Issue 147 | March/April 2026 - Australian AgContractor & Large Scale Farmer
NEWS
Nuffield study explores potential of AI
& LARGE SCALE FARMER
FEATURE
What’s new in seeders and planters
EQUIPMENT
Proven LiuGong electric range sparking interest
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Scott Wilson
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IN THIS ISSUE....
02 FROM THE EDITOR: The need to embrace the farming future
INDUSTRY NEWS
03 Landpower takes out global award for Claas after sales excellence
04 Nuffield study supporting Parkes grain farmer to explore potential of AI for agriculture industry
05 CropScan expands operations with new office in Western Australia
TECHNOLOGY
06 One display does the lot
PROFILES
08 Derrick and Kerry Barnes - taking the heat out of volatile crops
14 Four daughters have skills needed to survive and thrive
18 Across the ditch: Eco contractors take Kiwi expertise to the world
FEATURES
22 What’s new in cultivation and tillage
36 What’s new in seeders and planters
EQUIPMENT
46 Claas helps get a great start with perfect silage
48 Hay bales and silage sustain flock on fourth-generation farm
49 Increase profit, reduce overheads: Why smart farmers are locking in 2025 draper orders now
50 Valtra’s sweet features impress sugarcane grower
52 Productivity benefits of the all-new S7 combine harvester on show at Comet
53 More grunt, less guzzle
54 Proven LiuGong electric range sparking interest
56 Maximising new spray tech in WA’s Great Southern
SCALE FARMER - No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the prior written permission of the publisher. Opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily that of the publisher and suggest independent advice be sought before acting on information or suggestions contained herein.
CONTRIBUTIONS - Editorial and photographic contributions are welcomed and should be sent directly to AML. Editing of submissions is at the sole discretion of the editor and will accept no responsibility for unsolicited material.
THE NEED TO EMBRACE THE FARMING FUTURE
AS WE MOVE INTO 2025, AUSTRALIAN FARMING IS AT A PIVOTAL MOMENT, FACING BOTH SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES AND EMERGING OPPORTUNITIES.
The sector is grappling with climate change, market pressures, and rapid technological advancements, all of which are reshaping its future.
The most immediate challenge is the unpredictable climate. Droughts, heatwaves and bushfires are increasingly frequent, particularly in regions like South Australia, where water shortages and crop failures are straining farmers. Despite government drought relief efforts, anxiety remains high, and a major shift toward climate resilience and long-term planning is essential.
Simultaneously, global markets are becoming more competitive, and Australian farmers are dealing with rising costs and shrinking market share.
While Australia leads in commodities like wool, beef and grains, other countries are enhancing agricultural practices and boosting production efficiency. To stay competi-
tive, Australia must invest in new technologies and infrastructure.
Technological innovation presents both a challenge and an opportunity. Automation, AI, and precision farming are revolutionizing agriculture, enabling farmers to improve yields and efficiency.
Technologies such as soil health sensors and drones are already in use, but many farmers, especially in remote areas, struggle with the high costs of these advancements. Additionally, the rise of tech-heavy farming raises concerns about job displacement and the need for a skilled workforce. Addressing the skills gap will be crucial as the sector becomes more technology-driven.
Sustainability is another key issue. With increasing pressure to adopt sustainable practices, regenerative farming methods that focus on soil health and biodiversity are gaining popularity. However, the government’s emphasis on carbon emissions transparency and reducing agricultural emissions adds complexity to an already difficult landscape. While necessary for long-term sustainability, these measures create additional financial burdens for farmers, who must balance profitability with environmental responsibility.
Despite these challenges, there are clear opportunities for Australian farmers to evolve. By embracing technological advancements, focusing on sustainability, and preparing the workforce for the future, the sector can become more resilient and competitive. This will require collaboration between farmers, governments, and the private sector to ensure that Australian farming thrives in an increasingly complex global landscape.
SCOTT WILSON
LANDPOWER TAKES OUT GLOBAL AWARD FOR CLAAS AFTER-SALES EXCELLENCE
LANDPOWER AND ITS NETWORK OF CLAAS HARVEST CENTRE DEALERSHIPS TOOK OUT THE FOUNDATIONAL GLOBAL AFTER-SALES EXCELLENCE AWARD IN BIELEFELD, GERMANY, DURING THE ANNUAL CLAAS AFTER-SALES MEETING LAST WEEK.
Christian Radons, Claas Global Sales Director, said, “Service is the backbone of our success. Our global after-sales network maximises our machines’ uptime, increasing customer service efficiency, and supporting our business with machine servicing, spare parts, service, and digital products.
“We give our customers the promise of harvest, and through our strategic objectives - customer loyalty, growth and profitabilityour team members and partners deliver.
“Landpower is an outstanding ambassador of our brand values and a high-performing distribution partner who is always professional in what it does to benefit New Zealand and Australia farmers.”
The Claas Global After-Sales Excellence Award was developed to express Claas general appreciation for their global aftersales network, which spans 134 countries and wholesale partners. The criteria of the award is based on performance within the four after-sales core functions: customer service efficiency, business development, product portfolios and supply chain management.
Claas products set a global standard for operating performance and smart technol-
ogy. Their machinery is distributed through the Landpower developed Claas Harvest Centre network across Australia and New Zealand. Represented by 33 Harvest Centres and 20 independent dealerships, they sell machines and provide essential backup and support to customers.
“We are delighted to have been recognised by Claas as an outstanding ambassador of the Claas brand values and a high-performing distribution partner. We have proudly
represented Claas since 1987 and we’re committed to providing world class service and after-sales support, to go with the world class machinery we sell,” says Landpower CEO, Richard Wilson.
The award, accepted by Mike Parris, Technical Service Manager, followed his presentation to an audience of 200 attendees at the Claas Future is Calling conference in Germany, and was presented by Christian and Ulrich Timcke (SVP Global After-Sales).
NUFFIELD STUDY SUPPORTING PARKES GRAIN FARMER TO EXPLORE POTENTIAL OF AI FOR AGRICULTURE INDUSTRY
THE IMPACT OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) IS DOMINATING CONVERSATIONS AROUND THE GLOBE, AND THE AGRICULTURE SECTOR IS NO DIFFERENT, WITH THE MAIN QUESTIONS AROUND WHAT IT MEANS FOR THE INDUSTRY AND HOW IT CAN BE USED TO THE GREATEST EFFECT.
At a recent event hosted by the Queensland Farmers’ Federation, participants heard from leading Australian demographer Bernard Salt on trends set to impact the agricultural and regional landscape in 2025 and into the future, with the integration of AI. While there is some concern surrounding AI, many people are focused on the benefits and opportunities around this highly sophisticated technology—among them Parkes farmer, Treen Swift.
Treen is a 2024 Nuffield Scholar, who is part of a 4200ha family farming business, Kebby & Watson at ‘Woodbine’ near Parkes in the NSW Central West. The business runs a cropping operation – farming as many as 13 different cereal, oilseed, pulse and fibre crops – with husband Mark, brother Bruce Watson and his wife, Karina.
As a Nuffield Scholar, supported by GrainCorp, Treen’s focus is on the advantages AI could introduce to grain-growing operations into the future. With farm and landscapelevel sustainability data of increasing interest across the supply chain, Treen says she can see enormous potential in using AI to analyse this data to improve management of natural capital, inputs and operations and provide time-saving benefits to growers.
Mark and Bruce, both former Nuffield Scholars, encouraged Treen to pursue a scholarship to expedite her interest and research into the field. Mark also encouraged her to join a Nuffield Triennial Tour to New Zealand a few years ago where she saw AI used to identify and control pest species of Wilding Pine in inaccessible terrain, fueling her passion for AI’s potential in the grains industry.
“The technology has progressed so much in recent years so just the amount of data we can now process is enormous. So, where do those opportunities lie for agriculture? I could also see other fields and industries talking about it and I thought, “Why aren’t we talking about that in our industry?”, Treen said.
“Why aren’t we talking about how AI is going to benefit our businesses, whether it’s as simple as using number plate recognition when we’re managing trucks coming in for deliveries, or the machinery space and what
brands like Case IH are doing - I wanted to learn more.”
She had her chance at the United Nations’ Committee on World Food Security (CFS) event in Italy late last year where she met Luca Ferrari, the Global Manager of Robotics for Case IH’s parent company CNH. Luca invited her to visit CNH’s labs in Modena, where so much of the company’s technology is developed.
“It was a fascinating experience,” she said. It opened her eyes to the progress being made in machinery and the potential for AI to assist farmers in managing the increasingly complex regulatory space, particularly with regards to emissions and environmental impacts.
“Looking more at practices that are less reliant on chemical use is one area where there is a lot of interest in Europe at present, and I can certainly see a role for AI in this space. Emissions reduction is another area of global focus and with so much data around it, the average farmer will need help in processing this.
“I don’t have the means to put on extra people to crunch those numbers, so I’ll need a tool to help do this quickly and efficiently, in order to ensure my business remains profitable, sustainable and viable in the future,” she said.
Treen’s visit to the CNH labs in Italy also gave her a new appreciation for the increasingly sophisticated machinery being developed by brands like Case IH, an appreciation she found of value when her family farming business had the unique opportunity to trial two new Case IH AF Series combines late last year.
Case IH’s new AF Series has only just been launched in Australia, with limited numbers of AF9 and AF10 combines available to order for the 2025 harvest. The series has been redesigned from the ground up to maximise capacity and crop flow with efficient horsepower, simplified maintenance and connec-
tivity built-in at the base. Rain was forecast during the week the AF9 and AF10 came to ‘Woodbine’ during wheat harvest, alongside the property’s own Case IH 50 Series combine, and the race was on – putting the new AF Series to the test in high pressure conditions.
“We were pushing pretty hard to get as much grain off as we could before the rain, and we were very grateful the new headers were there at that time and we got the opportunity to trial them. They were pushed hard,” Treen said.
“We’d just put in a large grain storage handling facility, and I think the AF9 and AF10 arrived on day two or three of us being able to use the dump hopper. So, it was straight from the paddock and unloaded quickly. I think we moved about 1500-plus tonnes of grain out of the paddocks one of the days they were there. They were really impressive and we can certainly see how much value one of them would bring to our business with their significant capacity.”
Treen is continuing her Nuffield study and said she was keen to stay in touch with Luca Ferrari from CNH. She acknowledges the wariness around AI and says there needs to be “guardrails around it” to protect the integrity of people’s data and where innovation heads, but is adamant the advantages AI presents for agriculture far outweigh any potential risks.
“By harnessing AI’s capabilities for applications within our industry, we have so much to gain with increased productivity, and better-informed decision-making from an economic and environmental perspective. This will help reinforce our competitiveness on the global stage and drive greater sustainability to ensure we can be proud of what we’re leaving for future generations of farmers,” she said.
BRUCE WATSON, MARK SWIFT AND TREEN SWIFT.
CROPSCAN EXPANDS OPERATIONS WITH
NEW OFFICE IN WESTERN
AUSTRALIA
CROPSCAN, A LEADING PROVIDER OF PRECISION AGRICULTURE SOLUTIONS, IS EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE THE OPENING OF ITS NEW OFFICE IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA, FURTHER EXPANDING ITS GLOBAL PRESENCE AND COMMITMENT TO DELIVERING
vide local farmers and agribusinesses with advanced, data-driven tools to enhance crop monitoring, yield analysis, and overall farm management.
“We’re thrilled to establish a physical presence in Western Australia,” said Mat Clancy,
improve productivity and sustainability. CropScan’s product offerings, including advanced crop scanning systems and data analytics tools, are designed to help farmers optimize yields, reduce waste, and make more informed decisions throughout the
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ONE DISPLAY DOES THE LOT
LESS IS DEFINITELY MORE WHEN IT COMES TO CONTROLLING MULTIPLE MACHINERY APPLICATIONS AND IMPLEMENTS, ACCORDING TO BROOKSTEAD DISTRICT FARMER, PETER BLACK.
Whereas many tractors are fitted with three or even four displays, Peter utilises an integrated after-market solution that provides all-in-one control of steering, planting, application and yield monitoring across his machinery fleet.
Together with wife, Michelle, and son and daughter-in-law, Matthew and Danica Black, Peter grows a range of winter and summer crops on 1500ha of arable land about 60km south-west of Toowoomba.
A third-generation farmer in the Brookstead district, Peter returned to the family property, ‘Cecilvale’, after attending Dalby Agricultural College in the mid-1980s.
The Blacks were early adopters of zero-till cropping in the 1990s and then controlled traffic farming in the early 2000s.
Central to this was the adoption of automated guidance and steering technology.
“We started off with AutoFarm guidance systems in 2003 and then Ag Leader after they purchased AutoFarm in 2009,” Peter says.
“AutoFarm was way better than anything else at the time and Ag Leader has continued to develop this technology with every generation of their SteerCommand system.
“We’ve had a very good run with Ag Leader technology and service from our local dealer over the years, so we’ve never had a reason to change.”
The Blacks have dealt with Dalby-based precision agriculture technology dealership, Ag Knowledge Australia (renamed Darling Downs Precision in 2022), for more than two decades.
Ag Leader’s SteerCommand automated steering is now installed across the Blacks’
machinery fleet, including their John Deere 8370RT, 8270R and 8330 tractors and Case IH Patriot 4430 self-propelled sprayer.
In addition, their Case IH Axial Flow 7240 tracked combine harvester is equipped with an InCommand display, which controls the machine’s autosteering system and yield monitoring system.
Peter says he’s never been tempted to unlock the steering, control or monitoring functions on his new farm machinery.
“We try to buy the best of what we need –and we happen to like green tractors, red self-propelled sprayers and combine harvesters and Ag Leader,” he says.
“We have invested a lot of money on machinery and technology but you have to keep up.
“It really frustrates me when I see other farmers messing about with old technology that doesn’t work or won’t talk to other displays.
“We use Ag Leader because it works and it makes things easy.
“The other thing we like is that once you buy it, it’s yours – there are no yearly subscriptions to keep updated.”
THE BLACK’S CASE IH PATRIOT 4430 SELF-PROPELLED SPRAYER UTILISES AG LEADER’S STEERCOMMAND GUIDANCE TECHNOLOGY.
The ‘heart’ of the Ag Leader platform is the InCommand 1200 display, a 30 cm high-visibility touchscreen that controls a range of steering, application and yield monitoring functions.
The display has four camera inputs and split-screen capability.
“It’s a nice display – it’s extremely user-friendly; it does what we want it to; it’s easy to upgrade and it doesn’t slow down if you add more functions to it.”
In addition to SteerCommand, the Blacks also utilise the SeedCommand and DirectCommand functions within the display to control planting and fertiliser application using their 16-row Norseman planter, 16-row Orthman 1tRIPr strip-tillage toolbar and 12-metre BOSS Agriculture disc planter and Simplicity 4000TR airseeder.
“We adopted strip-tillage in 2012 and haven’t looked back,” Peter says.
“Strip-till is a compromise between zero-till and cultivation.
“You end up with a beautiful seed bed, perfect fertiliser placement and improved water infiltration but you only disturb a third of the soil surface.”
Their Norseman 16-row planter is equipped with Ag Leader’s SureForce hydraulic downforce and SureDrive electric drive systems.
“We were buying a new row crop planter and we wanted a bit of new technology, such as individual row control, downforce regulation and swath control,” Peter says.
“We could have chosen another brand that already had everything we wanted, but we wanted to stick with our InCommand display, so we went with Norseman.
“Some people are happy having three or
BROOKSTEAD GRAIN PRODUCER, MATTHEW BLACK, AND DARLING DOWNS PRECISION PRINCIPAL, BEN TARRANT.
four screens in their tractor, but we only want two at the most, and ideally, just one, like we’ve got in our sprayer.”
SureForce automatically adjusts the downward or upward force in each row unit to maintain a consistent planting depth across varying soil types and planting conditions.
The dual-acting hydraulic actuators produce up to 295 kg of downforce and up to 115 kg of uplift.
“If you are going to spend money upgrading your planter, then SureForce is the best thing you can spend your money on,” Peter says.
“In the past, you had to adjust each row manually and if something is hard to adjust, you don’t get out of the tractor to do it.
“SureForce automatically monitors and adjusts the downforce 200 times a second.
“The other thing I like about it is that it minimises sidewall compaction.
“If the gauge wheel is pressing too hard on the soil, your furrow is going to turn into a brick if the soil dries out, which affects emergence, root development and, ultimately, yield.”
SureDrive automatically adjusts the speed of the planter’s meter to maintain a constant planting rate and precise shut-off at the end of each row.
“A lot of our paddocks are not square, which means we can end up with a lot of overlap,” Peter says.
“The autoswath function on SureDrive avoids double planting and gives you a nice, even crop.
“It’s so reliable and easy to use.”
Peter also utilises Ag Leader’s AgFiniti connectivity and SMS data analysis systems.
AgFiniti is a cloud-based platform that automatically syncs and shares guidance lines, application and yield maps, machine and operating data, and satellite imagery with other connected machines and remote devices.
In turn, application and yield maps can be
transferred to the SMS decision support platform and easily combined with other farm data to generate precision ag prescriptions.
“When you turn the header off, all the data just shoots up to the cloud and I then download this from the office and transfer it to SMS,” Peter says.
“It’s just so easy.
FARM WORKER, JEFF REIMERS, IN THE CABIN OF A JOHN DEERE 8370RT TRACTOR FITTED WITH AG LEADER’S STEERCOMMAND GUIDANCE TECHNOLOGY. THE INCOMMAND DISPLAY IS ALSO USED TO CONTROL FERTILISER APPLICATION IN THEIR 12-METRE BOSS AGRICULTURE DISC PLANTER AND SIMPLICITY 4000TR AIRSEEDER.
“SMS is great for record keeping – all my planting, spraying and harvest records are automatically recorded and sent to the office computer.
“I don’t have to write anything down.”
Peter says the next step will be the adoption of field prescriptions.
“We have all the gear for variable rate application – all we need is someone who has the time and the ability to interpret the yield data,” he says.
Ag Leader is recognised as a global leader in precision agriculture technology.
It produces a range of integrated and easyto-use guidance, steering, application control, monitoring and decision support systems that help to make farming easier.
Based in Iowa, USA, the family-owned business employs about 400 people worldwide.
THE BLACKS ALSO UTILISE AG LEADER’S DIRECTCOMMAND APPLICATION TECHNOLOGY FOR FERTILISER APPLICATION USING THEIR 12-METRE BOSS AGRICULTURE DISC PLANTER AND SIMPLICITY 4000TR AIRSEEDER.
THE BLACKS UTILISE AG LEADER’S STEERCOMMAND GUIDANCE TECHNOLOGY ACROSS ALL OF THEIR FARMING OPERATIONS.
Derrick and Kerry Barnes
- TAKING THE HEAT OUT OF VOLATILE CROPS
AUSTRALIA IS THE WORLD’S LARGEST EXPORTER OF CHICKPEAS, WITH AROUND 790,000 TONNES SENT OFF SHORE LAST YEAR - WORTH ABOUT $600 MILLION TO THE LOCAL ECONOMY.
But while its nitrogen-fixing properties make chickpeas a good option as part of a rotation, it’s fair to say chickpeas are one of the least popular crops to harvest for both contractors and farmers alike.
Chickpeas are considered high risk, with more header fires during harvest than with any other crop.
The problem is around the amount of dust and chaff produced which can build up on the machinery or stick to oil around hydraulic motors, especially around the exhaust, where it can start smouldering. If not cleaned off, the header may catch fire.
Derrick Barnes first came across chickpeas seven years ago on his first stint driving headers around the Clermont area in Queensland.
TEAM BARNES: SUCCESS WITH CONTRACTING FOR DERRICK AND KERRY, HARRY AND OLIVIA IS SEEING FARMING INCREASINGLY TAKE THE BACK SEAT.
Having done several years of header work on local cereal crops around the Bordertown area of South Australia, Derrick admits he was startled to find the header - the same model Case IH 2188 machine he had used without issue on other crops - was smoul-
GETTING MACHINE HYGIENE RIGHT IS ALL IMPORTANT WHEN WORKING WITH VOLATILE CROPS.
dering a couple times every lap of the chickpea paddock.
THE
TWO SMALLER MACHINES CAN WORK IN TANDEM OR SEPARATELY, GIVING THE TEAM MORE FLEXIBILITY THAN A SINGLE LARGER HEADER.
It turns out all header brands are prone to the fire issue, especially when there has been low rain fall close to harvest. The rain washes off some of the malic and oxalic acid the plants produce, which can make the dust stick together inside the header. Bearing failures, low humidity, and high wind speeds also add to the problem, as does cutting close to the ground, which increases the risk of the cutter hitting rocks and causing sparks.
Ten or 12 headers burn to the ground every season while harvesting various crops across the country. With an operator tragically dying from burns in the Goolhi district NSW in December last year, this reinforces the need to take extra care during harvest especially around volatile crops.
INSURANCE WOES
About eight years ago, during a bumper harvest season, 16 or 17 headers burnt out nationally, with at least five in Queensland while harvesting heavy chickpea crops.
This caused some concern for insurance companies and has led to a continued tightening up around header insurance for contractors, putting significant pressure on them to find afforda-
ble insurance, if they could find it at all.
“For someone without backing, or a farm for collateral, it’s almost impossible to get insurance now,” says Derrick.
He was fortunate, he reckons, that his wife Kerry’s farm was already insured with Elders, who were still giving out contract insurance for existing customers.
The insurance issue led some contractors to opt out of harvesting volatile crops.
COMING CLEAN
“I used to be scared of chickpeas and lentils because of that fire issue, but it all comes down to the cleanliness of your machine. Although if you’ve got a banger that’s on its way out, it’s going to catch fire.”
Good hygiene around the machine is needed, including blowing out dust regularly, along with not operating when risks are high.
This preference not to harvest volatile crops has been some-
FASTIDIOUS ABOUT BLOWING OFF DUST WHILE HARVESTING, KERRY AND THE TEAM ALSO AIR BLOW EQUIPMENT WHEN CROSSING STATE BORDERS.
thing of a windfall for Derrick, with more work on offer.
His headers are cleaned religiously every two hours, blowing them down with a big diesel compressor, and sees him with
THE AUSTRALIAN CUSTOM HARVESTER ASSOCIATION CAN HELP CONTRACTORS KEEP UP TO DATE WITH BEST PRACTICE FOR CHANGING CROPS AND NEW VARIETIES.
no qualms about taking on the volatile crops.
His 2018 Case IH 8240 had no issues this year during harvest, although the older 2015 model 8240 had some smouldering under the exhaust, if cleaning
FLEXI FRONTS LIKE DERRICK’S MACDON FD140 ARE ESPECIALLY GOOD FOR CLOSE TO GROUND CROPS LIKE LENTILS.
happened any time after two hours.
More South Australian farmers are moving away from canola and have gone into wheat/lentils or barley, he says. Changes to his fronts have seen more lentil work come his way and now makes up around a quarter of the work.
“Lentils are worth quite a lot of money and yield pretty good, when they yield,” he says.
“But they’re a low crop and the paddocks have to be rolled. You also need a specialized harvester for them.”
When a worker wrote off one of his fronts a couple of years ago, Derrick found it was a blessing in disguise as he replaced it with a flex front.
“Since then, I’ve had many peo-
STAFF WITH A MECHANICAL BACKGROUND TO RECOGNISE AND FIX PROBLEMS ARE VALUABLE AND ABLE TO WORK BY THEMSELVES.
ple ask if I can come and do their lentils.
“Farmers who approach us have often tried to harvest them with a normal rigid front and they just can’t get them all. At $1000/ tonne they can be leaving 250kg on the ground - that’s $250 on the ground per hectare.”
He has since sold another rigid front, replacing it with a flex, so is open to doing more lentil work.
“Because lentils are a lot higher wearing, putting sand in your header, ruining your knife and guard pretty quick because you’re literally licking the dirt, I charge $100 more a rotor hour to do them.”
Safe harvesting is one of the messages pushed by the nationwide Australian Custom Harvester Association, where Derrick is now treasurer. Getting involved with the group has also seen him able to pick up a lot of useful information about crops or varieties he hadn’t tackled before.
“That’s why people get contractors in – there’s a lot of different crops and different conditions; it’s not the same thing all the time.”
The association encourages the use of a harvest agreement the client signs giving certainty for both parties. This stipulates the terms of the contract can’t be changed part way through,
WHILE FASCINATING FOR HARRY, HIGH DUST AND CHAFF LEVELS IN CHICKPEA CROPS CAN CAUSE SERIOUS PROBLEMS FOR INEXPERIENCED OR UNWARY CONTRACTORS.
and covers things like damage to equipment.
There has been a lot of new country cleared in the last four of five years in NSW, Derrick reckons. This often results in poorer prep work on some new paddocks - to get a crop in the ground quickly.
Being careful with the machine sees Derrick going slower, so it costs more.
“If you put a stick through the machine and it breaks something, the farmer pays for it. If you go to a job and they say they won’t pay for any damage - you don’t do the job.”
Other benefits include getting good discounts from their sponsors, which sees cheaper repair bills.
Derrick and Kerry have taken the hurdles of building their contracting business, while also farming and raising a young family, in their stride. It has also seen them enjoying an adventurous new life.
Having their first child Harry, five years ago, was the catalyst for the change to contracting for the couple.
Both had grown up on sheep farms with Derrick’s parents farming a 1000-acre farm at western flat near Bordertown. Expanding that business had seen his parents buying trucks and moving into transport –something his father loved.
Derrick started taking over the farm when he was old enough,
with his parents eventually moving to Adelaide where his father still drives trucks.
Kerry’s grandfather was one of the original pioneering farmers 300kms away in the Riverland area. While the area is famous for its vineyards, the land is fairly marginal for farming and more prone to droughts.
Kerry grew up on her parent’s 7000-acre farm, where they had share-croppers on 5500 acres and ran sheep on the rest. She and her mother now own the farm since her father died.
Despite not having been involved with cropping before, since getting to know Derrick, Kerry is now an old hand at spraying, driving the header, chaser bins and trucks. While she may not have the same mechanical background, they make a good team with Kerry also doing the books, helping with the treasury work for the association, as well as running around after the kids. Along with harvesting for other contractors as well as farming, Derrick had been truck driving for a few years and wanted to be closer to home once Harry was born.
particularly well that year they
decided to try their luck and see if they could pick up some harvesting work. They invested in a newer $25k header and Barnes Ag Contract Harvesting began.
Being a bit strapped for cash after buying the header, and to keep costs down that first year, rather than hiring a truck, they drove the header for four days to get to their first interstate job in NSW. An adventure in itself, this also meant they had to stop every four hours to feed Harry who was only six months old. Since then, the whole family has
ers including young Olivia, who is nearly two.
The kids also enjoy the lifestyle, travelling in the headers and trucks - it is an adventure for them, says Kerry.
“For the majority of the jobs there’s usually a house or dongas to stay in and sometimes other kids to play with,” she says.
One of the highlights of the harvesting season has become work on Kangaroo Island, where they load the headers onto a ferry at Cape Jervis, for the 45-minute ride to the island. They work in
and need to book early.
After issues with overhanging trees when the headers are delivered to the ferry on trucks, this year they drove the headers down. While there wasn’t any damage and they had escorts, Derrick admits there were still some impatient drivers in smaller vehicles around.
Being a popular tourist destination close to Adelaide, the header gets a lot of attention both getting on and off the ferry and while operating, with tourists often stopping their cars to take
The island is all rolling hills with
HARVEST ON A KANGAROO ISLAND FARM IS A WELCOME PART OF THE SEASON AND SEES HEADERS CATCHING THE FERRY AT CAPE JERVIS.
beautiful sea views from the paddocks.
There is also a lot of wildlife there, which is one of the biggest issues for farmers on the island, with little wallabies eating a lot of the crops. Wallaby-proof fencing is going in more now, which helps a lot, Derrick reckons.
But the close proximity to the sea does have its challenges. Dew coming in off the water can see starts as late as 11am, with early finishes also common for the same reason. But being able to go out to breakfast every morning helps give the work a
WITH LIMITED SPACE FOR LARGE MACHINERY BOOKING THE SEALINK FERRY EARLY IS A MUST.
holiday feel to it, Derrick reckons.
“Everyone told me before going over there to take a deck of cards or some games because you’ll be sitting around all the time. But the farmer has a drier so it’s not too bad. We can put the grain in the drying silo so we can harvest with a bit higher moisture.”
CHANGES AHEAD
With Harry just starting school and Olivia going to kindy, this regular nomadic lifestyle is coming to an end for Kerry and the kids.
With the contracting business going well, Derrick has just traded in the older Case IH 8240 for a newer 8250. He likes to buy machinery with 800 rotor hours on it as it can be considerably cheaper. There are plans over the next few years to expand further and buy another couple of headers.
Other changes to make life less hectic will see Kerry’s farm sold with crop farming moved closer to home on a block of land with better soil and rainfall in Mallee,
which they picked up a couple of years ago.
Sheep numbers will drop to around 700 animals and everything will be within 150km of home.
While Derrick will continue on the harvest migration each year from mid-September, the plan is for Kerry to stay closer to home and for the children to have a more settled school life, travelling to see Derrick in the school holidays.
This will also give Kerry more time with the other passion in her life which she shares with her mother – Australian stock horses. A regular at eventing when younger, and having competed
at the Melbourne and Adelaide Royal Shows, Kerry now does showing and dressage breed shows when she gets the chance. It seems it won’t be long before Harry and Olivia will be having as much fun in the saddle as they do in a header.
WITH FIVE AUSTRALIAN STOCK HORSES BETWEEN THEM KERRY AND HER MOTHER SHARE A PASSION FOR THIS HARDY BREED.
OLIVIA HAS TAKEN TO FARMING LIFE LIKE A DUCK TO SUMMER RAIN.
four daughters HAVE SKILLS NEEDED TO SURVIVE AND THRIVE
SOUTH WEST QUEENSLAND FARMERS KAREN AND DAN PENFOLD ARE EQUIPPING THEIR FOUR DAUGHTERS TO TAKE OVER THEIR EXTENSIVE BEEF OPERATION AND, BY THE LOOKS OF IT, THEY HAVE SUCCESSION SUSSED.
Daughters Bonnie (27), Molly (25), Jemima (23) and Matilda (21) all want to farm, and have a diverse range of skills that the operation needs to survive and thrive, Karen says.
Bonnie has a teaching degree, and teaches for two days a week at the same school in Teelbas where Karen taught them.
“She still prefers cows to kids,” says Karen. “They work weekends too, so she still has five days to get a lot of work done; they can all be working till 7pm at night.
“Molly was married last year and, because she just had a baby – Wally – we just extended to our next generation. She lives 40km away and was working right up until she had him.”
Molly completed an accounting degree, which gives Karen scope to leave the books for the family’s different businesses and
THE PENFOLD’S DAUGHTERS HAVE A WIDE RANGE OF SKILLS; ALL OF THOSE NEEDED TO MEET THE DEMANDS OF THE FARMS.
entities in capable hands, when she wants to take a break.
Jemima completed an agricultural business degree, which has obvious benefits for the farms.
Matilda is a keen flyer, with her private pilot’s license and helicopter theory both under her wing, which is handy, as helicopters are an integral part of the business.
“All the girls can do everything on the farm. They drive every
piece of machinery, scrapers, tractors, mixers, rollers. They can service everything. They all do stock work and inductions. But they all have something else also going on.”
The family breed, trade, and raise cattle on their proper-
SOME OF THE PENFOLD’S PREMIUM ANGUS CATTLE ON THE MOVE
ties ‘Old Bombine’, ‘Mamaree’, ‘Coreena Park’, ‘Belah Valley’, ‘Meandarra’, ‘Woodlawn’ ‘Talwood’ and ‘Bellevue’ which, combined, make up about 113,000 acres.
Karen, Dan, Matilda and Jemima live on Bombine.
“No,” says Karen, “As much as we all love each other, we don’t live together. We share the same kitchen, the girls live in another building.”
Bombine’s 4000 acres holds, amongst other things, a feedlot consented for 5000 head per year. There is also a feedlot at Mamaree with a 1000 head capacity.
Dan grew up on Mamaree, which is 10km down the road. Mamaree is used primarily to background cattle rotating through paddocks.
Last year the family bought two more pieces of land, Coreena Park and Belah Valley, and connected them with gravel roads and turned it into extra paddocks, which are also used to background cattle.
Karen says with dry conditions always presenting a challenge, finishing cattle in a feedlot means they control the quality, supply and consistency of their product 365 days a year.
Cattle are backgrounded across the properties, and are then moved into the feedlot at 300kg live weight.
From the feedlot, all animals are sold as fat animals, direct to the works.
THE FOUR PENFOLD DAUGHTERS ALL WANT TO KEEP FARMING AND ARE ALREADY WORKING ON SUCCESSION PLANNING.
sion isn’t just a one-off event and are busy with a 10 -year programme.
“It’s about making sure the girls have the business skills. They have all the practical skills they need. There’s no issue with that. They’ve been learning that from the day they were born. Now it’s very much about making sure they understand the business aspects.
“Agriculture runs through their veins, this is where they want to be.”
body gets to see all the messages, and everybody can quickly get an answer on pressing matters.
“A common problem in agriculture is that people don’t communicate a message to everyone. We have a family and a team group. If there’s a message that relates to you, then you take notice, if it doesn’t relate to you, you ignore it.
“We’ve started understanding the difference between strategic planning and operations. When we started, Dan just wanted to talk about operations. At the end of the day, unless you have operations, you don’t make money. But we have separated the two and now have a strategic communications chat.
The family aims to sell around 12,000 head per year, with the operation running around 1500 breeding cows.
The family predominantly supplies direct to a large supermarket chain, aiming to sell about 1000 head per month.
As the farms do not have the carrying capacity to do all the breeding for the 12,000 head they want to sell per year, Dan buys and sells at the Roma saleyards every week.
Karen says they always like to have stock on hand, but only buy when it will benefit them and so they keep a careful eye on the market.
“We try to ride out the highs and lows to flatten the curve,” she says.
“We firmly believe our profits are in the buying. We run updated figures every Tuesday and I report them to everybody in the family, including the girls, so they know exactly where the financial position is.”
“They know what’s been sold, what’s been bought, and the total stock numbers. They also know accounts that are to be paid and income to come in. We work greatly on them understanding that entire financial side.”
The communication with the four daughters is key to preparing them for succession.
Karen says with her and Dan in their mid 50s, they are in a business transition phase. They, however, know succes-
The farm is now run similarly to how a board would run a business. They set an agenda and have strategic business and succession discussions.
Although they don’t have an answer for how succession will look, they are setting structures in place to make sure it happens as smoothly as possible.
“History might tell us it will be hard to make it work. We have a 10-year plan, and we’re down to nine years. We run a 12-month, three year and a one year plan.”
Karen says their challenge is to keep communication lines open and to stay focussed over the next 10 years while moving forward.
“Progress, not perfection. We’ve come a long way in 12 months.”
One simple hack that has worked for the family and farm team is having chats pinned to the top of iPhone messages.
Karen says they have a group chat for the farm operations team and one for the family.
Using groups means every-
“Separating those two sides of the business was a big learning curve.”
The family has also had extensive experience selling direct to market. They first sold premium black Angus under the Four Daughters branding.
The Four Daughters Pink Boxes were one of the first farm home deliveries in Australia.
Rising costs and processing challenges, however, became too much, and sales were stopped. Despite sales no longer ongoing, Karen says they had a lightbulb moment when they realised connecting with consumers was invaluable.
“They really do want to know where their food comes from. They really do want to support a farmer. Many people became like family, they would never miss a meat run. People loved connecting with the girls.”
A chance meeting between Dan and a couple from China at Beef Week in 2018, also led to a direct export enterprise.
“We were crazy enough to go
THE HOME PROPERTIES ARE IN A LARGE GRAIN PRODUCING AREA. AS A RESULT THEY BUY IN GRAIN, AND THEN GROW THEIR OWN SILAGE, TRYING TO PUT AWAY 5000 TONNES OF SILAGE PER YEAR.
SISTERS-IN-ARMS – OFF TO GET THE WORK DONE!
for it. We have a ‘if opportunity knocks, let’s have a crack’ mentality.”
The sales did well but, when Covid hit, China banned the abattoir they processed through, and an additional drop in demand during the pandemic years shut down the China exports.
“A big challenge of selling direct from farm is that you need to sell whole carcasses, which the Chinese buyers were willing to take.”
But the journey of setting up branding, learning about the paperwork required, freight and logistics, documentation and abattoir ins-and-outs were also invaluable, she says.
Despite exports to China and the pink box sales not going anymore, the Four Daughters brand is still going.
“We’re not just a made-up name. We’re still living our life every single day, producing beef to the highest quality we can, looking after our environment and our animals.
“Our brand focus really is about connecting with consumers. We have four girls that want to stay on the land. They want to produce beef. At the end of the day, we need people to connect with us, and we need them to eat beef. So we need to share good stories.
“The only way we can have a
they would not have successful businesses.
“We manage our stocking rates and grazing practices to ensure our pastures do not become compromised. We constantly monitor ground cover to ensure that at least 80% of the land is protected to reduce water runoff and in turn eliminate erosion.”
These days the government requires them to prove it.
The Penfolds are using this as an opportunity to showcase what they do to the public, and keep telling good stories of how they take care of their land.
To that end the family did their first baseline measurements of the farm’s greenhouse gas intensity three years ago.
This is part of the government agenda to be carbon neutral by 2030 or CN30.
kilos of beef in a shorter period of time.”
Karen says in essence it’s all about efficiency and that “farmers have been doing it forever”.
“If you’re not efficient you’re not growing.”
To this end the family finish cattle as young as possible.
An animal that reaches slaughter earlier than others will produce less methane in its lifetime, and hence less methane per kilogram of beef.
“We aim to breed and feed cattle with high growth rates and efficient conversion of feed to meat ensuring we are helping to reduce the greenhouse gases emitted.”
successful succession transition of our business over the next 10 years is to make sure we’ve still got people in cities that want to eat beef.
“We understand that consumers demand natural food which is produced without detriment to the environment or the welfare of animals and we have a wide understanding of many factors that ensures the meat consumers eat has been produced in a sustainable way.”
Karen says a big frustration for farmers is that they have always taken care of their environment and their livestock, otherwise
CN30 is a target set by the Australian red meat and livestock industry to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by the year 2030.
Karen says their beef intensity number is their most important metric.
The beef intensity number represents the amount of carbon dioxide equivalent, CO2e, greenhouse gases produced per kilogram of live weight of beef cattle.
When the family crunched their numbers for a second time at the end of the last financial year, their beef intensity number had decreased
“It’s about turning off more
Knowing a farm’s numbers will also become a market requirement, as supermarkets need to know what their scope 3 emissions are.
On the farm it translates into making sure animals are always on a rising plan of nutrition, and don’t experience any dips and are never going backwards, she says.
Practically it means animals are fed what they need, whether that means grass or silage.
Karen says building a large solid shade shelter has also had massive benefits in this regard.
The structure is not closed in,
THE HOME PROPERTY, BOMBINE, CAN HOUSE 5000 FEEDLOT CATTLE PER YEAR.
is 7 meters high and has a lot of airflow.
“It’s been massively important with weight gain. It comes down to that they’re always eating. If you have bad weather outside you’ll find cattle in open pens will go off feed. They can go backwards for a day. You also have less spoiled feed using this strategy.”
Shade also helps mitigate heat stress, she says.
“We work on making sure we’re always keeping cattle on a rising plane of nutrition. If there’s green feed, great. If the paddocks are lacking something, we’ll make sure those cattle are fed the appropriate feed that we mix ourselves.”
The home properties are in a large grain producing area. As a result they buy in grain, and then grow their own silage, trying to put away 5000 tonnes of silage per year.
They also grow some hay on a 180 acre center pivot, and have some dryland forage.
The main farms are located in a large grain producing area, with access to commodities needed.
Karen says they have good relationships with their grower community, but deal predominantly with one grower, who delivers directly into their silos.
The farm has the capacity to store 4000 tonnes of grain in silos and sheds.
Off course, any farmer faces challenges.
Water is becoming a real challenge as it’s becoming more expensive every year.
Dan and his brother started building a large 2000ML dam 27 years ago to help the farm be drought proof.
All their water is surface water, and they don’t rely on bores.
“Both building dams and feedlotting are part of drought strategies,” Karen says.
Karen says from 1992 to 1995 the business was halted due to drought.
“All dams were dry, and feed was extremely minimal. From this experience, we vowed we would not let drought impact our business so deeply again.”
“We built a large water storage dam to guarantee we could catch and store overland flow in times
of excess rain to ensure water supply is available for long-term production of animal fodder and healthy beef production. This is an integral part of our sustainability and drought proofing.”
Another challenge the farm faces is distance.
Using helicopters across the business is a must, with one farm, Bellevue at Yaraka, a threehour helicopter flight from their base at Bombine.
“Helicopters are key to our operation; it’s all about efficiency.
“We have laneways built and can walk cattle about 10km from one place to the next. Dan does all the mustering by himself with the chopper. He will just fill the yards. We have one big week of inductions every month, and he will move 600-800 into the yards in a day.
“The girls then come by the next morning and begin weighing and drafting according to weight, deciding if they will go into the feedlot or into a paddock.”
Karen says Matilda used to put her backpack on backwards and hop into the drifter, which Dan started his flying career in. and he would drop them off in the school oval.
Dan progressed to the helicopter and uses it at least four days a week, using it to check cattle water, fly to Roma for the cattle sales, or flying three and a half hours to their Yaraka farm to
save on time spent in a ute.
Karen says Dan and some of the girls could leave Bombine at 5am in a helicopter and can start work by 8.30.
This is opposed to driving, which can take a day.
“It’s about efficiency, it’s buying us time.”
And time will tell all.
Karen and Dan are excited to see what their girls can achieve in their future.
“Dan and I will be married 30 years next year. When we started we lived in a caravan. Then we bought an old $5,000 shell of a house that had no windows or doors.
“The girls are starting with phenomenal knowledge and skills. Their knowledge of business and strategic operations is insane. They can call our bank manager and discuss anything. Their net-
MATILDA IS A KEEN FLYER, WITH HER PRIVATE PILOT’S LICENSE AND HELICOPTER THEORY BOTH UNDER HER WING.
working abilities at such a young age is incredibly powerful.
“In the end, all four daughters should be able to live out the dreams they have for themselves and their families.”
Due to the success of the business they have created, Karen is regularly asked to give interviews, as well as speaking engagements for companies and corporates.
If there are corporates or businesses interested in having her at one of their business functions or conferences, she says she is readily available through their social media channels, by phone or by email
Facebook Four Daughters Beef facebook.com
Instagram Four Daughters Beef @fourdaughtersbeef Instagram photos and videos instagram.com
Web page
When only the best beef will do fourdaughters.com.au
Karen and Dan Penfold
DK AG CO Pty Ltd, Penfold Cattle Company, Penfold Grazing T/A Four Daughters
“Old Bombine” 474 Penfolds Rd Meandarra QLD 4422
oldbombine@gmail.com
karenpenfold@me.com
K: 0427 695217
D: 0427 695218
THE GIRLS ALL DO STOCK WORK AND INDUCTIONS.
eco contractors
TAKE KIWI EXPERTISE TO THE WORLD
IF LISTENING TO THE NEWS IS DRIVING YOU TO DESPAIR, REMEMBER HOW MANY INTERESTING PEOPLE ARE OUT THERE DOING FASCINATING AND POSITIVE THINGS.
Here in New Zealand, the Predator Free 2050 initiative has opened up opportunities that are giving a boost to some innovative Kiwi companies. One of them is Kaitiaki o te Ngahere.
Bradley Myer is the Nelson branch manager of Kaitiaki o te Ngahere (Guardians of the Forest). He says the mission of the company is to restore indigenous ecosystems.
system – and it is a matter of creating links between its different parts.
For example, if we can create an environment that protects birds that distribute seeds of native plants, they can get on and do that job. So it may be necessary to set up trapping lines for rats and stoats and develop a plan to clear the traps.
NATIONAL PARKS TRUST TEAM FROM THE BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS WITH MIKE GIBBS (LEFT) AND BRADLEY MYER (RIGHT).
face similar issues and removing or managing invasive species is a common feature.
“Things that interfere with the way that ecosystems function are typically invasive species and sometimes land degradation.”
Along with its work in Aotearoa, Kaitiaki o te Ngahere works overseas, including on such remote islands as South New Georgia and the Falklands.
Clients in New Zealand tend to be local or regional councils, but Kaitiaki also work for iwi, utilities, DoC, the defence force and major land owners.
“We have worked for farmers and would like to do more.
Bradley says most ecosystems
across ditch the
PROFILED IN NZ’S RURAL CONTRACTOR & LARGE SCALE FARMER FEBRUARY/MARCH 2025, WE VISIT KAITIAKI O TE NGAHERE, IN NELSON, NEW ZEALAND.
Removing ‘invasives’ and then planting natives are often the most important parts of a Kaitiaki o te Ngahere job. Bradley says ecosystems are quite capable of restoring themselves if we remove whatever is stopping them.
An ecosystem is just that – a
BRADLEY MYER THE NELSON BRANCH MANAGER OF KAITIAKI O TE NGAHERE (GUARDIANS OF THE FOREST).
Typically it is with QEII or third-party funding for works on the farm.”
Kaitiaki develops programmes for farmers so they can look after bush and natural features on their land, such as wetlands or riparian margins. For those of you who have had riparian plantings inhibit drainage, Bradley feels your pain.
“We really understand the impacts of good riparian management. There is a lot of poor design. You should be trying to get some shade across the water, but at the same time allow for flooding with plants and grasses that will lie down when the flood comes through. It is not just flax and cabbage trees and job done.”
Most of the company’s work in New Zealand is done in Canterbury, across the West Coast, up to the top of the South Island and around Wellington. They will work anywhere, however.
Bradley says Kaitiaki is good at estimating the cost for on-going care.
“It goes on over long periods of time and the need for management never goes away because there is still reinvasion from outside sources. Costs decline over
time, however. If we get a patch of bush under control, the inputs needed decline, so it is not a money sink.”
Carbon credits may help finance the cost of restoring native bush or wetlands in the future.
“Biodiversity standards and credits are being developed that may influence things in the future. It is all talking about managing natural resources more effectively.”
The main point for any land-
STILL IN FRONT!
owner considering restoration work is that it is worth a conversation with experts.
Kaitiaki o te Ngahere can be involved at any level – from helping clarify your goals, to site surveys, plan designs and timeframes and then right down to getting rid of weeds and then monitoring once the ecosystem is flowing again. They also train farm or council staff or volunteers and write biosecurity plans.
Kaitiaki o te Ngahere has 35
staff across its branches in Wellington and Nelson. Many of them have tertiary qualifications in ecology or environmental science, but they get much of their training in the forests.
“I like diversity in teams. We need smart people. We need people who can handle working outside in all conditions. Planting trees all winter long is hard work.”
IN THE BEGINNING
The company’s story began in
KAITIAKI DEVELOPS PROGRAMMES FOR FARMERS SO THEY CAN LOOK AFTER BUSH AND NATURAL FEATURES ON THEIR LAND, SUCH AS WETLANDS OR RIPARIAN MARGINS.
the 1990s with a group of friends from Lincoln University. Bradley was studying business, while lots of his friends in ecology-related fields ended up working for the Department of Conservation.
Eventually the boys got together to start their own business.
“They were humble beginnings, just a few of us enjoying our time working in the bush. We developed a lot of knowledge and skill by spending long periods of time in the forest,” Bradley says.
Back then their main focus was on ecological restoration, building tracks and building structures such as bridges.
The business went through iterations. In 2006 they were
based in Nelson. The name Kaitiaki o te Ngahere (Guardians of the Forest) was gifted to them by Ngati Kuia, the iwi based around Te Hoiere (Pelorus Sound). In 2010 they set up their Wellington branch.
In the early days Bradley and a friend Tim Le Gros were mentored by Martin and Jo Conway, who pioneered propagating native plants for revegetation projects. Martin and Jo established Titoki Nursery in Brightwater. Tim took over the nursery in 2004.
Bradley gets his plants from Titoki. “Our focus is on ecosourced plants and propagation. They are always high-quality plants.”
BRADLEY MYER HAS A VARIED OFFICE BACKDROP, THE HIGH COUNTRY IS ONE EXAMPLE.
Bradley and Tim worked together on a planting project on a 1km re-engineered stormwater drain in Tasman. It is an example of the truism ‘the right plant in the right place at the right time’.
“We had to be careful of the species so it wouldn’t inhibit the flow in flood but would slow things down. Ten years on it looks amazing and we’re really proud of it.”
INDIGENA BIOSECURITY
Bradley says the Predator Free 2050 initiative may seem aspirational to the point of being unrealistic, but it has created a lot of conversation overseas and brought attention to what New Zealanders are doing.
“People are blown away by the boldness and by a country prepared to adopt it even if there is no means to deliver it now. It has created a massive wave of interest in what is happening in New Zealand.”
This reputation for visionary conservation work, especially with the early successes clearing islands of every pest, means that when Bradley first started working off-shore, people were primed to think well of New Zealand.
Kaitiaki began working overseas work in 2015, when Bradley worked on a project in South Georgia (a territory of the UK in the South Atlantic). It was funded by the Darwin Initiative, a UK government grants scheme that helps conserve biodiversity while working with local people.
This led to Bradley to form partnerships and set up Indigena Biosecurity International, which is a subsidiary of Kaitiaki o te Ngahere. Indigena works with local people and builds up their
BRADLEY SAYS THE PREDATOR FREE 2050 INITIATIVE MAY SEEM ASPIRATIONAL TO THE POINT OF BEING UNREALISTIC, BUT IT HAS CREATED A LOT OF CONVERSATION OVERSEAS AND BROUGHT ATTENTION TO WHAT NEW ZEALANDERS ARE DOING.
skills and their capacity to deal with invasive plants.
“It is not sustainable for us to send teams to far away countries. It is an opportunity to share knowledge, and then we continue to support them.”
For example, Bradley has had Zoom meetings with the Environment Department at Tristan da Cunha on how to record data in the field and how to use a chainsaw. (Tristan da Cunha is officially the most remote inhabited island in the world.)
“It is like the stuff we do here with GrowSafe but adapted for small island nations.”
Work continues on South Georgia. It is not habited now, but during the early 1900s it was a whaling hub and supported 2000 people. They left behind many introduced animals and plants. Part of the project is to restore the ecosystem included eradicating reindeer (yes reindeer) and mice. Once they were gone the introduced plants had an easy life.
This was when Indigena came on board. It is too far south to have trees and most introduced plants are agricultural species. There are 35 species on the eradication list to give local flora a chance.
“There are hundreds of lower-order plants such as fungi and lichen, which haven’t been scientifically recorded yet. The wildlife is unbelievable. The removal of rodents was massive for birdlife. There are millions of King Penguins on the beach.
“It is very satisfying work. We are taking ideas to these places that we have learned from years working in forests in New Zealand.”
Other projects in the British Virgin Islands and the Falkland Islands are project-managed by the UK’s Royal Society for Protection of Birds.
Indigena now has a branch in the Falklands where they work with polar explorer Sally Poncet.
“Sally is an amazing person – a legend – who sails around the world and has done for years. It is extremely flattering that she wants to be part of our organisation.”
These contracts create amazing opportunities for New Zealand staff to work in remote places restoring ecosystems and both training and learning from locals.
“IT IS VERY SATISFYING WORK. WE ARE TAKING IDEAS TO THESE PLACES THAT WE HAVE LEARNED FROM YEARS WORKING IN FORESTS IN NEW ZEALAND.”
Bradley says there is unlimited growth potential offshore, and they need skilled staff they can parachute into situations overseas.
For example, a Nelson-based team leader, Finbar Grealish, is about to go to the Falklands then South Georgia for six months, followed by a holiday in South America on the way home.
“These are amazing opportunities. It is not just the chance to visit, but to do something meaningful.
“Finding and keeping staff is easy for us. It is hard work but people do it because they want to. It is a lifestyle choice. They recognise that they are doing something worthwhile and valuable.”
Bradley gets people deter-
How exactly a job works, in Aotearoa or overseas, depends on the initial discussions with the client. These focus on what they are trying to achieve and their priorities.
An important tool is the geographic information system (GIS), a computerised way to manage, analyse, and view geographic data.
kaitiaki o te ngahere driven by values
Bradley Myer says from the start, he and his partners formed Kaitiaki o te Ngahere with three important principles in in mind. They are:
- Manaakitanga or showing respect and care for others. It encompasses hospitality, kindness, generosity, and support .
- Rangatiratanga or leadership. Each person is a thread in the whole fabric of a community and each lends their uniqueness, expertise and effort. The task of the leader is to weave the group together into a unified whole.
- Tohungatanga or expertise. Kaitiaki o te Ngahere is a global leader in indigenous restoration and experts in what they do. Their culture is one of excellence and they focus on finding solutions. They are at the cutting edge of technology and innovation within the industry.
what’s new in... CULTIVATION AND TILLAGE
CONTRACTORS AND FARMERS USE TILLAGE TOOLS TO PREPARE SEED BEDS, DISRUPT WEEDS, INCORPORATE STUBBLE OR GREEN CROPS, AND BREAK UP COMPACTION. WHATEVER YOUR AIM, YOU NEED GOOD EQUIPMENT TO DO THE BEST JOB. IN THIS FEATURE WE LOOK AT THE LATEST CULTIVATION EQUIPMENT AVAILABLE IN THE AUSTRALIAN MARKET.
VERSATILITY AND PERFORMANCE IN ONE PASS
Kuhn Group’s Performer range is a combined disc and tine cultivator, that enables operators to do surface work or deep work in ‘one pass’.
Known for its superior versatility, the Performer offers four actions in a single pass: cutting, mixing or loosening, levelling, and consolidation.
The unique design equips the Performer to take on diverse conditions and varying crop residues, thanks to the independent or combined use of each component (two rows of discs, four rows of tines and a roller). The front discs cut remaining organic matter, closely followed by the tines that will mix the organic matter with the soil.
There are five different models on the market – the Performer 3000, 4000, 5000, 6000 and 7000. Each model offers a greater working width, number
of discs, shanks and leveling discs.
To achieve the best results for deep mixing and soil loosening, the tines are positioned 28cm apart, across four rows. This, along with the 85cm under frame clearance, allows any organic residue to pass through and underneath the frame of the Performer.
To increase operator efficiency, the levelling discs can be adjust-
ed from the hydraulic controls in the tractor cab. The levelling discs are mounted on a curved arm that is equipped with an elastomeric safety system for protection across rocky terrain.
The HD-Liner 700mm roller has been designed to operate in a variety of conditions including through organic matter and sticky soils.
The roller’s weight is 225kg/m, with the overall weight varying depending on the model of the Performer. The design of the
KUHN
DYNA-TILL MAKES ITS MARK
TTQ, a family-owned agricultural equipment manufacturer based in Toowoomba, made its long-awaited return to the Henty Machinery Field Days in 2025, showcasing its latest innovation: the Dyna-Till. Marking the company’s first foray into the combination tillage market, the Dyna-Till integrates TTQ’s reliable shank and roller systems with top-quality discs, delivering a highly efficient, one-pass solution for farmers.
Oscar Radford, Business Development Manager at TTQ, points out that the Dyna-Till brings a unique Australian edge to the tillage machine market. "We’ve designed the Dyna-Till with Australian conditions in mind,” says Oscar. "It’s far more robust than most competitors, with heavy-duty materials, steel,
and a reinforced framework. For example, where most machines use a 100mm by 100mm centre frame, ours is a much stronger 200mm by 300mm.”
The Dyna-Till is also engineered for ease of use, particularly considering the remoteness of many Australian farms.
"Farmers in rural areas can be hundreds of kilometres from service support, so we’ve made sure this machine is easy to adjust, operate, and maintain in the field,” Oscar explains.
The Dyna-Till is designed to take on multiple tasks in one pass. It can complete up to four soil amelioration processes simultaneously, including stubble incorporation, incorporating spread products to depths of up to 170mm, and facilitating granular fertiliser application. When paired with an air cart, the Dyna-Till offers versatile fer-
tiliser application with single, double, or triple outlet delivery, capable of reaching depths of up to 400mm.
In terms of design, the DynaTill sets itself apart by simplifying the typical combination tillage process. Oscar notes, "Most combination machines have multiple rows of discs, chisel plough shanks, and deep ripping components. We’ve streamlined the machine by removing one row of discs. The Dyna-Till features just one row of discs for initial penetration, followed by a deep ripping shank that can reach 500mm deep. After that, an aggressive second row of discs and a variety of heavy-duty rollers—such as a cultipacker or drum roller— finish the job. Plus, we offer an optional finishing chain for a smoother surface.”
Deep ripping is one of the DynaTill’s standout capabilities, making it especially suitable for areas like Northern NSW and Queensland, where deep fertiliser appli-
cation has become essential. "This is the first machine of its kind in this market that is ready to easily integrate with an air seeder cart for deep fertiliser placement,” says Oscar.
Another key feature of the Dyna-Till is its adaptability. Farmers can use it for combination tillage, or they can adjust it to be used as a disc-only machine, or as a ripper without the discs. Additionally, the machine can easily be outfitted with the deep fertiliser application component as needed.
What truly sets the DynaTill apart, however, is its price. Retailing for $50,000 to $100,000 less than many European imports, the Dyna-Till offers a highly affordable, Australian-made alternative without sacrificing quality. "We’re proud to provide a top-tier, locally made machine at a price that’s accessible to Australian farmers,” concludes Oscar.
For more information, visit ttq. net.au.
HD-Liner roller leaves a nonpressed area between roller discs that will increase water infiltration and reduce any runoff.
To optimise efficiency for an operator, all adjustments are made hydraulically. Kuhn have also taken into consideration the need to transport this machine,
designing it to fold up into a 3m width suitable for travelling on the road.
The Performer’s diverse design has the ability to optimise an
operator’s output through efficiency and quality results.
To find out more about Kuhn’s Performer range, visit; www. kuhn.com.au/
NEW TILLING IMPLEMENTS SET NEW STANDARD
Great Plains Australia, a division of Kubota Australia, is introducing two advanced tillage implements designed to deliver exceptional performance and versatility: the HT1100 Terra-Max and the VT1100 Turbo-Max. These new tools are engineered to enhance farm efficiency and adapt to a range of agricultural needs.
The VT1100 Turbo-Max represents the next step in vertical tillage innovation, offering enhanced features that improve both functionality and performance. Key upgrades include dual hydraulic finishing reels, which effectively manage clods and refine the soil finish, as well as a chopper reel tool for high-residue conditions that mitigates windrowing challenges.
The VT1100 Turbo-Max is available in 6m and 7.5m working widths, folding to a compact 3m for easy transport. It retains variable intensity tillage capability, with hydraulically adjustable gang angles up to 6 degrees, setting it apart from many brands of speed discs on the market.
According to John Moloney, Kubota Australia’s Product Manager for Great Plains, the VT1100 Turbo-Max is engineered with straight 20-inch Turbo blades
spaced 190mm apart, with offset gangs creating an overall 95mm spacing.
“This design enables true vertical tillage, preventing the formation of soil density layers and ensuring the preparation of a high-quality seedbed,” says John.
Operators can select from two finishing reel options, either double flat bar or double round bar reels. The round bar reels are suited to stony conditions, while the flat bar reels are ideal for aggressive clod sizing and residue processing.
The HT1100 Terra-Max is the first hybrid tillage tool from Great Plains to be released in Australia, offering a solution that bridges the gap between vertical tillage
and high-speed discs.
This innovative tool features a new shallow concave TurboSpeed disc and increases the maximum gang angle adjustment to eight degrees, enabling more aggressive tillage when needed.
Like the VT1100 Turbo-Max, the Terra-Max is available in 6m and 7.5m working widths, folds to 3m for transport, and employs the same finishing tools.
John highlights that the Terra-Max underwent extensive testing in Australia throughout 2023 and received highly positive feedback.
“The aim was to confirm that the Terra-Max offers something unique to the market, especially when competing with highspeed discs,” he says.
“The Terra-Max excelled in handling heavy residue and achieved a smooth, level finish across various soil conditions.”
With these new tillage solutions, Great Plains Australia is addressing diverse needs.
The VT1100 Turbo-Max remains the top choice for operators seeking true vertical tillage, while the Terra-Max offers increased versatility for those balancing vertical tillage with more aggressive performance requirements.
Demonstrations for the new VT1100 Turbo-Max and HT1100 Terra-Max are scheduled for early 2025. Contact your local Kubota dealer to register your interest and witness these machines in action.
GREAT PLAINS
FROM GREAT TO GREATER.
For many years, Rogator has earned a reputation as a quality sprayer that delivers outstanding results in keeping crops clean.
Now, Rogator joins the Fendt family, an evolution that brings together Rogator’s proven performance with a premium Fendt style, including a higher horsepower offering, a new Fendt styled cab with excellent visibility and increased technology.
The Fendt Rogator went from great to greater. And now it’s your turn to do the same.
For more information contact your local Fendt dealer or visit fendt.com/au/
Leaders drive Fendt.
CREATING EFFECTIVE MOISTURE MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS
Drier conditions are persisting in some parts of the country where farmers are looking to effective soil management strategies to help ensure ongoing soil and paddock productivity.
The effective management of soil in challenging conditions assists with improved water retention, control of erosion, optimising plant growth by preserving available moisture, and protecting the soil structure from further damage due to extended dry periods.
Working hand-in-hand with these practices is equipment that’s designed for the job, with an innovative range of implements from K-Line Ag transforming the way farmers manage crop residues and soil health.
By turning crop residues into mulch, K-Line’s Trashcutter ® helps improve moisture retention, reduce evaporation, and build healthier, more productive soils.
K-Line Ag, manufactured in Cowra, NSW, also produces a range of specialty rippers, equipment designed to break up sub-soil compactions with minimal disturbance to the upper or surface layers, allowing crops to reach the deep moisture and nutrients they need, even when the surface soil is dry.
The range offers various working widths to suit any operation and horsepower, with the ThunderRipper ® a heavy-duty ripper, while the LightningRipper ® is designed to be strong and narrow.
Among the highest performing in the range is the MaxxRipper ® , which gives farmers the ability to create a better seedbed, ensuring that their crops have the best possible start, regardless of the weather.
Andrew Kissel, APAC Product Manager for Crop Production Products, said the MaxxRipper was a tool that helped unlock the potential within the soil, offering farmers a sustainable way forward.
“Depending on where you are in the country at present, you may be giving a lot of thought to how to best manage dry paddocks. With the K-Line MaxxRipper, the deep-ripping tines can break up compacted soils to a depth of 600mm, greatly improving crop yield potential,” he said.
“The K-Line range has something that will suit the needs of a variety of farm businesses, and being designed and built in Australia means they’re perfectly suited to local conditions with no job too big, or too hard.”
K-Line’s Trashcutter is an above-the-ground moisture management solution, well suited to zero-till operations as its
advanced design lays stubble to one side and then slices the stubble with self-sharpening discs into short lengths. With the Trashcutter, more stubble remains in the soil, helping minimise both wind and water erosion.
“Ensuring soils are well-prepared and ready to absorb any moisture that might be around can be the difference between a good crop and an average one, particularly when conditions are dry. So, as farmers start to look to the planting season ahead, now’s a great time to consider your needs and perhaps look to the K-Line range for some sustainable and cost-effective solutions,” Andrew said.
GROUND GEAR
ADVANCING AGRICULTURAL MACHINERY WITH PREMIUM PARTS AND EQUIPMENT
Ground Gear Australia Pty Ltd continues to solidify its position as a leader in providing high-quality cultivation equipment and parts to farmers across the country. Specializing in precision machinery and parts, they supply everything from specialized wheels to durable tungsten and boron steel components, helping agricultural businesses improve efficiency and performance in their operations.
The company’s impressive product range spans a variety of essential machinery that can handle everything from soil preparation to heavy-duty cultivation tasks. Whether you’re looking for machines that can work the land with finesse or tackle tougher terrain, Ground Gear Australia offers a comprehensive selection of reliable equipment.
Boehlerit ‘Hard-Metal’ Parts: Tough, Durable, and Reliable
One of the standout features of Ground Gear Australia’s offerings is their partnership with Boehlerit, known for their high-performance ‘Hard-Metal’ parts. These tungsten carbide components are engineered for
extreme durability and are ideal for machines that face high wear and tear, ensuring that parts last longer and maintain peak performance even under challenging conditions.
A recent case study illustrates the importance of these parts, where a large-scale farm in southern Australia had implemented Boehlerit ‘Hard-Metal’ Parts on their tillage machines.
The result? Significant reductions in downtime and lower maintenance costs, making their farming operations more cost-effective and efficient. With Boehlerit’s innovation in hard-metal technology, farmers can confidently push their machines to the limit without worrying about premature wear.
Forges De Niaux: Boron Steel Discs for Heavy-Duty Cultivation
Ground Gear Australia is also making waves with their range of Forges De Niaux Boron Steel Discs—particularly the larger blades designed for combined disc-ripping machines. These premium discs offer farmers a robust solution for tough, uncompromising soil conditions. As the demand for bigger and more efficient machines continues to grow, Ground Gear’s selection of boron steel discs will make an even greater impact in the agricultural sector, with the
official launch of some of their bigger models slated for February.
Farmers returning from the holiday harvest season will be excited to see the new capabilities of these heavy-duty discs. Capable of cutting through hard-packed earth with ease, the boron steel discs are tailored for maximum soil penetration, ensuring that the machinery can perform optimally even in the most challenging environments. This is one of the latest innovations from Ground Gear Australia that promises to transform cultivation efforts.
FARMFLEX
Press Wheels: Tailored for Precision.
Another key offering from Ground Gear Australia is their FARMFLEX press wheels. Renowned for their precision and efficiency, FARMFLEX press wheels are designed to provide consistent ‘soil firming after seeding’ and smooth operation. These wheels help to create the perfect seedbed, allowing farmers to achieve higher yields and improve crop establishment rates.
FARMFLEX press wheels are versatile and are ideal for a wide variety of farming operations. Ground Gear is doing some exhaustive checks & testing this season on various rubber compounds & new wheel designs both deep vee profile & the more traditional balloon profile to suit deep knife seeders. Ground Gear also stocks wheels to fit traditional disc seeders, using double disc and press wheel set ups. Both suitable behind 13.5 & 15- inch disc openers, as well as alongside single bevel discs where the wheels job is to act as a cleaner wheel for the disc, as well as depth positioning of
the seed, these wheels are more common in high stubble load disc set ups, or in very stony conditions where the disc is likely to ride up over a foreign object.
Ground Gear Australia provides various sizes and configurations to meet the unique needs of different machinery types and soil conditions.
As seeding conditions continue to become more & more unpredictable, the right press wheel, or optimum gauge wheel for every farmers unique soil conditions, will become more-andmore important in the future, and as farming keeps evolving, so to will FARMFLEX wheels continue to be a go-to product for precision farming.
Moving Forward
As we move into the new season, Ground Gear Australia Pty Ltd is poised to continue its commitment to quality and performance, offering an ever-expanding range of machinery and parts that meet the diverse needs of Australian farmers. From Boehlerit Hard-Metal Parts and Forges De Niaux Boron Steel Discs to FARMFLEX press wheels and the soon-to-be-released Double Wheel Roller, Ground Gear Australia is leading the way in providing products that enhance both efficiency and productivity for farmers.
With a strong focus on innovation, durability, and customer satisfaction, Ground Gear Australia remains at the forefront of agricultural technology, providing farmers with the tools they need to succeed. Whether you’re prepping for planting, tilling, or heavy-duty cultivation, Ground Gear Australia’s range of machinery and parts are designed to meet the demands of the modern farm.
Get ready for the 2025 corn season with Kemper’s 300 PRO and 400 PRO series corn fronts following on from the success of last season. Built for better durability, efficiency and optimised plant intake, creating higher throughput and longer service life, make a new Kemper PRO Series the only choice!
� 6.0m, 7.5m and 9.0m cutting widths for both series
� Angle adjustable headstock
� Patented “Claw” gathering drums
� New heavy duty blades, skids, pointers and towers
� Widening crop channel on 400 PRO
� Shorter, flatter gathering drums on 400 PRO
More info on the Kemper PRO series listed in this publication!
AGROWPLOW UPDATES RELEASED
Agrowplow has released updates to several models in its popular deep tillage range. The mid-sized AP52 has seen minor design updates, as has their 9.0 and 10.0 m AP82 ripper, which is popular with broadacre farmers in QLD, WA and SA.
The company has also released a new deep-tillage bed forming implement aimed at the cotton and other raised bed or irrigated crops, the CP62 Bedformer. This plough has been designed to enable farmers to deep rip and rebed their paddock in just one pass, saving the cost of requiring two implements and performing multiple passes.
The CP62 is a 6.0 m 3PL plough that can be configured as either a ‘side buster’ or “centre-buster’ and features #9 shanks that can rip to 600 mm. Stabilisation wheels at the rear help keep it steady whilst the rear 7-furrower blades with 1-metre spacings create the grooves in the soil. Agrowplow is also developing a trailing flexi-roller option specifically suited to cotton farming to complement the machine.
The AP52, a 3PL-mounted ripper, builds on the success of its predecessor with several minor design improvements aimed at maintaining its position as a versatile mid-sized plough for farms where heavier farm machinery will negatively impact soil compaction. It is available in 9, 11, 13 or 15 hydraulic or rigid shearpin shank configurations from 3.426.0 m working widths and can rip down to 450mm depths.
The larger AP82 features a ripping depth up to 600 mm, a trailing, 3-section, raisable ‘winged’ design, with 17 or 23 shanks. It is best suited for large-scale farms with tractors to match.
Agrowplow marketing manager Josh Whalan says broadacre farmers have benefited from the company’s large plough range known for its high performance in tough Australian conditions, with many reporting seeing positive yield increases of up to 1 tonne per hectare multiple seasons later.
“We designed our entire ripper lineup to give the same benefits of healthier soils and higher yields to any farmer, from small or specialised farms, all the way to the large broadacre enterprises.
“It’s about offering the right implement to fit the scale of your farm. For example, our rippers cover working widths from as low as 1.65 m all the way up to 12.0 m. We have an option for all farm sizes, including where farmers are looking for a solution to deep soil constraints but don’t want to have to meet the input costs of a farm five times their size,” Josh says.
All updated Agrowplow models make use of the company’s high-breakout #9 shank assemblies. Featuring a narrow profile to reduce drawbar requirements, full-length shinguards, and heavy-duty blades, the #9 Shank can also be outfitted with Agrowplow’s range of shank options, including fertiliser tubes, sweeps, mulch blades, furrowers, and inclusion plates.
AGROWDRILL
Agrowdrills by Agrowplow cater to various seeding operations, offering customisation for various farm conditions, including multiple undercarriage configurations and options for seed and fertiliser placement, row spacing and towing.
Farmers have embraced seed drills as essential tools due to their accurate and consistent planting, promoting even germination and growth compared to traditional broadcasting methods, and enable no-til or zero-till operations popular amongst Australian farmers.
New to Agrowplow’s seeding range is their brand-new AD340 disc seeder, featuring a ground-following double-disc and presswheel parallelogram undercarriage with the option to add a coulter bar to the front of the machine to create a true triple disc seeder.
The AD340 is available in 3.0, 3.6, and 4.5 m working widths in 18-row x 200mm, 20-row x 150mm, 22-row x 200mm, 24-row x 150 mm, or 30-row x 150mm configurations. The seeder features a sizeable dual hopper of up to 2080 L total capacity and an electric drive with GPS, simplifying calibration.
Agrowplow’s disc seeder is supplemented by their existing Agrowdrill direct drill range available with double disc or traditional tine and baker boot undercarriages.
Each of the models is designed to meet diverse seeding needs. Notably, Agrowdrills excel in
handling crop residue, reducing the necessity for additional tillage and promoting soil health. The versatility of their direct drill design saves money through minimal or zero-tillage operations, contributing to soil erosion prevention and soil structure preservation.
The AD083, suitable for smallscale operations, offers versatility for various crops, featuring a unique gated double-outlet fluted roller distribution system. The AD140, designed for small to medium operations, prioritizes durability and high clearance, minimizing trash and offering dual hoppers for seeding and fertilizing in one pass.
The AD240, a popular model, boasts simplicity, reliability, and flexibility, with wheels placed inside the working width, enabling sowing across the entire machine width.
The largest model, AD730, caters to broadacre farming with high capacity and wide working widths.
Agrowdrill box drills come with various undercarriages such as high breakout tines, coil tines, spring tines, and double-disc units, ensuring adaptability to different soil conditions.
Options like coulters, presswheels, harrows, and more can be added based on machine configuration.
To explore Agrowplow’s range of seeding equipment, including accessing machine pricing and configuration tools, or to connect with over 120 dealers nationwide, visit www.agrowplow.com.au.
NEW TRAILED MODEL EXPANDS KUBOTA'S COMPACT DISC RANGE
Modern agricultural systems aim to optimize performance while maintaining operational efficiency. The new Kubota compact disc CD21231T offers exceptional penetration, cutting, leveling, and consolidation quality across an impressive 12.25m (40-foot) working width.
Exceptional performance for large-scale operations
The new Kubota CD21231T compact disc has been engineered to deliver high-speed performance without compromising quality.
One challenge of working at shallower depths is maintaining consistent cutting performance across the entire working width. To address this, the CD21231T features four independently mounted frame segments that ensure uniform ground-following capability.
The pressure applied to these segments can be adjusted pair by pair through the Ground Contour System, ensuring equal pressure across each segment. Unlike systems with accumulators, there are no pressure fluctuations when passing over ridges, allowing for consistent pressure on the soil and achieving a perfectly flat, well-prepared surface.
Excellent penetration and smooth cuiting
The 600mm conical discs, renowned for their durability, feature a small-notched design that ensures optimal penetration and delivers flat, consistent cuts, even at shallower working depths and in dry conditions. The CD21231T offers superior working results at soil depths ranging from 2cm to 15cm. The high frame clearance also prevents
blockages, even in fields with large volumes of crop residues, such as maize straw.
Improved soil flow
Kubota has designed new parallelogram-guided side deflectors to enhance soil flow, preventing ridge formation while keeping materials within the working area. These deflectors improve mixing and cutting efficiency. A standard pair of star discs—mounted on the front right and rear left sides—further enhances leveling in light, loose soils and aids in guiding soil flow. For optimal consolidation and finish, the CD21231T can be paired with the Actipack and Actipress Twin rear rollers, which are also part of the Kubota compact disc range.
Designed for controlled traffic farming
Mark Allott, Sales Manager, states: "With a focus on sustainable and precision farming, the Kubota CD21231T with its 12.25m working width is ideal for Controlled Traffic Farming (CTF).
“CTF is a management system that minimizes soil damage caused by heavy or repetitive machinery passes. By confining machinery traffic to permanent lanes, CTF preserves soil health, supports efficient crop estab lishment, and boosts yields.
It also extends the farming operation window by maintain ing consistent access to fields, even in suboptimal conditions. Additionally, reduced fuel con sumption and tractor power requirements enhance both effi ciency and sustainability.”
Operator convenience
Adjusting the machine is quick and simple, especially as field conditions change. Variations in soil type, moisture, compaction, or traffic can affect performance,
and the Kubota CD21231T's working depth can be easily adjusted with two preset scales. One scale is located on the gauge wheel, and the other on the rear roller, both on the left-hand side of the machine, where the operator exits the cab.
These components can be adjusted separately to maintain balance between the two rows of discs. Hydraulic depth adjustment from the cab allows for quick changes in working depth, even for less experienced operators.
Easy manoeuvrability in the field and on the road
Turning at the headland is simple with the CD21231T. The implement pivots on the front
gauge wheels and rear roller, and the four front wheels are highly flexible, able to swivel 360° for tight turning circles despite the large working width.
For road transport, the four segments fold to a compact 3m width and 4m height in just a few seconds using the wallet system. With a total weight of around 15 tonnes (including the Actipress Twin), the unit ensures safe transport, thanks to the standard road light kit.
The first CD21231T machine arrived in Australia late last year and was unveiled to dealers at the Kubota Summit event in November. It will be available for purchase in the next month or two once recommended retail pricing is finalized.
REEFINATOR
More ‘reefination’ keeps boosting paddock yields
Some areas of the Newman family’s cropping paddocks south-east of Newdegate in Western Australia have been unable to produce a crop or have achieved only half the average yield due to the rocky land. However, a specialist rock crushing machine has since brought these areas back to near full crop production.
Charlie Newman and his partner, Holly McDonald, together with his parents, former CBH Chairman Wally Newman and his wife, Lee, crop up to 5000 hectares over five properties in the region. They grow wheat, barley, canola and oats and also run up to 4000 mated ewes, including for prime lamb production.
Charlie said typical coffee rock in the region featured in most of their paddocks, but was more prominent on their most southern property and could comprise 20-30 per cent of paddock areas.
“We still cropped everything, but in a lot of areas nothing would grow,” Charlie said.
The Newmans invested in the Rocks Gone H4 Reefinator rock crushing machine to target these areas, and they have since discovered other areas where they did not think the gravel rock existed.
The 3-metre wide H4 Reefinator comprises a levelling blade, four front row and five rear row hydraulic tines, and a following ribbed drum, all weighing 28 tonnes when filled with water and digging up to 600 millimetres deep.
The Newmans pull the machine with a 620-horsepower Versatile DeltaTrack tractor, travelling at speeds of 10-11 kilometres per hour.
“It’s built like a brick shithouse. It’s the only machine on the farm we don’t worry about breaking,” Charlie said.
“We’ve had to make a few little adjustments, but nothing breaks and it’s pretty idiot-proof.”
The family has used the H4 Reefinator over the last three summers and is about halfway
PICTURED WITH CHARLIE NEWMAN AND HIS PARTNER, HOLLY MCDONALD, THE IMPRESSIVE ROCKS GONE H4 REEFINATOR SPECIALIST ROCK CRUSHING MACHINE HAS BEEN BACK IN ACTION AFTER HARVEST ON THE NEWMAN FAMILY’S PROPERTIES SOUTH-EAST OF NEWDEGATE IN WA. THE MACHINE HAS IMPROVED AREAS WHERE THEY DID NOT THINK GRAVEL ROCK EXISTED, INCREASING YIELDS BY 30-40 PER CENT, AND THEY NO LONGER BREAK SEEDING POINTS OR DAMAGE MACHINES AT SEEDING.
through their planned “reefinating” program.
“We have gone over some areas four to five times and we aim to dig about 250mm below the surface,” Charlie said.
“Other farmers in the area have contracted Reefinator machines to look at their worst areas, but I’m unsure if they are going to that depth.
“We worked out we could make our money back by buying a machine.
“We don’t need any more land. We want to get what we have got better. We thought it would be 5-10pc of our program, but there’s a lot of country that can be ‘reefinated’.
“It should improve our land value, and we understand we could sell the machine for more (than we bought it for) now.”
He said the potential with the machine was to lift the poor cropping areas due to the rock to near 100pc of the average paddock yields.
“Areas that were yielding 50-60pc of the average are now yielding 80pc plus. A yield increase of 30-40pc is significant.”
Charlie said following the
“reefinating”, the family runs over the working with a smudge bar, comprising of welded railway line, to help level the land.
He said, in average seasons, viewing crop responses where the machine had worked compared with elsewhere was “like night and day”.
“Depending on rainfall, in the first year you can expect a massive response. This season, with the dry start, the country that had four to five turns was struggling, but it later evened-up.
“Weed control also can be a challenge if you don’t get a good knockdown opportunity, so we generally put canola in after reefinating.”
The Newmans are also no longer breaking seeding points or damaging machines during seeding, as a result of the H4 Reefinator transforming the land into some of their softest country. The family uses a Bourgault air drill and a Horsch disc seeder for their cropping program.
Meanwhile, Charlie said he was now keen to adopt new automation technology available with the Reefinator to help simplify the task for operators.
“It’s a very involved process and the automation will mean we can put anybody on the machine.”
The Rocks Gone ‘Depth Master’ auto depth and slip control system, suitable for ISOBUS and GPS-integrated tractors, calculates speed over ground and tractor load or wheel slip to adjust machine depth up to 50 times per second, as well as the level of its blade.
Operators previously had to perform on-the-go depth adjustments according to changes in land and rock conditions, however the automation has largely removed this pressure and also added other key benefits.
They now set the depth and only make a manual adjustment if desired, thereby better optimising machine and tractor performance and resulting in improved crushing results and operational efficiency.
The technology also reduces tractor tyre wear considerably, and, in conjunction with GPS guidance systems, it can produce depth maps of worked areas, helping to limit any extra passes to specific areas.
ROCKS GONE
AMAZONE
CEUS – THE ALL-INONE MACHINE
The Amazone Ceus combines a high-speed disc followed by tines to offer the advantages of both disc harrows and cultivators in a single compact machine. Equipped with central running gear, they impress with their precision and versatility for both stubble and primary soil tillage, deep loosening and seedbed preparation.
Designed as a universal machine for soil tillage, the Ceus trailed disc and tine combination cultivator is available in working widths from 3 to 7 metres, ideal for loosening soils at various depths.
Amazone Product Business Manager, Murray Tuck, says the principle behind the Ceus differs from that of an ordinary cultivator. Amazone has provided a unique point of difference with its true 6-metre working width in controlled traffic.
The Ceus helps to create the best one-pass seedbed preparation in multiple conditions, allowing for the rapid decomposition of organic matter and excellent crop emergence in the following crop.
Shallow soil tillage with intensive mixing and deep loosening in a single pass
The leading disc element is equipped with large diameter discs that shred the organic mat-
ter and leave a fine-crumbed soil structure for optimum sowing conditions. The discs are available in smooth and serrated versions and, thanks to their independent suspension, ensure a high passage volume and good contour following during intensive cultivation. The stone release system via rubber spring elements is maintenance-free.
The low pulling power required by the wider spacing of the tines in the Ceus system is also sure to impress when loosening at certain depths.
With a tine spacing of 40 cm, the following tine segment reliably incorporates any organic matter, even in large quantities, and is easy to pull while maintaining a high level of through-passage. The depth of the tines can be adjusted down to 30 cm. However, it is also possible to work in shallow mode, so that the point runs just below the
working depth of the disc harrow in wet and heavy conditions. This loosens the horizon and creates a rough structure in the soil, thereby significantly reducing the risk of capping on these types of soil.
The optional solo operation with only the disc implement, or with only the tine implement, ensures maximum flexibility for soil tillage, Murray says.
The front disc implement is essential in material distribution and incorporation, especially in fields with larger tine spacing without compromising the mixing performance of a large amount of organic material. The front disc segment, with serrated 510 mm discs, enables shallow cultivation at working depths of 5 to 14 cm.
The C-Mix tine implement then loosens the soil to a depth of up to 35 cm. At the same time, the downward pressure of the tine
implement increases the cutting effect of the front disc implement during tillage. The option of hydraulic depth adjustment for optimum adaptation to the specific soil conditions is particularly convenient, and is available for all the working segments.
The working depth of the front disc implement in the Ceus-TX and Ceus-2TX uses hydraulics for easy adjustment.
The Ceus-2TX tine implement, and the levelling unit can also be equipped with hydraulic working depth adjustment. The tine implement can also be adjusted by hydraulics when a roller is not being used.
The rear tine implement can loosen deep soil layers down to 35 cm. However, it is also possible to work more shallow, so that the points run just below the working depth of the disc harrow in wet and heavy conditions.
This loosens the surface,
SERAFIN
FARMET LEADS THE WAY IN SEEDING AND TILLAGE
Serafin Machinery has been at the forefront of seeding and tillage solutions in Australia since 2006. They offer a comprehensive range of cultivators, speed discs, single and double-disc seeders, and more. Not only does Serafin design and manufacture high-quality Australian-made machines, but they also hold exclusive rights to sell renowned international brands from Brazil and the Czech Republic.
One of Serafin’s standout partnerships is with Czech Republic-based Farmet. This brand has become a key player in Serafin Machinery’s offerings, allowing Australian farmers and contractors to fully customize their equipment to suit diverse farming needs.
Farmet’s machines stand out due to their low-maintenance design, requiring minimal adjustments. Their durability is a major selling point, thanks to the extra steel line technology built into every machine, which makes it three times stronger than standard models. These features ensure reliability and performance in various ground conditions, making Farmet a favorite among Australian farmers.
Jason Dossetor, an irrigation farmer from Benerembah, NSW, is one of many satisfied Farmet customers. He owns a 6m Triton 600 combined speed disc cultivator and refers to it as his “go-to machine”, Jason, who grows crops such as rice and cotton, needed something more versatile than traditional equip -
generating a rougher soil structure and significantly reducing the risk of crusting on these types of soil.
Tines can be fitted with a selection of C-Mix shares to suit all soil types and operating conditions.
C-Mix Super tines are equipped with a pressure spring overload protection, while C-Mix Ultra tines feature hydraulic overload protection.
C-Mix Ultra system protects the cultivator from extreme loads
ment like scarifiers and chisel ploughs. After seeing the Farmet Triton in action at a field day, he decided to try it on his farm, and it has been a key tool ever since. The Triton helps him reduce the number of passes required while managing different crops, making it a valuable addition to his operation. To hear more from Jason, scan the QR code below for his full testimonial video.
As awareness of Farmet’s capabilities grows, Serafin Machinery has seen increasing demand for Farmet products.
Serafin listens closely to customer feedback and continues to bring new models to the Australian market, designed specifically for local conditions.
The latest addition to the Farmet range is the Softer Pro 1250 Series.
This high-speed disc tillage machine is ideal for Australian farmers, designed for use with modern Controlled Traffic Farming (CTF) systems.
The Softer Pro is low-maintenance, requires minimal adjustments, and is effective in handling hard soils, heavy stubble, and leaving a smooth, seeder-ready finish.
Perfect for contractors who need to make quick adjustments when preparing ground for different crops, the Softer Pro’s 3m folded transport width makes it easy to move between jobs.
For more information on the 1250 Series, scan the QR code below.
Farmet is solidifying its place in the Australian seeding and tillage industry, and Serafin Machinery is proud to be a key distributor. Demand for Farmet
equipment is growing rapidly, so if you’re interested in learning more or purchasing, give Serafin’s sales team a call at 1300 737 586 or visit their website by scanning the QR code to explore the full range of Farmet products.
by means of highly-dampened resetting of the tine after tripping. The hydraulic release is a popular feature, Murray says.
Reliable and absolutely maintenance-free
The Ceus has been built with maintenance in mind, featuring an adjustable trip force to adapt to working conditions as needed. The frame protects against extreme high forces, automatically resetting after a trigger
force thanks to C-Mix Ultra tines with hydraulic overload and reset protection.
The new guide plates on the C-Mix point system are manufactured with a spiral design that, combined with its optimum radius, ensures perfect deflection of the soil flow, excellent mixing intensity and a lower power requirement. The proven C-Mix point system by Amazone can be used with a wide range of points for any application.
Maintenance-free disc bearings with face seals offer lifelong lubrication. The disc suspension mechanism includes elastic sprung rubber buffer blocks that ensure optimum contour movement while acting as overload safety protection for each disc. The large rubber buffers are maintenance-free and feature considerable spring deflection, keeping worries to a minimum even when working in stony fields.
VELOCE 10M
A larger broadacre farmer needs a larger trailing speed disc, which is where the Maschio Gaspardo Veloce-T1000C answers the call. It boasts a trailing folding frame of 10m wide, a whopping 3m wider than the previous model. Designed to work at a depth of up to 10cm for preparation of seedbeds and soil finishing, independent hubs for each disc paired with supersealed long-life bearings lubricated in an oil bath, your maintenance time is kept to a minimum, maximizing productivity, delivering your valuable time back to you.
Being ISOBUS controlled, your controls are at the push of a button from the cab. No more manually changing settings on the machine.
A requirement of 400+hp is required to pull this machine.
A variety of models is available to cater to your needs across the Veloce series, including 2-12m widths. The Veloce range stands out in a crowd for all the right reasons.
what’s new in...
SEEDERS AND PLANTERS
WHETHER IT IS HUGE SEED BARS AND CARTS FOR BROADACRE FARMING OR SMALLER UNITS FOR RENOVATING PASTURE AND PLANTING WINTER CROPS, AN EFFECTIVE SEED DRILL OR PLANTER IS ESSENTIAL FOR GOOD CROP ESTABLISHMENT. IN THIS FEATURE WE LOOK AT THE LEADING IMPORTED AND AUSTRALIAN-MADE SEEDERS.
H1 ~ TAKE YOUR SEEDING EFFICIENCY TO THE NEXT LEVEL
As you’re getting ready for seeding and thinking of all the time you’ll spend refilling your air cart, recalibrating rates, or worrying about seeding depth this season, it might be time for an upgrade.
If you’re still on the fence about whether you need that new seeder or air cart, here’s a rundown of some of the advanced features leading seeding equipment manufacturer Bourgault is offering growers.
DIAL IN YOUR RATES WITH BOURGAULT AIR CARTS
The Bourgault 9000 Series air carts are packed full of features to ensure your time and inputs are used as efficiently as possible.
The 9000 Series air carts offer versatile solutions with capacities ranging from the 91300, featuring 45,810L across four tanks
for all dry inputs, to the 9650, providing 22,900L for mixed dry and liquid inputs—ensuring growers the right equipment for any size operation.
Offering unprecedented control over your seeding, the 9000 Series is compatible with the Topcon X40 Apollo system, displaying live rate control data and integrating with Bourgault’s DynacalTM and Dual ASC TM systems to enhance dispersal rate efficiency and accuracy.
DynacalTM is a rate monitoring system that mounts each tank on three load cells, providing a triangulated weight measurement to enhance reading accuracy. Live weight reading allows on-the-go rate calculations and DynacalTM will alert the operator when actual and target rates aren’t aligned, minimising losses from inaccuracies.
Dual ASC TM is Bourgault’s auto section control system, designed to deliver precise control over the distribution of seed and fertiliser.
In standard operation, the ASC TM gates are open for an unimpeded flow of inputs. The real benefit comes in controlling the flow of inputs for limiting wastage of product overlap, all from the comfort of the cab using the X40 display.
To minimise soil compaction, the 9000 Series air cart features large-diameter tyres with Increased Flexion (IF), ensuring low ground pressure and reduced rolling resistance—promoting better germination conditions.
SEEDING NEVER LOOKED SO GOOD WITH THE 4420 DK DRILL
The 4420 DK TM Drill is Bourgault Australia’s latest innovation, made in close cooperation with Australian growers. It is designed to fit as many benefits for growers as possible and handle all that Australian crops have to throw at it.
The namesake dual shank DK TM opener is designed from the ground up for use in deep band
BOURGAULT
seeding. The DK TM openers can dig deeper than conventional openers to put fertiliser below the seed row.
The depth, metric measurements of the frame and working widths, along with 250mm to 300mm row spacings, make the 4420 DK TM drill ideal for Controlled Traffic Farming (CTF) systems, ensuring accurate seed placement.
An optional inclusion for the 4420 DK TM drill is Bourgault’s TruTracTM Coulter (TTC TM) stubble management system, designed to cut through troublesome field residue and reduce side shifting to keep your drill tracking straight.
TruTracTM Coulters are installed
CAYENA – COMPACT, BUT DOING A BIG JOB
The Cayena tine coulter trailed seed drill is designed for fast sowing on hard, dry and stony soils, with or without prior soil tillage.
Cayena ensures high acreage output from precise metering, sowing seed via the exact harrow, which, in conjunction with the coulter, allows for precise seed placement.
Amazone Product Business Manager, Murray Tuck, says the Cayena trailed tine seeder shows its strengths on hard, stony soils and in dry regions, where conventional coulters fail. It is perfect for our dry conditions in Australia.
With working speeds up to 15 km/h and easy pulling thanks to the narrow TineTeC coulter it doesn’t matter whether you are sowing for coarse, medium or fine seeds, for mulch sowing, sowing after the plough, or on stubbles – with its 36 coulters in a 6-metre working width, the Cayena performs with enormous efficiency.
Renowned for its low draft requirement, the Cayena boasts extraordinarily narrow TineTeC coulters, with a row spacing of 16.6 cm, which feature a superb passage and require little pulling power.
Murray says, the benefit of the arrangement of the narrow TineTeC, slim line chisel points, is that the minimum amount of
in pairs on a dedicated mounting frame running across the front of the drill in line with the DK TM openers.
The TruTracTM Coulters can be customised with either smooth or waved disc profiles and shim arrangements on each assembly are used to set the working depth of the coulter independently of the fertiliser knife and seed boot.
The icing on the cake is an in-cab isolation switch enabling the coulters to be raised independently from the DK TM openers, reducing wear on the discs when not needed.
If your interest has been piqued, it’s time to take the plunge and invest in that new machine.
Still on the fence? Your local dealer can help you find the right machine for you.
Find your local dealer: https:// www.bourgault.com/en-au/ dealer-locator.
soil is disturbed when drilling and the areas between the rows remain untouched and display noticeable signs of reduced grass weed populations.
Optional wheel mark eradicators are available for use on the Cayena through the Matrix tyre profile thanks to the wedge ring roller when on soft ground. The wheel marks, resulting from the sinking of the tractor into the soil, are broken up and levelled.
PRESSURISED HOPPER SYSTEM FOR HIGH SEED RATES
The smaller, compact Cayena utilises a seed hopper with a capacity of 3,600 litres and offers huge potential for maximum daily outputs for small to medium operations.
The seed hopper of the Cayena has been designed to be as large as possible, and yet, com-
pact. This allows an uncluttered view of the TineTeC coulters in operation. In this way you have everything under control, Murray says.
The enclosed pressurised hopper system of the Cayena-6001C guarantees the ability to apply seed-fertiliser combinations at high rates.
The trailed tine seeder can also place fertiliser, together with the seed, into the seed furrow.
A 4,000-litre twin-outlet hopper, divided into two compartments at a ratio of 60:40 and equipped with two fully electric metering units can, from choice, be filled with either seed or fertiliser.
Seed and fertiliser are placed together in the seed furrow via the same conveying system. In this way, for instance, when sowing winter rape or winter cereals, a starter fertiliser can be applied,
Murray says.
The cutting discs improve the passage of crop residues and catch crops. At the same time, they stabilise the outer wings, thereby improving seed placement accuracy.
OPERATION WITH A WIDE VARIETY OF ISOBUS TERMINALS
Each ISOBUS-enabled machine from Amazone comes with the latest technology and almost unlimited possibilities. By selecting the Amatron+ on-board computer function, you can apply the centralised stepless setting of the sowing depth, ensuring optimum reconsolidation in just one pass.
Due to its excellent germination credentials, the Cayena tine seeder, introduced in 2010, is now well-established in the drill market.
AMAZONE
MORRIS QUANTUM AIR DRILL FITS THE BILL
Machinery transport is naturally a big focus for contract seeders and for a Victorian business that predominantly supports a corporate farming enterprise also targeting productivity and efficiency, including reduced staff fatigue, switching to an alternate sowing rig has so far ticked all the boxes.
Based near Beulah in the Mallee, Chivell Ag Contracting has been operating since the late 90s. Zeb Chivell and his wife, Amanda, who have three children, Layla (11), Benji (9) and Kensley (5), have taken over the reins from Zeb’s father, Joe. The family, including Zeb’s grandfather, Allan, have also run a small 650-hectare property in the region.
In addition to contract seeding on Warakirri properties in the area, the business also offers contract spraying services, which also has mainly been undertaken for a corporate farm.
Chivell Ag Contracting has maintained a long-term relationship with Warakirri and Zeb recently encouraged its support for upgrading from an 18-metre seeding bar to a 24m Morris Quantum air drill for its cropping program, which also follows a controlled traffic farming system. It was the first 24m Morris Quantum to be sold in Victoria, and, surprisingly considering its size, it had a narrow transport width.
“The transport aspect was the best. I got down a lot of roads that I hadn’t got the 60-foot bar down,” Zeb said.
The Chivell’s 24m Morris Quan-
tum air drill folds to 7.6m wide and 5.9m high.
“It’s 80 kilometres between the farthest points where we are seeding on properties and the transport width of the Quantum was three times better than I thought it would be,” Zeb said.
The family’s Quantum air drill is set on 30-centimetre tine spacings, uses a Primary Sales in-line, dual chute seeding boot and features Morris’ Auto-Lift and Auto-Pack technologies, as well as a blockage monitoring system and automatic end-ofrow turning. The Auto-Lift allows for automatic lifting and lowering of tines, making headland turns easy, while Auto-Pack automatically adjusts the air drill’s packing pressure according to the soil conditions, providing for correctly closed and packed furrows to help achieve the most ideal seedbed for germinations.
“It’s a well-built bar and there are a lot of Morris bars around now. The other benefit with that is there is a representative (from Morris’ Australian distributor) in the area and a dealer at Warracknabeal (Bellevue Machinery) with parts sitting there, so there are seven to eight people I can call if I have any issues,” Zeb said.
The local Warakirri cropping program is close to 10,000ha, traversing soils ranging from sands and loams to heavy clays, including seepy crabhole areas.
Pulled by a 590-horsepower John Deere tracked tractor, Zeb said the renowned frame strength of the Morris Quantum air drill almost stalled the tractor last season and it had to work hard in heavy clay soils due to the dry start.
VICTORIAN MALLEE SEEDING AND SPRAYING CONTRACTOR ZEB CHIVELL, CHIVELL AG CONTRACTING, WITH TONY WILLIAMS, MCINTOSH DISTRIBUTION, AND THE FAMILY’S 24-METRE MORRIS QUANTUM AIR DRILL. ZEB SAYS THE 24M MODEL, WHICH WAS THE FIRST TO BE SOLD IN VICTORIA, WAS EASIER THAN EXPECTED TO TRANSPORT AND ITS LARGE WHEELS ALLOWED EXCELLENT FLOTATION.
He said the bar’s excellent flotation via its large wheels meant there were no seeding problems even in heavily deep-ripped sands.
“The bar just sat on top and, overall, seed placement was very good and everything came up. It was just the canola establishment that was not so good last year due to the season.”
In addition to the transport benefits, there were strong gains in the targeted areas of seeding productivity and efficiency.
“We were doing 20-21ha per
hour and averaging about 150ha per fill,” Zeb said.
“It was a big effort and a really solid five weeks, but the year before we were doing 15-16ha/ hr and going 24/7 for six to seven weeks. Last year we had just two days that were around the clock, otherwise we were only doing 18hrs per day, six days a week and we had Sundays off.
“Our staff also took to the new system like a duck to water. It was all easy, so they could largely just sit there and monitor everything,” Zeb said.
More success with PÖT TINGER
More success with PÖT TINGER
Roots in Austria, at home throughout the world.
Roots in Austria, at home throughout the world.
Innovative agricultural technology for more than 150 years
Innovative agricultural technology for more than 150 years
Highest functionality and productivity
Highest functionality and productivity
Efficient and sustainable farming
Efficient and sustainable farming
Forage conserving solutions guarantee best forage quality
Forage conserving solutions guarantee best forage quality
For more information on our product line contact us at (03) 8353 2770, www.poettinger.com.au
For more information on our product line contact us at (03) 8353 2770, www.poettinger.com.au
RANGE OFFERS
PURE PÖTTINGER PERFORMANCE
The pneumatic trailed seed drill combinations Aerosem VT 5000 DD with 5.0 m and Aerosem VT 6000 DD with 6.0 m working width are as versatile as the fields of application in agriculture, now with Profiline comfort control.
Comfortable operations
Profiline describes the comfort control of all hydraulic functions of the Aerosem VT. The machine is supplied with oil via the tractor’s load-sensing connections and all tools are electro-hydraulically controlled via a hydraulic block. Operation is carried out at the touch of a button on the terminal or automatically via Task Controller via Section and Variable Rate Control. All work tools are positioned automatically and precisely. The control of the coulter pressure is now also automatic.
Precise adjustment and save time at the same time
During work, the tools can be
precisely adapted to the respective conditions. Independent of section control, the stroke and lowering sequences of the tools can also be set based on time or distance. It is also possible to deactivate individual tools. Sensor monitoring enables the machine to be folded independently.
Vorgewendesteuerung Headland Control
The Headland Control function deploys and replaces the machine with pinpoint accuracy at the headland line. Without a task controller, operation is done at the touch of a button. When using the Task Controller functions TC-GEO/TC-SC, the lifting and lowering is done via their signal.
Task Controller Geo
Using the Task Controller Geo activation, machine operation via application cards is possible. The working depth of the rotary harrow, coulter pressure as well as seed and fertiliser quantities are then controlled on a site-specific basis. This allows valuable
resources to be used efficiently and thus saved.
Aerosem FDD features new coulter rail
The unique Aerosem seed drill concept from Pöttinger teams up high output with versatility. Perfect placement of the seed is always the most important factor, and on this machine it is guaranteed by a precision universal metering system and ingenious dual disc coulters. The front hopper also offers the capability of sowing two different components together at the same time.
The Aerosem FDD seed drill with front hopper
The coulter rail on the Aerosem FDD has been adapted to coincide with the facelift of the Lion V folding power harrows.
Pöttinger, the arable farming professional, is expanding its range of pneumatic implement-mounted seed drills with the Aerosem FDD front hopper model available with working widths of 5.0 and 6.0 m. This means that row spacings of 12.5 or 15.5 cm are possible over a working width of 5.0 m in combination with the medium weight
Lion V 5040, 15.0 cm over a working width of 6.0 m with the medium weight Lion V 6040, and 12.5 cm with the heavy duty Lion V Master.
Combining the highest performance with operating convenience and versatility
Combining the Aerosem FDD with the Lion V power harrow series delivers high output for a versatile range of applications. Special attention has been paid to a compact design, and the result is a neatly organised machine with an improved overview and optimised weight distribution. In addition to a dual metering system and the IDS distribution head, the seed drill’s versatility is further increased by being able to attach and remove the coulter rail quickly.
Adapted to meet flexible requirements
The simultaneous application of several seed and fertiliser components during drilling has become increasingly standard in recent years. The main focus is on providing plants with nutrients from the germination stage onwards.
Due to an increase in metering flow rates, a long conveying path from the front of the tractor and higher driving speeds, it has now become necessary to change to a pressurised system for the front hopper. This system meets the new seed drill technology requirements, so larger quantities of seed material or fertiliser can be conveyed over longer distances.
The range of hopper volumes offered and the choice between one or two metering systems meet every requirement in the field.
AGROWDRILL
Agrowdrills by Agrowplow cater to various seeding operations, offering customisation for various farm conditions, including multiple undercarriage configurations and options for seed and fertiliser placement, row spacing and towing.
Farmers have embraced seed drills as essential tools due to their accurate and consistent planting, promoting even germination and growth compared to traditional broadcasting methods, and enable no-til or zero-till operations popular amongst Australian farmers.
New to Agrowplow’s seeding range is their brand-new AD340 disc seeder, featuring a ground-following double-disc and presswheel parallelogram undercarriage with the option to add a coulter bar to the front of the machine to create a true triple disc seeder.
The AD340 is available in 3.0, 3.6, and 4.5 m working widths in 18-row x 200mm, 20-row x 150mm, 22-row x 200mm, 24-row x 150 mm, or 30-row
GIGANTE
Appropriately named Gigante, the Maschio Gaspardo Gigante Pressure direct drill is a powerhouse in the seed drill market. Manufactured to seed in even the most challenging conditions, the Gigante will ensure the most optimal germination minimizing ground disturbance, meaning extraordinary weather events will soon become a problem of the past.
With the hopper’s lowered center of gravity, the Gigante’s manoeuverability is unmatched, even facing steeper slopes, meaning you can cover more ground without any hassle.
Fitted with ISOBUS means you don’t have to leave the comfort of your cab to change settings manually, as well as access vital precision farming functions such as variable rate and automatic section shut-off.
The Maschio Gaspardo range is distributed in Australia by PFG Australia, a family-owned business, that distributes 15
x 150mm configurations. The seeder features a sizeable dual hopper of up to 2080 L total capacity and an electric drive with GPS, simplifying calibration.
Agrowplow’s disc seeder is supplemented by their existing Agrowdrill direct drill range available with double disc or traditional tine and baker boot undercarriages. Each of the models is designed to meet diverse seeding needs. Notably, Agrowdrills excel in handling crop residue, reducing the necessity for additional tillage and promoting soil health. The versatility of their direct drill design saves money through minimal or zero-tillage operations, contributing to soil erosion prevention and soil structure preservation.
The AD083, suitable for smallscale operations, offers versatility for various crops, featuring a unique gated double-outlet fluted roller distribution system. The AD140, designed for small to medium operations, prioritizes durability and high clearance,
minimizing trash and offering dual hoppers for seeding and fertilizing in one pass.
The AD240, a popular model, boasts simplicity, reliability, and flexibility, with wheels placed inside the working width, enabling sowing across the entire machine width. The largest model, AD730, caters to broadacre farming with high capacity and wide working widths.
Agrowdrill box drills come with various undercarriages such as
high breakout tines, coil tines, spring tines, and double-disc units, ensuring adaptability to different soil conditions. Options like coulters, presswheels, harrows, and more can be added based on machine configuration.
To explore Agrowplow's range of seeding equipment, including accessing machine pricing and configuration tools, or to connect with over 120 dealers nationwide, visit www.agrowplow.com.au.
iconic brands from across the globe and is the nation’s largest independent supplier of Ag machinery.
JOHN DEERE INNOVATIONS DELIVERING A TOTAL SEEDING SOLUTION
At John Deere, supporting the farming industry to help make our customers the most efficient, profitable and sustainable in the world drives all that we do across each phase of production.
Our continual goal is to streamline operations through delivery of equipment that uses technology and innovation to elevate agronomic performance while reducing time and labour inputs. This includes our total seeding solution which integrates three key elements to lay the best foundation for a successful crop.
STRENGTH AND POWER WITH THE 9 SERIES TRACTORS
The first element is the tractor, and it really delivers in strength and power.
Available in four-wheel, twotrack and four-track configurations across the range, 9 Series tractors feature the power, performance and precision ag technology to allow growers and contractors to pull heavier, wider implements with ease, making it simple to manage bigger paddocks in tighter timeframes.
Driven by the JD18 engine from John Deere Power Systems, the
9RX Series includes the new high horsepower 9RX 710 (710 hp), the 9RX 770 (770 hp) and the mighty 9RX 830 which delivers a market-leading 830 hp to Australian growers and contractors.
It’s not just powerful, but clean – the JD18 engine is a Final Tier 4/Stage V-compliant 18-litre engine that meets emissions requirements using exhaust-gas recirculation technology without the need for Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF).
In combination with the engine, an optional, new 635 L/min triple-pump hydraulic system gives growers the confidence to pull
AT JOHN DEERE, SUPPORTING THE FARMING INDUSTRY TO HELP MAKE OUR CUSTOMERS THE MOST EFFICIENT, PROFITABLE AND SUSTAINABLE IN THE WORLD DRIVES ALL THAT WE DO ACROSS EACH
PHASE OF PRODUCTION.
wider and heavier air-seeding trains over rolling ground, while still maintaining tractor and fan speed.
Excitingly, each of the new 9RX Series tractors is equipped with: - autonomous-ready capabilities;
- the new CommandViewTM 4 Plus cab which offers a 15% increase in floor space and 20% improvement in visibility from the right-hand side; and
- the combination of the G5Plus
THE 9 SERIES TRACTORS FEATURE THE POWER, PERFORMANCE AND PRECISION AG TECHNOLOGY TO ALLOW GROWERS AND CONTRACTORS TO PULL HEAVIER, WIDER IMPLEMENTS WITH EASE, MAKING IT SIMPLE TO MANAGE BIGGER PADDOCKS IN TIGHTER TIMEFRAMES.
CommandCenter™ Display, integrated StarFireTM 7500 receiver and the optional G5 Advanced technology package.
Put them all together and growers and contractors have access to virtually the entire John Deere portfolio of intelligence and productivity features.
These defining changes in power and technology will drive efficiency and productivity throughout the seeding season.
JOHN DEERE
OPTIMISING SEEDING PERFORMANCE WITH THE C-SERIES AIR CARTS
The second element to optimising results at seeding time – the C-Series air cart.
To ensure growers of all sizes, including those with Control Traffic Farming (CTF) requirements, can optimise seeding performance, John Deere launched a new lineup of C-Series air carts in 2024, along with tech updates to the popular C650 and C850.
The new models offer a range of capacities and configurations, require reduced maintenance and deliver improved seeding accuracy. This flexibility and superior performance ensures that the seeders can be adapted to the unique requirements of each grower and contractor.
The C-Series air carts feature AccuRateTM electric meters, constructed of stainless steel and composite materials. This results in a corrosion- and wear-resistant system that stands up to seed treatments and abrasive granular fertilisers, delivering a marked saving on meter maintenance costs –something we know is important to our customers.
The new AccuRate meter bank also contains up to eight individually controlled meters per tank. With the ability to change the speed and volume of each meter, customers can now run higher-resolution prescriptions and have the ability to change the rate of product by each meter. This will allow up to eight times more precise seed metering. Next is Curve Compensation, which gives the ability to slow an inside meter down for the inside of a turn and speed the outside meter up for the outside of a
turn, leading to consistent rate delivery across the entire drill when seeding around trees and curves.
And to help growers and contractors make the most of short seeding windows, the C-Series air carts also include two calibration features – the industry-exclusive EZCal™ system and the trusted ActiveCal™.
The EZCal system is a push-button calibration process that is completed before seeding and is up to 75% faster than the previous manual bag process. It can save more than 100 walking steps and eliminates the need to crawl under the cart during calibration.
The ActiveCal system ensures the meters remain calibrated throughout the day if product properties vary while seeding.
Whether you need large or small, leading or trailing, the C-Series can help operators achieve accuracy, cost efficiency and ease of use – for peak performance in the paddock.
P600 PRECISION AIR HOE DRILL PROVIDES FLEXIBILITY AND ADAPTABILITY
The third crucial element is the P600 precision air hoe drill. It rounds out John Deere’s integrated seeding solution and provides growers and contractors flexible and adaptable seeding options.
With a working width up to 15.5% larger and a 24% weight reduction compared to the P500, the P600 lineup delivers decreased compaction, labour time and fuel consumption, while optimising productivity and seed-to-soil contact.
Ranging from 12.2 - 27.4 m (40-to-90 foot) working widths,
the P600 models include the P640, P650, P660, P670, P680, and P690. Each has 25.4-30.5 cm (10–12 in.) spacing and new dual knife openers to consistently place fertiliser 3.8 cm (1.5 in.) horizontally and 1.9 cm (0.75 in.) vertically away from the seed for even emergence and equal access to nutrients.
P600 precision air hoe drills leverage existing integrated John Deere air seeding technologies, improved tyre options for optimal flotation, RelativeFlow™ blockage sensing, and full integration with John Deere tractors and air carts.
SMARTER TOTAL SEEDING SOLUTION
Individually, each of these elements offers growers the opportunity to utilise best-in-class innovations.
As a collective, John Deere has delivered a total seeding solution that is smarter together, no matter the unique requirements of each individual operation.
For growers, that culminates in greater efficiency, reduced costs, and helps our customers push the boundaries of what’s possible in ways that are more productive and sustainable.
SERAFIN
THE NEXT GENERATION OF ULTISOW SEEDERS
Serafin Machinery’s Australian-designed and manufactured Ultisow single-disc seeders represent the culmination of extensive testing and input from farmers and contractors.
With careful consideration of feedback, Serafin’s expert design and manufacturing team has significantly enhanced the strength, reliability, and precision of seed placement, making the Ultisow even better.
The Ultisow row unit stands out for its versatility, minimal maintenance requirements, and a robust frame built to withstand the toughest Australian conditions.
Years of continuous research and development have allowed Serafin to refine the row unit, ensuring superior seed placement and consistently high yields.
With reduced maintenance needs, farmers enjoy less downtime, enabling them to cover more hectares without additional costs. This improvement has led to greater confidence in the Ultisow’s performance.
For more details on the Serafin SM Row Unit, scan the QR code below.
One of the latest additions to
the Serafin SM Row Unit is the Ultiforce system – a hydraulic downforce pressure mechanism that replaces traditional springs. The Ultiforce uses a single-acting hydraulic ram to provide consistent down pressure, reducing row-unit vibration and enhancing durability, leading to more accurate seed placement.
Many customers have already upgraded from springs to Ultiforce, and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.
In addition to the Ultiforce, Serafin Machinery has also redesigned its disc seed bar model based on insights from longterm customers.
Development of the Forward Fold single-disc seed bar model began in early 2021, as farmers were dealing with tighter planting windows and expanding their operations.
The Ultisow Forward Fold is available in three working widths: 18m, 24m (60ft and 80ft), and the S12 Forward Fold design (12m/40ft). The S12 model features two ranks, allowing for flexible row spacing of either 250mm (10 inches) on two ranks or 375mm (15 inches) on one rank, all while maintaining a consistent and uninterrupted trash flow.
Serafin has prioritized transport convenience, designing the Forward Fold to fold down to a compact 3.7m width and 4.2m height – exactly what farmers have been requesting for easier transportation. Additionally, the Forward Fold uses hydraulics to lift the row unit, much like Serafin’s popular Hi-Lift model. The lift and fold design brings the row unit up to chest height, making adjustments in the field quick and easy.
Built tough, the Forward Fold
seed bars feature a full powder-coated frame, and the hydraulic lift and fold mechanism ensures durability and easy access for adjustments without crawling under the frame. Standard features include six large heavy-duty flotation tyres and electric-over-hydraulic control of row-unit down pressure, all controlled from the cab.
Serafin Machinery is committed to creating low-maintenance, highly productive machines and works closely with farmers and contractors to continually refine the Ultisow to fit diverse farming
operations. Scan the QR code below to explore the S12 Forward Fold model, as well as other models – perfect for farmers with CTF operations requiring 12m multiples.
Scan the QR Code to see the Serafin SM row unit
LIQUID SYSTEMS
DRIVING INNOVATION IN LIQUID APPLICATION
Liquid Systems (SA) has been hard at work perfecting Liquid Ready Kits for the new John Deere C-Series air carts, setting the stage for precision liquid application for the 2025 seeding season.
In 2024, the Cleve, Dowerin, and Wagin Field Days provided a sneak peek at John Deere’s dealer liquid ready C-Series carts. These liquid-capable carts include:
- C500L/C500T: 17,619 L (6,695/3,720 (liquid middle tank)/7,752 L), leading and trailing
- C550L/C550T: 19,381 L (1,761/6,695/3,720 (liquid middle tank)/7,752 L), leading and trailing
- C650L/C650T: 22,905 L (1,761/9,162/4,800 (liquid middle tank) /7,400 L), leading and trailing.
Liquid Systems (SA) supplies the dealer-fit Liquid Ready Kits, enabling John Deere dealers to install liquid functionality on the C-Series carts before delivery to farmers. These kits are designed for precise, even, and efficient application of a single liquid, offering straightforward operation and unmatched control over nutrient delivery.
A STRONG PARTNERSHIP
Liquid Systems (SA) and John Deere Australia have partnered
since 2010, starting with the first dealer-fit Liquid Ready Kit for the 1910 commodity cart. This collaboration expanded with the larger C650 air cart kits in 2020. Now, the latest kits for the advanced John Deere C-Series air carts will launch for the 2025 season, marking another milestone in their enduring partnership.
Samantha Bell, Marketing and Operations Manager at Liquid Systems, explained the effort behind the MY25 C-Series preparation:
“John Deere required a quick turnaround, but our flexible product model allowed us to adapt easily. Our kits work seamlessly with 18ft to 120ft drills and planters. We have an amazing team that made it possible.”
Samantha emphasized the benefits of liquid in-furrow applications:
“It’s about efficiency—getting the right product in the right place at the right time at the right rate. In-furrow application targets inputs where the seed needs them most, boosting germination and minimizing waste.”
PRECISION EQUIPMENT FOR SMARTER FARMING
Liquid Systems’ product range includes LQS pump and control modules, capable of handling multiple liquids and offering section control for optimal precision. The ‘Stacker’ Distribution
Kit ensures consistent delivery, tailored to any air tool or planter, row spacing, or application rate. Integration with leading precision controllers enables advanced features like section control and map-based variable rate applications. This capability allows farmers to apply trace elements, fungicides, and fertilisers efficiently, based on localized needs rather than blanket rates.
Samantha added: “Our systems deliver even application across the paddock, saving product and improving yield. They’re also great for budgeting and
ensuring efficient use of liquid inputs.”
SUPPORTING FARMERS ACROSS AUSTRALIA
Liquid Systems has a strong dealer network, providing turnkey modules and distribution kits for new and used seeders, planters and carts. Farmers are encouraged to consult their agronomists and product suppliers to ensure compatibility, especially when mixing products.
For more information, contact Liquid Systems (SA) at 08 8357 4437 or visit liquidsystems.com.
CLAAS HELPS GET A GREAT START WITH PERFECT SILAGE
CREATING PERFECT SILAGE IS BOTH A SCIENCE AND AN ART, RELYING ON THE RIGHT TOOLS, TIMING, AND PREPARATION. CLAAS UNDERSTANDS THAT GREAT SILAGE STARTS WITH THE BEST EQUIPMENT.
Success in silage harvesting begins long before the season starts. Early planning is key—by securing your equipment early, you ensure you’re prepared for the season ahead. Whether you’re a contractor or a farmer, having the right tools at the right time allows you
to focus on what really matters: producing top-quality silage. Early ordering not only guarantees you access to the machines you need but also locks in pricing, offering budget certainty and saving you from potential disruptions.
Claas products work seamlessly together to deliver optimal results with its Disco mowers, Liner rakes, Jaguar forage harvester, and Torion wheel loaders forming an integrated system, ensuring precision and efficiency at every stage of silage production—from cutting and raking to harvesting and compaction.
Each product plays a critical role in producing the highest-quality silage, working in harmony for unmatched results.
The financial benefits of ordering early go beyond just locking in prices. Early ordering helps avoid fluctuations in price as the season progresses, and you can take advantage of potential early order discounts.
With this level of predictability, you’re in control, ensuring that you have the right equipment for your silage needs and saving you from any last-minute scrambling.
Good quality silage isn’t just about providing feed—it’s about offering optimal nutrition
to support livestock health and performance. High-quality silage can lead to improved farm sustainability, lower costs, and better animal health.
It boosts productivity and profitability, provides a stable feed supply, and reduces the need for expensive supplements. Livestock fed with high-quality silage show better growth rates, milk production, and overall performance, leading to enhanced farm sustainability and profitability.
The difference between good and great silage comes down to precision and reliability. Claas equipment is engineered to ensure every step of the process is completed with the utmost care.
The Jaguar forage harvester sets the standard for efficiency, precision, and comfort, while the Disco mowers ensure the cleanest cuts at high speeds, minimizing contamination.
The Liner rakes provide perfect windrows,
TOGETHER STRONGER
optimizing your harvest, and the Torion wheel loaders deliver heavy-duty power for creating well-compacted silage piles.
Claas offers an integrated system that works in harmony to achieve the perfect silage every time. When it’s time to step up your silage game, it’s time to choose Claas. Contact us today at claasharvestcentre. com to learn how you can secure the best tools for your silage needs and take advantage of our early order program.
HAY BALES AND SILAGE SUSTAIN FLOCK ON FOURTH-GENERATION FARM
DESPITE FACING THE WORST START TO AN AUTUMN HE CAN REMEMBER, SOUTHERN RIVERINA WOOL AND GRAIN PRODUCER, CAM SCHULTZ, IS EXPERIENCING HIS BEST LAMBING AND BIGGEST WOOL CLIP IN A CENTURY OF FAMILY FARMING, BACKED BY HIS PRODUCTION OF CEREAL HAY.
Years of farming experience in a changing climate means Cam always has feed reserves available for his 60 per cent Merino, 40pc crossbred flock by baling cereal hay on his 700-hectare property, Claverton at Culcairn, and at another nearby leased asset.
The production of cereal hay has become a big part of the Schultzes’ business and this year, Cam said they had produced a reserve feed source of 2,000 round bales to ensure 7,500 sheep made it through the long dry spell.
“We’re very fortunate we have good hay yields in our area, so we haven’t had to buy feed in, and our sheep have maintained their weight through winter,” Cam said.
“Although I thought 2,000 bales would be plenty, I actually think we could have done things better with 3,000.”
The Schultz family originally settled at Claverton, 50 kilometres north of Albury-Wodonga, in 1913. These days, Cam and his wife, Bianca, and their children produce 18.5- to 19-micron wool from their flock and grow wheat, barley, canola and lupins, as well as contract baling hay for about eight regular clients in the district. They also lease and share farm 680ha nearby, and recently bought a 530ha farm at Matong, 125km further north near Narrandera.
BALING BECOMES MAJOR PART OF BUSINESS
Cam remembers when they first started baling straw behind the headers in 2006.
“It was the drought, and we were using the crop straw for sheep feed, and contracting for
other farmers who were cutting failed crops. One year, we produced 15,000 bales, mostly Dad and I, and Bianca drove the hay rake at one stage,” he recalled.
“Once we took our heads out of the sand and realised we couldn’t just rely on getting the big shiny machine out of the shed and harvesting a crop every year, we were right, and baling became a major part of the business.”
The family bale hay for other farmers within a radius of 80-90km and cart it with their own farm trucks. Depending on supply and demand, or whether it’s a drought year, Cam said they may have 10-15 clients, which has the potential to expand with the new block at Matong.
They started 18 years ago with a John Deere 469 premium round baler and progressed to a new, high-density 990 variable round baler, before their most recent purchase of a 461R premium round baler that includes silage configuration.
Most of the tractors in the Schultzes’ machinery shed are John Deere, sourced through the Hutcheon & Pearce dealership
in nearby Albury. The oldest is a 6410SE, followed by a 6930, a 6175R, an 8260R and a recently purchased 8340R.
“I like the simplicity of John Deere for what we do, and the reliable service provided by Hutcheon & Pearce. If I need a quote on a tractor, I don’t bother going anywhere else, and the back-up is excellent,” Cam said.
“It’s very rare they can’t find a part on the hay or harvest front, and it’s not often you hear of a John Deere machine sitting idle.”
LESSONS LEARNED FROM USING INFERIOR HAY PRODUCTS
From the beginning, Cam has used John Deere CoverEdge net wrap for their bales but, on buying the high-density 990 baler, Cam said they decided to try a competitor’s cheaper product, which turned out to be disastrous.
“We had a huge net failure which cost us a couple of contracting jobs. It was inferior quality, and it failed in a drought period when people were really relying on having that hay – there were bales exploding and net rolling up,” he said.
“We ended up going back to CoverEdge net and we haven’t had a problem since. That experience has really stuck in my head – you just have to stay with what you know works.
“CoverEdge is watertight, it’s adapted to Australian conditions, and when you’re really relying on it, it’s there. You don’t want a failure.”
He also likes the look of the CoverEdge bales, whose unique, elasticated threads extend the net over the edge of the bale, eliminating bale ‘shoulders’ and providing better protection from the weather.
“The bales definitely look good, neat and presentable, nicely tucked up with no ele-
INCREASE PROFIT, REDUCE
OVERHEADS: WHY SMART FARMERS ARE LOCKING IN 2025 DRAPER ORDERS NOW
MIDWEST FABRICATION: SETTING THE STANDARD FOR HARVEST EFFICIENCY AND INCREASED PROFITS IN 2025.
Every harvest season presents new challenges for Australian farmers — unpredictable weather, fluctuating commodity prices, and the ongoing demand for efficiency to ensure the viability of running a harvest operation.
When needing to get the most from each pass in the field, having the right machinery can make all the difference. That’s where Midwest shines brightest, with its draper fronts, delivering its innovative Australian-made harvest platforms designed to help farmers increase yield and profits while lowering operational costs and time.
ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE FOR AUSTRALIAN CONDITIONS
Proudly the only Australian-owned and operated harvester platform manufacturer, Midwest Fabrication has spent years refining its draper fronts to meet the critical demands of Australia’s unique farming conditions. Designed to handle the toughest conditions—from the vast wheatbelt of Western Australia to the diverse crops and terrains of the eastern states—Midwest’s range of draper fronts are engineered for durability, precision, and productivity.
THE SMART CHOICE: REDUCING COSTS WITHOUT COMPROMISE
Farmers know that harvesting efficiency directly impacts profitability. Midwest’s Durus and Legacy draper platforms are designed to integrate seamlessly with all major combine brands, allowing for a smoother harvest and lower operational costs. With sizes ranging from 30ft to 60ft, their advanced engineering minimises grain loss and optimises performance. Farmers who adopt Midwest’s technology report up to 20% lower operating costs, making a substantial impact on profitability over the long term.
phant ears and you can drop them onto a truck and go anywhere, no dramas,” he said.
The Schultzes also do a lot of silage in tubes with their new 461 premium round baler.
“That’s where the CoverEdge net helps to keep the tube lines of hay uniform, so the tube line wrapper can easily do its job. We recently fed out silage we’ve had in tubes for three years, with no failure and no spoilage,” Cam said.
THE INNOVATIONS THAT MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE
Midwest continues to invest in innovation, working closely with farmers to refine and enhance its designs.
Features such as ground following via its unique pivot ball, superior draper belt technology, and reinforced frame structures make Midwest drapers adaptable to various crop types, including cereals, canola and pulses.
The innovation doesn’t stop in the field. Midwest has developed a service app with how-to videos to keep your downtime minimal and provide fast support when needed most. Their new online parts website ensures you have spare parts on hand at any time, with the click of a button.
THE COST OF FALLING BEHIND
Choosing the wrong front can have serious harvesting consequences. Farmers using outdated or inefficient platforms often struggle with excessive grain loss, inconsistent crop flow, and increased fuel and maintenance costs, leading to extended downtime. Poorly designed fronts can slow down harvest times, leading to missed opportunities, greater exposure to weather risks, and potential yield losses.
“I like the speed of the 461R. We aim to mow the hay and get it cut, raked and baled in 48 hours to maintain the energy in the silage. The bale weights and silage it pumps out is equivalent to a six-string baler, but we’re doing rounds and we can maintain that quality even when the hay is stored outside.
“The baler runs on automation, so it stops and starts the tractor itself to make a perfect tube, uniform and tight. It all works.”
WHY FARMERS ARE PLACING THEIR 2025 ORDERS NOW
In an unpredictable market, securing reliable, high-quality equipment ahead of the season is a strategic move. With demand for Midwest’s harvest platforms growing and build slots filling fast, forward-thinking farmers are making their 2025 investments now to avoid potential delays and price increases.
To help farmers prepare, Midwest is offering a limited-time 10% discount on pre-season orders.
This exclusive offer ensures those upgrading now not only get top-tier machinery but also save on upfront costs.
A limited number of discounted orders are available, and once exhausted, prices will revert to regular retail rates.
Don’t wait until it’s too late—contact Midwest Fabrication today to secure your 2025 draper front and take advantage of our exclusive pre-season discount on 2024 models.
GET YOUR MIDWEST HARVEST PLATFORM TODAY
To get an instant online quote, visit www. midwest.net.au or contact the team at (07) 4662 2137 to secure your Midwest harvest platform.
The Schultzes are hoping for a wet finish to this season, but they dry-sowed early and Cam said their crops – wheat, barley, canola and lupins – are virtually ‘over the line’, with the canola already above his head.
“The irony is the property we bought at Matong is supposedly in a drier area, but has already had more rain than Culcairn,” he said.
VALTRA’S SWEET FEATURES IMPRESS SUGARCANE GROWER
THE ONLY CRITICISM A QUEENSLAND SUGARCANE GROWER CAN MAKE ABOUT VALTRA IS THEY DO NOT PROMOTE THEMSELVES ENOUGH.
Anthony and Sonya Girgenti grow sugarcane on 340 ha in the Herbert River flood plain in Queensland, 230 km south of Cairns. The Herbert River region has 55,000 ha of sugarcane, which produce about half a million tonnes of raw sugar each year for export around the world.
In 2011 Anthony and Sonya started to purchase their farms from Anthony’s parents. They have since bought more land. They plant cane between May and October, and a crop is then harvested for the next five years. After that, the paddock goes into grass or pulse crops for 6-12 months before re-planting the following year.
Anthony and Sonya bought their first Valtra tractor, a 320-hp S324 model, in June 2024. There is plenty of broadacre work for it in the sugarcane operation, including discing, ripping and hoeing.
They have 11 tractors now, including a 1964 International, and most of them are still used on a weekly basis. Previously the
biggest tractor in the fleet was 230-hp and it is 32 years old.
Buying another tractor (and the first Valtra) was not a casual decision. Anthony did his research by riding with various neighbours in their tractors to see what they liked and what they did not.
A big question he asked was, ‘Would you buy another?’ The only Valtra S324 in the area was some 60 km away, but it came out on top in his survey.
Now that he has the Valtra, Anthony cannot believe they are not better known and promoted in the area.
“They don’t sell themselves enough. They should be pushing their product in Australia, like at major sporting events,” he reckons.
NOTABLE FEATURES
Anthony is a very happy customer because his Valtra ticks all the boxes on his wish list. They include:
Step-less transmission. “It is one of the best features. I can go at the speed I want for the imple-
ment to perform at its best, for example, discing at 8.3 kph,” he says.
Simple. It is Tier 2 compliant so he does not need AdBlue. He optioned his S324 without GPS so he can use his third-party Topcon unit. “It was easily connectable and I didn’t have to learn another unit.”
Front linkage and PTO. “I have a heavier block weight on the front of the Valtra to balance it. It is easy to remove when I don’t need it. With my other tractor I was doing a few front wheel stands with the hoe on.”
Anthony says the front linkage and PTO future-proof the tractor. “We may be able to put tanks on the front linkage for planting. It’s much easier than building a frame.”
The front PTO provides another benefit. The sugarcane industry is now shifting to mulching cane stalk residues. Currently most people have the mulcher on the rear, which means the tractor rides over the cane crop first, but this can damage the paintwork.
“If we put the mulcher on the front, it mulches down the cane stalks to a residue before driving over it and helps keep the cosmetic look of the tractor.”
Suspension. Anthony has a minor back injury and wears a lower back strap. He wanted a tractor with the smoothest ride
SOME OF THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE THE GIRGENTI FAMILY’S SUGARCANE FARM TICK ARE (FROM LEFT) SAM GIRGENTI, ANTHONY GIRGENTI, TIM GIDDINS AND BRENDAN VELLA.
TWO GENERATIONS OF THE GIRGENTI FAMILY (FROM LEFT – FRANCES, SAM, ANTHONY AND SONYA) WITH THE VALTRA S324, WHICH HAS BOOSTED THE EFFICIENCY OF THEIR SUGARCANE FARM.
possible. The Valtra has pneumatic cab suspension, front-axle suspension and Evolution seat suspension.
“The Evolution seat is fantastic. The suspension not only works vertically, but longitudinally in both directions. There is no jolting when I work rough ground.”
He says the pneumatic cab is adjustable through the SmartTouch display. “I have it as soft or hard as the job requires.”
Anthony has put in some long days preparing ground for planting. Stints in the cab can last up to 18 hours.
“Fatigue management was great. I wouldn’t have lasted as long without the suspension, the climate control air conditioning and the radio. It is better than I was expecting.”
For someone whose previous main tractor was 30-years-old, the SmartTouch display might have been overwhelming. But it wasn’t.
“It is very user-friendly. I did read the manual, but it wasn’t hard to learn.”
His local dealer, Russo and Vella Machinery, spent a lot of time giving him a full rundown of all controls when they delivered it.
“I don’t expect everything to go perfectly. No tractor is bullet-proof. But they were all over it. It was only a phone call to find
out why it was doing this or that. If they couldn’t tell me over the phone, they were there within an hour.
“Russo and Vella played a major part in my decision to buy this tractor. They have three dealerships in the north and are very thorough with servicing. They are always calling to make sure everything is okay.”
MORE COOL FEATURES
Another of the features Anthony rates is the counters built into the SmartTouch display. He has set them up to show when individual implements are working.
“The rotary hoe has three gear boxes that use oil. I set the servicing based on the counter. I have another counter for new blades. I know how many hectares and how many hours those blades have done and it helps me to forecast when to order spare parts.”
The layout of controls is also a plus, as is the ability to change them.
“I have six hydraulic remotes and can assign them to any switch on the arm controls. I have set up a profile for each implement on the screen and I set up all the switches to how I like to use them.”
THE
GIRGENTI FAMILY’S VALTRA
PULLING A 32-PLATE SET OF SERAFIN OFFSET DISCS PREPARING GROUND TO PLANT SUGARCANE.
Working at night is a reality for many farmers and contractors. Valtra’s LED package was extensive and adaptable.
“The lights are really good. We could angle them to suit our environment and our implements. It made it easy for us,” Anthony says.
QuickSteer is another handy feature. Anthony adjusts the steering sensitivity on a headland so at low speeds he can do a fast turn with 1.5 to 2 turns of the wheel, rather than the usual 3.5 to 4 turns.
The six-cylinder AGCO engine is 8.4-litres and very fuel efficient. Anthony says some of that efficiency is thanks to the twin-turbo, which gives better torque at lower revs.
“The tractor is usually on auto at between 1270 and 1500 revs to pull non-PTO implements. There is plenty of power.”
When running the rotary hoe on loamy soils the Valtra S324 uses
crocs in the creeks
A hazard on Anthony and Sonya Girgenti’s farm are crocodiles that live in the surrounding creeks and rivers. They range in size from 1m to 4m.
Anthony is very relaxed about what seems alarming to non-locals. Apparently the tricks to avoid them are not to fish alone and do not get into a routine when approaching rivers.
“They love consistency. That’s how people lose dogs. They drink in the same place and crocs get to know that,” Anthony says.
about 26 litres/hour and around 32 litres/ hour on heavy clays. This compares favourably with the previous tractor which used 40-litres/hour.
Anthony says his new Valtra also had to be affordable. It was priced reasonably well compared to other brands. Also it came with an extended warranty out to four
years or 4000 hours, and finance at a low rate over five years.
He has taken lots of his neighbours for a ride in his new tractor and is doing his part to spread the love for Valtra.
“Around our district the best form of advertising is word of mouth. I am very happy with the purchase.”
PRODUCTIVITY BENEFITS OF THE ALL-NEW S7 COMBINE HARVESTER ON SHOW AT COMET
ALMOST 12 MONTHS AFTER ITS RELEASE IN AUSTRALIA, THE ALL-NEW S7 COMBINE HARVESTER HAS BEEN PUT THROUGH ITS PACES ACROSS A RANGE OF GRAIN-GROWING REGIONS, WITH PRODUCERS SUCH AS THE ARMSTRONG FAMILY FROM CENTRAL QUEENSLAND SEEING FIRSTHAND PRODUCTIVITY AND EFFICIENCY BENEFITS.
Xander Armstrong farms 8,500 hectares of mostly dryland cropping alongside his brother Jono and father Ross, predominantly growing a rotation of wheat in winter and sorghum in summer at Coolibah Plains south of Comet.
As long-time John Deere customers, the Armstrongs operate a fleet that includes several 8R, 9RT and 9RX tractors, as well as three S770 combine harvesters.
When it came time to harvest 5,200ha of wheat in October, they had the chance to add the all-new S7 combine harvester to their line-up, if only for half a day.
“We have a long-standing relationship with John Deere Australia, and they’ve run a couple of header schools and sprayer schools on our farm over the years,” Xander said.
“Anton (John Deere Product Specialist, Anton Kowalenko) gave me a call halfway through the growing season and asked if we’d be interested in having them back again this year to run the S7 and we didn’t hesitate at the opportunity.
“It was a great chance to not
only see how technology is progressing, and the improvements John Deere has made on the machines, but also to get a firsthand experience of them on our own farm.”
BUILDING ON THE PROVEN PERFORMANCE OF ITS PREDECESSOR
Featuring an updated cab design, new engines, a re-designed grain loss sensing system, and new residue management features, the cherry on top of the new S7 is the automation features which will take operator performance to the next level.
Ground Speed Automation manages the combine’s speed based on operator inputs for grain loss, engine load and rotor pressure to maintain consistent throughput.
Harvest Settings Automation automatically adjusts rotor speed, fan speed, and concave, chaffer, and sieve clearances based upon acceptable limits for grain loss, foreign material, and broken grain. This delivers a more consistent and higher qual-
XANDER SAID, “WHEN IT COMES TIME TO TRADE OUR CURRENT FLEET IN, WE’LL
CERTAINLY
BE CONFIDENT IN TAKING HOME THE NEW S7 WITH THE AUTOMATION TECHNOLOGY.”
ity harvest, irrespective of operator skill level.
Meanwhile, the Predictive Ground Speed Automation uses Ground Speed Automation as the foundation, with the addition of two forward-looking cameras, to visually assess changing crop conditions and a pre-harvest satellite image to generate a predictive field map. The combine merges the two inputs to proactively manage ground speed and maximise combine throughput. From both in the cab and on the ground, Xander said the S7 was impressive.
“The technology pack on the new S7 is pretty impressive when you see it in action,” he said.
“With the technology optimised for our conditions, we saw a 15 to 20% increase in productivity in the S7 compared to our machines.”
Xander said while it’s hard to put a dollar figure on that increased capability, the productivity gains are vital to farm profitability and sustainability.
“If you can sustainably achieve a conservative extra 15% productivity, over a harvest that takes four weeks, you can easily reduce that time by four or five days,” he said.
“That may not seem like much, but every farmer knows if you’re harvesting and all of a sudden there’s rain or storms coming, those extra couple of days make a big difference.”
The new grain-handling and residue management features
XANDER ARMSTRONG FROM COMET, QUEENSLAND (PICTURED WITH CURRENT FLEET), HAS PUT THE ALL-NEW S7 COMBINE HARVESTER THROUGH ITS PACES SEEING FIRSTHAND PRODUCTIVITY AND EFFICIENCY BENEFITS.
also have a significant impact, particularly in dry years like 2024.
“This year has been a typical Central Queensland year in terms of rain, how it fell and where it fell; there has been good rain around the district, but it’s been pretty patchy,” Xander said.
“We didn’t have a great deal of moisture at planting time, so we had to deep plant a fair chunk of our wheat, which we don’t often have to do, and we had minimal rain throughout the season which wasn’t of any great advantage.
“We had a couple of paddocks that averaged four-and-a-half to five tonnes a hectare, but across the whole crop we averaged 3.5t/ha, which is what we budget on growing even in a dry year.”
This is where the re-designed grain loss sensing system comes to the fore, Xander said.
“That technology makes a big difference, not only in ensuring more grain ends up in the bin for you to sell later on, but also in the months following harvest,” he said.
MORE GRUNT, LESS GUZZLE
MID-WEST FARMERS, SCOTT, JACQUI AND AMERY DRAGE, ARE AMONG THE VERY FIRST AUSTRALIAN FARMERS TO TAKE DELIVERY OF AN ALL-NEW CLAAS XERION 12 HIGH HORSEPOWER TRACTOR.
Available with a maximum power output of 653, 585 or 544 horsepower, the new series is the most powerful yet built by Claas and is billed as the largest 4WD tractor fitted with a continuously variable transmission as standard.
The series also incorporates category-leading hydraulics and the largest cab on the market.
The Drage family grows about 2800 ha of wheat, canola and lupins each year across several properties based around ‘Hillcrest’ outside Northampton.
The Drages clocked up more than 1800 hours on their existing Xerion 5000 (530 hp) tractor before they took up an offer to trial the new Xerion 12.590 this season.
“We absolutely loved our 5000,” Amery Drage says.
“It allowed us to do everything – seeding, spreading and chaser bin work – with just the one machine.
“It didn’t have a downside other than we wanted a few extra horsepower for pulling our 18 metre airseeder up and down the hills.”
The Drages opted to trial the 12.590 model, which has a maximum power output of 585 hp and produces a maximum torque of 2850 Nm at just 1300 rpm.
Amery, who does much of the driving, is super-impressed with its performance.
“We did about two-thirds of our seeding program with it and we swapped the tractors over a couple of times so that we could
“If you can improve your grain loss percentages, once you start getting rain, there’s less pressure to get back into the paddock soon after harvest to control weeds and volunteer plants that are emerging.”
As for the new high-efficiency residue management sys-
make a good comparison,” he says.
“We’re getting about 10% extra horsepower and torque without any increase in fuel consumption, which we weren’t expecting.
“We averaged about 45 L/hr, which was pretty much the same as our existing Xerion 5000 and about 20 L/hr less than our previous powershift tractor.”
All three Xerion 12 models are powered by the same 15.6 L six-cylinder Mercedes-Benz OM473 engine found in Claas Lexion combine harvesters and Jaguar forage harvesters.
Claas’ ‘high torque, low rpm’ powertrain management system means fuel consumption is significantly lower than similar-sized tractors.
This is teamed up with a ZF continuously variable transmission and selectable differentials for optimal power transfer to the axles or PTO, even at low speeds or under heavy operating conditions.
“This CVT is so smooth,” Amery says.
“The engine speed goes up or down according to the load without changing forward speed and without any steps or surges.
“The engine barely gets above 1200 rpm for most jobs.
“With our old powershift tractor, we were constantly shifting gears or even stalling as we went up hills and then speeding up as we went down the other side.
“Our soil type ranges from hilly red loams near the coast to
undulating sandy gravels further inland, meaning power demand can vary greatly.”
The new series follows the same proven design concept as all Xerion models: four equalsized wheels, permanent fourwheel-drive, all-wheel steering and equal weight distribution over both axles.
It is also available with the new-developed Terra Trac tracked assemblies.
The Xerion 12 incorporates a modular ballast system that enables up to six tonnes to be quickly added to the front or rear axles in 400 kg increments.
“We really like this ballast system because we can load the tractor up for seeding or strip it down for spreading in just a few minutes using our telehandler,” Amery says.
Xerion 12 has a 1400-litre, centrally-mounted fuel tank, meaning weight distribution remains the same throughout the day.
“The 5000 had a 700-litre tank, which was enough to get through one day but not two, which meant we had to fill up every day,” he says.
“This new tank means we can keep going for three days with-
out refuelling and that’s one less job you have to do.”
The Drages’ Xerion has two hydraulic pumps that deliver a maximum flow rate of 447 L/min across six circuits, more than ample to power the fans on their 18 metre Horsch Sprinter 18NT airseeder.
Xerion 12 incorporates a new deluxe cab.
“The sheer size and comfort of this cabin is really impressive,” Amery says. “This is easily the best cab I’ve worked in.
“The cab is completely isolated from the chassis and mounted on four point-suspension so there’s no vibrations or rocking.
“There’s no exhaust stack blocking your view and the pillars are very narrow.
“It’s so quiet – it’s almost silent in the cab.”
The driver’s seat can be rotated by 40 degrees and there are footpegs to the front and side.
There’s also a full-size passenger seat and integrated cool box.
Xerion 12 incorporates a suite of operator assistance systems, including CEBIS operating system, which features an integrated armrest, multi-function control lever and 12” touchscreen.
tem, Xander said how well the machine distributes stubble also makes a big difference to post-harvest management.
EMBRACING TECHNOLOGY THE WAY OF THE FUTURE
Xander said being able to put
the machine to the test in their paddocks had yielded a clear showcase of the benefits of the updated technology, and the new S7 would one day join the fleet of John Deere equipment in the sheds at Coolibah Plains.
“We’re very happy with the fleet we currently have, but we
try not to keep machines for too long,” he said.
“We like to trade in our machines for new ones every five or six years, so when it comes time to trade our current fleet in, we’ll certainly be confident in taking home the new S7 with the automation technology.”
PROVEN LIUGONG ELECTRIC RANGE SPARKING INTEREST
THERE’S BEEN PLENTY OF GLOBAL FANFARE ABOUT LIUGONG’S WIDE RANGE OF ELECTRICALLY-POWERED EQUIPMENT AND SEVERAL MACHINES ARE ALREADY ROLLING IN THE AUSTRALIAN MARKET WITH STRONG APPEAL.
LiuGong was one of the first equipment companies to identify the potential of the battery electric vehicle (BEV) for the construction, civil and agriculture industries and has invested more than $100 million in research, development and machine testing over the past eight years.
There are nine product areas in total, from aerial access equipment to heavy-weight excavators and wheel loaders, and a sign of LiuGong’s confidence in the range is the company’s offering of five-year/10,000-hour warranties with the machines, covering batteries, motors and controllers.
James Lipman, from the LiuGong distributor in Australia, said significantly reduced energy and maintenance costs compared with operating diesel machines, as well as reduced carbon emissions, was quickly attracting the interest of numerous companies and operators around the country.
“Companies can now buy a machine to help hit their corporate responsibility and sustainability targets, as well as their cost of ownership targets,” James said.
“They recognise they can pay significantly less in cost over five years whilst still taking advantage of all the benefits.”
LiuGong data from more than 200 customers has shown that BEVs reduce five-year operational costs by up to 70 per cent and maintenance costs by up to 50pc.
A mid-size wheel loader comparison indicated fuel and maintenance savings of $210,000 over five years, as well as emission savings of more than 330 tonnes, which was significantly more than the emissions produced by the diesel machine and, hence, would be available for offsetting other emissions.
A range of LiuGong electric machines already are successfully operating in Australia, from mine sites in WA’s Pilbara region through to manufacturing plants in Victoria, including the 922FE excavator and wheel loaders at either end of the size spectrum, the 6.4t 820TE and the 20.6t 856HE.
The 24.1t excavator’s large-capacity lithium iron phosphate battery can store 423 kilowatt-hours (kWh) and the machine provides digging breakout force of 105 kilonewtons (kN). Its permanent magnet synchronous motor offers 165 kilowatt (kW) of power,
HOLCIM, A GLOBAL LEADER IN INNOVATIVE AND SUSTAINABLE BUILDING MATERIALS, HAS COMMENCED A STRONG RELATIONSHIP WITH LIUGONG AUSTRALIA FOR ITS ELECTRIC MACHINES AFTER INITIALLY TRIALING A WHEEL LOADER IN VICTORIA AND ACKNOWLEDGING IT HAD PERFORMED BETTER THAN EXPECTED.
equivalent to more than 220 horsepower, and the excavator comes with a 1m3 bucket.
The fully electronically-controlled hydraulic system with the 922FE also provides pure electric drive for easy control.
Around the world and including in Australia, there are more than 6000 electric wheel loaders already operating in the field.
The small, 60kW 820TE offers an extremely quiet, energy-saving and environmentally friendly solution. It can store 70.5kWh and caters up to a 2t load in its 1.2m3 bucket, while operators can easily adjust the traction force and vehicle driving speed.
The bigger 856HE steps up the load capacity to 5.8t with a 3.5m3 bucket.
Worldwide testing with the 856HE demonstrated it was able to work up to 14 hours a shift before requiring recharge, proving more than adequate for customer needs.
James said the electric transmissions improve transmission efficiency and reduce noise for smooth shifting, while operators also enjoy a significantly higher comfort level in the machines compared with a constantly running diesel engine.
Electric power delivers a quieter operating environment with reduced vibrations, creating a less stressful working atmosphere for operators. The elimination of exhaust fumes also improves overall air quality, enhancing operator health and well-being.
Holcim, a global leader in innovative and sustainable building materials, has commenced a strong relationship with LiuGong Australia for its electric machines after initially trialing an electric wheel loader in Victoria. Its Australian operations include quarries, batching plants, manufacturing and corporate offices.
Holcim Operations Manager for Gippsland East, Michael (Mick) Radford, said the company was committed to decarbonising its
operations on the journey towards net-zero emissions.
“The use of zero-emission vehicles like the LiuGong wheel loader aligns with our roadmap, bringing us closer to achieving our goals,” he said.
And there were other features of the 856HE which impressed.
“It performed better than we all expected,” Mick said.
“The loader could work long hours between charges and could keep up with the production, which meant it didn’t have to stop in the middle of the day to charge up. That means the charging time is less, so the cost is less.
“Electric machines, unlike diesel ones, also only need to be serviced every thousand hours, so the maintenance cost is much lower. And you haven’t got things like oil filter changes and labour time to worry about.”
Mick was also pleased with the design that enables hydraulics to be programmed via software to make them harsher or softer.
“So we can make adjustments like the speed of the machine,” he said.
Mick was also particularly pleased with the service aspect of LiuGong.
“When we first bought the LiuGong equipment, the team spent a lot of time with us, checking that all was good and coping with any problems that arose,” he said.
“After a couple of months, you’d think that this level of service would fade away, but not so … I’d still be getting phone calls every couple of weeks checking on any issues.
“The level of support is outstanding.”
Industry operators interested in further information or viewing a demonstration of the LiuGong electric range can contact James Lipman (QLD, NSW and VIC) on 0475 901 639 and Johnny Inferrera (WA and SA) on 0429 904 870.
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MAXIMISING NEW SPRAY TECH IN WA’S GREAT SOUTHERN
WESTERN AUSTRALIAN GROWER JP VAN DE VELDE HAS ENJOYED A TASTE OF GREEN-ON-GREEN (GOG) SPOT SPRAYING AND THE LATEST IN INDIVIDUAL, PULSE WIDTH MODULATION (PWM) NOZZLE CONTROL IN HIS CROPPING PROGRAM AT WAGIN THIS SEASON AND IS NOW EAGER TO MAXIMISE THE BENEFITS OF THESE NEW TECHNOLOGIES NEXT YEAR.
JP and his partner, Emma Anderson, farm WA’s renowned, former Jaloran Merino stud property in the Great Southern region. They have since expanded to now sow 3940 hectares to mostly canola, barley, oats and some lupin and hay crops, while they also run sheep over about 800ha of grassland and salt country during winter.
JP’s father, JJ, bought the farm in 2018 as part of a planned move from their farming property in South Africa before he was involved in a tragic road accident. They grew maize, corn, soybean and potatoes in South Africa.
At Jaloran, a 14,000-litre CHD tug-along sprayer with 36-metre boom was initially purchased for the cropping program, before JP earlier this season welcomed delivery of a Miller Intelligence Nitro 7380 model self-propelled sprayer, which also offers a 36m boom and 8000L tank capacity.
JP said with the CHD sprayer having worked for five to six seasons and the cropping operation growing, they were looking to improve the speed and efficiency of their spraying program.
He said the GoG capability, PWM technology and data man-
agement platform with the latest Miller sprayer caught his eye, as well as its revered front-mounted configuration and high clearance, but the main reason for choosing Miller was the added service backup and support through local dealer, McIntosh & Son at Katanning.
“With its clearance, we now no longer need to get aeroplanes in for late herbicide applications in canola,” JP said.
The Miller Intelligence 7380 features the manufacturer’s latest cab, including a 12.1-inch SprayView12 screen linked to New Holland’s PLM data management system, which was another convenient move following the Van De Velde’s recent acquisition of a New Holland harvester.
JP said after some customary early configurations with the system, everything had proved straight-forward and user friendly.
“We had the previous cab initially, but then we hopped into the new (Miller Intelligence) cab and it is a lot more ergonomic and comfortable, and the screen and joystick are a lot better to work with.”
Sidewinder Ultra consoles in the Miller Intelligence cabs have introduced advanced telematics, raising spraying application and machine data control and transfer to industry-leading levels, and they seamlessly integrate with all major data management systems, also including Case IH, John Deere and other data platforms.
JP said the biggest spraying advancement for them was the next generation of PWM control via the Miller Intellispray II nozzle system, which provided for consistent spray application at various speeds.
JP
SAYS ONE OF THE BIGGEST SPRAYING ADVANCES WITH THE FAMILY’S NEW MILLER INTELLIGENCE NITRO 7380 SPRAYER IS NEXT GENERATION PULSE WIDTH MODULATION CONTROL VIA THE MILLER INTELLISPRAY II NOZZLE SYSTEM, WHICH INCORPORATES TURN COMPENSATION, PROVIDING FOR CONSISTENT SPRAY APPLICATION AT VARIOUS SPEEDS.
“Previously we had a twotiered spray nozzle system regulated to speed and water rate. But if you went too slow, you would not have enough pressure, and at faster speeds you could have too much pressure,” JP said.
“Now with Miller and the Intellispray II, we set the pressure and get the same result with the sprayer no matter the speed. We previously used 100-litre (per ha) water rates in some paddocks, but with the pressure now constant with everything we do, we have been able to drop the rate back to 80L/ha with everything.
“In a decent day, we are now spraying 550ha.”
He said one of the “biggest winners” with the Miller Intellispray II PWM was turn compensation, particularly for maintaining optimum control of herbicide-resistant grasses in headlands and tight working areas.
“Previously we had to come back over some of the corners of our crops. A week or two later we would see that we needed to spray weeds in these areas again.”
JP said the additional investment in the Bilberry weed identification system for GoG and green-on-brown (GoB) spot spraying was significant, but they considered it would be valuable and were encouraged to adopt the technology by their
farm business consultancy, Planfarm.
“We don’t have major radish and broadleaf weed problems, so we thought it could provide some good savings.
“There is a lot to learn and work out with your brews and the hectares to cover, and we had some typical teething with learning how it works and some software and calibration issues, but then we did a little bit of the program with it this season and we could see the savings it will generate.
“We spot sprayed some late radish in barley and the results were phenomenal. We had 90 per cent plus (chemical) savings on the paddocks we did with it.
“Once you get a handle on everything, it’s the flick of a switch and is relatively easy to use.
“We are certainly looking forward to using the Bilberry over the program next year and replicating the significant savings in some paddocks.”
While summer rains have not been a factor in recent years, any falls this year will spark the Miller sprayer and Bilberry system into action for GoB spot spraying.
In its first season at Jaloran, the Miller Intelligence 7380 already has clocked 700 hours and was recently completing the final 800ha of lupin crop-topping and canola desiccation.
WA GROWER
VAN DE VELDE, WAGIN,
VERSATILITY AND PERFORMANCE IN ONE PASS.
RECONSOLIDATE
4 ACTIONS IN A SINGLE PASS
Equipped with discs and tines, the Performer offers 4 actions in one single pass: chopping, mixing or loosening, levelling and reconsolidate.
