Alpego eyes electric power harrow
Distributed by OriginAg in New Zealand, Italian manufacturer Alpego recently showed its three metre Alysium electric power harrow at the Italian Eima Event, taking away an innovation award.
The practice of sub-soiling, by no means new, has been acknowledged by farmers and contractors as helping improve drainage and creating healthier soil conditions.
It offers increased worm activity that ultimately results in higher yields.
Many sub-soilers tend to leave an uneven surface and are often unable to go deep enough to penetrate the compacted pan layer to achieve the required results.
Alpego claims its Super Craker overcomes this problem with specially designed legs that enter the ground surface at an optimal angle, allowing the machine to penetrate through the compacted pan layer to depths of up to 600mm, while breaking the pan with minimal mixing of the subsoil into the upper soil profile.
Alpego says the profile of the soil is left in such a way that in a dry season the moisture stored deep down can move freely up the soil profile to the plant, and yet in a wet season the opposite occurs with the excess moisture freely draining away, resulting in higher cropping yields in all seasons.
The machine should prove to be popular among contractors and maize growers looking to improve their crops suffering from soil compaction.
Manufactured from Swedish high tensile rated steel in the construction, and cast-iron clamps to fix the legs to the frame, three models are offered from 3 - 5m working width, suitable for tractors from 100 - 500hp, while a choice of shear-bolt or hydraulic auto-reset systems offer protection from foreign objects.
The 500mm or 600mm legs allow the user to target different compaction depths, while a Franter double-spiked rear roller crushes any clods left on the surface, leaving a level and semi-cultivated finish ready for the next pass before final planting, while also helping to conserve moisture.
The implements have either shear bolt or hydraulic auto rest protection to suit all conditions and tractor sizes from 100hp up to 500hp.
Opportunity says its land value tax (LVT) is unlikely to force farmers into a position where asset sales or increased debt are required.
Milk powder prices are keeping farmgate prices up, helping processors offset the dip in milk fat prices.
Climate, nature and animal wellbeing make up Fonterra's refreshed sustainability roadmap released last week.
The Government is introducing a new nationwide rural recycling scheme that will significantly increase the recovery of farm plastics from March next year, Minister for the Environment Nicola Grigg announced today.
B+LNZ's Wormwise veterinarian Mary Bowron has won the Best Sheep and Beef Vet of the Year Award in recognition of her outstanding contribution to New Zealand’s sheep and beef sector.
Researchers at Massey University are using a special piece of scientific equipment to improve the measurement of greenhouse gas emissions from pasture soils.
OPINION: Groundswell's opinion of the incumbent farm industry representatives isn't high.
OPINION: After hogging the media limelight for telling a NZ Chinese MP to "go back home", Winston Peters has decided…