Farmers fitting Michelin Ultraflex Technology tyres to their agricultural machinery can benefit from a 4% increased yield, a study has found.
The research led by Harper Adams University set out to measure the effects of Michelin Ultraflex Technology tyres on annual yields, specifically looking at productivity, environmentally-friendly agriculture and soil protection. The studies made it possible to quantify the yield gains and established that based on a wheat harvest a 4% gain can be achieved, solely through the use of Michelin Ultraflex Technology tyres*.
On a global scale, if all agricultural vehicles in the main wheat-growing areas of the World – including the 27 members of the European Union, the United States, South America and China – used Ultraflex Technology tyres, 23 million additional tonnes of wheat would be produced each year.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 23 million tonnes is the quantity of wheat that is needed to feed the entire population of the United States – 319 million people** – for a whole year. 23 million tonnes of wheat is also equivalent to Germany’s annual wheat production.
Michelin’s Ultraflex Technology allows farmers to run their agricultural machinery at lower than standard tyre pressures, protecting the health of the soil by reducing the incidence of rut formation and ground compaction. As a result, air and water can penetrate the earth more freely, leading to improved soil conditions for maximum crop response.
Mike Lawton, Commercial Director of Michelin’s agricultural tyre division, explains: “With a larger footprint than conventional technology tyres, Ultraflex Technology spreads the weight of the machine over a larger ground area. Increasing contact with the ground improves traction and decreases wheel slippage, which in turn allows farmers to spend less time in the field; improving productivity and saving fuel. We manufacture Ultraflex Technology tyres with reinforced sidewalls and special rubber compounds to keep the tyres strong, even at low pressures.”
Designed to cover the entire crop growing cycle, the full line-up of Ultraflex Technology tyres available in the UK and Ireland includes AxioBib, XeoBib and YieldBib tyres for tractors, CereXBib tyres for combines and forage harvesters, plus SprayBib fitments for high-clearance sprayers. In 2014 Michelin expanded its range with the launch of the CargoXBib High Flotation tyre for trailers, marking the first trailer tyre to incorporate Ultraflex Technology.
*Source: Harper Adams University study, 2013
**Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture
