harvest times - issue 04 - autumn/winter 2016

HARVESTTIMESISSUE /04 AUTUMN/WINTER 2016

AUSTRALIAN HARVESTING BENCHMARK / 3

SPEED MILKING / 6

MIXING WITH THE BEST / 8

SATISFACTION PLUS / 10

CLAAS Harvest Centre

2/ HARVEST TIMES AUTUMN/WINTER 2016

Greetings,

We have a lot of interesting news to share with you in this edition of ‘Harvest Times’ including a number of stories about some of our industry leading customers and how they are using our machinery to achieve greater business success. In November last year we had the privilege of being in Rowena, NSW to film nine CLAAS LEXION combine harvesters at work together in the field. Captured using drone technology the resulting footage was outstanding as the fleet cut an impressive swathe through the crop. I’d like to extend thanks to Peter and Chris Radford (see cover) for letting us come and be a part of that fantastic event.

There is some exciting new technology that we are proud to present to you including some new additions to the AMAZONE spreading and spraying range, the new Fliegl Gigant ASW ‘push off’ trailer and the new Multi Crop Cracker rollers for the CLAAS JAGUAR.

In July of this year, we will be hosting the first ever CLAAS Harvest Centre Strive Annual Excellence Awards. Designed to reward and acknowledge individual and collective success at all levels of our retail dealership network, this is an important initiative for us as we grow and expand our trans-Tasman footprint. For the ultimate ‘Dealer of the Year Award’, we will be contacting some of our valued customers to get their opinion on the service that we provide and we value your participation in this.

In this past year, we have been conducting significant customer research across New Zealand and Australia as it is critical for us to understand what our customers expect from us, how they make decisions and how we can add value to their businesses and become true partners. To all of you who have participated in this project to date, I sincerely thank you for your help as we strive to improve, in every facet of our business.

This coming year will be challenging for many of us, particularly in the New Zealand dairy industry and I want you to know that we understand that times are tough but that we are always here to help.

Best wishes Richard Wilson Group Chief Executive Officer

FROM WHERE I SIT

THE Fliegl Gigant ASW 271 ‘push-off’ trailer is worthy of its German namesake, holding a whopping 56 cubic metres of pasture or maize silage and unloading up to five times faster than other forage transport wagons.

Fliegl Product Manager, Blair McAlwee, says Gigant ASW trailers are highly versatile machines suitable for a wide range of agricultural applications. “It’s easy to pigeon-hole these as just being ‘silage trailers’ but they are just as suitable for use as chaser bins for grain, grape and potato harvesting,” he says.

“They are equally at home transporting bulk materials, such as compost, woodchips, hay bales or even gravel. A Gigant trailer can do more jobs and much faster than a single-purpose trailer.”

Fliegl’s ‘push-off’ unloading technology offers many benefits compared to tipping, walking floors or bottom chain systems. “Unlike tippers, a ‘push-off’ trailer can be used to easily deliver materials inside buildings with low rooflines,” Blair says.

“Compared to walking floors or bottom chain trailers, a ‘push-off’ trailer has far greater capacity and is up to five times faster

to unload. Its low centre of gravity improves stability during driving and unloading, even on uneven or steep terrain.”

The twin axle trailer has a nominal capacity of 35 cubic metres, but depending on the type and moisture content of forage being harvested, the compression system can increase capacity by 60 percent to a maximum load of 20 tonnes. Optional load covering systems are available offering even greater load capacity whilst ensuring foreign materials are kept out.

A range of attachments, including compost/manure spreaders and grain augers, can be fitted to the rear in minutes to further increase the utilisation of the trailer throughout the year. “The precise spreading pattern of the Profi spreader optimises the effectiveness of the applied nutrients, reducing or even eliminating the need to buy artificial fertilisers,” Blair says.

Independent testing by leading German agricultural evaluation facility, DLG, has confirmed the PTO-driven spreader evenly spreads a range of materials up to 20 m. Fliegl agricultural trailers are distributed via the CLAAS Harvest Centre network in New Zealand and Australia.

BIG CAPACITY FOR WORK

NEW WEBSITEHAVE you visited our new website? Learn more about the wide selection of products we represent from eight different manufacturers, including tractors, grain harvesting, fodder harvesting, tillage and seeding, spraying and spreading, materials handling and precision farming technology. www.claasharvestcentre.com

HARVEST TIMES AUTUMN/WINTER 2016 /3

THIS impressive fleet of nine super-capacity CLAAS LEXION combine harvesters made short work of harvesting operations on a large-scale cropping operation at Rowena in northern NSW.

The line-up is believed to be the largest working group of LEXION combine harvesters, recognised as the world’s most advanced harvesting platform, assembled in Australia.

Equipped with 13.5 m variable cutterbars or 12 m draper fronts, the nine machines cut a 110 m swathe through the crop at an average speed of 10 km/h. Behind them, a fleet of four tractors and chaser bins moved grain back to two mother bins, which in turn, filled a fleet of semi-trailers on a day-long shuttle to and from Moree.

CLAAS LEXION Product Manager, Jonathon Ham, says the numbers are impressive by anyone’s scale. “In a 12-hour period, they harvested nearly 4000 t of wheat across 1300 ha,” he says.

“The hourly throughput was more than enough to meet the daily bread requirements of Sydney, Melbourne or New Zealand. These figures become even more impressive if you consider there are about 550 LEXION combine harvesters operating in Australia.”

NEW AUSTRALIAN HARVESTING BENCHMARK

Six of the machines belonged to Radford Harvesting, which harvests more than 40,000 ha of cereals, sorghum, rice, corn, poppies and pyrethrum in Queensland, NSW, Victoria and Tasmania each year.

Peter Radford (pictured on the cover with his son, Chris) has owned a number of different makes and models over the years, but has settled on the CLAAS LEXION 760 with TERRA TRAC for its high capacity, narrow 3.5 m transport width and 40 km/h road speed.

“The narrow-bodied 750 and 760 are probably over-specified for their capacity but that’s why we like them,” Peter says. “They have more or less the same running gear as the wide-bodied 770 and 780, so they are not under as much pressure.

“Any combine will do a good job in an average crop and conditions, but LEXION comes into its own when the going gets tough – heavy straw load, high yields and high humidity.”

Three of Peter’s 2015 delivery machines feature the CEMOS AUTOMATIC optimisation system. This award-winning technology continuously monitors and then automatically adjusts key settings to optimise throughput, sample quality or fuel efficiency according to the prevailing conditions.

“CEMOS means we can achieve consistent performance and grain quality across all machines, regardless of who’s driving it,” Peter says. “Reducing grain loss in a light crop can be the difference between making a profit or loss for our customers.”

2016 MACHINE OF THE YEAR THE CLAAS LEXION 700 combine harvester has been awarded the 2016 Machine of the Year at leading European trade fair, Agritechnica. The ‘Machine of the Year’ title is awarded each year by a jury of 19 technical journalists from eight European countries, alternately at Agritechnica in Germany and SIMA in France. The awards recognize agricultural innovations across 16 different categories. The jury made special mention of the many technical innovations incorporated into the LEXION 700 series, such as the 4D cleaning and automatic crop flow monitoring, both of which were recognised with a DLG Silver Medal at Agritechnica.


ADHERANCE to a simple three-point philosophy – prepare, place and protect – has helped to almost double the yield potential of a northern Victorian cropping operation over the past three decades.

Ross and Judy Geddes, together with their sons, David and Nick, grow about 800 ha of wheat and canola on a number of properties based around their third-generation family farm, “Carinya”, just outside Dookie. They also run about 300 Merino ewes for first-cross lamb production.

“There’ve been tremendous changes in the way we farm over the past 30 years,” Ross says. “When I came home, our cropping program was ‘burn, bash and bury’ – we burnt the stubble, we cultivated the paddocks and we buried the seed.

“Now it’s ‘prepare, place and protect’. We prepare the paddock, we place the seed and then we protect the crop. We’re getting yields of up to 6 t/ha for wheat and 2.5 t/ha for canola, which was unimaginable even 15 years ago.”

Working with IK Caldwell senior agronomist, Bruce Larcombe, Ross prepares detailed plans with each paddock. “Preparation is about stubble management, maintaining a clean fallow over summer, soil testing, choosing the right varieties and planting them at the right time,” Ross says.

“Placement is about placing the seed and fertiliser accurately to make sure you give the seed the best opportunity for germination, emergence and establishment.

Then we protect the plant with the right crop protection and nutritional products at the right time so that the crop reaches its full yield potential.”

About three years ago, Ross began to look for a suitable replacement for his outdated 24-row combine. “We inspected a couple of different machines and narrowed it down to three that we felt would best suit our conditions,” he says.

“We’ve got a mix of red and self-mulching black soils that can get fairly sticky, while our topography ranges from flat country to rolling hills with quite rocky outcrops.”

Ross settled on a Seed Hawk 800C compact precision airseeder supplied by CLAAS Harvest Centre in Echuca. Unlike larger Seed Hawk toolbars, the 800C features a mounted 4000 litre split seed and fertiliser tank and a three-section frame folds to a transport width of just three metres.

It incorporates 26 of the company’s patented openers set on 30 cm spacings, providing an operating width of 8 m. Each opener consists of a laid-back hydraulic tyne with separate knives that place the fertiliser about 20 mm deeper and 40 mm to the side of the seed row.

Depth control is achieved via the 10 cm trailing press wheel, which independently tracks ground contours and then packs and seals the furrow for faster, more uniform emergence. This simple design delivers precise seed depth, even over uneven

ground, high trash conditions or at high operating speeds.

Each opener is pulled into its operating position by a hydraulic ram with the ‘break-out’ pressure adjusted from the cabin. Once the trip pressure has been reached, the opener gently glides up and over any obstacle before re-engaging the soil.

“The thing that really impresses me about the Seed Hawk is the simplicity of the design,” Ross says. “You pull the pin out, change the setting, put the pin back in and that’s exactly how deep the seed and fertiliser knives will go, no matter what. Someone spent a lot of time thinking about this.

“Likewise, the calibration and metering system is outstanding. We had just 3 kg of canola seed and about half a tonne of fertiliser left over at the end of this season, which I think is pretty amazing.”

Ross is impressed with the placement accuracy of the seeder. “It really does what the manufacturer says it will do in terms of seed placement,” he says. “The crop emergence is definitely quicker by days and it’s so even, even in rocky ground.

“You drive past the paddock one day and there’s nothing to see. The next day, the crop’s out of the ground. I can’t put a percentage on it but faster emergence and greater uniformity has to contribute to yield.”

Ross has since had the unit retrofitted with semi-pneumatic press wheels and Devloo Roto conical mud scrapers.

THREE Ps FOR PERFECTION

Ross Geddes in a paddock of canola sown with his Seed Hawk 800C compact precision air seeder.


THE new AMAZONE ZA-V linkage-mounted spreaders deliver all of the precision and innovation found in the professional ZA-TS series but in a more ‘everyday’ size.

Available in a range of hopper sizes from 1700 to 4200 L, they feature automatic calibration, on-board weigh cell and tilt sensor technology and many other innovations not typically found in medium-sized spreaders.

All models feature AMAZONE’s proven ‘soft ballistic pro’ technology, which ensures all components of the agitation, metering and spreading system are optimally matched to protect the integrity of fertiliser granules.

AMAZONE Product Manager, Craig Hopkins, says the ZA-V builds on more than 50 years of leadership in twin-disc centrifugal spreading technology. “AMAZONE is the undisputed world leader in spreading technology,” he says.

“The ZA-V is a completely new series based on AMAZONE’s tried and proven ZA technology, which has been used in more than one million spreaders since 1958.”

With a maximum discharge rate of 6.4 kg/second, a working width of 36 m and operational speeds of up to 30 km/h, the ZA-V delivers top-end spreading performance. Three sets of quick-change discs achieve a perfect ‘three dimensional’ spreading pattern from 10 to 21 m, 21 to 28 m and 27 to 36 m.

The ZA-V is available in a range of configurations. The Super Profis (up to 3200 L) and Ultra Profis (up to 4500 L) are both equipped with two on-board weigh cells that automatically monitor and regulate application rate according to forward speed.

An optional two dimensional tilt sensor monitors and adjusts the spreading pattern in undulating conditions. Other options include low level sensors, which send a warning message to the terminal once pre-set minimum fill levels have been reached.

Profis models are equipped with an ISOBUS job computer as standard. “This computer can be accessed using the AMAZONE AMATRON 3, CCI 100 or AMAPAD terminal or indeed, any other ISOBUS compatible terminal,” Craig says.

“Alternatively, there is the option of the new AMASPREAD+ operating terminal, which was developed specifically for fertiliser application. AMASPREAD+ also controls the new Limiter V+ border spreading deflectors, which improve spreading accuracy along borders and water courses without leaving the cab.”

All AMAZONE controllers can be equipped with optional GPS-Switch section control, GPS-Track guidance and GPS-Maps variable rate technology. Lower specifications include the ZA-V Control, which features a speed-related metering system, and the ZA-V Easy, which features a simple electric on/off control.

PRECISION FOR ALL

THE AMAZONE ZA-TS fertiliser spreader with new Argus Twin lateral distribution optimisation technology has earned one of 16 prestigious ‘Machine of the Year’ awards presented at Agritechnica last November.

The system features eight radar sensors mounted above the left and right hand spreading discs, which monitor the spread pattern and then automatically adjust the electric delivery system of each disc if any deviation from the settings is detected.

AMAZONE Product Manager, Craig Hopkins, says the system is extremely robust and completely maintenance-free. “This technology compensates for any change in spreading pattern due to variations in fertiliser quality, during start-up, braking, travelling on slopes or if the spreading vanes are worn,” he says.

“It also operates during border spreading or section control, ensuring the most effective use of fertiliser and ease of operation. Extensive research and field testing has shown this system is extremely reliable, regardless of dust levels.”

Argus Twin can be utilised across the ZA-TS series, including mechanically-driven Tronic or hydraulically-driven Hydro configurations. The new feature complements a number of other automated technologies found on the ZA-TS, including automatic calibration and tilt sensors.

“The operator simply enters the desired spreading rate and drives off,” Craig says. “The two weighing cells detect any deviation between the desired application rate and the amount being discharged.

“In addition, the on-board tilt sensor measures any deviation in the centre of gravity, both front to back and left to right. The processor then automatically adjusts the electric metering shutter slides to ensure an even, three-dimensional spreading pattern regardless of the terrain.”

ZA-TS spreaders can be operated using any ISOBUS-compatible terminal, including the AMAZONE AMATRON 3, CCI 100 or AMAPAD.

SUPER SPREADER NAMED MACHINE OF THE YEAR

YOUNG PEOPLE, OUR FUTUREDid you know that the CLAAS Harvest Centre network currently employs 25 agricultural technician apprentices? Participants receive ‘on the job’ training, supplemented by world-class training in Christchurch and Melbourne, as they complete their National Certificate in Automotive Heavy Engineering. Visit our website if you’re interested in joining us for a fulfilling career in agricultural technology.

SPEED MILKING


A FORESTRY conversion in the Central Plateau is creating new benchmarks for efficient project management by commissioning a new state-of-the-art dairy platform every four months. Three 1500-cow dairies are already in operation, while another two will come on line by August.

Ata Rangi Pastoral Ltd is owned by Taupo district dairy producers, Gerard (Ged) and Vanessa Donald, and Brent Cook. The company purchased 5732 ha of century-old forestry land near Taupo in December 2014 and has since converted about half of this into five dairy platforms. A further 500 ha have been cleared for a common support and run-off block.

Working six days a week, an army of contractors managed to have each block cleared, pulled and sown to pastures within three months. Other teams then constructed hundreds of kilometres of laneways and fencing, connected utilities and poured hundreds of cubic metres of concrete for the 60-bale rotary sheds, 80 m feed pads, feed bunkers and farm houses.

Ged Donald is utilising every ounce of experience gained in building up his own 7500-cow enterprise at Taupo over the past 20 years. “We’re turning forestry into working milking platforms in about six months,” Ged says.

“We’re spending at least $15 million to establish each dairy, and wherever possible, this has been spent with local businesses for the betterment of the local community. At the moment, we’ve got about 130 people working on the sites at any one time.”

Despite the scope and speed of development, the entire project is being run by a relatively small management team, comprising General Manager, Stephen Veitch; Operations Manager – Atiamuri Whakamaru and Twin Lakes farms, Kynan Thomsen; Operations Manager – Burnside, Tokoroa Downs and Mangakino farms, Mark Drysdale; and Farm Development Support Manager, Hamish Bryant.

The five farms will produce more than three million kilograms of milk solids by 2019. “This company was set up to meet growing demand for quality protein and the changing

tastes of consumers, particularly in Asia,” Ged says.

“We’re taking a long-term view in regards to supply, demand and demographic trends but we have to remember where we are and to control input costs. We’re confident prices will bounce back by the time the farms reach full production.

“In the meantime, we are reviewing our management systems and cutting our discretionary spending, the same as every other dairy farmer in New Zealand. In the long term, we’ve still got another 2400 ha of forestry which we can convert.”

Each farm is equipped with a JCB Loadall 526 telehandler, tractor and feed wagon, which is used to feed out a mix of maize, lucerne and pasture silage and palm kernel.

“We are currently using a Category 2 or 3 production system and this won’t change because the cheapest feed will always be the pasture you grow yourself,” Ged says. “The Central Plateau has free-draining pumice soils so we can graze cattle over winter.”

CLAAS Harvest Centre Sales Representative, Vaughn Carson, and Ata Rangi Pastoral Operations Manager, Mark Drysdale, with one of the operation’s JCB Loadall 526 telehandlers.

Ata Rangi Pastoral Director – Farm Operations, Ged Donald.


Ata Rangi Pastoral, in combination with the Donald family’s Gardon dairy enterprise at Taupo, operates one of the largest privately-owned fleets of JCB Loadall telehandlers in the country.

“We purchased our first machines second-hand in 2010,” Ged, says. “One of them had 5500 hours on it and it just kept going and going. We ended up running it out to 9500 hours – you can’t complain about that and it’s probably why we’ve got eight of them now.”

The Loadall 526, which is capable of lifting up to 2.6 t to a maximum height of 5.6 m, features a turbocharged 114 hp EcoMAX four-cylinder engine, four-speed powershift transmission and hydraulic capacity of 80 L/minute.

Each machine is equipped with a range of implements, including a 2.5 metre bucket, pallet forks, bale feeder and scraper. “The Loadalls are our go-to machines – we use them for everything,” Ged says.

“They’re fast, simple to operate and incredibly reliable. They have been pivotal in the construction process – unloading trucks, moving concrete troughs, transporting concrete and installing water tanks.

“Now that the farms are operational, they are used primarily to load the mixer wagons, scrape yards and lift cows if necessary. We don’t bother putting front-end loaders on the tractors any more because the telehandlers are so useful.”

Ata Rangi Pastoral also operates one of the first JCB TM320 articulated telescopic loaders in the country. Boasting a lift capacity of 3.2 t, a forward reach of 3 m and a maximum lift of 5.2 m, it combines the capacity of a wheeled loader with the versatility of a telehandler.

Powered by a super-efficient 125 hp JCB EcoMAX engine that produces high torque at low revs, it features permanent four-wheel drive, six-speed powershift transmission with torque lock and an on-demand hydraulic system.

“We use the TM320 to load heavier materials, such as gravel, lime and fertiliser,” Ged says. “In the past 12 months alone, it’s loaded more than a million cubic metres of pumice for the laneways and more than 4500 t of lime.”

The project has been implemented in accordance with a strict environmental plan developed in consultation with local councils, regulatory bodies and iwi. “We know we’re in the public eye and we have gone to every length to meet or exceed our obligations,” Ged says.

“This project was never about being big for big’s sake. It’s about being smart. We had the opportunity to do a lot of ‘big picture’ things and utilise every available resource to make sure this is sustainable and profitable, balanced by a farmer’s eye for practicality.”

LIVERPOOL Plains grain growers, Don and Todd Finlay, reckon they have a fail-safe plan if their harvesting contractor fails to show up on time.

As proud owners of two of the oldest working CLAAS DOMINATOR 106 combine harvesters in Australia, both men say they would have no hesitation in putting their mint-condition machines to work.

Despite being more than 40 years old, one of the machines is ready to go at a moment’s notice and the other could be recommissioned within a matter of hours. “We’ve been using a contractor for the past five years, so we haven’t used them for a while, but mine is always ready to go, just in case,” Todd Finlay says.

“We charged the battery this morning and it started first pop. I could have this in the paddock and harvesting 20 tonnes/hour within an hour. Now that it’s out, we might rip into the wheat for a bit of fun.

“As for Dad’s machine, it would probably take a bit more time to get it out of the shed than to service it. Seriously, we’d only have to charge the battery, check the oil, water and hydraulics and clean the radiator.”

Don and Todd Finlay plant about 2000 ha of sorghum and 800 ha of wheat each year on their properties, ‘Gli-Don’ and ‘Marlo’, outside Mullaley in northern NSW.

Don purchased his first CLAAS combine harvester, a MATADOR GIGANT, in 1963.

This was upgraded to a DOMINATOR 105 in 1977, which in turn, was replaced by DOMINATOR 106 in 1984.

One of the first large-scale combine harvesters, the 106 was equipped with a 200 hp engine, hydrostatic drive, a 7.62 m (25’) front, six straw walkers and a 6200 L grain bin.

More importantly, it featured an air-conditioned factory-fitted cabin, complete with suspended seat, electronic controls and importantly, a radio/cassette player. “Back in the 1980s, this was the best technology available,” Todd Finlay says.

“You couldn’t buy a bigger or more productive combine harvester. It doesn’t sound much, but it had an electronic control for ‘up’ and ‘down’ and a reverse button for the feeder house. Some modern machines still haven’t caught up.”

All told, Don and Todd have clocked up more than 35,000 harvesting hours on their four CLAAS combines. “It would be interesting to see how many of the new harvesters from today will still be around in 40 years,” Todd says.

The DOMINATOR series, which remained in production for more than 40 years, helped to cement CLAAS as a global leader in grain harvesting technology. It pioneered much of the technology found on today’s CLAAS LEXION 700 series, including accelerated pre-separation threshing, auto contour control and 3D cleaning.

40 YEARS GOING STRONGTodd Finlay with his CLAAS DOMINATOR 106.

OUR GOAL IS ZERO HARMYour local CLAAS Harvest Centre is dedicated to the safety of its customers, staff and contractors at all times. For the past two years, we have been implementing a multi-faceted initiative that aims to achieve “Zero Harm” in every part of our organisation. Considerable work has been conducted to identify potential risks and hazards in our business and to develop policies and processes to minimise, isolate or eliminate them.


A HIGH performance wagon that rapidly and uniformly mixes and feeds out all types of rations is powering one of the country’s highest production herds.

Anchor Jerseys is a fifth-generation farm based on a 109 ha dairy platform and a 28 ha run-off block outside Te Awamutu. The late Mark Shaw helped to pioneer large scale intensive production systems in New Zealand, at one stage milking 750 cows.

The farm’s integrated rotary dairy, feed pad and storage complex was one of the most advanced production systems in Waikato when it was constructed in 2001. It includes a 50-stall rotary dairy, three 60-metre feed bunks, two 300-tonne concrete silage pits, three 30-tonne feed bunks and a large concrete work area.

Mark’s legacy is being continued by his wife, Judy, their daughter, Aleasha Shaw, and her partner, Adam Veart, who has worked on the property for more than a decade.

“Dad always dreamed big and whatever he did, he did it properly,” Aleasha says. “He set this up so we can run 5.5 cows per hectare and achieve 500 kg milk solids per cow.”

This powerful combination is delivering an impressive average production of nearly

2100 kg of milk solids per ha, more than twice the national average.

The current herd size has been cut back to 550 purebred Jersey cows, divided into two separate spring and autumn-calving groups. “Having two calving groups allows us to achieve premiums for milking year-round and to carry our high production cows over,” Aleasha says.

“We are deliberately breeding cows that have the capacity to handle large volumes of feed and convert this into milk efficiently. We use a lot of American and Australian genetics in our herd to get the capacity, but not necessarily the height, of North American cows.”

Cows receive an intensive ration of maize and grass silage, as well as palm kernel and meal, according to availability and cost.

Rations are prepared using a Trioliet Solomix 1 ZK mixer wagon, purchased from CLAAS Harvest Centre in Hamilton about 15 months ago. The top-loading wagon features a single vertical auger and a capacity of about 14 cubic metres.

Adam prepares one batch each afternoon, which is sufficient to feed 500 cows over two milkings. Each load consists of 2500 kg maize silage, 300 kg meal, 1200 kg grass silage and 1000 litres of water.

“At this time of year, we are milking the autumn and spring calvers in the morning but only the spring calvers in the afternoon,” he says. “We feed out after the morning milking and before the afternoon milking.

“We use the scales to measure what goes in. If the cows are leaving too much behind, we cut back the amount fed.”

Adam says the wagon thoroughly incorporates all feed ingredients, thereby avoiding ‘layering’ and preferential feeding by cows. “It makes sure all the cows get the benefit of the entire feed,” he says.

“It achieves a nice, even mix and then feeds it out evenly. It only takes me about 20 minutes to load up and less than 10 minutes to feed out. With our old wagon, we had to mix the ingredients on the ground before feeding out, which was rather time consuming.”

The wagon features a simple design for easy operation and minimal maintenance. The stairs, viewing platform and window at the front of the mixing chamber allows the operator to easily and safely monitor operations. Mixed rations are discharged into the feed bunks via the hydraulically-controlled discharge chute and height-adjustable conveyor on the right hand side of the wagon.

MIXING WITH THE BEST

Aleasha Shaw and Adam Veart with Anchor Jerseys’ Trioliet Solomix 1 ZK mixer wagon.

CLAAS has produced its 300,000th baler – a high performance ROLLANT 454 UNIWRAP round baler/wrapper – at its state-of-the-art baler factory in Metz, France.

The complex, which employs more than 400 staff, produces about 5000 ROLLANT fixed chamber, VARIANT variable chamber and QUADRANT big square balers each year. These machines are used to process more than 25 different crops throughout the world, including pastures, cereal crops, cotton, peanut stubble, rice, flax and hemp.

Established in 1958, the factory has been extensively upgraded in recent years. Improvements include the commissioning of a new assembly line in 2010 that allows the simultaneous assembly of 21 different baler types and models and a new painting shop in 2013.

The Metz factory has produced a number of innovations, including the single knotter, FINE CUT chopper unit and the Power Feeding System found in QUADRANT square balers. It has also played a pioneering role in the development of CLAAS Implement Controls Tractor (ICT) technology.


NEW purchasers of Trioliet mixer wagons receive subsidised consultancy services from one of the country’s leading nutritional consultants, Dairy Business Centre.

“Our goal is to maximise the profitability and productivity of our customers by making more informed decisions about supplementary feeding and farm management,” Managing Director, Neville Predergast, says.

“This starts with maximising grass production, identifying potential nutritional gaps and then defining the most cost-effective solutions. Providing a structured approach to the planning, management and monitoring of any business enterprise is crucial to its overall success, particularly in the current environment.”

While most New Zealand dairy farms remain pasture-based, many farmers also supply maize silage or other concentrates that have been produced off-farm. “A large percentage of NZ dairy farmers have moved from System 1 or 2 to System 3 or 4 production systems over the past decade alone,” Neville says.

“This has been sparked by both the need – and the desire – to improve production. Rising land prices mean that producers have to increase milk production to meet interest costs, and until recently, this has been assisted by good milk prices.

“Supplementary feeding has moved from providing a bit of silage during the shoulder period to being seen as a fundamental part of the farm management program to maximise profitability. Accompanying this has been a lot of investment in in-shed feeding systems, feed pads and mixer wagons.

“We’re very excited to be involved in this partnership with CLAAS Harvest Centre. It’s a great opportunity for our shared customers to review their overall farm management and get the most out of their investment in technology and nutrition.”

Trioliet Solomix mixer wagons are available in a range of capacities from 10 to 46 cubic metres and single, double and triple vertical auger configurations to suit all herd sizes.

New Zealand models are specified with a low ratio gearbox that enables the unit to be easily started and operated by a low horsepower tractor. They are equipped with a wide-angle PTO, which permits easy turning.

PARTNERSHIP FOR PROFIT

CLAAS has expanded its range of MULTI CROP CRACKER rollers for JAGUAR forage harvesters with the introduction of two new models, the MCC MAX and MCC SHREDLAGE.

Both units feature special roller profiles that allow the intensive conditioning of silage with medium to long chop lengths from seven to 30 millimetres. By comparison, the existing MCC M (medium) and L (large) rollers produce short-cut silage with chop lengths of four to 12 mm.

CLAAS Greenline Group Product Manager, Luke Wheeler, says the new models will allow silage contractors to meet rising demand for longer chop lengths for dairy cow forage.

The new MCC MAX roller has been developed for conditioning maize silage with adjustable chop lengths of between seven and 22 mm. Its rollers feature a sawtooth profile and 30 annular segments each.

“The positioning and special geometry of the annular segments ensures that forage is processed using a mix of friction, cutting and shearing forces,” Luke says. “This high level

of conditioning provides a significantly larger surface area for bacteria to act upon and thus optimises the fermentation process in the rumen.

“Long-chop forage has been shown to have a positive effect on milk production and animal health via improved starch digestibility and creating a more stable rumen environment.”

By comparison, the MCC SHREDLAGE cracker has been designed to intensively condition maize with a long chop length of 26 to 30 millimetres. Its rollers feature a sawtooth profile and a counter-rotating spiral groove.

“This unit splits corn kernels and rips the stalk into planks and strings, enhancing the amount of effective fibre and exposing the inner cells of the plant to microbial activity,” Luke says.

“Many dairy farmers in the USA and now also in Germany are already feeding SHREDLAGE silage to their animals with great success. One study conducted by the University of Wisconsin in Madison confirmed this process significantly improves digestibility and increases milk production by up to 2 L/day.”

300,000 BALERS AND COUNTING

TWO NEW CROP CRACKERS

The 300,000th CLAAS baler.

Long chop MCC SHREDLAGE.

OUR PEOPLE, OUR DIFFERENCEAT CLAAS Harvest Centre, we believe that our people are the difference in what we do at every level of the business. We take great pride in attracting, training and retaining the very best people to our organisation. All sales, service and parts personnel receive ongoing training in Christchurch and Melbourne to ensure they keep up to date with the latest technology and product developments. This training is provided by qualified in-house technical trainers and factory experts from Europe and North America.


CLAAS has added a new flagship model to its highly successful AXION 800 series of advanced technology tractors, which now boasts seven models spanning 205 to 295 hp.

With a maximum rating of 295 hp and CMATIC continuously variable transmission as standard, AXION 870 bridges the gap between the AXION 850 (264 hp) and the AXION 910 (320 hp).

Group Product Manager – CLAAS Tractors, Dave Knowles, says the new model boasts an additional 31 hp of extra power compared to the AXION 850, despite having about the same operational weight.

THE NEW FLAGSHIP

HAVING chalked up more than 4000 hours in three CLAAS tractors over the past six years, Waikato dairy farmer, Harvey Kloeten, says he’d recommend the brand without hesitation.

Harvey and wife Nicola milk about 530 cows on their 360 ha property at Te Kuiti, about 80 km south of Hamilton. It includes a 250 ha dairy platform, an 80 ha run-off block and 30 ha of native bush.

Harvey purchased his first CLAAS tractor in 2010 soon after he returned to his family’s farm as a share-milker. “I wanted a 100 hp tractor with low hours and at the right price,” he says. “I found a CELTIS 456 with 750 hours on it and it turned out to be a great buy.”

The purchase of an 80 ha run-off block in 2014 necessitated the need for another tractor. “We were forever changing implements and moving between the two blocks,” Harvey says.

“We needed another tractor that complemented the CELTIS – it either needed to be bigger or smaller. We’d had a good run with our CELTIS and the service we’d received from CLAAS Harvest Centre in Hamilton, so we were happy to look at a new CLAAS tractor.

“We ended up going with a CLAAS AXOS 330 ROPS and front-end loader. We did our homework and we felt the AXOS was easily the best value tractor on the market.”

The 92 hp tractor is equipped with a 4.4 L four cylinder Perkins turbo-charged intercooled engine, coupled with a 20/20 two-stage powershift transmission and clutchless reverser.

Like all CLAAS tractors, it has a long wheelbase, balanced weight distribution and a tight turning circle for maximum stability and manoeuvrability. It is fitted with dual rear wheels for extra stability on the steep slopes.

The AXOS has quickly become the ‘everyday’ tractor. “It’s bulletproof and it’s easy to operate,” Harvey says. “The transmission is great on the hills because you don’t run out of gears and come to a stop.”

“The ROPS is brilliant for feeding out, front-end loader work and other everyday jobs. If you’re in your wet weather gear and you’re on and off the tractor every five minutes opening gates, it doesn’t matter whether you have a cabin or not.”

Harvey and Nicola replaced their CELTIS with a new CLAAS ARION 530 CIS last year. “We’d

put another 3000 hours on it and it was time to get something with more horsepower for drilling pastures on steep slopes,” he says.

It features a super-efficient 4.5 L four cylinder DPS engine that delivers 145 hp at all engine speeds and 24/24 powershift transmission. It was supplied with three spool valves, 110 L/min hydraulic capacity and dual rear wheels.

The spacious five-pillar cab has wide-opening door for easy access and adjustable four-point cabin suspension as standard. “It’s a completely different tractor to the old CELTIS,” Harvey says.

“What do I like about my ARION? Everything – the powershift, the cabin, the suspension. You don’t know how good it is until you’ve driven one for 17 hours straight and then hop into another tractor.

“I’d recommend a CLAAS tractor to anyone – they are a pleasure to drive, we’ve had no issues with reliability and I feel very comfortable dealing with CLAAS Harvest Centre.

“Their sales representatives know what they are talking about and they are a pleasure to do business with. Hamilton is a bit of a way away but I know I have access to 24/7 service if I need it.”

THREE TIMES SATISFIED

Harvey Kloeten with his CLAAS ARION tractor.


THE family and friends of agricultural contractor, Phil Adams, thought he’d temporarily taken leave of his senses when he ordered a new generation CLAAS ARION 640 tractor.

A lifetime John Deere aficionado, Phil decided to ‘shop around’ after a series of unexpected price rises in his usual marque. “To be honest, I wasn’t looking to change brands or dealers,” he says.

“I’ve probably purchased about 20 John Deere tractors over the years and I don’t have anything bad to say about their performance, reliability or service. But for the extra $30,000 they expected me to pay, I thought I could afford to look around.

“At the back of my mind, I’d always thought that if I was going to buy another brand of tractor, it would be a CLAAS. I’ve been using CLAAS mowers and rakes for years and they are great machines and we have always received good service from CLAAS Harvest Centre in Gippsland.”

About a fortnight later he took delivery of a new 177 hp ARION 640 CIS equipped with a Stoll front-end loader and front suspension. “I’ve got

to admit that it was very difficult for me to place that order but I am glad I did,” Phil says.

“I had driven a CLAAS tractor before and I knew they were good – but I didn’t know by how much. This tractor has really exceeded my expectations when, to be honest, I probably didn’t want it to.

“It has a much smoother powershift than my other tractors. It is a beautifully comfortable tractor to drive and is the smoothest and quietest ride I’ve ever experienced. We used to call one of our old tractors ‘Skippy’ because it was so rough. Inside the ARION, all the switches and the joystick are where they’re meant to be.”

The tractor is equipped with the optional four speed PTO, which offers ECO modes on the two standard 540 rpm and 1000 rpm PTO speeds. “We probably use the 1000 ECO setting more than any other,” Phil says.

“It delivers the same PTO speed but at reduced engine rpm. A lot of the equipment that we use doesn’t require excessive horsepower, so ECO allows us to cruise along without going at full revs, which reduces noise, fuel consumption and general wear and tear.”

Peter Melville, one of Phil’s two long-standing employees, quickly commandeered the ARION as his own. “Funnily enough, Peter once told me he’d never drive a CLAAS tractor but now he won’t get out of it,” Phil says.

Phil has since ordered a second CLAAS tractor, this time an AXION 830 (173 hp) specified with a continuously variable CMATIC transmission and front linkage and PTO. “These new AXION and ARION tractors are right up there with the best,” Phil says.

“I’d say to anyone who was thinking about buying a new tractor to go and test drive a CLAAS. You’ll notice a real difference in the suspension and transmission.”

Phil and his wife, Vicki, operate a thriving business that employs two full-time operators and up to seven seasonal workers. Specialising in baling and pasture renovation work, the business has up to ten tractors working at any one time.

Their 45 m x 18 m shed outside Catani is filled to capacity with high performance machinery, including two CLAAS DISCO mowers, two CLAAS LINER rakes and two AMAZONE power harrow/seed drill combinations.

DIFFERENT SHADES OF GREEN

“The AXION 870 is equipped with the same proven 6.7 six-cylinder FPT Tier 4 engine found in the AXION 800 series,” he says. “However, the addition of CLAAS POWER MANAGEMENT powerboost system lifts the maximum power delivered from 280 hp to 295 hp.

“This electronic engine control system automatically delivers an extra 15 hp of power whenever power take-off work is being performed or when the tractor’s operating speed is more than 14 km/h.

“This extra power makes the AXION 870 a highly versatile work platform. It is particularly suitable for heavy-duty power take-off work,

such as mowing or baling, or fast-moving field work, such as light cultivation or spraying.

“CLAAS also offers a number of ballasting options to provide maximum traction in heavy tillage applications. These options can take the tractor’s tare weight from just over nine tonnes to a maximum permissible weight of 15 tonnes.

“The front weight block can be removed in just a few minutes to improve fuel efficiency when this extra ballast is not required.

“All told, AXION 870 is going to present a very attractive alternative to the larger AXION 920, especially for those operating large farms or operating between multiple properties.”

The AXION 870 is equipped with the CEBIS operating system, which features a multifunction control lever and control terminal integrated into the right armrest. All of the important functions of both the tractor and implements can be conveniently controlled using function keys in the armrest or with the CMOTION multifunction lever.

CEBIS includes the CLAAS Sequence Management system, which enables easy headland management. In addition, the AXION 870 can optionally be equipped ex-factory with the GPS PILOT steering system from CLAAS in combination with either the S10 or S7 terminal.

Phil Adams (left) and operator, Peter Melville.

AMAZONE has released an electric control system that automatically selects the best nozzle according to operating conditions. Depending on the field size, working width and the number of part-width sections used, the technology can reduce spray costs by up to 10 per cent.

Available for UX trailed sprayers and the Pantera self-propelled sprayer, the AmaSelect system features four individually-controlled nozzles in carriers that are positioned at 50 cm intervals along the boom.

“By itself, the automatic control of individual nozzles can reduce overlap and chemical costs by five per cent,” AMAZONE Product Manager, Craig Hopkins, says. “Used in combination with AMAZONE GPS-Switch section control, AmaSelect can reduce chemical costs by another five per cent.”

The operator enters the optimum pressure range for each nozzle type fitted on the carriers into the ISOBUS operator terminal. AmaSelect

then automatically selects and activates the best nozzle according to the desired application rate and forward speed.

Once the optimum pressure range of a nozzle is reached, AmaSelect automatically switches over to a smaller or bigger nozzle, or adds a second nozzle to the spray circuit. In turn, GPS-Switch uses GPS guidance to switch off individual nozzles in 50 cm part-width sections as the unit approached headlines and other obstacles.

Alternatively, the operator can determine nozzle selection for each part-width section without leaving the cabin. “This feature is a particularly useful benefit for spraying contractors who often operate across many different tramline systems,” Craig says. “In practical terms, it allows nozzle selection to be optimally matched to different working widths.”

Standard fittings include LED lighting on each nozzle and the DUS pro high-pressure recirculation system.

COLAC 357 Princes Highway P: 03 5321 6322DALBY Lot 3 Commodity Court P: 07 4662 2278ECHUCA 12–16 Murray Valley Highway P: 03 5480 1855ESPERANCE 15 Hill Road P: 08 9071 4080GERALDTON 42 Barrie Court P: 08 9921 4401GIPPSLAND 2–3 June Court, Warragul P: 03 5623 4475KATANNING 17 Creek Street P: 08 9821 8900LAKE BOLAC 3 Weighbridge Place P: 03 5350 2133MOREE 51–53 Balo Street P: 02 6752 2044NARRABRI 15 Francis Street P: 02 6792 1988SOUTH GIPPSLAND 2–4 McPherson Street, Leongatha P: 03 5662 2299TASMANIA 1 York Street, Latrobe P: 03 6426 1500WAGGA WAGGA 274 Hammond Avenue P: 02 6931 7933WARRNAMBOOL 65 Caramut Road P: 03 5561 1733

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CLAAS Harvest Centrewww.claasharvestcentre.com

ASHBURTON Main South Road P: 03 307 9400 CHRISTCHURCH 735 Main South Road P: 03 341 6900DUNEDIN Airport Turnoff P: 03 489 8886FEILDING 40 Kawakawa Road P: 06 323 0101GORE 47 Ordsal Street P: 03 263 1000HAMILTON 87 Kahikatea Drive P: 07 843 9100HASTINGS 1322 Omahu Road P: 06 879 9090HAWERA 289 Waihi Road P: 06 278 0020HOKITIKA 65 Fitzherbert Street P: 03 755 8450INVERCARGILL 25/3 Wallacetown-Lorneville Highway P: 03 215 6114ROTORUA 292 Te Ngae Road P: 07 345 5599TIMARU 72 Hilton Highway P: 03 688 6900 WANAKA 156 Ballantyne Road P: 03 443 6781WHANGAREI 9 Kioreroa Road P: 09 430 3066

Hokitika

Invercargill

Timaru

Wanaka

Hawera

Hamilton

Rotorua

Whangarei

Hastings

Christchurch

Ashburton

Dunedin

Feilding

Narrabri

Tasmania

Dalby

Wagga Wagga

Warrnambool

Lake Bolac

Esperance South Gippsland

Gippsland

EchucaKatanning

Geraldton

Colac

Moree

Gore

Hokitika

Invercargill

Timaru

Wanaka

Hawera

Hamilton

Rotorua

Whangarei

Hastings

Christchurch

Ashburton

Dunedin

Feilding

Narrabri

Tasmania

Dalby

Wagga Wagga

Warrnambool

Lake Bolac

Esperance South Gippsland

Gippsland

EchucaKatanning

Geraldton

Colac

Moree

Gore

NEW NOZZLE TECHNOLOGY SLASHES SPRAYING COSTS

Each carrier holds four individually-controlled nozzles.

harvest times - issue 04 - autumn/winter 2016

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