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| Controlling what we can control … | Download the PDF of our newsletter here |
Those readers who play golf will know that every shot pleases someone. Farming, having experienced a fairly widespread drought, is not too dissimilar; the wine industry was not complaining, and actually the tourism industry has had a much-needed boost.
But after a bad golf shot we keep on coming back to prove that we do not like being beaten…
By the time you read this, we will be heading into winter with time to reflect on the effect of the past season on our bottom lines. We have no control over the weather and world pricing or politics - but operational efficiency and crop yield are things we can control.
Technology is the “buzzword” of the moment, along with computers, computerised, GPS and a good few more. However technology is not the only avenue to improving the bottom line. Our last newsletter reported on the introduction of the Orthman Strip Tiller known as the 1tRIPr. Three new 8-row machines were put to work this past season producing results that were certainly not disappointing.
We were not in a position to conduct measurable trials to prove a potential to increase a crop’s yield by this method versus conventional tillage. (However FAR conducted trials in the Waikato comparing conventional tillage, strip tillage and zero tillage.)
What we were able to demonstrate, though, was that the cost of tillage was significantly reduced - and that the Orthman’s shattering effect on the soil is a more sustainable practice than any of the current methods of conventional tillage.
That second observation is illustrated in the photo at left. These are randomly selected samples from two adjacent paddocks on a Wairarapa property.
The conventionally tilled paddock was next to a river while the strip-tilled paddock - with its higher clay content - was next-door to that paddock. The conventionally tilled paddock quite clearly promoted lateral root growth while the strip-tilled paddock most definitely promoted a root mass that was more than 50% deeper.
The significant — and not necessarily obvious— point here being a noticeable reduction of root competition between plants in a row.
The additional root growth promoted by the Orthman strip tiller (left sample) is evident when comparing these samples.
Orthman assembly in Masterton
Supreme widens its market reach
Supreme International has introduced a new product range to make its proven quality more affordable in price-conscious markets.
Trusted Supreme stockfeed processors are the only feed processors available with:
- a factory-backed money-back guarantee
- an exclusive vertical auger design (incorporating four patents) for superior blending and reduced processing time
- a superior drive-train warranty
- over-rated drive train components
- special AR200 steel
- a superior tub design.
Since you get what you pay for, Supreme machines are generally at a price disadvantage. Supreme has addressed this by introducing a new range of processors that present a more apples-with-apples comparison with the competition.
The new green processors are branded Segue (pronounced Segway). Though they may lack some of the features of the Supreme they share the superior Supreme tub design and the patented Supreme augers.
Competitively priced quality: new from Supreme, the Segue 3820 18.2m3 stockfeed processor
Our field days
We always appreciate the effort that farmers and contractors make to visit our sites at the various field days from Kaitaia to Invercargill. We look forward to seeing a few more prospective buyers and those just wanting to chew the fat at Mystery Creek on 12–15 June.
Dargaville produced some good fine weather for the Northland Field Days and although the numbers attending were down a little, we received some good quality enquiry, with the new Monosem NX2 planter drawing the most (30%).
The Central Districts Field Days in Feilding were also held in fine weather. Again we had some encouraging enquiries with balers and mowers at 20% each, and the Orthman and Monosem with 10% apiece.
Canterbury has not escaped the drought, but that broke in the few days before the South Island Field Days with some atrocious rainy weather from the Sunday through to the Tuesday beforehand but the sun came out on the Wednesday and all ended well.
The most popular machines there were mowers by far; the new BigPack 890XC High Speed medium-square baler also drew good enquiry.
Our stand at the Central Districts field days
South Island field days... A very strange shot of a drought!
Customer experience:
Dick Carter, Hawkes BayDick has written to John Tulloch saying how pleased he is with the Krone KR 130 round baler John sold him. “Baled our first hay of the season yesterday and used the KR 130 we bought from you; it ran superbly and we even used the net that was in it when I collected it.
Faster baling and wrapping and no need to reverse to drop the bale, so thank you… very happy.”
Still, Dick probably knew the 130 would be right up to expectations, given the great run he’s had with his old baler, a Krone KR 120, which dates back to circa 1983.
“That was brought new, I believe, from Stevenson and Taylor in Waipukurau by a station breeding Angus cattle near Makotuku which is where I bought it. We’ve had it at least 12 years and have baled at least an average of 600 bales per year with it.
“In that time I’ve only ever replaced the bearing on the left side of the baler where the main drive comes through onto the chain drive cog and have also replaced a piece of two-inch box section in the pickup and a spring from the back door.
“I like the baler, it’s very basic in itself, simple to operate and makes a good bale. It’s always kept in a shed when not in use and I will keep it as a spare second baler. It’s been so dependable, I’d never sell it.”
Krone header on a New Holland
Pictured here is our first Krone EasyCollect 6000 FP maize header to be fitted to a New Holland forage harvester in New Zealand.The Krone EasyCollect maize header model FP has been a tremendous success in New Zealand, working on predominantly Claas foragers but also on one John Deere. Recently we sold an FP model for the New Holland FX50 forager in this photo. The 6m-row independent header has a low profile, short overhang, a simple design that means fewer wearing parts, and very competitive pricing. The Krone-patented design has a low power requirement and offers yet unmatched performance when working in downed maize. Rotating cleaning discs under the header ensure clean uninterrupted harvesting even in heavy weed infestation. See it in action at tulloch1000 on YouTube.
tulloch1000 on YouTube
Photo competition still open...!
We have a few entries in now for the competition but it appears a number of people thought the time was up for entering. In fact entries close at the end of January 2014. So get clicking - or start thinking about how you might compose that perfect shot when the opportunity arises in the coming season.The first prize - a place on our 2014 Grasslands Field Days tour — will surely be one to remember!
A classic Krone KR10-16 still making really good bales. Entered by Murray Bale from Whangarei.
Business @ Tulloch Farm Machines
YouTube channel takes offOur YouTube channel at tulloch1000 is working way better than expected. We are doing our best to keep adding new clips whenever they come to hand.
We invite readers to send us clips for the channel. If you have a video of a machine from our equipment range, current or past, please feel free to send us a link or a USB stick with the clip for us to share with our viewers.
Website revamp introduces new features
Work is currently underway to re-work our website to offer a more user-friendly and seamless navigation experience. A cleaner, less cluttered front page will allow you to easily find what you logged onto our site for.
The design will be optimised for tablets and smart phones so you can easily navigate and extract information on those devices as well.
We hope the revamped site will be up and running in June.
Work is currently underway to re-work our website to offer a more user-friendly and seamless navigation experience. A cleaner, less cluttered front page will allow you to easily find what you logged onto our site for.
The design will be optimised for tablets and smart phones so you can easily navigate and extract information on those devices as well.
We hope the revamped site will be up and running in June.
QR codes
In Grass & Grit we will start making use of QR (“quick response”) codes such as the one you see here.
The camera in a tablet or smart phone with a QR reader app installed can scan the code and the device will then open the assigned web page — in the case of the QR code here, the online version of this newsletter.
The benefit of QR codes is that they enable advertisers and others to offer you a fast shortcut to any web page. As well as in newspapers and magazines they are increasingly appearing on billboards and on city buildings. Once you have scanned a QR code you can bookmark the page in your mobile device and read it later.
Another successful Relay For Life
Team Tulloch again supported this very worthy cause by entering a team. Despite a reduced number of teams, the event was a great success and all had a really great time. Overall the event managed to raise over $120,000. Team Tulloch raised over $2,000 of that, and came ninth out of 48 teams in the 18-hour event (4pm to 10am). We would like to thank our German contingent for their contribution. Christian Steichele (son of a contractor in Bavaria) who worked in our service department in January–February was part of the team as was a mate of his from home, Jimmy. Arriving to join Christian at the end of his work contract, Jimmy was picked up at Wellington airport and driven direct to the Relay for Life. Christian has generously offered to host our Grasslands tour to a typical Bavarian Breakfast when we are in Munich in 2014.
L to R: Jimmy, Jimmy G and Christian
Coral Birch (the frog) picks up a stray duck and duckling
Staff profile:
John BrogdenJohn started working for Tulloch Farm Machines on the 21st of November 2011, the day before his birthday.
John is a qualified fitter, welder and machinist. He has had experience with most engineering trades though, and enjoys learning new things all the time. He loves working at Tulloch - he reckons it’s an effort to get the smile off his face when he goes home at night. He finds it very rewarding as he is constantly learning.
John is a true kiwi bloke. He did venture to Australia for a couple of years, but wise man that he is, he decided to come back to good old Aotearoa. He loves summer BBQs and riding one of his many motorbikes in his spare time, the latter a passion that he shares with his daughter, one of his three children. A real family man, he spends a lot of time with his wife and kids, and he also enjoys looking out for the other “family” - the cows, sheep and dogs on the Brogden lifestyle block.
