Kverneland to debut Alentix fertiliser spreaders at Agritechnica
With Agritechnica just around the corner, it’s no surprise to see manufacturers drip-feed some information of new products worth a closer look.
No surprise to see the giant Kverneland Group will introduce several new plough ranges at Agritechnica, in Germany, in November.
Kverneland’s history dates back 140 years, when its first ploughs were made in Klepp, Norway. Ploughs have remained a key focus of the business.
The new ploughs are the 2300S, 3300S and 3400S mounted units and the semi-mounted 6500S Series. Production will begin early next year.
They will have many of the features first seen in the clever I-Plough launched in 2015, including the swept leg design, centralised skimmer adjustment and a new leaf spring design for the auto-reset system.
The new series will be sold alongside existing ranges and the older ranges will eventually be phased out.
Looking at how the new models slot into the product offering: the 3-, 4- and 5-furrow 2300S is the new version of the EG Series, with the 200 headstock. And the 4-, 5- and 6-furrow 3300S is the 300 comparison.
The 5-, 6- and 8-furrow 3400S ploughs are on-land/in-furrow versions of the PO, while the 5- to 8-furrow 6500S lines up with the PB series.
Headstocks for the mounted models use the same configuration as the I-Plough. This allows them to follow like a trailer when carried on its land wheel during transport. All new models can be optioned with Variomat manual or hydraulic variable furrow width adjustment which now has top and bottom rails to the side of the main beam.
Depending on model, the furrow width can be adjusted between 30 to 55cm. The front furrow and draft links are synchronised automatically.
The 2300S and3300S models (rated to 240hp and 330hp, respectively) can be supplied with 85cm or 100cm inter-body clearances. The under-beam clearance has been increased from 70 to 80cm.
Both series can be fitted with a packer arm or integrated Packomat press. The company notes that when ploughs are ordered for manufacture with the optional packer system, the headstock construction is manufactured from higher grade, close grain steel.
The new 6500S series also has many of the changes seen in the mounted ranges, and includes Cat 3/4 compatible headstocks and a larger 480-80R24 rear wheel.
Three New Zealand agritech companies are set to join forces to help unlock the full potential of technology.
As the sector heads into the traditional peak period for injuries and fatalities, farmers are being urged to "take a moment".
Federated Farmers says almost 2000 farmers have signed a petition launched this month to urge the Government to step in and provide certainty while the badly broken resource consent system is fixed.
Zespri’s counter-seasonal Zespri Global Supply (ZGS) programme is underway with approximately 33 million trays, or 118,800 tonnes, expected this year from orchards throughout France, Italy, Greece, Korea, and Japan.
Animal owners can help protect life-saving antibiotics from resistant bacteria by keeping their animals healthy, says the New Zealand Veterinary Association.
According to analysis by the Meat Industry Association (MIA), New Zealand red meat exports reached $827 million in October, a 27% increase on the same period last year.

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