Is augmented reality the future of farming?
Imagine a farmer being able to tell a paddock’s pasture cover and dry matter content just by looking at it, or accessing information about a cow’s body condition score in the same way.
Claims by manufacturers of increased performance or reduced costs can sometimes be vague.
Tyre industry giant Michelin is being more specific with a claim, following a trial at Harper Adams University in the UK, that farmers can expect an increase in yield of 4% using the company's Ultraflex tyre technology.
Based on the establishment, growing and harvest of a wheat crop, the company claims that if all the vehicles in the world's wheat growing areas used Ultraflex tyres, the expected increase in production would be around 23 million tonnes. Interestingly, the US Department of Agriculture says this is how much wheat is needed annually to feed the total US population of 319 million people, and it's equivalent to Germany's annual wheat production.
The company claims the key benefit of Ultraflex technology is the ability to reduce tyre pressures below the norm, protecting the ground from rut formation and ground compaction. These points alone encourage the permeation of air and water through the soil profile, improving plant uptake of nutrients.
The larger footprint of Ultraflex also helps spread weight over a larger area, as well as improving traction and reducing wheel slip, which reduces time in the paddock, improves productivity and reduces fuel usage.
Ultraflex is available for vehicles used throughout the production cycle – AxioBib, XeoBib and YieldBib for tractors, CereXbib for harvesters and CargoXBib for trailers.
www.trstyreandwheel.co.nz
An educational programme, set up by Beef + Land New Zealand, to connect farmers virtually with primary and intermediate school students has reported the successful completion of its second year.
The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) has welcomed a resolution adopted by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly to declare 2026 International Year of the Woman Farmer.
Waikato herd health veterinarian Katrina Roberts is the 2024 Fonterra Dairy Woman of the Year.
Trade Minister Todd McClay says New Zealand has no intention of backing down in a trade dispute with Canada over dairy products.
There have been leadership changes at the Hamilton-based Dairy Goat Co-operative, which has been struggling financially in recent years.
Horticulture NZ chief executive Nadine Tunley will step down in August.