Reducing company costs while simultaneously increasing efficiency and productivity is the ambition of every agricultural entrepreneur. Certain practices in the field lend themselves excellently to this goal, particularly those carried out through triple-function work sites, allowing for refining, seeding, and fertilizing without prior mechanical processing or pre-emergence weed control applications. This “all-in-one” approach significantly reduces diesel consumption and labor costs. Three specific solutions from Horsch are aimed at these objectives, which can be combined to form a single efficient and productive work site.
Farmers prepare the land
Addressing surface soil cultivation, whether after plowing or using conservative techniques, are the “Transformer Vf” cultivators. The “Vf” designation stands for “Variable Frame,” indicating the presence of an integrated translating frame that allows for efficient and safe equipment use, even in subsequent post-emergence crop hoeing practices. These cultivators can be paired with “Taro Sl” seeding bars, which are in turn fed by front hoppers called “Partner Ft”. This setup ensures stability in the field and during road transport, thanks to balanced weight distribution relative to the tractor’s center of gravity. It maximizes traction during fieldwork and minimizes pitching and bouncing on the road due to asphalt irregularities.
In terms of productivity, the “Transformer Vf” offers three working fronts, starting at a minimum of six meters and increasing to nine and 12 meters with higher models. Opting for the latter operational width maximizes the hourly yield of the work site, allowing for the elimination of weeds present in the field, approaching the hourly performance of narrow-width weed control bars. The nine and 12-meter versions, divided into five distinct sections, also feature a hydraulic folding system that compacts the equipment to just two meters and 95 centimeters for road transport without any escort. Once deployed in the field, the cultivator relies on a double-acting cylinder capable of tilting the wings up to 90 degrees, a capacity particularly appreciated during turns or when operating on uneven terrain or slopes.
Weeds can also be eliminated
Regarding soil engagement, the “Transformer Vf” provides generous ground clearance, measuring 660 millimeters, and hoeing elements capable of reaching a maximum working depth of 20 centimeters. The tines are attached to springs via two bolts, allowing for quick replacement when worn due to friction with the soil, while the 15 and 18-centimeter wide plows feature a design enabling precise horizontal soil cutting.
Seeding bars and front hoppers
Following proper soil cultivation, seeding is delegated to the “Taro 6 SL”, a lightweight and flexible seeding bar equipped with various pneumatic and compaction systems combined for precise and uniform seeding, achieved through seeding elements benefiting from the effectiveness of “TurboDisc” knives.
Despite its light weight, around three thousand kilograms, various options for post-seeding compaction ensure uniform soil consolidation around the seeds, guaranteeing even and simultaneous germination and emergence. The “Taro Sl” is also flexible in terms of inter-row distances, able to operate from 12 and a half to 25 centimeters or from 15 to 30 centimeters, also relying on a single or double tower pneumatic system allowing selective distribution to different sections of the bar.
For those requiring additional field leveling, there’s an optional setup with a crossbar whose aggressiveness can be hydraulically adjusted from the tractor cabin. This allows for optimal soil leveling, breaking up any undesired clods to achieve an even finer and more uniform seeding bed.
Up to two thousand liters of capacity
With capacities of up to two thousand liters, Horsch offers front-mounted hoppers called “Partner Ft” for pairing with “Taro Sl” seeding bars and the “Express” and “Maestro” seeding series. Two versions are available based on capacity, to be selected according to the different operational widths offered by the chosen “Transformer-Taro” combination. The first, with a capacity of 1,600 liters, is suitable for pairing with six-meter “Transformer Vf”, while the second, with a capacity of two thousand liters, is recommended for the higher models with nine and twelve meters of operational width.
However, the first version of “Partner Ft” has a single hopper, capable of hosting either seeds or fertilizers, which may be necessary when the equipment is used for other purposes, such as fertilization concurrent with separate refinement operations but distinct from seeding. The two-thousand-liter version offers two distinct compartments with 60-40 or 75-25 partitions, allowing for simultaneous distribution of seeds and granular fertilizers. The latter are ideal for in-row fertilization to provide the crop with the so-called starter effect due to the immediate availability of phosphorus and nitrogen for the plants.
Title: Implements Horsch: one, two, three solutions
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