Farm Tractors and Machinery

Gil Gullickson, Crops Technology Editor for Successful Farming magazine

Finding a diamond in the rough sums up 2012 for Wally Linneweber, who farms with his son, Kyle, and his brother, Joe, near Vincennes, Indiana. Although last year's drought-scorched corn yields across their farm averaged 104 bushels per acre (far below their normal 220-bushel yields), in the midst of this was a field that dazzled like a gleaming diamond. Yields tallied 260 bushels per acre. It was part of a Beck 300 Challenge, a program by Beck's Hybrids in which farmers use a number of strategies to crack the 300-bushel mark. Although this was tough to do in 2012, hitting the 260-bushel level came close.

Linneweber notes that this diamond of a field didn't need all that much polishing. “Good dirt” helped them hit the 260-bushel mark. High soil organic matter and the field's lower topography helped it retain water – a key attribute in a drought year.

“That field always has been more consistent in yields than other fields,” he says.

Granted, a year like 2012 will thwart the best of plans. “On sandier ground, we had corn yields that went down to 20 bushels per acre,” he says.

Still, the selective use of technology enables the Linnewebers to take advantage of soils rich in organic matter and to make the best out of less-productive soils year after year. It's helped them to place several times in the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) contest, including a 2007 win with a dryland yield of 292 bushels per acre. Here's a look at nine steps they take.

1. Pick the racehorses

“When we pick hybrids, we go for the racehorses,” says Linneweber. They feel these fast-growing hybrids have the top yield potential.

“Sometimes, it hurts us,” says Linneweber. “Greensnap can be a problem, but that's where crop insurance comes in.”

Most of the time, though, racehorse hybrids beat other hybrids hands down, he says.

They cautiously eye new hybrids that take the place of older ones. “Sometimes, they aren't the best,” he notes.

That's why they start out gradually with a new hybrid. “Overall, we like a new corn hybrid to prove itself before we plant it to more acres across the entire farm,” he says.

2. Inject manure

To a corn plant, hog manure mimics a spiral cut ham basted in a heavenly honey sauce. That's why the Linnewebers inject 4 million gallons from their hog operation annually on corn. Injections are split between spring and fall.

“It used to be a liability, but now manure is an asset,” says Linneweber. “We've noticed that most of the winners in the NCGA contest use some type of manure. That tells the story.”

They also apply turkey manure valued at $40- to $50 to corn. Hog and turkey manure rates hinge on soil needs and manure content. Manure from hog-finishing units has a higher nutrient content than that from farrowing operations.

They follow up manure applications with preplant and sidedressed anhydrous ammonia applications. They normally sidedress anhydrous ammonia at the V4 to V5 growth stages.
There's a risk of corn growing too tall to be sidedressed if rainy weather prevents application. If required, the Linnewebers go all out to finish sidedressing corn.

“With the equipment we have today, we can run 8 mph and do 400 acres a day.” he says.

One 2012 leftover is unused nitrogen (N) that could be lost due to volatilization or leaching come spring. To prevent losses, the Linnewebers planted 300 acres of cover crops (a mix of oats and radishes) and 200 acres to winter wheat to scavenge some of the unused N.
3. Drain soggy fields

Linneweber eyes a field adjacent to the family's hog barns and bins. “Does that look like 50 miles of tile in that field?” he asks.

Sure enough, the field has that equivalent of tile in 40-foot pattern spacing. It was tiled in 1988, the last big drought year. Since then, tilling has morphed normally soggy soils into highly productive ones.

“That's the key to top yields,” says Linneweber. Since wet areas in the Linnewebers' field typically have the best soils, tile encourages timely planting and reduces compaction.

Pea gravel is another drainage tool they use. “When we see low spots where water is standing, we fill it with pea gravel,” he says. Water that passes through the finely grained gravel permits a well-drained seedbed into which to plant corn.

“If water stands in a low spot, it can really hurt yields,” he says.
4. Vary populations

The Linnewebers vary planting populations from 26,000 to 38,000 plants per acre with the John Deere GreenStar System. The system helps ensure higher populations on more-productive soils and lower ones on less-productive soils.

“The higher populations probably hurt last year, but we don't plan to change this year,” he says.

5. Minimize compaction

The Linnewebers start harvesting corn at 28% moisture. “We start earlier than most people,” he says. The longer harvest window enables them to use fewer trucks and less machinery. The expanded window also reduces the chance they'll have to harvest on wet, soggy soils.

“We stay off wet fields,” he says. “That is where compaction starts.” That also goes for manure hauling. They use a hose drag reel to avoid implement wheel compaction.
Gil Gullickson Gil Gullickson 01/11/2013 @ 2:20pm Crops Technology Editor for Successful Farming magazine/Agriculture.com

“Every soil type is susceptible to compaction,” says Tony Vyn, Purdue University agronomist. “You need to think about where wheel tracks go.”

6. Plant evenly

Planting at uniform depth and spacing helps get spring corn plants off to uniform emergence. A top-notch planter helps ensure this happens.

“We don't keep planters very long,” he says. “We can rebuild a planter, but when depth-control disks wear out, we'd just as soon trade. If we don't have the seed spaced right, we aren't going to get good yields.”

Balancing this is a 5-mph planting speed. “We won't get even emergence if we go much faster,” he says. “We eliminate skips, too.”

7. Use crop imaging

Through Beck's Hybrids, the Linnewebers take infrared crop imaging photos of their corn.

“This helps us see drainage and compaction patterns,” says Linneweber. “If they reveal we have a nitrogen fertility problem, we can come back and fix it with later applications of nitrogen.”

8. Control weeds

“We really work at controlling weeds,” he says. “Around here, marestail is starting to come up. We will take a knife to marestail in the fall to prevent it from going to seed.”

To curb marestail and other weeds, the Linnewebers use a preemergence herbicide of Balance Pro and atrazine. On heavier soils, they use Corvus and atrazine.

9. Use swath Control

The Linnewebers use swath control on their sprayer that automatically eliminates pesticide application overlap. This pays economic, agronomic, and environmental benefits.

“For the odd-size fields around here, it works pretty well,” he says. •

Did You Know?

Soil organic matter helps not only to maximize water use, but also to suppress soilborne crop diseases, weeds, and insect pests.

Soil fertility tips for a drought year

Dave Mengel, Kansas State University soil fertility expert, talks about some ways to minimize the effects of the ongoing drought on the management of soil nutrients in your fields.

by Jeffa_Caldwell, Community Manager

Today's farm machinery is big, fast and efficient. But, only when it's running. When it's not, though, that efficiency can become inefficiency.
That makes it important to match your machinery technology with your farm size and be ready to make changes on the fly, economists said during a session at the Successful Farming Center Stage at 2013 AG CONNECT Expo in Kansas City, Missouri, on Wednesday.
A good example, says Kansas State University Extension ag economist Kevin Dhuyvetter, is a new, high-tech combine. When it's running in the field, efficiencies are maximized. But, that's the case just a small fraction of the time.
"We spend a lot of time on the road, we take headers off and on, we have down time, we are waiting on trucks, we're unloading...those are all inefficiencies," Dhuyvetter says.
Altogether, those small inefficiencies add up to more cost to harvest a crop. But, what if you can trim some of those inefficiencies by using new technology and farm management strategies? Dhuyvetter says the right combination can make a considerable difference.
"What if I had a telematic system that lets machines talk to each other better? I might be able to unload on-the-go more often," he says. "It came about because I used my machinery efficiently but still used it to capacity.
"Some people will view technology to save time. That's fine. But, the next guy over will say 'I can farm more acres and lower my costs even more,'" Dhuyvetter adds.

Gil Gullickson, Technology Editor for Successful Farming magazine

Finding a diamond in the rough sums up 2012 for Wally Linneweber, who farms with his son, Kyle, and his brother, Joe, near Vincennes, Indiana. Although last year's drought-scorched corn yields across their farm averaged 104 bushels per acre (far below their normal 220-bushel yields), in the midst of this was a field that dazzled like a gleaming diamond. Yields tallied 260 bushels per acre. It was part of a Beck 300 Challenge, a program by Beck's Hybrids in which farmers use a number of strategies to crack the 300-bushel mark. Although this was tough to do in 2012, hitting the 260-bushel level came close.

Linneweber notes that this diamond of a field didn't need all that much polishing. “Good dirt” helped them hit the 260-bushel mark. High soil organic matter and the field's lower topography helped it retain water – a key attribute in a drought year.

“That field always has been more consistent in yields than other fields,” he says.

Granted, a year like 2012 will thwart the best of plans. “On sandier ground, we had corn yields that went down to 20 bushels per acre,” he says.

Still, the selective use of technology enables the Linnewebers to take advantage of soils rich in organic matter and to make the best out of less-productive soils year after year. It's helped them to place several times in the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) contest, including a 2007 win with a dryland yield of 292 bushels per acre. Here's a look at nine steps they take.

1. Pick the racehorses

“When we pick hybrids, we go for the racehorses,” says Linneweber. They feel these fast-growing hybrids have the top yield potential.

“Sometimes, it hurts us,” says Linneweber. “Greensnap can be a problem, but that's where crop insurance comes in.”

Most of the time, though, racehorse hybrids beat other hybrids hands down, he says.

They cautiously eye new hybrids that take the place of older ones. “Sometimes, they aren't the best,” he notes.

That's why they start out gradually with a new hybrid. “Overall, we like a new corn hybrid to prove itself before we plant it to more acres across the entire farm,” he says.

2. Inject manure

To a corn plant, hog manure mimics a spiral cut ham basted in a heavenly honey sauce. That's why the Linnewebers inject 4 million gallons from their hog operation annually on corn. Injections are split between spring and fall.

“It used to be a liability, but now manure is an asset,” says Linneweber. “We've noticed that most of the winners in the NCGA contest use some type of manure. That tells the story.”

They also apply turkey manure valued at $40- to $50 to corn. Hog and turkey manure rates hinge on soil needs and manure content. Manure from hog-finishing units has a higher nutrient content than that from farrowing operations.

They follow up manure applications with preplant and sidedressed anhydrous ammonia applications. They normally sidedress anhydrous ammonia at the V4 to V5 growth stages.

There's a risk of corn growing too tall to be sidedressed if rainy weather prevents application. If required, the Linnewebers go all out to finish sidedressing corn.

“With the equipment we have today, we can run 8 mph and do 400 acres a day.” he says.

One 2012 leftover is unused nitrogen (N) that could be lost due to volatilization or leaching come spring. To prevent losses, the Linnewebers planted 300 acres of cover crops (a mix of oats and radishes) and 200 acres to winter wheat to scavenge some of the unused N.

3. Drain soggy fields

Linneweber eyes a field adjacent to the family's hog barns and bins. “Does that look like 50 miles of tile in that field?” he asks.

Sure enough, the field has that equivalent of tile in 40-foot pattern spacings. It was tiled in 1988, the last big drought year. Since then, tillng has morphed normally soggy soils into highly productive ones.

“That's the key to top yields,” says Linneweber. Since wet areas in the Linnewebers' field typically have the best soils, tile encourages timely planting and reduces compaction.

Pea gravel is another drainage tool they use. “When we see low spots where water is standing, we fill it with pea gravel,” he says. Water that passes through the finely grained gravel permits a well-drained seedbed into which to plant corn.

“If water stands in a low spot, it can really hurt yields,” he says.

4. Vary populations

The Linnewebers vary planting populations from 26,000 to 38,000 plants per acre with the John Deere GreenStar System. The system helps ensure higher populations on more-productive soils and lower ones on less-productive soils.

“The higher populations probably hurt last year, but we don't plan to change this year,” he says.

5. Minimize compaction

The Linnewebers start harvesting corn at 28% moisture. “We start earlier than most people,” he says. The longer harvest window enables them to use fewer trucks and less machinery. The expanded window also reduces the chance they'll have to harvest on wet, soggy soils.

“We stay off wet fields,” he says. “That is where compaction starts.” That also goes for manure hauling. They use a hose drag reel to avoid implement wheel compaction.

“Every soil type is susceptible to compaction,” says Tony Vyn, Purdue University agronomist. “You need to think about where wheel tracks go.”

6. Plant evenly

Planting at uniform depth and spacing helps get spring corn plants off to uniform emergence. A top-notch planter helps ensure this happens.

“We don't keep planters very long,” he says. “We can rebuild a planter, but when depth-control disks wear out, we'd just as soon trade. If we don't have the seed spaced right, we aren't going to get good yields.”

Balancing this is a 5-mph planting speed. “We won't get even emergence if we go much faster,” he says. “We eliminate skips, too.”

7. Use crop imaging

Through Beck's Hybrids, the Linnewebers take infrared crop imaging photos of their corn.

“This helps us see drainage and compaction patterns,” says Linneweber. “If they reveal we have a nitrogen fertility problem, we can come back and fix it with later applications of nitrogen.”

8. Control weeds

“We really work at controlling weeds,” he says. “Around here, marestail is starting to come up. We will take a knife to marestail in the fall to prevent it from going to seed.”

To curb marestail and other weeds, the Linnewebers use a preemergence herbicide of Balance Pro and atrazine. On heavier soils, they use Corvus and atrazine.

9. Use swath Control

The Linnewebers use swath control on their sprayer that automatically eliminates pesticide application overlap. This pays economic, agronomic, and environmental benefits.

“For the odd-size fields around here, it works pretty well,” he says. •

Jodie Wehrspann Farm Industry News

Dustin Blunier, marketing communications manager for Precision Planting, heard one too many stories of farmers investing high hopes and a hundred thousand dollars in a new corn planter, only to find it performed worse than their old one.

"Guys would say, 'If there's one new thing I am going to buy for my operation when I'm farming, it's a planter,'" Blunier recounts. "So they go and spend anywhere from fifty- to a hundred-and-fifty-thousand dollars and find out later that their first-year stands are worse than the last two or three years when they were running a 20- or 25-year-old planter."

He says the most common reason for the lag in performance is that buyers fail to get the planter outfitted or configured in a way that fits their farming conditions, unlike their old planter that they had fine-tuned over the years.

"Buying a planter is a very important decision, and it takes some time," he says. "Really, it takes customization."
In an attempt to prevent one more case of buyer's remorse, the group at Precision Planting devised a purchase guide that outlines all the factors farmers need to consider before buying their next planter. Blunier says the buying process has gotten more complex over the years due to advances in equipment and an ever-increasing number of options designed to perfect the planting of corn. These include variable-rate seeding, swath control, bulk seed fill, automatic down-pressure control, narrow rows, twin rows, air-metering systems and planter monitors.
"You can't go to your implement dealer and say, 'Give me a corn planter' with the underlying assumption that there is one planter that works for everyone," he explains. "That just is not the scenario. You have to look at all the different options and how they are going to work on your operation."

Because Precision Planting deals only in planter attachments, the company strives to be brand neutral when it comes to the planter itself. Blunier says there are strengths and weaknesses to every planter out there, so the key to buying is to identify them and find the system that will best address your biggest needs.

"There's a lot of options to consider, and you need to take the approach of which ones fit my operation," he says. "Your dealership is going to have options. Your Precision Planting dealer is going to have options. And it is important that all those fit together so you can make the most of each one."

Here are the 10 factors Blunier says to consider.
1. Planter size
The first factor to consider when buying a planter is size. Blunier says most buyers are looking to upsize to cover additional acres within the same 10-day window typically available in the spring to plant corn. Sizes today range anywhere from 6 to 48 rows. "A good rule of thumb when sizing is to assume each row can cover 100 acres per season," Blunier says. "So a 12-row planter can cover 1,200 acres in the 10 days allotted for planting corn."

Blunier outlines two alternatives to upsizing. One is to increase planting speeds without compromising seed spacing accuracy by using a planter monitor to check for skips and doubles. The second is to invest in a bulk-seed-handling system in place of individual hopper boxes to cut time spent filling the planter with seed, leaving you more time to plant.

2. Row spacing
Currently the most common row spacing is 30 in. However, some growers have recently switched to narrow rows (15-, 20- or 22-in.-row spacing) or twin rows to accommodate the increasing plant populations of today's higher-yielding hybrids. Blunier's advice? "Look at your planting population over the last five years and project what populations will be in three years. If you predict that your average populations will increase to where plant spacing is within 4 in. of each other, which is 36,000 plants/acre in 30-in. rows, while you own the new planter, take a serious look at a row-spacing change."

3. Seed delivery
A third decision is whether to go with a bulk-fill system or individual hopper boxes to deliver seed. "Bulk-fill planters that distribute seed to row units decrease load time and the amount of seed handling, which saves time during planting," Blunier says. "However, if you need or want to split hybrids, plant plots or split the planter for refuge hybrids — or would have other reasons to segregate seed — a row unit with standard boxes may be a better option."

Also, examine how weight is distributed with each system. If most of the load is being passed to the ground through the center tires, soil compaction on middle rows can result. "We have seen 60-bu. decreases in yield checks between the center and wing sections of planters due to center-section compaction," he says. Look for planters that have a weight transfer system that can move weight from the center section to the wings or that use flotation tires.

4. Meter
Planter meters should be able to provide 98.5% seed singulation or better to ensure your crop is planted correctly. This is true whether you go with mechanical finger units or vacuum meters. Blunier says, to ensure the best level of performance, you should get your meters calibrated by a planting expert. Meter upgrades are available if needed.

5. Drive system and variable-rate population systems
There are two types of meter drive systems: hydraulic and ground. "Ground drive systems offer simplicity and reliability," Blunier says. "But they do not permit on-the-go changes to population to match yield zones or soil types. Hydraulic drive systems are more expensive and complex, but offer the advantages of variable-rate population control and a smoother drive system, which can improve meter performance."

If switching from ground drive to hydraulic, make sure your tractor has the hydraulic capacity required. Some planter manufacturers offer a PTO pump as an option.

6. Row shutoffs
One of the newer options for planters is swath control or row shutoff systems. These systems can reduce seed costs by preventing the planting of the same area twice. However, adding the required clutches and controls can be expensive. Blunier says to look for ways to capture most of the benefit with lower start-up costs. "For example, if you are using multiple hydraulic drives, you can opt for "half-width" disconnect that can cut overlaps in half or in thirds," he says. "If adding clutches, you can limit clutch costs by controlling two-, three- or four-row sections instead of every row."
7. Fertilizer application
Your planter evaluation also should include whether to apply starter or nitrogren with the planter. "If corn on corn is part of your cropping plan, or maybe down the road, odds are good that you could benefit from an at-planting nitrogen boost," Blunier says.
You should consider these components when choosing a fertilizer application system:
• Coulters or knives for starter and nitrogen placement.
• Tank size: Match fertilizer tank size to seed bin capacity to synchronize fills.
• Pump system: Be aware that ground drive planters that are also running a pump can transfer vibration to your meters.
• Other attachments: Row cleaners, downforce systems, parallel arms, and other modifications can limit the types of fertilizer systems available. Factor in these add-ons when choosing a fertilizer system.

8. Downforce
Downforce is needed to get the planter's double disc openers to the desired planter depth. Performance varies among the different downforce systems available, Blunier says. "For example, pneumatic systems provide responsive, consistent pressure and are easy to adjust," he says. "Spring systems can be less consistent in applying pressure. Some of the side spring options exert a more consistent force through a wider range of motion but may not apply enough force in certain field conditions."

Reduced inner diameter (RID) gauge wheel tires, designed to reduce sidewall compaction, can be effective on row units that have a seed boot or shoe to hold loose sidewall soil away from the seed. They also can work with standard double disc opener systems in damp soils but may lack the pressure?needed in dry soils to hold the sidewall for maximum yield.

9. Row cleaner
Almost all cropping systems will benefit from planter row cleaners to manage residue, Blunier says. Row cleaners should move trash and debris out of the row by lightly brushing the ground. "If set too high, debris remains in the row," he says. "Set too low, trenching occurs which can move soil affecting seed placement and lowering the effectiveness of any soil-applied herbicide."

Your row cleaner choice will affect your choice of fertilizer systems and downforce requirements. Blunier recommends using floating row cleaners as opposed to pinned or fixed ones because they provide consistent performance without affecting downforce requirements.

10. Closing system
Finally, consider all the factory and aftermarket options for closing systems. "A good closing system will collapse the sidewalls and cover the seed, leaving little to no evidence of the trench being created while not moving the seed," Blunier says. "Choose a system that is adaptable for different conditions throughout the season."
New planting equipment for 2011
Great Plains Manufacturing
• Row-Pro down-pressure control system
• Swath control system
• YP-30 and YP-40 Yield-Pro planters
• Semi-mounted fertilizer carts
• 4-, 6-, and 8-row Yield Pro planters
John Deere's SeedStar XP monitoring system
Kinze Manufacturing's 3600 Twin-Line planter with Air Seed Delivery (ASD)
Schaffert Manufacturing
• Zipper closing wheel
• IH fertilizer disc
Raven Industries' OmniRow planter control system
Precision Planting
• CleanSweep row cleaner adjustment
• WaveVision seed sensor
Ag Focus's Planter Pro planter attachment

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The winning tractor in the top 40 countdown to the most fuel-efficient tractors is the John Deere 8295R.

The John Deere 8295R PTO test at rated engine speed is 19.00, it boasts 251 hp and was tested in 2010.

How the 40 most fuel-efficient tractors are rated

Farm Industry News has compiled a list of the 40 most fuel-efficient tractors with help from the Nebraska Tractor Test Lab and its results of tractor tests from the last 10 years.
The fuel efficiency rankings were based on PTO test at rated engine speed.
Tier 4 interim-compliant engines use either Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) or Exhausted Gas Recirculation (EGR).

Ever since tractor makers announced how they will meet the EPA’s latest round of clean air standards, claims by the Big 3 — John Deere, CNH, and AGCO — have been flying about whose tractor will be best on fuel.

AGCO, Case IH, and New Holland have claimed Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) technology is the best way to meet the Tier 4i emissions standards without sacrificing fuel economy. Deere, on the other hand, claims Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) technology is the way to go.

“Welcome to my world,” says Roger Hoy, professor and director of the Nebraska Tractor Test Lab, the entity charged with testing performance claims of all tractors marketed in the U.S. Each month, Hoy fields dozens of phone calls from farmers wanting to know how a particular model performs on fuel.

He says confusion comes when companies use different test numbers to back their claims, preventing apples-to-apples comparisons. For example, technicians measure power and fuel use at both the PTO and drawbar and at varying rates of power and pull to replicate the full range of field conditions.

Tier 4i has only complicated the issue, Hoy says.
“A fly in the ointment is how to deal with diesel fuel expended for regenerations in an EGR system, which Deere would like to downplay, and how to deal with diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) consumed with SCR systems, which CNH and AGCO would like to downplay,” he says. See “Terms to know” below for explanations of the two systems.

Hoy helped Farm Industry News wade through these variables to come up with a Top 40 ranking on fuel. Rankings are based on the PTO test at rated engine speed, which Hoy says is a good indicator because it is one that is calculated for all tractors and it is always run at the maximum level. (However, he advises tractor buyers to consider the other test measures, too, because power and fuel use will vary depending on the intended application. See tractortestlab.unl.edu.)

The rankings include all models tested in the last 10 years, including several 2011 models equipped with Tier 4i engines.

"The actual fuel used per regeneration can vary. But we have never seen more than a quart used, and we have found the frequency of regenerations to be greater than 20 hours, not one per 10 as some competitors have assumed," Hoy says.

Ratings range from 19.00/hp-hr./gal. to 17.81. The higher the rating, the better the fuel efficiency. Assuming diesel fuel is priced at $4.00/gal., a difference of just one hp-hr./gal. point can translate into an annual cost savings of $1,300 for a 200-hp tractor used 500 hours a year, Hoy says.

With a Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) system, diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) is used to minimize nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions. The rate of NOx formation is proportional to combustion temperatures, and the rate of DEF injection is related to engine loading. Higher engine loadings will consume more DEF, whereas when the engine is unloaded, the DEF rate will be near zero.

In an Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) system, soot contained in the exhaust gas is captured in a diesel particulate filter, then burned off in a process called regeneration. The object of a regeneration is to heat the exhaust gas temperatures high enough to convert collected soot into ash and carbon dioxide. As engine speeds rise, there is more exhaust gas to heat and therefore more fuel required. As engine loading increases, exhaust gas temperatures from combustion are higher; because there is less of a temperature differential to overcome, less fuel is required. At times, normal exhaust gas temperatures are high enough to allow passive regeneration to occur.

Special note: Rankings include all high-hp row-crop tractors (150+ hp) tested by the Nebraska Tractor Test Lab in the last 10 years. Nearly 200 models have been tested during this timeframe, but only the top 40 made the cut for being the best models on fuel. Three of all models tested are equipped with new Tier 4i emissions-compliant engines: Case IH Magnum 340, which ranked 3rd; John Deere 8335R, which ranked 4th, and; the John Deere 8360R IVT, ranking 22nd on the list. More Tier 4i tractors will be tested in 2012, and we will rank them all again at that time.

Also note that rankings are based on the PTO test at rated engine speed, which lab director Roger Hoy says is a good indicator because it is one that is calculated for all tractors and it is always run at the maximum level. (However, he advises tractor buyers to consider the other test measures, too, because power and fuel use will vary depending on the intended application. See tractortestlab.unl.edu

Finding the machine that's right for you takes a little time but today's options are awesome.
When Charles W. Hart and Charles H. Parr first coined the term tractor in reference to one of their petroleum-powered pieces about a century ago, they described a machine capable of easing the physical burden on farms of all sizes. Although the steel-wheeled contraptions that Hart-Parr Manufacturing Co. first offered bear little resemblance to today’s sleek, smooth-running machines, their early success was sufficient to provide the foundation for one of the longest-running and most recognizable symbols of modern agriculture.

In the early years, tractors had engines, drive trains (complete with clutches, transmissions and rear axles), stationary power drive systems (belt-pulleys and power take-offs PTOs), and a drawbar for pulling. Step forward a few years to the arrival of specialized hitches for mounted implements and hydraulic systems to raise and lower them, offering even more versatility. Today’s tractors are as fully evolved as our computer-controlled cars and trucks. On the surface, they still have most of their predecessors’ principal components. But those components have changed dramatically, and in many cases include two or more variations.

When shopping for a new (or recent-used) tractor, buyers choose more than just engine size and hitch equipment. There are no fewer than four discrete types of transmissions, at least three styles of tires and two drive systems to decide on, in addition to drawbars, hydraulic outlets, operator amenities, ballast and more. Making informed choices when putting together a new tractor or carefully choosing a used model is key to having a fully functional, enjoyable and safe farm power experience.

Horsepower with Bite
Tractor marketing pitches universally point to engine power to lure prospective buyers, but that isn’t the most useful number when trying to understand a machine’s capabilities. No one would ask a 25-horsepower lawn tractor weighing 750 pounds to do the same kind of work expected from a 4,000-pound, 25-horsepower farm tractor. A better measure of a tractor’s capabilities comes from drawbar and PTO ratings, which will be much higher for the farm tractor than the lawn tractor.
Although the value is different for each machine, most tractors offer between 75 and 85 percent of their engine’s power at the PTO, which is then available to run powered implements such as balers or mowers. The tractor’s drawbar horsepower, on the other hand, cannot be accurately estimated from engine power because it depends on the tractor’s weight, tires and traction characteristics. In the same operating conditions, the heavier of two otherwise identical tractors will have more pulling power, but tire patterns will also make a difference.

For most tractors, drive wheels equipped with bar-lug agricultural (R-1) tires will offer the best traction in the field, although industrial (R-4) tires also work well and make a good choice for tractors that spend significant time under a loader or on the road. Turf-type (R-3) tires have the least aggressive lugs and offer the least traction overall, but they don’t mangle nicely manicured lawns. In any case, if you are short on traction, the tires can be loaded with fluid for added weight, wrapped with chains – or both – to beef up their bite.

Dealing with Diesels
Most new tractors today are powered with fuel-efficient, diesel engines that meet or exceed current emission standards. These modern mills are easy to start and simple to maintain, and they have life expectancies of many thousands of hours.
Operating a diesel engine is not terribly different from the more familiar gasoline engine, but you need to be aware of seasonal fuel variations, cold weather starting procedures and other diesel system quirks to get the most from your tractor.

Unlike gasoline-fueled engines, diesels rely on cylinder pressure to ignite a precise injection of atomized fuel. Due to the high cylinder pressures, cranking a diesel to life requires a high-amperage battery and powerful electric starter, but in some weather that’s still not enough. Cold diesel engines can’t always generate the heat required for ignition, so they are equipped with battery-powered starting aids such as glow plugs or intake air heaters. Once they are sufficiently warmed, they run on their own.
Diesel fuel is made with hydrocarbon molecules that are on average much longer than those found in gasoline. As a consequence, diesel packs more calories into a gallon than gasoline, but diesel also has a higher melting point, which can cause gelling in single-digit temperatures (depending on the precise formulation). Gelled fuel clogs delivery lines and filters and prevents a diesel engine from running. In cold climates, suppliers offer winterized diesel blends that stay liquid to temperatures below minus-20 degrees. As long as the glow plugs, batteries and fuel system are in good shape and there is a winter blend in the tank, engine starts in cold climates need not be a problem.

Diesel is also a favored food of some fungi and bacteria, and they can set up housekeeping, causing problems with fuel-system clogging and acidification, which leads to serious corrosion in aluminum tanks. Operators who regularly change the fuel system’s filters and who use fresh diesel rarely have a problem, although many also use additives to keep the microbial morass to a minimum.

To Clutch or Not to Clutch
It used to be that power from a tractor’s engine was transmitted through a clutch to a simple sliding-gear primary transmission before heading to the drive wheels. Those somewhat cumbersome gearboxes required clutching and stopping the tractor before shifting.

Today, that same type of primary transmission is used in some economy tractor lines, but synchronized (called synchromesh in some references) transmissions, which employ special internal clutches to match gear speeds during a shift, are more likely. When the gears are synchronized, gear changes while the tractor is moving (after depressing the clutch pedal) are easily accomplished without grinding.

Some manufacturers have taken this design one step further and offer so-called clutch-free shifting. For example, with Kubota’s Glide Shift Transmission (GST), moving the gear lever from its locked position automatically disengages the clutch, using hydraulics. With the shift completed, the clutch automatically reengages. This system is useful for shifting on the fly with rolling loads, but with ground-engaging loads, gear changes require a powershift transmission, which is typically found only in larger, more powerful farm tractors. Small tractor owners do have an option when speed changes under load are required.
The hydrostatic primary transmission (standard equipment on John Deere’s model 2520 compact) offers continuously variable speed changes while the tractor is under any rated load. This gearless design features an engine-driven variable-displacement hydraulic pump that supplies high-pressure oil to a hydraulic motor causing it to spin. To make the tractor go faster, the operator simply pushes a pedal (or pulls a lever) to increase the pump’s displacement, which causes the hydraulic motor to spin faster without affecting the engine speed. Reducing the pump’s displacement to nothing brings the hydraulic motor, and thus the tractor, to an abrupt halt. The most user-friendly hydro control system employs a single pivoting foot pedal. Rock the pedal slightly forward or backward and the tractor creeps in the indicated direction. More rocking and the tractor’s speed increases. Return the pedal to the neutral position and the tractor stops.

Range Transmission Roundup
Matching ground speed to optimal engine speed is critical for efficient tractor operation and more transmission speeds are always an advantage. One of the easiest ways to multiply the number of drive gears is to place a range transmission in series with the primary transmission. Range transmissions minimally offer high and low settings, although three or four ranges are not uncommon; some also handle reverse. A tractor like Montana’s model 3040 with a four-speed primary and a three-speed range transmission has 12 total forward speeds. If reverse is located in the primary, then four reverse speeds are available; if it is only in the range transmission there will be three reverse speeds. With Montana’s 3040, reverse is handled separately, and the tractor has 12 reverse gears, too.

Tractors with hydrostatic primary transmissions also benefit from an added range transmission and several manufacturers offer the combination. For example, Kubota’s hydrostatic L-3130 HST is equipped with a three-speed, non-synchronized, sliding gear, range transmission that gives the machine infinite adjustment up to three different top speeds in both forward and reverse. Low range and the hydro are perfect for excavating with a front-end loader while the added speed of high range is good for running on the road.

Loader-Friendly Transmissions
Any tractor equipped with a front-end loader will save its operator hours of backbreaking labor and, in many cases, facilitate chores that couldn’t be accomplished any other way. Loader work invariably involves high frequency directional changes and, most of the time, a lower gear is needed in forward than what is needed in reverse. All primary/range transmission combinations will work for operating a loader, but some are much better suited.

The hydrostatic primary transmission is arguably the most loader friendly, especially when direction and speed are controlled with a single foot pedal since that leaves the left hand for steering and the right for loader control. Don’t rule out the less expensive gear-driven transmissions though. Many gear transmissions can be ordered with a reversing attachment called a shuttle that allows direction changes independent of primary and range transmission settings.
With a shuttle transmission (like that found on Farmtrac’s model 300DTC), an operator need only clutch and move a lever forward or backward to select forward or reverse gears. Some range transmissions also allow convenient straight-line shifting between one range setting and reverse in shuttle-like fashion (a few manufacturers call it a shuttle). Most small farm owners don’t use more than a single range with shuttle transmissions anyway so this might be a more economical compromise.

Hitching Up
Although there were several proprietary tractor hitches available into the 1960s, Harry Ferguson’s three-point leveling hitch (as modified by Ford) was far and away the most popular and provided the basis for the American Society of Agricultural Engineers (ASAE) standards for tractor hitches. The three-point hitch consists of a pair of lower links (hydraulically controlled with lift arms) and a single top link that attach to the implement with different sized pins, depending on the hitch’s classification.

Category 1 three-point hitches are typical for tractors between 20 and 45 horsepower while Category 2 hitches are installed on tractors up to about 95 horsepower. Tractors in the 50 to 60 horsepower range are often found with hybrid hitches that can accept both Category 1 and Category 2 implements. Purchase a tractor with a Category 1 hitch, and any Category 1 implement will fit. However, check your tractor’s specification list to ensure that the lift can handle the implement’s weight.

Hydraulic Power
Most modern tractors are equipped with a continuously running hydraulic system that handles the tractor’s power steering, three-point hitch and remote (loader, log splitter, auxiliary cylinder) requirements. The system consists of a pump, oil reservoir (usually the transmission housing), steering valve and cylinder, three-point hitch valve(s) and cylinder(s), and expandability to add one to several auxiliary remote valves to operate other equipment. Hydraulic capacity is measured in gallons per minute and that flow is delivered under considerable pressure. With sufficient capacity, a tractor’s hydraulic system can be used to spin remote hydraulic motors in addition to powering cylinders.
Tractor hydraulic systems don’t experience demand for their full capacity much of the time, but if you plan to mount a loader on the tractor or any rear implements with heavy hydraulic needs such as a hydraulically powered mower or back hoe, you will want be sure that you have enough capacity to supply the highest-demand implement at the very least. It’s not necessary to add their requirements together since you won’t use the loader while mowing, or the backhoe while loading. However, you will need to work the three-point hitch’s lift while operating the hydraulically powered mower, which might cause one or the other to be slow with insufficient capacity.

Experience Power Take-Off
To get the most out of your farm tractor, it will need at the very least a live rear power take-off (PTO), which can be used to power mounted or trailing mowers, rotary tillers, wood chippers, hay tedders, balers, auxiliary hydraulic systems, you name it. Thanks again to ASAE engineers, these power points have strict dimension, speed and directional specifications. Most small farm tractors have a 540-RPM rear PTO (6 splines, 13/8-inch diameter), although higher-powered tractors usually have a 1,000-RPM (20 splines 1¾-inch diameter) unit in addition. Some compact tractors also have a 1,000- or 2,000-RPM mid-mounted PTO (dimensions are brand-specific) specifically designed to run large lawn-mowing decks.
Like the PTOs that drive them, implements are designed specifically for safe operation at either 540 or 1,000 RPM (some mid-mount mowers operate at 2,000 RPM) and come equipped with PTO shafts sized and splined to fit the correct PTO. PTO-driven implements also have a maximum PTO horsepower rating, which lets you know how much power they can take without damage. A shredder mower with a 35-horsepower gearbox will be damaged in heavy conditions if it is powered with a 50 PTO horsepower tractor. Running the shredder with a 30 PTO horsepower tractor ensures that it will never be overloaded.

I posted this article several months ago and got alot of response so as harvest time approaches I have decided to post it again.

Farm Industry News asked Nebraska Tractor Test Lab Director Roger Hoy and Assistant Director Dave Morgan what factors to use to compare the fuel efficiency of different tractors. You can use these parameters to determine how your models rank.

1. Go to http://tractortestlab.unl.edu. Click on “Test Reports.” The Web site shows all makes and models tested at the lab since 1999. (Hard-copy reports for tractors tested before 1999 are available for purchase. Contact Nebraska Tractor Test Laboratory, Box 830832, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68583-0832, 402/472-2442, tractortestlab@unl.edu.)

2. Click on make and model of tractor. This will bring up the corresponding test report.

3. Check “Chassis: Type” to determine tractor category (2-wd, front wheel assist, 4-wd, or track). This information is included in the narrative text next to the charts on the site. We ranked tractors in two categories: row-crop tractors (2-wd/front wheel assist) and high-horsepower 4-wd/track tractors.

4. Check horsepower to determine size category. We used PTO horsepower (at rated engine speed) to determine if the tractor belonged to the category of row crop (150 to 200 hp) or high-horsepower 4-wd/track (300+ hp). (See lab chart called “Power Takeoff Performance.”) This is the number used by all manufacturers to verify a claim.

5. Find the rating of horsepower-hours per gallon. The fuel consumption measurement, horsepower-hours per gallon (hp-hr./gal.), has become the standard used for comparing the efficiency of all agricultural tractor models. Measured directly, it means that burning one gallon of fuel in the tractor at full load and at rated engine speed produces a certain amount of horsepower for an hour. The higher the number, the greater the fuel efficiency; that is, more work is being done with a given amount of fuel.

We looked at that rating in two performance tests: power takeoff and drawbar performance. We used results from the “PTO Performance Chart” to establish the fuel-efficiency rankings. The lab says the PTO rating is a good indicator because it is one that is calculated for all tractors and it is always run at the maximum level. However, results from the drawbar performance test are also included, and depending on how you plan to use the tractor, it may be a better indicator of fuel efficiency for some tractors — for example, the very-high-horsepower tractors used primarily for their brute pulling power of, say, deep tillage implements. On the other hand, if the tractor is used primarily for PTO work, then the PTO rating will be your best indicator because it will not be likely to change or won't be as much affected by the size or weight of the implement the tractor is pulling. If you use the tractor for both PTO and tillage work, then consider both ratings in your decision.

PTO performance is measured at several different power levels and speeds, but for comparison purposes, the factor most farmers are interested in is maximum power at rated engine speed. This is the highest power level that the tractor can sustain over a long term and is measured in horsepower. Newer tractors usually have an operating range that includes maximum power at a speed lower than rated. Also, with modern high torque/constant power engines, the power at rated PTO speed is usually similar to the power at the rated engine speed.

Like PTO performance, drawbar performance is measured at different rates of pull and in different gears. Power measured at 75% of pull at maximum power is a reasonable reflection of performance during typical heavy fieldwork. At 75% of pull at maximum power, you will still have some reserve for heavy spots in the field. We list the horsepower-hours per gallon in “third gear” (to show maximum drawbar pull) and “eighth gear” (to show maximum power).

Drawbar tests are conducted on concrete or asphalt test tracks, which allow for consistency in comparison. As a result, the numbers in the test reports are not exactly the numbers you might get in field conditions.
The drawbar ratings listed are for “ballasted” runs. If a ballasted test was not run, then results from the unballasted test (at 1,800 rpm or the lowest engine speed) were used.

In cases where ratings are identical (for example, Case IH and New Holland 4-wd tractors), only one of the tractors was tested and the results serve for both because there was no performance difference between the two.

Jeff Caldwell
Multimedia Editor for Agriculture.com and Successful Farming magazine.

Even though most of today's new machinery comes equipped with in-cab monitors, handheld GPS units can be a big help with jobs other than mapping fields, making it easier to justify the cost of having GPS in your shirt pocket, whether you're in the field or not.

Agriculture.com Machinery Talk senior contributor Nebrfarmr has had a handheld GPS device for a couple of years. Before he started using his Garmin eTrex Legend, he says he wouldn't have believed such a device's accuracy would warrant owning one. But now, he says it's accurate enough to pinpoint specific places in a field he wants to remember and come back to, for whatever reason.

"If you want it to 'remember' any point in the field, you press and hold the 'waypoint' button for about 1 second. You can do this while driving, if you want, and when you get to the end of the field, you can label the point 'hole' or 'cockleburr' or whatever you want to," Nebrfarmr says. "This takes maybe 15 seconds to a minute."

While units like Garmin's can allow you to "know enough to be dangerous," there are a few things you should do to make sure the signal is accurate and will yield the best results, whether you're plotting a trouble spot in the field or simply remembering where you parked at a farm show. Even though a good handheld GPS unit today is immensely more accurate than older models, it's important to allow the unit to establish a solid satellite connection.

"Before marking waypoints or laying tracks, give your receiver time (usually just a minute or two) to 'settle down' and make full contact with the available satellites," says Virginia Tech University Extension geospatial specialist John McGee.

Once your GPS handheld is fired up and locked on, how else can you use it on the farm? Nebrfarmr says, in addition to helping locate and remember trouble spots in his crop fields, he uses his to help more accurately spray from his ATV.

"My sprayer covers 15 feet each side of center, and once I figure out exactly where to set the zoom and how far from my last line to go, it is accurate enough to use as a spraying monitor for weed patches in the pasture," he says. "I can even go home, shut the unit off, refill and eat lunch, drive back to the pasture, turn the unit on and literally start where I left off."
It comes in handy, too, when he's not the one doing the work, too, especially when it's tough to verbalize exactly where a certain field is located to a hired hand.

"You can save any trip you take, and bring your route up on the map, again zoomable in and out, and accurate to within 6 feet," Nebrfarmr says. "Gives a hired man or a chemical applicator a foolproof way to find that field of yours that you can't quite give good enough directions to."
One thing to keep in mind when using a handheld GPS unit in the field is durability. Units like Nebrfarmr's Garmin are fairly durable, but they are still filled with sensitive computer hardware. So, though they work well on a farm, it's important to take a few steps to ensure your GPS handheld holds up.

"Legend GPS receivers are fairly rugged. However, these receivers are small computers, and they should, therefore, be treated with care. For example, never store the GPS receiver in direct sunlight or in hot areas (such as car trunks). When you are not using your GPS receiver for long periods of time (over 2 months), you should remove the batteries," McGee says. "The Legend GPS is fully waterproof and dust proof, however, it does not float! You should clean the outside of your GPS receiver by simply running cool water over it, or by wiping it off with a moist rag."