increase font size
A 691hp John Deere 9RX 640 tracked machine mated to an 18.4m Bednar Swifterdisc XE 18400 Mega disc cultivator set a new world record by cultivating 770ha in 24 hours.
Any young fella with a Ford 5000 and an 80-inch Howard Rotovator can’t fail to be impressed by a slightly larger combination that recently set new record by cultivating 770ha in 24 hours.
The new record took place on a farm near the town of Slatina in Romania, with the successful double act being a 691hp John Deere 9RX 640 tracked machine mated to a 18.4m Bednar Swifterdisc XE 18400 Mega disc cultivator. The combination dealt to stubbles of wheat, canola, peas and beans in six paddocks – the largest being 161ha.
This beat the previous record, set as far back as 2007, by 125.4ha. That pairing was a Challenger MT875B and 14m Gregoire Besson cultivator.
Working at a depth of 7.0cm, the cultivator – equipped with 560mm diameter discs (5mm) and a 630mm diameter rear V-Ring packer with scrapers – achieved an average output of 32.6ha/ hour. Meanwhile, the 9RX powerhouse hit maximum speeds of 21km/h and covered a total distance of 450.7km.
The tractor averaged just over 3.0 litres of diesel per hectare with a total fuel use of 2355.61 litres.
Achieved by a team of eight people, the tractor was only stopped for just 24 minutes during the 24-hour period – to change drivers, refill the 1490 litre diesel tank and to deal with a small hydraulic leak on the cultivator.
The Czech manufacturer introduced the Swifterdisc XE Mega series in 2021 and currently offers three models from 14.4m to 18.4m working widths. The XE 18400 weighs in at 22.3 tonnes and folds to a transport width of only 3 metres wide by 4 metres high.
The RX 640 stats are no less impressive, tipping the scales at around 25.5 tonnes and boasting a 13.6 litre JD twin turbo engine mated to an 18-stage powershift transmission.
After what has been a difficult year with redundancies and factory downsizing, John Deere is reversing course, announcing it will bring 140 employees back to its Waterloo, Iowa operations as demand increases for its 8R and 9R tractors.
John Deere has announced the launch of three new models in both 8R and 8RX formats, featuring additional higher horsepower (HHP) options and improved performance, manoeuvrability, and versatility.
Easily missed on its expansive Agritechnica site, John Deere offered visitors to the bi-annual event, the first opportunity in Europe to see John Deere’s E-Power 130hp electric tractor prototype.
Grape and orchard growers will soon be able to take a closer look at John Deere’s new 5EN specialty narrow tractors, which offer more power and comfort in narrow vineyards or tree rows.
Recently released in Australia and New Zealand by John Deere, a unique new software platform offers near real time profitability monitoring across crops and individual paddocks.
A partnership between Canterbury milk processor Synlait and the world's largest food producer, Nestlé, has been celebrated with a visit to a North Canterbury farm by a group including senior staff from Synlait, the Ravensdown subsidiary EcoPond, and Nestlé's Switzerland head office.
Canterbury milk processor Synlait is blaming what it calls "a perfect storm" of setbacks for a big loss in its half year result for the six months ended January 31, 2026.
More of the same please, says Federated Farmers dairy chair Karl Dean when asked about who should succeed Miles Hurrell as Fonterra chief executive.
A Waikato farmer who set up a 'tinder' for cows - using artificial intelligence to find the perfect bull for each cow - days the first-year results are better than expected.
Fonterra says it's keeping an eye on the Middle East crisis and its implications for global supply chains.
The closure of the McCain processing plant and the recent announcement of 300 job losses at Wattie’s underscore the mounting pressure facing New Zealand’s manufacturing sector, Buy NZ Made says.
OPINION: If you ask this old mutt, the choice at the next election isn't shaping up as a contest of…
OPINION: A mate of yours says we're long overdue for a reckoning on what value farmers really get for the…
