Eurotec Bale Chaser

This machine just about won a clean sweep in the Innovation Arena this year. Its design is linked closely to the large square bale chasers and features a number of clever innovations.

Tom Carrigan, who designed and built the machines, says it is able to collect, carry and stack wrapped round bales of silage.

The machine is hydraulically operated and can handle 16 bales of 1.2m in diameter or a little more. The main aim of the design is to cut down on the need for manpower while increasing the speed of bale collection from the fields.

Tom believes the machine is capable of lifting and stacking over 50 bales per hour on a reasonable travel time. Working at this pace would allow the machine to keep up with two McHale Fusions working in front of it.

Bales are loaded on to the trailer with a swing out arm similar to a wrapper loading arm.

The bales are loaded on to the trailer where the roller floor positions bales on the trailer two high, two wide and four long. All this is currently controlled manually via a box in the cab, powered by load-sensing hydraulics.

However, the firm is looking to automate this for easier and less tiring operation.

Once back to the yard, the machine can unload the bales in stacks of four, two high, with bales placed on their ends.

Work rates are claimed to be in the region of 50 bales per hour, with a reasonable transport distance.

Tom is looking for a partner, and no prices are not available for this machine

Acres Supercrop1

Acres Machinery has developed a three-in-one machine which rakes, conditions and teds.

Aimed at wilting silage more effectively, it can also be used with haylage and straw. In typical silage-making circumstances, the spreading process can be eliminated.

The mower should be set to leave the swath at its maximum width for the most effective drying coverage.

After the preferred drying period the grass can be raked and conditioned by

the Supercrop1 into one formed swath, making it suitable for round balers.

David Doran, managing director of Acres, believes the aerated conditioned swaths should be left for a further period of drying for better consistency before finally being baled.

The company is also working on an IsoBus-compatible software package which will allow moisture content to be monitored and recorded. The machine will be available in limited numbers next year with a retail price of €29,000.

Future Grass Technology

Future Grass Technology showed off several new updates and options for its range of GT zero grazing machines.

The GT140 is a new machine, with a volume capacity of 28m³. The company has also developed a fertilising kit option. The galvanised unit is positioned under the rear of the machine and allows fertiliser to be applied while harvesting grass.

Seed rate is electrically controlled, allowing the operator to adjust it. To fill the hopper, it slides out to the side.

Other new features include a sensor on the rear door which alerts the driver to when the machine is full, and a screw adjustment linkage now allows the mowing pitch angle of its two drums to be altered, changing the cutting height.

New Cyclone

Adding to its range of Cyclone heavy duty topper/mowers, Major launched a new flagship 3.5m working width machine. Hydraulically folding, the machine is said to be suitable for both heavy scrub and pastures, able to handle material and branches up to 120mm thick.

Each of its five rotors has two cutting blades and two shredding blades, along with a protective Hardox dish. Working height can be adjusted via the rear roller and lower linkage pins float for ground contour following. All panels feature a galvanised finish and everything is shaft and gear driven, with shearbolt driveline protection. Available now, the 3.5m model retails at €13,200 approximately.

McHale 5600 Plus

Previously only available on the manufacturers Fusion 3 Plus combi baler, film on film bale binding has been added to its standalone F5600 fixed chamber round baler. Launched at the Ploughing, the machine uses the same film application technology as found in the Fusion 3 Plus balers.

James Heanue from McHale said the new balers are aimed at farmers and contractors who cannot justify a Fusion but still want better quality silage and haylage bales. It will also allow contractors to bale for farmers with their own wrapping equipment.

Cross Tri Axle 30T Double Chaser Bin

The unique part of this machine is that the 30 tonne bin is divided into two storage compartments.

One compartment is for seed and the other for fertilizer. The dual discharge augers emerging at the centre of the bin allows a drill to be filled with seed and fertilizer.

According to Simon Cross this will eliminate having to bag seed and fertilizer for sowing as it can be stored in the Chaser Bin.

It also eliminates the need for a loader to follow the drill around.

That should be attractive for tillage farmers with a fragmented farm.

It seems that Cross are adding value to the machine by giving it a longer working cycle in the year, both at harvest and drilling time.

Rotaspiral

Seamus Delahunty from Kilkenny created this machine based on his own experience with planting root crops such as potatoes and carrots.

This machine eliminates the need for multiple bed preparation operations. Rotospiral has produced a machine which can till and separate out stones in a single pass.

The machine is made up of a rotovator at the front for tilling, partnered with an old potato harvester for the soil and stone separation.

The novel bit is the smaller stones are transferred along spiral rotors to the front of the machine, with the soil able to drop through the rotors on top of the stone, placing all the stone at the bottom of the bed. Larger stones are transferred out the rear of the machine into a hopper, which can be tipped.

According to Seamus, the machine can work to a depth of 45cm and can work in ploughed land or direct into the ground. Eliminating the need for a ridger is the big advantage, saving on a tractor, labour and fuel.

About 160hp is required to power the machine. The rotovator element is suspended in a floating frame protected by a slip clutch. This machine was awarded the agri-engineering established company silver medal in the Innovation Arena.

Robot Plough

Carlow farmer Johnny Couchman’s robot plough has been designed to work autonomously, with a strong emphasis on reducing compaction.

The 3t, three-wheeled machine is fitted with a two-furrow reversible plough which is centrally mounted on the machine. To further distribute weight more effectively, two of the machine’s wheels are located towards one side, with the contraption’s engine and hydraulics placed in between. This weight can then be moved forwards or backwards hydraulically, depending on the direction of work, providing traction. At the headlands, instead of the plough turning over conventionally, it is completely swung over the top of the machine, ready to work in the other direction. This eliminates the need to plough the headlands conventionally, as the plough can get right up to the edges.

Drive to each wheel comes from a two-speed hydrostatic transmission. The wheels can also swivel through 90° allowing the machine to move sideways at the headland. Once programmed, GPS can be used to guide the machine, with infrared sensors used to detect objects and people.

The big Abbey

Showing off its first ever triple-auger model, Abbey has extended its range of vertical auger diet feeders. Supported by a full-length chassis with six weigh points, currently only one triple auger model is available, the VF3350 with 33.5m3 tub. However, the manufacturer says larger triple auger versions can be produced to order.

Tandem axles with passive rear steering come as standard, as does a two-speed PTO gearbox and the Digistar 3600 controller. A variety of door and elevator options are available, as are triple axles with forced steering. The VF3350 is available now, prices starting from €74,000 roughly

DipFast– a sheep shower

With over 40 years’ farming experience, Mark Kelly and his sons have developed DipFast, the new enclosed sheep showering unit.

The rotational moulding unit has 18 spray nozzles and can hold between six and eight sheep.

According to Mark, its unique design enables farmers to carry out the task of protecting sheep against common parasites in a safe and efficient manner.

The unit is self-contained, with all products being recycled through the unit and sprayed on via the jet wash system. Sheep are held in the unit for four to five minutes until fully covered. They are released by pulling the vertically opening gate.

The operator can see into the unit from both ends while the sheep are inside.

The idea behind the development is for a one-person operation with no chance of splashes of chemical on to the operator. The unit is expected to retail at around €5,000.