September 2017 Farming Monthly National

INSIDE: AD secures farming future for young entrepreneur page 40

Farming

MONTHLY National

September 2017

Also in this issue...

Arable

| Promising weed control alternative page 19

Agricultural crime Also inside this month..

On track for recovery page 12

Pelletting with Honda ATV p49

Battery storage opportunities p41

Stop PCN damage p27

PLUS: Tillage | Arable | Potatoes | Shows | Buildings | Machinery | Energy | ATV | Motors

CONTENTS September 2017

FEATURES 16

23

14 Security

39

34 Buildings

Agricultural crime - On track for recovery as cost estimates soar

41

46 Forestry

Designing the internal environment for livestock buildings

BSW and Tilhill Forestry announce the vertical integration of timber supply chain

16 Arable New world record for combined peas

20 Tillage Gearing up for Tillage Live 2017

REGULARS

24 Potatoes First potato storage season for new low CIPC rates

28 Livestock & Dairy

06 News ÂŁ1.7m to boost environment

12 On Topic

Dairy is fit for the future

30 UK Dairy Day

Agricultural crime - On track for recovery

39 Energy

UK Dairy Day 2017 Show preview

04 | Farming Monthly | September 2017

Latest energy news

42 Machinery Latest machinery news

48 ATV ATV news...covered.

53 Motors Latest motors news

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59

Agriculture. Covered.

Agricultural crime

p12

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Follow us For editorial, general enquiries or to advertise please call +44 (0) 2476 353537 or email sales@farmingmonthly.com Farming Monthly National is published monthly in the UK by Farming Monthly Ltd, 15-17 Dugdale Street, Nuneaton, Warwickshire CV11 5QJ Tel: +44 (0) 2476 353537 Printed in the UK No part of this magazine may be reproduced without permission from the publisher.

Whilst every attempt is made to ensure accuracy, the opinions expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of the Editor or publication. The Editor also reserves the right to alter or edit material as required and no responsibility is accepted for inaccuracies.

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

September 2017 | Farming Monthly | 05

| News

Brake calls for compulsory A Royal celebration for 50th rural driving lessons for anniversary of Koppert learners Biological Systems Road safety charity Brake is today calling for compulsory lessons on rural roads for learner drivers, as part of a graduated licensing system, to reduce fatalities and serious injuries. n 2015, the last year for which statistics are available, 120 young drivers lost their lives in crashes - 80 per cent of these occurring on rural roads, 16 per cent on urban roads and four per cent on motorways.

Jason Wakeford, Director of Campaigns for Brake, the road safety charity, said: "High speeds, sharp bends, narrow lanes, risky overtaking and the presence of vulnerable road users like cyclists, make rural roads the most dangerous by far. The combination of rural roads and novice drivers is lethal - a staggering 80 per cent of all young car driver fatalities occur in rural locations.

"Brake is calling for a total overhaul of the learning to drive system to help cut fatalities and injuries. A graduated licensing

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system, including a minimum learning period, mandatory training on rural roads and restrictions for newly-qualified drivers - such as a zero drink-drive limit - will allow new drivers to build up more skills and experience over a longer period of time.

"This approach has dramatically reduced road casualties in countries including Australia and New Zealand and could save some 400 lives a year if implemented in the UK. "Brake is also calling for a review of rural speed limits and for 'Voluntary Intelligent Speed Adaptation', which helps drivers keep within the limit, to be fitted as standard to new cars. There is also the need for better and more affordable public transport, so fewer young people see starting driving in their teens as a necessity."

06 | Farming Monthly | September 2017

King Willem-Alexander opens the Experience Centre in honour of the anniversary. ing WillemAlexander is present on Thursday, September 14th at the celebration of the 50th anniversary of Koppert Biological Systems in Berkel and Rodenrijs. The company focuses on biological crop protection and conservation of cultivation. The King will also open the newly developed 'Experience Centre'.

The family business started fifty years ago with the idea of combating the so-called 'plague inects' that affect crops, with natural enemies rather than with chemical agents. Koppert is looking for solutions that occur in nature and make products that are used by professional growers.

Over the years, Koppert has grown into an international company with 25 subsidiaries. The company's natural solutions are now being used worldwide against pests and diseases in agriculture and horticulture. They are also focusing on improving soil quality.

The King performs the opening of the Experience Centre This information centre has emerged from an increasing need to provide visitors with insight into the world of biological crop protection. Interactively, growers,

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research institutions, students and governments from home and abroad get information about, among other things, Koppert's vision, research and development and production process. After the opening, the King will speak with a number of employees of the company. He will also be present at the opening of the international anniversary seminar that Koppert organises.

From pioneer to market leader in 50 years Jan Koppert had a lot of plague insects in his cucumber crop in the 1960s, like other growers. He, along with his son Peter, was looking for a natural solution to protect his crop and experimented with the use of predatory mites against spiders. That experiment succeeded and formed the basis of Koppert Biological Systems.

In the fifty years that followed, the family business led by Peter, his brother Paul and cousin Henri Oosthoek, became the market leader in organic crop protection in horticulture – and is still growing every year. Koppert, in addition to over 40 natural enemies of harmful insects, also supplies microbiological solutions and bumblebees for sustainable production of agricultural and horticultural crops.

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| News

Man convicted of criminal Farming groups given damage to crops by driving £1.7 million to boost the on to farmland environment A man has been ordered to pay £1,000 compensation and has had his vehicle taken off him, after he caused substantial damage to crops near Thirsk.

A £1.7 million fund opens tomorrow for groups of farmers and organisations to bid for cash for large scale environmental projects in their area.

ark James Hughes, 33, of Eden Street, Horden, Durham, was found guilty of criminal damage at Northallerton Magistrates Court on 25 August 2017.

On 12 November 2016, a Land Rover Discovery was driven on to a field at Topcliffe. It got stuck, buried into the mud to axle depth. Hughes was seen nearby, and subsequently interviewed by officers.

The field was due to be replanted in the near future, but because the vehicle had driven over it, it could no longer be planted, due to the risk of contaminants.

he third national round of the Countryside Stewardship Facilitation Fund, open for applications from 1 September to 14 November 2017, encourages landowners to think beyond their own fields, meadows and woodlands and instead consider how environmental benefits can be achieved over a wider landscape by working on projects together.

Since the scheme began, it has supported 61 groups and 1,350 land managers to improve more than 273,000 hectares of land through enhancing wildlife habitats, planting trees and restoring rivers to their natural meanders.

To apply, groups must submit new plans for working together and sharing knowledge to improve their land and benefit their communities.

An example of a group already benefitting from funding is the Bourn Brook Facilitation Fund, which joined the scheme in 2015.

Since then, 20 farms covering more than 6,500 hectares have worked together to connect local ancient woodland, improve river quality and encourage other farmers to get involved in the environmental work.

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At court, Hughes was disqualified from driving for six months, deprived of the Land Rover Discovery, and ordered to pay £1,000 in compensation.

PC Arfan Rahouf, of North Yorkshire Police’s Rural Taskforce, said: “Hughes’ thoughtless and reckless actions caused substantial inconvenience and financial loss to a farm business. The vehicle was so badly stuck that even a tractor struggled to get it out.

“The compensation, driving ban, and loss of the vehicle will send a clear message that this behaviour is absolutely unacceptable to North Yorkshire’s rural communities, and police will deal with such incidents robustly.”

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“This scheme is about helping more farmers and land managers make the most of Countryside Stewardship” Farming Minister George Eustice said: “The benefits of action to develop habitats and protect the environment can be magnified if applied on a landscape scale with groups of farmers working together. This facilitation fund will

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support partnership working to maximise the benefits of our Countryside Stewardship schemes to our farmed environment.

“The benefits of action to develop habitats and protect the environment can be magnified if applied on a landscape scale with groups of farmers working together” "Leaving the EU creates a great opportunity to design a new agriculture policy that delivers environmental outcomes more effectively and testing partnership working in this way will help provide us with experience to inform future policy."

Chief Executive of Natural England James Cross said: “This scheme is about helping more farmers and land managers make the most of Countryside Stewardship and bring benefits for nature and people on a landscape scale. This is really exciting, a real win-win for farmers, land managers, rural communities and of course, our wildlife.

“We are proud to be using the Fund to help support rural areas.

By working with groups of land managers, facilitators can scale up what we can achieve and help deliver long-term outcomes for the environment.”

Across England a total of £7.2 million has been committed through the Countryside Stewardship Facilitation Fund for groups of land managers to improve their local environment at a landscape-scale. This builds on the principles of partnership working to deliver ambitious, evidence-based actions that will deliver for the environment, business and local communities.

September 2017 | Farming Monthly | 07

| News

Market Harborough hosts “best ever” Leicestershire County Show Market Harborough hosted the biggest ever Leicestershire County Show over the bank holiday weekend (Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th August). rganised by the Leicestershire Agricultural Society, this is the second consecutive year that Market Harborough has accommodated the county show at the Airfield Business Park just outside the town centre.

Due to its popularity last year, 2017 is the first year that the event has been held over two days. Around 13,000 people passed through the gates of the event that celebrates all aspects of rural life; an increase on the 12,000 that attended last year.

The gates were opened at 8:30am on Saturday and visitors were treated to a range of activities on the day, including a motorcycle stunt display, a dog show and a classic car and tractor rally. These were held amongst the

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range of trade shows, craft stands and rural competitions. The opening day closed with a luxurious banquet dinner and live music in the member’s marquee at the showground.

Large crowds gathered on the following day for more events and activities including the grand parade that crowned off a successful 2017 Leicestershire County Show.

“This was by far the best show since we began organising them,” explains David Young of the Leicestershire Agricultural Society.

“There were more people, more activities and more time to get around and fully enjoy the event. We’d like to thank all of the visitors, sponsors, exhibitors and of course the farmers and animals for making it so great.”

Although there was a range of other events and activities for visitors, the heart of the

Leicestershire County Show is rural life. “We had plenty of entries for all of our cattle, equine

and livestock classes this year. It was good to see so many people of all ages come out to support the event and experience our wonderful countryside and agriculture,” adds David.

The Leicestershire Agricultural Society was formed in 1833 by a group of Leicestershire farmers to promote improvements in agriculture.

Pictures and information about the event can be found at www.leicestershirecountyshow.co.uk

Pembrokeshire farmers raise concerns over NVZ’s and bovine TB with Cabinet Secretary Pembrokeshire farmers and Farmers’ Union of Wales officials met with Cabinet Secretary Lesley Griffiths at Pembrokeshire County Show to discuss the NVZ consultation and bovine TB.

UW Deputy President Brian Thomas said: “We had a very good meeting with the Cabinet Secretary and discussed the timing of an announcement on the NVZ consultation. It was confirmed that a decision would be announced by the end of the year.

“The length of any implementation period was also highlighted as an issue, as the period of time needs to be as long as possible to

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enable the planning permission system to be able to cope, to ensure the availability of specialist contractors and to take account of the fact that there will be periods of the year when no construction work can take place due to weather conditions.

“The NVZ consultation and the fact that 1800 farms in Pembrokeshire would be affected if plans go ahead to designate the Milford Haven and Cleddau catchment areas was also raised along with the serious financial implications

08 | Farming Monthly | September 2017

which this would have for farmers.”

The changes to the TB regulations, particularly with regards to enhanced management herds and penalties being applied due to late TB tests when health and safety had been an issue, were also discussed.

“We discussed the issue of bovine TB here in the county and look forward to continuing to work with Welsh Government on progressing the matter,” said FUW Pembrokeshire County Chairman David Nicholas.

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| News

Midlands Machinery Show on target for another great success Interest in the Midlands Machinery Show continues to grow and in just three years’ exhibitors at this popular B2B event have grown to 250 stands.

Organisers are confident of even more for this year’s show to be held on 22 & 23 November 2017 at Newark Showground. drian Johnston, the originator of the event and the CEO of Newark & Nottinghamshire Agricultural Society said: “Our flat, well-drained venue, combined with excellent value and our extensive suite of halls, mean that we are in a fantastic position to host the show.

There is a great range of equipment for all to come and see. The time of year is right and we go that extra mile to ensure that our loyal exhibitors are looked after to the best of our ability.”

With top names like Chafer Sprayers, Sukup Europe, as well as local dealers and agricultural machinery manufacturers such as Claydon Drills, Flach and LeRoy, McArthur Agriculture Ltd, PA Bristow, Andrew Guest, Chandlers, Spaldings and RC Setchfield; the show is committed to remain close to its core focus on agricultural machinery. Rainthorpe of

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Grantham work closely with the Show team in the run up to the event to ensure scheduled expert loading and off-loading.

The friendly atmosphere at the event is appreciated by all who visit and the quality of the attendees is one of the main reasons why traders return. Show Manager, George Taylor, adds: “Many exhibitors at MMS comment on a high level of enquiries translating into sales and prospective buyers appreciate the opportunity to talk to a variety of dealers on a one-to-one basis and see products in action which give them the confidence to financially commit.”

Three technical seminars are repeated daily in the Lady Eastwood Centre with H L Hutchinsons Ltd running two of them; one focussed on actively managing soil resources and the other discussing how new technology is influencing working practices to increase

productivity, efficiency and profitability on the farm. Further details on the seminar topics and timetable are available on the website, www.midlandsmachineryshow.com.

Sponsorship opportunities are still available at the show and to discuss the benefits, interested parties should call George Taylor or Una-Marie Palin on 01636 705796.

Accommodation can be booked through our official travel partner Field Farm Tours; see www.fieldfarmtours.co.uk or call 01636 616051.

Entry and parking at the Midlands Machinery Show is free. All exhibitors and visitors will receive a complimentary catalogue produced

by Farmers Weekly. The show starts at 8.00 a.m. on Newark Showground and for further detail and how to register as a trader visit www.midlandsmachineryshow.com or call 01636 705796.

September 2017 | Farming Monthly | 09

| On Topic

10 | Farming Monthly | September 2017

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| News

Essex farmer reaps the benefits of using single electrical contractor for grain store Henry Siggers farms 450 hectares of group 1 milling wheat at Leapingwells Farm in Kelvedon, Essex – the fourth generation of his family to do so. Having used Gibbons Engineering Group for the electrical works on a new grain drying store in 2013, Mr Siggers turned to the local company again for his latest project - a new 160ft x 50ft grain and fertiliser flatstore adjacent to the original building. s it was imperative to have the project completed in time for harvest and preferring to deal with a familiar single contractor for the entire electrical works, Mr Siggers commissioned Gibbons to deliver a complete package of products and services.

Led by Director Matthew Gibbons, the project included the supply and installation of five high-bay lights, roller shutter door controls, panel-mounted socket outlets for each of the three bays and a main control board along with 63 amp supply and all wiring.

In addition, Gibbons supplied four 2.2kW aluminium grain store fans and pedestals from its Agricultural Fans range. These were connected to a thermostat system to ensure the grain can remain at a temperature no higher than 15°C as the weather fluctuates.

Fast forward to August, and with harvesting completed for another year, Mr Siggers was delighted with the performance of the new grain store: “I highly recommend Gibbons. Matthew

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has been very easy to deal with, and I can always reach him on his mobile. Everything has been done to quote and on time.”

Gibbons’ durable steel and aluminium fans are built to exacting standards by an expert team and have been used by British farmers for many years.

Ranging from 0.13 – 2.2kW, these reliable fans are available as single-phase and three phase in most sizes and can be customised to suit specific applications.

Completing the range are Gibbons’ air spear fans, which are used to cool hotspots as they develop in the grain pile and can be quickly and easily moved as required.

Along with grain stores, Gibbons provides a comprehensive range of electrical services for new and existing agricultural buildings, such as mains power, lighting and wiring. This complements Gibbons’ range of electrical and mechanical equipment for agricultural applications, which includes electric motors, pumps, gearboxes, ABB variable-speed drives, air-handling systems and control panels.

Henry Siggers

Mr Gibbons said: “We’ve spent decades providing electrical services to farms across East Anglia and beyond, so we understand that farmers want reliability, efficiency and a fair price. Plus, having a single point of contact for an entire electrical project saves a great deal of time, which was especially valuable for Mr Siggers in the busy period leading up to harvest.”

September 2017 | Farming Monthly | 11

| On Topic

Agricultural Crime - On Track for recovery The cost of rural crime in the UK has been estimated at a staggering £39m and many farmers who feel under siege from thieves are now turning their farmyards into fortresses just to protect their homes, families, properties and livelihoods. he impact of crime on rural communities has been devastating to the extent that some farmers are now giving up the profession all together because of continuous thievery.

Most stolen items appear to be tools followed

by Quad vehicles. Livestock theft including sheep rustling cost the country £2.2m and Agricultural vehicle theft at £5.4m whilst down on 2015 was boosted by the huge theft of Land Rover Defenders which had risen by almost 17% from £1.8m to £2.1m between 2015 and 2016.

Cost of UK rural crime in 2016 was recorded as England £33.8m, Northern Ireland £2.5m, Scotland £1.6m and Wales £1.3m with Lincolnshire being the worst-hit English county with a loss of £2.5m.

In the last 5 years the total loss to the UK for Agricultural crime has been calculated at over £203 million pounds with the blame set mainly on blatant European thieves who now exploit our transport links and can move stolen items into mainland Europe in a matter of hours.

The news that theft and fraud figures from the private, commercial and leisure sectors of motorcycling appear to be all heading north at a great rate of knots was undeniably a shock to the government officials and senior police officers attending the UK's National Vehicle Crime Conference held in Loughborough recently.

Much concern was shown regarding the

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dramatic changes in the current crime epidemic not helped of course by the continued depletion of police resources. Indeed the prediction of at least a 10% to 20% increase in the theft of machinery on last year and that more motorcycles trikes and quads are now stolen than sold created an agreement for a complete rethink on how the police deal with this type of theft altogether.

It was good to hear however that some battles against the thief are being won particularly in technology where the invisible DNA marking systems for instance have shown they are a positive aid to the recovery of machines and their parts.

The success of stolen property being recovered using these systems has not only been hailed by the police as a welcome aid in the recovery of property but they now appear to act as a deterrent to theft in their own right.

Suggested successful marking kits Datatag & Selectamark It is the tracking device however that appears to have broken through as today’s ‘most wanted’ piece of technology desired by paranoid owners who simply wants their tractor or quad returned quickly after theft. With tracking companies offering a 90% recovery rate and promising that speedy return these clearly appear to be the crime prevention devices to have.

The tracking device has been around for some time and whilst there are quite a few ‘cheap’ self-monitored systems available from

12 | Farming Monthly | September 2017

the internet that may help you trace your property if it’s been dumped somewhere locally, it’s still likely that actually recovering it could be rather difficult.

Most of the today’s subscription-based 24/7 tracking companies immediately notifies their base the moment a piece of machinery is moved without the keys in the ignition. It’s then they will contact the owner, check that it’s not still in their possession (for instance, if they forgot to deactivate it), then immediately begin tracking it.

The companies support staff, many of who are former police officers are then deployed to assist local police in seizing the machine or gaining access to where the tracker indicates it to be. That appears to be the requirement nowadays as there are no rights to enter private property without police help and dependent on the circumstances a warrant may be necessary.

The technology behind these devices often referred to as ‘GPS trackers’ is varied and today there are several types each offering their own advantage.

The majority of subscription-based tracking systems currently on the market today use cellular communication to talk to a server when the craft goes into an alert state (for instance, if shaken). Others check in only at various programmable times of the day, at which point the device then updates its location.

Many suspicious thieves already shake an item to see if it has an alarm fitted and it’s becoming more common for them to do the

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| On Topic

same and use a cellular communication detector to ‘look’ for a tracking unit; a few trackers can prevent this.

Potentially, thieves however can ‘listen’ for a tracker talking or making cellular communication with its base and jam its data stream using the right technology.

The GSM cellular tracker is a unit with an inbuilt SIM card that sends and receives texts or data to and from a server using the Global Systems Mobile communications network hence GSM – the same as a mobile phone and it can be used simply to triangulate an approximate position of the machine.

The GPS system uses satellites and a tracker with Global Position System (GPS) technology can pin-point the location of a machine to within three to four meters. The cellular network is used to transmit its location to base but it is unfortunately more easily blocked than the GSM device.

The RF Beacon or Radio Frequency (RF) tracking is only effective up to around a mile or so at best, depending on the terrain. When coupled to a tracker it’s the monitoring staff that will triangulate the crafts position using GSM. It then becomes possible to home in on the beacon using a radio receiver. This short range tracking system is the most accurate location method but it can be hampered by being blocked in or hidden inside a shipping container for instance.

The RF beacon also allows the tracking company to be almost certain a stolen item is inside a property, making it far easier for officers to obtain a warrant.

Without a warrant, police cannot legally enter a private property without the consent of the owner, or unless the owner of the property has been arrested.

Some tracking devices need to be wired into a machines wiring loom whilst others are

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portable and can be moved from one item to another.

Suggested successful tracking devices Tracker, CanTrack and Bike Track.

Trackers wired into a machine generally need a live and neutral to the battery, along with a switched feed from the ignition, so the unit knows when the key is being used. Most will have a back-up battery, should the wiring be disconnected, and in this case, many trackers will go into alert mode by default.

Portable passive devices have no impact on the use of any machine it’s fitted to unless of course you activate one of the sensors. It needs little management and you won’t need to change any settings or notify the company when travelling abroad or if it’s in an enclosed area. There’s little need to ‘manage’ the device at all, so it’s pretty much a fit and forget system.

One advantage of the passive device is that a lot of stolen items are now moved and left whilst scanning equipment is used to see if a tracker is fitted to it. Portable passive units are not communicating at all or only at a predetermined time and therefore may not be discovered.

Whilst a trackers signal can be blocked by sealed metal containers, many will still work if the property is inside a van for instance.

Accurate and immediate tracking can at least trace the properties movements to the last visible position, which could be enough as a starting point for RF detection.

If they are hidden under metal it restricts the performance of their GPS/cellular transmitters and it may be advisable to use an ‘extended’ GPS antenna for increased accuracy.

Clearly the companies support teams play a big role in recovering property and when an RF beacon tracks a stolen item the team members can monitor its location until the police are able to attend. As nowadays police resources

become increasingly stretched, this has become a major selling point.

The question of whether to alert or not to alert an owner of movement at the machine is a frequently asked one.

The disadvantage of not alerting the owner or the tracking company of movement of the property is that theft won’t be notified until the owner discovers it. If the device has its motion sensing turned on all the time however it would cause a significant drain on the battery and its signaling life could be short, as it would be communicating all the time.

Motion detection however can be enabled during a single period each day or it could be set to motion sensing which wouldn’t necessarily add additional battery drain unless it was triggered by which time the device would be communicating with its base.

In essence if you are buying a tracking device for any of your machinery then do your research on the manufacturer and as long as the device has GPS, a VHF homing beacon and an effective 24/7 support team and the cost is agreeable then if you do become a victim of theft this year then you have a good (9/10) chances of it being recovered. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-40900442

September 2017 | Farming Monthly | 13

| Security

Countryside under siege as new wave of brazen thieves targets farms Latest figures released earlier last month reveal that despite a 4% drop last year, the cost of rural theft has risen sharply in the first half of 2017. ccording to NFU Mutual’s Rural Crime Report, early theft claims statistics for the first half of this year show a sharp rise of over 20% raising concerns that a new wave of rural crime is hitting the countryside.

Being ‘staked out’ is the biggest worry for country people, followed closely by longer police response times in rural areas, according to the leading rural insurer. Criminals continue to target Land Rovers, quad bikes, tractors, tools and livestock despite increased security on farms.

The report reveals that the cost of rural crime to the UK economy fell by 4% to £39.2m in 2016 as farmers turned their farmyards into fortresses to protect themselves from increasingly brazen attacks from rural thieves. Successful joint initiatives involving police forces, NFU Mutual and other organisations also contributed to the fall.

“While the fall in rural theft in 2016 is welcome news, the sharp rise in the first half of 2017 is deeply worrying,” said Tim Price, NFU Mutual Rural Affairs Specialist.

“Countryside criminals are becoming more brazen and farmers are now having to continually increase security and adopt new ways of protecting their equipment. In some parts of the country, farmers are having to turn their farmyards into fortresses to protect themselves from repeated thieves who are targeting quads, tractors and power tools. They are using tracking devices on tractors, video and infra-red surveillance in their farmyards and even DNA markers to protect sheep from rustlers.

“The threat of becoming a victim of rural crime, and regular reports of suspicious characters watching farms is causing high levels of anxiety amongst farmers who know their rural location makes them vulnerable to attacks.

“As the main insurer of the countryside, NFU Mutual has responded to its members’ concerns and has invested over £1m to tackle the menace. The results of initiatives we support show clearly that when police, farmers and other rural organisations tackle rural crime in

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an organised way these schemes can be extremely effective.”

The North East, South West and the East of England were the regions to see a rise in the cost of rural theft in 2016 of 8.7%, 5.6% and 3.7% respectively.

In Scotland, where NFU Mutual and Police Scotland have joined forces to form the SPARC (Scottish Partnership Against Rural Crime) initiative, the cost of rural theft fell by over 32% last year. There was a similar good result in Northern Ireland – where a Rural Crime Partnership including NFU Mutual, PSNI (Police Service Northern Ireland), MOJ (Ministry of Justice) and other organisations has been set up – with the cost of rural theft down by 14.9%.

Quads and ATVS Quads and ATVs (All Terrain Vehicles) are disappearing from farms in large numbers – thanks to being easy to transport and lack of registration plates The cost of Quad and ATV theft claims to NFU Mutual rose to £2m, an increase of 11% from 2015 to 2016 CESAR marking and tracking devices are the most effective security measures – once basic measures of keeping vehicles out of sight in a building with the machine secured to have been addressed Land Rover Defenders Since Land Rover’s iconic

14 | Farming Monthly | September 2017

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| Security Defender rolled off the production line in January last year it has become an even bigger target for thieves Costs for theft of Defender vehicle claims to NFU Mutual rose to £2.1 million in 2016, an increase of 17% since 2015 The region with the highest cost of Land Rover Defender thefts last year was the North East, followed by the South East, the Midlands and the South West Tractors Thieves are increasingly cloning the identity of tractors to make detection more difficult Eastern counties are being targeted most Thieves are stealing small, older tractors for export to third world countries as well as expensive large models Livestock The estimated cost of livestock theft fell from £2.9m in 2015 to £2.2m in 2016. All UK regions experienced a fall - apart from Wales where the cost rose by £100,000

“The threat of becoming a victim of rural crime, and regular reports of suspicious characters watching farms is causing high levels of anxiety amongst farmers who know

To stand a chance of either preventing a theft or retrieving your vehicle you need to act the moment the theft takes place.

their rural location makes them vulnerable to attacks.”

Thefts of large numbers of lambs are raising concerns that stock is being stolen for slaughter and processing outside regulated abattoirs before illegally entering the food chain Technology - including DNA testing and electronic chips in boluses now offer robust evidence to help bring rustlers to justice For more information and advice on how to beat rural crime in your area download the report at www.nfumutual.co.uk/ruralcrime

Prevention Checklist

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Recover your losses he Visionaire system can alert you immediately if the vehicle “wanders off” the farm without your authorisation, with or without the ignition keys. You can live track the vehicle and start the recovery process.

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With over ten years’ experience of the agricultural market Visionaire is well placed to assist you The system is also able to alert you if the vehicle is being tampered with or towed away.

Apart from the security aspect the system has the management benefits of a full detailed history of vehicle movement, journeys, miles, stop/start times, engine hours, routes taken and speed travelled.

With updates every few seconds you are kept well informed. The twelve-month history is easily accessed from the web interface. Iphone and Android phone app access is also included so you are still in control when out of the office and allows extra geofencing when you park up.

Multi network SIM’s provide the highest level of cover available throughout the EU. GPS provides high level of accuracy and GSM triangulation is also available.

Units can be fitted to most vehicles, cars, vans, 4wd, trucks, quads, sprayers, mowers and forklifts.

With over ten years’ experience of the agricultural market Visionaire is well placed to assist you.

For a fast, friendly and affordable service with people who speak your language please call us on 01379 854600 or email sales@visionairegps.co.uk

September 2017 | Farming Monthly | 15

| Arable

New world record for combined peas set in Lincs No stranger to record yield attempts with cereal and oilseed crops, Tim Lamyman of Worlaby Farms, Lincs decided 2017 would be the year to aim for the world pea yield record, and he has not been disappointed. r Lamyman has set a new world record yield for combining peas of 6.47 t/ha, at an average of 15.35% moisture with his 8.23ha crop of LG Stallion, large blue peas.

The last world record for combined peas in Europe was 5.21 t/ha from a crop in Ireland.

Harvested on the 25th August, the crop has performed well throughout the season as a result of a planned programme of targeted inputs and attention to detail.

Peas have not been grown on the Lamyman family farm for over 20 years since working with the South Wold vining pea group. The only other pulse’s currently grown on the farm are spring beans which fit into a seven year rotation.

Recently recommended large blue pea, LG Stallion was the field pea variety of choice, selected for its high yield potential. George Hunter, Limagrain pulse product manager points out that that the variety is the highest yielding large blue pea on the PGRO Recommended List, combined with good standing and downy mildew tolerance.

Aiming high “The chosen field for the LG Stallion attempt was a grade 2 chalky loam free draining soil, offering the potential to develop well-structured

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root systems, enabling easier nutrient uptake,” explains Mr Lamyman.

“Previously, this particular field has produced record yields of winter wheat of 16.5 t/ha and oilseed rape of 6.7 t/ha.”

Cultivations The field was ploughed, followed by two passes with a Lemkin Terradisc and then finished with a Vaderstat carrier (discs and crumble roller). Once satisfied with the seed bed, LG Stallion was drilled by a Vaderstat Rapid with the coulters set at a 4 inch row width.

“The seed was treated with Wakil XL + GPA; the aim of this being to get early downy mildew control from the Wakil XL and better root development as well as plant establishment with the phosphite-based nutrient GPA,” he says.

“Established plant populations were 85 plants per square metre.”

Nutrition Mr Lamyman believes that detailed and well targeted crop nutrition has been critical to the crop’s success. “Leaf samples were taken at four different stages through the crop’s growth cycle in order to identify nutrient deficiencies to which the relevant products were then applied, as required.”

“Manganese deficiency is normally an issue

16 | Farming Monthly | September 2017

with field peas, however, levels within the crop were adequate for most of the growing period.

Probably because of the plant being better able to utilise available manganese in the soil as a result of other key nutrients being applied to the crop as required.”

As with other crops on the farm, the pea crop received foliar applications of zinc and calcium (Bionature UK Calflux) and an application of boron and molybdenum (UK Rainbow Wave) at early flower.

Mr Lamyman believes that Calflux is a key component in any record attempt, as when the plant experiences stress, it will draw calcium from the flowering nodes and this can lead to pods and flowers aborting.

“I have learnt a lot throughout this record attempt; nutrition of the crop is certainly key, and by making small tweaks to foliar and aphicide applications there is no reason to believe that we can’t push yields even higher next time.”

“However, as with any crop the weather is always going to play a vital part and we didn’t come off too badly this year as we drilled into moisture and have had rain when required; perhaps the only thing we were lacking was good levels of sunlight while the pods were filling.”

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| Arable

Bayer NZ’s Disease Watch tracks threats to crops Sharing information about diseases and how to combat them is the best way for cereal farmers to stay on top of common diseases and increase yields. hat’s the view of Bayer New Zealand which this September is relaunching Disease Watch after a successful debut in 2016. Disease Watch is an initiative that tracks disease threats by region and advises farmers on how to combat these threats.

To track diseases, Bayer set up small trial plots of wheat and barley in various locations from Palmerston North down to South Canterbury. These plots did not receive a fungicide thanks to the kindness of co-operating farmers.

As disease threats arise in the trial plots, the company is able to warn farmers and more importantly advise on the best treatment for the crop.

Bayer arable specialist, Neil Waddingham, says the trial plots began in 2016 and will continue for the foreseeable future.

“It might be a simple Number 8 wire approach, but this information is really important to farmers and gives them a much clearer picture of what to expect from the forthcoming growing season.”

Bayer is not only encouraging farmers to sign-up to Disease Watch, but also to share information from their own farms.

“We’ve set up a Disease Watch website portal, which includes disease updates, a handy fungicide disease planner, as well as information on enhancing crop

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health and managing resistance.

“While we can provide regional updates on disease threats, we also encourage farmers to share information via the website portal on what’s happening with their crops – even if it’s just sending us a photo.That way we can get an even more comprehensive view of disease threats and correspondingly what fungicide control programs work the best.

The end result of course is increasing yields and ultimately the profitability of the crop,” says Neil.

Waddingham also adds that cereal farmers are acutely aware of common diseases such as Septoria, scald and powdery mildew, but perhaps not so much the impact on yields.

“At one of our trial plots near Palmerston North, where we are testing a new fungicide, we saw Septoria leaf blotch reduce crop yield by 85%, which was a yield loss of close to eight tonnes per hectare.

“Another example was a trial crop near Timaru where Bayer recorded a six tonne per hectare loss from Septoria leaf blotch, even when the disease didn’t develop in the crop until late in the season,” concludes Neil.

For more information on Disease Watch and to access Bayer’s fungicide disease planner, visit https://www.cropscience.bayer.co. nz/tools/disease-planner

September 2017 | Farming Monthly | 17

| Agroforestry

Contact your nearest dealer: Central Cropsprayers Limited Unit J Sandford Industrial Park Whitchurch Shropshire SY13 2AN 01948 840187 www.centralcropsprayers.co.uk

Agratech NW Ltd Unit 8 Dale Mill Burnley Road East Lancashire BB4 9HU 01706 211399 www.agratech.co.uk

18 | Farming Monthly | September 2017

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| Arable

Driving down the cost of production Yield is usually king when it comes to driving down cereals costs of production. untingdon Monitor Farm host Russell McKenzie, however, has driven his winter feed wheat costs of production down by £12/t over the last three years despite a 1.73t/ha decrease in yield.

AHDB Monitor Farms bring together farmers who wish to improve their businesses by sharing performance information and best practice around a nationwide network of over 30 host farms. Monitor Farms are part of AHDB’s wider Farm Excellence Platform, which works with the industry to improve performance through knowledge exchange and benchmarking.

At his last Monitor Farm meeting Russell explained that his total cost of production for first winter feed wheat was now down to £96/t.

He has achieved this decrease primarily through changing his machinery policy.

Russell said: “We now have less machinery and do more direct drilling so hope to use the machinery less. This will help to make savings in time and fuel and also to extend the life of the machinery.

“When we changed combine, we bought a used machine, so we also won’t have as big a hit on depreciation.”

Teresa Meadows, AHDB Cereals & Oilseeds Knowledge Exchange Manager, said:

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“Machinery depreciation and repairs are often one of the largest fixed costs when calculating the cost of production and this has been one of the areas of focus for Russell through benchmarking and during his time as a monitor farmer.”

AHDB Monitor Farm groups from harvest 2017 will be benchmarking using the new Farmbench programme, which for the first time allows farmers to enter whole farm costs.

You can compare costs in specific areas. We realised that we didn’t need to be overburdened with lots of machinery.”

Russell has also taken on more contracting work to further spread the labour and machinery costs.

Reflecting on the Monitor Farm programme, Russell said: “I hope people see it as a unique forum for discussing cutting edge, nitty gritty sides of the business that you can’t get from

Russell’s cost of production per tonne for winter feed wheat for the last three years: Harvest

2014

2015

2016

Yield (t/ha)

12.28

12.85

10.55

Total variable costs (£/t)

47

37

46

Total fixed costs (£/t)

62

70

51

Total costs (£/t)

108

107

96

Machinery changes between 2014 and 2017: • Had two combines – now has one • Had two sprayers – now has one • Had five main working tractors – now has three.

Russell added: “The Monitor Farm programme made us sit back and review what we’re doing. It made us look more closely and analyse our business in detail.

“That’s where the benchmarking really helps.

going to any other meetings.”

Russell hopes to continue with this mindset going forwards: “For our own farm, we hope we can keep on improving and not stand still. We want to stay ahead of the curve with varieties too – trying to stay at the forefront of innovation.”

Find out more about your local Monitor Farm by visiting cereals.ahdb.org.uk/monitorfarms

Promising weed-control alternative to linuron Early results from a four-year crop protection research project have identified metobromuron as having potential to fill the gap that will be left for many vegetable growers when the herbicide linuron is withdrawn from use in June 2018. etobromuron is being tested to increase understanding of its use and performance in carrot, parsnip and celery crops as part of AHDB Horticulturefunded SCEPTREplus trials.

Growers invited to view the trials in the summer also identified five further herbicide treatments that were considered acceptable with regard to crop safety and will now be taken forward for further testing.

Angela Huckle, researcher at ADAS, said: “Metobromuron has performed well as an alternative to linuron in the SCEPTREplus trials, and although it can check the crop when compared to linuron, growers are perfectly happy with this when they can gain effective weed control, and the effect is very slight.

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“The SCEPTREplus work allows independent assessment of a range of products at appropriate timings and sequences” “It is also encouraging to see five further herbicide options for carrot growers also looking promising within the trials.”

Joe Martin, crop protection senior scientist said, “The SCEPTREplus trials are already generating valuable data that we can now use

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to make applications to generate Extensions of Authorisations of Minor Use, which are vital in helping to keep the horticulture industry productive in the future” Ian Holmes, company agronomist at Strawson Ltd. said, “Weed control has become more challenging with the loss of various active ingredients in the last few years, including metoxuron, pentanachlor and prometryn. In 2018 we will lose the use of linuron which has been a key component of both pre- and post-

emergence weed control for many years and this will leave a big hole in the crop protection toolbox.

“The SCEPTREplus work allows independent assessment of a range of products at appropriate timings and sequences; allowing us to critically assess which options are worth taking forward.”

Growers can follow how the trials progress at horticulture.ahdb.org.uk/sceptreplus

September 2017 | Farming Monthly | 19

| Tillage

Gearing-up for Tillage-Live 2017 With the upcoming BREXIT negotiations due to start imminently, many growers will be looking at reducing input costs whilst maximising output and improving crop quality in order to remain competitive on the international market. his year’s TillageLive event will give growers an opportunity to see the top manufacturers in soil cultivation and crop establishment showcasing their products in a working environment. The event takes place on Thursday 14th September at Wickenby Aerodrome, Lincolnshire by the kind permission of Rainthorpe Farms.

Lining up to demonstrate the latest technology are manufacturers such as Amazone, Claydon, and John Deere to name a few.

New from Amazone is the XTender-T, a flexible-application, trailed distribution hopper running on a single axle. The XTender-T has been developed for farms looking to simultaneously apply fertiliser and/or seed in combination with the soil tillage operation via a cultivator or compact disc harrow.

Claydon has the TerraBlade Inter-Row Hoe an effective, lowcost method of controlling weeds in all types of combinable crops.

The weeds have been band-sown and an unseeded strip has been

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left between the rows which can be mechanically hoed.

Claydon says the TerraBlade is a valuable addition to the agricultural industry’s weed control armoury. Coming at a time when the efficacy of some herbicides is decreasing, and the cost of control is increasing, it represents a further significant advantage in favour of the Claydon Optimum Tillage System, a progressive, more ecological and financially sustainable method of establishing combinable crops compared with either traditional plough or min-tillbased techniques.

John Deere new recordbreaking 8400R tractor recently set three new world records for fuel efficiency (field and transport) and maximum drawbar performance at the DLG test station in Germany. It beat its nearest competitors by almost 23 per cent in drawbar performance and lowered the combined fluid consumption figure for field work to only 247g/kWh. This translates into six per cent higher pulling capacity and a reduction in fuel consumption of up to two per cent compared to the previous top of the range 8370R model, enabling wider implements to be used to increase productivity and maximise total

20 | Farming Monthly | September 2017

fluid efficiency.

‘A lot of manufacturers are turning their attention to tackling the ever increasing blackgrass problem; Tillage-Live gives farmers the chance to see machinery in action that may provide a solution whether it be a traditional route or a slightly different concept altogether,’ explained organiser Kayleigh Holden of the AEA (Agricultural Engineers Association).

Along with the working and static displays there will also be a Knowledge Trail giving further insight into key factors affecting cultivation and soil structure with

NRoSO and BASIS points being available.

Tillage-Live is the single biggest working cultivation event in the UK. The event is tailored to the needs of the arable farmer with a range of new and established machinery on display including ploughs, cultivators and drills.

All the latest news about the event is available on the website www.tillage-live.uk.com including listings of all the working demonstrations and details of prebooking (£7.50/car, compared to £10 on the day). For group rates contact FarmSmart Events.

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| Tillage

u-drill delivers accuracy and output for Yorkshire grower

The combination of seed placement accuracy, operational friendliness and performance is what drew Pete Atkinson of David Atkinson & Sons to the u-drill.

e encounter soils that extend from limestone through to heavy clay, but without the luxury of land being ringfenced, we also have to spend time on the road travelling between locations,” explains Pete who runs the business with his parents David and Sue, and brother Ben. The south Yorkshire family farming business runs a 1,200acre arable operation from Hawkhouse Green Farm near Doncaster, which extends over a 23-mile area and comprises four different locations.

“It was important for us to choose a drill that performs every bit as good on the road as it does in the field, because we’ve found roadwork to be particularly hard on our equipment.”

He says the farm tried a variety of drills while looking for a suitable replacement for their 4.8m MSC – the farm’s first min-till drill.

“Going wider was a no-brainer for more output, so we looked for a 6m model,” he says. “But because our Case Puma 225 struggled with our old 4.8m MSC, we were expecting to need more power, particularly on the banks with a 6m drill.”

With extra power in mind, the firm geared up to a Quadtrac to get more output from min-till cultivations ahead of drilling. But so far, Pete says the new drill has only been used behind the Puma 225.

“The u-drill rides on top of the seedbed rather than in the soil, and I’ve found that my Puma can pull it all day long at 15kph, dropping to 10kph on the steeper banks.”

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“We don’t have to fill the hopper, so we can travel lighter when working on the steeper parts of the farm.”

While the bulk of the cultivations workload is under a min-till regime, Mr Atkinson says the farm does plough rotationally, in particular for second wheats.

“We are using kit and techniques to try and keep on top of blackgrass, and we are also considering spring cropping too,” he says. “There are some areas that we farm which are wet and very heavy – if you don’t get them drilled in plenty of time during the autumn, you’re not going to get them until spring. And this was another reason to up the ante with a larger drill.”

When it comes to output, he says field size and location eats into productivity, though the extra working width does compensate.

“We go from 1.5 acres up to 100-acre field sizes, so there’s a lot of fiddling about moving, but 100 acres/day is comfortable,” he adds. “The drill is so easy to use, and has such good output, that I can easily fold up and head back into the yard to refill with seed, leaving the others to prepare more land in front of me.”

Typically, land is min-tilled using a 3.6m deep loosening cultivator pulled by the Quadtrac to make the most of its five subsoiler legs, discs, spring tines and double press format. A pass with a 6.3m shallow cultivator then follows, stale seedbeds are sprayed, then drilling and rolling completes the process.

Should weather conditions deteriorate, a power-harrow drill combination is available as a last resort.

“Since we bought the u-drill,

we’ve been comfortably on top of the autumn workload,” he adds.

“We demo’d the unit from Farmstar in 2015 and it stayed on the farm.”

“What we really like about the drill is the way it buries seed – placement is consistent and accurate, and it leaves nothing exposed on top of the seedbed.”

He believes a lot of this increased performance is a result of the way the drill prepares, levels and consolidates ground ahead of the coulters.

“We’ve not yet come across any field conditions that have beaten the u-drill,” he says. “It has done a great a great job in every field we’ve drilled and is a big step up in many respects.”

The 6m u6000 uses a central chassis to offer a reduction in weight without compromising strength. A centrally mounted hopper packs a 4,350-litre capacity and uses two electricallydriven Eldos seed metering units.

Electric metering has also led to GEOcontrol capability, with halfwidth shut off and variable rate seeding included in the standard specification.

Optional weigh cells can be fitted to the hopper, to further extend functionality and the drill is fully isobus compatible.

Up front, an 800mm diameter packer levels the soil. Two rows of aggressively pitched, 450mm conical discs then follow – each disc gets Kv’s clever 3D breakaway protection system to handle stones and obstructions.

Pressings on each disc arm allow breakaway movement, but return each disc to its correct working position to maintain its location and cutting angle.

Packing ahead of seeding is by

a 900mm diameter offset wheel packer, reducing draft with its low rolling resistance.

Kverneland’s twin steel disc coulter, the CD, gives 12.5cm row spacings. Lightly profiled, this coulter requires less pressure to penetrate soils and leaves more of the 100kg coulter pressure to be transferred to depth guidance and press wheels. A choice of S-type or finger following harrow completes the process.

A fully-programmable management system lets the operator initiate a headland sequence with wheels, discs and coulter bar all capable of automatic operation in timed stages, using one button.

“I do like the Tellus display,” he says. “It is one of the easiest terminals I’ve ever used. Setting a headland sequence is straightforward, and the drill lifts and lowers its sections in order – it is very clever and very precise.”

He adds that drill calibration is very easy to carry out, adding that electronic tagging on different metering rollers prevents you fitting the wrong roller for the seed type.

“This drill is so easy to set up and use, that there is no excuse for not recalibrating every time I change seed varieties,” he says.

Equally importantly, Mr Atkinson reports that the u-drill is solid on the road.

“When folded for transport, the central two rear wheels are raised off the ground, leaving a pair of wheels on each side of the drill in contact with the road, so it rides solidly and tows like a trailer.”

“It is much easier for us to move between blocks of land,” he adds.

Kverneland will demonstrate a 6m u-drill at Tillage Live

September 2017 | Farming Monthly | 21

| Tillage

Get the most out of Tillage-Live 2017 by visiting the Knowledge Trail Tillage-Live which takes place on Wednesday 14th September at Wickenby Aerodrome, Langworth, Lincoln LN3 5AX and it’s not all about cultivation and demonstrations. s well as the dedicated demonstration area and individual trial plots there will also be the popular Knowledge Trail where visitors can earn 2 NRoSO and up to 7 BASIS points on completion of all of the stations.

“The Knowledge Trail will again provide visitors with access to valuable, in-depth advice from industry experts on a whole variety of topics from selecting the correct tyre pressure to improving tillage practices and the practicalities of precision farming. As the largest cultivation demonstration in the UK, Tillage-Live gives progressive growers the opportunity to view the latest and most innovative cultivation and seedbed preparation equipment and drills at work on large scale plots,“ said organiser Kayleigh Holden of the Agricultural Engineers Association (AEA).

Trelleborg will be practically demonstrating how correct tyre selection, setting and use can protect soils whilst improving work rates and minimizing fuel use. The company’s VIP system launched at SIMA this year not only measures and or changes tyre pressure it is also capable

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of determining and adopting the right pressure at the right time without any manual intervention.

David Whattoff from SOYL will be on hand to discuss the benefits of EC scanning for improving tillage practices and creating seed rate plans. SOYLscan is an electrical conductivity survey that takes hundreds of soil readings per hectare to identify where variation exists in a field. This map can be used to target cultivations, seed rates, soil sampling regimes and many other precision activities.

New Holland will be demonstrating how to measure and input implement measurements in to your IntelliSteer system correctly to ensure maximum efficiency for cultivators and correct

22 | Farming Monthly | September 2017

seed placement for drills.

Phillip Wright of Wright Resolutions will be showing the differences that tyre pressures can make for the crop in the seedbed and to depth.

This station shows the combined benefits to the soil, the crop and the business as a whole.

Sprayer Spares Limited, the local NSTS test centre, will be on hand to offer and advice to ensure that your sprayer or slug pelleter pass their annual tests.

All the latest news about the event is available on the website www.tillagelive.uk.com including listings of all the working demonstrations and details of pre-booking (£7.50/car, compared to £10 on the day). For group rates contact FarmSmart Events.

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| Tillage

Power and precision at Tillage Live 2017 Fuel efficiency, productivity and pulling performance are the key benefits of John Deere’s high-horsepower 7R, 8R and 9R Series tractors, which will be featured on the company’s working demonstration area at Tillage Live in Lincolnshire in September. he top of the range 9620RX four-track tractor is making its Tillage Live debut. It features a 620hp Stage IV 15-litre Cummins QSX engine, an e18 transmission with Efficiency Manager, articulated steering, cab suspension and optional Active Command Steering (ACS) for improved manoeuvrability in the field. Fully integrated AutoTrac guidance and JDLink Connect information management systems are also available, and track widths are 76cm (30in) as standard or 91cm (36in) as an option.

The 9RX range is designed to provide superior power, durability and improved ride quality, especially when handling large implements. The large, robust undercarriage features a positive-drive track system that effectively delivers more power to the ground.

This is ideal for heavy draft applications such as cultivating, ploughing, discing and ripping, subsoiling and large-scale drilling applications.

John Deere’s 7310R tractor set a new total fluid efficiency record of 258g/kWh for high horsepower Stage IIIb and Stage IV tractors after undergoing the demanding Powermix test at the DLG test centre in Germany at the end of 2014. A similarly high level of performance efficiency was also achieved by the same tractor in the DLG’s Transportmix test.

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Such results reflect the benefits of John Deere’s advanced engine technology, which combines a diesel exhaust filter, series turbochargers, selective catalytic reduction (SCR) and a higher fuel injection pressure to achieve Stage IV/FT4-compliant combustion quality.

Complemented by the new e23 transmission offering 23 forward and 11 reverse speeds, this makes John Deere 7R Series tractors among the most efficient in the industry, helping customers to significantly reduce their operating costs. This in turn was reflected in the introduction last year of a new fuel guarantee programme, designed to reward 7310R tractor customers financially for fuel-efficient driving on the road.

More recently, the 400hp 8400R tractor set three new world records for fuel efficiency, in the field and on the road, and maximum drawbar performance at the DLG test centre. It beat its nearest competitors by almost 23 per cent in drawbar performance and lowered the combined fluid consumption figure for field work to only 247g/kWh. This translates into six per cent higher pulling capacity and a reduction in fuel consumption of up to two per cent compared to the previous top of the range 8370R model, enabling wider implements to be used to

increase productivity and maximise total fluid efficiency.

Powered by a new John Deere 9-litre Stage IV compliant engine and featuring an e23 transmission with Efficiency Manager, the 8400R delivers up to 450hp with Intelligent Power Management (IPM). This tractor is also fitted as standard with JDLink telematics, including remote display access (RDA) and wireless data transfer (WDT) linked to the MyJohnDeere.com website portal.

Also on display at Tillage Live, the established 750A All-Till seed drill is available in 3, 4 and 6m versions. This versatile drill has a field proven Accord air seeding system, and is designed with large clearances for no-till drilling into stubble, working after minimum or conventional cultivations, and single pass operation for grassland and rough pasture renovation.

Single pass drilling offers several advantages over a conventional ploughing regime, including lower establishment costs, reduced nitrate leaching and increased conservation of moisture within the soil. In addition, the 750A’s minimal soil disturbance at the point of drilling offers huge benefits for the control of blackgrass.

September 2017 | Farming Monthly | 23

| Potatoes

First potato storage season for new lower CIPC rates An agreement with ‘Step Down’ processes, new lower application rates for CIPC use for the coming season (2017-18) have now been approved. ike Storey, AHDB’s Head of Resource Management and Chair of the Industry CIPC Stewardship Group, said: “As part of the CIPC Stewardship process, requests are made by companies that hold approvals to formulate new rates, which helps ensure compliance with the Maximum Residue Level (MRL of 10 mg/kg.”

For the 2017-18 season, the new statutory limits for total dose, approved by Chemicals Regulation Directorate (CRD) are 36 grams/tonne for processing (including fish & chip shop supplies and peeling) and 24 g/t for the fresh market. The maximum individual dose is reduced to 12g/tonne. The latest time of application is 14 days before removal from store for sale or processing and is a statutory requirement.

Additionally, Stewardship best practice, endorsed by the NAAC’s CIPC Applicator Group and Red Tractor Farm Assurance, continues to allow just one application of up to 12 g/t in cold stores as CIPC

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residue declines more slowly at low temperature. This applies to all stores that will be held below 5°C. This application should be made early in storage during pulldown, before the temperature is decreased below 7°C, for maximum efficacy.

No fan, no fog Critically for 2017, fans will be required, with CIPC needing to be actively recirculated at low speed during the application process, and until the fog has cleared. CIPC applications will not be made if fog is not able to be recirculated. This is for residue control purposes as well as efficacy at the lower dose rates.

In stores with positive ventilation (bulk stores and some box stores), active recirculation will mostly be achieved by fitting a Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) and using the store’s ventilations system. In overhead throw box stores active recirculation can be brought about using an air separator to create an ‘open suction’ system or plenums.

Different approaches are detailed in the PICSG’s CIPC Application: A Store Owner’s Guide, which is available at

24 | Farming Monthly | September 2017

http://www.cipccompliant.co.uk/ uploads/fileman/cipcapplicationgui de.pdf It is recommended that users consult their NAAC CIPC Applicator to discuss this requirement now to ensure that, if steps have not yet been taken to modify stores, applications can still be made this season.

Finally, it is important to note any food, feed or seed, other than ware potatoes, should not be held in stores, which have been treated with CIPC. This is because CIPC penetrates the store fabric and is

then re-released risking damaging seed and contaminating food and feed. The Maximum Residue Level for CIPC in anything other than potatoes is the limit of detection (around 0.01mg/kg).

More information is available in the Store Assessment of the Red Tractor Combinable Crops protocol at http://assurance.redtractor.org.uk/ contentfiles/Farmers-5611.pdf For further information, see the PICSG ‘Be CIPC Compliant’ website www.cipccompliant.co.uk

Summary of Stewardship best practice for CIPC use in 2017/18:

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| Potatoes

Maris Piper still king but growers use new varieties to meet retail demand British potato growers have planted an increased area of emerging varieties to serve the fresh packing market, amid reports of increased levels of ‘on-contract’ supermarket supply where prices are agreed in advance. owever, Maris Piper comfortably remains the most planted potato, with three times more area than the next most popular fresh packing variety.

The varieties that have gained the most area this season are fresh packing potatoes Nectar and Melody, which increased their area by 1,000 hectares (ha) and 700 ha respectively. Both are more recent introductions to the UK market than Estima, which has decreased in area by an estimated 400 ha this season.

AHDB Potatoes Market Intelligence Analyst, Amber Cottingham said: “The packing market has seen another increase in area this season, with acreage intended for processing declining once more. This may be due to a reported increase in contracts offered in the packing

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market as retailers seek to reduce the financial fluctuations they encounter in meeting demand.

“There continues to be some changes in the top 10 list, as newer varieties designed to suit today’s needs – both at an agronomic and consumer level – continue to increase in popularity. Likewise, some of the biggest losers this year are older varieties, which are being replaced by newer alternatives.”

Results were announced in the AHDB Potatoes Area by Variety Estimate, released today (30 August).

Overall the area planted that is intended to supply the fresh retail sector has increased for the second year in a row to an estimated 38 per cent of the total planted area in Great Britain, while the area planted to serve the processing sector has decreased, also for the second year running, to 29 per cent.

Amber Cottingham said: “Area changes can be closely linked to the price paid the previous season. For the packing sector, this has likely had an impact, as many prices were favourable during the 2015/16 and much of the 2016/17 season, up to the point when planting decisions would have been taking place.”

The estimate is produced using anonymised and aggregated data from AHDB levy return forms, which is analysed through an ISO controlled process. A full report, including area changes by region and sector, can be seen at potatoes.ahdb.org.uk

CIPC and alternative UK Sprout Suppressants Due to its efficacy and modest cost, CIPC has been the sprout suppressant of choice on a global level for over fifty years. Regulatory pressures in the UK, and the stewardship response, has reduced the amount of CIPC available, which has resulted in a resurgence of interest in alternatives. esearch carried out at AHDB’s Sutton Bridge Crop Storage Research has been looking into alternatives, which are at various stages of the regulatory process.

Adrian Briddon, Senior Scientist at Sutton Bridge, said: “For the fresh potato sector, I think we have become less dependent on CIPC over recent years and official government figures show some of the alternatives are being used.

“For the processing sector though, this regulatory pressure is causing the most problems, because the scope of alternatives is more limited, and cost is more critical. Maleic hydrazide, applied in the field is being used more generally across the industry, which is helped by the benefit of volunteer control.

“However, ethylene and spearmint oil have only really achieved success in the fresh potato sector so far. While alternative sprout suppressants may not be considered as effective, their use in combination with CIPC may be more effective than just the sum of the parts i.e. synergy. Results of Glyn Harper’s work on CIPC with ethylene threw up some interesting outcomes and is now of particular interest.

How we use Sprout Supplements

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Most of the new alternative sprout suppressants are volatile, oily liquids and one is a gas. These compounds each require a different store management approach and a specific understanding of the application conditions required.

Because of a loss of apical dominance, treatments can have a modifying effect on stem numbers and some are being used successfully in seed management. In addition, some of the essential oils are also reported to control some pathogens.

Because they form vapour in store, many of the new sprout suppressants need longer store closure periods after application, to ensure complete ‘uptake’ of products. In many cases 24 hours is likely to be a minimum label requirement, so for processing stores, different types of equipment are likely to be used. The new products tend to be more dynamic compounds, being gases and vapours.

This may mean applications need to be more frequent, but buildings can subsequently

be used for storage of other commodities and seed potatoes. This is not the case with CIPC, where a risk of cross-contamination persists for many years.

September 2017 | Farming Monthly | 25

| Potatoes

New Tong Caretaker trailer reversing sensors are a hit with growers Tong's market leading Caretaker mobile grader is now available with a new option of trailer reversing sensors, make loading the grader's hopper much quicker, safer, easier and more accurate than ever before. esigned to provide operators with the hopper loading version of parking sensors, the new trailer reversing system features a fully adjustable proximity sensor which detects the position of the trailer whilst reversing, and signals the driver once it is in place for tipping.

"The latest models of our Caretaker grader are advancing all the time, incorporating new options and technical features that save time and make the grading process more efficient. The latest option of trailer reversing sensors

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is proving very popular with growers when specifying a new machine, as it not only speeds up the transfer of crop to the hopper, but also ensures no spillage and safeguards against bumps and scrapes that can occur in the hopper loading process," says Nick Woodcock, Sales Manager at Tong Engineering.

"The Caretaker hopper is fitted with two identical LED 'traffic light' units, one at each side of the hopper, that signal green whilst the trailer slowly approaches the hopper, and turn red to signal stop once the trailer is in position" explains Nick, "It really is that

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simple."

The hopper’s proximity reversing sensor is suitable for use on practically any unloading vehicle, be it trailer or bulker, and can be easily adjusted by the operator for notably different

unloading trailers.

“This new option is proving very popular,” added Nick, “and I’m sure this will become one of those must-have features for customers specifying new models of our most advanced Caretaker grader.”

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| Potatoes

Stop PCN damage for even potato emergence Potato Cyst Nematode feeding activity on potato crop roots can severely delay emergence and, in pest hot-spots, result in patchy crops that never catch up, warns Syngenta Technical Manager, Douglas Dyas. emonstrating the effects of delayed emergence at Potatoes in Practice near Dundee last month (10 August 2017), Douglas highlighted that even a few days of difference in emergence can have a lasting legacy on potato crop productivity.

Rapid emergence assures the longest possible growing season to achieve high yields, whilst even emergence is important for consistent tuber size and maturity at harvest, he told visitors to PiP. “Stronger root systems of crops protected from PCN damage by Nemathorin nematicide treatment would also be more efficient at scavenging for soil moisture and fully utilising fertiliser nutrients,” suggested Douglas.

“Rapid ground cover from a fast growing crop can be extremely effective in suppressing weeds and ensure the best possible results from pre-emergence herbicide applications.”

Douglas pointed out that growers need to

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understand the differences between resistant and tolerant potato varieties – and their relative susceptibility to different PCN species.

“Tolerant varieties typically appear to be better able to withstand the effects of PCN in the field, but can still see large cyst populations multiply by the end of the season - that will affect future crops in the rotation,” he warned.

“Resistant varieties have been shown to reduce the build-up of PCN populations, but crops will be adversely affected during the growing season and require nematicide treatment to protect yield.”

Furthermore, Douglas reminded growers that tolerant and resistant varieties can potentially respond differently to the key PCN species, Globodera pallida and G. rostochiensis. “The later hatching and more difficult to control G. pallida has tended to become a far greater problem in recent years – which has been largely attributed to the widespread growing of Maris Piper that allowed the species to proliferate.

“However, whilst soil sampling results has shown most PCN populations are predominantly G. pallida, growing a variety exclusively resistant and/or tolerant to G. pallida could still see G. rostochiensis resurface as a serious issue.”

Douglas advocated that variety selection is an important part of an Integrated Pest Management of PCN and can be extremely useful in utilising some fields where pest levels would otherwise preclude economic growing.

“But in all instances, where the pest is a known problem, they should be grown in combination with Nemathorin for an effective long-term strategy,” he advised.

“Key to that is soil testing to know the scale of PCN threat before the crop goes into the ground, ideally along with speciation of the soil sample to understand the target and best approach for control,” he added. Douglas used the PiP demonstration to discuss techniques and options to develop an effective IPM approach to PCN management.

September 2017 | Farming Monthly | 27

| Livestock & Dairy

Lilburn Estates scoop top accolade in New Herd Competition For their attention to detail and the ability to use all resources efficiently to the advantage of the herd, Lilburn Estates have been awarded the 2017 Glendale Agricultural Society Herd Competition and presented with the Fox Family Perpetual Trophy. fter receiving first prize large herd, Lilburn Estates near Wooler was awarded best overall herd for their herd of 2000 Stabiliser Cattle.

E Carse & Son of South Ord Farm, Berwick upon Tweed, were awarded first prize in the small herd category for their mixed commercial herd of 140 Aberdeen Angus and British Blue x cattle.

The large herd runner up was the Jackson family of Rugley Farm, Alnwick, and the runner up small herd was C & F Mellor of Annstead, Chathill.

Sponsored by Mole Valley and judged by Angus Nelless of Thistleyhaugh Farm, the competition saw a number of excellent entries from across North Northumberland. The contest was split into two categories for large and small herds and was judged on how effectively the herd is managed, taking into account farm type, size and management practices.

In visiting the Lilburn Estates herd, Angus was hugely impressed with the overall

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management of the herd, particularly the attention to detail in terms of EBVs and performance recording. This, coupled with a meticulous replacement policy, is proven by the excellent KPIs. With 2000 head of cattle, Lilburn Estates is the largest hear of Stabilisers in the UK. The herd is split with 50% spring calvers and 50% autumn calvers. All progeny are finished on farm, except those destined to be replacements. The Estate work very closely with supermarkets and processors to achieve the optimum specification to meet market demands.

Commenting, Angus said: “The Lilburn Estates herd highlighted what can be possible. The use of resources is fantastic and the integration with the arable system is phenomenal. In terms of maximising the labour available per cow, I don’t think I have seen that anywhere else in the UK. All in all, it is a prime example of what can be achieved.”

What particularly stood out for Angus with the E Carse & Son herd, was the attention to detail in terms of their grassland management and the high

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stocking densities to fully utilise resources. Very conscious of health status, the majority of replacements are home bred, although a number are bought in from one source; a high health status dairy farm. E Carse & Son’s herd was also complimented for its compact calving and replacement policy.

Giving feedback on the Rugley and Annstead herds, Angus was keen to stress that both demonstrated excellent management strategies and utilisation of available resources.

Angus added: “The standard of all entrants was incredible and I thoroughly enjoyed visiting all of those which had entered; the only downside was having to judge them against each other. There was a huge variation in the type of cattle across the different herds, however all were very respectable in their own way.

“This competition isn’t about looking for animals which are suitable for the show ring, it’s the real word of commercial cattle production. Competitions such as this are imperative to the industry, both locally and nationally, as it

allows producers to look at the top performers and learn from them. I personally learnt a lot that I can take home and use going forward in my own herd.”

The next Glendale Agricultural Society Herd Competition will be held in 2019, as next year will see the biannual Glendale Flock Competition.

Ian Murray, Head Livestock Steward for Glendale Show, said afterwards: “The livestock of Glendale is renowned throughout the world, and it was Glendale’s livestock which built the foundations of the Society which was formed 125 years ago. On behalf of the entire committee I would like to thank all of those who entered, Angus for giving up his time so readily to judge and the people who work on the farms for producing such a wonderful showcase of cattle.”

“For me personally, I am absolutely delighted that the livestock industry continues to be such an important part of Glendale and that we are able to highlight this through this unique competition.”

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| Livestock & Dairy

Dairy is fit for the future - but only if we seize the moment globally The dairy industry plays a key role in feeding the world and must respond dynamically and forcefully on a global level to those who challenge its nutritional and environmental integrity according to Dr Judith Bryans, President of the International Dairy Federation. peaking at the China Dairy Industry Association Annual Conference held in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, Dr Bryans said increased demand for dairy products around the world is offering multiple opportunities that need to be grasped.

Dr Bryans said: “Milk is one of the most produced and valuable commodities traded globally. Day after day, dairy provides nutrition and value and as such it enriches people’s lives.

“When the United Nations set in place its Sustainable Development Goals as a universal call to action it was clear that dairy was a part of the solution in terms of helping to deliver a number of these goals around nutrition, healthy people, a healthy planet, helping to lift people out of poverty and hunger and empowering females who can then empower their own families.

“So, if we are part of the solution then we must have opportunities and be ready and equipped to take them. We know the world’s population is growing and will reach over 9 billion by 2050. We know that the world’s demographics are changing and that soon we’ll have more older people in the world than new births. We know that as people prosper their desire to consume dairy goes up.

“Dairy has a role in meeting their needs if we have the right products and ingredients and if

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people understand the benefits. To be fit for the future we need to continue to be innovative and make sure we have the right products available that are culturally acceptable, nutritious, safe, sustainable and affordable and delivered in a way that makes them relevant to the lives of our consumers. That will vary from country to country and continent to continent. And we must never get complacent and forget to tell consumers why we are important to them and the world.

“Dairy has long been recognised as providing high quality nutrition but the sector is now being attacked on this by anti-dairy groups and plant based alternatives. Our environmental credentials are also being questioned. As a sector, we know we have a strong case to put forward to policy makers as to why dairy farming and dairy products should form an integral part of feeding the world and helping to meet the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. It’s essential that we do that at every opportunity” Dr Bryans told the conference that there is optimism in world dairy markets at the moment but the caveat to that is that dairy markets have always experienced cyclical volatility. It can have profound effects on dairy farmers and processors alike.

She added: “We need to continue to develop a range of tools to help our dairy farmers through those difficult periods of time. “ In 2016, the FAO signed the Dairy

Declaration of Rotterdam with the IDF in which the FAO recognised the importance of dairy, with the IDF committing to continuous improvement, with the declaration setting out a number of principles for doing so. A number of IDF member countries have endorsed the Dairy Declaration since then. Dr Bryans congratulated the China Dairy Industry Association for being the first country to endorse the principles. The Declaration aims to underline the integrated approach that the dairy sector takes to promote the sustainability of dairy systems, taking into consideration social, economic, health and environmental dimensions.

Farmer launches British Blue herd in late wife’s memory Powys farmer Emyr Wigley has developed a unique herd of British Blue cattle in memory of his late wife, Evelyn. he Old Stackyard British Blue herd will exist solely to raise funds for two charities close to Emyr’s heart, the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution (R.A.B.I) and Ovarian Cancer Action. R.A.B.I is farming’s oldest and largest welfare charity, which gives £2m per year to farming people in financial hardship.

Before their retirement, the Wigleys, from Llansantffraid, used to keep a small herd of British Blue cattle alongside a dairy herd.

Following Evelyn’s death, Emyr decided to start another herd in her memory and began buying prime heifers from some of the UK’s top breeders.

“Evelyn and I built up a dairy herd with hard work and long hours,” explained Emyr.

“Our plans for travel, our caravan holidays, and walking in the beautiful British countryside loved by us both were put on hold until our retirement. It was a devastating blow to learn in the first few years of our retirement, that Evelyn had ovarian cancer. She was a very special

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lady, kind, caring and multi-talented and after a lifetime of work the majority of her retirement years were stolen from her. Whilst tragically too late to help my dear Evelyn, I wanted to do something to help combat this evil disease as a tribute to my wife.”

The couple had sold their farm and built a house for their retirement, whilst keeping some land. However, Evelyn’s cancer diagnosis changed everything and sadly she passed away in October 2015, aged 69.

In order to develop his new herd Emyr had to start again, but he has received tremendous support from friends, businesses and the local community. The herd is accommodated in a purpose-built housing unit next to grassland paddocks.

Emyr recently hosted an open farm evening, giving the public an opportunity to view the stunning heifers and calves. People also got a chance to look around ‘Eve’s garden’, a delightful mix of flowers, fruit and vegetables, designed by Emyr and lovingly maintained in his wife’s name. Lord Digby-Jones, ex-director

general of the CBI and patron of Ovarian Cancer Action, was guest speaker at the open evening, which was also attended by Malcolm Thomas MBE, chairman of R.A.B.I. Becky Davies, R.A.B.I regional manager for North Wales, said: “Emyr’s story – and his commitment to both us and Ovarian Cancer Action – is remarkable. We’ve already received a cheque for £1,072. At the open evening a young local singer called Megan Keaveny performed one of Eve’s favourite songs ‘Coat of Many Colours’. I’m sure Eve would be very proud of everything that Emyr has achieved in her honour.”

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| UK Dairy Day

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| UK Dairy Day

UK Dairy Day 2017 Preview UK Dairy Day, the UK’s leading free to attend dairy trade event returns to the International Centre in Telford on Wednesday 13th September 2017 – and this year we’re in for a mega show. Don’t miss the latest show updates direct to your phone; download the UK Dairy Day app for free and be at the forefront of show news. ore than 300 dairy related businesses from across the UK, Europe and further afield will be joining together for this one-day dedicated event for the dairy sector. The event brings together all facets of the dairy industry and represents the complete supply chain. Taking place ahead of the Autumn season, the show is the best place to meet suppliers to do vital business. You will be sure to come away with a wealth of new knowledge and information on the latest technical advances in nutrition and husbandry, as well as the latest equipment and technology.

Now in its 4th year, UK Dairy Day is the UK’s leading dairy focussed trade show. In 2016, it attracted over 7,740 visitors – an 8.847% increase on the previous year. Organised by Holstein UK with support from representatives from CIS, NBDC, The International Centre, Stagecraft UK and other key businesses within the industry, UK Dairy Day is fortunate to have support from across the industry.

Returning to the 2017 event as Principal Partners includes Cogent Breeding, NWF Agriculture, Eprinex, Barclays and Holstein UK. Visit all their ringside trade stands at the show.

‘Sharing Knowledge Zone’ The theme of UK Dairy Day is ‘Sharing knowledge’ and this year AHDB is welcomed on board as Knowledge Partner. The event will feature a dedicated zone on the first floor, with seminars and practical demonstrations, kicking off from 10am. From calf pneumonia, the cost of IBR, genomic testing and antibiotic resistance, the seminars will cover a broad and tropical array of engaging discussion. Outside in the External Demonstration Area experts will lead workshops on calf rearing, calf anatomy painting, foot trimming and knife sharpening.

The 2017 event will feature new zones never to have been seen at the show before. This includes the NBDC Breed Village, a showcase of breed societies, type classification and linear scoring, the Making More from Milk Zone with top advice on adding value by diversification and the Calf Rearing Zone.

UK Dairy Day would not be complete without The Cattle Show which this year features The National Holstein Show and The

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National Ayrshire Show – as well as classes for Brown Swiss, Dairy Shorthorn, Guernsey and Jersey.

Sue Cope, Event Director, commented; “We’re excited to bring new zones and features to UK Dairy Day 2017. The show is Dairy Pro accredited and visiting will allow farmers to gain 3 points.

We’re again able to offer FREE entry, so no need to pre-register – just arrive, receive a wristband and enter the venue. Gates open at 8am on Wednesday 13th September so please don’t miss out!”

Here’s UK Dairy Day 2017 at a Glance…

• Over 300 UK, European & International businesses attending • Dairy cattle classes, including The National Holstein Show and The National Ayrshire Show • FREE entry and car parking for all visitors and exhibitors • Sharing Knowledge Zone featuring seminars to educate, engage and inspire farmers • 'Beneath the Black-and-White' calf painting demonstration by Scarsdale Vets • Practical foot trimming and knife sharpening demonstrations

by Tim Carter and Team • New for 2017 Calf Rearing Zone, Making more from Milk Zone and NBDC Breed Village • UK Dairy Day App, FREE to download • FREE Wi-Fi on site • New product competition and display area • Wide selection of accommodation either in the town centre or within walking distance of the International Centre • Press Office with local, national and international media • Costa coffee, large catering area and bar • FREE car parking on site and in town centre multi-storey car parks • Great transport links with Telford Railway Station, M54 and direct trains to Birmingham Airport • Champions Dinner and Awards The countdown to UK Dairy really does now begin! Join in with the hype on social media by following @ukdairyday on Twitter and liking UK Dairy Day on Facebook. Make sure the date is firmly in your diary: Wednesday 13th September at the International Centre, Telford. #ukdairyday

September 2017 | Farming Monthly | 31

| UK Dairy Day

Comfort Slat Mats: Preventing lameness=more £’s for the farmer

The Green Floor System by Comfort Slat Mat is designed to prevent lameness in cows as a result of standing on concrete slats.

n addition, the suppleness of the product simulates the normal grassland surface on which animals graze and allows the animal to stand-up or liedown in a more natural manner.

The profiled design of the slat cover encourages urine and faeces to move through the gaps between the slats and into the storage tank below the floor resulting in cleaner floors and so cleaner animals.

Preventing Lameness – enabling growth and productivity Throughout the dairy industry there is an issue with lameness and there are many studies linking lameness on concrete slats to animal welfare/productivity/farm profitability. No one should underestimate the impact of lameness on performance, profit and welfare as shown above. The Green Floor System by Comfort Slat Mats have been designed as the solution to prevent lameness issues occurring as a result of the concrete slatted floor Irish dairy cows are subjected to. The science in designing the Green Floor System for dairy is to prevent lameness caused by the slats by tackling the problems of –1. Wet floors – a causal factor in digital or hoof lameness 2.

Lack of grip 3. Un-hygienic & Un-healthy floors - a causal factor in digital or hoof lameness 1. Curved - for the speedy removal of urine

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from the floor creating a dry walking area.

2. Dynamic/Cushioned core - designed to allow the claw to "grip" into the floor and 3. Snap-Lock - Encapsulates the slat rib preventing the build-up of faeces under the mat and the speedy removal of faeces off the floor.

Lameness in Irish Dairy Herds The incidence of lameness on dairy farms varies ranges greatly. In the average Irish dairy herd, 20 out of every 100 cows are affected in any given year, while each affected cow will have a lameness occurrence rate of 1.4, meaning in a typical 100 cow herd there will be 28 episodes per year. Based on work done by Eoin Ryan MVB and Luke O’Grady BVMS of UCD (Economics of Infectious and Production Diseases in Irish Dairy Herds) estimate the costs of lameness have been calculated at €300 per affected cow. Many of the direct costs are easy to identify – treatments, vet call-outs, farmer’s time, milk discarded and loss of milk sales. The indirect costs are more subtle and often not appreciated as a significant effect that lameness can have on farm profitability.

Lameness reduces the cow’s mobility and causes loss of body condition through reduced feed intake. It affects the cow’s fertility in a number of ways: • Loss of body condition; • Inability to show sign of heat; • Increased likelihood of being hurt during

32 | Farming Monthly | September 2017

bulling activity The reduction in fertility is related to the severity of the lameness and manifests itself in a number of ways. Cows require more services and typically one in five cows with a mild lameness require an additional service. In severely lame cows, almost three out of four require an additional service.

The cost to a typical 100-cow herd are : No. Cows affected: 20 1.4 episodes of lameness @£296.61 per cow 20 x £296.61 = £5932.20 Cost per cow across herd £60 Losses associated with lameness are a significant drain on the profits, with farmers often unaware of the scale of these losses.

However, farmers are often of the opinion that large scale lameness “goes with the territory” and is something to deal with as it occurs.

A study conducted by Dutch Hoof health in The Netherlands into lameness in Dairy Herds on Comfort Slat Mats shows the near elimination of lameness on cows which live in total confinement conditions.

Through near prevention of lameness using Comfort Slat Mats as seen in the above report, this enables farmers achieve increased productivity/efficiency (of the cows and the farmer’s time) and profitability through improved animal health and welfare.

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| UK Dairy Day

Moocall, a global provider of wearable animal IOT technology have released Breedmanager Breedmanager by Moocall, a herd management app which is free for all to use. oocall is an innovative ag-tech company established in Ireland in 2014.

This complementary mobile app takes a unique approach to help beef and dairy farmers manage their breeding and keep track of their herd. Instead of looking at the herd as a whole, it breaks it up into ‘smart lists’. These smart lists filter the herd by their relative position within the breeding cycle, which means at the tap of a finger a farmer can quickly identify his cows that are due to calf in the next week, or cows that were in heat in the last 24 hours and so on.

The four main categories for smart lists are incalf, cycling, in-heat and inseminated.

Because a farmer is usually examining a subset of the herd, who are all in a similar stage of the breeding cycle, Breedmanager also makes it extremely easy for a farmer to add relevant data about an animal. For example, when looking at in-calf cows, a simple swipe adds a calving event to that animal. Or when looking at a list of cows or heifers that are due to cycle in the next week, a simple swipe will indicate that that cow was in heat.

The app also includes a community element, where farmers can share status updates, images of their animals or ask the community a

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question. All of these features are free for anyone to use, regardless of owning one of the companies other products.

Moocall Head of Technology, John Larkin said: “Breedmanager is a major product launch for Moocall. It gives breeders of all sizes the ability to better manage their herd through an intuitive mobile interface. Our app is available for anyone to use, free of charge, whether they are existing Moocall customers or not. Moocall are committed to providing solutions for the agriculture industry that increase farm productivity and profitability. It is our plan to continue to innovate and develop all of our products, both software and hardware, and in time our calving sensors and our soon to be released heat detection system will also automatically update the herd management software platform.’

Moocall is an ag-tech company based in Dublin, Ireland. Since launch in 2014, the company has sold over 25000 calving sensors into 40+ countries around the globe. To install this free mobile application simply search for ‘Moocall’ in either the Apple App store or the Google Play store.

For more information please contact John Larkin on +35319696038 (john@moocall.com)

The Metal-Fach Cultivator U740/1 offers strength & reliability at an exceptional price!

Metal-Fach’s product range includes five disc cultivator models: U740, U740/1, U741, U710, and U710/1. The available working width range is from 3 to 6 metres. All cultivators come with 24 discs. he U740/1 seed disk cultivator is intended for pre-seeding cultivation of the soil after ploughing, and for working stubble soil. The machine offers the option of coupling with seeders if required. The main operating components of the cultivator are 510 mm diameter discs. The working width is 3 m. The required tractor power output is 100 to 140 HP. The machine’s working depth is adjusted with a hydraulic power system or a mechanical packer roller based gear. The maximum working depth is 15 cm. The cultivator is now supported by a 2 year warranty, to offer peace of mind as well as an exceptional purchase price.

The roller options are: Tubular roller; Ideal roller for dry, noncohesive soil. It is equipped with strong tubular profiles. It ensures great density of soil. It features light crushing operation, it crushes bigger blocks of soil. Attractive price, light roller.

Packer toothed roller; Ideal for all types of soil. This roller is suggested for use on rocky, humid soil with a high organic content. The

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roller leaves optimal conditions of soil prepared for sowing.

U-BOX roller Heavy roller; ensures great

crushing and pressing of soil. The roller is appropriate to work on heavier and more humid soil.

September 2017 | Farming Monthly | 33

| Buildings

Designing the internal environment for livestock buildings Dr Martin Heywood, RIDBA Technical Consultant.

t is essential that animal housing provides a comfortable, clean and dry environment free from hazards and health risks. The design of the building and specification of the materials used to construct it play a major role in achieving these aims and, if done properly, can lead to healthier, happier and more productive animals. This article considers some of the issues that should be addressed by building designers and farmers in order to improve the well-being of their livestock.

Ventilation The provision of adequate ventilation is arguably the most important consideration when designing a new building for animal housing. A distinction needs to be made between a well ventilated building and a draughty one. Nobody, human or animal, wants to live in a draughty building that lets in cold air whenever the wind blows, causing discomfort and potentially ill health. On the other hand, a regular supply of fresh air is essential to replenish oxygen, remove exhaled carbon dioxide and control temperature and humidity. Correct ventilation will reduce relative humidity and the risk of respiratory infections, eliminate stagnant air and avoid unwanted draughts.

Factors to consider when designing a building for ventilation include: • The dimensions of the building and layout of any internal partitions • The proposed occupancy of the building • Factors affecting the local wind speed including building location, altitude, shelter and proximity of other buildings.

Even at fairly modest wind speeds, the ventilation of a typical livestock building will be governed by the “wind effect”, meaning that sufficient fresh air will be supplied naturally by the wind. A building containing livestock must, however, be adequately ventilated even on the calmest of days, relying on what is known as the “stack effect” (warm air rising replaced by cooler air). The adequacy of stack effect ventilation for a given building will depend on the location and size of the inlets (normally below eaves height), the location and size of the outlet vents (normally at the ridge) and the heat generated by the livestock. A detailed design procedure for calculating stack effect ventilation is given in the RIDBA Farm Buildings Handbook.

Condensation Condensation occurs on a surface when the

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temperature falls below the dew point for a given relative humidity. Condensation does not cause high humidity, but may be a symptom of it if the temperature is low enough. Although condensation can be a nuisance if it results in dripping water, and can in some circumstances lead to corrosion of steel fasteners and fixings, it is high humidity (i.e. moisture in the air) that causes health problems in livestock. The focus for the building designer should, therefore, be on reducing humidity through good ventilation rather than hiding the problem through the use of absorbent materials.

Other considerations Buildings used for housing livestock should have adequate levels of lighting, provided by natural or artificial means, or a combination of the two. Natural daylight is normally provided by in-plane rooflights, often arranged in bands along the roof. Since rooflights allow direct sunlight to enter the building, there is a risk of overheating in summer if the percentage area of rooflights is too great. It may be possible to use a smaller area, and therefore reduce the overheating risk, by specifying cladding with a highly reflective coating on the inside.

Surface finishes should be smooth and without sharp projections to avoid injury to animals or people. Walls should have a washable inner surface that can easily be hosed down and floors must be non-slip.

Image Courtesy of Glendale Engineering (Milfield) Limited

Conclusions With careful consideration at the design stage, it is possible to create a healthy and pleasant environment, with adequate fresh air, and lighting, humidity and temperature levels that are comfortable for the animals. Good ventilation and careful specification of materials are the most important factors.

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| Buildings

Transforming farm buildings into rural homes Finding themselves priced out of rural areas where they grew up, younger residents are leaving to find housing they can afford. Thanks to new Permitted Development planning laws however disused farm buildings can be transformed into good quality homes for rent or sale, meaning families can stay in the area and an asset is brought back into use for farmers. mismatch between housing supply and demand in rural areas is forcing many residents to move to cities to find good affordable housing for themselves and their families. A solution which could defuse this demographic time bomb, while also giving disused farm buildings a new lease of life, is being trialled by one company across several farms in Cambridgeshire.

In April 2014 the Government confirmed that permitted development rights within the 2012 National Policy Framework would enable change of use of agricultural buildings to residential, flexible (i.e. commercial) or educational use. With many farmers having disused and dilapidated barns or other buildings on their land which are no longer fit for purpose and present a maintenance headache, the potential to turn them into desirable and practical rural family homes and generate income in the process is tempting. In reusing existing building assets the idea is environmentally sustainable as well as being economically sustainable as a new long-term revenue stream for farmers.

As one example in Cambridgeshire, contractor Richardson & Peat has been commissioned by AgReserves Ltd which owns farmland across the county to put together a

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design team to convert under permitted development their semi-derelict barns into high quality homes for rent to local people.

Permitted development rules The following rules form a basic guide to developing an agricultural building under permitted development rights: • Developments cannot be larger than 450m² and must fall within existing footprint.

• The previous use must be solely agricultural.

• The maximum number of separate dwellings on one site is three.

• The building cannot be Listed.

• No previous permitted developments can have been accepted or built on the same farm.

• The site is not in a safety hazard area or site of scientific interest or of military use.

• The site complies with any requirements if it falls within a flood zone.

• The building will comply with current Building Regulations when constructed.

To proceed with taking on this challenge a good architect is essential in understanding not only rural design and planning but also the needs of future occupants. It’s unlikely that an existing barn will be in a condition in order to meet new housing standards in Building Regulations so the adaption of the existing barn must provide a new thermal envelope as a key component to the construction alongside good

natural light levels from windows and doors.

Structural engineers can also be critical particularly if you are looking at older barns where substantial work is going to be needed to strengthen existing foundations and new and existing floors and walls. Above all the final design should provide a good practical living environment for a family.

With this planning option available farm living gives local people wishing to stay in the area an opportunity that would otherwise not be available and it also opens up the possibility for people looking to move back to a rural surrounding from an urban environment. From a farmers prospective it’s crucial that the building is laid out thoughtfully to maximise its asset value as this is a once only application under permitted development rules. The Cambridgeshire project will widen the housing choices for local residents, but could provide a template for other farmers looking to take up the idea which would create a major impact across the UK. From a financial position farmers looking to develop are likely to be given a fair hearing from lenders given that the land is already a free asset and would bring an impressive return on any borrowing, meaning there is a realistic opportunity to turn thousands of obsolete rural buildings into badly-needed homes for future generations.

September 2017 | Farming Monthly | 35

| Buildings

Flexible weather protection Effective natural ventilation in livestock buildings is essential for maintaining animal health, growth rate and feed conversion. It is also vital in the successful rearing of young stock. Airflow can be improved by removing solid wall sheeting and replacing with Secure Windbreaks. ecure Windbreaks are clip-on windbreaks that are designed to allow airflow into livestock buildings whilst keeping out a significant amount of rain and snow, resulting in a drier atmosphere and drier bedding. If cold draughts are a problem, indicated by livestock huddling together, Secure Windbreaks can be fitted above exposed doors or feed runs. This will reduce draughts and provide significant protection from rain and snow. Secure Windbreaks are semi-permanent and can be used to weatherproof livestock buildings during the winter and then be easily removed during warmer weather.

For frequent access Secure Econoblinds are a cost effective alternative to expensive roller blinds. The Econoblind is a concertina blind which uses a simple track and trolley system fitted to the building frame. The blind is raised and lowered using rope and pulleys allowing easy, quick access to buildings whilst giving effective protection against

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wind, rain and birds. Econoblinds can be used on all buildings including polytunnels.

The material used in Secure Windbreaks can also be used to weatherproof farm buildings on a

36 | Farming Monthly | September 2017

more permanent basis. The material can be fixed in place using battens or simply cable tied to an existing structure.

So whether it’s a cattle shed, hay barn or horse walker we can

weatherproof it.

For more information about Secure Windbreaks or Econoblinds call 0800 7832804 or visit www.securecovers.com

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| Buildings

Shand Building Design: Award winning buildings RIDBA recognises Middleton of Rora, Aberdeenshire by Shand Building Design by awarding top accolade in the Cattle section in their recent 2017 Awards. t’s no small acheivement, being named category winner at the prestigious RIDBA Building Awards. Shand Building Designs were over the moon with their success and is testament to the

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quality of their product and services.

Of the category winning entry, RIDBA judges said: “This new purpose-built robotic dairy was built to replace an existing barn. In doing so, it has improved both working conditions and the health of the cows.

Middleton of Rora met both the environmental and sustainability criteria well, with the use of extensive natural ventilation, LED lighting and solar panels. This use of ventilation will also reduce greenhouse gases.

This building has helped deliver increased milk yield, reduced

cases of mastitis and has had a vast increase on cow comfort, and is a prime example of a good quality cow shed.”

We can’t say more than that!

Get in touch today to find out how we can help you with your next project - who knows, it could also be a ‘winning proposition’.

September 2017 | Farming Monthly | 37

| Buildings

Farmers urged to check shed temperatures With UK temperatures on the rise, farmers are being urged to check the temperature of their broiler and dairy sheds to avoid a loss of production. he warning has been issued by ventilation, heating and controls specialist Hydor, which has seen a spike in reports of high temperatures in dairy sheds and broilers across the UK, due in part to outdated or faulty ventilation equipment.

Duncan Burl, Hydor Managing Director, said: “The soaring temperatures, we’re currently experiencing can prove a challenge to livestock. Overheating in both chickens and cows has been linked to a loss of productivity and, in extreme cases, death.

“We’ve already seen a significant number of calls come in from farmers looking to upgrade their ventilation systems in light of the extreme heat seen in June and early July. Productivity can decline at temperatures from 25°C upwards in the average cow and even lower in high yielding animals, so it’s essential that careful monitoring of heat levels takes place regularly during the

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hotter months.”

For chickens an increase in body temperature of just 4°C can result in fatalities, with birds requiring approximately five days to acclimatise to high temperatures, according to the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).

For dairy cows body temperatures of 42°C and above can prove fatal, and the effects on production can be noted from an atmospheric temperature of just 25°C. Duncan continues: “Effective ventilation has been identified, as key to mitigating extreme heat in cows and chickens by both DEFRA and a number of in-depth studies. Out-dated, or underperforming equipment can have a significant impact on effectiveness, so it’s integral that ventilation systems are operating at their optimum performance at this time of year.”

To help identify the beginnings of heat stress in both cows and chickens Hydor has outlined some of the key warning signs: Cows

38 | Farming Monthly | September 2017

• Increased water consumption, in extreme cases cows can drink in excess of 50 per cent more than their usual intake • Excessive panting or drooling, used to increase subcutaneous blood flow • Reduced food intake to lessen the impact of metabolic processes Chickens • Avoidance of other birds • Raised wings, used to increase the exposure of skin • Panting, which increases as the heat rises • Reduced feed intake • Increased water consumption

To support farmers Hydor has opened up its 24 hour support service, Hydor ASSIST, to those trying to tackle extreme heat during the summer months.

Anyone who has concerns about heat effects on their livestock can call 01725 511422, or email assist@hydor.co.uk at any time day or night to seek advice.

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| Energy

Agri-Tech East farmers optimising use of Anaerobic Digestate Farmers, NIAB & Cranfield University to improve nutrient use efficiency.

e want to get back to the soils of 20 years ago,” says Patrick Allpress, Farm Director at Allpress Farms Ltd in Chatteris, Cambridge. As part of a consortium of six farmers led

by Agri-Tech East, Patrick is undertaking field trials to optimise the use of liquid and fibre ‘digestate’ (organic fertiliser) produced as a byproduct from Anaerobic Digestion (AD).

With funding and support from the Innovative Farmers’ network, Agri-Tech East has set up a field lab, using high tech tools to measure the impact of digestate. The farmers will be investigating how to ensure the maximum amount of nitrogen is available to the crop and the best way to prevent it escaping as ammonia gas.

AD has become an attractive technology for many farmers to generate energy from waste products. It is a controlled microbial process where organic materials are broken down into organic compounds in the absence of oxygen.

Digestate is the material remaining after AD, alongside biogas. Digestate has three forms: whole (similar to livestock slurry), liquor (the whole digestate with most or all solid matter separated) and fibre (similar to compost – the separated solid material).

Allpress Farms invested in a 500kW AD plant in 2014, feeding it 50% onion waste and 50% leek waste. The plant is fed 12,000 tonnes of this feedstock per year, producing around 11,500 tonnes of digestate. In one year, the plant can produce a potential 4.4 million kilowatt hours, which is roughly enough to supply electricity to 900 houses.

“The first point is getting the value out of digestate – we know what it costs, but measuring the value of it as a farm input is difficult,” explains Allpress. “By doing the trials we [Allpress Farms] hope to use digestate like a regular fertiliser; an alternative to inorganic fertilisers.”

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The project originated from discussions at the Royal Norfolk Show, as many farmers with Anaerobic Digestion (AD) plants wish to maximise the value of the by-products of AD. “The farmers in this field lab want to find ways to ensure that the maximum proportion of nitrogen is available to crops,” says Liz Bowles, Head of Farming at the Soil Association – a partner in the Innovative Farmers network. “The desired outcome is to find techniques which allow this to happen – for example, acidification might be helpful in reducing the pH of the digestate.”

Nitrogen, in the form of nitrates can be lost through the soil profile or through volatilisation (as ammonia) and lead to diffuse pollution if preventative measures are not employed.

Cranfield University will be evaluating laboratory scale trials through various acidification options that can be used to mitigate pH levels and control loss of nitrogen.

Dr Ruben Sakrabani, Senior Lecturer in Soil Chemistry at Cranfield University says: “Optimisation of digestate NUE (nutrient use efficiency) in crops will not only provide a solution for soil health but also food production and minimise environmental pollution.”

Andrew Blenkiron, Estate Director at Euston Estate in Suffolk is also taking part in the trial.

He is set to speak at Agri-Tech East’s annual REAP conference this November.

He says: “It is a big challenge to work out the economic benefits of spreading 30,000 tonnes of organic material from the anaerobic digester, compared to the cost of artificial applications - but I know that the organic material will have a longer-term benefit on soil health.”

In addition to cutting-edge scientific input from Cranfield University, NIAB are also lending their expertise.

“Farmers in the East of England are among some of the most innovative in the country and NIAB is working with a group to maximise use

of digestate on farm,” says Dr Lydia Smith, Head of NIAB Innovation Farm.

“In this field lab, NIAB aims to help them take this a step further and to use this resource in combination with other strategies to improve soil quality and hence function. We will draw on the results of several long term studies at NIAB including use of cover crops and interactions within the vital soil microbial community.”

Cover crops are of great interest to the group, as they help reduce soil erosion, improve structure and composition, retain key nutrients and water in the soil and hopefully improve the efficacy of the digestate. The farmers have agreed to use vetches, black oats, fodder radish and a low level of Buckwheat as their cover crops.

Patrick Allpress’s field trial will be undertaken over two 30-acre fields. The area will be split up into: • Cover crop with no digestate • No cover crop and only digestate • Cover crop and digestate • Control fallow treatment area • A personal plot, with cover crop and an inoculant to help root growth Dr Belinda Clarke, Director of Agri-Tech East comments: “By bringing together farmers and researchers for these on-farm trials, we hope to improve the efficacy of digestate use and understand the costs. Our annual REAP conference in November will also focus on sustainable farming, with a keynote on the benefit of ‘no-till’ for soil health.”

The farms involved in the project are: Holkham Estate (Norfolk), Upton Suffolk Farms (Suffolk), Boxford Suffolk Farms (Suffolk), Allpress Farms (Cambridgeshire), Euston Estate (Suffolk) and JF Temple (Norfolk).

September 2017 | Farming Monthly | 39

| Energy

AD secures farming future for young entrepreneur Rob Greenow, a Staffordshire based young farmer, has successfully established his own AD business, allowing him to secure his future in farming - all before the age of 30. ombining an interest in renewable energy with his farming experience, Rob established AD management business, BioG UK just a couple of years after leaving university. The success of the business has seen him become a partner of choice for AD finance company, Privilege Finance.

“While studying at Reading University I completed my dissertation on ammonia volatisation and the spreading application types of digestate from AD Plants,” explains Rob. “At the time AD was only just becoming popular in the agricultural industry but I could see the future potential. So, after graduation, I joined an AD company and was involved in the planning and running of various sites.

“But, in 2012 I decided to go it alone and set up BioG UK, hoping that one day I would be able to establish my own AD plant.”

Although initially Rob hoped to support farmers through the feasibility and planning stages of an AD plant build, he explains that the business soon changed direction.

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“After two years I shifted the focus of the business to concentrate on helping existing AD plant owners troubleshoot and manage their plants.

“And in 2016 I completed the purchase of my own 162-acre arable farm. This was around the same time two years’ worth of planning came off for the development of my own AD plant at Batchacre Hall Farm, Staffordshire,” he explains.

“Finance for the £1.9m plant was secured in May 2016 with Privilege Finance. I explored other options however Privilege were willing to take a measured risk on us without securing large bonds against the farm.

“The great thing with Privilege is that they trust me to get on with the job. As long as I meet the parameters they essentially leave me to it, although I know they’re always there if I need support.”

Rob concludes that although it’s been a challenging few years he wouldn’t change any of it. “I’m really looking forward to the future, AD is an exciting area to be involved in and I encourage anyone looking to diversify to consider it.”

40 | Farming Monthly | September 2017

Focus on grains per ear for better hybrid rye yields Operators of anaerobic digestion (AD) systems could improve performance levels by moving to hybrid rye varieties carrying more grains per ear. ccording to John Burgess, KWS maize and hybrid rye product manager, growers should focus on grains per ear, rather than plant height to increase wholecrop yields.

“There is a balance to be had between plant height and grains per ear when seeking to maximise wholecrop yields, but with the ear contributing roughly 50% of the final yield variety choice and diligent use of plant growth regulators are essential,” he says.

There is a belief, he says, that plant height is the key to achieving high yields, but that this overlooks the valuable contribution that comes from managing the canopy to increase ear development.

“Breeding advances have focussed on improving yields through bigger ears while making canopy management easier through better stability and standing power. New AD varieties, such as KWS Propower and, for

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2018 KWS Eterno and KWS Edmondo, deliver higher yields than the benchmark variety KWS Progas, but are slightly shorter and more manageable,” says John Burgess.

Nutrient management too is important with trials performed by KWS in 2017 suggesting that the wholecrop yield of KWS Propower for example, increase by more than 15% with a small increase in nitrogen rate.

“Across all our specialist AD varieties we observed a yield increase when nitrogen applications rose form 50 kg N/ha to 80 kg N/ha with KWS Propower, KWS Edmondo and KWS Eterno showing the biggest responses of between 10 and 15%,” says John Burgess.

Application timing is equally important as hybrid rye is quick to move through stem extension.

“Nitrogen should be applied in two splits between growth stages 29 and 32 which coincides with T0 and T1 fungicide timings,” he adds.

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| Energy

About Hugh Hugh Taylor is CEO of Roadnight Taylor, the independent power consultancy. Roadnight Taylor’s expertise spans technologies (including battery storage, gas gensets and renewables) and scales. Their unique approach ensures that land and property owners maximise the energy opportunities available to them.

Hugh sits on the expert connections panels for four of the six Distribution Network Operators, has a deep understanding of National Grid’s Capacity Market and its balancing services markets, is a regular consultee to BEIS and Ofgem, and is a popular speaker at farming and energy industry events.

Potential battery site

Discover your battery storage opportunities ahead of your neighbours

By Hugh Taylor, CEO of Roadnight Taylor, The Independent Power Consultancy. he rapidly changing UK energy system is creating exciting opportunities for farmers. Hosting battery storage schemes on as little as one acre of land, can offer farmers ground rents of over £100,000 per year for 15-25 year leases.

Act ahead of neighbours and independently from developers Battery storage schemes need to connect to the electricity grid.

However, capacity to import and export electricity on the grid is becoming scarce.

To enjoy the incomes from battery storage, farmers must identify if they have a site with an opportunity for a viable battery storage scheme quickly and independently from any developer.

Network Operators issue grid capacity on a first-come-firstserved basis. If you deliberate too long, you can lose out to a neighbouring landowner and miss

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out on the lucrative long-term income.

If you wait for a developer to come knocking and ‘sign-up’ to their battery technology and offer straight away, you lose the ability to negotiate the best terms and rents among competing technologies (gas powered generators, for example) and competing developers, if your site is viable.

Factors which contribute to a viable battery scheme Many factors combine to make a site viable for battery storage.

The perfect site rarely exists but sites will need most of the following: • the best sites are close to a 33,000-volt (33 kV) circuit - having a primary substation (typically 33/11 kV volts) or bulk supply point (typically 33/132 kV) nearby is preferable • a small scheme of up to 5 MW typically needs an 11 kV connection – for an 11 kV connection, the site should ideally

be under one kilometre from the primary substation • for batteries, there needs to be the same amount of import capacity as export capacity available on the grid • a storage scheme will need space from as small as a 40-foot shipping container up to two acres • brown field sites are preferable including areas around machinery or grain stores and livestock housing • no rail, river or large road crossings between the site and the point of grid connection • access rights to the site • no landscape designations such as AONB, SSSIs, battlefields and National Parks • no flood risk • secluded allocation, ideally not overlooked by dwellings or public access • relatively flat land with good underlying structural ground conditions.

Given most sites will have limitations, it is important that

farmers commission an independent assessment of their sites before committing to grid and planning application costs or professional fees. You must ensure you aren’t wasting your money on unviable sites.

Roadnight Taylor offers Stop/Go feasibility studies from as little as £250. We look at the local planning and grid factors, and work closely with the engineers at the Network Operators to establish whether there is likely to be a costeffective grid connection, at what scale and for which technology.

Battery storage may not be suitable for your local grid, whereas gas gensets or solar technologies could be.

If there is isn’t any possibility of a battery or power generation scheme on your site, you have invested very little. If there is potential and you are ahead of your neighbours, you could have much to gain.

September 2017 | Farming Monthly | 41

| Machinery

New Holland demonstrate FBP 3135 BalePack now new combines during available with film binding harvest tour New Holland’s harvest demonstration tour started in Bicester on 25th July and will visit 12 locations across the UK during August and September. The tour will showcase the new CR combine models due to be launched at Agritechnica in November. oth rotary (CR) and mid-range CX models have been upgraded to increase productivity and throughput, whilst maintaining grain quality. Farmers will have the opportunity to ride and drive to get a feel for the new models’ improvements at the tour stops.

CX Range New additions to mid-range CX5 and CX6 combines include specialised CX5.90 and CX6.90 Laterale models. These machines are perfect for those farming on more extreme terrain as hydraulic rams work to maintain a level chassis on side slopes. Standard models benefit from the awardwinning Triple-CleanTM, a threetier cascaded cleaning shoe, providing a 15% increase in performance.

Improvements to the cab across the CX models bring the midrange combine ranges closer to their flagship CX7 and CX8 siblings, and offer significant improvements for operator comfort and safety. New interior features include a user-friendly and ergonomic dashboard, wider passenger seat and, right-hand module. New exterior LED light packages improve visibility.

The new CX models are built with mixed farmers in mind.

OptiSpeedTM auto-adaptive technology is now standard on both ranges. Operators’ benefit from increased separation power without the risk of blockage thanks to the variable speed straw walker.

CR Range The latest CR models have been designed with increased capacity in mind. Both narrow and wide width models feature more space in the rotor tube for increased capacity at a lower power requirement.

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The narrow frame CR7.90 and CR8.80 features a revised rotor cage, which increases the space available for threshing while the latest Twin Pitch Rotors and a revised Dynamic Feed Roll maintain crop throughput in even the most difficult harvesting conditions.

The wide frame models now feature Twin Pitch Plus as standard, the rotor configuration that was developed especially for the world-beating CR10.90.

Customer clinics have highlighted residue management as one of the biggest challenges facing farmers over the next ten years so The CR8.90, CR9.80, CR9.90 and the range topping CR10.90 all benefit from a revised residue management system including, an award-winning chaff distribution system, a revised straw chopper rotor for finer chopping and, revisions to the Opti-SpreadTM system to ensure even spreading of chopped material out to 14.5 metres.

Most noticeably, is a colour change from black to yellow for the grain tank and pan. The lighter colour aids visibility when the tank is filling, particularly when combining dark seeded crops such as oilseeds. Tank cleaning and maintenance is also aided by the lighter colour, showing more clearly, where debris needs removing.

At the high end of New Holland’s rotary combine range, the wider CR10.90 at 700hp is most powerful combine the manufacturer has ever released.

The CR7.90 and CR8.80 options also benefit from upgrades to engines. The CR7.90 features improved emissions control with a Tier 4b compliant engine in line with the CR 8.80, which now boasts 517hp.

42 | Farming Monthly | September 2017

KUHN Farm Machinery has upgraded its fixed chamber round baler-wrapper combination machine by making its popular film binding technology available as an option.

ollowing on from the successful launch of KUHN’s film binding system on the iBIO+ last year, KUHN has now introduced the unique bale wrapping system on the latest version of its FBP 3135 BalePack machine.

KUHN’s twin satellite film binding system uses two film reels to bind the cylindrical side of the bale and offers several advantages compared to other film binding systems, not least the ability to use standard sized rolls (25µm, 1500m, 750mm) therefore eliminating the need to order separate binding and wrapping film. The KUHN system reduces film usage by up to 30% by prestretching prior to application and boasts quicker and easier roll loading thanks to a user-friendly system which hydraulically folds the film reels into their loading/unloading position.

The FBP 3135 Bale Pack can also be used with conventional net binding: switching between film and net binding is quick and simple as the two systems are separate, making it easy to switch from one system to the other for different crops. In either specification, the FBP delivers high output productivity in conjunction with consistent bale formation and a reliable wrapping mechanism.

The FBP 3135 is available with two different intake rotors – the OPTICUT 14 or OPTICUT 23 – both with Hardox tines. Each version shares the same 2.30m pick-up which features cam-track technology for improved contour following for cleaner grass collection.

The OPTICUT 14 is fitted with 14 knives to provide a minimum cutting length of 70mm. Group selection enables the knives to be used in five formations (0, 4, 7, 7 or 14) to produce the desired chop length. The OPTICUT 23 offers a minimum cutting length of 45mm,

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with its 23 knives used in a 0, 7, 11, 12 or 23 arrangement. Each knife is individually springprotected against damage from foreign objects. A drop-floor intake system enables blockages to be cleared easily and quickly by hydraulically lowering the floor and knives from the comfort of the tractor cab. After the blockage is cleared they can easily be moved back into their working position.

The FBP’s baling chamber consists of 18 PowerTrack rollers which produce round bales 1.25m in diameter and 1.22m in width.

The 18 rollers have symmetrical profiles which generate exceptionally high density and reliable bale rotation in all crop conditions. Net binding is available as standard, with twine binding available as an option.

The FBP uses KUHN’s INTELLIWRAP system, which uses vertically mounted film prestretchers to prevent grass being deposited between layers of film for a tighter, better sealed and more consistent finish. The wrapping unit is also fitted as standard with KUHN’s film break sensor, and can be specified with the company’s 3D wrapping system for perfectly sealed bales which maintain their shape well and are better protected compared to conventionally wrapped bales.

Overall dimensions for the FBP 3135 are 6.46m (length), 2.73m (height) and 2.99m (width). The machine’s net weight is from 5,600kg depending on options selected.

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| Education

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September 2017 | Farming Monthly | 43

| Glamping

Farmstar Limited Marr, Doncaster DN5 7AU T: 01302 786786

Market Weighton,York YO43 3GA T: 01430 875900 Brigg, North Lincs DN2 8NF T: 01652 654944 www.farmstar.co.uk

44 | Farming Monthly | September 2017

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| Machinery

Kubota UK tackling rural crime head on Machinery manufacturer adopts Cesar for M Series Tractors. ubota UK’s continued commitment and investment in the agricultural sector has been raised once again after the leading machinery manufacturer announced its adoption of the official CESAR Scheme for its M Series range of tractors.

The CESAR security and registration scheme is owned and managed by the Construction Equipment Association (CEA) and supported by the Agricultural Engineers Association (AEA). By utilising Datatag ID technology, CESAR is designed to increase machine security and deter tractor theft.

Dave Roberts, Managing Director at Kubota UK, commented: “Farm equipment is a popular target for thieves. As a manufacturer, it’s our responsibility to do all we can to make our products as appealing as possible to our customers and less attractive to criminals.

“As part of our ongoing investment in the agricultural industry, I am delighted to announce that from 1st September, all of our M Series tractors will be CESAR marked.

Datatag ID is proven in protecting and reducing machinery theft as well as being an essential technology for recovering stolen equipment.

“Another key benefit of fitting this technology on our M Series is the fact that our customers will now have the opportunity to benefit from reduced insurance premiums from NFU Mutual, and other leading insurers, who offer significant discounts for CESAR registered equipment.”

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This news comes hot on the heels of the annual NFU Mutual Crime Report, which identified the cost of rural crime at £40m p.a. and notes that regrettably rural crime is once again on the increase.

Chris Harrison, Sales Director at Datatag ID Ltd, said: “We have been working in partnership with Kubota UK for a number of years helping to protect its market leading range of mini-excavators.

It’s fantastic that the business has now decided to expand its support of CESAR for its M Series tractors.”

The Datatag ID system works by giving each piece of equipment a multi-layered ‘fingerprint’ that thieves cannot remove. Each Kubota M Series tractor will be fitted with four tamper evident registration plates with a unique registration number, RFID tags, Datatdots and forensic DNA. CESAR operate a 24x7 call centre which the police and other enforcement agencies can use to establish the identity and ownership of CESAR registered equipment. CESAR protects over 250,000 pieces of equipment and the recovery rate for stolen CESAR registered machines is more than double that for unregistered equipment.

Karen Tipping, Kubota UK’s marketing manager, concluded: “As a business, we are always looking at new initiatives that will benefit our customers, particularly when it comes to machine security. Rural crime is clearly a serious issue and Kubota is extremely proactive in supporting the police and making the farming community aware of the risks they face from opportunist and professional thieves.

“A recent initiative that demonstrates our approach is the partnership we have formed with Thames Valley Police. With the support of Kubota, the police force was the first in the UK to introduce a RTV utility vehicle into its fleet to tackle rural crime. This police liveried Kubota machine has been used extensively in rural crime

situations and is regularly on display at agricultural shows to heighten awareness of rural crime and the recommended precautions which should be taken. Kubota and Datatag will be working together, in the coming months, to further promote crime awareness and prevention.”

New generation of ARION 600 and 500 tractors The ARION 600 and 500 range from CLAAS are versatile, all-round tractors with a high level of comfort and convenience which are equally suited to field and grassland work, transport and front-loader activities around the yard.

LAAS has now introduced a new generation of these proven series with enhanced equipment options, a wider range of engines and many new features. These include the new CIS+ system, the new CEBIS terminal, updated HEXASHIFT and CMATIC transmission functions and the PROACTIV front axle suspension, newly developed by CLAAS. Three equipment options available for the first time Thanks to the CIS, new CIS+ and the new CEBIS Touch, three different equipment options are now available for models in the AXION 800 and ARION 600 and 500 ranges for the very first time.

All versions are available with a HEXASHIFT powershift transmission; alternatively, the CIS+ and CEBIS versions can be supplied with the continuously variable CMATIC transmission.

The CIS version has been kept deliberately simple with mechanical spool valves and the CIS display, while CIS+ comes with electronic spool valves and the CIS colour ‘A’ pillar display as

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standard. Both versions have the proven multifunction armrest with DRIVESTICK to operate the transmission.

The CEBIS version goes even further, featuring the fully redesigned CEBIS terminal with 12-inch touch screen display and intuitive DIRECT ACCESS, in addition to the CMOTION multifunction control lever, which can be operated using just three fingers.

Electronic parking brake, more hydraulic power and bigger tyres The new ARION 600/500 series are available for the first time with the electronic Parklock parking brake on the REVERSHIFT shuttle lever. If the driver leaves the seat without engaging the Parklock, the parking brake on the tractor and any attached implements/trailers is automatically activated .

In addition to the 110 l/min load sensing system, there is now the option of a new high output 150 l/min system. For the ARION 630 models and above, 42-inch rims and a maximum tyre diameter of 1.95 m are also now available, allowing a greater contact area.

September 2017 | Farming Monthly | 45

| Forestry

BSW and Tilhill Forestry announce the vertical integration of timber supply chain George McRobbie, Managing Director of Tilhill Forestry, has today announced the final stage of the completion of Tilhill Forestry’s integration into the BSW Group. his last stage involves the combining of the BSW Sawmills UK log buying team with Tilhill Forestry’s timber harvesting team.

The integration process will start immediately and will be a phased process completing by 31st March 2018. Once the integration is complete Tilhill Forestry will have sole responsibility for the sawlog supply into BSW’s UK sawmills.

Tilhill Forestry will continue to supply sawlogs, small round wood and biomass to its other customers with no change to the current security of supply or contract terms.

George McRobbie said: “This is an exciting opportunity for both companies and is a logical consolidation following the acquisition of Tilhill by BSW two years ago. This change will bring efficiency gains and provide a strong and robust foundation for us to develop improvements to the timber supply chain not just for BSW but for Tilhill’s other customers too.”

Harry Stevens’ role on the Tilhill Board of Directors will change. He will become the Timber Buying Director and be responsible for the expanded timber buying and harvesting function. He added: “Combining the two teams will make the best use of the skill sets and talent we have across the organisation. The new set up will be good for the company, our staff and

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46 | Farming Monthly | September 2017

our customers.”

Gavin Adkins’ role as Commercial Director at Tilhill will become full time and Peter Whitfield, currently Timber Operations Director, will be moving to a new role as Business Development Director. These appointments will take place with immediate effect.

Tilhill Forestry, a wholly owned subsidiary of the BSW Timber Group, was established nearly 70 years ago.

It is a national company operating from a network of offices throughout the UK. The company provides a full range of consultancy and contracting services to the forest owner and forestry investor. There is also a complementary soft landscaping operation. Further information is available at www.tilhill.com BSW is the most technologically advanced sawmill company in the UK employing over 1,300 people.

The Company’s roots date back to 1848 and, with seven sawmills in the UK and one in Latvia, has a production capacity of more than 1.2 million m3 of sawn timber which is distributed throughout construction, fencing and landscape markets www.bsw.co.uk Together, BSW and Tilhill Forestry form a strong partnership in the forest industry that will deliver quality from beginning to end - from creating new forests through to producing timber end products.

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| Machinery

Spaldings Limited Lincoln, Lincolnshire T: 01522 507500 www.spaldings.co.uk

World of Power Buxton, Derbyshire T: 01298 213101 www.worldofpower.co.uk

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

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

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

Mawsley Machinery Brixworth, Northampton T: 01604 880621 https://mawsley.stihl-dealer.co.uk

DM Chainsaws Arundel, West Sussex T: 01243 554065 www.dmchainsaws.co.uk

Davenport Western Yeovil, Somerset T: 01935 425311 www.davenportsaws.co.uk

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September 2017 | Farming Monthly | 47

| ATV

48 | Farming Monthly | September 2017

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| ATV

Honda ATV

Still ideal for slug pellet application

The wet weather, which has hampered harvest for many, has also encouraged high slug populations which means they are likely to be an issue for young crops again this autumn, and will need careful monitoring. here slug pellet application is needed, one of Honda’s marketleading range of ATVs is ideal for mounting a slug pellet applicator, with flotation tyres operating at less ground pressure than a human footprint, ideal for the wet ground conditions in which slugs thrive.

ATV mounting brackets are available for most applicators, making it easy to swap them between implements such as rolls or drills and the ATV as needed.

Honda’s Foreman 500 series ATVs are ideal for the task, with rear load rack capacity up to 85kg depending on model. Electric power for spreaders is available without the need to carry an additional battery. Foreman models are designed for demanding farm tasks with a proven 475cc, liquid-cooled petrol engine driving through manual or automatic transmissions. Plenty of power allows target working speed to be quickly achieved after each headland turn and the low-revving engines have the grunt needed to maintain constant speed in varying ground conditions, essential for accurate application.

New this year is Honda’s Pioneer 700 UTV, available in 2

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and 4-seat versions and capable of carrying up to 386kg on the rear load-bed. This is suitable for larger applicators and transporting pellets to the field. Power is from a 680cc petrol engine linked to a highly efficient 3-speed torque converter transmission. Tyres and wheels are the same size as those of the Foreman 500 ATVs and, with almost 27cms ground clearance and selectable differential locks, the Pioneer travels over sensitive land areas including freshly drilled crops without causing ruts.

In recent years new regulations affecting slug pellet application

have come into force under the Sustainable Use Directive.

Familiarity with current guidelines is essential, including the need for users to hold a Certificate of Competence, regardless of age or previous experience. Spreaders must be routinely tested for accuracy, and stewardship guidelines prohibit the application of metaldehyde pellets within 10m of field boundaries.

Modern pelleters are designed to spread accurately between 24 and 30m and most offer easy adjustment of application rates plus features such as spread bias

adjustment and part-width headland shut-off. Some manufacturers offer capacities up to 130 litres, suitable for the Pioneer, while smaller 65-litre versions are more popular for conventional ATVs, including the Foreman.

All new Hondas come with a two-year manufacturer’s warranty and ATV operator training through the industry-approved EASI scheme is highly recommended and included free of charge with a new ATV.

September 2017 | Farming Monthly | 49

| ATV

Suzuki ATV

customers amazed by results of fitting Datatag

Since deciding to fit Datatag security technologies to their range of Utility ATVs as standard Suzuki and their customers have seen a dramatic change in fortune. ith nearly 500 ATVs having been delivered to customers across the UK from Suzuki’s dealer network theft has dropped nearly 20%. Compared to other brands Suzuki are the only one to fit CESAR as standard and, not surprisingly, the only one to have seen a reduction in theft – Yamaha thefts have increased 33% and Honda a worrying 62%! (Datatag, 2016).

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Suzuki knows that customers will be riding their ATVs in all weathers and conditions George Cheeseman of Suzuki said ‘We chose the CESAR Compact System for our range of ATVs as it has had such a dramatic effect on theft of larger scale agricultural machinery – we

are really pleased that this success has been replicated with the ATV sector. Deciding to fit it as standard was an easy decision and hopefully proves to our customers our dedication to providing them with the absolute best ATV package available on the market.’

Something Joe Lintell, a sheep farmer from Dorset who relies on his ATV for all his work has clearly recognised saying, “The fact that Suzuki ATVs come with Datatag as standard is such a reassurance and is one of the reasons I chose the KingQuad 500.”

This customer reassurance is also well received by Suzuki’s Dealer Network who see the result of rural crime all to often and work hard to get farmers back on the road as quickly as possible.

The CESAR Compact System is available as an aftermarket fit for all owners of ATV’s and side-bysides who are not protected, visit www.cesarscheme .org to find

50 | Farming Monthly | September 2017

details of your nearest CESAR fitter.

Suzuki has some 70 Dealers in the UK selling the manufacturer’s range of utility and sports ATVs – all offering customers the fantastic benefits that come with choosing Suzuki: Try before you buy Knowing that customers want an ATV that is comfortable, reliable and hard-working; Suzuki offers customers the chance to try before they buy in order to help them get a feel for the right model and the company’s expert dealers are onhand to help customers to find the right ATV for them.

Free Suzuki workwear kit Suzuki knows that customers will be riding their ATVs in all weathers and conditions. So when customers buy from an Authorised Suzuki Dealer, they will receive a free Suzuki workwear kit,

consisting of a branded bodywarmer and overalls.

Courtesy ATV Scheme Suzuki understands that customers rely on their ATVs and therefore gives a courtesy Suzuki ATV to keep customers’ businesses on the move when they take their machine – whatever the make or model – in to an Authorised Suzuki Dealer for service or repairs.

Theft deterrent as standard FREE on all new Suzuki utility ATVs, the CESAR Security System powered by Datatag gives each ATV a unique ‘fingerprint’ with an identity that cannot be erased, which acts as a strong theft deterrent and a tool for recovery should the worst happen – plus, it reduces insurance premiums too!

For more information, and to find your local Suzuki ATV Dealer, visit suzuki-atv.co.uk

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| ATV

Polaris responds

to emergency call

A new emergency police vehicle capable of mobilising officers quickly in some of West Norfolk’s most hard to reach places has been launched in Hunstanton. he Polaris Ranger 570 All-Terrain Vehicle, supplied

by Linstead Farm and Garden Machinery, will be based at Hunstanton beach to help search for missing people or assist officers in emergency situations. It is the first time this type of vehicle has been used by Norfolk Constabulary and whilst it will mainly patrol Hunstanton beach, it can also be used on rural land and territory.

Temporary Inspector John Bane, who has taken delivery of the Polaris, complete with police livery, said: “This vehicle will enable us to respond quickly and effectively to incidents taking place on the beach.

“In the cases of a missing person, it provides us with the opportunity to cover lots of the beach in a short space of time where a police vehicle or an officer

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on foot cannot.

“The vehicle will also be used to patrol the beach and will support the Sandi Starfish initiative which helps reunite families if a child is lost. The vehicle has been designed to catch the eye of a missing child who can then flag it down if they see it and get the assistance they need.”

Temporary Inspector Bane added: “The vehicle has the potential to be deployed to other areas, such as woodland and farmland, to assist in other missing person enquiries or pre-planned operations, therefore enhancing our ability to respond to incidents in rural locations.”

Norfolk’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Lorne Green, said: “Norfolk has a wonderful variety of attractions for families to visit during the long summer holidays not least the long sandy stretches of

Hunstanton Beach. While we want this summer to be one to remember for all the right reasons there is always a possibility a child can get separated from their family. We hope the introduction of the Polaris ATV will help reassure families officers will be able to respond quickly to provide any assistance where needed.

“Rural crime remains one of my top priorities and it is also reassuring to hear the ATV can be deployed to incidents in areas of the

countryside where local patrol cars may find it difficult to access.”

Officers were looking to name the Polaris Ranger 570 to help make it more recognisable to children and asked the public to help by voting for their favourite name. There were three names to choose from: Nelson, Rocky and Sunny and the name finally chosen was Nelson.

Polaris Britain Ltd. 0800 915 6720 www.polaris-britain.com

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| ATV

Kawasaki

Tough MULE popular choice for dairy farmers

Kawasaki’s MULE PRO-DX has been designed specifically for work applications, using Kawasaki’s 25 years of experience in the UK side x side market along with the feedback from the customers with centuries of experience… he recently launched PRO-DX is the choice for many dairy farmers throughout the country – like Julie Watson from Rising Sun Farm in Derbyshire, who bought a MULE from Platts Harris. Looking at the below features, it’s easy to see why the machine has become a vital part of their challenging daily routine.

The Pro-DX boasts the largest flat cargo bed in its class, which features gas-assisted tilting and can be loaded from three sides, couple with a good load capacity makes the PRO-DX the perfect tool for carrying feed in the winter months and the Electric Power Steering helps maneuverability in small spaces, like sheds.

With 18kW (24PS) of power and a towing capacity of 907kg, the vehicle is equipped for a variety of functions and needs.

Fuel capacity is 30 litres - which means a lot can be done before the need to refuel - and being diesel powered means onsite fuel compatibility for ease of refuelling.

For those early mornings - and late nights bright headlamps are complemented by auxiliary LED lamps.

Independent suspension and 265mm of ground clearance puts the operator at a good vantage point and allows for smooth operation when checking cows. The electronically ‘selectable’ 2WD/4WD and dual-mode rear differential system allow for easy changing between drive systems to suit the changing terrain and applications.

The steel front bumper on the front of the MULE comes in handy as a bull guard and is

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ideally suited to guiding cattle to sheds for milking.

A number of accessories and parts are available to tailor the MULE to any specific need or personal preference. Accessories include winches, cabins, heaters, windshield, underseat storage bins and hitch balls.

Kawasaki Motors UK, Simon Riches, said: “Since it’s launch 25 years ago, the MULE has become iconic and the vehicle of choice for many. It’s known as a robust model, handy for the tough day of a dairy farmer. The recently launched PRO-DX is the culmination of all those years of experience - and it shows. It’s

packed with features to make it the perfect companion. Head to your local dealer to chat through the whole range and to find out the parts and accessories available to personalise them for your needs.”

For more information, or to view the whole utility range from Kawasaki, visit: www.kawasaki.co.uk For more information Day & Coles Ltd Newton Close, Park Farm Ind. Est. Wellingborough NN8 6UW 01933 673900 Contact your nearest dealer

52 | Farming Monthly | September 2017

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| Motors

A revolution called Duster Having sold over two million units since launch, Duster, a vehicle with an international calling, has become one of Groupe Renault’s top-selling models. acia's SUV has made its mark in its segment. In seven years, it has won over customers looking for a versatile, reliable and affordable vehicle. Duster's powers of attraction are practically limitless. Its highly attractive price, top-level off-road abilities, robustness and design leave no-one indifferent. Read on to find out more about a revolutionary model that has carved out a special place in the wide world of SUVs. Dacia Duster: a scandalously affordable SUV Marketing an SUV at the price of a city car was a bold move. When Dacia made that move in 2010, it hit on a major success. The theme of affordability was the focus of the Duster ad, in which a somewhat caricatural couple ask about the price of Duster after test driving it. When told that prices start at €11,900, the customer is offended: "You don't think we're going to spend so little?" The Dacia Duster phenomenon was born. The model sold in over 450,000 units in three years. Building on that success, the brand launched a restyled Duster in 2013 that met with the same enthusiasm, the car’s now enviable popularity being expressed from 2016 on in the advertising slogan, “Another one drives a Duster”.

Duster's price was clearly important at a time of economic crisis, but the car's success cannot be reduced to its attractive price alone.

The model's intrinsic all-terrain qualities have also contributed largely to its success. The car's design leaves no room for doubt as to its SUV nature. Without being over the top, the styling is that of a true 4WD model. The front end exudes a sense of robustness. The wide, curvaceous wings, double light units and protective bumper clearly express the car's SUV DNA. The raised ground clearance, large wheels (16") and multiple protective features invite drivers to venture out on the toughest roads and tracks.

The interior is equally outstanding, with a modern, functional and modular cabin. And the impertinence of Dacia's SUV does not stop there, as it features C-segment equipment at Bsegment prices.

Dacia shakes up established cues once again With the launch of Duster, Dacia confirmed its boldness, first seen six years earlier with the release of Logan. The Dacia brand became a benchmark in new approaches to automotive consumption. It shook up established cues once again with the launch of Duster, a true,

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roomy and versatile SUV for the price of a compact car.

As with all Dacia models, Duster targets customers looking to buy a fairly-priced car, an affordable vehicle with the equipment responding to their needs. In addition to its affordability, the brand moved into a new territory: the SUV market. This served to win over new customers looking for a car with real all-terrain abilities. These new customers include first-time buyers and those who would otherwise have bought a used car. With a new market and new customer base, the Dacia brand is perpetuating its success and even bringing together its own community. The Dacia community organises picnics that every year draw thousands of people in many of the brand's countries. Dacia customers are true fans, highly active in the social networks. More than simple customers, they are the brand's best ambassadors.

Duster, out to conquer the world Duster was created in response to a simple observation: a true need exists worldwide for roomy, robust and affordable 4x4 cars. But at the time that need was mostly unfulfilled. Which is why Dacia came up with a world first and developed an SUV primarily targeting developing markets. The needs of European motorists were also taken into account from the start of the project.

• In developing countries, the middle classes aspire to owning modern vehicles illustrating their social success. They are also looking for robust, reliable and versatile cars that can stand up to severe and varied climates and conditions of use (such as long distances and steep, almost impassable roads). Existing SUVs, most of them imported, often exceed the budgets of the middle classes.

• In Europe, Dacia's success demonstrates the existence of customers looking for modern, reliable and affordable cars. But as a whole, the 4x4 offer, though broad, is more about ostentatious and expensive models – often not adapted to off-road use – rather than functional and affordable all-terrain vehicles.

Launched initially under the Dacia brand, Duster was marketed with the Renault badge in 2011 in Latin America (including Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Chile and Colombia) and subsequently in Russia and India. Under the Renault brand, Duster is a true image driver. It targets motorists looking for a prestigious SUV with real off-road abilities. The European version of Duster has been adapted to respond

to the specific expectations of international customers, including an "extreme cold" version for Russia, a flex-fuel model for Brazil, and a right-hand-drive model with a special design for India.

Designed to take on all types of roads and tracks Duster was available from launch in not one but two versions: • a 4x4 version for customers looking for a car with real all-terrain abilities • a 4x2 version for customers seeking the versatility of an all-terrain model and a high-set driving position.

Duster is eminently user-friendly. The car's weight (1,160 kg for the 4x2, 1,250 kg for the 4x4) combined with its compact dimensions make it particularly agile.

The subframe is adapted to all-road and allterrain use thanks to: • raised ground clearance of 210 mm • short overhang (822 mm at the front, 820 mm at the rear) • reduced crossing angles (30° angle of attack, 23° ramp angle, and 36° angle of departure).

The all-terrain and handling qualities of Duster are fully put to the test in renowned motorsport competitions, including the Trophée Andros (France), the Rallye des Gazelles (Morocco) and the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb (USA).

Just a few days before launch, Dacia Duster finished first in the Rallye Aicha des Gazelles in the Crossover category, demonstrating its allterrain qualities and its robustness and reliability. The same applies to the motorsport version of Duster as driven by Alain Prost on the ice tracks of the Trophée Andros in winter 2009/2010. Duster came second in the overall standings after the seven races of the season.

Duster took on a new challenge in 2011, setting out to tackle the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. Its first participation in the legendary race was fairly impressive, with Dacia Duster No Limit finishing third.

Duster today is marketed in some 100 countries under the Renault and Dacia brands.

In seven years, Duster has proved an immense success, selling in over two million units worldwide.

The Duster story is set to continue in 2017 with the reveal of New Duster at the Frankfurt Motor Show on 12th September.

September 2017 | Farming Monthly | 53

| Motors

Taste adventure with Land Rover’s new ‘Eastnor Expolorer expeditions With more than 62 years’ of expedition experience, Land Rover knows more than anyone about tackling the world’s toughest journeys by car. Now, with the newly launched Eastnor Explorer course, Land Rover is sharing its knowhow with members of the public, allowing them to experience the thrills of expedition off-roading at the legendary Eastnor Castle Estate. The course takes place over a maximum of three days, which can be booked separately or together, giving guests the flexibility to fit learning in around their busy schedules. ince 1955, when a team of students from Oxford and Cambridge drove Series I Land Rovers from London to Singapore, Land Rover has consistently ventured where no other car would dare to go. Be it the iconic yellow Land Rovers crossing Belize and Guatemala in the Camel Trophy or the orange Discoverys of the G4 Challenge tackling the terrain of Laos, Brazil and Bolivia, Land Rover has more experience to share than any other manufacturer.

The Eastnor Explorer series of three expeditions draws inspiration from the original 1955 journey from London to Singapore, teaching members of the public a number of key skills, and allowing them to experience the thrill of an expedition. Many of the skills and activities learned are based on those used for driver selection in the Camel Trophy and G4 Challenge, sessions of which were held at Eastnor. As is the Land

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Rover way, all guests will also be taught to tread lightly, causing the least disruption to to the natural habitat as possible.

Off-road driving is a key part of the course, navigating some of Eastnor’s trickiest off-road tracks, including deep water, dense woodland, steep hills and thick mud. Course attendees will also be taught route reconnaissance to help ensure they don’t get stuck, but rut extraction, bridge building and spade techniques are also on the agenda, just in case things don’t quite go to plan… If it gets really bad, then a fresh cup of tea brewed in the woods, may just provide a different perspective to unlock a successful plan. How very British!

The succession of three days will ultimately give the driver the skills to achieve the overall mission brief of making it to ‘Camel Bridge’ which lays deep in the most inhospitable and seldom used areas of the Eastnor trails.

Scott Dicken, Jaguar Land Rover UK Marketing Director, said:

54 | Farming Monthly | September 2017

“At Land Rover we produce some of the most capable vehicles in the world, and our history in exploration is unrivalled. What we really wanted to do with ‘Eastnor Explorer’ is teach people how to make the most of their Land Rovers, while also introducing them to the wonders of the fantastic Eastnor Estate. It’s a haven for off-roading, and provides a stern test for our vehicles and their drivers. Land Rover is all about freedom, and with the techniques taught on our Eastnor Explorer course we hope to give people a taste of the thrills experienced during some of the world’s most challenging expeditions.”

The Eastnor Explorer expeditions costs £325 per driver for each day, and £95 for passengers/ navigators. A minimum of two guests is required for the course, which includes seven hours of tuition, lunch and refreshments. There will be a maximum of three people per expedition. Bookings are available to make now from: http://www.eastnor.landroverexp erience.co.uk/experiences/eastnor -explorer.html or telephone bookings can be made by calling 0333 733 3003

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| Motors

Perkins

Central Motors

Dunmow Road Rayne, Braintree Essex CM77 6SA

East Street Chard, Somerset TA20 1EP

Tel: 01371 483 379

Tel: 01460 64747

perkins-subaru.co.uk

centralmotors-subaru.co.uk

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September 2017 | Farming Monthly | 55

| Motors

Ready to Roc! - World premiere of the new T-Roc As part of the biggest model offensive in its history, Volkswagen is extending its model range by adding a compact-class crossover: the T-Roc. The new crossover from Volkswagen brings fresh impetus to the compact SUV class. It offers maximum personalisation, innovative digitalisation, perfect connectivity, leading-edge driver assistance systems, dynamic engines and above all modern, expressive design. A car that is just as much at home in the city as it is on rough terrain. r Herbert Diess, Chairman of the Volkswagen Brand Board of Management, said at the world premiere in Italy: "The T-Roc sets a new benchmark in the booming SUV segment. With its functionality, dynamic handling and technology, the T-Roc embodies all good Volkswagen qualities. It marks a milestone in our SUV offensive."

The SUV market is booming – especially in the compact segment. Experts estimate that the segment will almost double in size over the next decade. It is for this reason that Volkswagen is bringing in another attractive model in the compact SUV space, below the Tiguan: the TRoc. With its package of features it sets new benchmarks and is equally appealing to customers of every age, from young singles to empty nesters. With its sporty modern design, it stands for a new emotive Volkswagen style and thus sets a new course within the model range.

Snappy, sporty dimensions outside, great functionality inside – that's the new T-Roc. The optionally front-wheel or all-wheel drive allrounder combines the aplomb of an SUV with the agility of a sporty compact model. And it does indeed rock the segment – in varying ways depending on specification and above all colour combination. For the T-Roc is the first Volkswagen SUV that will be available to order in two-tone paintwork with visually contrasting roof section (including the A-pillars and exterior mirror housings).

Numerous design elements define the new five-seater's style: at the front it is the wide radiator grille unit with integrated dual headlights and the repositioned light signature, which make the T-Roc unmistakable even at night. The lines of the elongated silhouette are on the other hand characterised by a particularly striking chrome element that runs from the A-pillars across the complete side roof line all the way into the C-pillar and is

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reminiscent in form of a coupé. The off-road look is enhanced by all-round, dark plastic trim, which protects the bodywork around the wheel arches and side sills, as well as the vehicle's front and rear.

The interior has been adapted to the exterior design. It has a robust SUV feel and modern treatment of surfaces. The interplay between the Active Info Display and the specific infotainment system creates a new, digital and interactive cockpit. Via smartphone and Volkswagen Car Net it is possible to use a wide spectrum of online services and apps and to integrate the telephone and/or media library.

Another feature being offered by Volkswagen in the new T-Roc is the "Security & Service" package (including Emergency Service, Automatic Accident Notification and Roadside Assistance).

The new T-Roc is positioned within the segment below the Tiguan and like the latter and the Atlas/Teramont is based on the modular transverse matrix (MQB). If all five seats are occupied, luggage space when loaded up to the top edge of the rear seat backrests totals 445 litres. The backrests can also be folded down in a 60/40 split, yielding luggage capacity of up to 1,290 litres. Hardly any other SUV in this class offers such a spacious package.

Even the ‘T-Roc’ base version comes with high-tech systems such as Front Assist area monitoring with City Emergency Braking and Pedestrian Monitoring, the Automatic PostCollision Braking System and the lane keeping system Lane Assist. Also part of the base specification are details such as air conditioning, the Composition Colour infotainment system, LED tail light cluster, visual underbody guard (black) and LED daytime running lights in the bumper.

Volkswagen will be offering the new crossover based on the 'T-Roc' specification version. In addition, two higher lines on a par

56 | Farming Monthly | September 2017

with each other, 'Sport' and 'Style', are available in parallel for maximum personalisation of the TRoc. While the T-Roc 'Style' is characterised by exclusive touches such as the interior's decorative panels available in a choice of four colours, the focus in the case of the T-Roc 'Sport' is on sporty features such as the standard sport comfort seats.

In its market segment, the T-Roc is in a league of its own when it comes to its driver assistance systems. Standard features on all TRoc vehicles include: the Automatic PostCollision Braking System, the active lane keeping system Lane Assist and the Front Assist area monitoring system with Pedestrian Monitoring and City Emergency Braking. The SUV can optionally be configured with ten further driver assistance systems. These include adaptive cruise control (ACC), Rear View reversing camera, the lane change system including Rear Traffic Alert, Blind Spot Monitor, lane keeping system Lane Assist, Park Assist including manoeuvring brake function, Traffic Jam Assist and Emergency Assist. The T-Roc can be adapted to the driver’s personal preferences via a range of further assistance systems that is exceptionally large for this vehicle class. In addition to adaptive chassis control DCC and progressive steering, these include electric operation of the rear hatch and starting system Keyless Access.

Like the larger Tiguan, the new T-Roc too is being offered with efficient turbocharged engines: three petrol engines (TSI) and three diesels (TDI). They are being offered partly with front-wheel drive and manual gearbox, partly with front-wheel drive, 4Motion all-wheel drive (including 4Motion Active Control as standard) and the dual clutch gearbox (7-speed DSG).

The T-Roc will take its place in the €20,000 class segment (German market). Its market launch begins in Europe this November.

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| Motors

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September 2017 | Farming Monthly | 57

| Motors

ARCHIE MOSS

JEFFRIES OF BACTON

DAVID TAYLOR GARAGES LTD

Leicestershire 01530 553 785 www.archiemoss-isuzu.co.uk

Suffolk 01449 424 758 www.jeffriesofbacton-isuzu.co.uk

Gwent 01873 810 304 www.davidtaylorgarages-isuzu.co.uk

BOB GERARD

SOLENT ISUZU

Leicestershire 0116 259 2224 www.bobgerard.co.uk

Hampshire 01962 866 331 www.solent-isuzu.co.uk

BURRELLS MOTOR GROUP

YORK VAN CENTRE

South Yorkshire 01302 515 763 www.burrellsmotorgroup-isuzu.co.uk

North Yorkshire 01904 275 211 www.yorkvancentre-isuzu.co.uk

DUCKWORTH ISUZU

MARK WEATHERHEAD LTD

Lincolnshire (North) 01673 842 101 www.duckworthisuzu.co.uk

Cambridgeshire 01954 574 562 www.markweatherhead-isuzu.co.uk

DUCKWORTH ISUZU

HOLDCROFT ISUZU

Lincolnshire (South) 01205 722 110 www.duckworthisuzu.co.uk

Staffordshire 01782 484 954 www.holdcroft-isuzu.co.uk

GARLAND MOTORS

BULLDOG TWYFORD

Hampshire 01252 884 026 www.garland-isuzu.co.uk

Berkshire 0118 932 0922 www.bulldogtwyford.com

58 | Farming Monthly | September 2017

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| Motors

The most extreme D-Max: Arctic Trucks AT35 returns Isuzu are pleased to announce the introduction of the New Generation D-Max Arctic Trucks AT35 which will officially launch on 1st October 2017. he Isuzu New Generation DMax Arctic Trucks AT35 is a pick-up truck engineered to shine in the most gruelling conditions, and is the result of close technical collaboration between two respected off-road and pick-up specialists. Each AT35 is based upon the strong and durable D-Max pick-up vehicle, which is re-engineered by Arctic Trucks, a company with a long and renowned history in Iceland and Scandinavia as a creator of 4x4 vehicles able to take on the most demanding terrains and conditions.

The Arctic Trucks AT35 is based on the New Generation D-Max which is equipped with a brand new 1.9 litre turbo diesel engine producing 164PS and 360Nm of torque. Key

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benefits include a 3.5 tonne towing capacity and a 1 tonne payload, as well as meeting Euro 6 standards without AdBlue making this truck more refined, quieter and economical than the previous model D-Max. The 17MY Isuzu D-Max Arctic Trucks AT35 will be available as a double cab with a choice of manual or automatic transmission. AT35 is based on the New Generation Utah and will have the following equipment: keyless entry & push button start system, 7� multifunction colour touchscreen, DAB radio, Apple CarPlay & Android Audio, satellite navigation and a shark fin antenna. Black wheels will be fitted as standard, and silver wheels are available as an option.

In addition to the above upgrades, further exclusive Arctic Trucks upgrades have been

made to distinguish it from the rest of range such as tinted windows, tailgate damper, Arctic Trucks branded embroidered headrest, carpet mats, door still covers, badges on the instrument panel & door panels.

The D-Max Arctic Trucks AT35 will be available in; Splash White, Cosmic Black, Obsidian Grey, Venetian Red, Tundra Green, Titanium Silver and Nautilus Blue. The Arctic Trucks AT35 Double Cab Automatic and Manual will be available priced at ÂŁ37,995 CVOTR. The new model will be available at our 32 specialist Arctic Trucks dealers.

September 2017 | Farming Monthly | 59

ALL-NEW DISCOVERY

IT’LL GET YOU INTO AMAZING PLACES. IT’LL ALSO HELP GET YOU OUT AGAIN.

AT A STARTING PRICE OF JUST £43,495 One of the many innovative features in the All-New Discovery is All-Terrain Progress Control.* This manages the engine and brakes, so that the vehicle maintains a comfortable and steady off-road speed automatically. Leaving you to concentrate on steering a path through any far-flung landscape you find yourself in. With a starting price of just £43,495, it’s the perfect time to go exploring.

Official Fuel Consumption Figures for the All-New Discovery range in mpg (I/100km): Urban 19.9-36.2 (14.2-7.8); Extra Urban 30.4-48.7 (9.3-5.8); Combined 26.0-43.5 (10.9-6.5). CO2 Emissions 254-171 g/km.

Official EU Test Figures. For comparison purposes only. Real world figures may differ. Drive responsibly on and off road. *Terrain Response 2 system comes as standard on All-New Discovery HSE Luxury and First Edition.

60 | Farming Monthly | September 2017

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Kentdale Kendal 01539 814444 www.kentdale.kendal.landrover.co.uk

Duckworth Land Rover, Boston 01205 722110 www.duckworthlandrover.co.uk

Rybrook Huddersfield Land Rover 01484 516016 www.rybrook.huddersfield.landrover.co.uk

Duckworth Land Rover, Market Rasen 01673 842101 www.duckworthlandrover.co.uk

Rybrook Copley Land Rover 01422 363340 www.rybrook.halifax.landrover.co.uk

Conwy Land Rover 01492 580000 www.conwy.landrover.co.uk

Lloyds Kelso 01573 224345 www.lloyd.kelso.landrover.co.uk

Stafford Land Rover 01785 214140 www.stafford.landrover.co.uk

Guy Salmon Knutsford 01565 632525 www.guysalmon.knutsford.landrover.co.uk

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September 2017 | Farming Monthly | 61

| Motors

New Ford Ranger Black Edition makes debut at Frankfurt Motor Show Ford is unveiling the exclusive new Ranger Black Edition at the Frankfurt Motor Show, offering customers of Europe’s No.1 selling pickup a distinctive new version with a striking colour-coded appearance. he Black Edition model is based on the popular Limited series, and features a dechromed body in Absolute Black with a black finish for the radiator grille, alloy wheels, sports bar and exterior detailing. The production run will be restricted to just 2,500 units and will be offered in Double Cab bodystyle only.

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The Ranger Black Edition standard equipment specification includes satellite navigation, front parking sensors and rear view camera, adding to the Limited series features such as Ford SYNC 3 multimedia system with 8-inch touchscreen, dual-zone electronic climate control, leather seat trim, and powerfolding, heated door mirrors.

“Ranger customers appreciate the vehicle’s tough, go-anywhere capability and its rugged

62 | Farming Monthly | September 2017

good looks, and we expect this attractive new limited series to be snapped up within weeks,” said Hans Schep, general manager, Commercial Vehicles, Ford of Europe.

Ford Ranger is Europe’s top selling pickup with sales of 23,100 for July 2017 year-to-date*, an increase of 12.1 per cent over the prior year, and marking the best year for Ranger since launch.

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September 2017 | Farming Monthly | 63