John Deere’s new C650 Air Cart air-seeder creates a middle ground for grain growers and contractors, the company says.
John Deere has launched a new air-seeder for grain growers seeking a mid to large size option, the company says.
Company production and precision agriculture tactical segment manager Marko Koelln says the C650 Air Cart will suit customers wanting an air cart with more than 550 bushels in capacity, who were reluctant to make the leap to Deere’s 850bu cart.
Check out our story on the John Deere C850 Air Cart here
Available in tow-behind or tow-between configurations, the tow-between version offers Controlled Traffic Farming (CTF) capabilities, able to be configured for CTF 3m spacing.
The cart’s 650bu capacity, high-flotation tyres and fill rate of up to 100bu per minute help customers to seed a greater area in less time, Koelln says, adding that the C650’s technology, including the ActiveCal calibration system, can be easily integrated across other Deere machines.
“Key technologies include a durable, digital cart-side display to make filling and calibration push-button easy,” Koelln says.
“ActiveCal is an on-the-go feature that allows operators to automatically calibrate metres right from the Gen 4 Display in the cab, while an integrated wiring harness provides connections for five camera locations, one in each tank and a fifth that provides a rear-hitch view.”
The C650 uses John Deere’s SectionCommand seed and fertiliser application management system to improve input control and minimise overlaps and skips.
It also comes equipped with Deere’s AirPower 2 precision seeding technology, which accurately delivers products using dual fans, one for seed and one for fertiliser, with large, 7.6cm primaries.
Additional features found on the larger John Deere C850 cart are also included on the C650, including hydraulic rear disc brakes, in-tank camera mounts, in-tank lights, LED working lights, conveyor weather cover and digital tank air pressure monitoring.
The unit also has a liquid capable centre tank for growers who choose to incorporate liquid fertiliser into their seeding operations.
Deere says early success has been found by farmers John, Paul and Nicholas Lush who were early users of a C650 tow-behind, with a fertiliser distribution option fitted by Liquid Systems, a John Deere allied supplier.
The Lush family, who grow wheat, canola, lentils and faba beans on 3000ha near Barabba in South Australia, have reported a substantial reduction in input costs since using the C650 – thanks largely to its section control offering.
“We had been using the John Deere 1910 tow-behind, however this new and larger offering just suits the size of our operation, while the technology in this machine is simply fantastic,” Paul Lush says.
“Our calculations have shown us that we have reduced inputs by up to 10 per cent in some paddocks, and an average 5.5 per cent across the entire farm.”
“When you add that up across seed, granular fertiliser and liquid inputs, that is a significant saving.”