The Irish Farmers Journal machinery team made the trip to Tyrone to see what was new at the show.

Held over three days and opening at noon until 10pm each day, the spring farm machinery show boasted nearly 300 exhibitors and attracted in excess of 12,000 visitors from Ireland and the UK.

Kongskilde

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Based in Denmark, Kongskilde is the parent company of a popular brand on Irish farms, JF. From this year on, all JF machines will now be sold under the Kongskilde name with the new company slogan “one brand, one look, one company”. On display at the show was the new FCT 1260 trailed forage harvester which is a new release for this grass season. The 1260 is basically a 1060 drum and chopping unit which is now fully shaft-driven, fitted to a 1360 chassis design. Pickup options include 2.6m and 3.1m versions. The 1260 has 24 blade segments arranged in a four-row configuration; while a metal detector is now standard spec. The spout controls are electro-hydraulically controlled from the cab, with a double flap now fitted to the end of the spout making filling higher trailers easier. According to Frank Ward from Kongskilde, this forager is easily capable of 6ac/hr. At a list price of €88,000 plus VAT, this forager may be a viable option for customers instead of the smaller self-propelled foragers that have higher buying and running costs.

Triolet

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Over on the Triolet stand was an impressive display consisting of 12ZX single auger, 18ZX twin auger and 24 KXT twin auger diet feeders. Patrick O’Kane from Triolet explained the new features found on these machines. The discharge doors now have a rounded inside lip to help feed pass without causing a build-up or potential blockage. Another new feature is a patented automatic gearbox which works on the weight ratio inside the feeder. The gearbox starts in the low range regardless of weight, then senses the load in the feeder and increases the speed accordingly with load and horsepower available. The shiftronic gearbox is available in two-speed and three- speed versions.

Herbst

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Herbst machinery based in Omagh, Co Tyrone, had its full product range on display. Herbst also unveiled its latest addition, the Agri Crusher. The Agri Crusher is a gravity-fed jaw crusher with a 700 x 400mm jaw aperture. The crush size is hydraulically controlled, with a processed size of 40-100mm easily achievable. The processed material exits the machine via a removable conveyor which aids in stockpiling. Weighing in at 7,900kg and with a minimum horsepower requirement of just 100hp, the new Agri Crusher is a viable option for farmers to turn their unwanted stones and rubble into usable filling for roadways, etc.

Giant Wheel Loaders

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Ballyward plant services had the Giant Wheel Loaders on display at the show. Manufactured by Tobroco Machines in the Netherlands, the Giant loader range consists of 36 different models ranging from 20-76HP and 750-5500kg. These compact loading shovels are a viable option for farmers due to their compact size, making jobs such as feeding and mucking out stables or sheds far less labour-intensive.

Zero Grazer

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Zero Grazer from Co Meath had a ZG 75 on display. The ZG 75 has a capacity of 36m3 with a total size of 3,120mm high and 2,000mm wide.

The ZG 75 comes as standard on 500mm wide LGP tyres on a pivoting bogey axle set up achieving 300mm ground clearance. Grass is fed into the machine via a 2,100mm-wide drum mower which is spring-loaded, offering a smooth floating system over rough terrain.

The grass travels up a hydraulically controlled elevator 1,250mm wide. Discharge of the grass is taken care of by a double hydraulic powered moving floor. All functions are controlled inside the cab electronically.

The floor and side sheets are galvanised while the rest of the machine is primed and painted with two-pack paint.

Venieri Loading Shovels

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H Fulton Tractor Ltd, From Dungiven in Co Derry, had their new franchise, Venieri, on display.

These loading shovels are produced in Italy and offer a range consisting of 12 models, from 53hp up to 220hp, with weights of 3,150kg up to 2,2000kg. On the stand was the Venieri 13.63 loading shovel.

This machine is powered by a 175hp six-cylinder Perkins turbo charged and intercooled engine, mated to a Bosch Rexroth hydrostatic transmission. Inside the cab, the driver benefits from a more comfortable and ergonomic driver’s seat along with a multipurpose joystick. The 13.63 has a max operative weight of 14,600kg and a bucket capacity of 2.7m3 to 3.5m3 controlled by the loader’s Z linkage arms.