All-round benefits

Approaching soil as a living organism is one of the basic principles of Horsch’s philosophy. Thus, the company designs machines that save farmers’ time, conserve soil and help maximise yields.

The Horsch Tiger MT cultivator with the 2,800-litre FertiProf unit - a newcomer in the Russian market - arrived at Khabibullin’s farm (Penza oblast) for a demo show. The machine with the heavy DiscSystem and TerraGrip tines performed in the field test brilliantly and, ultimately, found its home on the farm.

‘This year, the Horsch Tiger 4 MT with the mounted FertiProf unit has debuted in the Russian fields’, says Ali Umarov, Manager of AgroCentreZakharovo Penza branch. ‘It has immediately proved to be a top-of-the-range solution for soil cultivation. The Tiger 4 MT with a 4-metre working width suits any soil types in any climatic conditions. The unit is perfect for cultivating after maize, sunflower, rapeseed, soybeans and cereals.’

The 2-row DiscSystem with a disc diameter of 68 cm working 20 cm deep breaks up heavy or derelict soils and ensures reliable cutting and incorporation of long-fibre harvest residue while the 2 rows of TerraGrip tines with MulchMix points loosen soil up to 35 cm deep.

‘We have offered Khabibullin’s farm, our long-standing partner, a unique combination of a Horsch Tiger 4 MT and a new FertiProf fertiliser attachment with a hopper capacity of 2,800 for efficient application’, continues Ali Umarov. ‘Targeted fertiliser placement during tillage is getting increasingly popular as two operations can be done in one pass.’

The owner of the farm, Rashid Khabibullin, has a PhD degree in Engineering and knows the ropes when it comes to the characteristics and capabilities that make farm machines highly efficient.

‘All round, the Horsch Tiger 4MT is full of benefits’, states Rashid Khabibullin. ‘It was in Horsch’s fields in Germany that I saw it for the first time. It grabbed my attention instantly. I had had my eye on it until finally it became available in Russia. I was happy to agree when AgroCentre suggested test driving it in my fields. I did some research on the machine and compared it with equivalent models of competitors based on technical parameters before the demo show. Even before the trial, I knew that the cultivator would come to stay.’

During the field test, the unit cultivated cereal, sunflower and soybean stubble at a depth of up to 27 cm and applied diammophos at a rate of 300 kg/ha 10 cm and 27 cm deep in one pass.

‘Fertiliser placement at a set depth for improved efficiency is a killer function’, points out the farm owner. ‘Besides, in the hopper system, the air flows through the hydraulic fan so the lines are always dry. Another advantage is the electric metering unit, which allows variable rate application. The machine features a 4-bar frame with a height of 85 cm for maximum clearance. With the new swivel chassis, the Tiger now can be equipped with a fully-fledged double packer. It is ideal for heavy soils that require a special crushing of the clods. The machine turns on the packer, thus conserving the soil without overloading the frame.’

‘After cultivation and fertiliser application with the Horsch Tiger 4MT and a mounted FertiProf unit, our fields are prepared for the spring sowing’, says Rashid Khabibullin. ‘The machine is now in our fleet and has already worked almost 500 ha of farmland laying a good foundation for the future yield. So, we can enjoy our peace of mind throughout the winter. With such good machinery and such a trustworthy dealer as AgroCentreZakharavo, we can handle anything.’