Tractor test
Case IH Magnum 380 CVX
Gunning for it
The Magnum 380 CVX is one of the heavy hitters in its league. It delivers an impressive 279kW/379hp at rated speed (ECE R120), before whacking out a mighty 320kW/435hp max as its motor is pulled back down the rev band
Practical test
Kverneland u-drill 6000 seeder
Is ‘u’ universal, or is ‘u’ not?
The idea of a universal drill makes sense from a marketing point of view, but what’s the reality? A field test throws up some answers
Driving impression
Kubota M7171 Premium KVT tractor
Good afternoon, ‘M’
Kubota is up against some tough rivals to its 130hp M7131, 150hp M7151 and 170hp M7171 tractors, with these newly minted models operating in a fiercely price competitive sector in which all-round capability is by no means a guarantee of success. So, has Kubota’s M series got that extra something that will make it stand out from a talented crowd?
Kongskilde StoneBear 2.60 stone picker
The stone gathering bear
Ah, the character-building task of gathering stones, a chore that has kept children gainfully occupied on school holidays since … well, schools had holidays. But if you have acres to cover, then there are machines capable of giving you more output and considerably less earache. One of these is Kongskilde’s 6.0m wide StoneBear 2.60
Bomech Speedy slurry applicator
Dragging its feet
Dutch manufacturer Bomech has earned a reputation as a trailing shoe applicator specialist. One of its latest additions is a lightweight retrofit boom called the Speedy
Deutz-Fahr 6185 RCshift
Style and substance
No doubt it is the Giugiaro-penned bonnet line that will attract most attention when the latest Deutz-Fahr rolls into the yard. Yet the stylish nose job is just part of the refreshed 6 series story — there is also a new front axle suspension and …
Claas Jaguar 900 foragers
Jag changes its spec spots
Claas’s range-topping Jaguar 900-series foragers are to receive a raft of updates for 2017. We take a closer look at what’s changing and what it all means for the operator
Case IH draper header
Going to great lengths for harvest
Combine headers have grown progressively wider in recent years, but, for a big table to have good handling traits, the engineering challenges are considerable. Case IH has invested in its own draper header design to tackle the issues, and one enterprising farming business in Norfolk is pioneering its use
Grégoire Besson Normandie 12000 SP4 discs
Discing the dirt
The new compact discs from French manufacturer Grégoire Besson are named after the region in the north west of the country. We travelled across the Channel to test the Normandie range’s 12.0m wide flagship
Livestock equipment
Milking robots at work in Finland
Our Friends in the North
With 160 cows in milk, three DeLaval robots, an automatic feeding system and six Valtra tractors, the Jääskeläinen family runs a decent-sized Finnish dairy farm
Used machinery
Honda TRX420 ATV, 2008-2013 and 2014–current
Don’t go by name, go by model and year
Honda launched the TRX420 ATV series in 2007, the second generation arriving for the 2014 model year. Although the later units share essentially the same engine and transmission, there are, in reality, numerous differences between the two vintages. So, how do you choose which of them makes the best used buy?
Workshop
Small engines Part III: Fuel
Not too little, not too much
For the final round in this series we poke the fuel system. The reason? To find likely causes why a small petrol engine won’t start
Machine management
Self-propelled potato chaser
Mega mover
Dutch contractor Hack has developed a monster chaser bin suitable for handling a range of crops including potatoes, beet, onions and carrots. Looking like something out of a sci-fi movie, this beast of a machine simplifies the harvest logistics of high-value produce
Around the world
Trelleborg hits the road / Plenty of seed in the bin / Watch my bumper / Dealers look to reinvent … to remain profitable
Electronics
New products expand precision farming options
Claas opens the door
Tractor and harvester machinery giant Claas reckons different brands of precision farming equipment should work together. As such, it has recently announced further steps to bring this aim closer to reality
Schuitemaker forage wagons gain NIR sensor
What goes around…
Large-scale dairy farmers may be interested in the latest from Dutch firm Schuitemaker. A near- infrared (NIR) sensor kit for its Rapide forage wagon lets the user see/record crop dry matter yield at the point of cut — which, in Holland at least, has implications for subsequent slurry application
Vehicles
Ford Ranger vs Toyota Hilux double-cab pick-ups
Mine’s a double…
…But which one? Two 4×4 double-cabs go through the mill this month, one from Ford and one from Toyota. Both carry five people and take over 1t in the load space… but there the similarities end
Under the hammer
Campions Farm sale
Retirement sale in Staffs
The retirement of John Braithwaite resulted in a 420-lot dispersal sale at which local farmers battled with trade buyers to keep many of the machines within adjacent counties. The arable kit, and more particularly the smaller potato equipment, sold extremely well on the day
Contractor price guide 2016
UK contractor charges
This is the National Association of Agricultural Contractors’ (www.naac.co.uk) charge guide, based on info supplied by its members this spring. The figures are only a guide and assume a red diesel price of 40p/litre. Prices will vary according to UK region, size of job, type of equipment used etc
