Tractor test

Tractor test: Zetor Forterra 135

Simple but not stupid

Many people turn their noses up at Zetor, but the Czech manufacturer retains a faithful following who will undoubtedly be interested in the latest flagship addition that’s already winning customers in the UK. This month the 95kW/129hp Forterra 135 is subjected to our full monthly tractor test treatment – to see if relatively cheap can still be cheerful

Practical test

Kuhn GMD 802F/GMD 8730 mounted mower combo:

Less can be more

French machinery giant Kuhn has been busy after taking over Kverneland’s baler division. First UK showing for the company’s new GMD 802F/GMD 8730 mounted triple disc mower came at Grassland 2011 — here’s our impression

Driving impression

Driving impression: Honda TRX420FPM ATV

Power to the steering

It’s easy to spend other people’s hard-earned cash, but after 30secs into our ride on Honda’s power steering equipped TRX420FPM we’d made a decision. Investing an extra £300 on this model is worth every penny, says James de Havilland

Driving impression: Malone Pro Cut 960C mower

Where the grass is green

Having offered mounted mowers for a couple of years, Irish manufacturer Malone is now targeting the professional contractor end of the market with a trailed mower conditioner model. Mervyn Bailey takes a closer look at the firm’s Pro Cut 960C

Exclusive driving impression: John Deere S690 combine

Deere is back with combine big boys

Costing well over $100 million to develop, John Deere is placing all its high-output harvesting eggs in one basket and moving away from hybrid rotary technology on the new trio of S-series models. We grab the opportunity to gain an initial impression of the S690

Livestock equipment

Manitou MLT625-75H telehandler:

Small handler shrinks around its operator

Replacing the rear-engine MLT523, the new side-engine Manitou MLT625-75H retains the compact dimensions of its predecessor but adopts the styling cues associated with the full-size MLT series. James de Havilland pushes, crowds, lifts and tips

Used machinery

Kverneland LO/EO ploughs:

Say LO to a truly versatile plough

Launched in 2001, Kverneland five- to seven-furrow LO shearbolt and EO auto-reset ploughs offer on-land/in-the-furrow working positions, suiting them to both wheeled and tracked tractors. James de Havilland picks out some of the more important points to consider when contemplating a second-hand LO/EO reversible

Workshop

From the workshop:

Simple solutions to perennial problems

Mike Donovan is back with another dose of home-built ideas for making daily farming life just that little bit easier. This batch contains items as diverse as a mobile sheep pen and a nifty dual wheel remover, so there’s something for both arable and livestock folk. Have you anything similar – or, for that matter, completely different – on your farm? Then please get in touch with Mike Donovan via

Service: Hi-Spec MixMax diet feeder

Get ready for when the cows come in

With winter on the horizon and cattle due to come in before long, now is a good time to sort out the farm’s feeder wagon. Hi-Spec Engineering’s John Molton takes Andrew Pearce through the nuts and bolts of the manufacturer’s popular MixMax diet feeder

Machine management

Potato growing in Russia:

Testing times for Russian spud growers

Penzagrovinvest is a massive Russian holding company for a number of operating divisions that are into cereal, beef, milk and potato production. OOO Gemfresh is the Penzagroinvest company responsible for potatoes, and it’s Gemfresh’s Colin Hinchley that provides this update on how the spud operation is progressing

Around the world

Roll-bar spat stirs ATV suppliers Tillage tool cuts through tough residue Four jobs in the one pass Rip the compaction out of cane ground

Report

Contractor price guide 2011:

UK contractor charges

This is the National Association of Agric.Contractors’ charge guide for 2011, based on info supplied by its members in the early summer. The figures are ONLY A GUIDE and assume a red diesel price of 66p/litre. Prices will vary according to UK region, size of job, type of kit used etc

Hobby

Massey Ferguson 9895 1:32nd scale model:

Little red combine takes to the field

With Schuco’s Massey Ferguson 9895 combine harvester now in the shops, David Pullen looks at how it compares against five other models – the Case IH 8120, Claas Lexion 600, Claas Tucano 450, John Deere T670i and New Holland CR9080 harvesters

Vehicles

VW Amarok vs Nissan Navara:

A wind of change – or no more than a puff

How does VW’s just-released Amarok double-cab pick-up stack up against the best-selling Nissan Navara? Andrew Pearce and Andrew Faulkner find out whether the German car giant has done enough, in terms of design, to move the sector forward