Tractor test

New Holland T6.175 Dynamic Command:

Breaking all our fuel records, the New Holland T6.175 with its new double-clutch Dynamic Command transmission has come out fighting. While it is all good news on consumption and performance, there’s room for improvement in other areas.

Powermix 2.0

Unpredictable weather and varying conditions outside — the joys of farming, eh — are just some of the reasons why we’ve tweaked our testing procedure with Powermix 2.0. To kick things off, we measured three tractors from Fendt, John Deere and New Holland … to demonstrate exactly what has changed

Practical test

Alo Quicke Q5M loader:

Suitable for 100-180hp tractors, we test out the Quicke Q5M front-end loader to see whether the design changes have boosted performance and user-friendliness.

Driving impression

Claas Axion 900 TerraTrac:

CNH is already active in the halftrack market, and the Germans are not wanting to be left behind. Claas showed its prototype Axion 960 TT model at Agritechnica, and we’ve had the chance to take a closer look.

Strautmann Giga-Vitesse CFS 02 combi wagon:

It is all change around the business end of the Giga-Vitesse. Easier to adjust gauge wheels for the wider working pick-up, a beefed up driveline … and there‘s a slimmer drawbar with a shorter drive shaft, too.

Richard Western Delilah 4120 muckspreader:

Two options in one, the Richard Western D4000’s folding doors can be opened to allow the rotors to carry out a traditional spreading job. Or they can be shut to adopt a spinning disc role.

Amazone Centaya 3000 Super power harrow drill:

Successor to Amazone’s AD-P Super pneumatic drill is the Centaya Super. Specification includes half-width shut-off, a plastic hopper and Twin-Tec double-disc coulters.

Livestock equipment

Automated silage cover:

Fed up with chucking water-filled tyres and leaking gravel bags at silage time? A group of Dutch farmers have opted for a different approach to covering their clamps…. they simply press a button.

Used machinery

John Deere 500 and 800 series variable chamber balers:

John Deere 500 series variable-chamber balers were launched back in 2002, the subsequent 800 series arriving in 2007. Understanding the size of bale the various models produce is not difficult, but you will also need to know the differences between pick-up types and Premium versions to secure the best used buy.

Workshop

Keenan feeder service:

Covering the south of England, J D Mills Engineering specialises in the set-up, maintenance and repair of Keenan feeders. Here the firm’s Julian Mills details the key points to watch when servicing an ECO50

Tuning

Case IH Puma:

Case IH launched the Puma line 10 years ago, and over the past decade the manufacturer has treated its mainstream tractor product to several updates. Not wanting to feel left out, Puma owners and operators have made a number of their own ‘nips ‘n’ tucks’, too — and it’s a selection of these mods and user-friendly features that we list here

Machine management

Contracting on the Canterbury Plains, New Zealand:

New Zealand’s dairy industry has changed dramatically over the past few decades, and so too have the contractors serving the farms that produce the milk. We visit young gun Jacob Holdaway, who set up in business specifically to serve the increasingly intensive Canterbury dairy sector.

Power

Extra wheels for a lighter touch:

Dutch engineering firm Evenboer has been adding extra axles to farm machinery for over 40 years — to help spread the weight of hefty kit when travelling across the soft ground near Amsterdam.

Report:

Replacing a Vario transmission overnight:

It takes just the one night for Dutch dealer van Iperen & Zn to replace a Vario gearbox, to make a stationary Fendt mobile again. Our colleagues at Dutch magazine Trekker met up with a couple of van Iperen’s mechanics to witness how the job is done.

Technical:

ZF puts electric power on a plough:

The plough, one of the oldest soil-engaging implements, looks set to benefit from new technology in the form of an electrically powered wheel that provides a permanent 20% power boost.

Vehicles:

Fiat Fullback Corss vs Toyota Hilux:

Pick-up stalwart the Toyota Hilux takes on market newcomer the Fiat Fullback Cross in this month’s head-to-head vehicle test.