Farms and Farm Machinery

on track

There is no boost system, meaning full power is available for every task, if required. Billed as the world’s first half-tracked tractor with full suspension, the 445 horsepower (332kW) Axion 960 Terra Trac and 355hp (265kW) Axion 930 Terra Trac are the first models in Claas’s 900 Series with Stage 5 Emissions Standards. Claas Harvest Centre product manager for tractors Shane Barratt says the tractors have the tracked assembly technology used in Claas’ grain and forage harvesters, as well as a drive control system and steering assist activation that makes the turning circle as small as five metres. “In short, Terra Trac improves traction and reduces soil compaction, whilst still retaining the driving characteristics of a wheeled tractor,” he says. “With a total footprint of 3.87 square metres, the 890mm track is 35 per…

smart sprayer

James Cook University will oversee the development of a smart weed spraying robot that could reduce herbicide usage on sugarcane farms in Great Barrier Reef catchment areas by at least 80 per cent. The two-year project, funded by a $400,000 grant through the partnership between the Great Barrier Reef Foundation and the Australian Government’s Reef Trust, is a collaboration between JCU, AutoWeed and Sugar Research Australia. AutoWeed is a startup agricultural technology company developing smart spot spraying systems, and Sugar Research Australia will help assess the water quality improvements the new technology promises. JCU senior engineering lecturer Dr Mostafa Rahimi Azghadi will lead the project. He says the group’s effort will help reduce herbicide runoff, which is a serious threat to plants and animals in rivers, creeks, and coastal and inshore areas. “Most herbicides,…

peak condition

For producers wanting to cover more ground more quickly, the C500 is 10 per cent wider than the previous model. Deere has introduced two new mower conditioner models amid a broader refresh of its lineup for 2021. The rear-mounted, vertical fold 3.1m R310R mower conditioner was designed, Deere says, to operate quickly and offer manoeuvrability in situations where the paddock size suits nimble 100hp (75kW) tractors. John Deere tactical marketing manager Fraser Scott says the new model was designed after a series of farmers and contractors told the company they needed a mower conditioner that could perform in tight paddocks and manoeuvre through narrow gateways. “As a vertical fold machine, the R310R meets both of those requirements,” he says. “Oblique folding at 126 degrees and a pivoting point close to the tractor also results in…

new orders

Hardi Australia is adding the advanced H-Select nozzle control technology as an option for its popular Commander trailed sprayer. Previously available on self-propelled Rubicon and Saritor 62 Active machines, H-Select nozzle control technology uses four-head nozzle bodies arrayed in individual boom sections. An autonomous controller monitors each boom section’s speed against the set spray rate, then selects nozzle heads rapidly and precisely in order to achieve consistent spray delivery. Hardi Australia chief executive Bill Franklin says the company developed the H Select system to place chemicals exactly where they are needed. “In other words, predictably getting the right amount of chemical in the right place is what spraying science is all about. Achieving that with reliability is the Holy Grail for sprayer hardware,” he says. “This is precisely why we have developed H-Select – to…

lift off

The Narrowfold Hi Lift follows the overwhelming success the company says it has had with its Ultisow S40 Hi Lift seeder, which launched earlier this year. Serafin says many customers said they loved the fact that the Ultisow Hi Lift could lift 1m higher than a standard bar, allowing for easy access to the row units for servicing, adjustment and maintenance. But, they said, they needed it on machines smaller than the 9m or 12m sowing widths that were on offer in the Ultisow. Serafin sales manager Rodney Dunn says this got the grey matter rattling around and the team got to work on this latest project. “We decided to design an optional rear frame design that would allow us to hydraulically lift up the machine that would give us the clearance we were…

broad reach

Dieci understands the challenges Australian farmers face with their daily tasks. Once the reserve of contractors and specialist operators, today, the market for telehandlers has never been bigger – and neither has the range of options. The team at Dieci Australia has set out to make sure that it is able to supply almost every facet of Australia’s agricultural sectors. Company sales manager Anthony Lockwood says the company uses its more than 50 years of experience to give farmers the perfect machine for every need they might have. “Dieci understands the challenges Australian farmers face with their daily tasks, which is why, at Dieci Australia, we know how to match the exact solution to any agricultural requirement,” he says. “So whether you are a cotton grower from Wee Waa, a fruit grower from Shepparton or…