The 3m setup with high or low disturbance leg options on the Awemak Sherp are protected by sprung auto reset.
The standard hydraulic 3-point linkage couples directly to the Ozyrus discs with minimal downtime to separate and connect as required.
Using hydraulic linkage allows ultimate precision adjustment to the depth control of both the Sherp disturbance legs and the 3m discs. This setup is a version of a Horsch Joker.
The Ozyrus discs have as standard, two rows of 12 discs with 560mm diameter, active side screens, deflector board between the row of discs, straw tines, hydraulic depth control, LED lights and steel ring packer.
There are various rear rollers and packers available with the option of doubling up to have a twin roller or packer.
The Sherp and Ozyrus combination allows on-the-go adjustment of the working depth of the two components to suit ground conditions and soil types.
Having the ability to separate the two components facilitates more varied jobs – chitting grain after harvest being the main consideration, and utilising the discs to work the top 1cm then reconnecting before drilling to work the ground, preparing an ideal seed bed.
Visit the PFC website for more tillage information
With over 6,000 units built, this fully drop-down trailer combines safety and ease of use. With a step of only a 140mm when in loading position, livestock tripping risks are minimised.
A three-component synthetic rubber floor coating guarantees anti-slip and sound absorbing properties, and also is particularly comfortable for the animals.
The Betimax RDS is standard fitted with a cross-sprung drawbar suspension, ensuring a comfortable and safe drive for both the driver and the livestock.
Available in single or twin axle versions ranging from 5–9m, there is a Betimax for every need and work, Joskin reckons. Whether it’s moving cattle around the farm, or more intense livestock haulage. Thanks to standardised production, the trailer can be fitted with different inner gates or sliding door.
A large choice of loading gates – e.g. pivoting and/or on rails, full length or telescopic from 2–4m – can also be ordered with the trailer or retro-fitted at any time.
A cover, toolbox or brush holder are other options available to custom build your trailer.
The Betimax models are available in painted or fully galvanised versions, with the latter ensuring a long lifespan.
Joskin Betimax trailers are also available as an Advantage series from stock.
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Farm contractors have high expectations for machinery, so it’s no surprise to see Major tankers as their choice equipment, the manufacturer says. Major tankers stand out because of the exceptional design and build: “All our tankers have a separate chassis supporting the barrel, unlike other tankers where the tank and chassis are one unit,” says James Cox of Heysham-based Major Equipment Ltd.
“This means 80% of the weight is carried on the tanker’s axle and the remainder is carried on the tractor drawbar. This design prevents cracking from the stress of pulling heavy loads and for longer distances.”
Major offers four classes of tankers – Agri, Contractor, Alpine, and Tandem – for specific use or requirement. All barrels are produced from 6mm steel and fitted with road safety features including breakaway cable, hydraulic brakes, and rubber buffers on drawbar for easier towing and smoother journeys.
These features are important for John Nurse and his pig finishing enterprise at Harleston, Norfolk. He uses the 4,000-gallon, tandem axle Major Tanker to collect all the liquid waste and surface run-off and recycle it to local farmland to help improve soil fertility.
“Some of my customers are located up to 30 miles away, so road safety specs are very important to me,” begins John. “Manoeuvrability is also a big point – the rear steering axle is an absolute necessity to get in and out of small field gates.
“I feel I have a very reliable and efficient dirty water management system,” adds John. “The galvanising and robust design of the Major 4000TDM gives me long-term reliability and a lot of flexibility with my customers.”
Major has three options for precision slurry application. The dribble bar is the simplest system and works well on both grassland and arable crop. The trailing shoe is optimal for applying slurry in heavy clay soil and works in grass longer than 8cm.
The Major Dribble Bar comes in 7.5m, 10m and 12.5m working widths. The Trailing Shoe comes in 6.4m and 7.5m working widths. Major also offers the TX-Xtreme Trailing Shoe for use in rough and undulating ground conditions.
All units are fitted with the powerful Vogelsang macerator and are galvanised for extra protection against corrosion. Either system can be used with an existing splash plate. The 7.5m Dribble Bar and 7.5m Trailing Shoe applicators can be easily retrofitted onto any tanker make or model.
The Disc Injector or shallow injection system is very effective at returning nitrogen back to the soil. The Major 5.2m Disc Injector combines soil fertilising and furrowing with a working depth from 20mm to 60mm. It works best on short grass swards, placing slurry 5–6cm below the surface.
Visit the Major Equipment website for more information.
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The Motion Head 90 is an option on the Multi-Longer models and allows 360-degree head rotation – aiding flexibility when cutting in tight areas. For lanes and roads where it is impractical to have the arm swung out to the side in a traditional cutting action, the arm can stay folded behind the tractor, with the head simply turned to cut the material to the side. This still allows full height movement on the arm in tight areas, which isn’t always possible with the arm at the side.
All the Motion Head 90 movements are controlled via the electronic proportional EP joystick, which enables quick and precise adjustments to the main and outer arms, pivot, and head position, to ensure accurate cutting. This is particularly useful on gateways, banks and roadside verges. The EP joystick is combined with Kuhn’s VT 31 screen, which allows operators to view oil temperature, hours worked, and adjust hydraulic flow to various functions to improve control.
With a workload of over 350 hours a year, Terry Mason is the main operator of Kuhn’s latest Multi-Longer 5757 SPAL at Bidwell Barton Farm in Devon. The machine replaced an ageing trimmer in September 2023, with the Motion Head 90 kit and dealer backup major factors for choosing Kuhn.
As it is the first one in the country, Terry couldn’t see it working before committing to buy. However, conversations with dealer, RSM Beares, and watching videos of the head in action, were enough to convince him.
Terry explains the Motion Head 90 feature has proved an excellent option for the narrow lanes around the farm, which are only just wide enough for the tractor.
“We don’t have to unfold the hedgecutter arm to the side of the tractor, which has always limited cutting angle and height. The Motion Head allows me to change the angle and means the arm can stay folded to the rear and the head can be turned to cut the hedges. It has increased the speed and quality of the work.”
Terry says it has also been a significant bonus when cutting gateways and verges. He continues: “Pivoting the front of the head up when cutting ditches and gateways is very useful as it can follow ground contours closely. It is more accurate than just raising the head in a fixed horizontal position as we can angle the cutting rotor to ensure we get a close cut without constantly changing the position of the tractor. The flexibility wouldn’t be possible with a normal machine.”
Visit the Kuhn website for more information.
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Agri-Spread has been supplying fertiliser, lime and bulk flowable product spreaders in the UK for nearly 20 years through its distributor Dales Agri Sales Agency. The AS2000 and AS1000-2K Series offer high spec features and advanced precision technologies – but with a functional design to reduce input costs, Agri-Spread says.
The company’s precision spreading technology is designed to give farmers the tools and information to make informed decisions based on in-field conditions. There is increasing demand for large capacity, high spec precision spreaders, as farmers battle the rising cost of materials and input costs. High accuracy and traceability are also key drivers in the market.
To keep pace with these demands Agri-Spread has carried out a major upgrade to its existing AS2000 and AS1000-2K Series.
The main addition to the AS2000 Series range is the 2K spreading deck system. With the 2K spreading deck system being so successful, the AS1000 Series was recently upgraded to incorporate the 100% stainless steel 2K adjustable spreading deck as standard across all models.
The redesign of the spread deck, hopper and disks/vanes was developed through independent Test Hall accreditation to validate different spread patterns.
A key aspect of the spread deck upgrade was the re-engineering of the vanes – a key part of achieving target spreading width. The process change also included tungsten carbide heat treated coating of the vanes to give superior wear and impact resistance, leading to longer lifespan for the end user.
Fertiliser settings have also been finetuned. Spreading range options now include three disk/vane and hopper vee types, Z2 (12–24m), Z3 (18–28m) and Z4 vanes (28–36m) spread widths.
Agri-Spread offers a large range of fertiliser twin-disc trailed and hopper mounted spreader options able to spread fertiliser to 36m. These are available in hopper capacities from 6–16.8m3 in the AS 2000 Series models and 2.6–13.9m3 in the AS 1000-2K Series models. The hydraulically driven spinner discs give optimal control of the spinner disc speeds for normal spreading, boundary spreading and various section control spreading options.
With Isobus automatic rate control, fertiliser flow is constantly measured and automatically adjusted to maintain a precise application rate. Meanwhile, the variable rate application is compatible with precision farming prescription maps.
Load cells are mounted on a double chassis design, which ensures they are shock-proofed and read accurately, Agri-Spread continues. Dynamic spreading mode provides on-the-go auto calibration and auto rate control. This ensures accurate delivery of product with varying densities. The fertiliser load is weighed in the hopper five times per second, and the data used to adjust the fertiliser’s flow rate to give accurate application rates – regardless of forward speed and product density.
For more information, visit the Agri-Spread website.
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The grant window has proven to cause a few delays in preparation to supply within the paperwork trail; however, Wox expects sales to increase on the year as demand for high performing durable equipment grows.
The Scorpion Drop in reeler system can carry up to 1,000m of 6in pipe and couplings in a random wrap form for maximum utilisation of space for deployment and retrieval.
Along with Metal 360 shug couplings as a coupling of choice the set-up is aimed at the swift application of liquid manure supply and application. The Metal 360 couplings are supplied across the UK in all sizes from stock of 4in right through to 12in. The system is in place for the safe and secure connection of pipes under pressures of manure and air from 1-Bar through to 14-Bar. The couplings are certified and tested for this application and are a game changer for a simple high performing coupling system, Wox reckons.
The company adds that it produces a comprehensive range of couplings and adapters which allow the slick operation and interchangeability between traditional Bauer and Stortz fittings. This includes flanges and adapters for all manner of road crossings, pumping and mixing solutions.
It produces a range of pull couplers for the dribble bar and trailing shoe, which are fully able to withstand the rigours of pulling the drag pipe in the field with the maximum load on withstanding the pulling and twisting when engaged with headland turns and manoeuvres.
Fixed Tempest reelers allow the option of carrying quantities from 800–1,200m of 6in pipe, both front or rear mounted with the front pipe squeezers. The reelers are proven in heavy duty applications for pipe retrieval and as we see the ever-increasing demand for output mounting 7.25in is becoming more commonplace.
Pumping expectations are always increasing, and the Walrus PTO pump is now well established as a fully operating pumping and mixing station with jetting capacity to match. The Walrus pump unit is now fully available as an engine driven unit, with options on engine and pump size and types to be brought on line in the near future.
Visit the Wox Agri Services website for more information
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ATVTrac is known for preventing machinery thefts, but the system also includes technology that can notify an emergency contact if the unit detects a machine has been involved in a roll-over incident.
Stressing the importance of lone worker safety, ATVTrac’s Rupert Archer-Smith said: “When we introduced ATVTrac, we realised that we could implement this functionality thanks to technology already developed in our units. Quite simply, as soon as the unit detects vehicle angle outside of normal parameters for a period of time, with no speed, the system will automatically send a text message to chosen contacts in case a roll-over incident has occurred.”
Shropshire farmer Andrew Morris and his family were relieved to have the ATV Over functionality when Andrew’s Suzuki KingQuad dropped into a hidden gully and flipped over, resulting in an injured shoulder.
Andrew’s sister Jenny was contacted through the ATVTrac system. “It was reassuring to know the ATVTrac system worked without any time delay or problems with finding my location,” she commented. “It’s also great to know the system contacts more than one emergency contact too.”
When it comes to preventing thefts, ATVTrac has flexible installation on any type of machinery, and using multi-tier technology, it offers real-time location information, while informing the owner of unauthorised movement through text, email and phone call.
Extra useful functions include live battery information, service notifications, as well as journey history and usage reports.
Should a theft occur, ATVTrac has a 24-hour monitored call center to track the device, liaising with police or partner company Securitas to recover the stolen asset and return it in a hassle-free way.
As well as protecting machinery that can be driven away, ATVTrac has expanded its offering into the arborist market, protecting woodchipper equipment, enjoying endorsement from leading manufacturer, GreenMech too.
As well as ATVTrac’s intelligent functionality, which protects any type of farm machinery 24/7, 365 days a year, Mr Archer-Smith says simple education can also go a long way. “It may sound obvious, but all too often simple actions like being aware of who is around, removing ignition keys, putting an ATV away at night or just locking it up in a barn are enough. More than anything we just need to be aware.”
Of course, there will always be the more determined thieves, which is why ATVTrac now protects many ATV, side-by-side and machinery manufacturers across the UK, and why manufacturers such as Can-AM, CF Moto, Corvus, Kawasaki, Polaris, Suzuki, Kioti, GreenMech and many others endorse ATVTrac.
For more information on ATVTrac, visit the website
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An important part of telehandler safety is to make sure you have and use the correct, professionally-manufactured attachment for whichever task or for whatever situation you might find yourself in, for your safety, as well as that of everyone else around you.
Ceres recommends that to increase overall farm safety, all farms with telehandlers should have a safe way of moving big bags and implements.
The Ceres Linkage-Lift Implement Mover is a strong and safe way of transporting attachments, rather than scratching and gouging, sliding both on and off pallet tines or flailing around on chains, which can cause costly damage and risk of injury or worse.
The Ceres Linkage-Lift uses the tried-and-tested Category 3 quick-release linkage system, for Cat 2 and 3 implements up to 4.5 tonnes (at pin centre); the larger Linkage-Lift + uses the Category 4 quick-release system for Cat 3 and 4 implements up to 10 tonnes (at pin centre).
Lifting directly upwards from the lower arms, rather than the top link pin, attachments are elevated the way they are designed to be, with ease and without damage. The lower lift arms, which are mounted to a floating bar within the frame, and the slotted top link bar are both there to aid smooth coupling and to allow easy and safe removal, as you can be sure that there is no tension between the headstock and implement pins.
The Ceres BA Bag Buddy is a range of big bag lifters from 1 x 600kg up to 6 x 1,000kg bags, with the most popular being the 4 x 600kg, which is available as a fixed or hydraulic model. The hydraulic option offers even greater safety in stacking and manoeuvrability when changing between different size bags.
Ceres says the Bag Buddy is a convenient and easy way to controllably manage fertiliser, seed and feed bags, far more safely than the questionable use of pallet tines, as well as decreasing the risk of damage to lorries, buildings and overhead cables.
It is designed with minimal sharp edges to prevent damage to the bags and reduce the risk of hazardous and costly mishaps.
The lightweight, but substantially braced, frame helps support bags from behind, greatly reducing swing. Increased telehandler stability is also achieved by keeping the headstock and boom approximately 4ft lower than if using pallet tines, whilst still achieving the same lift, with the added benefit of increased reach over hoppers and around drill coulters.
The Bag Buddy comes with retaining loops at both ends of each arm, so bags can be quickly secured in adverse weather conditions.
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Michael Tomlinson has been hedge cutting since 1982, operating from near Uttoxeter and serving a wide range of agricultural and rural clients in Staffordshire, Derbyshire and Warwickshire.
Usually starting the hedge trimming process from July, through to the following March, his company works on all kinds of hedging styles and types, so they need the right equipment. In the past, Michael’s company had been using solely flail hedge cutting units to deal with typical hawthorn hedging on farms and evergreens in the rural suburbs.
“Using a flail hedge cutter head on typical thorn hedges is fine,” said Michael, “but on many of the evergreen hedges, it’s not good. We found that the draft coming from the flails rotating would cause the tips of the hedges to blow away from the blades and it was often difficult to maintain a straight, neat cut. Also, it would leave large clumps of un-mulched clippings that would collect and leave an unsightly mess. So, we had to do something about improving our service because it needs to be a professional finish, every time.”
Michael heard that a hedge cutter unit was being launched by Major Equipment, a company well known for manufacturing high-end mowers capable of handling the roughest and toughest of work environments. He tried a demo unit from dealer G Richardson Agri Ltd, in Cheshire, on his Shelbourne Reynolds HD 865 VFRT.
“It was just a matter of removing the flail head and re-attaching the Major rotary head. What I immediately found was that it required much less oil flow to the head drive and therefore much less engine power, and would likely reduce my fuel costs,” Michael explained.
Major’s 1.43m hedge cutter head, fits directly to most hedge cutter arms on the market without modifications. It has a total head width of 1.6m and a cutting width of 1.43m. It only requires around 36hp to drive and an oil flow of just 80 litres per minute at a maximum of 170-bar pressure. The Major Hedge Cutter comes fully galvanised for long life protection against corrosion.
“Once we started using this new Major hedge cutting head, we calculated that compared with our flail heads, we were saving around £100 per week on fuel costs alone, purely because it was so much easier to drive. It mulched the evergreen clippings about the same as a flail head, but taking into consideration the fuel savings alone, on an annual basis, we are saving as much money that would buy the equivalent of another Major hedge cutter head for free, and that’s impressive!”
For more information, contact Major Equipment directly or visit the Major Equipment website
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VJ Thomas & Son has invested in its slurry systems as its dairy herd has expanded. The 1,011ha operation is run from Pancross Farm, near Cardiff airport, and includes both grassland and arable crops. A slurry separator and a 500kW biodigester have been installed to provide a liquid slurry that is pumped through a series of underground pipes to enable umbilical application on almost all of the farm’s fields.
“We make sure everything we apply is less than 3% dry matter. This enables us to pump it through five miles of underground pipes to hydrants where we can hook up the umbilical kit and apply it using our 24m Vogelsang dribble bar systems,” explains farm manager, Chris Hanks.
Managed on-farm
The slurry is tested on-farm using an Agros testing kit, and three times a year a sample is sent to Lancrop for greater analysis.
“We have been managing the whole process on farm, with help from our agronomist David Llewellyn, for three years. As the farm has grown it has become ever more important that we are agile too. Being coastal, our weather windows can be short and unpredictable so when conditions allow we need to be at full capacity straight away,” Chris says.
The land is split, with 324ha acres set aside for silage, 243ha for maize, 405ha for wheat and the remainder planted with either spring barley or stubble turnips.
“We put two applications of slurry on the wheat crop. The maize has one application pre-emergence and another at three-leaf stage. We apply to the grassland before first and second cut too, so spring can be a really busy period,” he comments.
The farm operates a min-till system and manages all field work apart from maize planting on-farm with a dedicated team operating a fleet of John Deere tractors. With four lagoons, the underground pipe system, four 4,000-gallon tankers, and two Winbag nurse tanks, slurry can be moved around fields quickly and efficiently.
Investing in infrastructure
“Setting up and investing in the infrastructure has been a challenge, but we have the right equipment now and it is working well. We tried using trailing shoe applicators, but the stony ground meant that the shoes were pulling up stones that were then a nuisance when mowing. The volume through the Vogelsang dribble bars is also better and it helps that our slurry has such a low dry matter,” says Chris.
“We have two people teams and two tractors. Both dribble systems are 24m wide. The latest Vogelsang BackPac is lightweight, which reduces soil compaction and has a headland management system so we are only applying slurry where it is needed,” he explains.
Vogelsang’s BackPac design is centrally mounted on the tractor to reduce movement and improve accuracy. The arms fold quickly and neatly behind the tractor to make access to tighter spaces easier for operators.
Forage production
Forage production is a major concern for the farm which operates a multi cut silage system from which the first cut is fed to high yielding cows all year round. Subsequent cuts are clamped separately and fed to lower yielding, dry cows and youngstock.
“First cut is really important to us. We use an Italian rye mix and graze the leys with sheep over winter. We start by N-Min testing silage ground, then apply slurry and some fertiliser to top up the soil nutrients that can be made plant available,” he says.
Following this, and three to four weeks before harvesting the first cut, the farm uses SmartGrass to boost the gibberellic acid (GA3) which increases the cell wall thickness of the plant.
“The last application is Physiocrop, which provides additional amino acids to the grass to mitigate against stress,” he adds.
“We have a John Deere forager with Harvest Lab that provides us with data to help maximise protein, dry matter and yield. From this we have been able to utilise slurry more efficiently and manage our input costs more carefully too,” he says.
Applying slurry at varying times for the crops in the rotation has an added benefit of making best use of the farm’s tractor fleet and its workforce. Having brought slurry management back to the farm, Chris is convinced that it has been an agronomic and operational benefit to the whole business.
“Slurry application provides vital hours of work for our staff and makes better use of the fleet too. Having the best applicators helps us to make best use of a valuable natural resource, and the applicator technology is distributing it to the soil where it can be absorbed and its nutrients made available to the crop,” he says.
Wales has not seen the same grants made available for slurry management as England, which is currently benefiting from both the Slurry Infrastructure Grants and the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund (FETF).
“We have made our own investments, which have been significant but thoroughly worthwhile. Taking responsibility for slurry management and application has been a steep learning curve but it has reduced our costs and is improving our soils,” concludes Chris.
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