Farming smarter with technology
The National Fieldays is an annual fixture in the farming calendar: it draws in thousands of farmers, contractors, and industry professionals from across the country.
Known throughout New Zealand for its innovative and robust calf-feeding solutions, Stallion Plastics has never shied away from experimenting with the latest technologies, with the aim experimenting with the latest technologies, with the aim to make life easier and improve a user's bottom line.
Designing, manufacturing and distributing agricultural products since 1984, Stallion's introduction of a new product line sees it move in a different yet complementary direction, with a development likely to save farmers time and money.
Fert-500 is the company's first trailed fertiliser applicator, designed to apply nutrients carried in suspension as a foliar application, recognising that reducing fertiliser inputs and improving utilisation will be a key consideration for all NZ farmers looking to control overheads and meet environmental obligations.
Built on a durable and robust galvanised steel frame with a suspended tandem axle layout, the Fert-500, as its name suggests, has a 500-litre spray tank, made from UV stabilised polyethylene.
As well as being ideal for applying nitrogen post-grazing, the unit can also be used pre-grazing for the application of lime flour or magnesium, carried in suspension. Offering a coverage of 3-5ha depending on application rate, the typical mixing time is between 5 and 7 minutes, while spreading width is 10 to 12 metres.
Carrying a two-year guarantee, the Fert-500 offers a recirculation function and a self-cleaning tank, with power provided by a Honda single cylinder engine, housed in a protected binnacle alongside all key controls.
Federated Farmers president Wayne Langford says the 2025 Fieldays has been one of more positive he has attended.
A fundraiser dinner held in conjunction with Fieldays raised over $300,000 for the Rural Support Trust.
Recent results from its 2024 financial year has seen global farm machinery player John Deere record a significant slump in the profits of its agricultural division over the last year, with a 64% drop in the last quarter of the year, compared to that of 2023.
An agribusiness, helping to turn a long-standing animal welfare and waste issue into a high-value protein stream for the dairy and red meat sector, has picked up a top innovation award at Fieldays.
The Fieldays Innovation Award winners have been announced with Auckland’s Ruminant Biotech taking out the Prototype Award.
Following twelve years of litigation, a conclusion could be in sight of Waikato’s controversial Plan Change 1 (PC1).
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