Knight’s farmer-designed Raven cultivator was introduced as a prototype last year, but it has now taken it into full production. There will be three working widths from 2.5m to 3.1m.

It’s designed to be used in a one-pass system or as a secondary cultivator in a plough-based regime and there is a choice of three or five subsoiler tines. These are followed by shallower working tines, two rows of rubber cushioned discs with hydraulic depth adjustment and a packer roll which can also be hydraulically controlled to adjust cultivation depth.

Reco

The big news from Reco is that it is set to market the Italian-built Brevi range of power harrows, following the decision to part company with Maschio.

Farmers will have to wait a little longer to see the first Brevi machines in action – legal contracts do not allow this to occur until 1st Nov. Instead, Reco says it will be majoring on displaying its new Sulky XEOS drill which was announced earlier this year.

Available in working widths of 3m, 3.5m and 4m with unidisc, Suffolk or heavy duty cultidisc coulters (along with a choice of mechanical or hydraulically powered fans) the XEOS also offers hopper capacities from 1,000 litres to 1,800 litres.

It’s capable of drilling a wide range of seed types, including oilseed rape, wheat, barley, peas and beans. Buyers can specify mechanical or electronic seed metering systems, the latter employing an RDS control system.

Opico

For Opico, this year’s Tillage Live event marks the addition of the Italian equipment manufacturer Maschio to the company’s portfolio of imported brands. So the event is an opportunity to not only wave the flag but also announce the arrival of two new Maschio drills – the Primavera tine seeder and the Alitalia pneumatic drill.

The hydraulically folding Primavera is available in working widths of 4m, 4.8m, 5m and 6m. Built in three sections, each of which can follow ground contours independently, the drill uses four rows of spring-protected straight tine coulters.

Seed distribution in the row is said to be improved through use of a pneumatic feed system which provides an improved air/seed mix compared to traditional systems.

The Maschio Alitalia is a combination power harrow/pneumatic drill which is available in 3m and 4m widths. The drill is hooked up to a Rapido power harrow using Maschio’s Quick-Match system – designed to allow speedy removal or connection of the power harrow element.

Agrifac

The latest version of the Agrifac Condor self-propelled sprayer is set to make its first appearance at Tillage-Live’s spraying equipment area.

Main features of the 36m/4,000 litre sprayer include the positioning of the pump at the rear of the machine which shortens pipe length, minimises start-up time and reduces pipe residues. Boom stability is also helped by using a self-levelling chassis.

There is now a Claas-sourced cab and joystick control of boom positioning, spray off/on, cruise control and steering modes. A touchscreen monitor provides information of sprayer status and a three-speed hydrostatic transmission provides a transport speed of 50kph.

Vaderstad

It’s the largest and heaviest Carrier cultivator with an integral crossboard to be produced by Vaderstad and it’s making its first public outing at Tillage-Live.

Designed to work on ploughed land or directly in to stubbles, the Carrier 925 has a working width of 9.25m and weighs in at close to 10t. In fact each of the cultivator’s 72 discs can deliver 135kg of working pressure.

The crossboard element comprises a number of sprung steel tines linked together with a stabiliser bar which, when travelling at speed, helps to break down large lumps of soil.

Other features include an electronic depth stop which allows the toolbar to return to the pre-set depth when it is lowered back into work following a headland turn.

Pottinger

Tillage-Live will be the first opportunity to see in action Pottinger’s Vitasem ADD tractor-mounted drill, which was announced earlier this year.

Available in 3m and 4m working widths, the new drill joins the company’s existing range of mechanical drills and is reckoned to be suitable for working within a conventional plough-based system or as part of a min-till operation.

The ADD is equipped with a Dual Disc coulter system – a leading disc which does the cutting and a trailing disc to open the furrow for the seed. Strategic positioning of the seed delivery pipe means there is sufficient time for the seed to land in the bottom of the furrow within the protection of the Dual Disc – avoiding risk of seed bounce.

Lemken

Lemken has set out to meet the demands of growers who, when conditions allow, want to use a cultivator drill and, in less clement later conditions, need to call on the ability of a power harrow combination drill to create a suitable tilth.

Visitors to Tillage-Live can see the first working demonstration of the company’s Solitair drill working in combination with either a Heliodor disc harrow or the Zircon power harrow. Lemken points out that a simple pin attachment system allows the drill to be moved from one cultivator to the other in less than 10 minutes.

Amazone

Among the machinery being demonstrated by Amazone is the new GreenDrill seeder which has been designed to sow catch crops and reseed grass.

The GreenDrill can be mounted on to a variety of the manufacturer’s 4m soil tillage implements such as the Catros compact disc harrow, the Cenius mulch cultivator and the KG rotary cultivator.

Seed held in a 200 litre hopper sits above an electrically driven metering system which can be equipped with normal or fine-seed metering wheels depending on the seed type and application rates. Once metered, seed is delivered pneumatically to outlet baffles which broadcast it across the width of the cultivator.

Kverneland

Kverneland has now introduced an auto-reset version of its lightweight 150 reversible plough. The new 150S is fully mounted and is available in three and four-furrow lightweight builds which makes it suitable for use with tractors up to 150hp.

The plough frame includes a new headstock design and a parallel linkage system and turnbuckle system to adjust the front furrow width. A hydraulic front furrow width adjuster is optional. Furrow widths can also be altered from 30cm to 50cm (12in to 20in) in 5cm intervals – a bolt in each leg is repositioned accordingly.

Underbeam clearance is 75cm (30in) and inter-body spacing is 85-100cm (34in-40in).

Sumo

Sumo says it plans to demonstrate its Trio and Versadrill at the Tillage-Live event. The Trio, which has been designed as a one-pass cultivator, uses a set of shearpin-protected subsoiler legs followed by a removable double row of concave discs. The company’s Multipacka provides the necessary consolidation.

Sumo’s Versadrill is claimed to be equally at home working in min-till or on ploughed land and is also able to subsoil and drill directly into stubble, zone seeding oilseed rape either side of the subsoil legs.

Simba

Simba will show its 3m X-Press and ST bar and UniPress. The company points out that this choice of implements highlights its intentions to market more cultivators in this size bracket – over half of Simba’s cultivator products are capable of being worked behind 150hp tractors.

The UniPress is a seedbed finishing and pressing tool and used to create seedbeds in non-inversion tillage systems or to work down ploughing.

The manufacturer will also be displaying its latest wares – the SLD460 and the TL tined cultivator.

Strip Tillage

Strip tillage techniques are now being seriously considered by more than a few growers looking for a crop establishment system which not only saves on costs but can also help to reduce seedbed moisture loss. So there should be plenty of interest in the two companies looking to demonstrate such systems at Tillage Live.

Claydon plans to provide a working demonstration of its Hybrid Drill – the new 3m along with a 6m version – while Lincolnshire firm SlyAgri is bringing along the Stripcat a North American development which is built in France.

Both systems set out to provide narrow cultivated strips at say, 30cm centres, into which seed is placed. Moisture is conserved due to the minimal soil disturbance. Fertiliser usage can be reduced due to it being placed only where the seed is planted.

Other potential savings include a reduction in cultivation equipment and the ability to use lower powered tractors which use less fuel.