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The recently introduced Erth Engineering Agriseeder.
Those looking to use direct seeding to establish, rejuvenate or repair grass paddocks or plant catch crops might want to take a closer look at the recently introduced Erth Engineering Agriseeder.
Marketed by Ag and Civil Machinery Direct Ltd, a division of Waikato Tractors in Hamilton, the 3m, 24-row model features a galvanised, heavyduty, linkage-mounted frame that weighs in around 1,500kg. This carries three independent sections, each carrying eight coulters, mounted to the frame using 40mm heavy-duty torsional rubbers that help absorb shock loads, while also allowing more travel and flexibility.
Offering a row spacing of 125mm (5 inches), the coulter arms have 4.5mm Forge de Niaux boron steel soil engaging tips, followed by an angled and scalloped single-disc assembly, both combining to create a 7mm wide band, where the crumbled soil creates a microclimate offering the seed moisture and the seedling protection as it emerges.
Sales manager at Waikato Tractors, Ben Peters, says, “By direct drilling into a firm seedbed, seeds are positioned in the fertile areas of the upper levels of the soil profile, moisture is retained and stones and trash are left undisturbed, while the turnaround back to grazing is also reduced.”
As part of the standard equipment, an Autocontour system acts a secondary suspension, with the benefit of better ground following in undulating terrain. In operation, each coulter block is pushed downwards using individual hydraulic cylinders. Each of the cylinders is connected, so the downward pressure is equalised over the full width of the machine, despite undulating ground.
The system is also said to improve machine reliability by reducing loads on the frame mounting points and bearing assemblies throughout the machine.
Seed distribution is taken care of using a Kverneland-sourced system, with seed metering via a land wheel drive and fan-based pneumatic distribution, with seeds passing down individual pipes to the coulters.
The system features a 400-litre plastic hopper, accessed via a galvanised ladder to a loading platform with a safety rail. Fan speed and seeding information is displayed on a simple readout on the side of the seed hopper, while at the rear of the machine a full width flat roller is fitted for load distribution and consolidation post-seeding.
A range of options includes weight frames for difficult ground conditions, front and rear harrows for conventional tillage situations or improved seed covering in very dry conditions and a second hopper for use with double-entry coulters for fertiliser application at the same time as seeding.
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With the biannual Italian EIMA machinery Expo less than a month away, Case IH has taken out a Technical Evolution award for the Advanced Vehicle Suspension system available on its Optum 360–440 series tractors.
The Advanced Vehicle Suspension system, available on Optum 360, 390, and 440 models, responds to changing conditions, automatically adjusting how the suspension reacts to absorbs shocks and controlling vehicle movement.
In operation, sensors monitor the vibrations transmitted from the tractor chassis to the operator cabin, allowing the system to adjust suspension damping in real time. The control system incorporates key priorities, such as comfort at lower speeds and stability as speed increases, while also reacting to factors such as lower tyre pressures, where the tyres absorb more of the initial shock.
Case IH said as suspension requirements change throughout the working day, as tractors move between the paddock and road transport, the system manages suspension response in the background as tasks, speeds and conditions change, leaving the operator without the need to make manual adjustments.
Richard Hollins, Optum series tractors global product manager, said: “Pioneering technology must earn its place in the working day. Farmers and contractors will judge an investment by what it delivers, including manageable ownership costs, dependable up-time and the versatility to tackle different jobs. With AVS, we are putting intelligent control to work for comfort and stability, without giving the operator another setting to manage.”
Organised by FederUnacoma, the Italian Agricultural Machinery Manufacturers Federation, the contest has been part of EIMA since 1986, with the Technical Evolution distinction awarded to products that introduce original improvements to solutions already manufactured or patented.
www.caseih.com
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