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.
Cultivation and seeding specialist LEMKEN has topped off its Rubin compact disc harrow range with massive ten-metre working width.
Like the smaller Rubin 10 models offered up to seven metres wide, the new Rubin 10/1000 offers a symmetrical disc arrangement for fuel-efficient operation without side draft.
Up front, hitching to the tractor uses a ball coupling or drawbar eye. Ease of attachment and removal is aided with the addition of a hydraulic support stand.
The two rows of 645mm diameter serrated concave discs allow a thorough incorporation across the full surface width from a soil depth of only seven centimetres. A 14cm spacing between the discs helps ensures blockage-free work, even when operating in stubbles with high volumes of organic matter.
Each disc is equipped with a coil spring overload protection with damped kickback, helping to reduce shock loadings on the main implement frame.
Clever design details across the working sections feature a pendulum type suspension to ensure optimal following of the field contour. On very uneven terrain, or when working on slopes, the optional iQ-Contour pendulum compensation guarantees optimum surface adaptation.
In addition, the hydraulic depth adjustment makes it possible to respond to changing conditions and the working depth can be changed on the move.
For transport between job sites, the machine is folded from the cab. The rear rollers patented folding system ensures a three-metre transport and a height of only four metres.
Chinese textile company Saibosi has partnered with Wools of New Zealand to put the 'farm to floor' story of New Zealand wool rugs on screen for its customers.
Showcasing the huge range of new technologies and science that is now available was one of the highlights at last week's National Fieldays.
Coby Warmington, 29, a farm manager at Waima Topu Beef near Hokianga was named at the winner of the 2025 Ahuwhenua Young Maori Farmer Award for sheep and beef.
Northlanders scooped the pool at this year's prestigious Ahuwhenua Trophy Awards - winning both the main competition and the young Maori farmer award.
Red meat farmers are urging the Government to act on the growing number of whole sheep and beef farm sales for conversion to forestry, particularly carbon farming.
The days of rising on-farm inflation and subdued farmgate prices are coming to an end for farmers, helping lift confidence.