Alpego eyes electric power harrow
Distributed by OriginAg in New Zealand, Italian manufacturer Alpego recently showed its three metre Alysium electric power harrow at the Italian Eima Event, taking away an innovation award.
Contracting business Hilltop Harvesting has found success with Alpego products.
Hilltop harvesting is operated by Wayne and Nicola Preston, is based on the south-east side of the Brynderwyn Hills.
They offer a range of services including cultivation, seeding, undersowing, roller drilling, round and square baleage, conventional bales and earthworks.
Wayne says, “The strength of our Alpego power harrows and subsoiler are a huge bonus when working on our clients’ ground that is typically very heavy and undulating”.
The couple have owned five Alpego power harrows over the years, purchasing their first, a DX500, in 2004. A 6m Alpego Dmax 600 arrived last year, while an older DX600 model was replaced by an identical unit in October.
The Dmax folding power harrows are constructed using a heavy-duty frame, with power delivered via a 1000 rpm central driveshaft to a multi-speed gearbox that sends the drive to each harrow laterally, via cam-clutch protected drive shafts. Individual rotor shafts run on Twin-Force ball bearing assemblies, while an independently adjustable levelling board ahead of the roller assembly helps break clods to the required size and create a level finish.
“The Dmax power harrow holds the ground well, helped by its integral weight, with the independent mounting of each harrow allowing it to contour well,” said Preston.
“We run 350hp tractors, so the 450-500hp rating of the Alpego gearboxes means they are really on top of the job. We get high outputs, managed to clock up over 350 hours last year and never had any problems.”
Prestons also operated a 3m Alpego KFR Cracker subsoiler and cultivator for the past two seasons to open ground ahead of the power harrows at a depth of 400-600 mm. In most cases after spraying out, one pass with the KFR subsoiler followed by a pass with the power harrow sees the ground ready for planting maize.
The KFR Cracker subsoiler is said to be able to penetrate the hardest ground and leave a level finish, using a hydraulically depth-controlled, double-spike rear roller that crumbles the soil behind the angled ripping legs.
“It’s very robust and well built,” said Preston. “We pull at full depth with 350hp and make a great job.
“The only irritation is having to change shear bolts, which we accept saves us doing damage to the legs with hidden objects.”
A record $10/kgMS opening forecast milk price for the new season means more money into Fonterra farmers pockets early, says Federated Farmers dairy chair Richard McIntyre.
Associate Agriculture Minister Andrew Hoggard says the consenting experience facing some high-country Canterbury sheep and beef farms is "bloody tragic" and vindicates the Government's move to abolish the Resource Management Act (RMA).
Farmers appear to be backing the Government's recent Resource Management Act (RMA) reforms announcement.
For the first time, all the big names in agricultural drone technology are being brought together under one marquee at the National Fieldays.
Fonterra has announced an improved third quarter performance – with a profit after tax of $1.15 billion, up $119 million on the same period last year.
The Fieldays Innovation Awards competition has attracted a diverse and impressive array of innovations from across the primary industries, highlighting the growing importance of technology shaping the future of farming.
OPINION: The Free Speech Union is taking this one too far.
OPINION: New national data from The Drug Detection Agency (TDDA), a leading workplace drug tester, shows methamphetamine (meth) use is…