Every farmer’s dream is to achieve larger yields with lower input costs and less effort. Rovic shares this dream, which is why they continually add new and better tools to their range, making farmers’ work easier and more profitable.

Mike Lombaard of Rovic discusses the Kuhn Optimer LX 9000 stubble cultivator.

The latest addition, the Kuhn XL Optimer 9000 residue cultivator, was introduced to farmers at the Val Farmers Day.

The Optimer is available in two models in South Africa and Africa: one with a six-metre working width and another with an impressive nine-metre capacity.

Performance

The Optimer 9000 can be equipped with one of five types of rollers. Here are the double-U rollers suitable for a wide range of soil conditions.

The Optimer XL 9000 at Val Farmers Day features 620 mm discs ensuring a deep cutting action. It also provides a ground clearance of 960 mm, eliminating the possibility of blockages.

“So, you can comfortably cut long stubble and have good material flow,” says Mike Lombaard from Rovic.

In the transport position, the discs of the Optimer 9000 retract so that the farmer can easily move over contours. A swivel wheel on the side of the implement lifts if there is an obstruction.

Farmers can order the implement with one of five types of rollers. The Optimer at Val Farmers Day had the double-U rollers, which are suitable for a wide range of soil conditions.

The middle section of the stubble cultivators is heavy to ensure thorough work. The transport belts are not used in the field; they are only used in the transport position, but they provide balanced weight to the implement.

Hydraulics

The Optimer 9000’s hydraulic pipes are colour-coded for convenience.

The Optimer 9000’s hydraulic pipes have colour indicators on both the pipe couplings and the tractor.

According to Mike, this helps farmers quickly identify which pipe performs which function, allowing them to connect the implement to the tractor without hassle or guesswork.

“The Optimer 9000 features convenient holders for the hydraulic pipes, which are adjustable to fit different tractors,” explains Mike.

The drawbar has multiple ball sizes to match the farmer’s tractor, with hole sizes of 42, 52, and 71 mm, and is equipped with a hydraulic jack.

“This makes it easy to hitch and unhitch the implement when working alone, and the jack is controlled by the tractor’s hydraulic system,” says Mike.

The implement also includes placeholders that can be inserted or removed, ensuring the drawbar remains horizontal on different tractors.

Easy adjustments

One of the attractions of the Optimer is that it is easy to make adjustments to the implement to work deeper or shallower.

Khun makes it easy for the farmer to set up the implement by using a sticker with instructions on the front cylinder. It indicates the depth you want to work at with a corresponding number that explains how far the arm on the cylinder should move.

The Kuhn Optimer XL 9000 stubble cultivator introduced by Rovic at Val Farmers Day.

The same adjustment, which also has a similar sticker, must be made on the front carry wheel. A sensor on the draw wheel detects the adjustment and shuts off the hydraulic flow to the rollers so that the machine can lower and lift evenly to the depth you want to work.

The hydraulic pressure exerted on the wings is there to keep the implement in the ground and to ensure that the entire width of the machine cuts to an even depth. The pressure is adjustable for the type of soil conditions you are working in.

The Kuhn Optimer XL 9000 certainly caught farmers’ attention during the demonstrations at Val Farmers Day and clearly showed why Rovic’s people are so excited about the implement.

Rovic’s Kuhn Optimer XL 9000 in action during the demonstrations at Val Farmers Day.

For inquiries, please visit Rovic’s website at www.rovic.com.