Tractor test

John Deere 6210R DirectDrive

Clever box of tranny tricks

John Deere is making some substantial claims for its double-clutch DirectDrive transmission, which has been previewed across our technical and driving impression pages over the past couple of issues. So time now to see whether this new gearbox does what it says on the tranny tin, with a full-blown profi tractor test on the 6R flagship — the 154kW/210hp 6210R

Practical test

Teagle Tulip 300XL Vario

Two goes into one

If versatility is the name of the game, then the Dutch-built 300XL Vario is very definitely a player. A flick of the spool valve transforms it from a disc and leg min-till machine into a set of discs for light cultivations. We stuck a 3m model in some Oxfordshire clay to see what it could do

Bogballe M2W Plus fertiliser spreader

A nice slice of Danish

Bogballe’s mounted M2W spreads fertiliser from 12m to 42m and aims to make work a pleasant experience. Last spring we put one through the profi test mill: here are the results

Driving impression

Manitou MLT 840-137 PS telehandler

The thinking man’s telehandler

Manitou’s latest 4.0t, 7.5m machine is packed full of clever technology designed to meet emission regs, stability rules and, most importantly, to make the operator’s life easier. Nick Fone climbs aboard the top-spec MLT 840-137 PS to see how this mighty French handler performs

Lely Tigo XR 65 forage wagon:

A moveable feast

Lely recently produced something unique in the forage wagon world – a tilting front bulkhead. Limited numbers of these German-built wagons were in the field last season, but we still managed to sneak a closer look at the 38m³ capacity Tigo XR 65. The Tigo is due to arrive in the UK later this year

Livestock equipment

Green Bedding system

Green approach to changing the bedding

Turning muck into money has taken an interesting step forward. Still not quite the alchemist’s dream of spinning straw into gold, perhaps, but many will agree that changing muck into cubicle bedding is getting pretty close

Used machinery

New Holland CX 700-, 800- and 8000-series walker combines

Soft on straw, hard on output

Well proven and suited to a wide variety of end users, the five- and six-walker New Holland CX 700-, 800- and 8000-series combines haven’t altered greatly since their launch back in 2002, with most of the more obvious developments relating to engine power and output. James de Havilland charts these and other items to look out for on a potential second-hand CX buy

Workshop

From the workshop

Simple solutions to perennial problems

There’s a definite livestock feel to this month’s ‘Simple solutions’ selection from regular contributor Mike Donovan: a double-cab pick-up cover for securing expensive shearing equipment out of the reach of thieving ne’er-do-wells, a mobile cattle handling system for solo operation, and a low-cost wheeled feed trough

Welding fumes

Don’t kipper your lungs

With help from Paul Woodford (product manager for Gas Equipment, PPE & Accessories for welding giant ESAB), Andrew Pearce shows how to reduce one aspect of the health risk that goes with welding and related processes

Machine management

Quality silage making in Cornwall

Cornish contractor competes on quality

A silage consolidation roller is the latest machine to join a Cornish contractor’s fleet — to assist in his quest to use ‘quality’ to separate his services from those offered by his competitors. Mick Roberts reports

Around the world

CORS network on the cards / Innovative techniques for maximum productivity / Driverless tractor reality draws ever closer / Swiss on sexy shoes

Report

Contractor price guide 2012/2013

UK contractor charges

This is the National Association of Agric.Contractors’ 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

Potato harvesting — self-propelled or trailed

Bringing the spuds home

The debate over trailed versus self-propelled is as relevant to potato harvesters as it is to crop sprayers or forage harvesters. Nick Wigdahl speaks to three growers who have adopted different approaches, yet all three of them share the same ultimate goal — to have sufficient capacity at their disposal to deal with increasingly unpredictable weather conditions