A FAMILY of Victorian-based farmers and contractors are Australia’s first owners of a German-built advanced technology 'push-me/pull-you' tractor.
As well as operating a large-scale contracting business with brothers Rob and John, Richard Russell and his wife, Tania, also grow a range of winter cereal and pulse crops on a 160ha property at St Germains, near Echuca.
The Xerion 3800 VC tractor – made by the Claas company - comes equipped with a unique rotating cab and front and rear linkages, augmented by a 380hp engine and 4WD.
Allowing the cab to rotate through 180 degrees permits the driver to switch from a conventional forward-facing mode to look rearward, over the tractor's main three point linkage, to deliver the high output mowing, spraying, mulching, spreading, even silage pit rolling duties, expected of a self-propelled machine.
The new Xerion unit is bristling with technology, including a constantly variable transmission, six different steering modes, GPS guidance and intelligent control systems.
The crab steering is "absolutely brilliant" for silage rolling, according to Richard Russell who specialises in silage clamp work.
"It effectively makes a three metre wide roll into a four metre roll, so you can do 33 per cent more work in the same period of time," he said.
As well, he makes the point that being able to the turn the cab around improves visibility while the rear-mounted engine ensures the radiator does not clog up.
'Grunt' for the Xerion comes in the shape of a six-cylinder, 8.8L Caterpillar Tier 3 engine that produces 330 horsepower.
It's needed to keep pace with Rob Russell's Claas Jaguar 960 forage harvester which forms the centrepiece of the harvesting side of the business.
Richard says he waited an "agonising" four years for the flagship Xerion tractor to be released on the Australian market, lobbying importer Landpower to import one on his return.
His patience was rewarded in September last year when the first Xerion was landed in Australia, principally as part of an exhaustive six-month Australian evaluation program in NSW and Victoria to ensure its suitability to Australian conditions.
"I got to drive it for a couple of days as part of a triple mower set-up when it was at Echuca," Richard said.
"I'm really passionate about this machine - so it really hurt when I had to put it back on the truck and send it up to the cotton country in northern NSW."
Richard finally got 'his' Xerion back with 570 hours on the clock after he negotiated "a good deal" with Landpower.
Richard believes the new machine will increase his productivity significantly with both his brothers, including John, who specialises in seeding operations, always on the look out for ways to boost work rates.
"All machinery is expensive but unlike an ordinary tractor, I am going to be able to use my Xerion for a variety of jobs throughout the whole year," he said.
Richard intends to use Xerion primarily for rolling pasture silage in spring and maize silage in autumn, as well as his own winter cropping programme.
He’ll also use it to tow his Claas Quadrant 2200 fine-cut square baler during harvest and maybe even a bit of contract cultivation and seeding, too.
As well, he believes he now has a great opportunity to get into manure spreading and injection.
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