Farms and Farm Machinery Issue 399

Case IH’s new LB436 HD baler makes hay bales up to 15 percent more dense than the current LB434 XL model, while still producing bales at the same 120cm x 90cm size. This is, in part, due to the baler’s plunger stroke, which is longer than the prior model’s and is capable of performing 48 strokes per minute. This allows the crop to be moved further into the bale chamber and prevents interference with the previous slice when feeding. The LB436 HD baler is now available in Australia and New Zealand, having recently completed a series of local trials. However, it has been available in the European market for just over a year, being named Agritechnica’s Machine of the Year 2020 in the hay and forage category and as one of 50 nominees…

Machinery manufacturer Horsch has partnered with global ag-tech firm Trimble with the aim of increasing automation on farms. While the companies have previously collaborated on implementing control technologies, the new approach aims to create “full machine control solutions”. Describing automation in agriculture as “one of our next key technologies”, Horsch managing director, Theo Leeb, says the move is a practical one. “The unique opportunity with this collaboration is not that we are presenting a future utopia but that we are moving step-by-step towards autonomy in a pragmatic, consistent manner,” he says. Trimble says the partnership “will surpass autonomously controlling machines and extend to full workflow automation from the office to the field”. Specifically, the companies hope to develop autosteering and guidance systems, path planning and in-field process automation using Trimble’s technology and Horsch’s machines. “The first…

A new twin conveyor fan system helps drive spray higher than before on Silvan’s Tall Tree Sprayer (TTS), now available Australia-wide. Unveiled at the Primex Field Days in Casino, the latest addition to Silvan’s growing orchard sprayer range offers operators increased efficiency and effectiveness in spraying taller trees, such as macadamias. Instead, the TTS sprays chemicals where they are needed – up high – both to ensure the chemicals are reaching the relevant parts of the trees and to minimise potential damage to any buildings or infrastructure that may surround the paddock. To do this, Silvan developed the TTS with a twin conveyor fan system that has been designed to deliver large droplets to the top of the tree. Flexibility in the fan allows for smaller trees to also be sprayed through hydraulics, which…

AgBot will be available with optional, soil-friendly crawler tracks with belt widths varying from 300mm to 910mm. Claas has acquired a minority stake in Dutch agtech startup AgXeed with a cooperative venture agreed between the two to further develop and commericalise autonomous agricultural machines. The manufacturer bought a minority stake in AgXeed during the latter’s international funding round as part of a commitment to future-proof precision agriculture technologies – something Claas says is a logical step to meet the shifting landscape of the farming industry. AgXeed, it says, offers a smart, sustainable and fully autonomous system for farmers, including scalable hardware, virtual planning tools and extensive data models. The deal comes ahead of the release of AgXeed’s autonomous AgBot – an autonomous, 156 horsepower (116kW) diesel-electric machine set to help farmers with a range…

CNH Industrial, parent company of Case IH and New Holland, has acquired the Mannum factory of South Australia-based seeding and tillage brand Horwood Bagshaw, after buying the company two years ago. CNH Industrial managing director for agriculture for Australia and New Zealand, Brandon Stannett, says the decision to buy following a leaseback period will help further investment in the Australian market. “By purchasing the manufacturing site in Mannum, we are not only signalling our commitment to this brand, but securing our future so we can confidently invest in our Australian operations,” he says. “We’re proud to be able to say that we are the only major manufacturer with on-shore manufacturing capabilities and we’re excited to be part of a revival in Australian manufacturing.” Already, Stannett is looking ahead for potential exporting opportunities from Horwood…

A new branch opened by Western Australia’s largest John Deere dealer has been hailed as a success by the company since it started operations in April. Afgri Equipment’s new branch is in the Wheatbelt town of Narrogin and merged two existing branches in Pingelly and Wagin, both about 50km north and south from Narrogin, respectively. Afgri’s Narrogin branch, located in a newly-constructed building on Graham Road, has a workshop, showroom and parts store. Territory sales manager Campbell Aiken says the move was about economies of scale and allowed for “more efficient use of people” since the late-April opening. “It’s a lot easier to manage the same number of people out of one branch than half of them out of two,” he says. “Overall, I think people are more positive – they would rather come to…