A NEW combo drill and grass rake will front the Kuhn Farm Machinery at the LAMMA 2018 event in Peterborough January 17 and 18.

The Venta 4030 drill matched with HR 4040 power harrow is the company’s 'next generation' combination.

The power harrow element uses straight blades and a Duplex gearbox, enabling rotor speed to be adjusted according to soil conditions, while the Venta drill has an 1800-litre seed hopper and uses a fluted metering unit with large splines for larger seeds (wheat, barley, peas, beans, etc) and small splines for smaller seeds, such as rape and alfalfa.

Seeding rates can be set from the tractor cab at between 1-430 kg/ha. A remote calibration 'start button', located close to the metering unit, makes calibration easy, without the need to go back into the tractor cab to access the drill’s main control panel.

A speed sensing radar ensures precise seeding at up to 15 kph and it is possible to shut-off every second row for special applications. Kuhn’s precision coulter bar, the Seedflex system, takes care of seed placement, with widely offset double discs mounted on a parallelogram to enable fast and accurate seeding.

These maintenance-free coulters work in all soil conditions, from ploughed to min-tilled land, and the following press wheels control seeding depth and ensure good soil to seed contact for consistent germination.

Tillage and seeding are carried out independently thanks to a roller frame design which effectively separates the two functions. This patented design allows for a more compact unit and enables the two units to be uncoupled in less than 10 minutes.

The combination is suitable for use with tractors with a power output of up to 320 hp.

Kuhn will also be displaying its new single rotor, mounted grass rake, the GA 4431, at LAMMA.

This is one of three new grass rakes from Kuhn, which work across 4.4m, 4.65m and 5m widths respectively and have been designed to be simple to operate and compatible with lower powered tractors.

It uses the Masterdrive GIII system – a patented two-stage gearbox – which has proven to be exceptionally reliable on the company’s larger twin and four-rotor grass rakes. Totally enclosed, it requires minimal maintenance, and with no crown wheel and pinion, has a reduced wear potential.

The new single rotor GA machines have been designed to reduce the time spent changing from road to field mode – an ergonomic support arm and central locking design make the changeover quick and simple. Windrow deflectors and guards are operated manually or can be operated hydraulically as an option.

The headstock provides the raking rotor with a windrow clearance height of more than 40cm and excellent contour following capabilities. This ensures excellent forage quality conservation and makes the machine easier to manoeuvre when working in tight spaces or on uneven/sloping ground.

Raking height is adjusted by a hand-operated crank handle to suit the terrain and to minimise soil contamination.