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At the tillage event of the year in Carlow last week there was a massive turn out of machinery and farmers, with 4,000 people attending the free event. The demonstration area was set up to show the main methods of crop establishment available in Ireland. Across 19 different plots, four differing methods were demonstrated – conventional plough, min-till, strip till and direct drilling.
Running beside these demonstrations was a large static display area where all the manufacturers showed off their latest equipment, from combines to small pneumatic seeders for cover crop establishment.
THE KVERNELAND I-PLOUGH
This was the first public working demo of the i-Plough. The model on display was the five-furrow version, and there are many features on this plough that differentiate it from a standard plough. The party piece is the GPS guiding which can give you arrow-straight ploughing every length. The skimmer depth is controlled in a simpler way, with a winding mechanism controlling the depth of top and bottom skimmers simultaneously and control of the turnover can be adjusted from the cab, giving the operator the ability to perfect their sod turning on the move without the use of a spanner.
KUHN
Kuhn demonstrated the latest in its one-pass equipment, which can be used after a plough or after a min-till cultivator. The Kuhn cultimer 3000 consists of a duck foot share which allows for shallow stubble cultivation from 3cm to 7cm. For deeper stubble cultivation, the fins on the legs allow you to go from 5cm to 15cm. The mounted drill on display was the LC 300 pneumatic drill with disc coulters. This was mounted on the latest version of a firm favourite on Irish farms, the Kuhn power harrow.
The model number now is the HR 3004. These power harrows feature an improved headstock design with higher top-link attachment and increased clearance for easier coupling to modern, large frame tractors.
VADERSTAD
Vaderstad was one of the original min-till drill manufacturers to enter the Irish market. At the event, Cooney Furlong ran a 4m top-down cultivator in front of a 4m spirit drill. These machines are well proven in Irish conditions. The implements were pulled by a Steyr T6190 CVT and a Steyr CVT 170 respectively.
It was nice to see two of these rare Austrian-built tractors being put to work.
SULKY
Farmec brought along its 3m Xeos Pro one-pass with 1500Lt hopper mounted on a HR 3m power harrow. The drill is very much a multi-system capable drill which can be used in conventional, min-till or direct-drill systems. This is possible because of the 80kg pressure per disc and 56cm clearance between discs. These allow sowing in all conditions, even with lots of trash on the surface, without any blockage. The drill also has the ability to work in combination with a XR disc harrow for seedbed preparation to reach maximum output (up to 15km/h) in min-till conditions.
WEAVING
Anner Agri demonstrated the GD 3,000m direct drill. The mounted GD Drill is an affordable, flexible and manoeuvrable zero-till drilling system for all farm sizes. A slimline 1,600-litre hopper provides operators with ample capacity. Fitted with an easily accessible pneumatic metering unit accompanied by RDS Artemis Lite, calibration is fast and simple. A closed hydraulic circuit provides individual coulter pressure, helping to maintain consistent ground contact across undulations, with an accurate sowing depth. The little Weaving was my star of the show due to its simplicity and ease of use.
JOHN DEERE
The 750A All-Till drill was used in the demonstration area. This pneumatic drill from John Deere can work in different systems, Conventional, minimum or no till. Giving precise seed placement in all conditions. On this occasion, the drill was used as a direct drill.
The opening for the seed placement is opened by 36 457mm discs working at 16.6 cm spacings, giving this machine a ground-gobbling 6m width. The machine that was used at the show has since been sold to an Irish farm and will be in use this autumn.
AMAZONE
Farrmhand brought along the latest in spreading technology from Amazone, the ZA-V 3200. This machine gives precise spread patterns at working widths of up to 36m. If you choose either the Tronic or Hydro specifications, ISOBUS comes as standard. Soft Ballistic System (SBS) for more gentle handling of the fertiliser is standard across the whole range. The spreading discs are easily adjusted using the QuickSet system. For headland spreading, the hydraulic Limiter V or the electrically actuated Limiter V+ border spreading systems can both be variably adjusted.
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