Tractor, harvester IT comes of age
Over the last halfdecade, digital technology has appeared to be the “must-have” for tractor and machinery companies, who believe that bringing IT to tractors and farming will offer its customers huge benefits.
Kverneland Group, part of the Kubota Corporation, has acquired 80% of Italian company ROC, best known for its mergers/swathers.
Like other machines in the marketplace, the layout sees a conventional tine-based pick-up reel that lifts the crop onto grouper belts for central, left, right or split delivery. If required, the machine can make further passes to move "grouped" swathes together to feed high powered self-propelled forage harvesters or large square balers.
The concept is said to be finding favour with increasing numbers of large-scale farmers and contractors, who wish to merge large areas of grass quickly, but also treat them more gently and avoid leaf shatter. This is important in crops like Lucerne or alfalfa, both traditionally grown in drier areas and with crude protein levels of up to 20%, making them valuable crops.
Compared to tine-based swathing or raking solutions that move crops laterally across the ground to form a larger swath, the merger concept helps reduce the amount of foreign objects like stones, removes the risk of broken tines and reduces crop contamination from soil or ash.
Formed in 1996, the ROC company, based in Rimini on Italy's east coast, offers a range of front or rear-mounted, trailed and self-propelled variants, with working widths from 4.90 to 12.20 metres, the largest machine capable of bringing up to 50 metres of grass into a single large swath.
New Zealand dairy processors are welcoming the Government’s commitment to continuing to push for Canada to honour its trade commitments.
An educational programme, set up by Beef + Land New Zealand, to connect farmers virtually with primary and intermediate school students has reported the successful completion of its second year.
The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) has welcomed a resolution adopted by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly to declare 2026 International Year of the Woman Farmer.
Waikato herd health veterinarian Katrina Roberts is the 2024 Fonterra Dairy Woman of the Year.
Trade Minister Todd McClay says New Zealand has no intention of backing down in a trade dispute with Canada over dairy products.
Horticulture NZ chief executive Nadine Tunley will step down in August.