Tractor test
Fendt 828 Vario
The whistle of twin turbos
While the 724 and 720 may be Fendt’s bread-and-butter sellers in the UK, the bigger 828 and 939 models are not that far behind. So, having been suitably impressed by the fuel efficiency of the Stage IIIB engine 828 back in our 09/2011 issue, we were keen to see what the new Stage IV tractor could achieve
Practical test
Six tedders compared — Part II
Ready to roll
…Which is something every tedder needs to be when the weather’s right. Question is, will any of this half-dozen come between you and the job? We explore what it takes to use them
Krone EasyCut F 320 M and B 970 mower combi
Easy going mowing
Krone’s SmartCut disc bed is at the heart of its mower range. We tried it in the wide-working EasyCut triple combination, to see how the new beds perform
Driving impression
Zetor Forterra 150 HD tractor
HD hits the mark
Zetor has long been perceived as a basic, no-frills tractor aimed at the livestock market, but that ain’t necessarily so. The Czech maker has recently raised the stakes with the launch of its higher-powered Forterra HD, a tractor that we took to the field to assess its new technology
APV GS 600 M1 front harrow, AW 630 SG rear rolls and PS 500 M2 air seeder
The forward-thinking Austrian
APV grass harrows and air seeders are handled in the UK by North Yorkshire-based KRM, which now makes it possible to add a harrow to a tractor’s front linkage and combine it with a rear roller and air seeder. Here we take a peek at a pre-production version of APV’s new combo
Strautmann Zelon 2901 DO CFS wagon
Grassed up
This season Strautmann will be unveiling a new forage wagon suitable for smaller tractors but still boasting many of the features of its larger capacity counterparts. We had the chance to check out how the Zelon sets about its grass-gathering job
John Deere 8500i/8600i self-propelled foragers
Deere ready to chomp
No one can accuse John Deere of not testing its latest foragers enough, with pictures of prototype 8000-series machines popping up on the internet over what seems like a protracted period. Now that the wraps are finally off the small- to mid-size forager family, we tuck a unit into both maize and grass
Vicon Andex 904 Hydro twin-rotor rake
Crouch and go
Vicon unveiled the Andex 904 Hydro twin-rotor rake at Agritechnica 2013, and a number of examples were out working in the field last season. We caught up with one of the earlier 904s to roll off the manufacturer’s production line
Deere ready to chomp
John Deer 8500i & 8600i_S
No one can accuse John Deere of not testing its latest foragers enough, with pictures of prototype 8000-series machines popping up on the internet over what seems like a protracted period. Now that the wraps are finally off the small- to mid-size forager family, we tuck a unit into both maize and grass
Grassed up
Strautmann Zelon 2901 DO CFS
This season Strautmann will be unveiling a new forage wagon suitable for smaller tractors but still boasting many of the features of its larger capacity counterparts. We had the chance to check out how the Zelon sets about its grass-gathering job
Crouch and go
Vicon Andex 904 Hydro
Vicon unveiled the Andex 904 Hydro twin-rotor rake at Agritechnica 2013, and a number of examples were out working in the field last season. We caught up with one of the earlier 904s to roll off the manufacturer’s production line
Livestock equipment
New cow housing in south west Wales
Cow comfort with new build
Going the extra mile to maximise standards of cow comfort and environmental compliance is money well spent, says a dairy farming family partnership in south west Wales
New clamp designs
Modern bunker mentality
Do you ever question the traditional way of doing things? Take silage clamps. The huge investment required to install an AD plant is prompting AD operators to seek more cost-effective ways of storing silage. Clearly, any resulting developments in clamp design could be of benefit to stock farmers, too
Used machinery
Case IH Puma tractors — the long-wheelbase models
Affordable Puma muscle?
With the imminent arrival of Stage IV Case IH Puma tractors, used buyers may well be rubbing their hands at the prospect of falling residuals for the existing Stage IIIB and previous generation Stage IIIA models. We suggest this will not be the case, because the knock-on effect of new tractor price inflation is likely to see existing used values for nominal 165-225hp and 170–230hp SCR Puma models
Workshop
From the workshop
Simple solutions to perennial problems
Nearly every farm boasts a homemade barbecue in the garden, constructed out of an old drum. But how many of these barbies incorporate bricks from a storage heater, to prevent their metal from going thin? This and other ingenious ideas feature on our Simple Solutions pages, put together by Mike Donovan
Repairing a leaky compressor
Easy fix
Is your tractor’s compressor leaking oil? Well don’t fret, because there’s a very good chance that you can repair it at a reasonable cost. We show you what parts need replacing… and what you need to consider
Machine management
Second time around as a contractor
Dare to be different
After a six-year sabbatical to pursue other interests, Shropshire contractor Colin Bowen has recently returned to agricultural contracting. Being older and wiser means that second time around he has a completely different focus on the industry and, as a result, has developed a selection of niche services
Around the world
They came from the East/Harvesters are a hard sell in Australia/High-power, high capacity machinery sales tail off/Competitors do a good job, too
Report
SIMA 2015, Paris
French foray
An extra sixth hall was required to accommodate the almost 1,800 exhibitors at SIMA 2015. Joining the estimated 250,000 visitors, we pick out a few tractor and machinery highlights from the showgrounds at the Parc des Expositions, in Paris
Technical
Part II: Pumps — gear, vane and piston
Man, the pumps!
For part II of this short series on the basics of machine hydraulic systems, we look harder at pumps and investigate the spool valve. Again thanks are due to John Liposits, technical trainer at John Deere’s Langar, Notts HQ
Lemken Azurit precision drill
Into the double bed
Lemken showed its Azurit precision drill concept at the previous Agritechnica. Here’s some background on the machine and a look at its Delta Row technology
Vehicles
Renault Kangoo Z.E. battery-powered van
Shockingly good sense
Having specifically asked to test the battery-powered Kangoo Z.E. it looked as if Renault had delivered an identical model to the one we drove last year (09/14). As we climbed in, the interior and controls, bar an automatic shift lever, seemed to be the same, too. Then we popped in the key, turned it to crank the engine… and nothing appeared to happen
Under the hammer
Halls’s February collective sale
Low milk prices affect kit sales
The collective machinery sale at Halls’s Shrewsbury saleground saw a drop in sales of dairy machinery. Countering this, internet bidding showed a marked increase, helping to deliver a better end result
One man and his spreader
Benad Green Cargo
Greencargo, a self-loading, self-propelled muckspreader, is the brainchild of Belgian firm BEMAD. The Dutch Trekker magazine takes us on a tour of this most intriguing piece of kit
Self-loading muckspreader
One man and his spreader
Greencargo, a self-loading, self-propelled muckspreader, is the brainchild of Belgian firm BEMAD. The Dutch Trekker magazine takes us on a tour of this most intriguing piece of kit
Contractor price guide 2015
UK contractor charges
This is the National Association of Agricultural Contractors’ (www.naac.co.uk) charge guide, based on info supplied by its members last spring. The figures are only a guide and assume a red diesel price of 70p/litre. Prices will vary according to UK region, size of job, type of equipment used etc
