Horsch has developed two new 18-metre machines as farmers and contractors look to increase output and make better use of increasingly narrow cultivation and drilling windows.
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With an 18m version of the Avatar direct drill is already available, Horsch as added 18m versions of its Joker cultivator and Serto seed drill. The company says the wider machines will allow operators to cover more ground without necessarily requiring a major increase in tractor horsepower.
The manufacturer says the move towards wider machines is being driven partly by changing weather patterns, which are creating shorter periods in which fieldwork can be carried out.
A three-metre road transport width is offered with Horsch saying that functions from the 2024 introduced 12m Joker including its folding mechanism and twin-axle design that keeps transport height to 4m, are applied on the new 18m models.
The Joker RT is designed for stubble cultivation, residue incorporation and seedbed preparation. It claims to handle large quantities of straw, organic fertiliser and catch crops which can make it suited to post-harvest cultivation tasks, while its design aims to produce a fine soil for germination.
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The Serto SC is a compact seed drill currently available from 10m to 13.5m. Its separate seedbed preparation and drilling operations are designed to reduce horsepower requirements and extend the workable drilling window in difficult conditions.
The company says transport dimensions and ease of handling will remain important considerations as it develops the wider Joker and Serto machines, with the aim of combining higher field output with practical road transport.
