Steven Vale

Amazone will launch the AmaTron4, an in-house developed tablet style ISOBUS terminal, at next month’s Cereals Event. Flagged up as completely new and providing the ultimate in operational comfort when operating complex machines, the low reflection 8” multi-touch colour display on the fourth generation AmaTron can be operated via the 12 soft keys or switch areas on the touch display. In addition there are three one-touch keys enabling the switch over between machine, GPS function and back to the main menu.

A finger swipe enables the operator to navigate through the operational menu and the company says changes to the most important settings are easily made and any job data can be imported or exported. A practical mini-view display highlights the most important machine settings and the switch areas in the touch display automatically appear or hide, to display information across the entire screen surface,

A proximity sensor at the front of the device detects a hand approaching for screen operation when all 12 switch areas are highlighted, and an integrated light sensor automatically matches the display brightness to the conditions.

The company can temporarily unlock a variety of fee-based software licences for AmaTron4, such as GPS-Switch basic or GPS-Switch pro automatic headland and part width section control, GPS-Maps&Doc documentation and job management software, GPS-Track parallel driving aid and AmaCam for the use of a camera.

Already pre-installed and requiring no additional software, any of the above applications can be initially tested free of charge for 50 hours.

Spaldings has been appointed national UK and Ireland dealer for the German-made Pfanzelt tractor-mounted logging winches for forests, farms and estate woodlands.

Complementing the TMC Cancela heavy duty scrub mowers and forestry shredders that Spaldings also distribute, the Pfanzelt S-Line and Profi tractor-mounted geared cable winches are designed for extracting timber from awkward felling locations and skidding out of woodland to a trackside loading point.                                                         

The S-Line single drum models come in three sizes with 5.0t, 6.0t and 7.2t of pulling power, while the eight single- and twin-drum models in the Profi range span 7.0t to 10.2t single drum and 6.0t to 8.5t double drum. Remote wireless control means the winches can be used by one operator and cables from 70m to 100m long are wrapped on relatively large diameter drums to minimise the number of layers.

An automatic brake is fitted to the in-feed pulley to maintain tension between the cable and drum should the line go slack when winding-in logs downhill. Tractor pto drive to the cable drums is transferred by an oil-immersed worm gear and controlled through wet multi-disc clutch and brake mechanisms that can be fine-tuned using a three-stage clutch-brake switching mechanism for different winching situations.

Storage compartments are built in for a chain saw and fuel can, and for tools and other items in another two lidded compartments. Prices start at £7,700 for a 5t S-Line winch, and £20,850 for an 8.6t Profi single-drum model.

Case IH has introduced Signature editions of six Maxxum models to celebrate the success of the St. Valentin, Austrian-built tractors in four international awards recently. Available to order until the end of June, the Signature edition package is available as an option on EU Stage IV models (standard, Multicontroller and CVX variants) of the 160hp Maxxum 145, and the six-pot 165hp Maxxum 150.

The Signature edition includes the Jerome Increase Case signature on the bonnet, LED signature hood lights, leather steering wheel with the ‘Old Abe’ logo, floor carpet, a deluxe Bluetooth radio, and automatic climate-controlled air conditioning. Standard Maxxums also include a Grammer Dual Motion seat, while Maxxum Multicontroller and CVX models get the Grammer Maxximo Evo leather seat.

The Maxxum Multicontroller was awarded the title of Machine of The Year 2018 at Agritechnica, Germany. It also achieved the Gold Medal for Innovation at Fieragricola, Italy and was named Agricultural Machine of the Year at Agrotech, Poland. The Maxxum 145 Multicontroller with the ActiveDrive 8 transmission was rated as the world’s most efficient four-cylinder tractor for field work during the DLG Powermix test.

Kuhn Farm Machinery reckons to have enhanced the versatility of its Performer range of deep tine-disc cultivators by adding a new Double-U roller to the options list. Already available on the firm’s Prolander seedbed cultivator, the new roller is available on all models Performer models, which are available in widths from 3.0 to 7.0m.

The Double-U uses two rows of offset 600mm diameter rollers to provide 175kg/m of downward force at 12.9cm spacings. Each U-shaped roller provides an inverted channel which fills with soil. Kuhn says this not only eliminates soil smearing but also reduces roller wear and tear and ensures good soil crumbling and even consolidation across the entire working width.

Suitable for working a range of soil types, from medium to heavy land, the Double-U and is said to be ideal for creating seedbeds where a shallow depth of consolidation is required. Kuhn says the roller’s inverted U-shaped channel is unaffected by plant residue clogging, making it ideal for use on soils with a high trash content.

The Performer is also available with the company’s HD-Liner 700 roller - a 700mm diameter heavy roller which uses V-shaped notched profile rollers to provide 225kg/m of downward force.

This striking example of Valtra’s T234 was one of the tractor highlights at the recently-held TechAgro farm machinery show, at Brno in the Czech Republic. Finished by the Finnish tractor maker’s Unlimited Studio, and fitted with Soucy tracks, the tractor was pimped for the Red Bull Crashed Ice Challenge, a series of downhill ice-skating races, which sees contestants tackle challenging courses at speeds of up to 80km/hr.

Events take place in Austria, Canada, Finland, France, Russia, Switzerland and the US, and the T234 was first seen by visitors to the second race of the season near the Valtra factory at Jyväskylä.

This is not the first time a 250hp T234 has made the headlines on the ice. In 2015, four-time rally world champion Juha Kankkunen piloted a 7.70t T234 along a 2.3km-long snow and ice-covered runway in northern Finland. Reaching a top speed of 130.165km/hr, the T set a Guinness World Record for the world’s fastest tractor.

A round-up of some of the other machine highlights from the Brno Fairgrounds are detailed in the latest issue of the magazine (June cover date).

East Anglian-based auctioneer, Cheffins, has broken the record for the highest price paid for a classic tractor with £94,500 achieved for a 1981 Ford County 1474 Long Nose, against an estimate of £60,000 - £70,000. Sold as part of a landmark auction of classic Ford and Fordson tractors on behalf of well-known enthusiast Paul Cable, was purchased by an Irish collector.

The Paul Cable collection, which went under the hammer near Potters Bar in Hertfordshire, comprised of 38 sought-after Ford classic tractors and piles of implements and spares. Amassed over 14 years, many of the tractors on offer were some of the rarest examples of their type to have hit the market, including the uncommon Fordson County derivatives such as the Super-4, Super-6 and a 1957 Four Drive.

“The prices achieved at this astonishing auction far exceeded our expectations,” said Cheffins chairman Bill King. “With a huge crowd of enthusiasts from throughout the UK and particularly Ireland, there was strong bidding throughout with several record prices being achieved.”

The second highest value tractor on offer on the day was a 1981 County 1184 which sold for £56,700 to a Lincolnshire farmer; swiftly followed by the 1961 Doe Triple-D, sold to a buyer from Scotland for £44,100. Similarly, a low-houred 1979 County 1174 which operated at Stansted Airport sold for £43,050, over double its lower estimate of £20,000 and is set for Ireland.

Other high value lots from the day included a 1989 Ford 7810 ‘Silver Jubilee’ (£37,275), a 1979 County 1174 (£35,700), a 1986 Ford FW-60 (£30,975), a 1975 Ford 7000 (£27,825), a 1982 Ford TW-30 (£26,250), a 2013 Land Rover Discovery (£23,100) and a 1977 County 7600-Four (£23,100).

Hi-Spec machines on show at tomorrow’s Grassland UK include two 2600 SA-R (Single Axle - Recessed) slurry tankers.The first is specified with a simple sight tube and has a 15cm Autofill system, operated using a single double-acting spool valve. It is fitted with a Agquip 7.0m wide dribble bar, mounted on a quick release A-frame.

The second higher specification tanker is fitted with air/hydraulic brakes and in addition to a sight tube, also features porthole style sight glasses at the rear of the tanker. For filling, in addition to the 15cm Autofill system, the tanker also incorporates a sliding top hatch fill system with ladder and Bauer fill points.

Capacities on the six-model SA-R range are from 6,137 litres (1,350 gallons) up to 13,640 litres (3,000 gallons) and as standard feature a stepped axle to reduce height. Both show models are on 800/65 R32 Alliance 181 A8 tyres. Options include a Turbofill high capacity filling system, anti-lock braking, a range of dribble bar, trailing shoe or disc injector applicators and GPS and application monitoring systems.

The tankers are also available in a demount version, that allows the chassis to be used out of season with other bodies, such as the company’s four-model range of Kompactor push-off trailers.The K36 coming to the show features a hydraulically operated headboard. Powered by a triple hydraulic ram system, the company says the headboard not only compacts material to increase the load carried by up to 40%, but also allows the trailer to be completely emptied in as little as 30 seconds.

On display in the manure demonstration area will be the Hi-Spec Xcel 1250 rear discharge spreader. This uses a rotary chain and flail system to break up of material and a pair of spinning discs to spread it out at widths of up to 24.0m. The company says the 12.0t contents are typically discharged in 3-5 minutes.

Combining a Maschio rotavator and Opico air seeder, the Maschio Rota-seeder enables one-pass seeding into burnt off leys or stubbles on land that is too shallow or stony for ploughing.

Rotavators are available in working widths from 2.10m to 3.10m, with power requirements from 60 to 250hp. As well as the standard blades, two alternative options are recommended - the Cobra rotor with its high number of vertical blades for hard dry conditions; and for stony soils, the Condor rotor with its aggressive steel spikes with wide staggered placement.

Opico reckons the electronic air seeder with its radar speed sensor ensures accurate even distribution of seed onto the surface. Features also include easy electronic calibration, variable rate sowing, interchangeable rollers which allow small seed to be sown accurately, and the ability to broadcast or band sow. A rear packer roller aids seed-to-soil contact and further break down clods, leaving the land ready for rolling.

As well as establishing new grass into burnt-off leys or stubbles, the machine can also be used to establish catch crops and game cover, and to sow crops into maize stubbles to prevent winter run-off. 

A Rota-seeder created from a Maschio 2.80m wide SC280 rotavator, fitted with Condor blades, packer roller, and an electronic Opico air seeder retails at £24,388+VAT. A machine will be on display at the UK Grassland event on May 10 and at the Welsh Grassland event on May 16.

The latest version of New Holland’s self-propelled Braud 9090X harvested 197.6t of destemmed grapes in an eight-hour test in South Australia recently.

Corresponding to nearly 200,000 bottles of Shiraz wine the test, which was verified by SGS (inspection, verification, testing and certification company),  took place at a 7ha vineyard with a 175hp Braud 9090X fitted with a side conveyor system for non-stop harvesting. Supported by five New Holland T4.105F tractors and an Iveco Stralis 560hp truck, the team averaged nearly 24.7t of grapes per hour. The 9090X travelled over 23km and the 175hp, six-pot FPT engine used an average fuel consumption of 0.99lit/t harvested.

Founded by Alexandre Braud in 1870, Braud released its first self-propelled grape harvester (1020 model) in 1975. The machines are manufactured in the French plant of Coex, which has made over 15,000+ machines.

Amazone reckons the reworked versions of its 12.0m and 15.0m wide Citan-C trailed solo seed drills will be popular with farmers seeking high outputs later in the autumn to give stale seedbeds the best chance possible of being effective.

Also claimed to work well in controlled-traffic farming systems, new features include the 8,000 litre pressurised seed hopper. Split into three sections, this enables up to three different materials to be sown simultaneously, such as a cover crop mix or a joint application of seed and fertiliser.

The hopper is accessed via a new step and platform and the controls have now all been grouped together with a new operator station at the front, left hand corner of the drill. The three metering rollers are driven electrically via an ISObus terminal. Half-side shut-off, which can be controlled either manually or via GPS SectionControl, is standard, as is the ground-level remote calibration via the TwinTerminal 3.0 display.

Integrated work lights illuminate the coulter frame and hopper, and the Citan now uses the Rotec Pro S single disc coulter from the Cirrus with its 400mm diameter steel disc. Seed embedment is via either the Exact Harrow S or the Roller Harrow depending on soil type. Previewed at Agritechnica, the first UK outing for the Citan will be at the Cereals event.