Peter Hill

England, Oxford

Farm Machinery Journalist at Freelance

Freelance farm machinery journalist - technical and global trade news. British Guild of Agricultural Journalists http://t.co/11HCLSJ2sD @gajinfo

Articles

Ullmanna AI-enhanced in-row weeder learns as it works

1 week ago | fwi.co.uk | Peter Hill

A hoe that tackles weeds across a wide range of sizes both between and within rows uses rapid image analysis to detect and target the offending plants. It uses air-activated “clap hands” elements to take out weeds from the two-leaf stage in most crops where plant spacing is 8cm or more in rows from 25cm apart. See also: Buyer’s guide: Camera-guided sugar beet hoesIn sugar beet, the machine can be operated at up 5kph, says manufacturer Ullmanna, with a six-row unit covering around 1ha/hr.
JCB returns to Royal Welsh Show with new farm machines

2 weeks ago | shropshirestar.com | Peter Hill

Among the newcomers expected on the stand are the newly-upgraded 435S wheeled loader – a big hit with silage-making and muck spreading contractors throughout the UK; two all-new Telemaster telescopic wheeled loaders; and the latest-spec Teleskid tracked skid-steer loader.
Self-propelled Oxbo spreader mixes muck in with soil

2 weeks ago | fwi.co.uk | Peter Hill

Cultivating to incorporate yard manure, compost and solids digestate as it is spread is a new capability for the biggest self-propelled muck machine from Oxbo, the Dutch manufacturer previously called Ploeger. There are two elements – a robust tow hitch for the cultivator and a spreading mechanism on the Tebbe-built body that trickles muck into the path of the soil-working implement.
288-340hp Case IH Optum tractors get digital tech updates

3 weeks ago | fwi.co.uk | Peter Hill

Joystick operation of the rear lift is one of several digital technology improvements on Case IH’s three latest Optum tractors, with peak outputs of 288hp, 313hp and 340hp. The armrest console mounted joystick can now be assigned the tractor’s rear linkage as well as the front lift to simplify control of dual implements, such as mowers front and back.
JCB hydrogen engine to debut at The Royal Highland Show

3 weeks ago | scotsman.com | Peter Hill

JCB’s pioneering hydrogen fuelled engine will be on public display for the first time at a UK agricultural event during the Royal Highland Show, Thursday 19 to Sunday 22 June at Ingliston, Edinburgh. The engine will be a centrepiece of the Royal Highland and Agricultural Show Society’s Presidential Solutions Hub highlighting cutting-edge solutions being developed to help meet Net Zero climate targets.
JCB hydrogen engine to debut at The Royal Highland Show

3 weeks ago | anguscountyworld.co.uk | Peter Hill

JCB’s pioneering hydrogen fuelled engine will be on public display for the first time at a UK agricultural event during the Royal Highland Show, Thursday 19 to Sunday, June 22 at Ingliston, Edinburgh. The engine will be a centrepiece of the Royal Highland and Agricultural Show Society’s Presidential Solutions Hub highlighting cutting-edge solutions being developed to help meet Net Zero climate targets.
DeLaval adds new features to VMS V300 auto milking system

3 weeks ago | fwi.co.uk | Peter Hill

New features and previous options now included as standard have been introduced by DeLaval for the 2025-spec V300 voluntary milking system. The main physical change is to the box that cows enter to be milked – it is bigger on the latest version to accommodate a wider range of cow breeds and sizes without it being a bit of a squeeze for larger individuals.
Amazone offers pared-back 6m Catros Special disc harrow

4 weeks ago | fwi.co.uk | Peter Hill

A slimmed version of Amazone’s 6m Catros+ trailed compact disc harrow that can weigh less than 3.5t provides a lighter cultivation tool at lower cost than more comprehensively-equipped versions. The 6003-2TS Special is reckoned to be just as capable of producing a shallow tilth at depths from 5cm, or deeper working down to 14cm if that’s what residue incorporation, soil conditions or crop requirements dictate.
Pro Harvest VF-spec combine tyres added to BKT range

1 month ago | fwi.co.uk | Peter Hill

Big tyres sporting advanced features for combines and other large harvesters are the latest addition to the BKT Agrimax range. The Pro Harvest design will be available in three sizes initially, with nominal widths of 1,000mm, 900mm and 800mm, all fitting on 32in rims.
Grimme revamps Varitron harvester for quicker crop changes

1 month ago | fwi.co.uk | Peter Hill

Latest Grimme Varitron has cab and cleaning updates © Grimme Growers needing to reconfigure their harvester to handle different vegetable crops will find it an easier job on the latest version of Grimme’s Varitron two-row, self-propelled harvester. Standardising the design of front-end equipment couplings means it should be quicker to swap intake components than before when reconfiguring for different harvesting conditions and crops – potatoes, carrots or windrowed onions, for example.