Stihl Launches BT140, Its First Battery-Powered Auger
With battery tools becoming more widespread and more importantly, productive and reliable, it was only time before we saw augers or post-hole borers.
The Kuhn VBP 3100 series variable chamber baler-wrapper combination can now be equipped with the patented Kuhn Twin-reel film binding system.
The manufacturer claims this increases the baler’s versatility in silage production. The process has already been a proven concept on Kuhn fixed chamber baler-wrappers since its introduction in 2015.
The patented film binding system uses two regular 750mm stretch-film rolls, which offers several advantages compared to other film binding systems available on the market that are using wide mantle film.
Using regular, freely available wrapping film enables customers to benefit from a lower purchase price and use a much higher pre-stretch ratio compared to conventional wide film binding systems. This is said to reduce film binding costs by up to 37% and extends the intervals for changing film reels by around 30%.
Additionally, the customer’s inventory management is simplified by using regular stretch-film.
Thanks to lower roll weights, the film is easy to handle. Combined with the low lifting height and the user-friendly film roll holding system, this makes the exchange of film rolls on the VBP 3100 series an easy job.
The film and net binding systems are two separate systems, which enables the operator to switch between the two without the need for tools.
Why Film?
When producing round silage bales more and more often film binding is preferred over traditional net binding.
Film binding provides tighter, more compactly wrapped bales with better protection around the circumference of the bale.
The additional oxygen barrier guarantees better silage quality, and the improved bale shape enables more efficient storage. There are also many practical benefits for the farmer.
A film bound bale means easy unwrapping, even during frost periods. There is no collection of silage in between the wrap so no feed is lost.
Film-wrapped bales make waste management more efficient; there is no net and film to be separated, so all the plastic film can be recycled together.
Farmgate lamb prices are down by 8%, beef cattle by 4.5% and farm expenditure up by 4.2%.
Kiwifruit growers are watchful but remain optimistic as concerns around the potential effects of the El Niño weather pattern this season.
Almond hulls sourced from Australian orchards may have the potential to help New Zealand cows reduce emissions, boost milk yield and lower input costs.
Striking a balance between meeting the needs of industry to speed up approval time for products but on the other hand ensuring that risks are properly assessed.
Surprised, humbled and quite thrilled. That’s the reaction of James Allen, one of the founding partners and now chief executive of AgFirst, on being made a life member of the Institute of Rural Professionals.

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