Farming smarter with technology
The National Fieldays is an annual fixture in the farming calendar: it draws in thousands of farmers, contractors, and industry professionals from across the country.
The first of the UK’s agricultural trade shows was recently held at the NEC Centre in Birmingham.
LAMMA 2025, now considered the main event for those suffering from heavy metal disease, has recently become the favourite venue for new product launches, so visitors weren’t disappointed at this year’s event.
Local manufacturer JCB, headquartered just up the road in Staffordshire, announced a bunch of new models, including a preview of the TM110 – a compact, articulated telescopic loader. The addition to the range has been developed in just 18 months at the behest of chairman Lord Bamford.
Using a bit of lateral thinking, the development team have chosen to use the back end of the 50hp, three-cylinder 403 wheeled loader, complemented by a new front end with an oscillating pivot and a telescopic boom.
This offers a maximum lift height of 3.5 metres, but also allows the TM110 to handle 800kg with the boom fully extended, or 1100kg when retracted. Overall dimensions see measurements an overall width of 1.56m and height of 2.2m.
A two-speed hydrostatic transmission tops out at 30km/h, with axles supplied by ZF and featuring diffs front and rear. The hydraulic system has a 50l/min pump.
In other news, the market leading Loadall Series sees some new additions to the already expansive range. The 560-80 is a 6 tonne, 8m machine and now comes as an Agri Pro with an increase in power 173hp engine. Previously Agri Xtra was the highest spec with 150hp with the Dual Tech transmission and 160l/min hydraulics.
The 542-100 is a new straw stacking orientated handler with DualTech transmission but just as importantly, more lift over the 536-95. The 4.2t, 9.8m newcomer comes in Agri Super, Xtra and Pro versions. There have been changes around the headstock plumbing and the boom end rubbers have been replaced with bristles. JCB has also developed a hydraulic side-shifting bale grab to go with it.
The 538-60 now has the option of Agri Pro spec for the 3.8t, 6.2m lift machine. The 173hp JCB 4.8-litre engine and Dual Tech transmission allows it to travel at 50km/h. This also gets different axles compared to 40km/h version.
At the other end of the scale, the 435S shovel features the same 282hp as the larger 457S - rising from 252hp. Complementing the increased horsepower, the 435 also gains the larger machines torque converter transmission, as well as larger axles with an extra planetary gear. The transmission also gains torque lock up in more gears including five and six and can even kick in on some reverse speeds.
Brendan Attrill of Caiseal Trust in Taranaki has been announced as the 2025 National Ambassador for Sustainable Farming and Growing and recipient of the Gordon Stephenson Trophy at the National Sustainability Showcase at in Wellington this evening.
The next phase of the Taste Pure Nature campaign has been launched in Shanghai, China.
Alliance Group and Grand Farm have signed a strategic co-operation agreement with a focus on delivering more premium New Zealand grass-fed beef to Chinese consumers.
OPINION: Two reports out last week confirm that the worst may be over for pastoral farmers.
Reuters reports that giant food company Wilmar Group has announced it had handed over 11.8 trillion rupiah (US$725 million) to Indonesia's Attorney General's Office as a "security deposit" in relation to a case in court about alleged misconduct in obtaining palm oil export permits.
DairyNZ is celebrating 60 years of the Economic Survey, reflecting on the evolution of New Zealand's dairy sector over time.