VIDEO: A SERIES of drive days around the Victorian Wimmera and Mallee has stirred interest in the new Case Magnum Rowtrac tractor and Horsch Sprinter bar and seed cart.
With events held in locations as far northwest as Hopetoun and south west of Horsham at Jallumba, Case IH dealer O'Connor's has triggered enquiry into the low compaction, high traction Case Magnum Rowtrac 380 fitted with a constant velocity transmission.
A Horsch Sprinter 18 NT tine bar and seed cart was also a conversation starter thanks to its simple, sturdy design, torsion bar style coulter and tine mounts and side shift capability.
O'Connor's representative Mitch Blackmore said the Rowtrac concept is gaining interest particularly from no till or minimum till operators looking to restrict compaction.
“Considering how the season is going we’ve had reasonable interest in the demo’s with most of the interest in the Rowtrac in controlled traffic with 3.0m centres and still being able to get the power to the ground without damaging too much crop," Mr Blackmore said.
“It will also be a really good utility tractor for sowing but also spreading and if you’ve got a trailed sprayer being able to hook it up and work on your controlled traffic runs.
“The CVT has been around for a while now and is pretty good option for spreading and spraying to help minimise your fuel usage."
Distributed in Australia by Muddy River, Horsch specialist, Jason Lummis said the Sprinter NT packed a lot of features into its design.
“Instead of being fitted with pins and bearings and other parts all moving the Horsch rubber torsion system is simple and effective,” he said.
The system is complemented by hydraulic phasing cylinders and oil bath bearings in the press wheels. “We’ve run these same bearings in our speed tiller machines with some having done 40,000 acres with no dramas, so bearing longevity is very good,” Mr Lummis said.
“People ask how long the rubber torsion system is going to last but we’ve seen the same design on Horsch’s Joker speed tiller done 30,000ha so you get a lot of work out of them.
“They’ve tried to go away from moving parts and individual rams. You can adjust down pressure from the cabin to deal with mixed soils.”
The bars are available from 12 m up to 24 m and with 25, 30 or 38 cm spacings and is fitted with cutting coulters to deal with trash. Side shift on the bar allows inter-row sowing.
The 17,000 litre twin tank cart on demonstration is also available in 12,000 or 21,000 litre twin or triple tank configurations in either tow behind or tow-between set-up.
Half width section control is available and the metering system allows sowing to 600 grams per hectare. The metering unit is common across all Horsch seeders and features easy changeout and calibration.
