Väderstad has unveiled new machines for 2015, including an upgraded Carrier cultivator, a new CrossCutter disc for the Carrier, a new tined cultivator, a revamped Rapid drill and a NordicSpirit drill.

Carrier disc-cultivator

The Väderstad Carrier has been given larger disc options to complement existing disc diameters. The new Carrier L is available with a 510mm disc diameter and the Carrier XL is available with a larger disc diameter of 610mm.

The new disc design, called TrueCut, is scalloped with notched edges. According to Väderstad, the larger discs will meet demands for handling large amounts of harvest trash, and for working to greater depth. Väderstad claims that the adjustable working angle MultiSet allows the machine to slice up the entire soil profile, irrespective of working depth.

The transport wheels can be lowered in the field, making the machine very manoeuvrable, according to Väderstad. At headlands, the driver can turn the machine on the roller or on the wheels. The wheels can be lowered in wet areas or in shallower cultivation. Väderstad says it is easy to adjust the working depth from the cab, with new integrated clips.

The Carrier family of disc cultivators can be fitted with a straw harrow, CrossCutter Knife or CrossBoard. At the rear, a range of rollers is available to ensure that the trash makes good contact with the soil.

Rear roller options include Väderstad’s Double SoilRunner, which the company says is a U-profile roller where soil acts on soil in a design that lowers the wear on the roller and prevents it from clogging. The CageRunner is a cage roller for lighter soils. The SteelRunner, with its double-roller design, makes it easier for water to infiltrate the soil.

The new Väderstad Carrier is available in working widths of 4.25m, 5.25m, 6.25m and 8.25m. Transport width does not exceed 3m and a transport height of 4m, regardless of machine working width.

Opus cultivator

New to the Väderstad family of tillage equipment is the Opus cultivator with working width options from 6m to 7m.

The Vaderstad Opus is a tined cultivator, which can work to a depth of 400mm.

Tines are spaced at 270mm intervals across the width of the machine and have a ground clearance of 800mm. According to Väderstad, the Opus can cope with huge amounts of trash, while still only having a moderate draught requirement. There is up to 700kg of adjustable hydraulic stone release pressure on each tine.

Väderstad adds that a unique range of shins and points makes the cultivator adaptable to local conditions. In total, there are up to 20 different combinations of points and shins for Opus.

The points available include Marathon points in 50mm and 80mm. These are plated with a special type of hard metal which Väderstad says allows it to maintain its shape throughout its working life. Väderstad claims that Marathon points last eight to 10 times longer than ordinary points.

At the rear, the Väderstad Opus is available with two roller types: Double SoilRunner and SteelRunner.

The Double SoilRunner features a 575mm diameter, rubber suspension, U-profile roller. The SteelRunner is 600mm in diameter with rubber suspension designed for aggressive, heavy clod-breaking.

Rapid seed drill

Väderstad’s Rapid has had a popular following here in Ireland over the past year and has been redesigned to suit modern agriculture. The new Rapid 300-400 C/S features a more streamlined hopper, maintenance-free greaseless hubs and a new hydraulic metering system that allows the farmer to set a variable seed rate.

Farmers can now choose control system, either ISOBUS or E-Control, which is compatible with GPS. The new Rapid can also be controlled wirelessly by the firm’s iPad Air solution.

The VäderstadRapid C/S is equipped with a following harrow that has a better lift height and optional functions. There is a choice of mechanical or hydraulic following harrow options.

With the hydraulic version, the harrow pressure can be adjusted from the tractor cab on the go. Different pressures can be used for the headlands, for example.

The revamped Rapid will be available for the 2015 sowing season.

Väderstad has developed the Spirit 600C Nordic to cater for the demand for a light combi machine with 6m working width and a low draught requirement that can place fertilizer and seed with high precision. This drill is equipped with a single-disc coulter for exact placement of fertilizer, according to Väderstad, even in heavy clays and at 250mm row spacing.

The seed is placed by the Spirit seed drill’s well-known V-discs at 125mm. The fertilizer is placed between alternate seed rows as per traditional Nordic fertilizer placement.

Väderstad says the discs slice down under the seedbed base and place the fertilizer at the required drilling depth between alternate seed rows without ripping up soil.

According to the firm, this is an advantage in spring drilling in areas with early season drought.

The Väderstad Spirit 600C Nordic is also equipped with a CrossBoard Heavy levelling unit in front of the fertilizer discs to level even the most difficult soils.

Fertilizer

The fertilizer placement depth and working angle of the CrossBoard Heavy can be hydraulically adjusted independently of each other.

The relative proportions of seed and in the hopper can be adjusted using different dividing wall positions. The Spirit 600C Nordic has LS hydraulics with active coulter pressure and wing pressure to ensure perfect precision even on sloping fields, Vaderstad says. The Nordic version of the Spirit drill is available as a 6m machine only. According to Väderstad, the typical power requirement for the VäderstadSpirit 600C Nordic with 6m working width is 175hp plus.