Issue 29
Headland news
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WHEN FARMING MEANS BUSINESS
Welcome to Issue 29 Innovation and application are the two key words when reading our latest edition of Headland News. Transferring the benefits of our R&D into practicable benefits for our customers is what adds value to your businesses when investing in Kverneland products. This edition reminds us of some key milestones in our history and how they have laid the foundation for our ongoing developments. Precision, accuracy, increased output and efficiency are all key words used by our customers when describing their experiences when using our equipment. With the current positive climate for commodity prices, profitability and cash flows it is the right time to carefully assess your machinery investment to ensure future profitability. We hope that our latest edition of Headland News will provide you with food for thought.
Joe Bell
Managing Director
2018 Show Dates Royal Highland Show, Ingliston, Edinburgh - June 21-24 Royal Welsh Show, Llanelwedd, Builth Wells - July 23-26 UK Dairy Day, The International Centre, Telford, Shropshire - Sept 12 All Wales Ploughing Champs, Croesgoch, St Davids – Sept 22 Tillage Live Dunbar, East Lothian – Sept 26 Scottish Ploughing Champs, Bettyfield Farm, Kelso - Oct 27-28 AgriScot, Ingliston, Edinburgh - Nov 21 CropTec, East of England Showground – Nov 27-28
ES/LS plough gains extra specification Upgrades to the ES/LS mounted, reversible plough have focused on strengthening to accommodate tractors up to 250hp, up from 200hp. Called ES250 and LS250, the revised format sees this plough series gain a heavy duty, CAT III clevis-type hitch using a square cross-shaft. The plough also gets
a fully induction hardened turnover assembly offering three times the increased strength over earlier models without any weight penalty, and a memory-type 100mm vari-width control cylinder is now fitted, as featured on larger ploughs in the Kverneland range.
specification. ES250 gets 75cm, while LS250 models get 80cm. Available in 5, 5+1 and 6-furrow versions, all models can be specified with 85cm or 100cm point to point clearance.
A high underbeam clearance is now part of the standard
Hydraulic front furrow width adjustment, quick-adjust maize skimmers and an 18in plain rear disc complete the package.
To work properly, the leaf spring only needs to be correctly tensioned. A long Kv spanner supplied with the plough features two notches, 70cm apart, and these notches align with the leaf-spring’s retaining pins – this gives an instant reference for the optimum spring tension.
As such, auto reset is a lowmaintenance break-back system, and once the system trips, spring tension releases, which immediately lowers the pressure on the point, frame and associated parts. And this helps Kverneland ploughs to last longer. Auto reset is also used on Kverneland cultivators.
50 years of auto reset 2018 is the year that Kverneland’s auto reset system celebrates 50 years of innovation. And the simple but effective leaf-spring protection system continues to be unbeatable when it comes to trouble-free ploughing in stony conditions.
Auto reset uses a block of leaf springs to hold the anchor assembly that carries left and right-hand bodies, tight against the beam. This allows every mouldboard to operate independently. There are five leaves in the standard auto reset system, seven in the heavyduty version and nine on XHD models. The versatility of the system can often see ‘helper’ springs fitted to the front furrow to suit hard ground conditions.
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Building on the success of the Exacta-TLX GEOSPREAD, growers can now take advantage of even greater application accuracy with the development of the GEOSPREAD Precision Farming Edition. This new range-topping fertiliser spreader model gains specific software to deliver an increased number of smaller sections – up to 54, one-metre sections are now available. In addition, the GEOSPREAD Precision Farming
Make the most of your two-year warranty
With the exception of the Kverneland Siloking diet feeder range, all new Kverneland machines purchased through the UK dealer network are available with a two-year parts and labour warranty. The second year’s new machine warranty is based on Kverneland’s standard one-year parts and labour warranty.
With section control and variable rate applications, it is reasoned that the hopper may empty differently on each side. And to keep the operator informed, the spreader gets improved monitoring with left/right side hopper-empty sensors. Additional warnings include disc rpm deviation based on the Autoset app inputs, and the spreader also gets an updated design which includes an electric hopper cover and an optional Cat III/IV mounting frame for use with larger tractors.
25 years of electric drive 2018 marks a significant milestone for Kverneland precision seeding equipment – it is the 25th anniversary of using electric drive, and it reinforces a wealth of electric drive experience that is unmatched by any other precision seeding company. Electric drives for seed metering grew out of the development of the Unicorn Synchro in 1993, and have since advanced to e-drive II. Along the way, section control has evolved too, and with greater computing power has led to the integration of GEOSEED. The adoption of electric drives among the Kverneland precision seeder ranges followed a licencing agreement in the 1990’s with Kleine, allowing the patented electric drive to be integrated initially into the design
of the Monopill. It wasn’t long after, that Kverneland bought the precision seeding business from Kleine, and integrated this into the Soest business unit in Germany. This completed the process of rolling out full electric drive systems on Monopill and Optima seeders. With 25 years’ experience of electric drives, the precision of Kverneland’s latest e-drive II is staggering. GEOSEED level 1 synchronises seeding within the machine’s working width, while the more advanced GEOSEED level 2 synchronises seeding on a pass-to-pass basis, across the entire field. This provides a diamond seed spacing pattern, giving optimum space and light for each plant. Electric drive continues to be an integral part of the
Kverneland precision seeder portfolio. Its sophistication has ensured the Optima has become a firm favourite among maize growers for example, as a result of its ability to eliminate overlaps. This highly advanced seed placement capability has also made it possible to sow maize mazes without mechanical intervention. The Optima range is available in trailed and mounted versions, from six to 16 rows. Monopill seeders, traditionally the precision planter of choice for sugar beet growers, include rigid and folding models from 12-24 rows. All Kverneland precision seeders can be combined with the ISOBUS compatible iXtra LiFe front tank for liquid fertiliser applications.
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To qualify for the two-year warranty offer, customers must register their machine online through http://my.kverneland. com and also have their machine serviced before the first year’s warranty expires by a Kverneland dealer, and at the customer’s expense. Terms and conditions apply, and wear parts are excluded from this offer.
Edition is capable of left- and right-hand side variable rate applications, creating greater opportunities for application accuracy. All of which can be handled by the increased computing power of the IsoMatch Tellus Pro advanced universal terminal.
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area and looked at buying a precision seeder that would be future-proofed with technology and last us for many years.”
This six-row Optima V has just completed 45ha of maize drilling for its new owner, GM&C Baillie of Sills Farm, Parbold, Lancashire. It replaced an old four-row unit, which had recently been parked in favour of a local contractor’s maize drilling services. “We had cut right back on maize, and were growing just 15ha, and so the figures didn’t stack up with buying our own drill – it was more cost-effective to use a contractor,” explains George Baillie. “But a rethink with rations led us to seek more maize for the herd’s diet. So we trebled our maize
Bought through local dealer Clarke & Pulman, the sixrow Optima V includes HDII seeding units, offers starter fertiliser, and with GEOSEED the farm gets section control for auto start/stop and reduction of overlaps. With ISOBUS plug and play compatibility, the drill is operated directly through the Fendt terminal.
“We have our own selfpropelled forager, so adding a maize drill seemed a logical step to take more control over home-grown forage.”
George Baillie | Owner
Metallurgy – the science of steel quality and hardening It is well-documented that heat treatment of metals increases strength and wear resistance. In turn, this allows the use of thinner, lighter materials, which affords a reduction in weight and improved fuel efficiency. Just how much heat is applied, and for how long, remain closely guarded secrets when it comes to Kverneland original parts. Working closely with two specially chosen steel mills, Kverneland uses many different heat treatment and hardening processes at its plough factory, as it processes 25,000 tonnes of steel each year. So what goes into the parts, and why? Carbon – for hardness and wear resistance; Manganese and silicone - for strength and flexibility; Boron – to extend the heat treatment possibilities.
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There are also three key grades to hardened steel. These include non-alloyed steels, low-alloyed steels and high-alloyed steels. And combinations of this impressive melting pot make up 15 different formulations of Kverneland’s Sagitta steel. These steel formulations are confidential, and are exclusive to Kverneland, and are not available to other farm machinery manufacturers. Why so many formulations? Well, that depends on where the part is being used. Importantly, it enables shares to have the same wear characteristics as points, because wearing parts are constantly exposed to different abrasive materials. But too much heat can result in brittleness? Yes, it can, but metallurgists at Kverneland’s two laboratories have created
a solution to combine strength, toughness and flexibility, while avoiding brittleness.
surface treatment, the parts remain flexible to absorb shocks without breaking.
Kverneland mouldboards and shins also benefit from carbonising - the process of adding carbon to the surface of metals at very high temperatures, to create an extremely hard finish. As a
Tempering – also known as zoned heat treatment - then removes the hardness around bolt holes, while maintaining hardness at the cutting edge. Some parts such as bolts, axles and pins require exceptional hardness, and this is where nitrating takes over after the standard heat treatment process is complete. Nitrogen diffuses into the steel to produce a thin but extremely hard surface. It is why Kverneland original parts provide you with maximum hardness with a perfect shape for optimum performance. And lighter materials deliver a lower resistance when in the ground, so your Kverneland plough will be easier to pull, too.
Low draught ploughs boost output Shropshire contractor J Lea & Sons is a firm believer in the plough. With 1,200ha going over the boards each season for its customers, it is a workload that is managed by a pair of fullymounted, six-furrow ES 85/200 models. “There are two reasons why we prefer Kverneland ploughs,” explains Dave Lea. “The first is the number 28 body – it lets us run with 710 tyres in the furrow. And the second is the lightweight and high strength construction. And because of this, the Kv plough is the easiest to pull, and that means we save fuel.”
Operating from Home Farm, Longville in the Dale near Much Wenlock, Shropshire, the Lea’s say that because of the plough’s construction, there’s no need for a big, heavy tractor just to lift the plough. “We can operate these ploughs with 200hp quite easily,” says Dave. “A 200hp tractor gives us 45-50 acres/day output per plough. And we don’t have the benefit of big fields – the average is about 11 acres.” With six seasons under their belts, the two ES models replaced a pair of older fivefurrow Kverneland ploughs with 100cm point to point clearance. “Moving to 85cm meant we gained a furrow, but kept
the same length plough,” he recalls. “It still keeps plough size manageable, and that’s as important around narrow lanes as it is in fields.” Furrow widths vary from 1620in according to soil types and conditions, but the resulting finish makes it easy for the firm to follow with a 6m power harrow drill combination. “We prefer to run with a simple
but effective establishment system,” Dave explains. “And the addition of knock-on points saves us time too – it all adds up to more efficiency for us, and a better job for our customers.”
“The Kv plough is the easiest to pull, and that means we save fuel ” Dave Lea | Owner
Fantastic germination from e-drill combination drill just to keep going, and over the winter, we reviewed our options and looked for a suitable combination to take our business forward.” The family-run farming business opted for a 4m e-drill Maxi, sitting above a 4m NG-S power harrow to create a close-coupled combination on the back of the farm’s John Deere 7830. Supplied by Netherton Tractors at Tollmuir, Forfar, the outfit arrived on-farm in time to drill 100ha of spring barley. With 300ha of combinable crops, the farm ploughs ahead of the drill. He believes the power harrow’s cracker packer provides the optimum level of consolidation directly behind the coulters.
Constantly changing weather patterns have led Finavon-based William Orr & Sons to return to a one-pass power harrow drill combination, to guarantee crop establishment. It follows an eight-year period with a 4m trailed cultivator drill, which was
said to require too much seedbed preparation as weather windows shortened. “We struggled last autumn to get crops in with our previous drill,” explains William Orr, of West Mains. “We bought an old
“We’re really pleased with the seed placement and germination,” says William. “It’s done a far better job of getting our spring barley up and away – much better than our old drill.”
says. “So buying an ISOBUS-ready drill does mean we’ve futureproofed our drilling for when we do change tractors.” “That said, it’s already a very easy machine to use. Seed rolls are easy to swap and calibration is straight-forward,” he adds. “I don’t have auto start/stop on the drill, so I do need to allow for a little overlap.” Mr Orr is so pleased with the e-drill that he plans to sow oilseed rape with it, this summer. “We’ve bought an adapter plate to fit inside the seed distribution head, to blank off every other outlet, to create 25cm row spacings for rape,” says William. With an output of around 2.5 ha/ hr, he says output is marginally slower than his previous drill, but it is a compromise worth making for the benefit of better germination and establishment.
A Tellus GO in-cab terminal takes care of drill set-up, with the farm yet to take advantage of ISOBUS.
“The e-drill has done a fantastic job of getting our spring barley off to a flying start”
“We’re only using auto-steer,” he
William Orr | Owner
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Exacta-TL delivers much-needed accuracy
High accuracy and high output from TLX “We were considering a second fertiliser spreader to help meet our expanding workload,” says Matt Houldcroft, farms manager at R&R Mills, Woodside Farm, Empingham, Rutland. “But the capacity and accuracy of Kverneland’s TLX GEOSPREAD has easily ruled that out.” Supplied by local dealer Sharmans, the high capacity spreader has applied over 1,440 tonnes of fertiliser in 419 hours, across 7,520ha (18,580 acres) in just under 12 months. “It’s an impressive bit of kit,” says Matt. “Our crops look great, and our overlaps have been virtually eliminated.” Applying fertilisers to 2,000ha of combinable crops for multiple land owners, R&R Mills demands accuracy and output in equal measure. Applications are made on 36m tramlines and include split dosing plus variable rates – the latter with MOP from 60-400kg/ha. With the new spreader, forward speeds are consistently up to 20kph. “We’ve been very impressed with its accuracy and output,” he says. “And a 300ha day is easily achievable, by bringing fertiliser to the spreader.”
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Mr Houldcroft reckons savings on overlaps add up to around 8%, with just a few kilos left in the hopper after each field. “I’ve never known a weighing system to be this good,” he adds. “Accuracy gives you confidence, but you have to trust the technology. We used to take several extra bags of fertiliser when spreading on outlying blocks of land – now we only take one extra bag. And this has improved logistics enormously for us.” Operator Iwan Jones (above, left) agrees.
At Upton Park Farm, Old Alresford, Hants, farm manager Tim Walters is constantly looking for cost savings and efficiency gains. And a recent shift into Greenstar precision farming systems led the farm to upgrade its fertiliser spreader to take advantage of section control. That was three years ago, and the value of fertiliser it has spread – and saved – has gone a long way towards recovering its investment in Kverneland spreader technology. Spreading on 30m tramlines across 800ha, fields range from 1.1 to 36ha in size. Upton Park Farm also makes variable rate applications from 80-520kg/ha, with the spreader delivering an impressive boost to output and efficiency. “We’ve had weigh cell spreaders for years, but the Kverneland Exacta-TL with section control is super-accurate,” says Tim. “This spreader is very clever, and it’s putting fertiliser exactly where it needs to go.”
“I’d say it’s more accurate than our sprayer,” adds Iwan. “Section control plus auto start/stop is just incredible. And it’s so easy to use. You pick it up, plug it in and away you go.” Run through the tractor’s Greenstar terminal, he says the high-output TLX GEOSPREAD has given the firm the capacity to cover large acreages while maintaining accuracy. “Application timing is everything, and if it wasn’t for the Kverneland spreader, we’d probably have to run two spreaders to keep up,” he says.
After three seasons’ use, he reports that there is no waste, no overlap, and the farm is getting far better use from its fertilisers. “We do buy high quality fertiliser, though it’s amazing how inconsistent some of our deliveries can be,” he says. “Fortunately, we can compensate with the technology available on the spreader, and SCS is our
benchmark for spread pattern checks.” Supplied by R Hunt Engineers, the spreader features a hydraulic drive instead of a traditional mechanical pto, to provide additional fuelsaving functionality. “It works very well on our JD6190R,” says operator Dave Shearman (below, right). “I just set the disc speed on a spool valve, and drive the tractor. With a CVT gearbox, I can vary my revs and speed to suit any situation, and the spreader responds.” “It means we can run very efficiently on low-power applications, at low engine revs, which reduces fuel consumption.” Being ISOBUS-compatible, the spreader’s control screen is shown on the tractor’s command centre monitor, with field guidance shown on a 2630 Greenstar display. “ISOBUS works really well – it reduces in-cab clutter, but you really need two screens to make the most of guidance, to save swapping between different views.” And to make operation simpler and safer, the team is currently looking to add a catwalk at the back of the spreader, so it can load three bags – inline - over the side of the hopper. “We’re constantly looking for ways to improve safety and efficiency,” he adds.
Arable systems to focus on crop production Maintaining soil structure is a key aspect of arable crop production according to David Holmes, commercial product manager for Kverneland arable systems. And one of the best ways to ensure compaction is addressed and drainage is improved, is to reach for the subsoiler. “Timing is everything, but using a subsoiler is all about how we leave the finish, in combination with what’s happening below the surface,” he says. “The subsoiler’s Pro-Lift tine point is the key element that fractures soil up through to the surface, while the wings provide heave and additional cracking.” The Flatliner is a new addition to the Kverneland portfolio, and it joins the range following the recent acquisition of Great Plains by parent company Kubota. Flatliner is a V-format sub-soiler in 3m (FL300) and 3.5m (FL350) working widths, offering three or five-leg options with shear-bolt protection. Equipped with Pro-Lift tines, the bolt-on clamps allow adjustment of tine spacing across the main frame to suit different farming systems. Three different wing sizes are available, to achieve different fracturing according to soil types and conditions.
“Wings can be a standard design, wide wing or a high-lift design,” he says. “But it is important to reach for a spade before operation, to investigate what level of soil repair is required.” “And when in use, it is important to uncover the leg, wing and point while the Pro-Lift tine is in the ground, to assess the repair work that the Flatliner is doing.” Mr Holmes says that of equal importance is the packer roller. And a 600mm DD unit affords depth control and consolidation. “DD rings are a two-piece boron steel construction for longevity,” says David. “They are held together by a patented pressure design, reducing maintenance. This feature avoids the need for welded rings to achieve strength and integrity – and tightening the axle provides clamp-load to keep the rings tight.” He says that the profile of the DD rings, with its chamfered shoulder profile, exerts the correct level of consolidation to depth into the soil to provide weather-resistance without capping. “There is a 230mm spacing between the tops of the DD rings, with the additional 30mm either side providing an ideal weatherproof seedbed. And
this feature is even more beneficial on the DTX deep loosening cultivator.” The Kverneland DTX provides a 3m working width, and in its transition to the Kverneland range from its former green livery, has undergone considerable upgrades. Firstly, it has received the Qualidisc’s cultivation disc assemblies, hydraulic depth adjustment and the option of side levelling boards. DTX also gets headstock improvements and better frame durability – the latter from the improved manufacturing processes at Kverneland Group’s LLG facility. “Pro-Lift tines are a key feature of this machine,” says David. “And while they are currently available with shearbolt protection or hydraulic reset protection.” “Generous space and stagger between the two rows of discs that follow the Pro-Lift tines makes this a serious option for those looking for a one pass cultivation system ahead of drilling,” he adds. “The consolidation left by the DD rings leaves a series of weather-proof ridges which makes this an ideal implement for use as primary or secondary cultivator, that can also work on top of ploughing.” The revised DTX is rated for 300hp. Low disturbance (LD) tines are also available for both FL and DTX models.
David Holmes joins Kverneland As newly appointed commercial product manager for arable systems, David Holmes brings a wealth of experience and specialist knowledge to Kverneland UK. Formerly sales director with Great Plains UK and Simba International, David’s knowledge of cultivations and seeding within arable crop establishment systems will continue to add depth and diversity to the portfolio. His role involves working with Kverneland in the UK and also with Kverneland Group across Europe, as the business expands its product offering in this area. He is joined by two former Great Plains UK colleagues, Kevin Waddingham, and Andy Lake. Kevin has joined the UK parts operation at Lea Green to oversee the integration and supply of Great Plains parts, while Andy takes up a service and support role to provide assistance to dealers and customers.
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“We’re really pleased with the accuracy of the Kultistrip ” Gareth Davies | Operator Cambridgeshire-based LS Plant Breeding (LSPB) has chosen a Kultistrip to carry out strip tillage for its oilseed rape trial plots. The move follows a migration from traditional plough and power-harrow based seedbed preparation, giving the business uncultivated land where wheelings can be placed. Leaving swathes of soil untouched also reduces competition for the trial plots. But perhaps more importantly, strip tillage has enabled starter fertiliser to be incorporated at precise depths, ahead of drilling. “We’re really pleased with the accuracy of the Kultistrip,” explains LSPB’s Gareth Davies who is involved with harvesting and drilling the trial plots. “We have a five-row unit that lets us follow with a plot drill to sow twin rows of oilseed rape near the edge of each strip of cultivated soil.” “The three central strips form the trial plot, with each using a 22cm band of cultivated soil, separated by a 28cm gap,” explains Gareth.
Kultistrip suits LS Plant Breeding’s oilseed rape trials “And the two outer units are set much wider, leaving a 55cm gap to allow for tractor wheelings, before the outer rows form the basis of a plot border to create defined separation between plots.” Now in its third season, the fiverow unit was chosen following successful use of an identical model, at LSPB’s parent company in Germany. Combined with a DF1 front tank, it allows fertiliser to be placed into the strip, making nutrients readily available to encourage crop establishment and fend off pest and weed competition. “Where we used to spread fertiliser ahead of power harrowing and then mix it in to the whole seedbed, we can now be much more precise and that means we’re no longer feeding any weeds,” says Gareth.
This provides a physical boundary with a single variety, to protect the highly important in-field trial plots.” LSPB is wholly-owned by NPZLembke, which is a privatelyowned plant breeding company operating from two sites in Germany. NPZ-Lembke is a leading breeder of oilseed rape, beans and peas, with a long track record of breeding successful varieties for UK growers. In the UK, LSPB operates plant breeding trials across 25ha on-site at Manor Farm, Impingham, and 15ha off-site. Its key focus is on oilseed rape, peas and beans, but also features winter and spring sown wheat and barley
varieties. Its 2018 oilseed rape programme includes thousands of 12m x 1.2m trial plots on 15ha, with cereal plots measuring just 6m x 1m, dictating that accuracy and efficiency are essential components of its breeding trials. Its 2017-18 AHDB winter oilseed rape recommended lists show LSPB’s hybrid variety Wembley maintaining its consistent performance, while specially recommended Mentor continues as the only club-root resistant variety. LSPB’s upcoming varieties Crome and Walker are starting their journeys through the official trials system, and showing promise.
He says that in addition to reduced cultivations, the Kultistrip has encouraged LSPB to consider other options in future. “We’d like to try strip tillage for establishing bean trials, and with the addition of a small seeder, we can also see an opportunity for one-pass establishment of headlands with the Kultistrip.
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