Thursday, 24 November 2022 11:55

Seed drills get upgrades

Written by  Mark Daniel
The latest Horsch Versa KR includes several new concepts to offer a range of benefits to users. The latest Horsch Versa KR includes several new concepts to offer a range of benefits to users.

The latest Horsch Versa KR includes several new concepts and ideas to offer a range of benefits to users.

A major focus of the mechanical drill is the electrically-driven seed rate control on the countershaft. The SmartClip system offers maximum flexibility with tramlines that can be individually easily changed without tools.

Row spacings can be set at 12.5 or 15cm, with seed dosage adjusted with a slide valve between the cell wheel and cam wheel. Featuring a seed hopper of 900 litres capacity in the base machine, this can be expanded in two stages to offer 1,500 litres. Implement control is taken care of by ISOBUS connection, using touch terminals for individual, personalised settings of the display options.

The DuoDisc double disc coulter, specially developed for the Versa series, has proven components of the TurboDisc coulters and offers precise and even seed placement.

Available with a rear toothed packer roller or trapezoidal ring packer, the latter is offered with 50cm diameter. This is said to be suitable for heavy soils. Meanwhile, the larger 60cm diameter unit is intended for changing soils from light to heavy and with high load-bearing capacity requirements.

As an option, the Versa 3 KR can also be equipped with the WorkLight Pro working light. This guarantees optimum lighting of metering devices and the machine when sowing – even when working in the dark.

In other Horsch news, the Avatar 12.25 SD gets new operating logic based on ISOBUS allowing easier set up, operation and monitoring technology.

A newly developed seed tank holds 6,500 litres and can be ordered as a double tank, split with a 60:40 ratio, while the MiniDrill G&F can be selected as an option offering an extra 400 litres capacity to extend range – especially when sowing rapeseed or canola. This additional tank can also be used for other fine seeds, granules or slug pellets, allowing a total of three products to be applied in one pass.

It is offered with various tyre widths and types from 520 to 900mm, or dual tyre set-ups. Ground pressure is minimised even in wet soil conditions and enables soil-friendly work, while double support wheels on the wings also ensure small tracks and the best ground tracking. This also maintains a 3m transport width.

Equipped with singlerow, single disc coulters and 25cm row spacing, the Avatar 12.25 SD lends itself to mechanical crop care, as well as to a wide variety of sowing conditions such as direct sowing, mulch sowing, or into standing catch crops.

More like this

Farming smarter with technology

The National Fieldays is an annual fixture in the farming calendar: it draws in thousands of farmers, contractors, and industry professionals from across the country.

Fencing smarts from the Emerald Isle

While a leading New Zealand brand seems to have a stranglehold on the local electric fencing market, a company from the Green Isle seems to be making significant inroads, particularly in the Northern Hemisphere.

Featured

Top innovators announced

The Fieldays Innovation Award winners have been announced with Auckland’s Ruminant Biotech taking out the Prototype Award.

National

Machinery & Products

Calf feeding boost

Advantage Plastics says it is revolutionising calf meal storage and handling, making farm life easier, safer, and more efficient this…

JD's precision essentials

Farmers across New Zealand are renowned for their productivity and efficiency, always wanting to do more with less, while getting…

» Latest Print Issues Online

The Hound

Are they serious?

OPINION: The Greens aren’t serious people when it comes to the economy, so let’s not spend too much on their…

A hurry up!

OPINION: PM Chris Luxon is getting pinged lately for rolling out the old 'we're still a new government' line when…

» Connect with Rural News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter