A tale of two shows
OPINION: There were clear winners and losers in this year's regional field days circuit.
In the Krone display, look out for the new ActiveMow range of disc mowers, developed from the well-known AM series. They embody innovations such as the SmartCut cutter and the SafeCut safety system. The former uses a wedge shaped, fully welded cutter-bar which is leakproof, permanently lubricated and quiet running due to large spur gears.
The safety system features a unique disc mounting hub that will break an easily changed roll pin if an obstruction is encountered, protecting the main cutter-bar from any major damage.
A revised headstock has greater strength and an improved spring suspension system for optimum ground pressure and contour following.
Known for high capacity balers, the Krone MultiBale will be on display. This machine incorporates high speed technology and HDP from the larger balers and offers a bale size of 800mm wide x 700mm high for stability and the ability to load trucks four high for maximum permissible weights.
However, the unique feature is the ability of the machine to make either conventional large square bales up to 2.7m long or utilise the MultiBale feature to produce up to nine bales of 0.3 to 1.35m long which are bound into a single package. This offers the advantage of clearing paddocks quickly, but allows the packs to be broken down into single items for easy use onfarm.
The Oekosem Rotor Strip-till is manufactured by Baertschi in Switzerland. This concept has been configured to suit New Zealand pasture based farming for cost effective establishment of fodder beet, maize and sweet corn. This last season has seen some very pleasing results in Taranaki.
The configuration incorporates Rotor Strip-till, dual placement of fertilisers and slug bait and precision placement of seed in one pass.
A 12 row fodder beet planter from Monosem will be on display showing the patented Monoshox technology. This focuses on improvements for better germination. The maker's 70 years of precision planter design experience has brought to the industry a host of enviable patents, and a simple design with the fewest moving/wearing parts.
