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The Fliegel VFW range.
Slurry tankers have traditionally been simply a means of dealing with smelly waste.
However, for the last few years, driven by environmental issues, interest has grown in getting the right machine for the job and trying to realise the nutrient benefits of the waste.
The Fliegel VFW range, distributed here by Claas Harvest Centres, uses the latest manufacturing techniques to make it stand out from the crowd; it offers units of 7500-30000L capacity.
The mainstream market is taken care of by single-axle models of 7500-10,600L; bigger users can choose tandem axle units from 10,600-18,000L.
Construction is centred on the use of hot-dipped galvanised steel to ensure corrosion resistance and a durable long life and this is used extensively for the tank and chassis components.
Standard features – for a fast turnaround – include high capacity vacuum pumps (10,000-14,000L/min), a 150mm quick coupler, liquid level indicators, on-board hose storage and a 600mm access hatch for easy cleaning.
Customer-specified options include suspended and hydraulically adjusted drawbars, filling options such as auto-couplers, powered fill and hydraulically driven agitators to improve flow and prevent blockages.
An optional moveable axle (manual or hydraulic) transfers weight to the tractor hitch when moved rearwards in difficult conditions, or vice versa when used for long distance transport. Hydraulic brakes are fitted as standard, and air variants as options.
At the business end, standard application is by a simple splash plate system, although users wanting to make best use of available nutrients might wish to specify an optional dribble bar or disc injector layout. The former is available in 9-18m spreading widths and the injection rigs from 3-8m wide.
Also optional are flow meters to record volumes applied.
Following the €1.6 million investment in a prototype workshop in early 2025, Claas has invested an additional €3.3 million at its Metz-Woippy baler production plant to increase production capacity.
After its flagship 1200 model set a Guiness World Record in forage harvesting, mopping up 4096 tonnes of whole crop silage in 12 hours, Claas has picked up a brace of awards from the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineering (ASABE).
Last month's Agritechnica event led to a wide group of manufacturers celebrating successes when the 2026 Tractor of the Year Competition winners, selected by a panel of European journalists, were announced in Hanover Germany.
The recently released Claas Jaguar 1000 Series has seen its flagship 1200 set a new official Guiness World Record in forage harvesting, harvesting 4096 tonnes of whole crop silage in 12 hours, alongside an efficiency record of just 0.49 litres of fuel consumption per tonne of silage harvested.
Innovation awards at international agricultural events are always on the wishlist of manufacturers.
Potatoes New Zealand has congratulated Peter Reynolds of TA Reynolds Ltd in Pukekohe on being awarded the Horticulture New Zealand Bledisloe Cup, recognising a lifetime of service and contribution to New Zealand horticulture.
Signing up to a benchmarking tool is not about competition, but about improving collectively, says Ximena Puig and Alvaro Luzardo who are 50-50 sharemilkers at a 164-hectare (effective) dairy farm in Eketāhuna in the Lower North Island.
A leading British farming politician says he's impressed with the positive attitude of New Zealand farmers that he met during his recent trip here.
OPINION: With 10,500 dairy farms, New Zealand continues to punch above its weight around the world.
The Southern Dairy Hub (SDH), which runs a demonstration farm for South Island farmers, has a new general manager.
Esther Guy-Meakin has been announced as the new chief executive of the New Zealand Meat Board (NZMB).
