New Pottinger Novacat comes with automated curve control
Triple 'butterfly' or dual mower combinations have become increasingly popular, offering increased output and better utilisation of tractors that keep gaining horsepower.
Grassland and cultivation specialist Pottinger claims a first for its new range of round balers, achieving chop quality usually associated with loader wagons.
The Impress range will be offered with fixed or variable chambers with a combined wrapper and with a choice of master or pro specification.
The feed route to the bale chamber has been redesigned: the maker's Liftup carries the crop over the feed rotor rather than the traditional route that takes crop under. The Liftup rotor carries a series of tines arranged in a patented spiral layout, which push the crop into the chamber at an angle.
This offers the benefit of high feed rates with low 'leaf shatter' and creates a filling effect across the full width of the chamber. It also removes the need to steer left and right to create good shaped bales.
The company says the units work equally well in wet or dry conditions and suit all types of crop.
Chopper versions have the Flex Cut system of 32 twin-blade reversible knives which offer a theoretical chop length of 36mm across the full bale width.
A patented knife switching system further enhances chop length flexibility and removes the need to remove blades and fit dummy units to the exposed slots.
Pottinger says the very short chop lengths increase bale density, so reducing the number of bales per hectare, cutting haulage costs and saving storage space. Also the bales break up easily for mixing in feed mixer wagons, and chopped straw is easily fed or spread with low power input.
The Impress chopper balers have a swing-out knife system with easily moved knife banks, providing good maintenance access at workbench height outside the bale chamber – important given the large number of knives in the machine.
Expect to see evaluation machines in 2016 and machines on sale for the 2017 season.
Managing director of Woolover Ltd, David Brown, has put a lot of effort into verifying what seems intuitive, that keeping newborn stock's core temperature stable pays dividends by helping them realise their full genetic potential.
Within the next 10 years, New Zealand agriculture will need to manage its largest-ever intergenerational transfer of wealth, conservatively valued at $150 billion in farming assets.
Boutique Waikato cheese producer Meyer Cheese is investing in a new $3.5 million facility, designed to boost capacity and enhance the company's sustainability credentials.
OPINION: The Government's decision to rule out changes to Fringe Benefit Tax (FBT) that would cost every farmer thousands of dollars annually, is sensible.
Compensation assistance for farmers impacted by Mycoplama bovis is being wound up.
Selecting the reverse gear quicker than a lovestruck boyfriend who has met the in-laws for the first time, the Coalition Government has confirmed that the proposal to amend Fringe Benefit Tax (FBT) charged against farm utes has been canned.
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