Becker, the German machinery firm recently taken over by Kongskilde, chose its words carefully when naming its combination cultivator the Optimator. Designed for use in both spring and autumn, the unit can be specified with a choice of working elements and it has a range of adjustments to suit different conditions. profi coupled its demo tractor up to a semi-mounted, 4.5m wide model
High output, trailed seedbed combination cultivators are finding increasing favour in the UK. And with good reason. Suitable for working down most types of ploughed ground, these machines can produce an excellent seedbed both quickly – when compared to power harrow- and traditional cultivator/roll-based systems – and economically. But to get the best out of this type of kit, it needs to be both correctly specced for particular soils, and properly set up.
The Optimator, which is imported into the UK by Kongskilde UK, comprises a typical range of working elements. The use of track eradicators, levelling boards, tines and rolls are much as one would expect. But where the Optimator differs from the norm is in its list of ‘addons’; you can juggle the available combinations to tailor the machine to suit your own particular soils.
In fact, the choice is so great that selecting the best possible combination needs long and careful thought. Our test machine was used on a silty clay (average of 9% sand, 80% silt, 11% clay).
With the aim of producing a seedbed suitable for sugar beet, we specced the following unit:
■ Two pairs of track eradicators
■ Sprung levelling board
■ 55cm diameter cage roller
■ Three rows of duck-foot shares
■ Single-row rear tine bar
■ 45cm diameter crosskill roller
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