This year about 3 000 farmers attended the Val Farmers’ Day demonstrations in the Eastern Highveld of South Africa. “We are very impressed with the growth in attendance. About 3 000 people attended the show this year, which means a hundred percent increase over the last three years,” Hardus Smith, Chairman of Val Farmers’ Day, said. Since there are so many implements available in South Africa as well as Zambia, we decided to show you what these implements can do under demonstration conditions under the watchful eyes of many farmers.

The proof of the pudding is in the eating, and this saying also holds true when a farmer goes implement shopping. An immaculately clean implement on a showroom floor means nothing to a farmer – he does not want to know what a machine looks like; he wants to see how it WORKS.

The Val Farmers’ Union in the Eastern Highveld of South Africa understands the farmer’s need to see machines in action before he can make his final decision. Therefore, the Val Farmers’ Day was organised 21 years ago and today it is the biggest demonstration of agricultural equipment in South-Africa, where some 30 of the main manufacturers and disby tributors of implements and tractors in South-Africa demonstrate their machines to show their worth on a real piece of farmland. Every tractor and implement awaits its turn in a line a few hundred metres long, and farmers can see the quality in planting, spraying, harvesting, cultivating or spreading for themselves, with ample time to ask questions and request more demonstrations. A couple of material handling machines also demonstrated their abilities.

Before every demonstration, the relevant representative briefly informs the farmers of its specifications and outstanding features.

Valtra

The Finnish tractor manufacturer, Valtra, is the number one tractor manufacturer in Scandinavia and has been building tractors for more than 60 years now. The Valtra T-series (front) and the N-series (two in the back) can be tailored with a wide range of options and features at the factory according to the requirements of the customer.

JCB

The JCB 531-70 telescopic material handler can extend to 7 metres to place that odd last bale, crate or load of manure with a weight of more than 3 tons on top of your stack or pile.

Kverneland CLC Pro, Massey Ferguson

The Kverneland CLC Pro from Jupidex is capable of working the soil 40 cm deep. The Massey Ferguson 8670 drawing it has a maximum power output of 238,6 kW with a torque of 1 400,7 Nm.

Amazone

The Amazone UX 4200 Super trailed sprayer has a working width of 15 to 28 m, and it can fold up to a slim 2,4 m. The parallelogram design ensures that the steel boom is multi-shock absorbent.

Claas

This 257 kW beast from Claas is powered by an 8,7 litre FPT (Fiat Power Train) 6-cylinder engine. The Axion 930 has a top speed of 50 km/h which allows the farmer to move quickly between different outlying farms or hauling trailers with their loads.

Challenger

With 440 kW output power, the Challenger MT875E is the big boy in the MT800E-series. The Mobil-trac undercarriage ensures that a farmer can put the maximum power to the soil surface with the minimum of slip or compaction.

Rovic Leers

The Rovic Leers RL10 000 spreader has a spreading width of up to 18 m depending on the type of material and can carry 10 000 litres of materials such as lime or dry manure. A chain belt feeder conveys the material to the two disc spreaders.

Orthman

The 8 row 1tRipr strip-tillage machine from Orthman with the individual fertiliser applicators on top, allow the farmer to perform two operations in one. This precision implement prepares the ideal seedbed before it places the nutrients exactly where the seeds need it to grow properly.

John Deere

The John Deere S670 combine harvester has a 14 100 litre grain tank and can unload at a speed of 135 litres per second. The S series also features the ProDrive-option. As soon as the ground conditions change, the ProDrive transmission system automatically shifts between two speed ranges.

Wuhlf

Wuhlf Equipment imports material handling equipment from China and also designs and builds machines in South Africa. Francois Henning demonstrates the ‘Meerkat’, which is a prime example of a machine designed in Africa and built in China. The Meerkat is in permanent 4×4 mode and the transmission is hydrostatic. “This forklift’s mast can lift 2 tonnes and it can be ordered in three or four meter lengths. A bucket attachment is also available. This machine was launched two years ago, and today more than a hundred of them are working on farms every day,” Francois said.

Gehl

The Gehl R260 Skid loader from Manitou with a mulcher attachment convert big logs to small chips in areas that are cleared for pastures. The fine wood chips are converted into compost to feed your grass.

Rula

Rula is a new kid on the block, and promises to have a huge impact with patents for new implements in Southern Africa. This Johannesburg based manufacturer of mining equipment started their Agri division last year. Their flagship implement is the SeedmaX precision planter and with the Xfert combination on top, it can place liquid or granule fertiliser, and liquid or granule herbicide. They patented their measuring unit as well as their 12,3 m boom. “Our planter can precision place 400 kg of fertiliser per ha while driving at 12 km/h,” Tiaan van Loggerenberg says. Jaco Niemand, Tiaan van Loggerenberg, Jimmy Ebersohn and Joseph Logotle are very proud with this fine piece of equipment.

Poldaw

Poldaw is an international windmill manufacturer. Friamie Vorster and JP Vorster acquired their 11th franchise and they have been manufacturing Poldaw windmills in South Africa for 12 years now. Nowadays they are exporting a significant number of windmills to Zambia and Namibia. Although windmill technology is very old, “there is always a place for a windmill on a farm, because there is sufficient wind in Southern Africa,” Friamie says.

AgriCad

AgriCad designed the first locally manufactured liquid fertiliser applicator. The KT094 is available in 6 m and 12 m widths with 12 to 24 rows and a 7 000 litre tank. “We sold three of these units before the first one was completed. Liquid fertiliser is becoming more and more popular since it enables farmers to stretch their planting season, and the fertiliser manufacturers can also deliver over an extended period,” Eddie Neuhoff says. Charl Fouché and Wim van Heerden are flanking him.