570hp to hand held - machinery of all sizes at Cereals 2005
09/06/05

Cereals 2005's status as the country's premier arable farming event will be underlined by the huge range of new machinery that will be launched at it this year - which range from a 570 horsepower monster of a tractor right down to a hand held knapsack sprayer. Cereals is being held at Rectory Farm, Guilden Morden, Cambridgeshire, on Wednesday 15th and Thursday 16th June

In between these extremes - and appealing to farmers with all kinds of acreages - will be a massive range of drills, cultivators, spraying equipment, handlers, tractors and other equipment.

One key element which sets Cereals apart from many other events is the fact that visitors can see the equipment working, both in the Sprays and Sprayers Demonstration Arena and in the Working Demonstration Area, both of which feature busy programmes featuring many of the latest innovations in action.

The 570hp Caterpillar tractor boasts over 18 litres of engine capacity and the highest power level of any tractor, whether run on wheels or tracks. Despite the increasing power, operators will still be cocooned in a comfortable, quiet cab fitted with continuous automatic damping so they are not inconvenienced by changing terrain.

Aimed at a slightly more modest farm size, McCormick's new XTX tractor range ranges from 173hp - 202hp and feature electronic fuel injection automatic power boost for pto operations and active hydraulic cab suspension. They also have an eight-speed powershift transmission that will enable operators to get optimum performance out of the machine.

The Micron "HandyDome" hand-held shrouded sprayer enables users to spot treat weeds lurking between vegetable or fruit row crops, offering optimum control with optimum protection of the crop itself.

A wide range of new drills will be on show, including new models from Amazone, Landmec Pottinger, Opico, Rustons, Simba Horsch and Stanhay Webb. Amazone will launch its new AD-P Super pneumatic seed drill, that can work with rotary harrows on ploughing, or rotary cultivators in mulch and one-pass direct sowing situations, while Landmec Pottinger will give a debut to its Vitasem power harrow mounted drill and Terrasem combination drill.

Opico/He-Va will show its Till Seeding drill and the Sabre Seeder, while Rustons will feature its Sulky CE and CX drills. Simba Horsch will launch two drills - the Sprinter range which is a further development of the smaller models in its CO cultivator drill range, and the Pronto DC range of double disc drills, and finally Stanhay Webb will launch new version of its Dart maize drill and its cereals drill.

Another key area for innovation is spraying technology. Alongside the Micron model, there are a wide range of new trailed and self-propelled sprayers, including the UK launch of the Caruelle range from France, alongside no fewer than 13 other companies involved in the sector launching a range of sprayers, booms and nozzles all designed to help farmers achieve optimum spray application efficiency.