Headland News - Arable Focus Issue 45

Adaptability and flexibility continue to be critical factors as we deal with fluctuating commodity markets along with increased demand for productivity and sustainability. Availability of skilled labour, continued automation and advanced mechanisation are fast becoming necessities for our industry.

Such criteria are all in the ‘list of requirements’ when our product specialists and design engineers are developing our new product roadmaps. Our recently acquired range of mechanical weeders, the TTS system and the new No.40 plough body are examples of new products designed to improve efficiency and productivity.

To support our dealer network in bringing these products to market, we are also expanding the Kverneland demonstration team with the addition of two more experienced demonstrators.

Please contact your Kverneland dealer to arrange your demonstration of one of the many products featured in this arable edition of Headland News.

HOPKINS MACHINERY JOINS THE KVERNELAND DEALER NETWORK

South Wales-based dealership Hopkins Machinery has been appointed as a Kverneland dealer.

Headquartered at St Brides Wentloog, Newport, South Wales, the family-run business started by Ted Hopkins in 1987 offers extensive reach through its depots that also include Brecon in Powys and its newest location at Kilcot, near Newent, Gloucestershire.

“We’ve been looking to grow our business by providing a much more focussed approach for new and existing agricultural customers,” explains Evan Hopkins, pictured, who is involved with day-to-day running of the business alongside his parents Chris and Jayne.

Hopkins Machinery’s latest depot, a former Buildbase site at Kilcot, Gloucestershire, provides extensive workshop facilities and yard space from which it can continue to grow. With 18 service technicians across the business offering mobile and workshop-based support, Evan Hopkins has confidence in the firm’s ability to look after its customers.

“Pushing our area north and east with the help of a new depot in Kilcot, has opened up greater opportunities for arable equipment,” he says. “And with an extensive range of arable equipment alongside grass and feeding machinery, the Kverneland portfolio gives us exactly what we and our customers need, to move forward.”

F-DRILL FRONT HOPPER INCREASES SEEDING OPTIONS

Joe Bell | Managing Director

2023 SHOW DATES

Royal Highland Show

22-25 June, Royal Highland Centre, Edinburgh

Royal Welsh Show

24-27 July, Royal Welsh Showground, Builth Wells

UK Dairy Day

13 September, The International Centre, Telford, Shropshire

Scottish Ploughing Championships

27-28 October, Monkton Hill Farm, Prestwick, Ayrshire

AgriScot

22 November, Royal Highland Centre, Edinburgh

Kverneland’s f-drill front hopper provides larger carrying capacities of seed or fertiliser for those seeking more productivity from combination outfits.

Two versions are available – f-drill Compact and f-drill Maxi – with hopper capacities of 1,600 litres and 2,200 litres respectively. Both benefit from Kverneland’s innovative ELDOS electric metering unit complete with hydraulic fan drive, capable of delivering application rates from 1-400kg/ha.

With ISOBUS e-com software, the f-drill provides plug and play functionality through any ISOBUS compatible tractor, using either the

tractor terminal, a Universal Terminal, or the IsoMatch Tellus Pro or Tellus GO+ terminals.

With its own seed metering unit and 100mm diameter distribution system, the f-drill is ready to be combined with many different outfits including the Kultistrip, Optima maize drill, Monopill sugar beet drill, power harrows and power harrow drill combinations.

A Duo version of the f-drill is also available, and is equipped with two ELDOS metering units and split-hopper capability, creating operational flexibility as an additional seed hopper for companion cropping.

Kverneland launches mechanical weeding equipment

Since acquiring French maker BC Technique SAS earlier this year, Kverneland now has a range of inter-row cultivators, rotary hoes, guidance interfaces and tine harrows to complement its existing crop care products.

The Kverneland weeder range includes the Helios star-wheel equipped rotary hoe for cereal crops (below right), and the Onyx tined hoe (above), for rowspecific applications such as maize, sugar beet and vegetable crops. In addition, the Onyx can be equipped with the Lynx guidance interface for enhanced precision. This clever device uses up to two, forward-facing colour scanning cameras to provide active side-shift of up to 25cm either side of centre, to keep the hoe positively steered, and ensure its position between the rows of crop is maintained, even at high forward speeds.

Kverneland product specialist Adam Burt sees the new weeder range as one that compliments the firm’s existing portfolio of

crop care and cultivation equipment, creating a practical solution for customers faced with increasing agronomic challenges and weed pressures.

“With a range of different mechanical weeding options, we can now provide alternative solutions for growers exploring all aspects of cultural control,” says Adam. “Mechanical weeding is no longer the preserve of specialist growers with high-value crops, but is available for a wide range of scenarios.”

“And with proven camera and control panel technology provided by Tillet and Hague, we’re confident of the reliability and accuracy of this new range,” he says.

The Onyx is available with a working width of 3-12m, and can

be equipped with a variety of weeding solutions including bolt-on 150mm and 220mm Duck foot shares or a range of flat A-shares from 120mm to 240mm.

Each inter-row weeding assembly can be equipped with section control, with automatic raise and lower available through ISOBUS control. And with a modular build format, the Onyx can be adapted as drilling systems evolve and change.

The Helios rotary hoe is a 6m unit with a hydraulic folding frame. It uses a series of cast iron star wheels, mounted in pairs on a tandem axle, with downward pressure for each pair controlled by adjusting the amount of hydraulic pressure applied. This affords fine, delicate control to suit the surface of the field in combination with a

crop’s growth stage to carry out shallow weeding through the top 10mm of soil.

“The Helios provides an effective mechanical solution for black grass control, with the star wheels capable of pulling out small weeds and leaving them on the surface to wither and die without impacting on crop growth,” says Adam.

In use, the star wheels carry out 60% of the weeding process, with the following harrow accounting for a further 40% of mechanical weed control.

“With the ability to set the aggression of the following harrow through three positions or choose from float, the Helios provides a range of adjustments to suit a wide variety of crop and field conditions,” says Adam.

New Products

ECOMAT: THE ECONOMICAL SHALLOW PLOUGH OPTION

Developed as an option for minimum disturbance seedbed preparation, the Ecomat shallow plough provides an effective method of mechanical control of pests and weeds through soil inversion, reducing the reliance on chemical methods.

“Ecomat is a half-way house between a plough and a cultivator,” explains Kverneland product specialist Adam Burt. “As

No.40 SLATTED BODY

mouldboard for their soils can now choose from an all-new body assembly.

It’s called the No.40, and is a new version that sits alongside the popular No.30 slatted body. Based on Kverneland’s fullybodied No.38, the slatted ‘40’ sits on a narrower saddle than its stablemate, but offers a much deeper construction. As a result, the No.40 is suited for working depths that range from 15-38cm. The finger-type construction is said to be both longer and taller, using a 38-degree angle, which is said to be less aggressive than the No.30. This new design is easier to pull and provides better inversion than the ‘30’.

a shallow plough, the Ecomat still turns soil over but without needing to work as deep as a traditional plough.”

“We’re achieving 95% inversion at a depth of 9cm with an implement that is easier to pull than a traditional plough, while doing a far better job of inversion than a cultivator.”

This new version of the Ecomat enables high-efficiency shallow ploughing at working depths ranging from 6cm to 18cm. As a result, output is much higher than conventional soil inversion

methods, while fuel consumption per hectare, is significantly reduced.

Developed as an on-land fully-mounted plough, the Ecomat is available in two models offering eight or 10 furrows. Short, plastic bodies suit high-speed use for inversion, while contributing to reduced weight. Operating on-land, compaction can be easily managed by using tractors with much wider tyres using lower pressures than those typically used in-furrow.

Furrow widths are mechanically adjustable from 30-50cm, generating a range of working widths from 3-5m, while a 65cm point-to-point clearance contributes to a compact overall size for a 10-furrow fully-mounted plough.

Overall length though, is safely managed during transport thanks to Kverneland’s innovative TTS –Trailer Transport System. This clever headstock design, found on many other Kverneland ploughs, enables the Ecomat to be towed like a trailer.

LO TTS – A NEW POPULAR BUILD

Packed with additional features and functionality, this highspecification on-land, in-furrow plough comes in five-, six- and seven-furrow builds with hydraulic furrow width adjustment from 30-50cm (12-20in).

Underbeam clearance is 80cm, while interbody clearance can be 85cm or 100cm, with bodies protected by shear bolt.

LO TTS specification brings Kverneland’s latest Trailer Transport System (TTS) to the

model, enabling this plough to follow like a trailer when in transport. At the rear, a widesection, 420/55x17 swivel wheel replaces the LO’s standard twin-wheel assembly.

Road lighting is now integrated, using a lightbar that attaches to the rear bodies when the plough is in its butterfly transport position. This assembly can be conveniently unplugged and safely stowed on the side of the plough’s beam, when in work.

To improve the plough’s hydraulic system longevity, a cartridge-type oil filter has been integrated into the pressure line, to protect the valve block and hydraulic cylinders from possible contamination.

LO TTS also features No.28 bodies, Quick Fit points, a 500mm (20in) rear disc assembly, landside knives, maize skimmer extensions, twin mouldboard stays, and on six- and seven-furrow models, a frame strengthening kit is included.

Following the success of the LO Max fully-mounted plough, an enhanced version is now available as a popular-build called the LO TTS.

More rows and fertiliser injection

Sugar beet specialist RJC Todd has upped the ante this season by switching to an 18-row Monopill precision drill complete with front tank for liquid fertiliser injection.

“With a lot of customers now looking to get their beet off to a stronger start, I decided to replace my old 12-row Monopill with an 18-row outfit that could be used in combination with a liquid fertiliser front tank,” explains Rob Todd. “And I’m pleased to say, the fields that have been given a dose of liquid compared to those spread with solid fertiliser ahead of drilling are producing visibly stronger plants.”

The Doncaster-based contractor has been growing beet for over three decades, and his experience and knowledge of the crop is valued by his customers. His workload comprises planting and harvesting around 600ha of beet each year in a 30-mile radius of his base, including 30ha grown on his own farm.

“Growing my own beet also gives me the option of carrying out my own small-scale field trials,” he says. “This year, I’ve sown beet with straight nitrogen and also with a mix of P and N – and the latter is currently looking the better crop.”

Going wider, with an 18-row folding Monopill supplied by Farmstar, has required a change of tractor this year, as Rob has always been mindful of compaction.

“I’ve always favoured a small, light tractor for drilling, and my

old Case IH CS110 was replaced by a Puma 130 for beet drilling,” he says. “I opted for Stocks row crop dual wheels all-round, to help spread the overall weight of the combination on either side of the rows.”

“The Monopill is the best precision drill out there,” he says.

“The others are just too heavy. And I run mine with a mulch kit, which improves placement accuracy on a wide variety of soil types and also lets me run at a higher forward speed.”

Up front is an iXtra LiFe front tank with a 1,200-litre capacity, and any time lost from filling the front tank is offset by the wider drill’s additional row units.

“Using the tank with the beet drill lets me apply either 100 litres or 200 litres/ha in the ground, which is immediately available for the beet seed,” says Rob.

Fertiliser injection is carried out ahead of each seeding unit on a fixed frame, enabling nozzles to be changed for different application rates.

“Metering is extremely accurate, and nozzles are in the right place and at the right depth,” he says.

Rob says that half his customers opted for liquid fertiliser placement his year, and he is expecting a greater uptake next

season, as growers seek to maximise yield potential.

“It’s going to be an interesting harvest to see how the yields compare, which could see even more of my customers requesting this approach next year,” he says.

“This year, I’ve sown beet with straight nitrogen and also with a mix of P and N – and the latter is currently looking the better crop.”

DEMO TEAM EXPANSION

Following internal promotion, Kverneland’s team of machinery demonstration specialists is set to expand. The emphasis is on increasing its coverage and delivering first class product support across the dealer network.

Eastern Counties-based Roger Banks (far left), has been a cornerstone of the demonstration team since it was created in 2014. He is currently joined by Dei Edwards (middle) who joined in 2022, and Chris Wilson (right) who returned to the company in 2018, as a service engineer with a supporting demonstrator role.

Chris has tremendous experience with the Kverneland product range, having worked in the business from 1997 to 2013. He is currently supporting dealers throughout Scotland, extending south to the Borders, while Dei Edwards is supporting dealers and customers in an area that extends from Herefordshire, up through

XHD IS THE HARDER WEARING

ALTERNATIVE

For Sussex Agri Power and its customers, the plough still has a place for seedbed preparation. So much so, that the firm keeps four, six-furrow reversibles in its fleet, three of which are Kverneland models.

“We tend to rely on two LO 100/300 models as the mainstay of our ploughing operation, for working ahead of power harrow drill combinations,” explains Clive Tedbury (pictured), who runs the arable side of the operation alongside business partner Neil Clarkson, who takes care of the firm’s silage operations.

“In a typical season, which can include maize seedbeds plus spring and autumn cultivations, we can turn over around 4,000 acres with these two ploughs,” says Clive. “Any additional

ploughing is carried out with the two older models.”

Such an intensive workload has seen the firm migrate through the last nine years from using standard metal to tungsten tipped parts, as it deals with a mix of ground conditions including aggressive, hard wearing soils. And now the firm has progressed to Kverneland’s XHD metal for its two front-line LO ploughs, supplied by C&O Tractors.

“Typically, we can get around 2,000-2,500 acres out of a set of

XHD metal,” he says. “Yes, it’s costly to buy, but when you’ve worn through a set and factored in where and how you’ve saved, it’s a no-brainer.”

Those savings are three-fold; a significant reduction in downtime; improved operator safety from less frequent changing of wearing metal; and far fewer shelves of parts that need to be kept in stock.

“We used to be changing non-genuine tungsten points every 300 acres, but since we’ve swapped to Kverneland XHD

Wales around to Lancashire, and back down through the middle of England.

This well-established and highly experienced team will soon be joined by two new machinery specialists, taking the head-count to five, and increasing the depth of product support available, to support a much more extensive Kverneland product portfolio.

The fourth member of the team will be based in the south, to cover the south and west of England following Jack Millard’s promotion to area manager, while the second appointment will provide coverage up to the Borders, through the north West, Cumbria and the North East.

points, we’ve increased point life by around six to one,” says Clive. “Changing plough metal is never straight forward, so this is another huge benefit.”

“There’s no doubt that XHD keeps our ploughs working, for longer. And that means we can schedule re-metalling for the quieter periods, rather than having to change parts during very busy periods,” he says. “And when the ground is hard, Kverneland points will always pull in. There’s no way I would go ever away from tungsten.”

“Typically, we can get around 2,000-2,500 acres out of a set of XHD metal.”

Boom stability takes Shropshire slopes in its stride

Making the most of application accuracy and efficiency, J Gwilliam & Sons of Guilden Down near Craven Arms, Shropshire, has opted for an iXter B18 mounted sprayer and Exacta TL GEOSPREAD for all its crop care requirements.

“We wanted to future-proof our sprayer and spreader purchases, with high-specification using auto section control and auto startstop,” explains Shenton Gwilliam, who farms 285ha through the Clun valley, with his son Ryan (pictured).

“Both machines are also ISOBUS ready, so they plug and play on our MF 7S.190 tractor, which is equipped with an extended terminal to show the implement screen.”

Supplied by Battlefield Machinery, both replace older models that

had proved robust and reliable. Of the two new machines, it is the Kverneland iXter sprayer with its 24m vertical folding HC boom that is clocking up the hours, with Ryan Gwilliam particularly impressed by boom stability.

“We are on rolling countryside, and the boom has to react quickly to changes in topography, while maintaining an accurate and consistent spray height,” he says.

“And this is better than some premium self-propelled sprayers that I used when working in New Zealand. With three sensors and

Boom Guide Pro, the positive and negative boom movement is superb.”

The sprayer boasts an 1,800-litre tank capacity, and is equipped with iXclean Pro one-touch cleaning, with prime and purge, and boom line recirculation. The only aspect missing from the specification is individual nozzle control.

“With nine automatic sections across 24m, we’ve already seen considerable savings on our chemical costs thanks to reduced overlaps,” adds Ryan.

Combinable cropping spans 202ha and includes winter wheat, winter barley, winter and spring oats. With the combination of field sizes from 1.2ha up to 16ha and water volumes from 100-200 litres/ha, Ryan says output can sometimes take a hit.

“We’re not short of capacity operating at 12kph, but there’s always the option of adding a front tank, should we need more output,” he says. “It’s an impressive set-up with technology that saves us money.”

CL W PRO ADDS OUTPUT AND PRECISION

Replacing the Exacta CL EW single weigh cell model, this narrow-frame spreader sits below the CL GEOSPREAD.

The key change for the PRO specification includes the use of four 2.5 tonne capacity load cells in combination with a reference sensor to improve weighing accuracy and reliability.

With additional weigh cells compared to the out-going CL EW

model, the new CL W PRO spreader is capable of achieving greater precision and application accuracy, through dynamic weighing. It also provides plug-and-play functionality, being ISO 11783 compatible.

Improving the technology available on this mid-spec machine also enables the spreader to carry out basic GEOSPREAD section control functions when purchased with a licence key.

In its most basic form, the Exacta CL W PRO offers a 1,300-litre hopper capacity, though it can be equipped with hopper extensions to increase its capacity. One extension provides an 1,800-litre capacity; two extensions increase this to 2,300 litres, and a third –the maximum available for this

model - enables 2,800 litres of fertiliser to be carried.

The CL W PRO is capable of delivering a spread width from 10-33 metres. Its two spreading discs each carry eight vanes, fed from the proven CentreFlow distribution that starts the fertiliser acceleration process and minimises damage to the fertiliser. Standard specification includes a folding hopper cover, hopper sieves, mudguards for disc and vane protection, ExactLine border spreading device, and LED road lights.

“...we’ve already seen considerable savings on our chemical costs...”

u-drill delivers consistent sowing depth

From Toft Grange Farms, Tumby, Lincolnshire, Tim Spurrier and his team have recently increased drilling capacity with a 6m u-drill, supplied by Irelands Farm Machinery. It’s an approach that provides a combination of output and flexibility, handling a variety of spring and autumn-sown crops grown across the estate.

“For us it’s all about flexibility with seedbed production, drilling dates and tractor availability,” explains Tim Spurrier from the 850ha family-run Lincolnshire farm. “We want to make the most of all our available resources and that includes our rotation, the sprays and fertilisers, plus organic matter. It’s all about making informed choices with how we produce crops, and how we make the most of weather conditions.”

The change of drill coincided with a refocus on tractor power, which saw a 300hp frontline model removed from the fleet, with a six-furrow mounted plough replaced by a five-furrow ED 85/300. A 200hp Fendt 720 handles the heaviest work, with a smaller Fendt 516 and two Fendt 514 models in support.

“We’re now modestly powered, with wide tyres too, and this has reduced our running costs and improved the way we manage compaction across all our soils,”

he says. “And this was an important consideration when choosing the drill.”

Both he and operator Tony Steels (pictured) were sceptical that the 6m u-drill could be comfortably handled with only 200hp, but with a full width front packer roller, the drill sits on top of the soil.

“It really does pull easily,” says Tony. “Not only that, but the drill sits flat and level, which delivers a very even and consistent sowing depth, and that creates a very even crop canopy which is easier to manage.”

Regardless of the cultivation processes ahead of drilling, Mr Steels operates at a forward speed of 12kph. He says the extra 2m of working width has provided capacity to spare, which adds flexibility to the farm’s working practices.

“We do still plough most of the farm each year, as it creates clean, trash-free, high-quality

seedbeds that help in the battle against grass weed control,” explains Tony. “But after maize, we run our 3m DTX through, to break stalks and incorporate residues, ahead of the u-drill – it’s a remarkably versatile system that’s as good on ploughing as it is on lightly cultivated stubbles.”

He says that calibration is easy and accurate, and with half-width shut-off and ISOBUS plug and play

simplicity, he can control and monitor all aspects of drilling through the tractor’s Vario terminal.

“This drill does exactly what we want,” he says. “And the added bonus is that two pairs of transport wheels stop the drill from being influenced by road camber when moving between our two farms. And that is a big safety benefit.”

HEADLAND NEWS JUNE 2023 Headland

“The drill sits flat and level, which delivers a very even and consistent sowing depth, and that creates a very even crop canopy which is easier to manage.”