-wheel-drive tractors from the United States. International brought over its 90hp 706 and 116hp 966 Farmalls, while Massey Ferguson marketed its 90hp 1100 before importing the 135hp 1135 and 155hp 1155 from 1975. Ford introduced its Michigan-built 115hp 8000 and 145hp 9000 tractors to UK farmers in 1968 before replacing them with the updated 8600 and 9600 in 1972.
Competing against the mighty American two-wheel drive tractors during the 1970s were the four-wheel-drive, equal-size wheel, six-cylinder Ford conversions manufactured in the UK by County, Roadless and Muir-Hill. These included Roadless’ 125hp K Series 120, County’s 145hp 1454 based on the 9600 and Muir-Hill’s huge 170hp 171.
These tractors provided large farmers and contractors with unrivalled levels of traction and proved to be incredibly popular. By the early 1980s, companies such as Ford began equipping all their tractor ranges with optional driven front axles too. This decision led to the disappearance of the conversion specialists.
Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, all of the major multinational tractor manufacturers introduced higher-powered ranges of technologically advanced rigid tractors equipped with fuel-efficient engines producing upwards of 200hp matched to smooth powershift transmissions and electronic driver aids.
Marshall MP6 (1956 to 1960)
Marshall introduced its huge 70hp MP6 in 1956 to counter falling sales of its single-cylinder Field Marshall 3A in key export territories such as Australia. UK farmers were given a preview of the MP6 at the 1954 Smithfield Show before the tractor went into production at Marshall’s Britannia works in January 1956.
Measuring almost 4m in length and more than 2m in height, the MP6 towered above most other tractors available in the UK at the time. The MP6 was powered by a six-cylinder, 5.8-litre Leyland engine matched to a six-speed transmission. Marshall chose not to equip the tractor with a three-point linkage, insisting it was much more suited to pulling large trailed implements.
Just 197 MP6s were built and only 10 of those were sold in the UK before production ceased in 1960. The UK simply wasn’t ready for a tractor of this size and power just yet.
John Deere 4020 and 5020 (1964 to 1972)
John Deere re-entered the UK tractor market in 1962 through Kent-based machinery distributor Lundell Ltd. Initially the company was given small batches of sixcylinder 93hp and 125hp 4010 and 5010 tractors that were marketed with limited success. However, it was the introduction of John Deere’s new 20 Series from 1964, including the iconic 4020 ,that led to a surge in the company’s popularity among the UK’s largest farmers.
The luxurious 4020 was powered by a 106hp 6.6-litre six-cylinder engine and was the first tractor marketed in Britain with an optional eight-speed powershift transmission, power steering and a two-speed PTO. The 4020 was also the first John Deere equipped with a ROPS frame and became one of John Deere’s best-selling tractors of all time. From 1966, the much larger 5020 was also sold in the UK and was fitted with a 140hp, 8.7-litre turbocharged engine.
WORDS AND IMAGES DAVID LALEY
Massey Ferguson 65
International 966 Farmall
“Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, all the major tractor manufacturers introduced higher-powered ranges”
Massey Ferguson 1135 and 1155 (1972 to 1978)
Massey Ferguson sold its 135hp 1135 and 155hp 1155 in the UK from 1975. First introduced in 1972, the 1135 and 1155 were manufactured at Massey Ferguson’s Southfield Road Factory at Detroit. The 1135 was
powered by a six-cylinder turbocharged Perkins AT6.354 engine, while the 1155 benefitted from a huge 8.9-litre Perkins AV8.540.
The 1155 was one of the largest two-wheel drive tractors sold in the UK and came equipped with a 12-speed Multipower transmission as standard. The 1155’s rear hitch featured Massey Ferguson’s pressure control system and telescopic lower arms. Like many other American muscle tractors being marketed in the UK around the same time, the 1155’s lights were upgraded to meet the UK’s stringent road traffic laws.
Marshall MP6
John Deere 5020
Massey Ferguson 1155
Muir-Hill 171 (1975 to 1982) and County 1884 (1980 to 1987)
The largest rigid equal-size wheel four-wheel-drive Ford conversions sold in the UK were the 170hp Muir-Hill 171 and County’s 188hp 1884. Muir-Hill introduced the Perkins AV8.540 powered 171 in 1975 with a list price of £16,400. The final generation of this tractor came equipped with the company’s new larger Spacecab, an extra 7hp and a 10-speed, two-range Eaton-Fuller transmission.
County introduced the 188hp 1884 in 1980. It was based on the skid unit of Ford’s flagship rigid tractor, the TW-30, launched in 1979 alongside the 128hp and 153hp TW-10 and TW-20. The 1884 was powered by the TW-30’s 6.6-lit, six-cylinder turbocharged and intercooled engine, and equipped with its 16-speed dual-power transmission matched to County’s proven twin-prop-shaft four-wheeldrive system.
Between 1979 and 1983, the Case 2390 was the most powerful two-wheel-drive tractor on the UK market. It was powered by a 171hp 8.25-litre six-cylinder turbocharged and intercooled engine featuring a mammoth seven-bearing crankshaft.
Power was transmitted to the ground via a three-range, three-speed powershift transmission equipped with an inching pedal. The 2390 was also fitted with a powered differential-lock pedal to keep the tractor pulling straight and maintain traction when used with semi-mounted implements.
Case was keen to push the credentials of the tractor’s sophisticated Silent Guardian Cab, describing it as “A taste of the 90s.” It was equipped with an eight-way adjustable upholstered and sprung seat christened the “President’s Chair”. The 2390 also came with a tilting steering column, radio, heater, and air conditioning as standard.
Hurlimann H-6160 (1979 to 1984)
Swiss manufacturer Hurlimann’s H-6160 was one of several 160-180hp rigid tractors imported into the UK from mainland Europe during the early to mid-1980s, alongside the likes of the Zetor Crystal 16045, Valmet 2105 and Fiat 1880DT. The 160hp H-6160 was the flagship of Hurlimann’s H Series launched at the Eima Show in 1978, and was based on the Italian Same Hercules 160 and Lamborghini 1556DT.
Same had purchased Hurlimann shortly after development of the H Series had commenced, and the H-6160 shared the latter’s cab, front axle, and 12-speed transmission but was equipped with a 6.8-litre, sixcylinder water-cooled engine of Hurlimann’s own design. Final assembly of the H-6160 was completed in Hurlimann’s Wil plant, and they were sold in the UK by WR Bridgman & Sons.
International 5288 and 5488 (1981 to 1985)
Between 1981 and 1985, International Harvester built 5,905 and 3,951 of its impressive 180hp and 205hp 5288 and 5488 tractors. They were built at the Rock Island plant in Illinois, and sold in the UK from 1983. About 70 were imported and homologated, and they were known for their excellent levels of comfort and traction.
The 5288 was powered by a 7.6-litre six-cylinder turbocharged International DT466B engine matched to an 18F/6F semi-powershift transmission called the
Muir-Hill 171
County 1884
Case 2390
Synchro Tri-Six. The beefier and slightly wider 5488 was powered by the same engine and transmission.
Case IH Magnum 7100 Series (1987 to 1992)
Introduced in August 1987, the Magnum 7100 Series was the first significant range of highhorsepower rigid tractors launched by Case IH since Tenneco had purchased International Harvester’s agricultural equipment division and merged it with JI Case. The four-model Magnum ranged comprised the 155hp 7110, 180hp 7120, 205hp 7130 and 230hp 7140.
“As grain prices increased throughout the 1960s and 1970s, the quest for power increased”
All four tractors were powered by 8.3-litre six-cylinder turbocharged CDC engines with aftercooling providing the flagship 7140 a useful performance boost. Power was transmitted to the ground through an 18-speed powershift transmission featuring a large master clutch and fully pressurised lubrication system. The Magnum range also came equipped with Case IH’s advanced electronic draft and position system called Hitch-Command and the company’s luxurious Silent Guardian II cab.
Massey Ferguson 3600 Series (1987 to 1994)
Massey Ferguson first introduced electronic linkage control on its 2005 range in 1985. A year later they were replaced by the technologically advanced 3000 Series that could be equipped with its computerised electronic control and performance monitoring systems known as Autotronic and Datatronic.
These terminals were included in the specification of their flagship 3600 range of rigid tractors launched in 1987. This originally comprised three models: the 3610, 3630, and 3650 with power outputs from 113 to 150 hp. During the next five years, the 3600 Series evolved with the introduction of the larger and more powerful 170hp 3670, 180hp 3680, and 190hp 3690.
The three larger models were powered by 6.6-litre and 7.4-litre Valmet 620DS and 612DS six-cylinder engines matched to either Massey Ferguson’s standard 16-speed Speedshift transmission featuring two powershift ratios or the optional 32-speed Dynashift transmission equipped with four powershift ratios and synchro shuttle.
The 3600 Series was replaced by the updated 8100 Series at the SIMA Show in 1995 following Massey Ferguson’s takeover by AGCO in 1994.
Case IH Magnum 7100 Series
High moisture levels mean many soils could be vulnerable to damage from compaction as spring farming operations get underway
The wet autumn in 2023 hampered planting and left some farmers using minimum- and zero-tillage establishment systems concerned about soil compaction. With soft soils expected this spring, managing tyre pressures has never been more important.
Machinery and tyre specialists, such as Continental’s Tom Godwin, have been working with farmers to explain the technology available to help reduce the impact of heavy machinery on soils.
“Setting tyre pressures using monitoring systems and load calculators with VF tyres, that can operate at 40% less pressure than standard radial tyres, will make a significant difference to soil health,” he says. “This will be particularly prevalent in min-till and zero-tillage systems when operators aren’t turning over land to alleviate or remove compaction.”
The Continental Agriculture Tyre Tech App and ContiPressureCheck system are both designed to offer advice about how to optimise tyres for different types of farm work. The app can calculate the optimal pressure tyres should be set at for the load of the vehicle. ContiPressureCheck is a sensor that measures the pressure of the tyres during operation to enable the operator to make adjustments that can prevent unnecessary downtime.
“The pressure and load calculator in the Agriculture App checks the tyre pressure and the load of the vehicle, and makes a recommendation to the operator based on the tyres fitted to the vehicle. It’s now available for iOS and Android, and can be downloaded free of charge,” says Mr Godwin.
Tyre database
Using a database of all available Continental tyres, the app is able to cross-reference the properties of the tyre with the load of the vehicle and recommend the best tyre pressure.
“The app will help operators to reduce soil compaction, reduce tyre wear, increase efficiency and lower fuel consumption,” says Mr Godwin. “In addition to the pressure and load calculator, the app also offers technical information on all Continental agricultural tyres and a useful conversion table.” Waterlogging caused by soil compaction has been attributed to plateauing crop yields by the Potash Development Association (PDA), with some losses likely to reach 80%.
WORDS TOM HUNT IMAGES CONTINENTAL
Left: Choosing VF tyres enables operators to reduce pressure by up to 40% to spread the weight of the machine and reduce soil compaction.
The PDA suggests that while little can be done to change the higher-than-average rainfalls experienced in many areas of the UK, farmers can take measures to reduce compaction.
In a November report, the PDA suggested that yield losses due to waterlogging may vary between 15% and 80% in 2023/24, depending on the crop species and growth stage, soil type and duration of the stress, which will result in severe economic penalties.
“Establishment is the most critical period in any annual crop’s lifecycle, as it’s the time when the yield potential is set … and that … any management decisions taken from this point onwards only helps limit the reduction in this yield potential,” the report says.
Mr Godwin agrees.
“Continental has been working with farms for five years as part of our Stamp Out Soil Compaction initiative to help improve land management decisions through the use of more efficient tyres,” he says. “Our TractorMaster tyres have been specifically designed to reduce compaction by operating at lower pressures, and we’re always looking for ways to explain these benefits to operators who want to improve soil health.”
Operators transitioning from road to field when carting silage or harvested crops can reduce compaction and improve fuel efficiency by opting for a hybrid tyre. The
“Hybrid tyres are well suited to green harvest work, especially first cut”
Continental VF Hybrid has an integrated sensor and a blockstyle tread pattern that provides grip in the field and better road handling stability.
“Our hybrid tyres are well suited to green harvest work, especially first cut when the ground can still be very soft,” Mr Godwin adds.
“Waterlogging can leave the soil prone to compaction for weeks and even months after heavy rain. Using VF tyres enables tractors to travel on the road at lower pressures so that when the tractor transitions to the field, the weight will be distributed across a wider footprint.”
It’s widely accepted that compacted and waterlogged soils block oxygen supply to roots, restrict root growth and reduce nutrient uptake. As the wet weather has taken its toll again, it’s hoped that, with investments in tyre technology, the severity of the problem can be reduced in the future.
“It’s easy to say that waterlogging is just the effect of heavy rainfall and gloss over the real issue,” says Mr Godwin. “Farms that have understood the threat and changed tyres to minimise the impact of heavy machinery on soil will suffer less now, and in the future.”
Left: Grassland can suffer compaction if tyre pressures aren’t reduced, especially during first-cut silage. Below: The Continental VF Hybrid tyre can operate at 40% lower pressure for the same load, or carry 40% more load at the same pressure as a standard radial Above: Sward damage caused by tyres operating at too high a pressure can reduce the yield of subsequent cuts.
This image: The Terrasteer TSA axle from ZF is seen here in its basic format, but has a modular construction that means brakes, differential lock and steering sensor can all be easily added.
Below: This exploded view of a Carraro front axle gives an indication of the large number of parts used in their construction. This example has planetary reduction gears in the wheel hub to increase the torque output.
“Front axles are part of the tractor’s drivetrain, bearing a significant portion of the load”
In the first of a new series on tractor components, we take a deep dive into front-axle technology – the parts involved and what they do
Facilitating the movement of machines in the field, the front axle is also a crucial component in the process of steering left or right. The front axle uses power transmission – the movement of energy from its place of generation to a new location –taking power from the engine to use at the front of the vehicle for traction and manoeuvrability. This distribution gives the machine’s front wheels the power needed to navigate the differing terrains found on farms
Front axles are part of the tractor’s drivetrain, bearing a significant portion of the load. Their design impacts the tractor’s stability, its ability to absorb shock and torque, as well as steering support. In a four-wheel-drive (4WD) tractor, power is distributed to both the front and rear axles, ensuring optimised traction and overall performance.
The starting point of this power transfer happens with the drive input shaft that’s typically attached to the front of the transmission. Drive input shafts are usually made from highstrength alloy steels or other durable materials. This is to withstand the stress and torque loads encountered during power transmission. Surface treatments and coatings can be used to enhance hardness and wear resistance.
operation and minimise vibration. Reliable power transfer and overall vehicle performance can be achieved with robust construction, durable materials, and precision engineering.
Front axle assembly
U-joints, or universal joints, are used on the front axle shaft as a connection point allowing the smooth delivery of torque. They allow drive shafts to move up and down with the suspension while the shaft is moving, so power can be transmitted when the drive shaft isn’t in a straight line between the transmission and drive wheels.
It’s called ‘universal’ because it can rotate in any plane, and is used to transmit motion, power, or both, between two disconnected shafts. This connection permits the power generated by the engine and transmitted through the drive shaft to be efficiently delivered to the front wheels, allowing
The shafts have splines or gear teeth that engage with corresponding components in the transmission. It’s crucial during the manufacturing of drive input shafts to have precision machining and balancing to ensure smooth
U-joints facilitate power transmission and allow for flexibility in the movement of the axle. They accommodate changes in angle between the connected shafts, which is particularly important in front axle assemblies where the angle may vary due to steering and suspension movements.
In vehicles with independent front suspension, a constant velocity (CV) joint is likely to be used. These maintain a constant rotational speed regardless of the shaft’s angular
“Lower gears provide more torque”
A simple Spicer differential
the
Left: In some cases, a drop axle – where the wheel hub sits below the level of the axle – has to be used to keep the tractor level.
Right: This front axle has air-cushion suspension damped with shock absorbers.
Below right: Power steering systems make it easier for the operator to control the direction of the vehicle. Using hydraulic power significantly reduces the steering effort required by the operator, reducing the physical strain and the hazard of fatigue.
position. Ball joints are also commonly found in the suspension components of the front axle assembly. They provide articulation in the suspension system, allowing the wheels to move up and down while maintaining a connection to the axle.
The combination of U-joints, CV joints, and ball joints (among others) are especially important in farm applications where the terrain may be challenging, and the axle needs to adapt to different angles and uneven surfaces.
Gears play an important role in torque distribution within the front axle. They’re used in the gearbox and other components of the front axle assembly to manage the speed and torque of the rotating shafts. Lower gears provide more torque, making them suitable for tasks requiring higher pulling power, while higher gears optimise speed for more efficient travel on smoother surfaces.
Left: The front axle uses power transmission – taking power from the engine to use at the front of the vehicle for manoeuvrability. This distribution gives the machine’s front wheels the power needed to navigate the differing terrains of farmland.
appropriate amount of torque.
When a tractor makes a turn, the outer wheel travels a greater distance than the inner wheel during the same time period. The differential allows for the resulting speed difference by using the wheels to rotate at different speeds while maintaining consistent torque distribution. Without this, stress on the drivetrain and excessive tyre wear would occur.
The differential allows for smooth and efficient power transfer to the front wheels. It compensates for differences in rotational speed between the left-hand and right-hand wheels during turns, making sure each wheel receives the
At the heart of the differential are bevel gears, including a central gear connected to the driveshaft, and two side gears connected to each wheel’s half shaft. When driving straight, the central gear turns the two side gears at the same speed, and both wheels rotate equally, sharing the engine’s power evenly. But, when turning, the central gear continues to turn the side gears, but because one wheel needs to go faster than the other, the differential allows the gears to rotate at different speeds.
The differential lock, meanwhile, forces both front wheels to rotate at the same speed, even during turns. This can be advantageous in situations where maximum traction is needed, such as navigating through mud or uneven terrain.
Lubricating the gears is essential to reduce friction and wear on gear teeth. Proper lubrication – specifically
hydraulic power. It significantly reduces the steering effort required by the operator, thus reducing the physical strain and the hazard of fatigue. This is crucial in farming operations where operators spend long hours in the field.
The hydraulic system gives precise control over the direction of the front wheels, making it easier to navigate in tight spaces, or while carrying heavy loads. The key components typically include a hydraulic pump, hydraulic fluid, a steering control valve, and a hydraulic cylinder or actuator.
Some systems allow for variable steering ratios, so steering effort can be adjusted based on operator preference, load, or tractor speed. The hydraulic assistance helps to maintain control over the front wheels, even over uneven surfaces, enhancing the vehicle’s overall stability.
Front axle brakes work in conjunction with the rear brakes for effective and balanced braking. This balance helps to prevent skidding, oversteering or loss of control during sudden stops or deceleration. There are two types of disc brakes commonly used in agriculture – dry disc brakes and wet disc brakes.
Dry disc brakes have a brake disc, brake pads and a calliper. They’re typically made from friction material and are pressed against the brake disc when the brakes are applied, creating friction, and slowing down the rotation of the wheel.
designed for the high-pressure conditions within gearboxes – gives smooth operation and prevents overheating.
Transmitting power from the differential to the front wheels of the tractor is the job of the half shaft, also known as an axle shaft or CV axle. They are connected to the differential on one end and the wheel hub on the other, transferring torque for the rotation of the front wheels. Many half shafts have CV joints to maintain a constant rotational speed.
The shafts may have splined ends for easy connection to the differential and wheel hub. Half shafts are commonly made from high-strength alloys or steel to withstand the torque and load demands during power transmission. They contribute to the tractor’s suspension system by allowing the front wheels to move independently. This is useful when travelling over uneven terrain, as the suspension can absorb shocks, contributing to a smoother ride.
Whether it’s rough fields or paved roads, half shafts make sure that power is transmitted to the front wheels so that tractors can handle various environments.
Front axle power steering systems make it easier for the operator to control the direction of the vehicle thanks to the use of
Wet disc brakes are ideal for tractors used in demanding agricultural tasks. They are like dry disc brakes, but are submerged in an oil-filled housing. The oil cools and lubricates the braking components, helping to dissipate the heat generated during braking.
The inclusion of front axle brakes reduces the overall stopping distance of the tractor. They can be used to transfer weight to the front wheels during braking, improving traction, which is advantageous in situations where increased traction is needed, such as when stopping on slopes or in slippery conditions. Brakes on the front axle are essential for vehicle control when descending slopes, preventing the tractor from gaining excessive speed and reducing the risk of accidents during downhill operation.
Suspension systems on front axles are designed to enhance ride comfort and overall stability. These systems help absorb shocks and vibrations, providing a smoother and more controlled ride for the operator. They contribute to responsive steering by helping to keep the front wheels in contact with the ground.
There are several types of front axle suspension system commonly used in tractors. Independent front axle suspension allows each front wheel to move independently of each other, typically employing shock absorbers and springs for each wheel. This is said to improve traction, enhance ride comfort and provide better stability, especially when one wheel meets an obstacle or uneven terrain. More common is a rigid front axle with added suspension components such as shock absorbers and springs. The additional suspension elements to the rigid axle contribute to dampening shocks and vibrations. Hydraulic suspension systems use hydraulic cylinders and dampers to absorb shocks and vibrations and can give variable dampening
“The steering knuckle is integral to the steering and suspension systems”
rates, adjusting to different conditions and loads.
Air suspension systems use compressed air to give a cushioning effect. This system is adjustable so the operator can control the ride height and the stiffness of the suspension.
The axle housing is important too for protecting the critical components of the front axle. Its primary function is to encase the axle shaft and differential ands other parts from dirt, water and debris.
As well as protection, the axle housing is also designed to distribute the load and forces generated during vehicle operation. This robust structure contributes to the overall stability and safety of the vehicle, created to withstand the stress and impacts encountered on the farm.
Bearings are among the components within the housing that are vital in reducing friction and allowing smooth rotation of the axle shafts. In the front axle, bearings are positioned at various points like the differential and wheel hubs, where rotational motion occurs. They aid in efficient power transmission, but also the longevity of the assembly.
load capacity, environmental conditions and speed.
Common materials used in axle housing construction include cast iron and steel, with the choice of material depending on the intended use of the machine, any weight requirements and, of course, cost considerations.
At either end of the axle housing, a steering knuckle is attached. This crucial component connects the wheel hub assembly to the axle and pivots to ensure that steering inputs from the driver are translated directly to the wheels. The steering knuckle houses the wheel hub and is the mounting point for various parts like the wheel bearings, brake calliper brackets, and steering and suspension attachments. This makes it integral to both the steering and suspension
The wheel hub is the endpoint of power transmission from the axle to the front wheels. It’s in the centre of the wheel, connecting to the outer end of the half shaft – usually via CV-joint to allow movement of the steering knuckle.
Ball bearings and roller bearings are two of the types available, each designed for specific applications based on
Some hubs may feature planetary gearing in the wheel hub. This hub reduction gear steps down the speed of rotation of the half shaft before it reaches the wheel, increasing the available torque in the process.
The 6000 Series first arrived in 1992 and was a radical improvement over the ‘classic’ design of the previous 50 and 55 series fitted with SG2 cabs. The redesign was long overdue and was welcomed by most customers, indeed the 6000 is now considered one of John Deere’s best tractors yet
WORDS HOWARD SHERREN IMAGES HOWARD SHERREN AND JOHN DEEREJohn Deere revealed its full-frame modular design in the autumn of 1992 when the fourcylinder 6000 series appeared as a replacement for the ageing 3350 and 3650 models. Built at John Deere Werke Mannheim, Germany, the biggest 6400 model gave 100hp. It was joined the following year by six-cylinder variants: the 110hp 6600 and 120hp 6800. Later that year, a new flagship arrived in the shape of the 130hp 6900, while a smaller six-cylinder version, the 100hp 6506, was also launched.
The 6000 Series offered a low overall weight with increases of up to 60% in payload capacity. For example, the 100hp John Deere 6400 tractor had a maximum permissible weight of
“The 6000 Series o ered a low overall weight with increases of up to 60% in payload capacity”
7,500kg, the same as the previous 3350 HL model. However, its shipping weight was only 4,100kg – 750kg less than the older tractor – and it was only a little heavier than the old 86hp 2850 HL.
Design approach
The full-frame design approach had led to the development of a lighter, stronger tractor with better weight distribution. In addition,
front-mounted implements such as loaders or hitches attached directly to the frame, without the time and expense involved in using extra sub-frame assemblies. With this new concept, a total of only nine parts were carried over from the 50 Series. Everything else was new, from the engines and transmissions to the hydraulics and the TechCenter cab. In June 1997 Deere released basicspecification tractors labelled SE models. They were ideal for stock farms that didn’t require a higher specification. The 84hp 6200 SE and the 100hp 6400
SE were available with a SyncroPlus 12F/4R 30kph transmission, or the new 16F/16R Power Reverser transmission in 30 or 40 kph versions. By November 1997, the range was due for an update, so they were rebadged as 10 Series models – 6410, and so on.
Due to the use of a full-frame design, the new generation John Deere engines were moved forward for increased front weight and optimal steering control, even with heavy rear implements attached. The 6000 Series initially used four-cylinder Deere Power System engines that included the 4045 in the 75hp 6100. A 4039 TL was turbocharged to give 84hp in the 6200, while the two largest models opted for a turbocharged 4045 TL to give 90 and 100 hp, respectively, at 2,300rpm.
Torque levels ranged from 300Nm at 1,470rpm up to 404Nm at 1,540rpm, and fuel efficiency was improved with the 6400 achieving 200g/kW/hr at maximum power. The 160-lit fuel tank was adequate for most operations, and the filler was accessible from the ground rather than clambering up to the top of the bonnet for the first time.
Common problems include overheating, mainly due to blocked radiators; even a partial blockage will send the temperature high. The radiator and coolers are all squeezed in and often neglected, in addition to
John Deere 6400
Engine Deere Power System
4045TL, 4.53-litre, four-cylinder, turbocharged, Stage II emissions Power 100hp Transmission 12F/4R PowrQuad
Top speed 40kph
Hydraulics 55 lit/ min
3-point linkage capacity 5,474kg
PTO speeds 540/ 540E/1,000rpm
Fuel tank capacity 160 lit
Length 4.17m
Width 2.18m
Weight 4,100kg
issues with failing thermostats. Early issues with the exhaust system were soon rectified, but some of the first tractors’ systems went under the chassis, which resulted in problems. This was changed so that it went over the chassis instead, but check the pipe that joins the exhaust and manifold as it can split.
Fuel pumps in the diesel tank can sometimes fail, but you will generally only find this out when it comes to servicing and it can’t be primed. Older models are criticised for their poor starting; this is often cured with a faster reconditioned starter motor.
The 6000 Series is equipped with two basic transmissions: the SynchroPlus and PowrQuad. Both were designed and built by John Deere. The basic SyncroPlus fully
synchronised transmission gives a choice of 12F/4R gears – or 15F/5R and 18F/6R – with an optional 9F/3R speed creeper available on each for precision work.
Gears are selected via three levers at the front of the side console that are selected both smoothly and precisely. For those wanting a bit more luxury and easy shifting under load without clutching, the PowrQuad transmission is available in 16F/12R, 20F/16R or 24F/16R versions on the 6000 Series and is more commonly specified.
The creeper option gives an additional 12F/12R gears with a total speed range from 140m/hr up to 40kph. PowrQuad offers up to 10 speeds in the main working range of four to 12 kph, and a Power Reverser means no clutching from forward to reverse, making it ideal for loader work.
A left-hand shuttle lever was offered from 1997 that keeps the right hand free for loader work, however it’s a problem area and sometimes fails needing replacement. The oil-cooled PermaClutch II is standard on all models. It’s designed for the lifetime of the tractor and rarely gives trouble.
Four-wheel drive is easily engaged with a rocker switch and additional four-wheel brake action is standard on all 30 and 40 kph tractors. The park brake on the range lever is a handy addition, and the PowrQuad has been extremely reliable and hasn’t been an
“PowrQuad
Year Model Hours Specification
1998 6400 10,600 4WD, PQ, front fenders, 90% tyres £13,500 1996 6400 7,900 4WD, PQ, 40kph, rear tyres down £13,500 1997 6400 7,770 4WD, PQ, 40kph, front weights
1994 6400 9,000 4WD, PQ, 40kph, JD 640 loader, roof hatch
1997 6400 7,600 4WD, PQ, 40kph, 3 spools, 20% tyres £20,000 1997 6400 3,025 4WD, PQ, 3 spools, Quicke 460 loader £24,950
o ers up to 10 speeds in the main working range of four to 12 kph”
area for concern yet. Ensure the gearbox is what you require. The 40kph top speed is more desirable.
The Category 2/3 linkage is mainly fitted with quick hitch, hook lower links, but fixed or telescopic link ends are available and fitted to the more basic tractors. Lift capacities range from 3,700kg on the 6100 up to 5,474kg on the 6400, which is plenty of capacity for the short-wheelbase models. Front weights are definitely needed for heavier mounted implements.
The linkage control was, at first, a large clumsy dial, but this was soon changed to a linear slide that worked far more effectively. Electronic lower-link sensing was standard on all models for the first time on John Deere tractors from 75hp. The hydraulic telescopic hitch has always been an advantage on 6000 Series and it is a must when trying to view the hitch from the cab thanks to the protruding spool block. Check the linkage rock-shaft and arms for worn bushes or play as lots of linkage work will cause plenty of wear here.
With the new pressure-and-flow compensated (PFC) hydraulic system, standby pressure is a low 30 bar, reducing stress on the system and cutting energy losses.
The swash plate pump offered a capacity of 60 lit/min with an optional
96 litres, providing a maximum pressure of up to 200 bar for any application. So, plenty is available for loader work. Up to four spool valves could have been fitted; two were standard and many tractors have at least one extra fitted. They are available in three different versions depending on customer requirements, including detent, float and kick-out functions. In addition, there’s an optional joystick control for operating one or two SCVs simultaneously, again ideal for front-loader work.
PTO options on the 6000 Series tractors include the standard 540rpm, a dual shiftable 540/1,000, or a three-speed shiftable 540/540E/1,000rpm version. The 540E setting let the operator run at a quiet, economical 1,684 engine rpm, compared with the standard 2,017 at 540, or 2,208 at 1,000 rpm PTO
There’s a choice of either mechanical or air seat and both were excellent and comfortable. The coverings may wear, and armrests are painfully expensive.
speed. The reversible PTO shaft is easy to swap, but check the shaft for excessive play in the carrier as the splines can round-off, losing drive. It will cost more than £500 to have a new carrier fitted.
“Large doors on both sides allowed easy walk-through entry and exit”
The hydraulics either work or they don’t; if the steering still works, it will likely be an electrical problem and if not a pump issue. Brake contamination can often damage a pump, but they’re usually troublefree. Error codes on the dash should help pinpoint the problems. Some spools were problematic due to water leaks from the flow control This was corrected with better sealing; check if flow control is fitted.
Everything falls nicely to hand on the right-hand console. The PowrQuad box and controls are praised for their effectiveness, as is the choice of PTO speeds. Check spool cable operation and the four-wheel drive/diff-lock engagement and indicator bulb.
back. These usually last between 4,000 and 6,000 hours, so check their effectiveness. Machines used solely for transport work can eat the brakes, especially without the use of trailer braking. When the brakes are applied at high speed, a grating noise just before stopping indicates they need replacing.
The TechCenter cab was a visible improvement in cab design, especially compared to the old classic SG2 unit. Its forward position and increased glass area, combined with the under-hood air intake and exhaust systems, and side-mounted exhaust stack, improved visibility dramatically.
The large doors on both sides allowed easy walk-through entry and exit.
like new, however the foam will deteriorate with time. At full load, noise levels were kept down to 75dbA on the 6000 Series.
John Deere seat coverings last extremely well, so should be in good order. Ensure the air-seat lifts and lowers as it should, and that mechanical versions aren’t worn-out.
The tiltable steering column sometimes fails to lock in position when a gas damper fails.
The standard ZF front axles give very few problems. A 4.47m turning radius is as good as any similar tractor of this size, thanks to 12-degree caster and 52-degree steering angles. The brakes consist of oil-cooled, self-equalising and adjusting discs front and
cladding and plastic will clean-up
The cab usually to look
Gauges were simple and consisted of an array of analogue dials and digital displays. Sometimes these can fail, but they can be sorted by electrical specialists.
All the main control levers are
compact, sloping console to the driver’s right-hand side.
grouped together on a plastic
Early hand throttles are of a plastic design that’s known to break, so best to opt for later ones with a steel lever and hand-grip.
Air
conditioning is optional and definitely welcome. However, with the cab filters behind the seat, the system is prone to being ignored and
cab filters behind the seat, the often fails, so check it works.
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Keen bidding and pleasing prices were achieved for PB Overy & Son which is relinquishing its tenancy at Lower Hall, Spurstow, Cheshire
Rostons was pleased to receive instructions from Nigel Overy to sell the tractors, farm implements and miscellaneous items following the decision to give up the farm tenancy. The farm made its own silage in-house and did most of the fieldwork, so a lot of the tackle was recent and in superb condition. The tractors made the leading prices, with a now-classic John Deere 6610 with PowrQuad transmission, front linkage and front fenders selling at £18,000.
A slightly newer 6220 model in straight order and with creeper transmission took £16,000. The silage equipment was headed up by a 2017 Massey Ferguson RK662 twin-rotor rake with individual rotor lift that sold at £7,500, and a 2009 JF Stoll FCT955 precision-chop forage harvester, again in good condition, that achieved a healthy £4,200. The 2010 Shelbourne Reynolds Powerspread 2000 was owned from new and, in good order, sold at £4,900.
Vendor PB Overy & Son
Auctioneer Rostons
Location Spurstow
Date 14 September 2023
Right: A Pair of Richard Western trailers looked very good value. With tandem axles, silage sides and grain doors, these made just £3,000 each.
Far right: Becoming harder to find now, the JF Stoll FCT955 Precision-chop forage harvester was new in 2009 and was in very straight condition, it was worth every penny of the £4,200 hammer price.
Lot
1989 John Deere 3050 2WD Power Syncron, 10,000hrs, SG2 cab, air con, Average £8,200
1986 John Deere 2410 Ex-E Series 2, 10,000hrs, SG2 Cab, 80% tyres, Average £5,000
2006 Marshall 2000 slurry tanker, new tyres, Good £4,500
Fleming ST1600 slurry tanker, Good £4,100 2017 JF Stoll 2805 mower conditioner, Very good £3,200
Richard Western 8t silage trailer, twin-axle, grain door, Good £3,000
2009 Richard Western forage box, Good £2,200
Bagshaw’s kicked off 2024 with its first dispersal sale on January 12 on behalf of the Ward Family at Ford Valley Farm, Eckington, which has sold the farm
WORDS HOWARD SHERREN IMAGES DAVID LALEY
PL Ward had been farming at Ford Valley Farm since 1981 and the sale of the property resulted in this genuine dispersal auction. The business had traditionally grown corn and potatoes, and the small range of kit in its fleet had been extremely well-kept and was in very good order. The sale attracted a very large crowd with national and Northern Irish interest thanks to some superb New Holland tractors.
The highlights were undoubtedly the virtually unused New Holland T6.180 4WD tractors, one with a loader and another with creep speed and 50kph gearbox. The hammer fell at £74,800 for the T6.180 Dynamic Command, front linkage and creep box with only 61.7 hours on the clock. The other, with Electro Command transmission, loader and 100 hours achieved, £72,000. Both tractors were purchased by farmers to go straight to work with livestock and mixed enterprises in Worcestershire and Derbyshire.
Other key results included a 2018 Kuhn Cultimer L300 mounted cultivator with lights, shear-bolt protection and new metal that sold for £7,000, and a mint example of a Hardi 1,000-litre hydraulic folding sprayer, complete with triple nozzles and electric controls, for a healthy £7,550.
Vendor PL Ward
Auctioneer Bagshaws
Location Eckington
Date 12 January 2024
Below: The New Holland T5.115 looked well with its New Holland branded 740TL loader. There was a bit of damage around it, but the tyres were good and the hammer fell at £30,000.
Below right: Continuing the trend of strong prices, a 2011 John Deere 6330 Premium with AutoQuad transmission on 8200hrs and fitted with a Quicke 45 power loader on very good Michelin tyres finished at a healthy £29,000.
New Holland T5.115 4WD, 740TL loader, Good
Above: In virtually new, or ex-demonstration condition, two New Holland T6.180 were the star lots and both sold to farmers. The Dynamic Command with front linkage, creep box and 61.7 hours on the clock sold at £74,800, while the other with 100 hours, Electro Command, loader and 100 hours reached £72,000.
Left: This classic 1985 Ford 4610 with low-profile cab and 5,875 recorded hours had a Trima loader fitted and was in good condition. It made £15,850.
2011 John Deere 6330 Pemium, 8,200hrs, Quicke 45 Loader, Good
1985 Ford 4610, LP cab, 5,875hrs, Trima loader, Good £15,850 1989 Ford 6410 SQ, 2WD Series III, 9,380 hours, Good £10,200 Claas Volto 1000 10-rotor mounted tedder, Good £5,700 Ifor Williams twin-axle, demount livestock trailer, Good £4,500 Kverneland 8452 4-rotor mounted tedder, Good £4,300
For nearly every working machine there’s a model equivalent. Here are the latest scale models that won’t look out of place in any miniature eet
Powered by four AAA batteries, not supplied, Siku’s latest remotely controlled tractor is well-built. The tractor has a metal chassis, metal rear linkage and plastic body panels. It travels at speeds up to a slow walking pace, has good pulling power, turns within its own length and will work behind obstructions such as chair legs.
£249.99 ● www.siku.de
The tractor has Siku’s standard linkage that can be moved manually or remotely. It has a good lift capacity, being able to lift implements heavy enough to raise the raise the front of the tractor. At the rear, there’s also the on/o switch and a port for connecting and operating remotely controlled implements.
The free Apple or Android phone and tablet app is easy to use. It allows the tractor’s motion to be controlled using a virtual joystick or by tilting the device. Both the linkage and any equipment can be controlled, as can the warning beacons, indicators, road lights and work lights. Brake lights turn on when the tractor stops. There are also buttons to turn on the engine noise and sound the horn. At extra, a control handset is available.
Launched at Agritechnica alongside the real tractor, Universal Hobbies’ flagship 9S tractor features a working front linkage with an adjustable length top link and steerable front wheels. These wheels have flexible mudguards and pipework for inflating the tyres. The model has oversized rear-wheel weights, folding mirrors, aerials and warning beacons. 87 euros ● https://shop. masseyferguson.com
The tractor has Universal Hobbies’ latest good-looking two-point rear linkage with an adjustable length top link. A slide under the rear axle locks the lower links in the raised position. Hydraulic connectors are detailed, and provided on the mudguards are folding warning boards and tail lights. Detail levels are good inside the cab.
Britains has now added the flagship Case IH large baler to its range for 2024 after releasing the equivalent New Holland model last year. Sporting Case IH colours and branding, the metal and plastic model has a floating pickup with ground-driven tines and a feed auger. The knotter cleaning fans and white knotter signs are also detailed. £31.99 ● www.britainsfarmtoys.co.uk
Inside the cab, there’s an extra screen on the right-hand door, dark grey floor matting, detailed dark grey armrest and dark grey driver and passenger seats. The model keeps Universal Hobbies’ earlier two-point linkage, but an adjustable length top link replaces the fixed length link on the earlier model. It also now sports warning boards on the cab C pillars.
There’s a fixed access ladder on the left-hand side of the bale chamber and on the railing a painted warning beacon. The wheels on the rear axle are steerable and can be positioned at di erent set angles. Also, the twinsection tailgate unfolds on two plastic chains. It’s supplied with three large green plastic bales.
Universal Hobbies’ updated Arion 550 model features a working front linkage and yellow PTO guard, a restyled bonnet with the latest decals and a new-style chrome exhaust. Work and side lights are also new, as are the driving mirrors. On the cab roof panel there are two new-style warning beacons, an aerial, telematics antenna and GPS receiver. Production is limited to 1,000 for this metallic seed green model. About £68 ● From Claas dealers
Limited to a production run of 200, this resin model has good levels of detailing with warning boards and decals detailed. On the underside there’s the drive to the disc bed and seven fixed discs provided. The mower has a headstock that fits model tractors with a three-point front linkage. It’s also supplied with a yellow PTO shaft and a simple top link. 119 euros ● www.kroneukmerchandise.com
Accord, Amazone and Maschio spare parts. Carrier delivery. TR Smith Ltd. Tel: 01362 668286.
Wide range of telehandler attachments including bale spikes, grabs and squeezes. Also for loaders including grain pushes, forks and buckets. British built. £POA. Tel: 01283 815544.
Abiljo, Burton on Trent.
Claas Rollant 44 round baler, working well last season, very handy price! £2,800 + VAT. Tel: 015396 20636. Cumbria. [CW395]
Welger 730 baler, hyd pick-up, hyd drawbar, very original. £6,900 + VAT. Tel: 028 37548971. N Ireland. [CW362]
John Deere 459 conventional baler, 1991, wide pick-up & PTO, hydraulicbale tension, used last season. £4,500 + VAT. Tel: 01579 370246. Nr Plymouth [CW356]
Claas Quadrant 2200 baler, 2005, low count 38,000 bales, rotor feed, single axle, straight baler. £POA. Tel: 07999 010607. Bristol. [CW351]
Krone Vario pack 1500 round baler, 2004, 19,100 bales, net and string. £5,250 + VAT. Tel: 07970 471773. Devon. [CW333]
Claas Markant 55 conventional baler, 1996, very good condition, 1.65m pickup, video can be sent of it baling. £4,950 + VAT. Tel: 07788 785781. Cumbria. [CW345]
New Holland 377 baler, very good, order with excellent paint. Two owners from new and always stored, undercover, selection of spares and cooks sledge bracket available. £2,850 + VAT. Tel: 07976 654080. North Wiltshire. [CW309]
14ft Chain mounted harrows, £1,400 + VAT. Tel: 015396 20636. Cumbria. [CW392]
Howard 72-inch rotavator, good metal, and good doors. £1,350 +VAT. Tel: 01579 370246. Nr Plymouth. [CW357]
TO ADVERTISE HERE FREE SEE DETAILS AT THE END OF THE SECTION
Sumo GLS3AR 3 leg grassland subsoiler, 2020, fitted with front discs, 3 hydraulic auto reset legs and 2.3m roller with scrapers, as new condition hardly been used. £8,450 + VAT. Tel: 07788 785781. Cumbria. [CW346]
Howard 80” rotavator, new tyres. £1,250. Tel: 07831 542937. Herefordshire. [CW311]
Howard 80” E rotovator, twin rubber depth wheels, some paint still on rotor,good back doors, very original, hard to find like this.£1,850. Tel: 07710 372273. N Ireland. [CW312]
Massey Ferguson 500 4m seed drill, comes with transport trailer, 23 coulters and very clean condition. £1,850 + VAT. Tel: 07718 897765. Forfar. [CW323]
Reekie potato planter, cup and belt, Including cup inserts for small seed,good condition always barn stored,£600 + VAT ono. Tel: 07761 796012. N Yorks. [CW326]
Einbock Pneumaticstar grass harrow and air seeder, 2008, 6m working width, electric fans, levelling boards, good working order have used it ourselves. £5,900 + VAT. Tel: 07788 785781. Cumbria. [CW339]
Used Kidd 814 round bale chopper, 2010 model, 3-point linkage or A frame mounted, right & left-hand discharge, lovely machine in very tidy condition. £2,995 + VAT. Tel: 01823 429431. Taunton. [CW368]
Teagle 404, 4040 & 404M straw mill, new/used from £1,900 + VAT. Tel: 028 37 548971. N Ireland. [CW358]
Teagle & Kuhn mounted & trailed bale shredders (6) new/used. £3,500 + VAT Tel: 028 37 548971. N Ireland. [CW359]
Taarup 853 straw/silage chopper, £5,000 + VAT. Tel: 07771 852774. Somerset. [CW301]
Trioliet 1200 tub feeder, twin side doors, good blades. £7,750 + VAT Tel: 028 37 548971. N Ireland. [CW360]
Kverneland Taarup 853 Pro bedding and feeding machine, 2014, 2-speed gearbox, swivel chute, new blades just fitted, road lights,10.0/75R15.3. £8,950 + VAT. Tel: 07999 010607. Bristol. [CW350]
Foster D750 silage feeder, 2016, very good mechanically, video can be sent of it running, feeds out of both sides, only 2.3m wide. £5,750 + VAT. Tel: 07788 785781. Cumbria. [CW347]
Kvernland 814 straw chopper, c/w chute tidy. £2,250. Tel: 07771 852774. Somerset. [CW303]
Selection of Teagle Tomahawk straw/silage choppers, ring for details.Tel: 07771 852774. Somerset. [CW304]
Straw chopper spreader, little work done, VGC, stored inside, 540 PTO,good spread pattern. £800 + VAT. Tel: 07831 515 912. Cambs. [CW327]
Agrional 12 twin disc fertiliser spreader, in good used condition, serviced and ready to work, 2 bag, hyd shutter. £1,850 + VAT. Tel: 015396 20636. Cumbria. [CW394]
Lely centre liner fertiliser, 24m twin disc mounted spreader, electric controls, headland linkage, hydraulic camber. £500 + VAT ono. Tel: 07831 615912. Cambs. [CW329]
KRM fertilizer spreader, M2 base, hopper cover, lights, headland device, 12m (E1) and 24m (E6) vanes, VGC. £2,750 + VAT ono. Tel: 07976 794383. Shropshire. [CW321]
Transpread 830 lime spreader, recently refurbished, many new parts. £12,000. Tel: 07833 742808. Cumbria. [CW322]
Fleming 1000 rota spreader, good condition. £5,300 + VAT. Tel: 015396 20636. Cumbria. [CW398]
AG 175 Hybrid MK11 dispenser, 2021 3-point linkage tilt little use. £5,500 + VAT. Tel: 01305 889924. Dorset. [CW369]
Square baler New Holland 276, 274 etc, would also consider other makes, also looking for new Holland/Taruup double chop. Location must be in Ireland. Tel: 00353 87 6454435. Cork. [CW378]
New Ritchie, galvanised heavy duty yard scraper, £795 + VAT Tel: 07970 471773. Devon. [CW383]
Fleming yard scraper, new, fit skid steer/tele handler etc. £690 + VAT. Tel: 015396 20636. Cumbria. [CW397]
Heavy mounted 6ft loader buckets, new, with Euro brackets. £720 + VAT. Tel: 015396 20636. Cumbria. [CW393]
Quickie ALO 230 high tip bucket, as-new condition, hardly been used, Euro brackets, 2.3m wide, 2m3 capacity. £1,750 + VAT. Tel: 07788 785781. Cumbria. [CW388]
New Moulton galvanised yard scrapers, adjustable working width, heavy duty swing over, 50mm moulded rubber blade, 3-point linkage or A frame mounted (available separately), very well made, in stock. £850 + VAT. Tel: 01823 429431. Taunton. [CW367]
New bale spike, Euro 8 brackets, £295 + VAT Tel: 07970471773. Devon. [CW336]
New Albutt bale spikes, twin or triple tines, optional backrest, very well Made, choice of brackets, in stock, also other Albutt buckets, shear grabs, yard scrapers, grabs etc, From £495 + VAT. Tel: 01823 429431. Taunton. [CW400]
Twose soft hands bale grab, choice of brackets. £450 + VAT. Tel: 07970 471773. Devon. [CW334]
John Deere front linkage, to fit four-cylinder John Deere, little use. Tel: 07976 702858. Powys. [CW310]
New Quicke tractor loader grabs, sizes available from 1.3m to 2.5m wide, all models twin ram, KV style tines, hydraulic hoses included, choice of Euro 8 or MX brackets in stock. £POA + VAT. Tel: 01823 429431. Taunton. [CW364]
Quicke Shear Grabs, new, 1.2m2.5m wide, twin or triple ram, choice of bolt on brackets, 2 year warranty, in stock. Tel: 01823 429431. Taunton. [CW365]
New Whites bucket brushes, fully galvanised canopy, range of sizes to suit most buckets, easy to fit with clip & go system, motor protection valve, other Whites products also available, in stock. £1,650 + VAT. Tel: 01823 429431. Taunton. [CW366]
Quicke 2000 loader, comes with fork & bucket, manually operated tipping, good working order. £400 ono. Tel: 07973 406825. Oxon. [BCW98]
Suton PTO road brush, FP213, 7ft, brush is 90%, 2016, GWO. £975 + VAT Tel: 07970 471773. Devon. [CW335]
Concrete mixer, tractor mounted, new, comes with its own hyd top link, approx 1 bag mix, handy for them small jobs. £1,275 + VAT. Tel: 015396 20636. Cumbria. [CW396]
TO ADVERTISE HERE FREE SEE DETAILS AT THE END OF THE SECTION
New Malon 14t log splitters, £1,075 + VAT. Tel: 07771 852774. Somerset. [CW390]
New Malone 14t heavy duty log splitter, in stock. £1,075 + VAT Tel: 07970 471773. Devon. [CW384]
New A-Z fabrications 2 person working platform, to fit on pallet forks. £1,095 + VAT Tel: 07970 471773,Devon. [CW385]
New hydraulic pan mixer, 850l, 3/4m cube, 3-point linkage and pallet mounted. £2,850 + VAT Tel: 07970 471773,Devon. [CW386]
Fleming 8ft land rollers, 3-point link fitting and scraper included, only 2 left at this price. £1,800 +VAT. Tel: 015396 20636. Cumbria [CW391]
HE-VA 630 Cambridge rollers, 20’’ rings with breakers, 2017, 6.3 metre working width, stone trays, excellent condition, done little work, from a good local home – sold due to lack of use. £8,250 + VAT. Tel: 07788 785781. Cumbria. [CW389]
Kuhn BP305 flail topper, 2017, fitted with hydraulic side shift, roller and whale tail flail,. very good condition, video can be sent of it running. £4,950+ VAT. Tel: 07788 785781. Cumbria. [CW387]
Spearhead 655T, c/w hyd roller head, has little done, 2012. £11,900 + VAT Tel: 028 37 548971. N Ireland. [CW382]
Kverneland 4332 CT mower c/w grouper, 2012, 1 owner. £11,500 + VAT. Tel: 028 37 548971. N Ireland. [CW361]
Knocke disc and trailed press 3m, £4,000 ono. Tel: 07563 634657. Cheshire. [CW324]
Drum mower 5ft 6”, 2009, done very little work, good working order. £975. Tel: 07970 471773. Devon. [CW332]
HE-VA disc roller, 2005, 4m working width, hydraulic fold into 2.4m transport width, 2 rows of angled discs and V profile roller with scrapers. £9,500 + VAT. Tel: 07788 785781. Cumbria. [CW337]
Claas disco 3200C contour mower conditioner, 2015, vertical fold, just been fully serviced by a Claas engineer, very good condition. £7,950 + VAT. Tel: 07788 , 785781. Cumbria. [CW338]
Mchale ProGlide 3100 front and rear mower conditioners, 2017, steel conditioner tines, very good condition both run very well, can be sold as a pair or separately. £7,500 each + VAT. Tel: 07788 785781. Cumbria. [CW349] TO ADVERTISE HERE FREE SEE DETAILS AT THE END OF THE SECTION
Opico 3-leg sward lifter with spring loaded discs, 2013, rear rollers, shear-bolt legs. excellent condition. £4,250 + VAT. Tel: 07788 785781. Cumbria. [CW341]
Hi Spec 3,500g tanker, 2017, air/oil brakes, rain gun, steering axle sprung draw bar. Tel: 07976 702858 Powys. [CW305]
Tramspread umbilical system, engine pump dribble, bar pipe. Tel: 07976 702858. Powys. [CW308]
Kuhn power harrows, most sizes
2.5 – 6m, new in stock from £9,900 + VAT. Tel: 028 37 548971. N Ireland. [CW381]
Moro-Aratri Warrior plough, 5-furrow, auto reset, auto balancing on turning.£19,750 + VAT. Tel: 01305 889924. Dorset. [CW370]
Used Kverneland LD85 plough, 4-furrow reversible, rear discs, rubber rear depth wheel, manual adjustments, solid mouldboards, average metal £3,295 + VAT. Tel: 01823 429431. Taunton. [CW379]
Overum 4 & 5-furrow rev plough, auto reset vari width, choice from £2,400 + VAT. Tel: 028 37 548971. N Ireland. [CW380]
Kverneland 160 - 28 4-furrow reversible plough, no 8 bodies, sprung legs,hydraulic front furrow. £5,500 + VAT. Tel: 01579 370246. Nr Plymouth. [CW352]
Kverneland 150S-85 4-furrow reversible, auto reset, 2014, no 28 boards, rear disc, trash boards, manual vari width, maize skimmers available at extra cost, very good order. £9,750 + VAT. Tel: 07788 785781. Cumbria. [CW342]
Massey Ferguson 715, 4-furrow plough, auto reset, skims and land wheel, good order. £1,750 + VAT. Tel: 07718 897765. Forfar. [CW313]
KV 3-furrow vari width reversible plough, c/w discs and skims, rubber depth wheel, very good metal, will go straight to work. £2,250. Tel: 07710372273. N Ireland. [CW314]
Krone Swadro 1400 Plus, 2018, one local owner, 50’ rake. £POA + VAT. Tel: 028 37 548971. N Ireland. [CW363]
Cherry 10’ buckrake, 2017, fitted with KV tines and hydraulic push off, very good condition, ready for work. £3,400 + VAT. Tel: 07788 785781. Cumbria. [CW348]
Pottinger Hit 6.80 6 rotor mounted tedder, 2016, 8m working width, hydraulic headland kit, hydraulic fold up, very good condition. £5,950 + VAT. Tel: 07788 785781. Cumbria. [CW344]
Reekie bed tiller and ridger, metalwork all good and ready to go to work. Including various parts. Bearings recently renewed. £650 +vat ono. 07761 796012. N Yorks. [CW325]
Lely Rotonda 510 rake, tines all present, not been used in few years, stored inside, box of spares, £3,000. Tel: 07711 132451. Strathaven. [CW330]
Kverneland 9546 single rotor rake, 2012, 4.6m working width, hydraulic rotor height adjustment, good working order, video can be sent of it running. £3,750 + VAT. Tel: 07788 785781. Cumbria. [CW340]
Allman 925 sprayer, 1,000l 12m hydraulic folding and raise, 5 manual section control, brown guardian air nozzles. MoT, in working order, no leaks. Tel: 07711 132451. Larkhall. [CW328]
JPM 20t dump trailer, full spec, call for more details. Tel: 07976 702858. Powys [CW306]
Fleming TR10 dump trailer, just arrived into stock, a quality trailer that’s in short supply! £10,500 + VAT. Tel: 015396 20636. Cumbria [CW399]
West 10t grain/silage trailer, tidy, £7,500 + VAT. Tel: 07771 852774. Somerset. [CW300]
Bailey 20t tipper, new, sprung drawbar, commercial axles, air-hyd brakes, mud guards & flaps, hyd tailgate, high level, rear lights. £POA + VAT. Tel: 01823 253808. Taunton. [CW372]
New Bailey 20t tri-axle low loader trailers, 10m (33ft) and 8m (25ft), sprung drawbar, air and hyd brakes, hyd ramps, hard wood floor, tool box. £POA + VAT. Tel: 01823 253808. Taunton. [CW371]
Bailey 24ft flatbed trailer, front and back lades, headboard, LED lights, sprung axles, super single tyres. £8,500 + VAT. Tel: 01579 370246. Nr Plymouth. [CW353]
Marshall BC26 bale trailer, 2010, 26’ long, 8’ wide, 5’ bale ladders, 10 tonne carry, good condition. £5,250 + VAT. Tel: 07788 785781. Cumbria. [CW343]
Ifor Williams tipping trailer, hydraulic pump overhauled, new lights, ramps. £4,000 ono no VAT. Tel: 07860 905520. Hampshire. [CW315]
Ifor Williams Gx 106 plant trailers, 10 x 6 good brake lights all working good condition. Tel: 07976 702858. Powys. [CW316]
Nugent plant trailer, as new condition. Tel: 07976 702858. Powys. [CW317]
Low load trailer, 22ft long x7ft 6in chequered plate bed, lights, hydraulic brakes, 385/65R22.5 tyres. £1,400. Tel: 07801 199001. Oxford. [CW318]
Ifor Williams GX106 plant trailer, 2016, 10ft x. 6ft, 3,500kg, twin axle, full-width loading ramp. Lockable drawbar coupling. 155/70R12C tyres,spare wheel, good brakes and lights. £2,800 +VAT. Tel: 07855 356468. Carmarthenshire. [CW319]
JPM low loaders for sale, call for more info. Tel: 07976 702858. Powys. [CW307]
nted joystick controls, nice condition. £POA + VAT. Tel: 07831 158848 Cambs.
Tipping trailer 10t, suitable for grain muck and stone built very strong, hyd door & hyd brakes, LED lights new tyres, grain chute, ready to go straight to work. £7,000 + VAT. Located next to J15 M1. Tel: 07719 697455 Northampton. [CW320]
AS Marston 20ft bale trailer, brakes and lights. £2,950 + VAT. Tel: 07970 471773. Devon [CW331]
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Lesser-known tractors
David Laley, AKA The Tractor Twitcher, has been photographing farm machinery of all types and ages for almost 30 years. Each month he delves into his extensive collection to bring us a fascinating insight into the machines he’s captured at work
D
avid has been attending the LAMMA Show since 2013, when the final event was held outdoors at Newark Showground before moving to the East of England Showground a year later. In his latest column, he takes a look at some of the lesserknown tractor brands on display at LAMMA 2024, held in the warmth of the NEC, the show’s home since 2019.
1
Kioti’s new 140hp HX1402 made its European debut at LAMMA. This is currently the largest tractor produced by the South Korean company and is aimed at livestock farmers.
2 Turkish manufacturer Basak was displaying four models from its Red Power range including the new 105hp 5095 and 108hp 5105 powered by 2.9-litre Deutz TCD engines.
3 TYM tractors from South Korea have been marketed in the UK for more than 20 years. The T555 HST is powered by a 55hp four-cylinder Yanmar engine matched to a 16F/16R four-range transmission.
4 Chinese tractor manufacturer Lovol was exhibiting its compact 3.9t M904 that’s powered by a 90hp Stage V Doosan engine.
5 Italian manufacturer Antonio Carraro was represented at LAMMA 2024 by Kirkland UK. This neat articulated four-track Mach 4 Tony is powered by a 98hp Kubota engine.
6
FarmTrac is the flagship brand of Indian manufacturer Escorts Agri Machinery. The 47hp FT6050 comes equipped with an 8F/8R manual transmission and a 1,500kg capacity rear linkage.
