Last month, Amazone launched a new plough at its training, education and research centre at Auckley, Yorks. CPM went to see the new range in action.
It’s aimed to fit into the competitive and price-sensitive end of the plough market.
By Jane Brooks
Built and designed from scratch, Amazone originally launched the Cayron series of ploughs in 2013. Since then, last year’s purchase of the Vogel and Noot plough factory in Hungary has given the company access to a wider model range.
That’s now resulted in the launch of the new five-model, mounted, reversible three to six-furrow Cayros range. It’s aimed to fit into the competitive and price-sensitive end of the plough market, being lighter and less expensive than the Cayron range.
Amazone’s Simon Brown points out that the Vogel and Noot acquisition won’t lead to the replacement of the Cayron range but will lead to a joint family of ploughs, with shared plough development taking place.
There are plans for semi mounted and trailed additions to the Amazone family of ploughs and this year’s Agritechnica stand will be extended by 100m² so the company can show the full plough range. Simon Brown also confirms Amazone’s commitment to continuing to provide parts support to customers who are still using Vogel and Noot ploughs.
Looking at the Cayros series of ploughs, the entry-level models are the 3f and 4f M series for tractors from 60hp up to 120hp. Beam clearance is 78cm with interbody clearances of 95cm and 102cm respectively. The XM series are four-furrow models, with a beam height up to 82cm and body-to-body clearance of up to 105cm. The XMS suits tractors up to 200hp and the XS up to 260hp. Model from the XMS upwards have more heavy-duty headstocks to allow for the additional pressures the increases in horsepower put on them.
The top of the range XS Pro is the one Simon Brown believes will suit the bigger arable farmer going back into ploughing as part of the fight against blackgrass, particularly with its higher beam clearance, which should cope with trash. It’s available in three body types with 4f, 5f and 6f options. Interbody clearance is up to 115cm and beam clearance is up to 90cm. It has a beefed-up beam of 200x150x10mm and a 120mm turnover shaft and a headstock to cope with up to 380hp.
Optional extras across the Cayros range include stone protection which is either mechanical or provided by one of two options – a fully automatic hydraulic stone system or a semi-automatic coil spring system. Shear-bolt protection is standard.
There’s also a choice of eight different mouldboard profiles one of which is slatted. Furrow width can be adjusted mechanically to four pre-set widths, whereas the hydraulic version sets within the range of 32-52cm.
Amazone says the company’s in-house C-plus heat treatment and unique hardening process, whereby carbon is introduced to the front face of metal but the rear is left relatively soft and shock resistant, extends the service life of wearing parts. It also produces a smoother finish making the plough easier to pull through ground reducing power demand as well as fuel consumption.
Optional extras include a range of depth, or combined depth and transport wheels, including a mid-mounted depth wheel, which was introduced at this year’s SIMA. There are also subsoiler points and press arms. Additionally, multiple skimmer and disc-coulter options are also available and there’s a removable light board.
