increase font size
Spreadpoint spreader range.
With applying lime still being the most effective method of correcting soil acidity, it shouldn’t be a surprise to hear that a lime spreader took out the coveted Machine of the Year award at the recent Irish Ploughing Championships.
Awarded to Northern Ireland company SpreadPoint for their trailed SP 900 model, fitted with the optional SX-A auger delivery system, the competition judges commended the machine for the part it can play in soil health, as well as its potential for helping develop sustainable agricultural systems in Ireland and beyond.
SpreadPoint was formed in 2019 by Richard and Noel Kane; the latter the funding partner of the well- known Kane trailer business. The company specialises in spreading equipment for the agricultural, construction and amenity sectors. The business has a modern manufacturing facility on a 400ha working farm in County Down, where the steep and rugged country offers ideally locales for product development and testing.
The SP 900 spreader offers a 9 cu.m capacity, equating to around 12.5 tonnes of lime, but depending on product has a load rating of 16 tonnes. Tipping the scales at 3.9 tonnes empty, the running gear sees a 150mm square section axle, with commercial hubs, running on 750-60R 30.5 tyre equipment. This is complemented by a sprung drawbar with up to 100mm of movement, air/hydraulic braking, mudguards and LED lighting.
A dual-chassis layout allowing de-mounting onto other carriers features a 4-point loadcell weighing system and ISOBUS connections as standard. Load sensing hydraulics means there’s no need for a PTO shaft, with the moving floor belt and the spreading discs infinitely variable to adjust and maintain the spreading rate required.
Throughout the machine large diameter stainless steel or nylon roller assemblies are used for durability, with key components hard faced with stainless steel plates for an extended service life.
Said to offer a low centre of gravity, a lifting axle set up helps transfer weight for added traction in difficult conditions, while general servicing is taken care of with only nine grease nipples. Spreader control is taken care of by the Intelligent Control System, offering on-the-go adjustment to achieve the desired spread rate irrespective of forward speed.
Part of the MOTY package was the optional SX-A auger spreading system, that uses a closed delivery system to allow spreading of dusty materials without the problems of drift losses, especially in windy conditions, but also a feature that lends itself to operating in wet conditions. Made primarily from stainless steel, the 12m folding design has hydraulic tilt to ensure good ground contouring, but also to avoid obstacles.
Options include rolling hopper covers, integral mesh hopper grids, a cleated main delivery belt for difficult inputs and a K80 ball/spoon hitch coupler.
Global tyre manufacturer Michelin has extended its agricultural trailer tyre range, with the introduction of its new WorkxBib series, designed for tipping trailers, slurry tankers and manure spreaders.
Following the record-breaking success of its hydrogen-powered Hydromax, JCB is ramping up its investment in the business, key to the first major change at the executive level of the business, with George Bamford stepping up to the post of joint chairman, alongside his father Lord Bamford.
During calf rearing, logistics can play an important role in getting the job done quickly and efficiently.
Massey Ferguson has announced a strategic supply partnership with International Tractors Limited (ITL), a manufacturer of low-horsepower and compact tractors, with recognised brands such as Sonalika and Sollis, to expand its portfolio with a new tractor range.
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
Farmlands has reported higher operating earnings and a profit before income tax of $4.5 million, up 118.9%, for the year ended 30 June 2026.
AgriZeroNZ has invested a further NZ$17.7 million in methane vaccine developer ArkeaBio and NZ$5.1 million in BioLumic, a New Zealand-founded company that uses ultraviolet light to develop low-emissions pasture..
Good news for Fonterra farmers. The co-op has raised this season’s farmgate milk price mid-point by 25c to $9.75/kgMS.
OPINION: Political parties are getting plenty of advice and recommendations from sector groups as the election approaches.
In farming there are external factors that can influence behaviour of a whole herd, such as a bad weather event, triggering false positive heat detections or health attentions.
For Canterbury dairy farmer Cameron Henderson, supporting Meet the Need comes down to a simple question: how can the success of New Zealand farming benefit more than just those within the industry?
OPINION: It seems Canterbury processor Synlait is still in the doldrums.
OPINION: Get offside with New Zealand First leader Winston Peters at your own peril.
