Lemken making parts last longer
Wearing parts for soil engaging implements are a hefty cost for any farmer or contractor, so selection should be based on factors such as prevailing conditions and areas to be covered.
Dutch implement maker Tulip is known for delivering quality arable products, and its Multidisc series is proven cost effective, a minimum tillage tool with unique disc suspension.
Minimal moving parts, heavy duty bearing housings and a shock absorbing rubber mounting system lowers the power requirement and removes the need for increased frame weight to get penetration.
In work the aggressive action of the serrated discs and large inter-gang clearances allow the machine to form one-pass seedbeds in stubble or cover crops, as it is able to deal with lots of crop residue.
Available in working widths 2-12m, the Multidisc range is now bigger: the XL and XXL versions have discs of 56cm and 61cm, respectively.
Also, the Multidisc Vario S offers five cultivator tines over a 3m working width, laid out in a vee formation.
This is said to ensure rapid residue flows through the machine and lower power requirement than machines with tines fitted in straight banks.
Accumulator based overload protection guards each tine against damage from hitting junk in the ground.
For operators wanting cultivation and seeding in one pass the Polymat Compact airseeder has offered the answer, but until now this suited only rigid machines. The recently launched H version has a folding seeder bar that can be used with wider cultivators that fold for transport.
Seed hoppers come in a range 400-750L to match 8-24 outlet setups.
The hydraulically driven system is controlled by an in-cab electronic terminal and offers users the opportunity to cultivate and establish crops at speed: a 6m unit typically covers 8ha/h.
Ashburton cropping and dairy farmer Matthew Paton has been elected to the board of rural services company, Ruralco.
The global agricultural landscape has entered a new phase where geopolitics – not only traditional market forces – will dictate agricultural trade flows, prices, and production decisions.
National Lamb Day is set to return in 2026 with organisers saying the celebrations will be bigger than ever.
Fonterra has dropped its forecast milk price mid-point by 50c as a surge in global milk production is putting downward pressure on commodity prices.
The chance of a $10-plus milk price for this season appears to be depleting.
Keep focused on things that can be controlled on farm.