Profi June 2022

Welcome to the June issue of profi, complete with a new look but the same great content. Every couple of years the magazine gets a bit of a design tweak to keep it fresh. Inspired by the work of our colleagues at German profi we have applied some of the styling to your profi international. We hope you like the new style — let us know what you think. Last month we published a comparison of classic tractor parts. This item produced some interesting results, not just in the prices but also, for example, in that a thick coat of paint isn't as good as a thinner layer of heat-resistant paint on an exhaust stack. As usual with these comparisons there is nearly always a bit of a conversation afterwards…

The fully autonomous FarmDroid solar powered precision drilling and weeding robot brought to the UK by OPICO uses ultra-accurate GPS to record exactly where it places each seed. Then on each subsequent weeding pass, the Danish-made machine (see profi 6/2021) knows where the crop plants should be and works around them, hoe shares running between each row and blades slicing off anything between each crop plant, in the row. This approach means it does not need any high-definition cameras and complex computers to identify and target weeds, allowing it to start the weeding process before crop emergence. With in-row and inter-row action it does the complete job, working up to within 5.0mm of each seedling between the rows and 20mm in the row. The two Danish brothers, Jens and Kristian…

Merlo has recently bolstered its UK operation with brand new training and parts facilities at its headquarters in Ringwood, Hampshire. As part of a programme to support its dealers across Great Britain the Italian handler manufacturer says it has invested £750,000 in new buildings and infrastructure. “It’s great being able to sell shiny new machines but our ability to back them up is far more important,” explains Shaun Groom, general manager of Merlo UK. “One of the key parts of that is having fully trained dealer technicians who can diagnose any issues and rapidly deal with them, ensuring downtime is kept to an absolute minimum.” In that respect the new training workshop is hoped to provide all the facilities required with benches of transmissions components, hydraulic and electrical systems for…

Keith Rennie Machinery has expanded its range of mechanical weeding solutions with the addition of Rotanet hoes made by French company Carré. Joining the Econet range of inter-row machines available from the KRM since 2019, the Rotanet line-up includes the recently introduced double folding 8.10m, 9.20m and 10.30m models. It also includes Rotanet Control, the patented SPC module of which allows the pressure of the hoes to be adjusted from 18-29kg from the cab. The hoes on all models are individually retractable and all widths can fold/unfold to 3.0m via the in-cab control box. Integrated directly into the hoe, the patented comb harrow option ensures that weed roots are brought to the surface to dry out.…

Creep-speed and automatic mixing, new standard features on BvL V-Mix Drive selfpropelled diet feeders, are claimed to increase mixing and feeding consistency and precision and save fuel. Operated from the in-cab display, the creepspeed function provides the operator with greater control, allowing the maximum forward speed to be set. It also provides sensitive operation of the accelerator pedal to simplify manoeuvring at the silage face and can also be used when feeding out the contents. The operator can leave the cab when auger speed and mixing time of the automatic mixing system have been entered. The augers stop automatically at the end of the pre-set mixing time and the engine speed reduces to idle, both of which save fuel.…

The 2,000-litre split hopper on Amazone’s Centaya-C Super pneumatic harrow-mounted combi drill allows it to sow companion and undersown crops in addition to the main crop. Divided 60:40 or 70:30, the profile and positioning close to the tractor is said to result in a lower lift power requirement. Available in working widths of 3.0m, 3.5m and 4.0m, the drill can be equipped with either the Rotec Pro single disc coulter or the Twintec double disc coulter. ISObus control (application rates and speeds are displayed on the AmaTron 4 terminal) of the infinitely adjustable electric metering units allows seed rates to be controlled from 0.5 to 400kg/ha. Designed to work at speeds of up to 12km/hr with row spacings of 12.5cm and 15cm, the seed hopper and the individual metering units…