Headland News issue 34

Issue 34

Headland news

WHEN FARMING MEANS BUSINESS

Welcome to Issue 34 The recent dry spell followed by some much-needed rainfall has come as a welcome respite to the difficulties faced by the country as a whole, as we battle with the impact of COVID-19. It is a term that meant so little just two months ago, but will be etched on our memories for many years to come.

As an industry, we have been called upon to ensure that adequate supplies of food are available for the population and UK farmers have responded admirably. We have plans in place to ensure we keep both our dealer network and the UK’s farmers supplied with the parts, service and machinery needed to ensure crops are sown and livestock is fed.

We have always known the importance of producing local food, to high standards and at a price that is fair. And these criteria are now appreciated much more, by the population and those who govern us.

We trust you will all take good care of yourselves, your families and those you work with. We will continue to do all in our power to support your needs, as we work our way through these extremely difficult and challenging times.

Joe Bell

Managing Director

2020

Show Dates Royal Highland Show Ingliston, Edinburgh June 18-21

NED O P T POS

Royal Welsh Show Llanelwedd, Builth Wells July 20-23

ED N O TP POS

Tilage-Live Down Ampney, Gloucestershire Sept 23 UK Dairy Day International Centre, Telford, Shropshire Sept 16

KV dealers scoop awards Eight Kverneland dealers have been recognised for their achievements in the key areas of parts and service at the recently held 2020 Kverneland dealer conferences.

Developed to reward those dealers who consistently put effort into parts stocking and increasing original parts sales, the awards also recognise ontime machine servicing, repairs and inspections for customers.

Since the awards were first introduced in 2017, parts marketing manager for Kverneland Group UK Richard Bennett, has witnessed a significant increase in dealer performance across the network.

“To win the parts excellence awards, we considered many key areas, including preseason orders, display of parts marketing materials, communication with customers,

on-farm visits, and parts promotions to customers,” adds Richard.

“I am pleased to say that many of our dealers have really embraced this scheme and come on-board with this incentive,” he says. “We want our dealers to give the best possible service for our customers, and these awards are due recognition of that development.”

recognition to dealer service and warranty support from within the Kverneland network, plus a level of on-going customer support provided through accreditation, for Kverneland precision farming products. Importance was also placed on the annual servicing needs, to validate the second year of warranty.

Service excellence awards presented to:

Parts excellence awards presented to:

• North west region – Mona Tractors (Ruthin branch)

• North west region – Clarke and Pulman

• Scotland and the north – J&S Montgomery (Beith branch)

• Scotland and the north – Netherton Tractors

• Eastern region – AT Houghton

• Eastern region – Sharmans Agricultural

• South west region – Andrew Symons

• South west region – GCS Agricentre

The Kverneland dealer excellence awards are accessible to all dealers in the Kverneland network.

Service awards were also presented, and give due

Parts availability during COVID-19 While we all face up to a new way of working in light of the Coronavirus pandemic, Kverneland Group UK has taken all the necessary steps – in line with Government guidelines – to make sure that new machines, product support and spare parts continue to remain available.

Our central parts warehouse

2

at Metz, France, is still fully operational. And the UK parts warehouse at St Helens is maintaining performance at 98.8% for on-time deliveries.

In addition, our dealers are encouraged to make their parts stock visible on the portal, so that all dealers in the Kverneland network can

also help each other in these exceptional times, to counter any unexpected delays in getting replacement parts.

While it’s important to stay safe and consider others, it’s also about continuing to...

#feedthenation

Heavy duty mowing Those in search of greater mowing capacity now have another option to choose from, within the Kverneland portfolio.

It is the 5387MT, a heavy-duty butterfly mower conditioner, that offers an 8.75m working width.

Designed to work seamlessly with Kverneland’s 3300-series front-mounted mower conditioners, this new butterfly uses the QuattroLink suspension system, which sees each 3.2m rear mowing unit carried with four suspension arms located onto a fixed beam. As such, each centrally mounted mower bed can float independently of the main frame, so it can respond

quickly and accurately to changes in ground contours.

forward speeds, ensuring a clean cut with an even stubble height.

QuattroLink affords 700mm of vertical movement and also 30-degrees of transverse oscillation, while maintaining a constant ground pressure during work. This new system has been designed to provide increased mower bed stability at higher

A further advantage of QuattroLink is its 100% safety breakaway function, which sees the mower bed move simultaneously backwards and upwards to clear an obstacle.

Semi-swing steel conditioning tines and an adjustable

Dealer accreditation reinforces iM Farming technology dealers are the only ones who are fully equipped, trained and competent to help you get the most out of your Kverneland iM Farming products.

With recent advances in precision farming technology, it has become more important than ever to increase training and investment in dealer sales and service personnel. Which is why we’ve invested heavily in a Kverneland Dealer Accreditation programme.

This is to ensure all participating dealers can provide the level of service and support that

customers expect from their Kverneland precision farming products. Simultaneously, dealers are also recognising the need for continuous professional development for their employees.

We’re pleased to report that 76 dealer personnel have attended so far, and they comprise a mix of sales, service and precision farming specialists. These

Accredited dealers will also become the dealer of choice for sales, service and support for all iM Farming products.

These include any Kverneland equipment that uses electronics, software, satellite technology, online tools and big data, to enable precision implement control.

This also includes universal terminals, licence keys, GEO capability and guidance, ensuring that customers get the highest level of knowledge and expertise, to support them with the correct iM Farming solution.

Make sure your Kverneland dealer is accredited.

conditioner plate, plus wide spreading vanes and swath plates are fitted as standard, and the unit folds vertically, beyond 90-degrees for transport.

Suitable for tractors with a minimum of 200hp, the 5387MT can be used with mechanical controls or the optional ComfortControl joystick.

Follow us on

Join our ever growing following on Instagram, tag us in your photos using @kverneland_uk

@kverneland_uk

3

Meet Kverneland’s forage and feeding specialist Dan Crowe is Kverneland’s forage and feeding specialist. He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the sector, in a career that spans 23 years with the company.

“When you get stuck into feed rations and cow performance, the level of professionalism from within the dairy industry just goes up a notch,” he says. “Agriculture becomes a totally different world, almost scientific, with virtually no margin for error, and our ability to support customers in these areas

becomes essential.”

His career path is one that has remained closely allied to the grass and forage sector, following agricultural engineering at Harper Adams at degree-level, from 1987-1991.

Time on a large dairy farm and then with a silage contractor promoted Dan’s interest in all things forage-related. He joined Kverneland as a service engineer based in Devizes, Wiltshire, to help develop the grass products

side of the business, before progressing to the product manager’s role in 2002.

With an expanded portfolio of grass and forage products to manage, he soon found himself in direct contact with customers, in addition to enjoying a close working relationship with Kverneland Group factories.

He has been instrumental in the continued development of the highly successful 860-series of bale shredder/bedders, with

high-profile livestock producers around the UK. But increasingly, he is focussed on supporting dairy customers via dealers, to ensure expert advice is easily accessed to get the best from Siloking feeders.

“We’ve taken a partnered approach to help our dairy customers to find the best solutions and improve their businesses, while helping them get the very best out of their investment in Kverneland machines,” he says. “And that support extends from the smallest bale shredder to the largest selfpropelled diet feeder.”

“There is tremendous variety in the livestock and dairy sectors,” he says. “With a range of Kverneland machines that start with forage production mowing, tedding, raking – and finish with feeding and bedding, there is always an opportunity to make a real difference with our customers.”

“The dairy industry’s professionalism continues to impress” Dan Crowe | Product Manager

Get ready for the season Be prepared for the coming season by giving your Kverneland grass equipment a health check. It’s a good opportunity to make sure you’ve also got sufficient stock of wearing parts such as rake and tedder tines, mower knives and conditioner tines.

Keep downtime to a minimum by contacting your local Kverneland dealer, to take advantage of special promotions on Original Parts and service kits.

Make sure all PTO drive lines and joints are clean and lubricated.

Check all tines, safety fixings and tine arms for wear or damage. Ensure all fixings are tight.

Replace if necessary.

Check all hydraulic hoses and connections. Replace if necessary.

Ensure all safety guarding is fitted and functioning correctly.

Check all steering and pivots points. Grease if necessary.

4

Check the condition and operation of all road lights. Repair/replace if necessary.

Check the condition and pressure of all tyres. Replace or adjust if necessary.

Producing high-quality feed Friendship Estates is a family-run farming and feed manufacturing business near Doncaster. With the emphasis on high quality, owner Andrew Cooke has a keen eye on varieties, traceability and wildlife habitats too.

Farming over 1,500 acres across a range of soil types, the operation grows a mix of cereals alongside ryegrass, timothy and lucerne for the equestrian and pet markets. Its flagship product ReadiGrass – pure grass with only the water removed – is one of a range of forages monitored by feed quality assurance schemes.

“We put a lot of effort into producing high-quality forage, so we can create a wide range of high-quality feed products for customers,” explains Andrew Cooke. “And that applies to semiwilted and dried products, herbs and extruded cereals.”

It is a philosophy that cascades down through everything Friendship Estates does,

and waste grass and straw is composted and recycled back to seedbeds, reducing the need for inorganic fertilisers.

Machinery purchases are equally as diligent. And through local dealer Farmstar, the farm has, over the last few years, added a 3332MT and 3332FT front/rear 6m mower conditioner combination, plus 80110C and 85112 tedders, a 9471S Vario rake and an Exacta TL GEOSPREAD with Tellus GO to help the farm maintain its impeccable attention to detail with forage production.

“The mowers do give us a very good quality of cut, which is important for stubble management and recurring crop growth,” he says. “Hydraulic top links give us the ability to fine-tune our stubble heights according to crop variety.”

While conditioner quality comes in for similar praise, the farm chooses to produce identical sized swaths from the front and rear mowers, so it can manage wilting

“We create a wide range of high quality feed products” Andrew Cooke | Owner times to perfection.

“It’s the best way to manage natural crop drying times,” he says. “Then the tedders are used to full capacity – and having two provides an element of safety when the grass is on the ground, and you want to make the most of the weather.”

While haylage products are baled, crops destined for the on-farm drying plant are picked up using a forage wagon, and taken straight for processing.

“The rake is set to work delicately, to avoid any form of crop contamination,” he says.

“We leave generous stubble heights and steer clear of the soil below, to maintain a high-quality product.”

The arrival of an Exacta TL GEOSPREAD followed, settling on staying with a tried and tested dealer, to guarantee backup with a technically advanced spreader.

“While we predominantly use liquid fertilisers at different rates to suit crop and soil types, we test for P and K levels every three years, and adjust using straights and a selection of blends,” he says. “And the TL GEOSPREAD with weigh cells, section control and GPS is an excellent way of achieving this. We can switch rates quickly and easily.”

“We do use GPS on the sprayer and mower, so the technology is in place with us, to run with accuracy and efficiency,” adds Mr Cooke. “And opting for the Exacta TL GEOSPREAD has future-proofed our applications while boosting output and accuracy.”

“When it comes to spreading near field boundaries and water courses, we’re easily complying with best practice,” he adds.

5

Educational precision For more than 30 years, Willowdene Farm near Bridgnorth, Shropshire, has been a pioneer of innovative rehabilitative solutions for those coming from disadvantaged backgrounds.

with fully equipped workshops, classrooms and the ability to teach a wide range of countryside skills, including forestry, farming, horticulture, livestock husbandry and engineering.”

“Our on-farm training centre takes in around 800 students/year,” explains Matt Home, who runs the family business along with his father, John.

“Ours is a true social enterprise,

Away from teaching, the Home family still needs to manage its 200 store cattle, 50 acres of arable crops and 150 acres of grassland.

“Time is our biggest challenge,” says Matt. “We want kit with plug-andplay simplicity, which we can use confidently and easily, to get the job done with the minimum of fuss when away from the classroom.”

It is why the farm bought an Exacta CL GEOSPREAD through local dealer Western Farm Services of Knighton,

“We want kit with plugand-play simplicity” Matt Home | Owner for the 2020 season. With Tellus GO terminal, lightbar for steering guidance, IsoMatch Global receiver and one-metre section control capability, he says spreading accuracy is brilliant.

“We’ve really improved our efficiency with fertiliser spreading,” says Matt. “On our 24m tramlines, the overlaps in our arable crops are

Heavy duty shredding

managed to perfection. But there’s greater savings and efficiency on our grassland - it doesn’t matter how we drive, the spreader simply covers the field accurately and evenly, without overlaps.”

“We bought an extra wiring loom, so we can use the Tellus GO and the lightbar guidance in our Bateman HiLo sprayer,” he adds. “And we also bought storage wheels for the spreader, so we can roll it in and out of the classrooms to teach our students about the latest farming technology and the benefits of GPS.”

from morning to night over a fivemonth period,” says head shepherd Nigel Parkes.

Each season, the farm handles around 1,400 round bales and 300 large square bales.

“Such a workload demands performance and reliability from our kit, and with baled silage, the 864 is particularly impressive,”

“We’re feeding and bedding continuously over a five-month period” Nigel Parkes | Head Shepherd says Mr Parkes. “We only use a four-cylinder John Deere, yet the 864 simply chews its way through round bale silage with zero risk of blockage.”

As one of the most important areas for wildlife and nature in Wales, the 12,000-acre Ty-Llwyd farm in the Lake Vyrnwy estate continues to enjoy the highest levels of designation.

Comprising upland, moorland and blanket bog, the farm plays host to a wide variety of wildlife that integrates with its 3,500 Welsh mountain sheep, Welsh black cattle and hill ponies.

6

As such, the all-organic operation operates with the highest degree of sensitivity for its surroundings, as farm manager Huw Evans explains.

“When it comes to making silage for our livestock, we produce high dry matter round bales, for winter feeding,” he says. “We cannot allow any form of effluent or run-off from our fields, into the nearby water courses or into Lake Vyrnwy reservoir.”

Dealing with high dry matter forage – and large square straw bales – has posed challenges with bale shredding. And the farm has recently switched to a Kverneland 864 Pro, trailed bale shredder/ bedder, supplied by Charlies at Coed-y-dinas.

“When the flock comes home, in preparation for lambing, we’re feeding and bedding continuously

He says that silage is easily put out for stock, by lowering the spout to drop forage against the feed barriers.

“The fan speed is impressive, and while the shredder/bedder can sometimes drop short when blowing straw across to the back of the wider sheds, straw bedding is distributed in a generously wide pattern,” he adds. “It’s a very impressive machine.”

Self-propelled boosts feeding efficiency The switch to a Kverneland Siloking self-propelled diet feeder has shortened feeding times and improved efficiency for one Lancashire dairy producer.

“We had been using a tractor and trailed feeder, plus a telehandler to feed 750 cows,” explains Thomas Pickervance of H&C Pickervance based at Roseacre Hall Farm, Kirkham. “With a need to update our feeder, we took the opportunity to look at ways of improving feed logistics.”

That solution came in the guise

of a SelfLine 4.0, System 500+ feeder, supplied by local dealer Clarke and Pulman.

and his team can feed in any situation, and in any of the farm’s buildings.

“Since the Siloking machine arrived, we’ve shortened our feeding times by about three hours each day,” he says. “It’s impressive. And given the variety of our rations, we’ve found that it’s very quick at mixing – it’ll prepare a small load quicker than you can think about it.”

“The four-wheel steering makes this machine extremely manoeuvrable, and with a 218hp Volvo engine, it has plenty of power,” adds Thomas.

“We also feed at two locations, though just half a mile apart.

And with a 50kph travel speed, this is another worthwhile improvement to logistics.”

With two front hydraulic doors on the 19 cubic metre tub, and a rear cross-conveyor, Mr Pickervance

“Since the Siloking machine arrived, we’ve shortened our feeding times by about three hours each day”

Mr Pickervance says that the feeder operator no longer needs Thomas Pickervance | Owner to cab-hop, so gets the benefit of enjoying time in one good cab whole crop, straw and concentrates environment. for its herd and followers. Rations are geared to suit individual cow “Ration preparations are good, and the whole system just works groups, including high and lowyielders, dry cows and heifers, with so much more efficiently than before,” he says. “And the milling the addition of a wet mix prepared head gives us a level of accuracy separately, to create ingredients for the following day’s mixes. that we rarely achieved using a telehandler bucket – we’re now making rations with consistent quality.”

The 800-acre farm produces around 12 different mixes on a daily basis, using grass, maize,

“Time is something that is very difficult to get back – and switching to the self-propelled feeder has saved time that can now be allocated to additional livestock duties,” he says.

7

Great silage starts with a clean cut For the last 37 years, mowing has been an integral part of contracting for Andrew Kippax.

that lets us drop a large acreage very quickly, to take advantage of the weather.”

“We started with a 9ft mower, as the single swath suited the balers – both round and conventional – rather than pulling two smaller lumpy swaths together using a haybob,” he recalls.

“Our Kverneland mowers offer my business much more flexibility than either a 3m trailed or a 9m butterfly,” says Andrew. “And it suits our available tractor power, and if we needed to, we could send both units out separately to keep dropping grass.”

Since then, machinery has evolved, productivity has soared, and larger volumes of grass are needed to keep silage teams operating efficiently. It is why the firm now uses a Kverneland 3632FT up front with a 3332MT at the rear.

Based at Wigfair Hall, St Asaph, north Wales, AS Kippax Agricultural Contractors scythes it way through 1,500 acres of grass each season, on its way to foraging a total of 3,500 acres of grass using a pair of self-propelled foragers.

“We have a lot of customers who still like to get involved with silaging, and for many, that means mowing,” he says. “But as tractor and forager power has gone up, we’ve shifted to a 6m mower conditioner combination – it’s a flexible and efficient system

Mr Kippax likes the rear mower’s vertical folding transport

position, creating a compact outfit without excessive rear overhang. He also has high praise for the QuattroLink mower bed suspension.

“The race-car suspension really ticked a big box for us,” he says.

“We have lots of undulating ground, plus steep rolling fields, and the ability for both mowers to follow ground contours was a big plus.”

that works very well, and the cutting quality is fantastic,” he adds.

Supplied by Mona Tractors, the outfit is used on one of two JD 6195R tractors, making the most of auto-steering to maximise output and minimise overlaps.

“The cutting quality is fantastic” Andrew Kippax | Contractor

“And I have to say, it’s a system “Field sizes are an average of 7-8 acres,” he says. “And very few are close to square. So it’s important that we always try to mow from the longest boundary, set an A-B line and keep all short-work to a minimum. It’s the best way to mow efficiently.”

He says that output is around 120 acres/day, with forward speeds of around 15kph.

“We ted 99% of what we mow to shorten wilting times, and the semi-swinging steel tine conditioner gets the process off to a great start,” he says. “Then a four-rotor rake pulls 15m into one swath, which keeps our two foragers comfortably fed.”

Your Nearest Dealer: Headland News is published by Kverneland Group UK Limited. All rights reserved. No part of the publication may be reproduced, stored in a data retrieval system or transmitted in any form or means electronic, photographic, recording or otherwise, without prior permission of the publisher.

http://uk.kverneland.com

www.facebook.com/KvernelandUK