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.
Italian manufacturer Maschio, whose products are imported and distributed in New Zealand by the Power Farming Group, has introduced the SC Pro-Bio rotary cultivator.
This machine is specifically designed to target cover crop incorporation, resulting in improved soil organic matter. The SC Pro-Bio has been designed to break down and incorporate crop residues, cover crops and green manures.
The cultivator mulches plant debris and mixes it with fine soil in the top few centimetres of the profile. This helps speed up the decomposition and the transformation of residue into compost-like material.
Meanwhile, the company suggests that adding a front flail mower to the operation can improve mulching and organic matter breakdown – particularly in thicker cover crops.
Suitable for use with tractors from 110hp and 170hp, the SC Pro-Bio is equipped with 6 ‘L’ type blades per flange, operating at 540rpm or 1,000rpm, to achieve a rotor speed of up to 300rpm.
To achieve a uniform working depth across the full 2.8 or 3.1 metre working width of the machine, the SC Pro-Bio has four depth wheels. This ensures optimum stability and uniformity – particularly at shallow settings. Working at depths of 3cm to 6cm the SC Pro-Bio can work to speeds of up to 10km/h.
To aid aeration, with the aim of increased material breakdown, the rear hood can be adjusted hydraulically from the tractor seat to allow perfect control of soil mixing.
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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