New Pöttinger products for 2020

THE NOVACAT / EUROCAT ALPHA MOTION PRO

Grassland specialist Pöttinger is delivering new innovations to mowers for optimum forage quality in the 2020 season.

For many years, farmers around the world have been impressed by revolutionary Alpha Motion front mower technology and, with the new Pro models, enjoyment of mowing takes on a new dimension, the company says. The new range consists of the Novacat 261, 301 and 351 Alpha Motion Pro disc mowers – as well as the Eurocat 311 Alpha Motion Pro and Alpha Motion Plus Pro drum-type mowers. The disc mowers can be used without conditioner with swath doors, or in combination with an ED tine conditioner or RCB roller conditioner. The Plus versions of the drum mowers are available with ED tine conditioners.

More convenient handling

Like the Master models, Pöttinger’s new Pro models are attached to the tractor using a three-point mounting. This makes them easy to attach to any tractor, regardless of size. The cutter bar is easily accessible thanks to the folding front guard, which makes it easier to clean and change the blades.

The cover can be easily removed to provide convenient access for adjusting the suspension springs, while the central greasing points on the headstock represent an additional simplification in terms of servicing, the company says. The optimised drive train does not require a safety chain for the PTO shafts.

‘Perfect ground tracking’

The existing kinematics of the active support frame have also been used on the new Pro version. On conventional headstocks, only the leading linkage responded to bumps in the ground, but with the Alpha Motion headstock, the entire carrier frame adapts to the ground contours. Each movement controls the carrier frame to ensure a ‘floating cut’ – even at high speeds and over wet ground – which results in a unique conservation of the sward. The mower is guided smoothly over each bump in the ground, meaning reduced wear and an extended service life. The powerful cutter bar also features Tri Drive for better power transmission.

Pöttinger engineers also introduced a new look for the new models, which have a sleek, modern design. The company says its mowers offer maximum convenience with the best ground tracking and cutting quality, low disintegration losses and high precision work, without time-consuming adjustments. The Novacat and Eurocat Alpha Motion Pro mowers provide the basis for optimum forage quality, Pöttinger adds.

THE TERRASEM FERTILIZER PRO

Pöttinger’s Terrasem mulch seed drills offer the next technical development in direct fertilisation. The new system is available for all mulch seed drills with working widths of 3-9m. Both the rigid Terrasem R3 and R4 models, as well as the folding Terrasem C4, C6, C8 and C9, are available as Fertilizer Pro versions with a row spacing of 12.5 and 16.7cm.

The innovative Pro version allows coulter pressures of at least 180kg, has a larger disc diameter of 410mm and additional shear bolts on each coulter arm. In addition, hydraulic depth adjustment is standard.

Versatile and cost effective

The direct fertilisation system enables fertiliser to be applied at the same time as drilling, using the Fertilizer Pro coulter. Optimum growth conditions are created during germination and help boost overall yield.

Meanwhile, the simultaneous use of tool combinations (e.g. front board with tillage discs), and applying fertiliser while drilling, avoids multiple passes and promotes cost-efficient farming.

Seedbed preparation is taken care of by the compact disc harrow, or low disturbance Wave Disc harrow integrated into the Terrasem seed drill. The fertiliser is then placed by the Fertilizer Pro coulter in a double-shoot row between every second seed row. The placement depth of the fertiliser can be adjusted hydraulically within a range of 10cm, independently of cultivating and sowing depth. The surface is then consolidated across the whole area by the packer before the seed is planted. The Fertilizer Pro coulter places a deposit of fertiliser in a perfect position to nourish the roots of the emerging plants. Not only does this save fertiliser and minimise unproductive losses, it also promotes faster development of the root mass and contributes to long-term optimum yield.

An additional advantage of direct fertilisation is that in difficult ground conditions only one pass is necessary, providing maximum conservation of the soil. Additionally, there is the advantage of being able to complete the full drilling and fertilisation process quickly and effectively in a single pass, as soon as conditions are favourable.

Deciding whether to use direct fertilisation depends mainly on the structure of the soil, the crop and the precipitation patterns in each region. An unfavourable distribution of precipitation and longer dry periods require that the drilling process stimulates germination of the seed using water reserves in the soil.

Pöttinger says it fully supports the trend in direct fertilisation. Precision fertiliser management has become a necessity, owing to increasing fertiliser prices, new types of fertiliser, new fertiliser regulations and environmental legislation. The Terrasem Fertilizer Pro mulch seed drills with direct fertilisation offer the right process for a wide range of individual needs and operating conditions, the company adds.