Cultivating your own way

 Operating at shallow tillage depths through to deep loosening and with a wide range of packers and mini-drills attached, it is possible for farmers to specify a Horsch cultivator set-up that suits very specific needs, or create a flexible solution for varied conditions.

Shallow cultivation

The versatile family of Joker disc cultivators is designed for shallow stubble cultivation, germination of volunteer crops and shallow seedbed preparation. The optimised disc angle improves the quality of the cultivation and results in a very even surface, Horsch says. The slight inclination of the disc guarantees that the capillaries are broken over the whole working width when working shallowly. This reduces traction and, in dry years, saves available water.

The trailed Joker RT features a hydraulically operated levelling board at the leading edge of the frame enabling it to perform well on stubble and ploughed land. The soil adaption and the stone protection of the Joker RT are carried out via the well-proven rubber bearing.

The new 12.25m Joker 12 RT completes the range with a new folding mechanism and twin axle to keep the transport height to 4m.

A new knife roller or a Crossbar can be optioned. The knife roller guarantees a safe cutting diagonally to the direction of travel in rape stubble or cover crops. The knives fit tightly to the rotor and reduce the risk of breaking to a minimum. The Crossbar in front of the discs is ideal for additional levelling and can be retracted or extended via hydraulic cylinders and the aggressiveness can be adjusted.

The trailed Cruiser XL tine cultivator works at depths of 4–15cm and can be equipped with four different cultivation points. It performs well for stubble cultivation, seedbed preparation or loosening and venting the soils in spring. In combination with duck foot coulters, it is ideal for mechanical weed control thanks to the new FlexGrip tine.

Thanks to the 700mm clearance, even large quantities of organic material are no problem. The Cruiser XL’s longer frame design provides excellent field levelling and it produces fine soil in the seedbed.

A new 9m Cruiser XL completes the range. The new FlexGrip tine is pre-stressed with a 180kg release force to maintain a precise working depth even in the most difficult conditions. The 17cm tine spacing optimises mixing and crumbling on the surface and the comprehensive packer options guarantee working quality in wet and dry conditions.

Shallow tillage and deep loosening

The Terrano MT has been specially designed to “mix on the top and loosen at the bottom” making it ideal for UK farming operations, the manufacturer reckons. Firstly, two rows of 52cm rotary discs mix the surface followed by two rows of TerraGrip tines with narrow, low disturbance points that deep loosen to 30cm.

The Terrano MT is particularly suitable for the cultivation of heavy soils that must be loosened deeply, but where harvest residues can only be incorporated in a very shallow manner to avoid coarse soil being transported to the surface.

The DiscSystem produces a lot of fine soil, and the working depth can be adjusted hydraulically and infinitely. Due to the large 40cm tine spacing and narrow points, the horsepower requirement is lower.

The 3–5m mounted Terrano FX tine cultivator features a 3-bar compact design for shallow tillage or deep loosening at a depth of 30cm. It breaks plough pan and at the same time mixes in organic material reliably over the whole cultivation horizon.

Deeper loosening and higher horsepower

The Tiger MT, a combination of disc harrow and cultivator in 3–7.5m widths, has a design identical to the Terrano MT but with the first two rows equipped with larger diameter discs. Designed to perform well in conditions with long straw and difficult residues, such as corn stubble, it incorporates evenly without blockage.

The 68cm discs cut through and intensively mix in residues and are followed by two rows of TerraGrip 2 tines with a spacing of 46cm for a deeper cultivation up to 35cm working depth. The tines are fitted with a hydraulic reset system enabling a trip force of 800kg for deeper working in heavy soils. A tyre packer ensures it can work in wet difficult conditions. Other packing systems can either be mounted or trailed behind the Tiger range.

The Fortis AS is a completely new generation of tine cultivator designed to meet increasing demands and tractor powers, and at the same time offer more variety for working depths. It is ideal for a deep loosening and primary tillage with a maximum working depth of 30cm.

Joining the 6m and 7m models, the new 9m Fortis 9 AS features an enormous 8.75m working width from tine centre to tine centre, allowing for high work rates in combination with the largest standard tractors. The well-known TerraGrip tine system provides mounting for all known points and wings, and the 4-bar design allows for a 27cm tine spacing.

Visit the Horsch website for more information about its cultivator range

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