In contrast to the last two field days, the weather also showed us its good side this time. Although it is always the topic of conversation, we have rarely had such a roller coaster ride with the weather as in the last few months. After a terribly wet autumn, the late winter and the persistent regional dryness of recent weeks, many arable farmers fear for the upcoming harvest.
In view of this and the unfavourable market situation, it was almost a miracle that the mood in Bernburg was reasonably upbeat. The willingness to innovate of the farmers selected for the traditional visitor survey was found to be far greater than two years ago.
Interest in investment
That was also evident on the Fendt stand. The discussions he had during the field days were very promising, summarised Joachim Schillmann, Fendt plant representative and stand coordinator. The readiness to invest is high and people came well prepared to the stand.
Visitors reacted time and again with surprise at the two “headliners” next to the stand. Schillmann recalls that he heard the cry “What, Fendt now has sprayers?”, on several occasions. It’s only logical that the two models – the Fendt Rogator 300 and the Fendt Rogator 600 – were presented this year, just one year after they were integrated into the portfolio.
After the initial surprise, the interest here was also huge. Three employees on the stand handled the enquiries with great aplomb. Schillmann is certain that the main issues motivating people include application, liquid spray efficiency, and precision. As the demands grow ever greater, the precision must keep up. He also noticed this increased interest in technology with a clear focus on a cost-benefit ratio in other areas such as tractors or mechanical weed control, added the stand coordinator.
The self-propelled Fendt Rogator 600 and the trailed sprayer Fendt Rogator 300 were therefore the centre of attraction on the stand. The experience gained from more than 50 years of field sprayer development, evident from the perfect boom position, optimal configuration, user-friendliness and efficient use of resources, is appreciated by visitors. In the end, the wide variety of configurations – the Rogator 300 comes with tank sizes of 3,500 to 6,930 l and working widths of 24 to 30 m, the self-propelled machine with capacities of 3,850 to 6,000 l and working widths between 24 and 36 m – offers the right one for any requirement.
Alongside the technical configuration, digital support for operator and technology is also of increasing importance – and these machines are no exception. With the SectionControl systems for automatic section control, VariableRateControl for exact dosage and VarioDoc Pro for complete and reliable documentation, you will save fuel and take the pressure off the operator as well as the environment. This is absolutely vital to farming.
Field sprayers in practical testing
The two sprayers showed their skills not only on the show stand, but also during twice-daily “Plant protection sprayers in a practical comparison” machine demonstrations. The challenging bumpy, rutted route, an obstacle course full of corners and turns, and a knoll on which the boom needs to react on one side to the profile change, put sprayers of all manufacturers through their paces, and all this in front of a large crowd of industry customers. The buzz coming from the crowd lining the test course suggested that the Rogators had passed with flying colours.
What can Section Control do?
These approving voices were also heard many times each day on the Fendt stand as Thomas Fischer showed just what the SectionControl system could do. The system, suitable for field sprayers, fertiliser spreading, or planters and seeders, prevents overlapping or missed spots. It also lends valuable assistance to mechanical chopping implements by preventing damage to crops on field edges or headlands by turning off sections. Fischer demonstrates just this on the stand by using a 6 m Einböck chopper to chop a DLG logo into the stubble on the empty ground behind the stand, or should we say, he “had it chopped” as his involvement was essentially limited to starting the tractor thanks to the RTK signal, Varioterminal and SectionControl.
The control technology then guides tractor and implement on specified tracks over the defined field, whilst the individual liftable chopping frame “paints” the logo into the field. On the terminal in the tractor and also on the screen on the Fendt stand, you could see in detail how the machine – and the laterally adjustable chopping frames – lifts and lowers. Its easy to imagine how it looks on a sloping headland when the chopping frame gradually lifts. The lively demonstration generated the attention Fendt had hoped for, as Schillmann sums up: “We want to show the visitors here exactly what’s happening!”
Picture gallery: Fendt at the DLG Field Days 2018
