PRACTICAL TEST: A staggered – or should that be staggering – 37 tines feature on the Köckerling Precision Cultivator to give a power requirement of 35-40hp/m. And that power requirement is critical in achieving a welcoming weed-chit environment. To achieve the best tilth the cultivator needs to be tugged at speed, which means no short-changing of the horses harnessed up front
Keep it shallow currently seems to be one of the buzz phrases in tillage talk. Keep it shallow. Keep it firm. And travel fast.
Sold in 3m, 4.8m and 5.7m working widths, Köckerling’s offering in this in-vogue cultivator sector is the Precision Cultivator, a machine that is specifically designed to incorporate straw and trash within a minimal tillage regime. For our test, we tried out the mid-range 4.8m model in what were admittedly ideal conditions – moist but starting-to-dry soil, structure itching to crumble, and with a thin layer of evenly spread, short-chopped straw on top.
Arguably the major difference between the Köckerling and its cultivator counterparts is the sheer number of shares – 37. These shares are staggered in eight banks across the full frame for an inter-row clearance that should reduce the risk of trash balling up within the cultivator. The only slight ‘cramping’ appears along a diagonal line through the centre of the machine, where leg spacing drops to 58cm rather than the standard 76cm; apparently, Köckerling is looking at shuffling this arrangement. Even as it is, however, the cultivator is not particularly prone to blockages, although it may struggle in longer stubbles where crops have lodged. Not suprisingly, our test proved that the Köckerling, like most cultivators, prefers an even spread of straw over a short-chop stubble.
For more up-to-date farming news click here and subscribe now to profi and save
