Calf feeding boost
Advantage Plastics says it is revolutionising calf meal storage and handling, making farm life easier, safer, and more efficient this season.
First introduced in 1991, Fastrac has become the “go-to” purchase for users looking for highspeed transport capability, exceptional paddock performance, alongside versatility with the choice of front, rear and midpoint/ upper mounting positions.
For the New Zealand market, the company will focus on the 235hp Fastrac 4220 Icon as its main offering, or indent-only availability of the larger 348hp Fastrac 8330 as an alternative. Key features of both Series include equal sized wheel and tyre equipment, fourwheel steering, a 50:50 weight distribution and 4-wheel disc braking with ABS. Standard specification includes a 12-inch touch screen, advanced suspension, 4WD and diff lock, auto air conditioning, 60-degree seat swivel and a full-sized instructor/ training seat.
Both models receive the iCON designation, signalling a sweeping electronics upgrade that enables modern technology to be fully integrated into the operating system.
The new platform comprises three sections: iCONFIGURE customisable control system iCONNECT integrated advanced precision agriculture and iCONTROL driveline software.
Power Farming’s JCB agriculture product manager – JCB, Steve Gorman, comments, “iCON gives operators unprecedented choice and convenience in the way they operate their tractor and fully-integrated GPS guidance and implement control applications that minimise the need for additional displays”.
The heart of the system is the seatmounted armrest console, housing the main joystick, auxiliary joystick, hydraulic control levers and PTO and hitch controls. Proportional control of electrically operated spool valves can be allocated to any of the five buttons on the main joystick or alternatively, four buttons on the auxiliary joystick.
The high definition 12” colour touchscreen display presents key machine information across five screens. “The basic run screen layout will be readily familiar to existing Fastrac operators,” Gorman says. “Swiping right brings up a more detailed running screen with settings for up to six front/rear electric spool valves.”
The next two screens display essential vehicle status information while providing a remote camera view or a ISOBUS 2 Universal Terminal screen for control of rear and front-mounted implements, he says. The fifth screen is dedicated to JCB’s new steering guidance and precision farming options.
The display can be positioned ahead of the controls for easy viewing or moved to one side to maximise visibility, while a 7” digital dashboard displays speed, engine rpm and essential vehicle status information.
JCB offers a fully integrated GPS guidance system based on a Novatel Smart-7 receiver, steering controller and JCB user interface. Alternatively, the GPS Ready option prepares the Fastrac for a range of third-party guidance and precision farming solutions. Section Control and Variable Rate Control are available as unlock options.
The iCON models also incorporate JCB’s new Smart Transmission Control for improved powertrain efficiency and operator comfort. In use, the operator sets the required forward speed and the tractor will determine the correct gear ratio to maintain that speed under changing conditions.
For added convenience, the joystick and pedal driving modes are automatically selected when either control is used. Operators have the choice of the ‘classic’ or ‘pro’ joystick transmission control formats.
“In the Classic format, the operator selects the direction of travel by moving the joystick forwards or backwards, while speed is determined by moving the joystick left or right,” Gorman says. “The new Pro format transposes those functions – forwards and backwards to alter ground speed, left to operate the forward/reverse shuttle and right to engage the roller thumb switch for speed adjustments.”
Other operator assistance functions include JCB Headland Turn Assist, which can store up to 50 individual work sequences; JCB Rapid Steer, which reduces the number of steering wheel turns required; and JCB Twin Steer, which provides precise four-wheel steering on Fastrac 4000 Series tractors.
