Last week’s FTMTA Machinery Show provided Irish farmers to see some fresh metal in the flesh as it switched to an outdoor event for this year. There was a vast array of kit being exhibit with everyone keen to have a chat and catch-up. Here are more than a half a dozen highlights.
Robert
The Belgian made Robert range of kit is now on sale in Ireland through Stafford Plant Solutions. There were three key machines on show, a loader mounted straw blower, a trailed machine and a root chopping bucket.
Focusing on the P210, a 2.1m3 capacity straw blower, this is the €24,500 trailed version with twin beaters – it also comes as a mounted model. A hydraulic-activated clutch is used to engage the lower rotor which then uses a chain driveline to power the top. Both the knives and the paddles are bolted in place. Like the rest of the machine, the 300° swivel chute is operated from the control box.
SlurryQuip
SlurryQuip has come up with a steerable front realer. Richard Fitzpatrick points out that the unit can be tilted left and right when wrapping up rather than paddling the ground with the wheels. Another benefit is that hose can be more easily laid out around a corner when following a farm track. This is an option on 800 and 1,200m reels. To save on hydraulic requirements it can be steered using a foot pedal while oil is flowing through the realer motor
Malone
Malone used the FTMTA show to introduce the mid-range MP100 series plain mowers as well as its first range of mounted mower-conditioners, the 1000MC.
The plain-mower costs around €1,200 less than the heavier duty MP1000 with the main changes being a slightly lighter headstock, bed and a different hydraulic system that requires the bed pressure to be reset after every full fold into its transport position, a task which is done by pulling a rope to switch the valve before pressurising the hydraulic ram.
The 2600 and 3000MC mocos use the same heavier bed and frame of the plain 1000 series mowers, with a Walterscheid driveline mixing with Comer sourced gearboxes and cutterbar. The conditioning is done with steel tines. A supplied tool that can be used to set the spring pressure of the mechanical breakback is also used alter the spreader vanes.
There are also rumours of a front-mounted plain mower and moco but no firm date on when they will enter production.
Einböck
On the PJ Callan stand was the new Einbock P-Box STI. Compared to the long-serving version which has a 300-litre metal hopper, this has a 265l tank made of plastic and is around 10kg lighter. The seeder has eight outlets and comes with two types of metering wheel. For calibration the weight of the measured seed is entered into the Speed-Tronic control display. The version shown is priced at €3,950 and includes a top link and wheel sensor.
Hardi
IAM had the latest Hardi Mega mounted sprayer on display. Key changes are a revised control layout on the side which are no longer hidden behind a door on the 1,200 to 2,200-litre range. Production has also shifted to Denmark, the previous version was made in Spain. The updated range also comes with Dynamic Fluid 4 that utilises four sensors to maintain the application rate. Single nozzle control is optional. Completing the updates is the SmartCom electronics platform with stackable ECUs to add more functionality going forward.
Optifarm
Dublin-based Optifarm was showing this €16,000 crop sensor from Greek tech firm Augmenta. While Greece is probably not known for producing precision farming tech, Darrent Plant of Optifarm points out they do have great variations in crops, especially cotton which spurred on the farmers behind Augmenta to develop their own system.
The six cameras can scan a width of 45m and 20m in front of the tractor. A tablet in the cab shows what’s going on but the unit will speak to a spreader or sprayer via ISObus.
Mazzotti
On the John Deere stand was the Mazzotti MAF3180. This 3,500-litre sprayer has a mechanical drive rather than a hydro used on the bigger models. At the moment the two range ‘box is limited to 45km/hr but a driveline modification could soon see this increase to 50km/hr.
Otherwise it has the same cab and engine as the larger frame, larger capacity models. Boom widths is limited to 28m, with the model on show spanning 24m. The solution and nozzle control is the same as Deere’s trailed sprayer range. While ground clearance is slightly less, where the mechanical drive wins is on traction which could prove critical for potato growers in a wet year.
