Winter Farm Shows Unveil Equipment Trends

North American agriculture is on a roll. And farm equipment makers are responding with a continuous stream of new equipment developments aimed at improving farm productivity, implement flexibility and precision technology. Evidence of the strong market trends the industry has experienced over the past 3 years could be seen at the two major winter farm equipment shows held in mid-February.

The 2012 National Farm Machinery Show held in Louisville, Ky., drew 305,512 visitors over its four-day run, the third highest attendance in the exposition’s 47 year history. Meanwhile, the World Ag Expo in Tulare, Calif., which ran parallel to the Kentucky show, saw attendance of 100,000.

More than 850 exhibitors were on hand at Kentucky Exposition Center, while 1,471 companies displayed their newest farm products on the grounds of the International Agri-Center in Tulare.

Seven Farm Equipment editors blanketed the two shows turning over the newest machinery developments for 2012. Following is what they came up with.

Geringhoff created a lot of buzz at NFMS this year when it unveiled its new Independence concept corn head. While the company doesn’t expect to introduce the equipment for field use until 2015, this unit is being designed to harvest corn regardless of row width. This tackles one of the major issues with farmers going to narrow row or twin-row corn. They would need to invest in a new header. Derek Molnar of AEMSCO, which carries the Geringhoff line in North America, says the header is being designed to harvest corn even in a solid seeded field.

The optional SmartCooling System for Gleaner combines consists of a variable-pitch fan with reversing capability. The “Smart” system monitors coolant, intake air and hydraulic oil temperature to determine optimum fan pitch. When the separator is engaged, the fan will undergo a 5-second reversal every 15 minutes to clean the coolers. If the engine intake air temperature reaches a limit of 176 F, the fan can be reversed up to once every 2 minutes.

Attached to the underside of a combine header, Yetter’s 5000 Stalk Devastator pushes over corn stubble during harvest to prevent damage to tires, tracks, wires and hydraulic hoses on combines, trucks, tractors and implements. It preserves residue cover while the crushed, knocked-over stalks can begin to break down quicker. Featuring spring-loaded, solid-steel construction, the Devastator is quick and easy to install with mounting kits for most corn head models.

Reel mixers provide better mix of distillers rations, according to Aaron Abraham of Kuhn Knight. This year, the company introduced its new 500-950 cu. ft. additions to their line of TMR mixers that can be outfitted with an optional Helix Reel. For its size, the RC 200 Series mixer utilizes the lowest horsepower of any unit on the market, says Abraham.

According to Ron Parrish, Kioti’s newest subcompact, the CS2410, is a 24.5 horsepower unit with a diesel engine and 4WD. He says it fits a hole in Kioti’s tractor lineup and these units can be fully outfitted with a backhoe, front-end loader and a drive-over belly mower. Standard equipment for the CS2410 includes rear and mid PTO, power steering, headlights, signal lamps, cup holder, horn, joystick valve and SMV sign.

Among the newest offerings from Dixie Chopper is the Magnum Series. According to Marketing Manager Mark Meyers the series has 22, 24 and 27 horsepower options and both 50 and 60 in. deck widths to choose from. He estimates users can mow up to 4.1 acres per hour with these new models.

Balzer Row-Crop Application System allows farmers to make sidedress applications of manure into standing 30-in. row corn or soybeans. Featuring a 120-in. wheelbase, the row-crop applicator uses narrow 18.4R38 tires on an independent steerable axle system for superior turning on end rows. The Rite-Rate system is also available for precise, consistent application.

Mahindra USA introduced its Mahindra Max series to fill a performance and capability void in the subcompact market. Comprised of the 22, 25 and 28xl models, Vice President of Marketing Cleo Franklin says, “Unlike the current lawn and garden tractors in the market, the Max series are real tractors with true tractor performance.”

AerWay’s ATS features a 10-ft. Quick-Adjust Frame with a full-width 10-bu. linear seed box driven by a 12-volt, constant-speed electric motor. The seeder handles a wide variety of seeds, as well as granular herbicides and insecticides. Tines lift and shatter compacted soil, while the quick-adjust feature allows farmers to vary the swing angle to achieve a desired seedbed. Twenty drop tubes and a bottom deflector plate ensures uniform seed distribution, and an optional finishing harrow ensures seed-to-soil contact.

AGCO is looking to increase the distribution of its Fendt brand tractors in North America, says Reid Hamre. The brand is considered the “BMW of tractors” throughout Europe. The company introduced its new Fendt 70 series, which includes the 720 at 166 PTO horsepower, the 722 with 185 PTO horsepower and the 724 at 197 PTO horsepower. AGCO also showed off its new 900 series Fendt line, which ranges in PTO horsepower from 200-300, and 800 series, which ranges from 185 PTO horsepower to 245 horses.

Versatile showcased its new 450 4WD tractor with Tier 4 Interim compliant engine. Using the EGR/DPF system with a Cummins engine, Ryan Shust says the system is proving to have less noise and significant efficiency gains. The unit also features a new, larger cab and numerous styling advantages, including front visibility. The firm also discussed its acquisition history, as it becomes a full-line manufacturer, which now includes tillage equipment, air drills, self-propelled sprayers and the new combine that will debut in limited quantities for the fall harvest. With its recent acquisition of Norwegian farm implement maker Kverneland, Kubota Tractor Corp., is gearing up to increase its penetration into the farm equipment business. This year, the company rolled out its 135 horsepower unit that features a completely redesigned and larger cab. According to Paul Williams, the new cab is 10 inches wider and provides 7 additional inches of headroom, which he says is as wide as most competitive tractor models. Building on its 2715 model (“The best-selling flexwing cutter in the U.S. over the last 5 years,” says Tom Taylor) is Bush Hog’s new 2815 flexwing, which incorporates 12 significant improvement that made the unit lighter, faster, more durable and more operator-friendly any cutter the company has ever brought to market. Among the new features is a patent-pending gearbox oil sight gauge (standard on the 2815), which allows users and dealers to check oil levels at a glance. Woods Equipment Co. featured its newly designed BW1800X Bat Wing cutter. According to Kent Helbig, unlike most other mowers that utilize their mowing decks for structural support, Wood’s newest equipment is supported by additional steel construction for longer life and durability. The mower comes with standard baffles designed to minimize windrowing of the cut grass, while baffles are options on most others on the market today. John Deere showed the new 2623VT vertical tillage tool that it introduced last fall. Stating that shallow-gang angle tools can leave a “washboard effect” unsuitable for a proper seedbed, Deere says its 2623VT implement uses an aggressive gang angle to help anchor residue, manage weeds and root balls, and create an even, smooth seedbed under the topsoil. Salford had the only moldboard plow in Louisville, which Geof Gray says is making a comeback, so much so that the firm is considering “Plow School” training seminars. “A whole generation has not worked with the plow,” he says, noting that today’s modern plows are built for today’s taller corn crop, and are heavier and better engineered for more demanding use. McFarlane Mfg. introduced its new Quadra-Till primary fall tillage tool, which Dave Stolen says was designed to work with vertical tillage in heavy residues. “It incorporates residue up to a 10-in. depth for quick breakdown and nutrient deposit and prepares the ground for quicker and easier field preparation and planting,” he says.

Earthmaster showcased its Verti-Go vertical tillage line that was introduced last year. Among the highlights of the exhibit was data on the Ingersoll SoilRazor, which Barney Van De Weert explained showed no wear after 5,500 acres. King Kutter’s John Bray says the 66 in. EZ Shank box blade from Taylor Pittsburgh features heavy duty ripper shanks with 3 position adjustment holes that pin to the frame for ease of use and maximum efficiency. It’s designed for use by landscapers, farmers, homeowners and in light construction. JCB added the 550-80 Agri-Plus Loadall to its ag telescopic handler line, with key features such as a 130 horsepower JCB Dieselmax engine, a 11,000 lb. lift capacity and lift height of more than 26.5 ft. According to Ray Bingley, the new telehandler was designed for heavy-duty farm applications, including digging manure or silage, and loading manure spreaders or feed wagons. LS Tractor CEO Deryk Johannes says the new G3038 2WD tractor fills a void in their value compact line. Available in March, it comes equipped with hydrostatic power steering, a mid-mount independent PTO and offers a clean platform. Hurricane Ditcher’s Swinger is a 3-point hitch mounted machine designed to be used as an offset ditcher. It can be operated behind either tractor tire or any position and works with any tractors in the 80-140 horsepower range, or 1000 rpm PTO. The Swinger is designed to be an economical way to make surface drainage ditches using a farm tractor. Art’s Way Manufacturing displayed its LSC50 Carryall (5 cu. yd.) scraper for the first time in Louisville, further differentiating its product line, says CEO Ward McConnell. Unverferth introduced the newest in its Zone Builder line, which originally debuted in 1993. According to Jerry Ecklund, the primary difference in the 3 new models introduced include a flatter point for less surface disturbance and a new bowtie-shaped wearbar for easier slicing. With its bright-orange telehandlers a common sight at construction jobs throughout the Western U.S., Las Vegas-based Xtreme Mfg. showed its compact XR621 telehandler at World Ag Expo. Claas highlighted its APS threshing and separation system on its Lexion combines that was designed for chopping and residue management. Land Pride’s new 3P500V drill is designed with narrower spacing and a low profile box to get into vineyards and orchards. Built for seeding into fully prepared and minimum tillage plots, the drill is ground driven. Jake Jass with Copperhead Ag says the company’s new Furrow Cruiser closing wheels, which were developed by farmers in South Dakota, is available for the 2012 planting season. For 70 years, Tucker Sno-Cats have been the vehicle of choice for snowmobile trail groomers and Antarctic explorers. In the past couple of years, according to John Meilicke, farmers have noticed the unique capabilities of the tracked machines and have put them to work in spraying applications. The Medford, Ore., manufacturer was testing the waters in the Trimble booth at World Ag Expo, and Meilicke was pleased with the attention the machine was getting. With a maximum crop clearance of 30 in. at the drawbar, the New Holland TS6.120 high-clearance tractor is designed for tall vegetables and specialty crops, but the machines have also been popular with row-crop growers. The front axle adjusts from 72 to 84 inches to accommodate a wide variety of farm practices. GK Machine’s Switchblade scraper was inspired by rice growers, but is well suited for any application where dirt needs to be moved for water management or other reasons. The scraper folds in the middle for transport, and its adjustable moldboard reduces its horsepower requirements while increasing ground speed, says Jonathan Gobel. It’s designed to run with or without GPS guidance.