The new 4-metre grain only version of the Great Plains Centurion cultivator drill was on display for the first time at SIMA 2015.
The new drill – the CDA400, which also boasts a new-look 3000-litre hopper design – is added to a growing Centurion range which includes the existing 6-metre CDA600 model and will be further strengthened by a 3-metre version of the drill to be launched in the summer. Grain and fertiliser variants for the UK and Western European markets will be developed later this year in 6-metre, 4-metre and 3-metre widths.
The CDA400 features two rows of 460mm cultivation discs running ahead of a tyre packer that offers highly consistent consolidation in front of Great Plains’ well proven 00 Series openers, with the option of either 125mm or 167mm row spacings. Control is via a Mueller ISOBUS-ready system.
Hydraulic down pressure ensures the coulters operate at consistent depth in all soil types, while accurate seed delivery is ensured by a pneumatic delivery system.
The new drill folds to 3m for transport, with the transport weight being carried on the packer, which is fitted with 420/55 17 tyres. A full European lighting kit is fitted.
Hopper weigh cells can be fitted as an option. Working via the hydraulic control system, these ensure the hopper’s weight is evenly distributed right across the drill’s width no matter how much grain it contains.
Other options include press wheel scrapers and harrows, bout markers, pre-emergence markers, tramline and seed blockage monitors and air or hydraulic brakes. Also available are new Turbo-Disc cultivation discs for minimal disturbance.
The CDA400 was one of eight machines under the spotlight on Great Plains’ 700 square metre stand including the new Yield-Pro 6-row YPE-625A planter, the Yield-Pro 16-row YP-1625AHD planter with on-board fertiliser, the trailed X-Press, the mounted X-Press fitted with SoilRazor discs and ST Bar, the SL400 and the no-till 3P1006NT drill. The current Centurion CDA600 grain and fertiliser drill was also on display.
The CDA400 will be commercially available in limited numbers from July of this year. Prices will be announced in June at the Cereals event in the UK.
