Following the tremendous success of the 12m (41’) Powerflex^®, the K-Line Research & Design team busily worked on this smaller machine – which was released to the market early this year after passing its final testing with flying colours!

We delivered the first 9.5m Speedtiller Powerflex^® in early March to a local farmer, who did 4000 acres with it in the first 2 months. Pictured above, the Powerflex^® demonstrates its exceptional ground following ability as it goes through a sharp contour. Designed to hug the ground no matter what the terrain, the farmer gets an even finish the whole way across the paddock!

In the tillage equipment industry, there are lots of options for farmers. And because tillage equipment is an investment that impacts the rest of their operation, farmers tend to do a lot of research before they make a purchase. This is a good thing! We talk to farmers every day about equipment specs, field applications, design, and a thousand other topics. We want the farmers we talk with to have the best information possible about our equipment and the competitive tillage equipment market, so they can feel confident when they make the decision to buy from K-Line Ag.

But we also hear a lot of stories from farmers who switch to K-Line Ag from other tiller lines. Inevitably, they start the conversation with “I wish I’d have known…” So, we’ve gathered the wisdom of thousands of farmer-driven conversations into this single resource, this “I wish I would have known…” guide to buying a compact disc.

1. Ask for a Field Demo

It’s easy to talk the talk, but you want a machine that will do what the salespeople tell you it will do. That said, ask for a field demo before you buy. Run it through its paces. See it on the ground, doing the things it’s supposed to do. Watch for bounce. Watch for stubble incorporation. Look for clumping. Test disc penetration depths. And trust your gut. If the marketing doesn’t match the performance, look elsewhere.

2. Think About Transport Width

Tillage machines are getting bigger and heavier in response to the increased use and availability of high-horsepower tractors. But while it’s good to have a wide footprint in the paddock, don’t forget that implement needs to have nice road manners – crossing bridges, meeting traffic, and ducking overheads without hogging the road. We’ve heard of way too many farmers who forgot about machine dimensions when purchasing their tillage equipment, and found the machine was too wide to access certain paddocks, or cross bridges on country roads. Talk about buyers’ remorse!

3. Focus on Functionality

Nothing on a farm is ever static, even the paddocks. Conditions are constantly changing, crops are in rotation, and the weather can make a nice easy field into a sticky mess in no time flat. Having a tillage machine that gives you the ability to maintain function across changing field conditions is essential. This is one of the top decision-makers for many farmers who choose a K-Line Ag Speedtiller®. The farmer-driven design of our DUAL MODE OPERATION means operators can control disc depth, addressing issues of ground penetration, eliminating machine bounce, and varying roller packing as needed.

4. Go for a Versatility and Efficiency Double Whammy

You’re buying a compact disc because you’re looking for versatility in your paddocks and efficiency in your entire operation. To make sure you’re getting the most machine for the money, make sure it’s able to check all the boxes:

If a machine doesn’t have satisfactory performance on these key features, it means you’re sacrificing either versatility or efficiency – or both!

5. Minimise Maintenance

Maintenance on tillage equipment isn’t usually a main buying consideration, but there’s a definite cost of ownership involved with machinery, and a compact disc is no exception. Servicing bearings and replacing discs constitute most of the time and expense. Choosing a piece of equipment that maximises your usable hours while minimising your maintenance windows can create noticeable efficiency improvements for time-sensitive tillage work.

Bearing breakdown, either due to broken seals or worn components, can stop a machine in its tracks. K-Line Ag discs feature a labyrinth-style, multi-seal bearing housing designed to be “bulletproof” in strenuous field conditions. It is the heaviest designed bearing on the market, which allows the machine to work longer between scheduled maintenance stops.

The same extended working time is the driving force behind K-Line’s large 24” discs. These discs provide an added 4” of wear, allowing for more time in the paddock and less time in the shed changing discs.

6. Don’t Settle for What’s on the Surface

Just like you look under the bonnet of anything with an engine, it’s a good idea to look under the soil’s surface to judge the performance of a compact disc. Agronomists warn tillage users to be wary of below-surface ridging. This is where misaligned disc blades can bypass lines of soil and create strips of compaction below the soil.

In order to get better control of your sub-soil quality and combat subsurface compaction, K-Line Ag has designed a QUICK-ADJUST LATERAL DISC POSITIONING system. This lets operators quickly and easily adjust the alignment between the disc gangs. This eliminates ridging, reduces disc wear, and eliminates bounce on planting and seeding equipment.

While you can’t know everything there is to know about compact discs, it’s good to have some insight into the questions to ask and the product differentiators to look for. You’ll end up a happier, better informed buyer in the long run.

Australia’s K-Line Ag Officially Launches U.S. Company and New Speedtiller Powerflex^® at National Farm Machinery Tradeshow, Louisville

K-Line Ag, global leader in agricultural machinery and technology, announced their official launch to mainstream dealerships of its subsidiary company in North Dakota and its newly designed Speedtiller Powerflex^® in the United States, the latest innovation in its Speedtiller^® line. To mark its U.S. market debut, the K-Line Ag subsidiary company will be present at the National Farm Machinery Tradeshow, February 15-18, in Louisville, KY to discuss the unveiling of the Speedtiller Powerflex^®.

K-Line Ag has been present in the US and Canada since 2012, with machines being successfully trialled and proven in field and now in operation throughout the country. With the official launching of this operation, K-Line Ag now offers its state-of-the-art equipment to the North American and Canadian farmer and dealership markets.

“As a family of farmers, we not only understand the agricultural industry from first-hand experience, but have a deep-rooted passion for it,” said Bill Larsen, Director of Sales and Marketing at K-Line Ag. “By opening a U.S. operation and continuing to manufacture industry-leading equipment such as the Speedtiller Powerflex^®, we hope to revolutionize the farming industry and make tilling more efficient for farmers worldwide.”

The new Speedtiller Powerflex^® is the award-winning flagship of K-Line Ag and incorporates highly advanced and field-proven features with the existing Speedtiller advantages. This dual-purpose machine was designed and built for superior performance in all soil types and conditions, allows for maximum weed-cut, a smoother field finish, and more consistent sizing and incorporation.

Equipped with 31 separate 24-inch discs, the Speedtiller Powerflex^® is designed to accommodate the needs of large-scale farmers and custom operators seeking efficiencies in today’s challenging agricultural environment. Ideal for sizing, mixing, and incorporating high residue crops in corn, beans, and cereals, the Speedtiller Powerflex^® features a heavy-duty disc arm for a maximum digging capacity of up to 348 pounds per disc, power down wings, and rubber suspension rollers with dual float and fixed working modes. The dual operating mode allows the tiller to operate in Full Float Mode for undulating fields and terrace following, or Non-Float Mode, allowing the tiller to go further in soft, wet, or sandy soils.

Some of the key advantages of the Speedtiller Powerflex^® include:

About K-Line Ag

A family-owned and operated company, K-Line Ag was founded in 1993 by Richard Larsen and is the leading global manufacturer of agricultural machinery and technology. Headquartered in Australia, the company manufactures heavy duty lines of farm machinery, including Speedtillers, Trash Management equipment, CropCommanders, Harrows & Bars, Turf Mowers and Hay Rakes.

In 2012, the company established a subsidiary company in North Dakota, thus making its high-end machinery accessible to farmers in the North American and Canadian markets. Under the direction and leadership of the Larsen family, K-Line Ag has transformed from a two-person company in 1993 to a market-leading international business in 2016.

Successful dairying involves taking interest in, and managing for, the little things that produce big impact. Milk prices are based on the percentages of nutritional components found within the milk itself, so when milkfat and protein component percentages are high, milk checks are high as well. Building fodders to optimise both overall production and component percentages is a major part of production management for dairy producers.

Because of the direct correlation between feed quality and production numbers^[1], dairy producers who want to optimise for milk quality have to start at the source – the feed their cattle eat. And since fodders begin as crops, that means optimizing conditions in much the same manner as crop farmers – looking at seedbed preparation, germination, moisture retention and other production issues.

Lucerne is an important fodder base for dairy cattle rations due to its ability to pass through protein and other nutrients, as well as its ability to store well in ensiled conditions. As a perennial pasture legume, lucerne produces and sequesters protein in its leaves and stems. Dairy cattle need high levels of protein for milk production, so a ration that is high in accessible, digestible protein helps increase production while also increasing the nutrient components of the finished milk product.

Throughout Australia, irrigation viability and moisture availability for a good crop of lucerne are issues, which makes adequate soil prep and retention of surface residues key to providing a positive, conducive growing environment. For perennial crops like lucerne, which are harvested multiple times per growing season, it can be the difference between a mediocre crop and a great crop. To ensure quality growth and the volume of production tonnage needed for dairy cattle rations, lucerne growth and harvest should be managed from the beginning – as soon as the soil they grow in is prepped for seeding.

Because of lucerne’s tiny seed size and the application rates per acre, a finely-finished seedbed prep can make all the difference in germination rates. With rougher finishes, soil-to-seed-contact can suffer and germination rates can decrease, dragging down the eventual yield before the first plant even begins to grow.

A dual tillage/finishing tool like the Speedtiller^® performs tillage suitable for sizing and integrating any residual surface trash, but also smooths the soil surface to maximise the contact between seeds and soil for germination. Smoother soil also translates into faster, easier harvesting. Machines can run more quickly over smoother soils and can avoid maintenance issues rougher surfaces can produce. Since lucerne is harvested several times in a growing season, a smooth seedbed preparation pays dividends multiple times.

When a paddock starts with a well-prepared seedbed, it changes not only the germination process of the seed itself, but the ability of the farmer to influence efficiencies in the dairy operation, the herd’s production, and the crop’s tonnage. Little changes that create major impact help dairy farmers build a base for their dairy fodders and a better, stronger bottom line.

Colin Thompson of Silvermere Holsteins, shares his story in the video below.

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Getting your soil right is one of the most important tasks for any farmer, and ‘plough pans’ of compacted, dry soil are regularly encountered across the often drought-stricken Australian continent.

David McMillan knows this all too well. McMillan’s property in Young, New South Wales is a mixed operation with stud cattle and lambs, as well as various grain crops. Dry, compacted soil affected by decades of ploughing and planting needs to be carefully worked to allow moisture back in, which in turn allows roots to grow deeper.

View them in Action!...

Across his property, McMillan has been using deep tillage equipment; the K-Line Ag Speedtiller in combination with the heavy duty MaxxRipper^® ground-breaking tool, to get his soil to the right consistency and balance. Recently, K-Line used his property for a demo day of the two products.

Read the full Farms & Farm Machinery article HERE

Read our recent blog article on Soil Compaction & Deep Ripping

Working in the field may entail dealing with nuisances that hinder your work. We have toiled, however, with farmers and agronomists so that you will not have to on your next reseeding. Our extensive research has led us to the development of precision farm equipment, a seeding system that lets you finish the job in one pass: the CropCommander^®.

The CropCommander® combines three farming systems: precision seeding, deep fertiliser banding and soil disturbance for root development. Here we will share how these systems can benefit a farm, and how the CropCommander® allows you to regain control of your farming.

The Power of Precision

Precision seeding gives farmers the benefit of reduced seed costs because of the more efficient use of seeds. Since the planting depth and spacing is more uniform in this system, there is greater crop uniformity. Farmers have higher chances of getting uniformly high quality produce, taken with fewer harvests. Giving plants optimum space for growth and development can increase yields. Another benefit is that this system saves you from or at least reduces the need for thinning.

Promoting Root Development

The adequate level of soil disturbance can help with the development of roots. Cultivating the soil mixes its surface and promotes the breakdown of the soil’s organic materials. This, in turn, promotes mineralisation, providing more plant-available nutrients. Healthy root development is then encouraged, and the emerging plant is enabled to consume the available nutrient.

Protecting Seeds from Burns

Band application is also called starter application for a reason; it is the ideal system for seeding. Setting the right distance of the fertiliser from the seed protects it from seed burn. Banding supports plant development as it places phosphorus, a much-needed mineral in plant development, easily accessible to the emerging plant’s root. This system lessens phosphorus and potassium fixation. Also, weeds’ access to the fertiliser is lessened as the fertiliser is positioned for the crops’ access.

While the work needed for a great yield does not end at seeding, the CropCommander^® saves you from arduous labour and sets you on a good start. The coulter manages trash, the tines set the soil for fertilising and seeding, and the press wheel covers the seeds. With just one pass, you are ready for the next step of growing your crops.

Invest in your stubble residue to increase the texture, organic matter and moisture retention of your soil. Progressive farmers are proving the benefits of proper stubble management rather than burning off.

The cutting edge Trashcutter^® by K-Line Ag is proving a major advantage for farmers and has the answer for your stubble handling issues and ground preparation – without any matches!

So What Does It Do?

The advanced design of the Trashcutter^® (patented in Australia and Internationally) lays the stubble sideways with a lay-bar system, ahead of coulters spaced at 130mm apart, leaving an even layer of cut straw on the surface of your paddock. The cutting action of the coulters is controlled hydraulically with little disturbance to your root system. This is key to preventing stubble blowing away, which is important for ease of seeding. There is virtually no soil disturbance when set in the main operating position – a real advantage for soil erosion problems and for those of you who like to minimize tillage wherever possible!

How Can It Benefit Me?

Ideal for long straw, it allows you to lift your header front to take less straw and harvest your crop faster and more efficiently.

Lower operating costs and speed of operation are key advantages of this machine e.g. an 18m Trashcutter^® can cover up to 27 ha/hr. Some operators may even choose to run the machine twice in a season to speed up the breakdown process, without incorporating straw into the soil profile.

Prior to sowing, the Trashcutter^® can be used for melons, clovers, medics, and other viney weeds and is excellent in higher rainfall areas where snail control is an issue.

It can also be adjusted to give minimal soil disturbance. The coulter system can be angled up to 5 degrees, which can be a real advantage where shallow tillage is required for lime and chemical incorporation, as well as some weed control.

The Trashcutter^® system has been extensively developed by K-Line Ag in conjunction with agronomists & farmers requiring a better system for stubble management and is a great tool for minimum to no-till farming situations.

Growing Sunflowers as far south as Parkes NSW is a tall order. A sunflower crop is traditionally considered difficult to grow in southern NSW districts, mainly due to low summer rainfall. NSW DPI recommends planting sunflowers into 80-100cm of wet soil to minimise the risk of crop failure*.

The K-Line Ag MaxxRipper has helped Parkes district farmers achieve results this year. Deep ripping paddocks in preparation for seeding this Sunflower crop enabled access to subsoil moisture, therefore playing an important role in yielding the crop of sunflowers shown below.

We ran trials of deep ripping verses no deep ripping prior to seeding this Sunflower crop, and the image below clearly shows these results:

There’s an old adage that says, “make hay while the sun shines,” but for forage producers in many Australian farming regions, the challenge isn’t the sun – it’s the rainfall. Now that most areas of New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia have seen above average rainfall after years of drought, the decision is how best to harvest and process the abundance of hay that this year’s conditions have provided.

To Dry Or Not To Dry

For most producers, the first question is whether their unique storage, usage and logistical requirements necessitate drying their hay or ensiling (or fermenting) pastures to make silage. Dry hay production usually utilises hay storage buildings or sheds, with hay processed into bales of various sizes and shapes. The type of processed bale is dependent upon the usage – is the bale being rolled out in a paddock? Fed in a feeder? – and the way fodder is handled – does it need to be trucked from the storage location to the feeding location? – is a determining factor when deciding whether drying or ensiling is a better fit. Bale type and sizing also determine the optimal moisture content of the hay, with large square bales requiring lower moisture contents than small squares or round bales .

Dry hay’s end quality depends not only on the quality of the pastures grown, but also on the handling of the cut pastures within the paddock. Getting a proper moisture percentage – usually around 12-13% – keeps the hay from fermenting (the process it goes through when it’s ensiled), while also allowing the stems, leaves and flowers of the plant to remain moist enough to not break down during processing.

While dry hay can be used for any number of pasture animals and ruminants, from sheep and goats to horses and cows, it is usually less desirable for dairy animals due to nutrient content. However, dry hay’s easier digestibility means it is a sought-after feed type for horses. A producer interested in selling their fodders on the local feed market, rather than retaining them for their own usage, should research their local market and the types of buyers – dairy farms, cattle ranches, boarding stables – who purchase in their area. Exporters planning to move hay to Asian or Middle Eastern markets should look to both the end markets’ livestock (beef and dairy cattle, along with some high performance racehorse markets) as well as export requirements for quality assurance and grading .

Ensiling can be done in upright or bunker-style silos, or within plastic wrapped bales of various shapes and sizes. Like with dry hay, the shape and size of the bales is determined by usage and logistics. Ensiling pasture fodders is usually a long-term commitment, since both bunker silos and upright storage silos require investments in unloaders, machines, concrete and other storage and handling materials.

Pastures meant for ensiling are better when taken earlier and processed wetter. Recommendations for silage processing of fodder recommend cutting when the pasture is at no more than 20% headed and processing at around 30% dry matter . This production methodology, as well as the storage in silos, bunkers, or wrapped bales, means that the organic matter in the fodder ferments anaerobically (without air) as opposed to simply rotting or decaying. This helps retain nutrients from the plants, producing a long-lasting, high quality feed.

It All Starts In The Field

Regardless of the fodder conservation practice a producer chooses, all quality hay or silage production starts in the field. Pasture vegetative components vary by the animal consuming the feed. General use pasture can contain a good mixture of nutritive legumes, like lucerne and clover; grains, like oats and barley; and mass vegetation, like ryegrasses and other perennial grasses. Export hay crops tend to be oaten hay or lucerne, depending on the end market, as these crops are more durable for the containerization and export processes. Dairy mixes, for both goats and cows, tend to be mixed more heavily on the oat and legume side to produce higher-component, protein- and nutrient-rich milks and support the higher caloric needs of milking animals.

Once the mix is seeded and growing, the timing of fodder conservation process becomes critical . While growing requires rainfall or irrigation, mowing and wilting (also called curing) require a period of dryness – specifically a wilting period of at least 48-72 hours following mowing. While most producers use a mower-conditioner with either a roller head or a flail head to fracture the plant stems and speed up evaporative drying, some on-the-ground wilting time is necessary to reach an adequate moisture content, particularly for dry hay in either local or export use.

Hay rakes, like the Delta series rakes from K-Line , help producers manage mowed hay for both moisture control and processing needs. The rake can gently move wilting vegetation to better allow airflow amongst stems and leaves, while also positioning windrows together to speed up baling or silage chopping processes. Rakes like the K-Line Ag Delta series are designed to move vegetation with care, even at high ground speeds, in order to preserve nutrient-rich leaves and seed heads.

Modern baling and chopping equipment, particularly large square and round balers, work more efficiently with larger windrows. This means that raking together windrows improves not only the drying or wilting time of your hay crop, it can actually prevent processing problems.

Once baling or chopping is completed, storage processes are determined by the logistical factor mentioned previously, as well as the long- and short-term needs of the end-user facility. For dry hay facilities, hay can be shedded and tarped for longer-term storage, containerized and exported for market, or stacked for shorter-term usage. For chopped silage, packing into bunkers for later extraction with a telehandler or front end loader is most common, while upright silos require chopper boxes and blowers to transport processed feed from the field to the storage facility and up into the silo.

For wrapped sileage bales, some producers choose continuous wrapping, leaving caterpillar-like lines of bales across paddocks, while others opt for single bale wrapping and the traditional stack-and-shed model seen in dry hay.

Whatever the appropriate fodder production and storage approach for the farm, the producer and the market, K-Line Ag hay rakes help ensure the ideal conditions for drying and processing your hay crop.

Upon entering Callara, the property owned and managed by Colin and Erina Thompson of Silvermere Holsteins, it quickly becomes apparent just how well this business is run. After what has been a long few years of drought, the paddocks are green with crops, the bunkers full with silage and the cows are healthy and happy.

Located between Cowra and Gooloogong in Central West NSW, the Autumn break has been reassuring with rainfall above average. Given the challenges very familiar to all dairy farmers, the weather, milk prices, irrigation water availability and feed prices, this year’s seasonal break has been very much appreciated by the Colin and Erina.

320 cows are milked, three times a day, every day of the year at Silvermere. The cows are housed in a free stall barn. We breed all our heifers and raise all our bull calves, we have cows calving every day of the year.

The Thompsons produce about 5 million litres of milk each year which is sold to Lion Dairy and Drinks. It is then used for the Dairy Farmers brand and for a lot of the flavoured milks like Dare Iced Coffee.

Silvermere Holsteins is a very professional and meticulously run business. They place a lot of focus on animal health and balancing that with efficient and productive systems. They have developed ways to help mitigate against risk to help get through the challenges that are outside of their control. Their careful planning and management of fodder production is reflective of this.

"Lucerne is one of our main feeds. We harvest Lucerne as silage for the early parts of the season then through the summer months we cut hay. We often sell a lot of that hay because we grow a surplus of feed. This helps us guarantee we have a surplus of feed during dry times, which has been critical in recent years." said Colin

"Our other main crop is corn. We grow corn over the Summer which is harvested for silage and stored in concrete bunkers. This is one of our main forages for the cows. The other crops we grow are cereals (Wheat and Barley) that can be either cut for hay, cut for Silage or we take them through for grain,” commented Colin.

Colin is always looking for ways to create efficiencies and increase production of fodder, the Fodder crops include, Corn, Lucerne and cereals. Careful planning and management of these crops is critical to the success of their business.

View Colin Thompson’s full Dairy story here...

Like all successful business people, farmers and contractors understand the need for their investments to supply adequate financial returns while also providing non-monetary value in improving the efficiency, speed, operation or other aspects of their business. Identifying investments that overlap in the financial and operational rewards categories can net big gains for farms of all sizes.

One such implement with multiple value propositions for the modern farmer or contractor is the K-Line Speedtiller^®. When compared against other speed discs for sale from other manufacturers, the quality of design, the benefits of use, and the durability of the construction are second to none.

Soil Improvements

Speedtillers are designed to function with single-pass operations under a variety of paddock conditions and with special consideration for soil conservation. Operators can shift the implement’s weight forward and back to adjust to special paddock conditions (undulating fields or contours) or soil needs (variable pressures for soft, wet or sandy soils). This variability means operators can use a Speedtiller^® in conditions where other implements fall short – in non-wetting soils, after heavy rains, when converting pasture or fallow to tillage, or even in some frozen conditions following snow or frost.

The Speedtiller’s^® variability is part of what makes its usage ideal for conserving soil. With its purpose-built trash management controls, the Speedtiller^® provides protection for soils against wind and water erosion by allowing for better soil residue integration. The entire implement provides better trash flow to the field because of its active torsion system and custom-designed disc arm. These features mean the Speedtiller^® keeps rolling when other machines might be hung up on trash or surface debris. As it rolls down the paddock, Speedtiller’s^® angled discs undercut the soil, lifting it to alleviate compaction issues and to provide greater sub-soil moisture retention.

Operational benefits

The Speedtiller’s^® most immense cost savings come from having one high-value implement doing the work of two. The disc’s dual-purpose design, featuring a two-gang disc followed by an on-board roller for soil finishing, eliminates the need for a separate disc and finisher – one Speedtiller^® does it all!

Fuel usage is another category where the Speedtiller^® shines. Because it combines two machines into one and requires just a single pass to complete most tillage tasks, the Speedtiller^® can reduce fuel consumption 2-3X for some uses. Similarly, the implement’s large footprint and ability to toggle between a full float and non-float mode means it adjusts to the soil needs in that locations, saving fuel on fields where a deeper till isn’t needed.

The Speedtiller’s^® unique design features are meant for harsh conditions and difficult soils, but they’re also designed with frequent, heavy use in mind. The Speedtiller’s^® engineering provides low long-term cost of ownership for the machine while also helping owners manage the time and personnel costs of daily and seasonal maintenance needs.

By combining operational savings with intrinsic benefits of use to the soil and conservation practices, the K-Line Ag Speedtiller^® brings impactful cost savings to farm operations.

Ensuring your Speedtiller^® is correctly set up is imperative to ensuring it performs as it should.

This video leads you step-by-step through the best way to set up your Speedtiller Powerflex^®. The model displayed is a 6.25m (21′) Powerflex^®, but the setup is the same across the Powerflex^® range (although the machine will look slightly different in other sizes such as 9.5m [31′] or 12.5m [41′]).

Use the chapters down the right-hand side of the video to skip to particular steps if required.

Every piece of K-Line Ag equipment is supplied with an Operation and Safety Manual which operators should be familiar with and adhere to at all times, but the tips in this video will help you get started.

Tackling crop stubble is a challenge for most farming systems. Depending on the stubble type, surface residue can be heavy, forming a barrier that’s difficult for new seeding drills to penetrate, and for new crops to sprout through during germination. Conversely, complete removal of surface stubble leaves soils exposed and susceptible to erosion, as well as less fertile due to the absence of valuable organic matter and micronutrients.

Finding a balance between leaving too heavy a stubble and complete stubble removal is a challenge for many farmers. However, dealing effectively with leftover crop residue provides ample benefit to the soil, subsequent crops, and crop yields.

Most farmers trying to find a trash management middle ground turn to various farm implements to produce the seedbed suitable for their cropping needs. As a premier farm equipment manufacturer for Australian farmers, K-Line Ag designs and builds implements in Australia suitable for the toughest soil conditions. All implements are constructed with performance, durability, and ease of use at the forefront, making K-Line Ag equipment a top choice for many producers. For trash management and seedbed preparation, K-Line Ag coulters and harrows are exceptional tools.

For trash and stubble cutting and seeding through tough surface crusts, an in-frame coulter wheel setup mounted ahead of a seed drill is an effective, efficient option. Wavy, fluted, or plain coulter wheels slice through trash, providing a direct path to the soil for seeding and increasing their chances of viable germination. This coulter path is also helpful in channelling moisture to seeds and roots, which can provide the boost needed to give sown crops the growing advantage over weeds and pioneer seeds from previous crop rotations.

In-frame coulters are constructed of rolled hollow steel to reduce the weight on seeder frames and drawbars while maintaining the unit’s strength. Coulter kits rely on adjustable springs to customise the penetration level to the type of stubble and the soil placement needs of the seeding crop.

A popular finishing option for high-trash paddocks is a rotary harrow. Varying styles of rotary harrows are available for various cropping systems, soil types, and farming operations, but the main function of a harrow is to combat surface trash and residues and increase seed-to-soil contact. By concentrating on the top layer of stubble, rotary harrows provide the right level of soil disturbance needed for differing seed types and soil conditions.

Spring tine harrows, with their scraping movement, are better suited for lighter stubble and soil, and seed types that require less soil disturbance. Standard rotary harrows, with their rotating gangs of metal tines in a diagonal configuration, penetrate more deeply into stubble and provide greater soil disturbance. These rotary harrows are especially popular as a trailing implement for ploughs, as they further disperse stubble while simultaneously levelling seedbeds for planting.

The challenge of dealing with crop stubble is continual, with each growing season and crop rotation providing another unique puzzle for farmers to solve. But as with most puzzles, the right tools can make all the difference. K-Line Ag implements, with their distinctive mix of flexibility, durability and performance, give farmers an advantage when dealing with their crop stubble challenges

It’s official – the heaviest speed disc on the market! – Since its launch in 2015, the Speedtiller Powerflex^® has enjoyed a solid reputation among tillage equipment buyers for its durability and quality of design. In response to burgeoning customer demand, we’ve launched our widest and heaviest model yet: a 15.5m-wide and 22.5 tonne Powerflex machine which (for some funny reason) inherited the name “Mammoth”.

Check out the 2 minute video below!

We had received a lot of feedback from customers wanting to work larger areas more quickly than they could using the 12.5m model. Farmers and contractors are wanting to work bigger and bigger areas, and time means money, so obviously they want to work as much country as possible in the least amount of time.

Being 3m wider, the Mammoth allows an operator to till paddocks more quickly with fewer laps – saving time and saving money.

What are the Features of the Mammoth?

The K-Line Ag Mammoth has a variety of advantages to help address current issues in many farming operations. Features include:

1. Wing down pressure
   • Superior weed control
2. Quick Adjust Lateral Disc Positioning
   • Max weed control
   • Full disturbance
   • No sub ridges
   • Disc wear compensation
3. Proven extreme duty disc arms & hubs
4. Extreme duty bearings on rollers
5. Roller shock protection
6. Highly engineered frame

Has it been tried and tested?

You bet it has! As with all K-Line Ag machinery, the Mammoth has been successfully run in several applications over the last 6 months. It passed with flying colours, so we’re super excited that it’s now officially on the market!

Maximise your yield potential!

Interested in maximising your yield potential? Get in touch with our sales team on 1800 194 131, to find out more about the Mammoth and how it can help your operation!

The team at K-Line Ag are pleased to announce the official launch of the ThunderRipper™! Featuring optional tyne spacing to suit your operation and soil type, the K-Line Ag ThunderRipper™ is a lighter, cost-effective ripper, built to shatter compacted soils and improve root penetration.

Watch the 2 minute video below!

What are the Features of the ThunderRipper™?

The K-Line Ag ThunderRipper™ has a variety of advantages to help address current issues in many farming operations. Features include:

What is the difference between the THUNDERRIPPER^™ and the MAXXRIPPER^®?

The ThunderRipper™ is a lighter and cheaper alternative to the K-Line Ag MaxxRipper^®. It requires significantly less horsepower due to its reduced weight and shallower ripping depth. Ideal for most commercial farming and grazing operations, the narrow transport width makes for faster road travel and easier accessibility on the farm. It also features a wider range of tyne options. Models range from 5-13 tyne, compared to the 7, 9 or 11 tyne MaxxRipper® models currently available.

Has it been tried and tested?

It sure has! As with all K-Line Ag machinery, the ThunderRipper™ has been successfully run in several applications over the last 6 months. It passed with flying colours, and so we’re super excited that it’s now officially on the market!

Maximise your yield potential!

Interested in maximising your yield potential? Get in touch with our sales team on 1800 194 131, to find out more about the ThunderRipper™ and how it can help your operation!

It’s official – our newest model Speedtiller Powerflex^® is now available in Australia! With an operating width of 6.25m (20.5ft), this model embodies all the award-winning Powerflex advantages in a smaller machine. The smaller operating width means it suits smaller tractors, making it available to more Australian farmers.

Watch the 2 minute video below!

Combining all the Powerflex Advantages you know about…

• Selective Dual Mode Weight Transfer System
• Wing Down Pressure
• Quick Adjust Lateral Disc Positioning
• Proven Extreme Duty Disc Arm & Hubs
• Roller Shock Protection

…in a smaller model to suit more applications!

The smaller size machine suits a lower horsepower tractor, making this machine a great option for all farming operations. Ideal for cotton and mixed vegetable growers! Its narrow transport width makes for simple road travel & easier accessibility on the farm (no more squeezing through those gates!)

Tried & Proven

It’s been successfully trialled and running in the US for a year, and has passed in-field testing in Australia with flying colours.

The newest addition to the ever expanding range of K-Line machines is the 8.25m (27.06’) Speedtiller Powerflex^®. This is the fifth size available in the Powerflex^® configuration. it is ideally suited for the high end front wheel assist, 300 horse power+ tractor range of 8.25m giving it a true 8m working width, excellent for 8 row cotton configuration.

Powerflex Advantages

Tried & Proven

It’s been successfully trialed and has passed in-field testing with flying colours. Click below to watch the video of the 8.25m Speedtiller Powerflex^®.

What drives the need for producers to incorporate deep ripping into their soil management processes? As in all things farming, it comes down to soil efficiency, plant growth and yield production.

Repeated pressure from farm equipment is the main cause of compaction, and its effects run deep. Wet soils, greater axle loads, and soils comprised of clay or silts are most at risk for compaction, because these factors produce ideal conditions for the soil particles to adhere to each other, creating hard pans.

Soil compaction creates a physical barrier between germinating seeds and their ideal root and shoot development. This development is required to promote adequate growth, collect available nutrients, and produce desired yields. Without friable (easily crumbled or pulverized, loose soils) soil matrices to allow growth, plants must expel more stored energy resources from the seed to achieve germination. These stored resources mostly consist of water-activated enzymes that were sequestered by the parent plant during seed-setting in prior growing seasons. Plants survive on these stored resources until they grow sufficiently to reach light sources and begin the photosynthetic process.

When a seed’s roots and shoots struggle through compacted soil during germination, they emerge from the ground weakened, stunted and nutrient deficient. As a result, they are ill-suited to long-term survival and yield potential, and some never make it at all. This accounts for the large spaces and withered plant remnants common in plantings on compacted soils. Having large swaths of paddock space with compacted soils decreases emergence and populations, impacting overall yield potential.There are many practices to help avoid compacted soils: tramline or controlled traffic farming implementations such as our TrackAttack, minimizing equipment operations on wet soils, using large diameter or flotation tyres, and implementing crop rotations that increase the presence of organic matter in the soils and provide varied rooting patterns. But sometimes compaction-inducing activities can’t be avoided, and so producers are forced to restore compacted areas.

One of the most popular methods for restoring compacted soils is through deep ripping. This mechanical intervention utilizes an implement like K-Line Ag’s MaxxRipper with long tynes that reach deeply into hard pans to break up and lift soils, therefore allowing room for plant development, nutrient and moisture entry, and organic materials accumulation. The expansion room provided by deep ripping supports plant growth, and bolsters yields. In a long-term study in WA on sandy soils, producers who used this method to address compaction reported yield increase of 15% in canola, 49% in barley, 11% in field peas, and over 70% in wheat^[1].

With the K-Line Ag MaxxRipper, a crumbler roller follows behind the tines to pick up the ripped sections of soil, which helps to break up clumps and increase the looseness of the soil. This adds even further benefit to the plant growth, giving more opportunity for an even crop and high yields.

Figure 2: Modelled growth of wheat roots in sandy soil based on trial data (Delroy & Bowden 1986, Schmidt et al. 1994, Tennant 1976) assuming non-limiting moisture ^[2]

Good soil management practices can help avoid compaction issues. However, utilising deep ripping techniques to break up hard pans or historic compaction provides a favourable boost to yields and a good return on investment.

Rob Houghton runs a farm just outside Leeton in the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area of NSW.

Traditionally Rob and his family were rice farmers but have adapted their farming operations quite quickly to ensure they are able to better withstand the challenges faced by farmers in the areas in recent years. These challenges have been predominantly higher water prices and lower rainfall. Rob has switched his farming mix to be more cotton cropping and less rice.

Our whole farming system is changing very rapidly, due mainly to the price of water. We’ve got to be very innovative in terms of how we store that water on farm now.

Rob is very community focused, he has a high interest in ensuring all Irrigators across the MIA are able to get the information they need to ensure that they can continue to improve their production system and to help with on farm decisions.

Rob is the chairman of the IREC (Irrigaton, Research and Extension Committee) which has a research facility near Whitton. The function of IREC is to create an information hub for Irrigators and somewhere to get together face to face. IREC runs annual field days around things like machinery and irrigation technology. They also run research projects that help determine suitable outcomes and decision models for irrigation farmers across the region.

It is important that Irrigators have the latest information about machinery and technology to optimise their system efficiencies.

Two years ago Rob purchased a K-Line Ag 4.2m wide Speedbuster. The K-Line Speedbuster is a revolutionary breakthrough for cotton farming. The three point linkage machine is ideal for renovating beds and sizing and incorporating residue, providing a tillage solution to prepare beds from one crop to the next.

One pass with the K-Line Speedbuster will prepare a cotton stubble field. It will tick the box for pupae busting, bury the stubble, and prepare a seedbed in one pass. While also maintaining the furrows, which is very important if there is going to be some Spring irrigation on that subsequent crop.

View Rob Houghton’s story….

Farming processes continue to develop with increasing rapidity. Pre-history farming involved seeding, tilling and harvesting done by hand. However, agriculture would develop different kinds of farming tools to aid the farming process. Hand tools like machetes, mattocks, hoes, shovels, rakes and shears were some of the many tools that aided farmers.

The industrial revolution ushered in an age which would allow for agricultural vehicles powered by steam. These heavy machines came in all shapes and sizes depending on the farming tasks they had to do.

K-Line Ag sells advanced farm machinery in Australia that makes farming processes easier and faster than ever before. The farm machinery combines advanced engineering with innovative design, which makes them durable enough to withstand the harshest conditions. Upgrading your farm machinery with the latest technology is truly advantageous.

Farm Productivity

K-Line Ag promotes enhanced methods to ensure your farming processes are efficient. Our CropCommander® is a seeding system that features precision seeding, deep fertiliser banding and soil disturbance for root structure development. Having three different processes in one machine makes farming quicker and easier.

Stress-free farming

Our comprehensive farm equipment makes farming processes more comfortable for you. You can achieve sustainable farming practices with our Trashcutter systems. These are low maintenance farm machines that are easy to set up. Their functions include cutting stubbles, minimising soil disturbance in zero-till operations and providing shallow tillage for chemical incorporation and light weed control.

K-Line Ag ensures that farmers receive advanced agri-tech solutions to sustain their farming practices. We care for farmers, and we have a passion for change and bringing innovative solutions to the farming industry.

Crop producers’ focus is always yield. Better varieties for better yield. Better nutrient management for better yield. Better soil management for better yield. Better weed control for better yield… you get the picture. Managing these variables is a full-time job for farmers, and there is never enough time to do everything possible to improve yields.

Having an implement that can provide both better soil management and better weed control is a definite value-add for farmers, and that is exactly what the K-Line Ag Speedtiller^®

K-Line Ag’s Speedtiller^® was designed and built in Australia to combat the unique conditions of Australian soils and to address the needs of the Australian farmer. However, this farmer-centric design mentality has translated very well overseas too, and the company now produces implements for the US, Canadian and European markets.

Incorporating Residues for Higher Yields

The success of the Speedtiller^® comes from its ability to improve soil humus levels, reduce erosion, and combat chemical resistant weeds in a single pass utilizing a single implement. Farmers have long understood that chopping plant residues (stems, stalks, roots, etc) left in the paddock post-harvest and then incorporating them into the soil provides important soil benefits. With incorporated residues, the organic matter percentage within the soil profile increases. This brings with it a better environment for beneficial soil microbes, enhanced ability for soils to absorb and retain water, and increased bioavailability of micronutrients from residues as they decompose and re-enter the soil as compost.

The inclusion of residues in the soil also guards against erosion. It creates pathways for surface water to penetrate more deeply into the soil profile, and by acting as a sponge, absorbs water into the residue materials for soil use during drier periods. Because residue-incorporated soils have a more varied surface texture, they resist the effects of surface water and wind erosion. This supports soil component retention and fosters long-term soil health.

The Speedtiller^® accomplishes residue incorporation by utilizing a two-part system – first chopping the residues into manageable pieces and shifting the dirt with an offset disc, and then mixing the dirt and residues together into a finished paddock surface, leaving the seedbed ready for planting. This two-step approach provides the residue incorporation farmers need to reap the benefits of better crop health and higher yields.

Save Time, Fuel & Labour!

The Speedtiller’s dual purpose discing and finishing capabilities have added benefits as well. Producers can use this single implement to do the work of two or even three other implements. The savings in soil compaction, operator time, and fuel expenditures make a sizeable impact on production and operational costs.

Combatting Chemical Resistance

The Speedtiller^® also plays an important role in weed control for farmers by providing a mechanical means of weed disruption and diminishing the possibility of promoting chemical resistance in their local weed populations. Unlike chemical applications of herbicides, mechanical processes like tillage implements do not mutate the molecular structure of the weeds, which causes chemical-resistance. Instead, mechanical processes disrupt the weeds’ growing cycle. This dehydrates or stunts the weeds, while allowing production crops time to overcome and eventually kill competitive weeds.

The most versatile tillage tool on the market!

Because it’s designed with an appreciation for the variability of Australian soils and cropping types, the Speedtiller^® is customisable for applications from vineyard cultivation to oilseed and cereal production. Trailing and 3-point linkage versions are available. Finishing rollers can be selected based on soil type: hollow crumbling rollers for loamier soils and spring rollers for stickier, clay-type soils. These unique configurations allow producers to utilize the correct mechanical design to realize the greatest benefits in residue and soil management for increased yields.