Farmers may be keeping their wallets close to their chests, but there was plenty of impressive kit to tempt them at this years Cereals 2016.

We look at some of the new machinery on show at the event.

Omni-Lift CL

Tillage firm Plowman has teamed up with high-tech mapping firm Soyl to improve deep leg cultivation with its Omni-lift.

Its V-form cultivator is available in three- or five-leg configurations and can be built to farmers’ specific requirements.

© Jonathan Page

Built pretty much like a tank, the legs are made of Hardox steel with tungsten facing on all leading edges. These can be raised individually in the field and are conveniently distanced apart to remove a variety of wheelings.  

Soyl’s AutoDepth system adds high-tech field mapping to raise and lower the machine using the packer, reducing wear and fuel use.

Decked out in a distinctive, but not unpleasant, green colour, the five-leg model with hydraulic auto reset protection will set you back £16,800. If you want to add AutoDepth, you’ll need another £6,750.

Horsch Avatar

Hot on the heels of other drill makers, German maker Horsch has stepped into the market for low-disturbance direct drilling. The Avatar comes in 6-12m and has a list of options as long as your arm.

© Jonathan Page

There’s an option of a split grain and fertiliser tank which can be taken up to 5,000 litre for the 6m machine.

The drill works on a single disc system, set at narrow 167mm row widths. The optional 1,400kg weight pack cranks up the coulter pressure to 225kg, giving any drill a run for its money.

The price for a highest spec 6m version is in the region of £90,000.

Massey 9380 Delta

Massey Ferguson has completely redesigned its Delta range of combines. Previously, to make a hybrid, Massey essentially just pulled out the walkers and put two rotors in its place. This time round, it’s started almost from scratch and aims to create a large, maintenance-friendly combine.

© Jonathan Page

Starting with a wider trunking, everything’s been beefed up a bit, including the returns and good-grain elevator. The grain tank is now 12,500litres and the auger can chuck it back out at 130litres/second. All drives are belt driven, self-adjusting and both sides have one grease-nipple that distributes it to all service areas.

The new cab uses RDS systems for yield and moisture measuring, all of which can be instantly sent back to the farm office.

The 30ft Powerflow header is where we see the biggest change though. The table auger has dramatically increased its size and its cut the number of belts in half. Belts are chain driven and self-adjusting, and the table auger is adjusted with a simple top-link style mechanism.

Massey will be introducing tracks to this combine and will show them at the Lincolnshire show. These are an A shape track with 4 rollers and-can be retrofitted, but only to level land combines.

Vicon iXdrive

More than thirty self-propelled sprayers featured at cereals, and this year Vicon has decided to break back into the market after ten years away.

© Jonathan Page

The iXdrive is a monster, sized to rival the Challenger and weighing 11.5t empty. Thankfully, the load is distributed 50/50. This is due to the mid-mounted tank, capable of taking 6000litres on the largest machines. What’s in the tank can be distributed on the crop by steel booms up to 40m, and aluminium up to 30m.

Perkins supplies the powers, churning out 240hp to the hydrostatic drive. Claas provide the cab and gives level 4 cab filtration.

Prices are substantial at £230,000, but it does come with its own washing brush, and a neat way to mount it.

Farmplan software

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