AN NEW 'intelligent' plough system from Kuhn aims to bring precision farming to inversion cultivations.

Its innovative section control system on its range of ploughs, dubbed 'Smart Plough', uses a GPS-based precision farming system to automatically lift and lower each individual plough body into and out of the ground at the start and end points of each furrow.

The end result, especially for multiple furrow ploughs is a neater end-rig finish.

The new system – for which Kuhn has filed a patent application – has been awarded a silver medal for innovation at the giant German machinery show, Agritechnica this year.

Raising and lowering each plough body individually eliminates the Z-shaped furrow finish and minimises overlap at the end of furrows. This not only reduces the number of times the tractor passes over the headland, but ensures all surface trash at the furrow/headland interface is buried effectively.

Establishing a clear, undisturbed boundary between the ploughed furrows and undisturbed land also reduces jolts and bouncing when turning on headlands.

The new technology is said to make ploughing easier and less time-consuming, as the auto lift and lower of the plough bodies leaves the operator free to concentrate on driving the tractor.

It also makes it easier for less experienced operators to create a decent end job.