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The Pro-Series openers are said to help increase performance and can also be fitted to existing machines.
The John Deere 750A All-Till drill is a popular choice in New Zealand, offering high outputs in conventional, minimal and no-till regimes and precise seed placement.
In the northern hemisphere, the limited disturbance created by the drill is also favoured by farmers trying to beat blackgrass infestations.
The company reports having sold two million units globally.
At the heart of the drill, single disc openers are used to great effect.
For the 2019 season, the introduction of PRO-Series openers will help increase performance and these can also be fitted to existing machines.
Designed to cause less disturbance, more consistent seeding depth, better seed to soil contact and an improved slot closure, the new units will find favour with existing users.
The re-design starts with a narrower seed boot that fits more snugly to the disc, creating less soil-throw and providing 40% more consistent seeding depth. Wear rates are also improved as the seed boot is now protected more by the opener disc, so subjected to less soil contact.
Also, the press-wheel has a narrower section and larger diameter, allowing it to fit into the seed trench more precisely.
With a double-row bearing set-up, the layout is said to help seed-to-soil contact and more consistent depth, leading to more even emergence and a potential for higher yields.
At the rear of the unit, a more aggressive serrated closing wheel is said to be 50% more effective.
Further design changes see the seed bolt mounting replaced by a flag pin that stops the boot from moving, improving accuracy and reducing wear. The seed tab that stops seeds bouncing out of the trench now fits the contour of the trench more precisely and offers a doubled service life.
The manufacturer says discs can be changed in about half the time of previous units, so this helps to reduce maintenance schedules.
New control systems offer full ISOBUS compliance with John Deere and third-party displays. These also offer the ability to manage section control, overdosing and a pre-dosing function.
In previous versions, when tramlining, the same amount of seed was diverted to adjacent openers leading to over-dosing in these rows. The new software maintains the correct seed rate over the whole field.
In addition, a new pre-dosing function prevents gaps from a standing start by pre-charging the system at the press of a button
John Deere have recently announced upgrades to its round baler offerings, with all models of this latest generation equipped with advanced ISOBUS capabilities, allowing them to be fully integrated into the John Deere Operations Center.
With agriculture in New Zealand coming out of the doldrums over the last few months and the recent announcement of a 20% tax write-off for capital purchases, it likely that farmers will be spending on tractors.
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.
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