Good weather brought the crowds flocking to the Tullamore Show last weekend with plenty to view in the machinery section that may not have been widely seen before.
A lot has happened over the last two years and without these windows upon the trade, developments can go unnoticed, and although it is too close to the National Ploughing Championships to expect anything spectacular, there were still some unfamiliar machines on display.
Tow and Fert at Tullamore Show
From New Zealand comes the Tow and Fert concept. This is primarily a method of foliar feed, yet it is adaptable and can equally be used for liquid fertiliser application.
Rather than a single boom with nozzles, the liquid is sprayed from the end of two arms giving a maximum coverage width of 20m.
With the dry conditions experienced by much of Ireland over the summer, some users are using it to apply liquid fertiliser where leaf growth has been restricted.
E.V. Condell Ltd.
Tullamore Show was the first public outing for the new Massey Ferguson 8S.285, which is now the second largest in the 8S range of tractors from the company.
Offering 285hp, it is one down from the 8S.305 although powered by the same 7.6L AGCO Power six-cylinder block.
It proved to be the star attraction on the stand of E.V. Condell Ltd. who were also showing off the latest high capacity 1840 small square baler which retails for €40,000 plus VAT.
Paus loaders
Variations on the humble wheeled loader continue to multiply and a rather interesting variation on the theme was presented by LB Gremo Ltd. of Tullamore.
The loader in question was the Paus TSL9088 which is described as a swing loader, after the fact that the telescopic arm is mounted on a turntable at the front of the articulated machine.
Powered by a 116hp Deutz engine, it has a lift capacity of 4.610kg when in the straight ahead position and 3,865kg when loading to the side.
KME macerator
There is no shortage of companies offering dribble bar conversions for vacuum tankers, KME of Listowel, Co. Kerry, being one of them.
What sets the company slightly apart from the others is that it builds its own horizontally mounted macerators which, it claims, are far easier to access than the normal vertically arranged units.
By doing so the outlet ports are all easily accessible should they become blocked, all that is required is the uncoupling of two latches and the lifting of the top hatch.
Tumosan at Tullamore
Fiat built a good part of its fortune on licensing production of its tractors and that legacy is still with us in the form of the Tumosan Classic range.
Still carrying Fiat’s styling from the 1980s, these tractors have stood the test of time and with very little in the way of development costs to recoup, they are simply built and budget friendly.
The 8005 offers 105hp from its Fiat-derived engine and carries some changes to the cab, including the forward reverse gear lever mounted under the steering wheel, although it is still not a true shuttle shift.
VDMJ equipment
From Belgium comes a range of feeding and bedding equipment imported by Kirrane Machinery Ltd. of Claremorris, Co. Mayo.
The manufacturer is VDMJ which has been producing agricultural and construction equipment since 1998. The products are made almost entirely in-house with all the bending, cutting and forming being done in the company’s own factory.
The WSB 140Z, on prominent display, is said to be ideal for mounting on loaders and with the growing popularity of specialised handling equipment, the bedder should find a ready market.
