Kuhn Farm Machinery, manufacturers of tractor-drawn agricultural equipment, will be showcasing the Maxima 3 TI e drill with a series of on-farm demonstrations from April 2023.
Edd Fanshawe, product specialist, said: “We are excited to get out on farms throughout the UK to demonstrate what this new model is capable of. It is an opportunity to show operators how the Maxima is capable of performing in a wide variety of soil types.”
The machine being used for the demonstrations is part of the range that extends up to 12 rows with a telescopic chassis offering row spacings from 45cm up to 80cm. Electric drive technology also enables variation of seed rate. This can be carried out manually from the tractor cab or as determined by a variable rate map.
“Work carried out by Kuhn in the development of the technology showed that varying the seed rate in response to soil conditions can lead to seed savings of 10% when used in conjunction with section control. In addition to seed savings, variable seed rate also optimises plant populations according to available water and soil nutrients, with this resulting in an overall potential yield gain of between 5 and 8% and seeding rates of up to 600,000 plants per hectare,” said Mr Fanshawe.
Maxima 3 precision drills are suitable for drilling maize, sunflower, beetroot, sugar beet, peas, beans, and other crops where row spacings from 45 to 80cm are used. The range includes 12 models in a choice of configurations, with electric drive versions being available in mounted formats including telescopic, foldable, and telescopic with adjustable spacing.
“With electrically driven models exclusively available with ISOBUS compatibility, control can be facilitated from either the tractor terminal or Kuhn’s own CCI terminal. With 48-volt electrical power entirely independent of the tractor, constant and smooth operation of the seeding mechanism is maintained, with seed rate variation and section control being instant and precise to avoid any seed wastage,” he added.
Both mechanical and electric versions of the Maxima 3 range use an improved seed selection and ejection system which enables accurate seed placement at high working speeds of up to 10km/h. Accuracy is also enhanced by a new seeding unit parallelogram which is reinforced in key areas, including at critical hinges and linkages, for added stability, robustness, and longevity.
For more information on the Maxima tour and a chance to attend a demonstration go to www.kuhn.co.uk