Year-round cultivation is becoming standard practice for growers. Producers use a strategic rotational growing plan to maximise crop rotations, improve crop yields and minimise disease and pest risk.
The Major Cyclone continues to outperform conventional flail systems when processing residual stubble and crop waste, the manufacturer says.
New Shoots Farm grows a variety of salad crops and produce on 1,000 acres near Saxmundham, Suffolk. Before follow-on crops are planted the previous crop residue needs to be completely processed to eliminate the risk of pest and disease carrying over.
Ignas Šarlauskas is one of the farm managers at New Shoots. He recounts his dissatisfaction with their previous flail mower which didn’t pulverise maize and sweetcorn stubble sufficiently. “We grow baby-leaf spinach after maize and the unchopped stalks kept us from harvesting the leaves. That is unacceptable!”
After witnessing the Cyclone in action on grass, Ignas tried the beltless rotary mower on their crops with impressive results. “It did an amazing job. Issues of clumpy residue disappeared overnight.”
New Shoots acquired a front-mounted Major Cyclone in 6.3m working width. The winged mower has nine rotors and 36 overlapping blades. The gear-box driveline powers each rotor, turning vegetation into a fine mulch evenly dispersed over the width of the machine which encourages faster regrowth. The Cyclone is twice the width of their previous machine yet requires a fraction of the power. “We immediately halved our fuel costs,” explains Ignas. “It also means our operations are more timely, which is important for our time-critical production system.”
Easily adjustable cutting height allows the team to choose the kind of finish required. “This is perfect for preparing the seedbed for the next crop,” continues Ignas. Full length rear rollers ensure a level finish.
Wings hydraulically fold up to 2.8m transport width, suitable for safe manoeuvring between sites. The Cyclone is made of high-performance Strenx 700MC structural steel and galvanised against rust increasing the lifespan of the machine.
For further info, visit the Major Equipment website or contact the company directly.
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Envirotyre UK Ltd is a tyre and track disposal specialist located near Boston, Lincolnshire. The company has been trading for 22 years from its purpose-built site which is ideally located next to the A17.
The company has a full Environment Agency permit, as well as a waste carrier/broker licence and has customers predominantly in central and eastern England, but also throughout the UK. It collects tyres ranging from bicycle, car, van, 4×4, truck, tractor to tracks, crane and earthmover.
Every year the UK produces around 50 million scrap tyres. Also known as end-of-life tyres (ELTs) they represent a major challenge to the circular economy where waste is converted into a resource. Scrap tyres are recycled in two different ways: reuse, and reprocessing.
Envirotyre specialises in reuse. A waste tyre can be reused in two ways, as an alternative fuel or a construction material. Nearly 40,000 tyres per day are used as alternative fuel, with the heat produced by burning one tyre being the equivalent of burning over seven litres of oil. With a calorific value equivalent to that of good quality coal, end of life tyres are used as an alternative to fossil fuels, with the advantage of lower emissions. Envirotyre collects and processes end of life tyres and tracks for reuse as a construction material, or export for use as a fossil fuel alternative.
Envirotyre is a member of the TRA. A cornerstone of the body is its support for the Tyre Industry Federation’s Responsible Recycler Scheme. All TRA members are fully accredited by the scheme, which guarantees that all tyres collected, recycled, or reprocessed by them are disposed of or reused in an environmentally friendly manner or best practice methods.
This accreditation gives peace of mind that you are dealing with an industry leader, and that your obligation to dispose of waste tyres properly will be met in full.
For further advice or to book a collection, call Envirotyre directly or visit the website
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The aptly-named cutting-edge model Optimus has exceptional cleaning and loading capabilities, the company says. As farming methods and campaign durations have evolved over the past two decades, CTM says it recognises the need for innovation to stay ahead in the market.
Sales director Nigel Mountain reflects on the family business ethos, stating: “For almost 75 years, the Mountain family has been dedicated to designing and building innovative sugar beet cleaner loaders at our Norfolk factory.” The Optimus addresses a new challenge arising from increased beet top and dead leaf content due to minimal or absent scalping during harvesting.
Key features of the CTM Optimus include:
Optimised design – The Optimus minimises leaf build-up with features like an open construction exoskeletal elevator and new extraction options, including a star wheel unit.
Versatility – This new model offers a range of options, such as a variable displacement hydraulic pump, additional star wheel cleaning, fast-change Precleaner, and self-levelling capabilities.
Enhanced efficiency – Compared to the current market-leading CTM900XL, the Optimus boasts a longer elevator, larger hopper, longer spiral rollers, double-capacity fuel tank, and a lower revving engine for improved efficiency.
Manoeuvrability – Retaining the second rear axle for stability and self-drive ability, the Optimus introduces simulated differential action for vastly improved manoeuvrability in wet conditions. Also, with two speeds, it can now be driven quicker on the field.
Field trials in lighter land areas have demonstrated impressive loading capabilities, with the Optimus loading 29t in just over four minutes. As trials progress to heavier terrains and challenging weather conditions, the true test of this innovative design is underway.
Depending on trial results, a limited build of the Optimus is anticipated in 2024, with full production scheduled for 2025 – aligning with CTM’s 75th anniversary. Additionally, the completion of a new service centre for ROPA and CTM machines in close proximity to the main factory signifies CTM’s ongoing commitment to providing unparalleled service.
For more information about CTM or ROPA, visit the CTM Root Crop Systems website.
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The Toppa 600 is the first-ever folding haulm topper to be built in Germany with dual two-row toppers at the rear and a two-row topper at the front, to span six rows in total.
Designed for the UK’s 90cm rows, the Toppa 600 offers hydraulic depth control, a floating frame so that the chassis follows the contours of the row, and a specially designed blade configuration which chops and blows the cut haulm into the bottom of the row placing it well out of the way from the lifting process.
With the ability to lift the left or right arm for transportation and single-sided haulm topping, the Toppa 600 has an incredibly low power consumption, needing just a 140hp tractor, significantly reducing soil compaction.
Grimme is also offering optional automatic row-finding feeler arms that run in the rows, sensing its sides and moving the cutting blades left and right to keep them central, thereby eliminating scalping.
A pre-production model tested by J Haig Hamilton & Sons in East Lothian, Scotland, was displayed at the British Potato Event 2023.
As the Toppa 600 will be available with 0% finance and a five-year warranty, Grimme UK’s potato specialist, Ed Hodson, expects 2024 stock of the Toppa 600 to sell quickly.
“Our UK range of haulm toppers have always been a popular choice and have performed exceptionally well, but by having our German factory oversee production, we are now better placed to take advantage of the incredible amount of research and development that is undertaken in Damme,” says Ed. “We have several pre-production Toppa 600s for order, and as this particular model offers several unique features, we expect them to sell quickly as growers seek the ideal combination of features, performance and price. Grimme has also taken into account the pressures currently faced by growers and is offering the Toppa 600 with interest-free payment options.
“The Toppa 600 took pride of place at the British Potato Show in November, and everyone who saw it was impressed with what it has to offer.”
The Toppa 600 will be joined by two other models later in the year: the Toppa 400 with four-row capability and the eight-row Toppa 800.
To find out more about the Toppa 600, visit the Grimme website or contact Grimme directly.
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After Jeremy’s excursion into the Lamborghini tractor market, there is one question that will have entered the minds of all farm-owning viewers. This question is inescapable, even for those who watched Jeremy get into immense difficulty whilst climbing a steep, muddy bank.
“Should I buy a Lamborghini tractor?”.
Vintage Lamborghini
The natural assumption for those with limited heritage tractor knowledge is that Lamborghini entered the tractor market on the back of its success selling luxury supercars. Few are aware that it is in fact the other way around.
In 1948, out of the ruins of World War Two, Ferruccio Lamborghini started manufacturing tractors in northern Italy. Named Lamborghini Trattori, the first Lamborghini tractors were produced using components from discarded military machines and haulage.
Initial success set the company on its course to become a global name, producing some excellent tractors along the way.
If you can find one, you might be interested in purchasing a Lamborghini 2R. These tractors are powered by three-cylinder diesel engines producing almost 40bhp with four-speed manual gearboxes. You are unlikely to be using these tractors for heavy jobs on your farm, but you will be the envy of the local community. Vehicles of this year tend to compare well against other vintage tractor prices; there are instances of sales around the £20,000 mark.
You might consider dipping further into Lamborghini’s rich history to uncover the DL 30 C. Producing 30bhp from a twin-cylinder engine, these 1957 tracked tractors were typically manufactured in Lamborghini’s trademark yellow. DL 30 C price points will vary considerably, dependent upon the condition of the vehicle.
The older the tractor, the further afield you might have to consider. A 1950s Lamborghini tractor is far more likely to be listed for sale on the European mainland than in the UK.
Top of the range
Of course, the vintage tractors of the 50s and 60s can hardly be compared to the bullish, powerful, high-tech cousins, produced today by Lamborghini Trattori owners Same Deutz-Fahr.
Jeremy’s world-famous R8 270 DCR certainly makes an impression; over 3m tall and weighing a healthy 10 tonnes. A six-cylinder engine is required, producing 275 bhp with a staggering maximum lifting capacity of 10.5 tonnes.
Lamborghini doesn’t just produce big and brash either. The current Lamborghini product brochure boasts a large fleet of both open field and compact tractors that reflect the needs of an average UK farm.
The Lamborghini Spark 135 R VRT is a much lighter vehicle, weighing 5.5 tonnes and powered by a 143bhp Deutz engine. This tractor is perfect for precise tasks, such as specialised crop management and provides superior comfort to its operator.
Is a Lamborghini tractor worth your time and money?
The UK market is sparse for this tractor brand at all price points. This is partly because of Lamborghini’s focus on sales on the European mainland.
This is despite the popularity of the brand in the UK. At the time of writing, not a single Lamborghini tractor is listed on FarmAds. With so many admirers of the brand, models that do appear are often sold right away.
There are a great many practical reasons why a Lamborghini tractor could make sense on your farm. You may use these to justify your decision, but you will also know deep-down the real reason why you bought one, too.
Launched at Agritechnica 2023, the FC 13460 RA features a 12.4-13.4m cutting width, allowing operators to benefit from reduced fuel consumption and lower soil compaction due to covering a wider area with each pass. It also has well-known features from current Kuhn machines, such as Lift-Control and the Optidisc Elite cutterbar.
Kuhn’s grassland product marketing specialist, Rhodri Jenkins, says the increased output from running a wider width should be a key consideration for users this season. “The FC 13460 RA offers significantly higher output from a single machine handling large areas and operators can expect a 25–30% wider cut on each pass than a mounted triple mower combination. Added up over a single season, the savings in fuel, labour and time are considerable.”
The FC 13460 RA uses Kuhn’s proven Optidisc Elite cutter bar featuring the Fast-Fit quick knife system to reduce downtime. The mower features 12 discs on each unit, with improved crop flow and an increased knife overlap to ensure all crop is cut. A greater distance between the discs allows improved crop flow to the rear of the mower and away from the cutting area. Disc skid linings and Tripe 5 knives are standard.
Central to the design is an innovative frame that offers constant ground pressure control through the Lift-Control suspension. The weight of the mower is spread between the tractor’s drawbar and the mower’s axle, with flotation tyres helping to further protect the soil. Users can adjust bed pressure during work and Rhodri explains why this feature is becoming increasingly important to users.
“Lift-Control allows users to change bed pressures to suit the conditions, helping to protect swards and prevent damage to the mowers, which is especially useful in wetter conditions. Operators can also adjust the pressures to suit field undulations to ensure an even cut and maintain forage quality.”
When fitted with the belt grouper, the FC 13460 RA can produce a swath between 1.8m and 3m wide and group a 13m cut into one row, helping to increase the output of the following baler or forager. The FC 13460 RA is Isobus compatible and also available with a CCI 800 or 1200 screen that offers a wide range of implements to be operated through a single terminal. Users can also select the CCI A3 joystick to group up to 30 functions onto a single control. Independent section control of the mowers is only an option through the CCI screens. This feature lifts the mowers automatically to avoid double cutting crop at the end of a run, helping to maintain forage quality and reduce operator fatigue.
Interested buyers can expect units on farm during Q2 of 2024.
View FarmAds grassland equipment for sale here
The Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design and Metropolitan Arts Press Ltd, presented the 2023 Good Design Award to Case IH for the Farmall 75C Electric and the Steiger Quadtrac 715 tractors. The award showcases global industrial innovation and cutting-edge graphical designs.
“The principle behind the development of the Quadtrac 715 is not simply more power,” says Franz Josef Silber, Case IH product marketing manager for high-horsepower and 4wd tractors.
“Our aim was to create a machine that matches the requirements of our region’s largest farms, to operate implements at their ideal speed, producing higher workrates and allowing operations to be performed at the ideal time, even in tough working conditions, to make the most of short weather windows. We also wanted to ensure soil protection via a bigger footprint and fewer passes, which also means greater efficiency and minimal trafficked land.”
Both the Farmall 75C Electric and Quadtrac 715 already boast an award-winning pedigree with Farm Machine 2024 and ASABE AE50 Awards respectively.
Farmall 75C Electric
Revealed publicly at Farm Progress Show 2023, the Farmall 75C Electric is Case IH’s first fully electric tractor. Sporting a brand-new design with diesel- like performance and power, the tractor is designed for agriculture’s toughest jobs.
The electrification of the Farmall coupled with the reduction in wear and tear on parts and maintenance costs, can provide users with a reduction in operating expenses when compared to diesel tractors. Offboard digital features and additional automation capabilities like Safety Mode let farmers operate the vehicle with far more efficiency.
Quadtrac 715
Launched in 2023, the Quadtrac 715 was created to fulfill the customer need of increased productivity. Case IH focused on addressing the customer pain point of how to increase productivity by pulling larger implements at faster speeds while simultaneously enhancing the operator experience.
The most powerful Quadtrac tractor purposefully addresses this challenge delivering 778 peak engine horsepower, greater traction with reduced compaction, enhanced LED lighting to extend daily operations into the night, and a new hood that provides both improved service access and a signature new look that designates new levels of technology and performance that Case IH strives to provide its customers.
“From Farm Machine 2024, to ASABE, and now Good Design, Case IH is being recognised for the innovations we’re making to serve farmers,” added Silber. “Awards are nice, but we never stop at ‘good enough’. Evolution is in our blood at Case IH, and we are honored to receive recognition from prestigious organisations like Good Design.”
View FarmAds new and used tractors for sale here
A new knife-bank, rotor driveline and additional pick-up options all form part of this update which is set to significantly extend the machines’ capabilities.
The 24–35m3 range is primarily aimed at smaller livestock units that want to retain silage making in house to ensure optimum timing and maximise forage quality. To improve on what has gone before the Zelon now gets the Exact-Cut chopper unit employed in larger Strautmann forage-wagons. A 37-knife unit, it brings theoretical chop lengths down to 39mm.
While shorter fibre length will help in clamp consolidation, ensure consistent fermentation and ultimately improve silage quality, it also makes for less sorting and wastage at the feed fence.
The new chopper unit includes auto-reset stone protection and reversible blades to minimise downtime. In order to cope with heavier crops the rotor is now wider than before and employs a duplex chain drive with auto tensioner and auto oiler to reduce the maintenance burden.
As before, the Zelon has Strautmann’s patented Continuous Flow System rotor that spreads material right out to the sides of the knife bank to produce a more even mat of grass through the chopper unit.
With fins at its outer ends that fold the shoulders of the mat of crop inwards, the stream of material is effectively ‘square-edged’ and the same depth across the entire width rather than having tapered shoulders. This is the critical factor in ensuring an even crop flow, helped by the helical arrangement of the pick-up tines and the new height-adjustable crop press roller.
Now 10cm wider than before, the 1.8m wide cam-less pick-up has steel tines and plastic stripper bands in standard format. As an option buyers can choose plastic Flex-Load tines which are more durable and have significantly longer working lives than their steel equivalents. There’s also the option of a 500mm wide depth roller at the rear of the pick-up to ensure faithful contouring in undulating terrain and help avoid soil contamination in the clamp.
Up in the body the wooden floor has been replaced by powder-coated corrosion-resistant steel. Four 13t breaking-strength chains carrying pairs of slats run in profiled channels to propel crop to the rear door.
The Zelon has a choice of running gear – a standard 13t-rated tandem axle arrangement that can accommodate tyre sizes up to 650/40 R 22.5, or a 16t version with passive steering that will take 710/40 R 22.5 wheels.
Being Isobus-compatible, these latest Strautmann wagons can either be operated via the tractor’s in-cab computer or by a standard toggle-switch control box where Isobus is not available.
View FarmAds forage and silage machinery for sale here
The video is presented by independent spray application specialist Tom Robinson who returns to the Stowell Park Estate in Gloucestershire to visit farm foreman Andrew Myatt to see how his robust winter servicing programme optimised sprayer performance in 2023. Andrew, a former Sprayer Operator of the Year, says his time spent in the workshop last winter was well worth it as it meant a busy spring of spraying was uninterrupted by repairs or servicing.
Alongside scheduled maintenance, Andrew followed Corteva’s best practice application advice relating to sprayer hygiene and spray concentration rates when applying Univoq.
Tom said: “In 2022 Andrew had minor issues with his sprayer’s check valves when applying Inatreq active, but servicing and following Corteva’s best practice application advice led to him eradicating the problem last spring.
A new addition for the video this year is the servicing of a Ramsay pressure set – more commonly known as a Ramsay box. Andrew also shares how to service his machine’s pump by replacing its diaphragms as well as explaining how chemical residues can cause them to wear, distort and split if not replaced annually.
The full video is available here
For 2024 applications of any product containing Inatreq active, Corteva has issued the following best practice guidance:
- The maximum concentration should not exceed 2-litres of product in 285-litres of water per hectare – a 0.7% concentration
- Inatreq spray solutions should not be left in the spray tank overnight – follow the recommendations on the label – and operators should rinse the sprayer tank, pump and lines through at the end of each day’s spraying
- Inatreq should not be used in sprayers equipped with pulse width modulation technology
- Corteva recommends replacing pump diaphragms annually, ideally with NBR or Blue flex parts. Abide by the pump manufacturer’s service recommendations
- For anti-drip diaphragms, EPDM parts are recommended, or operators can modify air shut-off anti-drip valves to use Teflon replacements. If neither of these options are possible, Corteva recommends replacing all existing pneumatic/automated anti-drip diaphragms/pistons with new before spraying products containing Inatreq. It’s important to check these after use too
If your sprayer has a Ramsay box, you should replace the diaphragm seal during winter maintenance.
View FarmAds crop sprayer machinery for sale here
As part of J Riley’s 30th anniversary celebrations in 2024, an older Vervaet harvester will be running alongside its younger cousins.
The comprehensive Vervaet range offers a solution for all soil types and demands, the company says. Combined with the option of Riley refurbished machines, there is something to suit every scenario from a farm lifting its own fodder beet through to the largest sugar beet contractor.
A new lifter frame and lifting shares for turbine-type machines will be shown in public for the first time. The new more open frame design affords the operator exceptional visibility across the shares.
The new share leg design is simpler, with integral drive motor and gearbox assemblies between each pair of independently mounted share legs. This share arrangement was successfully trialled on multiple machines during the past five seasons and is already used on Vervaet harvesters with the rollerbed primary cleaning system introduced in 2021.
Demand for self-propelled beet chasers has been steadily increasing during recent beet campaigns. The Riley Beet Chaser 25, based on a refurbished Vervaet Beet Eater 625 or 925 harvester, has proven to be a very capable machine with numerous units now running in the UK. The most recent example will be in action at the demonstration.
Jeremy Riley founded J Riley Beet Harvesters (UK) Ltd in 1994 to become the UK importer for Vervaet. The right machines, combined with Rileys’ first-class backup, made Vervaet the UK market leader, a position which has been retained for well over two decades.
In recent years Jeremy retired and sold the business, which is now co-owned by Vervaet and managing director Matt Carse. The extraordinarily successful Vervaet 17t harvester was pivotal to this success, and an example will be working at the event to mark the occasion and demonstrate how harvesters have changed over the past 20 years.
The Riley demonstration is an unmissable event for those with an involvement in sugar beet harvesting and the wider industry, as well as an enjoyable day out. Refreshments will include the highly-regarded hog roast prepared by North-Norfolk butchers H.V. Graves.
The event will be held on 31st January in the vicinity of the company’s premises near Attlebridge, Norfolk. For more details visit the J Riley website here.
