SPECIAL 50 th ISSUE
WHEN FARMING MEANS BUSINESS
uk.kverneland.com
KVERNELAND HEADLAND NEWS
TO ISSUE 50 WELCOME
2025 already marks a year of resilience for many within the agricultural sector. Alongside those looking to balance innovative technologies and sustainable practices, many are dealing with the challenges posed by policy changes and economic pressures. The farming industry's ability to adapt to these scenarios will be crucial in shaping its future direction. For Kverneland, being at the forefront of innovation when it comes to precision farming and agri-tech is now as important as ever. Collaborations and partnerships with solutions providers like AgXeed for example, with automation and robotics, holds the key to unlocking yet more productivity and boost efficiencies. Investment in Kverneland kit, including spreaders, weeders and flail choppers, is currently being supported by Government funding with schemes like the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) and the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund (FETF), encouraging early adoption of new technology. We hope you enjoy this celebratory 50th issue of Headland News, which provides readers with an interactive experience to see customer machines earning their keep.
Dan Crowe Managing Director
IN THIS ISSUE...
SHOW DATES
4 KVERNELAND SETS AUTONOMOUS WORLD PLOUGHING RECORD by teaming up with autonomy solutions provider, AgXeed . 6 6300S DELIVERS QUALITY AND OUTPUT The move to a semi-mounted plough has boosted output for Frogmary Green Farm . 10 OPTIMA V DELIVERS SPEED WITH PRECISION for Warwickshire farmer and contractor Edward Goadby .
12 IDC BOOSTS
Royal Highland Show 19-22 June Royal Highland Centre, Edinburgh Royal Welsh Show 21-24 July Royal Welsh Showground, Builth Wells Dairy Day 10 Sept Telford International Centre, Telford AgriScot 19 Nov Royal Highland Centre, Edinburgh
OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY Henry Peasgood & Sons invests in a Kverneland Exacta TL GEOSPREAD with iDC . 15 FLIPPIN’ GRASS James Seaton of Market Drayton-based J&V Seaton Contracting, moves to an 85156C trailed tedder . 18 866 PRO IMPROVES BALE CHOPPING EFFICIENCY MA & EJ Bennett switched to a Kverneland 866 Pro bale chopper .
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ISSUE 50
CELEBRATING 50 ISSUES OF HEADLAND NEWS
WIN A KVERNELAND MERCHANDISE GOODIE BAG! FREE PRIZE DRAW!
Headland News has come a long way since it grew out of a product promotion, with issue one first produced in 2007.
Our industry has seen many innovations and changes over the last 18 years, though some of those
Isobus, now a major part of our business, was introduced in issue three, followed by IsoMatch Tellus in issue seven. This was the World’s first isobus terminal that could provide dual-screen functionality. In 2012, issue 13 highlighted a revolutionary twin-disc fertiliser spreader that was ahead of the game, and known as GEOSPREAD, it is recognised as perhaps the best on the market. Technology has recently advanced to Sync, improving connectivity between Isobus implements and our digital platform FarmCentre and ServiceCentre, which both offer task management and remote diagnostics. Keep an eye out for something new in this sector, ahead of Agritechnica later in 2025. Product knowledge and dealer support continues to be a strength of the Kverneland team, which maintains constant contact with specialists at our factories throughout Europe. All of which helps us to keep up with the constantly changing agricultural sector, to ensure we continue to support our dealer network and our customers, with our in-depth specialist product knowledge.
machines featured in that very first issue are still being sold today. Among them are the CTC stubble cultivator, ES and PW/ RW ploughs. Back then, there were three distinct brands – Kverneland, Accord and Taarup – with two of them incorporated into one strong identity, that is instantly recognisable around the world thanks to our famous arrow. That first issue also highlighted the importance of supporting customers with original parts. Since then, much has been done to maintain
availability of parts through Kverneland’s UK warehouse and stock held at dealers, to avoid delays
To be in with a chance of winning a Kverneland merchandise goodie bag including a BOILER SUIT, JACKET, CAP & PLOUGH MODEL, fill in your details and answer the quiz question correctly to be entered into the prize draw. One winner will be selected at random on Friday 1st August 2025. (UK only, Ts & Cs apply)
and reduce downtime at critical times. This summer’s introduction of Terrako online parts ordering raises the bar yet again, to help keep equipment working in today’s increasingly demanding marketplace, by making the process smoother, quicker and much more convenient for customers. In 2008, issue two saw the introduction of our first Siloking self-propelled diet feeder, and many machines have been sold since then. Our partnership with Siloking, formed in 2006, continues to go from strength to strength.
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KVERNELAND HEADLAND NEWS
KVERNELAND SETS AUTONOMOUS WORLD PLOUGHING RECORD WITH AGXEED
Kverneland has set the first world record for autonomous ploughing by teaming up with autonomy solutions provider, AgXeed. The 24-hour autonomous ploughing challenge was carried out recently at Birch Farm, Stonegrave, North Yorkshire, and achieved an output of 20.8ha (51.37 acres) using a driverless AgBot 5.115T2 pulling a five-furrow Kverneland LO 300/85 plough. Working on-land at furrow widths of 40cm (16in) and at a depth of 22.5cm (9in) to prepare land for maize and fodder beet, the 156hp rubber-tracked autonomous AgBot operated at forward speeds from 5.6kph up to 8kph on the rolling land, slowing only to carry out headland turn sequences. Telemetry from the AgBot confirmed that fuel consumption from the diesel-electric powertrain totalled 382.72 litres over the 24-hour period, delivering a fuel efficiency figure of 18.4 litres/ha. “We’re delighted to be part of this technological revolution and thrilled to have completed this world-first record attempt,” said Adam Burt, Kverneland UK’s product specialist for ploughs. “The combination of Kverneland LO plough and AgBot achieved an output that would have taken two working days to complete with an operator using a similar powered tractor pulling a five-furrow plough,” he said. “Using Kverneland No.28 bodies, the LO plough is one of the easiest on the market to pull, and its low draft has rewarded this achievement with low fuel consumption supported by a high- quality finish,” said Adam. “Creating this record has highlighted the efficiencies available from using autonomous tractors for repetitive tasks.” “Using Kverneland No.28 bodies, the LO plough is one of the easiest on the market to pull...” Adam Burt, Kverneland product specialist
AgXeed UK sales manager, Peter Robinson, was equally positive about the AgBot’s 24-hour performance. “Having mapped the field boundary and created a job map complete with headland turns sequence, the AgBot worked tirelessly for 24 hours,” said Peter Robinson. “It has proved that autonomy is not just for the mundane, repetitive tasks, but it can also be applied to more complex processes, such as ploughing.” With multi-layer security systems built into the AgBot for unrivalled operational safety, the 7t autonomous tractor was equipped with a 1.5t front weight to reinforce traction for the fully-mounted, five-furrow Kverneland LO plough. The AgBot was momentarily stopped during the night, to top-up its 375-litre fuel tank to complete the 24-hour work period. The total area ploughed during the 24-hour challenge was verified by north Yorkshire farmer and former director of the Society of Ploughmen, James Whitty. Kverneland UK would like to thank the following for their help with this autonomous ploughing record: Peter Armitage of Birch Farm, Stonegrave, near York, for providing the location, and James Whitty for verifying the area ploughed.
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Headquartered at Tollmuir, Forfar, Netherton Tractors operates with four additional depots located at Glenrothes, Perth, Turriff and Nairn, giving the company extensive coverage in Scotland. Netherton Tractors general manager Garry Smith, who takes care of the day-to-day running of the business alongside managing director Harry Barclay, said having the Kverneland brand would give a fantastic opportunity to further develop the business. “Kverneland is perhaps the most sought-after plough brand in the world, and alongside the rest of the range, provides our business with a much more focussed approach for new and existing customers looking for the very best in arable and grassland machinery,” said Garry. Netherton Tractors operates with 43 service technicians across its business, providing first class mobile and workshop-based support. All depots provide extensive workshop facilities and yard space from which the business can continue to grow. And with Kverneland-trained engineers plus an extensive stock of original parts and machines across Netherton’s five depots, after-sales and service for existing Kverneland customers in the area will continue without interruption. NETHERTON TRACTORS ONBOARD Netherton Tractors joined the Kverneland dealer network in Spring 2025 to sell, service and support the full Kverneland product range throughout the east coast of Scotland.
J&S MONTGOMERY EXTENDS TRADING AREA Family-run dealership J&S Montgomery, which covers the west coast of Scotland, has expanded its Kverneland trading area through the purchase of DKR Agricultural Services based at Coulter, near Biggar. Douglas Montgomery, dealer principal at J&S Montgomery said he was delighted to have expanded into Lanarkshire and was working with DKR and its staff to ensure it was ‘business as usual’ for all customers and staff. “We’re currently integrating the Coulter site into the J&S Montgomery portfolio, to operate alongside our existing premises at Beith, Stranraer and Ayr,” said Douglas Montgomery. DKR Agricultural Services – a business run by David Doig, his sister Susan, and brother Keith - has been trading since 1989 and predominantly serves livestock and dairy farms, in addition to contractors and a significant number of arable-focused operations. “We’re looking forward to welcoming customers old and new through the doors at our newly integrated depot,” said Douglas.
MLM TAKES ON KVERNELAND FOR ORKNEY AND THE SHETLAND ISLES
MLM Engineering at Orphir has taken over sales, service and distribution of Kverneland equipment on Orkney and the Shetland Islands, following a change in the business structure of previous dealer, Kirkwall-based J&W Tait. “We’ve had a good relationship with J&W Tait over many years and it was a mutual decision that led to us taking over the franchise when the Tait family decided to stop,” explained MLM Engineering’s dealer principal, Alan Muir.
With an established team of 11 in total – six of which are workshop-based – MLM Engineering is pleased to have added Kverneland to its portfolio, alongside John Deere. “There’s a lot of beef cattle, dairy herds and sheep on the islands, with crops mainly grown for animal feed, and some barley grown for the distilleries. So we’re expecting ploughs and grassland equipment to be our biggest selling implements from the Kverneland range,” said Alan. “We’re looking to build on the good work that J&W Tait had achieved with its customers during its 28 years as a Kverneland dealer.” 5
KVERNELAND HEADLAND NEWS
6300S DELIVERS QUALITY+ OUTPUT
It means an eight-furrow Kverneland 6300S supplied by C&O Tractors has replaced a six-furrow fully mounted plough, to coincide with an increase in tractor power at the family-run farm. The key driver is gas supply to the national grid, thanks to an on-farm 3.2MW AD plant, which is currently under-going expansion. “Our focus is to boost the AD plant by 50%, so we’ve had to gear-up tractors and equipment, to enable us to continue to get over the expanding workload in a timely fashion,” explains Nick. “Adding two more furrows and a lot more horsepower, was a logical step forward.” Up to 1,000 acres/year are ploughed for maize and sunflower production, with min-till techniques employed for those fields destined to grow cereals for whole crop forage. Field sizes range from At Frogmary Green Farm, Somerset, the move from fully-mounted to semi-mounted plough has boosted output and convenience with primary cultivations for Nick Bragg and his team.
two to 40 acres, and with narrow lanes to contend with too, the farm decided that the largest 6300S model - an eight-furrow build - would be an ideal solution rather than a larger on-land version. “We have plenty of power, thanks to a pair of Fendt 942 Vario tractors that are now our prime movers,” he says. “But we felt that going for an even larger plough would be a compromise with smaller fields.” Operator Graham Glasper, pictured, agrees, and with him being followed by a 6m power harrow for moisture preservation, the two front line tractors can comfortably run together getting maize ground prepared for the drill. “I’ve been operating the plough at its full 55cm furrow width at 23cm deep with a forward speed of around 10kph,” he says. “The tractor
runs at around 1200-1400rpm most of the time, so fuel efficiency and output are impressive when you consider I’m turning over 4.4m in one pass.” Having had a Kverneland plough on demonstration from C&O Tractors equipped with both No28 full bodies and No40 slatted bodies, it was an easy decision to choose the slatted mouldboard option for the new plough. “The quality of finish was superb, and on our varied soils, there was less dirt hanging on the boards,” says Graham. “And slats also made the plough even easier to pull.” Running in-furrow doesn’t provide any issues with matching up,
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6300 S VARIOMAT ● 8 furrows
● No. 40 slatted bodies ● HD auto-reset system ● Quick fit points ● Centrally adjustable maize skimmers
despite the 942 Vario’s VF 750/70 R44 tyres. “This is a terrific combination,” says Graham. “And with full control over steering the rear wheel if needed, this is a very manoeuvrable combination despite its length. I can also keep the headland tight thanks to individual raise and lower of both ends of the plough, and the vari-width makes it easy to sort any headland variation.” Graham has high praise for the single adjustment point for pairs of skimmers and the revised headstock design of the 6300S too, which he says enables tight headland turns to be made.
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KVERNELAND HEADLAND NEWS
Run by husband and wife team Sam and Emily Gadsby, the rotation comprises winter wheat, spring barley, spring beans, grass, lucerne and grain maize – the latter accounting for around 300 acres. “Our ultimate goal is to direct drill and it starts with moving less and less soil, so we can have a nigh-on permanent stale seedbed and get black grass under control,” explains John Gadsby, who manages the arable operation for his brother Sam, alongside his role as an agricultural consultant for ADAS. The exception is after grain maize, where ground is ploughed and then drilled with spring crops, spreading the workload. “We’re looking to improve soil health, make fewer passes and lower establishment costs,” he adds. “By reducing the amount of soil we move for cereals, we can also manage black grass incidence.” Alongside its in-house farming activities, Sam and Emily Gadsby run a team of 10 square balers supported by seven Heath Superchasers through harvest, producing 80,000 bales/year. It means autumn cultivations rarely start before September, making it harder to employ traditional stale seedbed techniques. “It’s why we looked at the Kverneland u-drill complete with MD disc and there’s a lot of potential in the system,” explains John. “If we can limit the amount of soil we move, moisture retention should be better and we can adopt targeted sub-soiling rather than recreational sub-soiling across our predominantly silty and silty clay loams.” A trusted, long-term relationship with Kverneland dealer Irelands Farm Machinery and experience of an Optima drill and Siloking MD DISC TARGETS BLACK GRASS CONTROL With 1,000 acres of combinable crops and the ability to house 1,000 head of cattle on its beef finishing unit, SC & EA Gadsby aims to grow everything it feeds at Low Marsh Meadow, Outwell near Wisbech.
feeder wagon, the Gadsbys tried various processes of crop establishment before having a demonstration of a 6m u-drill with MD discs during the autumn of 2023 to establish winter wheat. “We really like those straight discs up front, which do a great job of cutting a narrow strip of soil, into which seed is placed and firmed up by the press wheels. Everything else between the 16.6cm rows is untouched,” adds John. “The germination and yield results were so good that we then hired the drill to sow autumn 2024’s crops, and our spring barley, before eventually buying a new drill with the help of a grant,” he says. “We bought a Plus version, to give us grain and fertiliser capability.” He says that the farm is still playing about with settings, and is keen to run the front discs as deep as possible, to encourage better root growth. “With phosphate put down with winter wheat and beans, and DAP put in with spring barley, we’re on the right path,” he says. Output is around 100 acres/day, with the drill pulled by either the farm’s 300hp Fendt 828 or a hired in Challenger from specialist Ian Houlgrave.
“We don’t have to rush about to achieve 100 acres/day.” John Gadsby, farmer
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SIMPLE & ACCURATE SEEDING
chose to remain with a 3m outfit for the convenience of easy road transport around his base at Brunty Farm. With his latest combination, he opted for a grain-only outfit from Netherton Tractors, having previously used his i-drill with a DF1 front tank for fertiliser. “I’ve ditched the front tank option this time around, having bought an Kverneland Exacta TL GEOSPREAD to update my fertiliser spreading on 27m tramlines,” he says. “The spreader is fantastic. It’s so accurate and so productive, that it is now much quicker and easier to drill without fertiliser. My forward speed is easily 8kph with my 6155R tractor.” Andy has high praise for the drill’s ELDOS electric seed metering unit. “It’s very easy to change rollers, simple to calibrate and also very convenient to reach, being under the left-hand side of the hopper,” he says. “And with ISOBUS, it’s plug-and-play, with an extended terminal in my tractor cab keeping an eye on the drill.” With most of Andy’s drilling on ploughed land, he operates with a front press. “Seed depth and germination have been great,” he says. “Plough, power harrow and drill is a proven process with crop establishment. And with this latest combination, I now have the potential for variable rate seeding.”
“My old i-drill had been a good bit of kit, and it was just time to update,” explains Andy, pictured. “It was an ex-demo model bought in 2011, and had done us really well.” “I was keeping an eye out for a good used replacement, but had no luck finding anything,” he says. “These are a popular combination, so my best option was to buy new, with a two-year warranty. And when Netherton Tractors took on Kverneland earlier this year, the deal was done. They do know their stuff, and the support we’ve had has been great.” With a mix of spring barley, oats and rye, plus some contracting for neighbouring farms, Andy drills about 300 acres/year and Looking to update his 3m i-drill, Perthshire grower Andy Orr from Brunty Farm, Blairgowrie, opted for an Kverneland e-drill compact with CXII coulters, mated to an S series power harrow.
”It’s very easy to change rollers, simple to calibrate and also very convenient to reach...” Andy Orr, farmer
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KVERNELAND HEADLAND NEWS
“The forward speed and accuracy have been brilliant,” says Ed Goadby of D Goadby & Sons, Manor Farm, Ansley. “So we opted for an identical model from TH White, after the first one had covered around 5,000 acres in three years.” “I really like the integral fertiliser hopper, and as a six-row mounted unit with a hydraulically adjustable frame, it lends itself to smaller field sizes, narrow lanes and available tractor power,” he says. While Ed accepts that he should probably be considering an eight-row trailed unit, he likes the compact nature of the mounted Optima V, and the ability to easily work field corners. OPTIMA V DELIVERS SPEED WITH PRECISION As the maize drilling workload has gradually increased for Warwickshire farmer and contractor Edward Goadby, the decision was made to trade-in early, replacing a six-row Optima V for an identical drill equipped with SX high-speed seeding units.
“I don’t want a front hopper for fertiliser, so this outfit is quite compact, yet fast and effective, no matter what the conditions,” he says. “Flotation tyres get fitted when conditions are less than favourable, reducing the risk of compaction.” But what was once an 1,100-acre workload for the Warwickshire contractor, plus 350 acres sown at home, has now expanded to around 2,000 acres of maize drilling. “It’s a lot of work for one six-row drill,” says Ed. “So we bought our original Optima V back from TH White to pick up the slack. It has effectively doubled our output potential, and we can comfortably plant 170 acres/day.”
“It’s now much easier to keep up with demand from new customers, and we’re never more than 24 hours away from taking a booking to getting the job underway.” He says that having two six-row mounted drills takes the pressure off an intense maize drilling period. The older model is used mostly as a back-up, with Dad Jonathan stepping in when needed, using his New Holland T6.180. “I’ve drilled almost 1,500 acres with the new Optima V this year, while Dad has done around 500 acres, which is not too bad for a back-up machine,” he says. “And where we’ve ran both in the same field, sharing an A-B line, you can’t tell the difference. Sowing depth and pressure are simple to adjust and very effective.”
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OPTIMA V SX ● Hydraulic telescopic frame ● SX high speed sowing units ● e-drive II electric drive ● 1,000 litre fertiliser hopper
Forward speeds are around 12-14kph, though Ed says that having increased tractor power with a New Holland T7.225 this year, there’s more capacity in reserve, particularly on sloping ground. “I’ve plenty of power now, rather than working my old T6.180 hard all the time,” he says. “There’s better oil flow for the fan drive, and everything just runs easier, with forward speeds held consistently on the steeper banks. Neither the drill, nor tractor, are limiting factors in ensuring maize is planted quickly and accurately in any conditions.” With electric seed metering drive and GECONTROL automatic section control operated via RTK through a Tellus GO in-cab terminal, Ed says
the technology is a no-brainer, and is very easy to use, thanks to the plug-and-play connectivity of ISOBUS. “Seed singulation is great, and we’re typically sowing 75cm rows using a 45,000 seed count and with 125kg of fertiliser/ha,” he adds. “And with AutoCommand, my T7 runs at around 1,300-1,400pm, so we’re also sipping fuel.” “For us, having two six-row Optima V’s is currently the best solution for our maize drilling workload,” says Ed. “We have output and precision, without needing to spend more on a bigger, heavier maize drill.”
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KVERNELAND HEADLAND NEWS
IDC BOOSTS OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY An increase in tramline widths combined with the aim of future-proofing machinery purchases saw Henry Peasgood invest in an Kverneland Exacta TL GEOSPREAD with iDC – intelligent disc control.
“We had been using a four-bag capacity, 17-year old spreader on 24m tramlines, so there was an opportunity for us to improve accuracy and efficiency, and try to save money,” explains Henry Peasgood of Peasgood & Sons, Langtoft, Lincolnshire. “Adopting variable rate brought in SFI payments that have more than covered the cost of our new spreader. It’s been a no-brainer.” From an investment viewpoint, Henry says the funding that was available outweighed the cost of buying the range-topping spreader, which he and his Dad Robert couldn’t ignore. “SFI is paying out £15,000/year over three years for variable rate applications, while SOYL’s sampling costs us £3,000/year, so we’re getting a net gain of £12,000/year for investing in Kverneland’s spreader technology,” he says. “We couldn’t afford not to buy the spreader and it will be easily paid for in under three years.” With the exception of a small area of land rented out to a local potato grower, the Peasgoods farm around 2,000 acres of combinable crops spread over a six-mile radius of its Langtoft base. Cropping includes winter and spring barley, winter wheat, beans and sugar beet. Field sizes vary from two to 110 acres, and tramlines are now at 30m spacings. Equipped with three hopper extensions, the new spreader can carry up to 3.6 tonnes – the equivalent of six bags. “The extra hopper capacity means fewer trips to the fields and we’re spreading 25% wider too, and one of the key innovations on this model is the lack of PTO shaft,” he says. “It’s a huge safety improvement, but it’s also delivering a big fuel saving for us too.” Used on either the farm’s Fendt 724 or 728 tractors, Mr Peasgood says the hydraulic disc drive means the engine is running at a leisurely 1,300rpm. “Where fuel consumption with a PTO shaft was from 18-20 litres/hour, it’s now down to around 8-12 litres/hour,” he says. “I’m also spreading at around 18km/hr.”
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EXACTA TL GEOSPREAD IDC ● Intelligent disc control ● 3,900 litre hopper with cover ● Mudguards ● MULTIRATE variable rate application ● CentreFlow spreading system
Initially sceptical of the spreader’s ability to deliver pin-point accuracy, Mr Peasgood over-ordered fertiliser for the farm. “We’ve always bought two tonnes more than we should ever really need,” says Henry. “Nobody wants to be short, so having a bit extra was always safer than running out and in previous years’ we’ve always used it. But the accuracy of Kverneland’s spreader is mind-blowing.” He says the application rate is always within 10kg of the target rate.
Supplied by Chandlers Farm Equipment for the 2025 season, the Exacta TL GEOSPREAD also features MULTIRATE in addition to auto start/stop and section control. ISOBUS connectivity means the spreader pops up on the tractor’s in-cab Vario terminal, avoiding the need to buy a terminal for the spreader. “It is a very easy spreader to use, and everything you need to know is right in front of you, on the display,” he says. “It is plug and play. The only drawback is the older Fendt 724’s terminal hasn’t the computing power to run the sophisticated MULTIRATE system, but the Gen 7 Fendt 728 can.” MULTIRATE has the ability to take a full width variable rate map and split the application rate across eight sections over the full spreading width, boosting application accuracy even further. “With MULTIRATE and variable rate maps, we’re now getting far more accurate fertiliser placement rather than just varying the rate at 30m,” he says. “And RTK means we really are making the most of 1cm accuracy, and I use full auto-steering on permanent tramlines too.”
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KVERNELAND HEADLAND NEWS
TURBO DELIVERS WITH DEEP CULTIVATIONS
Relying on rented land for production of its leeks, swedes, parsnips and potato crops, Devon-based vegetable grower and packer Frank Clarke & Sons of Homeleigh near Croyle, is mindful of how it leaves land post-harvest for customers.
It is why the firm has recently added a 4m folding Turbo cultivator to its machinery inventory, supplied by Vincent Tractors. Using four rows of tines fitted with reversible points, followed by levelling discs and a rear packer, the Turbo offers generous clearance beneath its frame, and good stagger between the tines. “As soon as our crops have been harvested, we place a lot of importance on how we then prepare the ground before we hand it back to customers, ready for them to plough and drill,” explains Richard Clarke, who handles the day-to-day running of the business with his brother, Matthew. “Quite often, the ground needs to be moved to a reasonable depth to aerate and remove any compaction from harvesters and trailers, while leaving the surface level and open to improve drainage,” he says. “If it’s been a wet harvest, there’ll be some ruts to deal with too, but this is not a job that can be done with just a subsoiler-type cultivator.” Opting for a 4m folding model rather than a trailed machine, provides in-field flexibility for the business. “We can reverse into any badly impacted areas, rather than attempt to pull a trailed machine through and risk getting stuck,” says Richard. “If we’re working to an 8-10in depth, the Turbo moves a lot of soil. And with heavy duty legs, it certainly does pull through ground where you’d least expect it to. We’ve been impressed with it so far.”
He says the cultivator has proved so useful post-harvest, that it now gets used for seedbed preparation too, not just post- harvest, restorative cultivations. “It’s particularly effective on headlands, and we’ve noticed it leaves an even, level finish,” says Richard. “It’s also a good tool to set land up, in readiness for destoning or bed forming.”
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FLIPPIN’ GRASS
“We’ve been running a pair of 13m tedders, but needed a bit more reliability and durability from our kit,” explains James Seaton. “We’ve tried pretty much all of the wide models on demo, and the Kverneland model seemed to be the most well-engineered of the lot.” As a forage contractor, James says that the business needs plenty of tedding capacity, but recognises that every year’s weather patterns, are different. “Most of the time, we need a lot of tedding capacity for our hay and haylage workload,” he says. “But in some of the catchy years, like this one, we’ll also be asked to ted grass for silage. In this instance, the key to hitting dry matter targets is to get the grass flipped over and spread out as soon as possible after mowing, so it can start to dry out. And to do that efficiently, you do need wide kit.” He says that the wider models also create the opportunity to travel at a slower forward speed, typically that of a brisk walking pace. “There are several advantages for going slower,” he says. “Firstly, it doesn’t shake the kit to pieces and secondly, it gives time for the rotors to properly handle high volumes of grass. Tedding is a job that does not need lots of horsepower, it’s a very fuel efficient job.” Supplied by Battlefield Machinery, the 85156C tedder uses 14, small diameter tedding rotors to provide a generous overlap while handling heavy crops. Its 15.6m working width delivers an even distribution of crop, over the full working width. For Shropshire contractor James Seaton of Market Drayton-based J&V Seaton Contracting, the move to an 85156C trailed tedder has brought extra width, to improve output and efficiency.
“That extra 2.6m working width over our 13m model is worth having,” he says. “Field sizes vary so much, but with auto- steering we can make the most of what we have. This machine will easily cover 30 acres/hour.” Accurate contour following is a result of a flexible frame concept which ensures the rotor assemblies float independently of the trailed chassis. This feature helps to maintain a constant working height for the tines from one end of the tedder to the other, while a hydraulically operated swath board can be used to prevent over-spreading on that first run around the outside of the headland. “I really like the way this tedder hugs ground contours, and it leaves nothing behind – yet it stays well clear of the ground, reducing contamination,” he says. “Rotor height adjustment is easily changed using a spool valve, and the whole machine is worked from the tractor hydraulics, rather than a complicated control box. And I like that.” “It’s a very simple machine that anyone could use,” he adds. “And the whole lot folds up neatly onto a trailed chassis that keeps the transport width under 3m, which is great for the distances we travel for customers.”
“With auto-steering we can make the most of what we have.” James Seaton, contractor
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KVERNELAND HEADLAND NEWS
BOOSTING MOWER CAPACITY Simpson Farms places great importance on forage quality. The family-run dairy farm located in Garlieston, Dumfries and Galloway, aims to produce around 16,000 tonnes of grass silage from four, 750-acre cuts, to keep its 1,050-cow herd delivering a consistent 35 litres of energy corrected milk per cow, per day.
But the ever-present risk of catchy weather in the county of Wigtownshire dictates that high-capacity kit is the order of the day for the Simpson family and its team. “Our coastal location means we’re under constant pressure from the weather,” explains head of field operations Kieran Wright. “Weather windows can be tight, so we need capacity from our equipment, to make sure our silage is the best it can be.” That ethos saw the farm replace one of its two front/rear 6m mower outfits with a Kverneland 53100MT triple mower for the 2025 season, taking the total cutting bed width up to an impressive 15.5m. “We had a demonstration of several triples, and the Kverneland set was by far the easiest to drive – both from an operator point of view and with power consumption. These mowers just slid over the surface and didn’t drag.” “...having a butterfly mower has really improved tractor stability, making headland turns on those steeper banks so much safer and easier.” Kieran Wright, head of field operations
“First cut this year saw 750 acres of grass dropped in just two and a half days, which is impressive,” says Kieran. “Having a 9.5m triple and a 6m double has made it easier to drop a lot of grass very quickly, so we can match the speed of the forager to ensure a consistent wilt time, and make the most of tight weather windows to hit our dry matter target.” A local contractor provides the forager fire-power. Aiming to clear 320 acres/day means the Simpson Farms team needs to make sure enough grass is mown and tedded, ready for the contractor to row-up and chop. Supplied by J&S Montgomery, the 53100MT butterfly boasts a working width from 9.5-10.2m thanks to a pair of nine-disc rear beds that are used in combination with an eight-disc, 3.2m wide 3332FT front- mounted mower conditioner. Kieran currently runs the set on a Valtra T235, though tractor power is expected to get a boost to make the most of the new mowers. Simpson Farms is about to put a more powerful Valtra Q265 on the
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53100 MT ● QuattroLink suspension ● ISOBUS compatible ● 10.2m working width
● Non-stop break-back protection ● Semi swing steel tine conditioner ● Adjustable conditioner hood
triple mower and then use the T235 for its 6m combination, replacing a four-cylinder N174 model that is currently in use. Field sizes range from 15-52 acres, and few of them are flat. “Output is good, but on the steeper banks, I can lose forward speed, particularly in a heavy crop,” he says. “It’s also why we operate at the narrowest working width, to make sure we have enough overlap when mowing across the banks.” That mowing speed, depending on the crop, is from 12-16kph with the rear hoods fully open to spread the crop, with the semi-swinging steel conditioner tines easing the job for the tedder as the farm seeks 28-33% dry matter. “We do have a lot of undulating fields, so having mowers that float and follow ground contours is also very important,” he says. “The front mower is amazing to watch as it oscillates and moves around, all the time hugging the ground.”
“And it’s much the same with the rear pair, thanks to the Quattro-Link suspension system.” “With a bit more power, I should be able to comfortably hold speed going up the steeper banks,” he adds. “These are banks where you only chop one way when filling trailers, so having a butterfly mower has really improved tractor stability, making headland turns on those steeper banks so much safer and easier.” With forage quality in mind, he says the farm leaves a generous 50mm stubble height to encourage rapid regrowth, with fertiliser and slurry applied as soon as the forage leaves the field. It also keeps blades and tines away from the ground, reducing the risk of soil contamination. “We have put higher skids under all three beds, lifting the mowers by 40mm,” he says. “It all adds to the high-quality forage we need for the cows.”
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KVERNELAND HEADLAND NEWS
866 PRO IMPROVES BALE
CHOPPING EFFICIENCY
With yards spread over a four-mile radius of Lane End Farm, the ability to move kit quickly and easily has become a key requirement of the business. “We’re not quite ring-fenced, so we have to operate with a degree of efficiency when moving between our two dairies, plus the beef cattle and young stock,” explains Martin Bennett, pictured, who runs the farm with wife Liz and their two sons. “If jobs can be finished sooner, there’s more time for other work.” When it comes to bedding, the need for a powerful and efficient straw chopper saw the Bennett’s look at the latest 866 Pro, with a demonstration from Vincent Tractors quickly turning into a permanent addition to the farm’s machinery fleet. “We needed a more productive and more powerful bale chopper,” he says. “We buy up to 30 lorry loads of straw each year, so it’s important that we can load the bale chopper with two big square bales, and move from yard to yard, bedding up the beef cattle, dry cows and herd replacements, as required.” He says the simplicity of the trailed 866 Pro stood out. “The control panel is very simple,” he says. “And the blowing performance is absolutely superb. Our buildings are about 45-50ft to the back walls, and it throws straw over that distance easily. We don’t need to run this machine flat-out.” Martin says that the 866’s double rotor gives the ability to shred bales and chop straw with ease, and having gone from a shear-bolt protected driveline to one with a slip clutch, he says the 866 Pro is a big step forward. Looking for greater bale chopping efficiency, MA & EJ Bennett switched to a Kverneland 866 Pro bale chopper, to handle its straw bedding requirements at Lane End Farm, Broadhembury, near Honiton, Devon.
“Shear bolts are just an inconvenience these days,” he says. “At least with a slip clutch you can easily reset the driveline, if there’s a blockage or you get a bad bale.” Martin points out that throughput of the 866 Pro is impressive. “Output is so much quicker than our old straw chopper,” he says. “It soon processes a bale. This is one of those jobs that now doesn’t take long to do.” He has high praise for the wide spout, adding that straw can be blown in any direction without having to turn the machine around to blow on the opposite side of a passageway. Compared to the farm’s previous bale chopper, he says the 866 Pro is physically taller, which is a result of it double rotor assembly that sits in front of the flywheel. And the additional height makes it harder to see how much of a bale is left in the back. “We’ve added a camera to look down over the bed,” he says. “It’s just useful to know what’s left in the back, as this machine is so good, bales can be gone in just a few minutes.” “The control panel is very simple... and the blowing performance is absolutely superb.” Martin Bennett, farmer
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At Knockrivoch Farm, Saltcoats, North Ayrshire, Dougie Hogarth aims to produce as much milk as possible, from grass. IMPROVING RATION QUALITY
“Feeding throughout next winter should be a much more enjoyable task.” Dougie Hogarth, farmer
But when cows are housed, that emphasis changes to ration quality, relying on high-quality silage mixed with straights and fodder beet to maintain production. “We get 55% of our milk from forage, so having a well-mixed, decent ration is really important if we’re to keep our Montbeliardes delivering 7,500-litres of high-quality milk,” explains Dougie Hogarth, pictured. Until recently, that ration has been under scrutiny, with poorly mixed ingredients responsible for such a reduction in milk yield, that the diet feeder has been replaced by a Kverneland Siloking twin auger trailed machine. “The difference is night and day,” explains Dougie, who believes that his previous machine’s poor mixing performance was responsible for a reduction of up to one litre per cow, per day. “You’ve only got to look into the top of the Siloking when it’s mixing to see how the entire contents are thoroughly mixed around the outer edge of the tub and between the two vertical augers, and it happens in fairly quick time. There’s no dead spots in this tub.” The 28 cubic metre capacity, TrailedLine 4.0 Premium model was supplied by J&S Montgomery, as was the farm’s ED 85/200 five-furrow plough.
“We’ve had good support from Montgomery’s for the plough, so the diet feeder shouldn’t be any different,” he says. The feeder specification includes a hydraulic front cross-conveyor that enables feeding into bunkers and raised troughs, while a wide, HD door on the right-hand side affords rapid unloading along feed passages. “It’s a few cubes bigger than our previous machine, which gives us a bit of spare capacity, and despite the extra height, there’s no problem accessing any of our buildings,” he says. With 340 cows in milk at Knockrivoch, the herd is fed one standard ration, with in-parlour feeding used to differentiate high- and low-yielders. Young stock, dry cows and store cattle get different mixes, and the shorter mixing times combined with quicker unloading in passageways have also brought an increase in operational efficiency. “The HD door means we can feed much more quickly now, improving our efficiency,” he says. “From what we’ve done so far, it’s certainly an impressive machine and feeding through-out next winter should be a much more enjoyable task.” “And if we can get an extra litre from feeding a much better ration, it won’t take long to pay for itself,” adds Dougie.
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KVERNELAND HEADLAND NEWS
ONLINE PARTS ORDERING WITH TERRAKO
“As a digital marketplace, Terrako makes it easy for customers to order parts for their Kverneland equipment, even if they don’t know their local Kverneland dealer,” explains Kevin Waddingham, Kverneland parts marketing manager. “It is a process that saves the customer time, reduces downtime and ensures the right parts are ordered, and are ready for collection from their nearest Kverneland dealer.” Access to Terrako requires customers to sign-up, creating an online account which highlights their nearest Kverneland dealers. Kverneland has introduced a digital marketplace for customers, simplifying the ordering of original parts. It is called Terrako, and enables Kverneland parts to be ordered through an online portal uk.terrako.com that provides access to dealer stock.
Doing so gives the customer direct access to dealer stock levels when searching for parts. Payment is made at the time of ordering by credit card, and customers then receive an email confirmation of their order. “It may be that the closest dealer might be out of stock, but another Kverneland dealer within easy reach may have those parts sat on the shelf,” says Kevin. “Using Terrako will speed up the process of finding and buying the correct parts.” Online ordering also offers quick and easy parts identification through Smart Search, Kverneland’s photographic parts identification tool, which can be accessed using a smart phone, tablet or PC. By taking a photograph of the required part, Smart Search ensures you get the correct part number, reducing the risk of incorrect ordering. Any parts showing as out of stock at the point of order will also prompt an estimated delivery date.
“The introduction of the Terrako digital market-place will make it much easier for customers to buy the correct Kverneland parts without having to take the required items to the dealership,” says Kevin. “It’s a very efficient process that can be accessed 24-7 and it takes the guesswork out of finding original Kverneland parts.”
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HEADLAND NEWS JUNE 2025 Headland News is published by Kverneland Group UK Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of the publication may be reproduced, stored in a data retrieval system or transmitted in any form or means electronic, photographic, recording or otherwise, without prior permission of the publisher.
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