Arable
It could be argued Arable farms are where we have seen technology for the longest, especially machine steering. With increasing workloads and weather windows getting smaller yet more unpredictable, it is important we fully utilise the equipment and people we have to get crops in the ground.
Trimble steering can be fitted to all machines involved with arable businesses. A CAN Autopilot system installed on your new tractor could be utilised for drilling, then moved to the steering motor on your combine during harvest, retaining the field boundaries and A-B lines on the display. Features like automated headland turns can be done on any machine, increasing speed while reducing compaction and disturbance on the headland. Features such as tramline marking and remote support are helping operators be more effective for longer, upskilling those who may not be as seasoned as some in the field.
Traditionally sprayers were the beneficiaries of section control, but now we commonly use prescriptions on drills and spreaders to make them more efficient delivering materials to the ground. Trimble technology is able to control up to 255 sections independently, comfortably able to control most machine types including ISOBUS. Over application of material can be detrimental to crops and be a waste of material in the wrong areas, reduce these instances by using section control on both new and existing implements with our retrofit options.
Years of experience tells us that field areas or soil types perform differently, let us tailor your applications to suit each part of the field individually using prescriptions. Trimble can receive and act on a prescription map, prescribing application rates of seed or fertiliser to pre set parameters done by you or your advisor. Our engineers can retrofit motor drives in place of land wheels or valves in place of nozzles and deliver variable rate on older equipment, getting more from your initial investment. Upskill any operator and ensure uniformity of application with variable rate technology from Vantage ASC.
There is nothing more embarrassing than a blocked coulter alongside the main road, this could be a thing of the past with blockage sensors. A retrofit sensor from MC Electronics which is simple to install in the seed tube can alert operators visually and audibly when there is a blocked coulter, allowing them to identify it immediately and rectify the issue. Simply configure for your machine pipe diameter and coulter quantity to make misses a thing of the past, leaving no space for weed populations or embarrassment.
Arguably more important than tractor steering, implement steering physically changes the tractor controls to keep the application point on line, matching each pass perfectly as the machine crosses the field. Trueguide is a common partner for trailed drills which are prone to drifting based on ground conditions, moving the tractor off line to put the drill where it should be can vastly improve drilling accuracy and reduce misses which can allow for weeds to establish.
With multiple machines operating in your system it can be difficult making sure the information is transferred correctly, especially with multi brand fleets. Combining Trimble software can resolve this with a common operating platform; all field boundaries and A-B lines are the same format throughout the fleet. In addition, install a modem and have the flexibility to wirelessly transfer this data between vehicles, the cloud and the office. Significantly reduce travel time and the risk of errors. Monitor your fleet remotely using our Connected Farm concept.