Making high quality silage
It is impossible to produce high quality silage from low quality pasture, no matter how good the fermentation is.
Ag machinery specialists Origin Agroup has recently been appointed exclusive importer and distributor of the Mammut range of forage handling equipment, following successful trials during the 2015 season.
The Austrian company's Silo Fox silage distributor features a rotating drum driven by the tractor's PTO that can be mounted at the front or rear of the prime mover, and is designed to spread silage in an even, uniform layer, to primarily increase consolidation.
This has benefits in terms of improved fermentation to achieve silages of higher feed values, but is also said to help with creating more stable silage stacks which are safer to drive over for operators.
For the 2016 season Origin will introduce the Mammut Gigant 280 unit, which offers a 2.8 metre working width, a drum diameter of 1.28m and a unit weight of 970kg. This weight can be adjusted higher with the addition of water to the drum, to suit the carrying tractor and optimise consolidation.
At the heart of the machine, an over-dimensioned gearbox uses either 540 or 1000 PTO input speeds to achieve optimal rotational and circumferential speed to result in perfect spreading of the ensiled material.
The quality of spread is further enhanced by twin hydraulic rams between the headstock and the drum, which allows angling to the left or right, and allows grass to be shifted tightly against walls, or indeed away from the edges of un-walled clamps.
In what appears to be a casualty of the downturn in the agricultural sector, a well-known machinery brand is now in the hands of liquidators and owing creditors $6.6 million.
One of New Zealand’s deepest breeder Jersey herds – known for its enduring connection through cattle with the UK’s longest reigning monarch, Queen Elizabeth II – will host its 75th anniversary celebration sale on-farm on April 22.
Rural trader PGG Wrightson has revised its operating earnings guidance, saying trading conditions have deteriorated since the last market update in February.
It's been a bumper season for maize and other supplements in the eastern Bay of Plenty.
Leading farmers from around New Zealand connected to share environmental stories and inspiration and build relationships at the Dairy Environment Leaders (DEL) national forum in Wellington last month.
AgriZeroNZ, a joint venture fast-tracking emissions reduction tools for farmers, is pouring $5 million in a biotech company to develop a low emissions farm pasture with increased productivity gains.
OPINION: Talking about plant-based food: “Chicken-free chicken” start-up Sunfed has had its valuation slashed to zero by major investor Blackbird…
OPINION: Synlait's financial woes won’t be going away anytime soon.