That’s a mammoth K-Line Ag Speedtiller

After a long, dry summer, tillage work sometimes requires a mammoth effort – and Cowra’s K-Line Ag has come to the party

Since its launch in 2015, the Speedtiller Powerflex has enjoyed a solid reputation among tillage equipment buyers for its durability and quality of design.

Available in three sizes, measuring 6.25m, 9.5m and 12.5m across, the Speedtiller can weigh between 7.5 tonnes and 15.8 tonnes and has between 50 and 100 discs operating at any one time.

But for 2020, and in response to burgeoning customer demand, the company has launched its widest and heaviest model yet – a 15.5m-wide and 22.5 tonne Speedtiller K-Line has named the Mammoth.

K-Line sales representative Rob Williams says the company had received a lot of feedback from customers wanting to work larger areas more quickly than they could using the 12.5m model.

“Obviously the are guys wanting to work bigger and bigger areas and time means money, so they are wanting to go out there and work as much as they can in the least amount of time,” he says.

“We decided to start from the ground up and make something as it should be.”

Being 3m wider, the Mammoth allows an operator to till paddocks more quickly with fewer laps – saving time and saving money.

“This machine with extra wheels on the wings helps it to float through softer country – and the ability to have weight on rollers or floating rollers gives you the options to get that ultimate finish on every soil type,” he says.

The new model is currently being built on demand from dealers across Australia.

SOIL IMPROVEMENTS

Designed with an appreciation for the variability of Australian soils and cropping types, the Speedtiller is customisable for applications from vineyard cultivation to oilseed and cereal production.

The Powerflex system is designed to enable the Speedtiller to get its work done in a single pass in a variety of paddock and soil conditions.

Operators can shift the implement’s weight forward and back to adjust pressure for particular soil conditions, or to handle undulating fields or contours.

This variability means operators can use a Speedtiller in conditions where other implements fall short – in non-wetting soils, after heavy rains, and when converting pasture to tillage.

With its purpose-built trash management controls, the Speedtiller provides protection for soils against wind and water erosion by allowing for better soil residue integration.

The entire implement provides better trash flow to the field because of its active torsion system and the extra clearance incorporated between the disc and jump arm.

These features mean the Speedtiller keeps rolling when other machines might be hung up on trash or surface debris.

As it rolls down the paddock, Speedtiller’s angled 610mm (24-inch) discs undercut the soil, lifting it to alleviate compaction issues and to provide greater sub-soil moisture retention.

OPERATIONAL BENEFITS

The Speedtiller was designed by K-Line to be one high-value implement doing the work of two by a research and development team familiar with the demanding working conditions of Australian terrain.

The disc’s dual-purpose design, featuring a two-gang disc followed by an on-board roller for soil finishing, eliminates the need for a separate disc and finisher – saving both time and money.

Because it combines two machines into one and requires just a single pass to complete most tillage tasks, the Speedtiller can reduce fuel consumption two to three times for some uses, K-Line says.

Similarly, the implement’s large footprint and ability to toggle between a full float and non-float mode means it adjusts to soil needs in each location, saving fuel on fields where a deeper till isn’t needed.

Its heavy duty construction and engineering provides low long-term cost of ownership for the machine while also helping owners manage the time and personnel costs of daily and seasonal maintenance needs.

By combining operational savings with intrinsic benefits of use to the soil and conservation practices, the K-Line Ag Speedtiller brings impactful cost savings to farm operations.

The proven benefits of the K-Line Ag Speedtiller in residue management, humus building, seedbed prep and weed control make it a preferred option for farmers and farm contractors.

FRIENDS IN HIGH PLACES

K-Line Ag prides itself on the durability of its constructions – building equipment for frequent heavy use in harsh conditions and difficult soils from its base in Cowra.

And this process will continue, even after the company’s recent acquisition by agricultural manufacturing giant CNH Industrial late last year.

At the time, CNH Industrial managing director for Agriculture in Australia and New Zealand Brandon Stannett said the company was interested in tillage and seeding methods that promote sustainability and soil protection.

CNH said the Speedtiller dual-purpose disc-tillage machine had “proved to be the only high-speed tillage tool designed for deep and shallow settings that delivered uniform results to depth, giving producers ideal seedbed preparation without agronomic compromise,” the company says.

“We’re proud to bring K-Line Ag into the CNH Industrial agriculture stable and know that together we can continue to raise the bar with equipment that satisfies the needs of farmers looking for sustainable farming solutions that don’t compromise on efficiency and productivity.”