Huge choice of machinery on show at Cereals 2013

Farmers on the lookout for new and updated kit will have access to many of the best-known names in agricultural machinery at Cereals 2013.

The event, which takes place at Boothby Graffoe, Lincolnshire on Wednesday 12th and Thursday 13th June, continues its reputation as being a key shop window for many leading manufacturers.

As well as cultivation kit and drills to suit every soil type and system, there’s a wide choice of tractors to operate such equipment and combines to cut the resulting crops.

The 10ha Working Demonstration Area returns, so visitors can see some the machinery being put through its paces.

Cultivation

Great Plains is launching new-specification versions of its popular Simba ST Bar, X-Press, DTX, SL and TL cultivators, and adding other new options for its Flatliner and SLD models.

The new options are aimed at farmers with consistent soils who do not need the full adjustability offered across the company’s models. Additions include shearbolt leg protection, bolt-on points, fixed-angle cultivating discs and a wider choice of rear rollers. Machines will be simpler, lighter and cheaper.

Opico is also introducing lower cost machines – a shearbolt version of the HE-VA Triple Tiller – a high-speed stubble cultivator with three rows of tines. The option is available on all three sizes - 3m, 4m and 5m.

The company is extending the Maschio power harrow range with a 4m wide Aquila folding version. This smaller machine will be easy to transport and demands less hp than its bigger variants.

Vaderstad is revealing its new Carrier XL with large discs at Cereals. The 61cm discs are better at penetrating thick layers of crop residue or manure. Capable of shallow cultivations or down to 15 cm, the XL is available in 9.25 and 12.25m widths.

The new 4m Cenius 4002-2T folding trailed mulch cultivator from Amazone features a three-row staggered time arrangement set at 28.5 cm spacing followed by levelling discs. It can undertake shallow stubble cultivations or deep loosening of the topsoil.

Lemken’s newly introduced FlexPack helps to close furrows, ensuring weed seeds are properly buried while crushing clods and preserving moisture retention. The press mounts on the plough, and fits 4-6 furrow, Juwel 8-shearbolt ploughs.

Pöttinger is showing its Terradisc compact disc harrows designed for shallow tillage. The 1001 series is available as mounted and trailed versions in working widths of 3m to 6m. Thicker and larger discs are claimed to prolong service life of this new-generation machine by up to 45%.

Kuhn is highlighting its new minimum tillage options. The 4-6m trailed Cultimer L has three rows of twin spring-loaded non-stop mechanical tines that operate at a pressure of 600kg. A row of levelling discs and a roller follow. Different shares and points enable shallow or deep cultivations down to 35cm.

The firm’s Optimer+ is designed for shallow work. It has two rows of curved 510mm diameter discs, levelling tines, and a choice of rollers. Trailed options range from 4m to 7.5m.

Tractors and combines

John Deere’s new single-fuel 6M Series tractor range is represented at Cereals 2013 by the 150hp 6150M model. The 115-170hp range provides more power and operator comfort than its 6030 Series predecessors. The tractors are powered by the 4.5-litre four-cylinder or 6.8-litre six-cylinder PowerTech PVX engines.

Also on show is John Deere’s new DirectDrive tractor, in the form of the top-of-the-range 210hp 6210R. The newly designed 24-speed transmission is said to deliver the handling of an infinitely variable shift transmission with the power efficiency of a mechanical transmission. It is available on all six-cylinder 6R Series tractors.

The company’s revamped XUV 855D Gator 4x4 utility vehicle has several new features for 2013. These include a digital instrument cluster, a bigger capacity 55A alternator and a much larger 27.6-litre fuel tank. Engine braking has also been improved.

New Holland has chosen Cereals to mark the first UK showing of the T6 and T8 ranges of tractors equipped with industry-leading Auto Command transmission, to add to the existing line up of T7 models. This gives the brand a comprehensive range of tractors with a variable speed transmission from 110 to 230 rated engine horsepower.

Also on display for the first time will be a new Roll Belt baler to add to the current offering of round balers and combination wrappers.

Visitors will be able to meet product specialists to learn more about the products and a full array of equipment dedicated to precision farming.

Case IH is introducing the Maxxum CVX EP, the first four-cylinder Case IH tractor to offer a continuously variable transmission (CVT). The range includes three models powered by 4.5-litre Efficient Power engines with rated outputs of 110, 121 and 131hp. An additional 32hp is available through Power Management in transport, hydraulic and PTO use.

Another addition to the Case IH CVX range, the Magnum 370 CVX, further extends the CVT option. Featuring an 8.7 litre Case IH FPT engine, with Power Management boosting maximum power output to 409hp at 1800rpm, the model also has Automatic Productivity Management to match engine speed and transmission outputs to changing working conditions.

New features to boost productivity on the Case IH’s Axial-Flow combines include a redesigned cab, said to set new standards in convenience, comfort and ergonomics, and new unloading technology that incorporates a folding auger and a pivoting spout option to improve trailer filling accuracy. Other improvements include upgraded choppers and spreaders.

Shelbourne Reynolds is using Cereals 2013 to unveil a series of upgrades to its range of MacDon combine draper headers. Available from 6.0-13.5m the headers offer even better performance in lodged crops thanks to several tweaks to improve crop intake. Automatic header height control and hydraulic header tilt are now standard on D65 headers.

Drills

Amazone’s EDX Precision air seeder is on show, fitted with metering drums with hole diameters of 1.2 mm and 1.6 mm suitable for single sowing of rapeseed, which can produce a more manageable crop and higher yields.

Sumo UK will be airing its new DTS (deep tillage seeder) - a one pass ‘strip till’ tine drill, designed to work straight into previous crop residues and cover crops.

Horsch highlights the resurgence in seed and fertiliser drills. Advantages include better crop establishment, reduced input costs and improved weed control, says the company. Drills including the Horsch Pronto and Sprinter are available in working widths from 3m to 12m, using the Duett coulter to place a band of fertiliser about 30mm below the seed.

The latest developments in Techneat’s Placement Pro-Air equipment for precision application of granular fertiliser during drilling are on show. The system can be developed to fit most drills, delivers granules to outlets at the seeding units, placing nutrient alongside or beneath seed as required.

Fertiliser spreaders/applicators

RECO is exhibiting the new Sulky Econov X40 and X50 fertiliser spreaders. Using GPS technology, internet links and automation, precision application is possible even on irregular-shaped fields. The machines offer working widths of 44m and 50m respectively.

Amazone is showing its new hi-tech ZA-TS mounted fertiliser spreader, which can precision-spread its payload of 4500kg up to 54m. It features the firm’s AutoTS boundary spreading system that allows the full rate of fertiliser to be spread more accurately and closer to the field edge.

Kuhn’s 36m trailed pneumatic spreader has a 6,300-litre hopper capacity and can operate at 15km/hr whilst spreading at rates up to 250kg/ha of urea. The machine is fully ISOBUS compatible.

In addition a new 24m boom-mounted Avadex applicator from Techneat will enable cereal growers to spread granules across larger areas at the optimum time in the on-going battle against blackgrass.

Crop handling

Tong Peal is exhibiting a new 2013 Caretaker grading system. It has been built to handle both main crop potatoes and daffodil bulbs efficiently and gently, using an EasyClean grading system to provide effective haulm, soil and clod removal in all conditions and touch-screen control for automatic changing of cleaner settings.

Albutt is introducing its new 4.72m3 Clam Shell grain bucket, which opens in two to allow grain to flow from the underside. This keeps telehandler boom extension to a minimum when loading high-sided lorries, improving machine stability and lift capacity.

Tickets for Cereals 2013 cost £23 each (£19 for students) and are available at www.cerealsevent.co.uk

Visitors qualify for 2 NRoSO points and 4 BASIS points for attending either day. Further information at www.cerealsevent.co.uk