The DLG-Feldtage 2016 will again offer live machinery demonstrations on all three days of the exhibition, and new this year will be individual demonstrations performed by exhibitors on three key topics.

In addition to the comparative live machinery demonstrations on the key topics of mineral fertilizer spreaders and sensor technology for precision farming, exhibitors will also be demonstrating their machinery on their own exhibition plots. The topics covered here will be: drilling machinery for grain crops; injection machinery and equipment for liquid organic fertilizer; and steering and data management systems for tractors.

All the demonstrations will have live commentary, mostly in German.

Comparative demonstrations
The comparative demonstrations will be carried as follows:
DLG-Track 1-
Crop protection sprayer machinery at 10.00 and 15.00
DLG-Track 2-
Mineral fertilizer spreaders at 11.15
Sensor technology for precision farming at 14.00

Individual exhibitor demonstrations
These live presentations take place behind the participating exhibitor stands between 09.00-12.00 and 13:00-18:00. The topics covered are:

• Drilling machinery for grain crops
• Injection machinery and equipment for liquid organic fertilizers
• Steering and data management systems for tractors

DLG-Parcours 1 – Practical comparison of crop protection sprayer machinery
Bigger, faster, wider. With a simultaneous reduction of the application rate per hectare, these attributes continue to play an important role in crop protection. Meanwhile, climate changes give rise to new pest and crop diseases.

Against this background, there is an increasing need for agricultural crop protection machinery to be even more precise in terms of application. Accurate nozzle control and automated switching on and off (also at the headland), while taking account of wind direction, may improve placement precision and reduce the usage of crop protection products.

The development of chassis and steering systems, and in particular the development of the spray boom play an increasingly important role when it comes to precise and reduced application rates, and keeping drift as low as possible.

Nozzle lighting and automatic nozzle monitoring are also more important, as are systems for automated steering and boom guidance.
The course for the sprayers at this year's DLG-Feldtage site is new. The sprayer will be travelling at 8km/h on a track section with obstacles that place tough demands on the boom and balance stability. Suspension and damping properties of the spray boom will come to their fore.

For the first time, this track section can be crossed with automatic boom guidance, and the operating speed during the segments will be measured and displayed for visitors. Right after the headland turn, an obstacle is in place that must be avoided. This will show how well the automatic booms on trailed and self-propelled sprayers can follow of the natural contours of the land while travelling at a speed of 12 km/h.

Exhibitors presenting solutions in this area include:

• AGCO Germany GmbH – Challenger, Marktoberdorf
• Agrifac Machinery BV, Steenwijk, The Netherlands
• Agrio sro, Kremze, Czech Republic
• AMAZONEN-WERKE H Dreyer GmbH & Co KG, Hasbergen-Gaste
• BERTHOUD AGRICOLE SAS, Belleville, France
• Bräutigam GmbH, Gudensberg
• Herbert Dammann GmbH Pflanzenschutztechnik, Buxtehude-Hedendorf
• HARDI GmbH, Wedemark
• HORSCH Maschinen GmbH, Schwandorf
• John Deere Vertrieb, Bruchsal
• Kverneland Group Germany GmbH, Soes
• LEMKEN GmbH & Co KG, Alpen
• VOGEL & NOOT Landmaschinen GmbH & Co KG, Wartberg, Austria  

DLG-Track 2 – Mineral fertilizer spreaders and sensor technology for precision farming
Placing fertilizer accurately is a vital requirement in today's granular fertilizer spreaders, whether they employ spinning discs or pneumatic application systems. Future developments will increase precision, both in headland areas and where the field shape demands applying fertilizer in a wedge-shaped area. Visitors to the DLG-Feldtage will be able to see what is available today and what features are offered in the future. Several of the machines shown will also be equipped with an N-sensor.

In the first round of the demonstration, the spreaders will initially demonstrate boundary and water-border spreading. While they operate live, the spreading pattern can be observed by visitors.

Then, the spreader turns and makes its way back through the crop. Even though the spreaders are not operating at this point, a display on the tractor roof will indicate which fertilizer application rate the respective sensor or the application rate map recommends. Meanwhile, the boundary spreading will be evaluated and the results presented on an LED screen.

Exhibitors presenting solutions in these areas include:

Fertilizer spreaders–

• AMAZONEN-WERKE H. Dreyer GmbH & Co. KG, Hasbergen-Gaste
• BOGBALLE A/S, Uldum, Denmark
• BREDAL, Gnutz, Germany
• Kverneland Group Germany GmbH, Soest
• Rabe, Gregoire Besson GmbH, Bad Essen
• RAUCH Landmaschinenfabrik GmbH, Sinzheim
• Sulky Burel, Chateaubourg, France

Sensor technology for precision farming–

• Agri Con GmbH, Ostrau
• Claas Vertriebsgesellschaft mbH, Harsewinkel
• Farm Facts GmbH & Co. KG, Pfarrkirchen
• Fritzmeier Umwelttechnik GmbH, Großhelfendorf
• Topcon Precision Agriculture Europe, Tres Cantos, Spain

Drilling machinery for grain crops
These demonstrations are presented by the individual exhibitors. Electronics play an increasingly important role in sowing cereals. Features that this technology enables ranges from improved tramlines to increasingly variable electric metering drives, and sensors for controlling and monitoring the flow of seed through to GPS-based, site-specific grain placement.

Exhibitors presenting solutions in this area include:

• Alois Pöttinger Maschinenfabrik Ges. mbH, Grieskirchen, Austria
• AMAZONEN-WERKE H. Dreyer GmbH & Co. KG, Hasbergen-Gaste
• Claydon, Hornsmuehlen
• Farmet a.s. Ceska Skalice, Czech Republic
• Great Plains UK Ltd, Sehnde
• Güttler GmbH, Kirchheim-Teck
• HORSCH Maschinen GmbH, Schwandorf
• Kerner Maschinenbau GmbH, Aislingen
• Köckerling GmbH & Co KG Landmaschinenfabrik, Verl
• Kverneland Group Germany GmbH, Soest
• KUHN Maschinen-Vertrieb GmbH, Schopsdorf
• LEMKEN GmbH & Co KG, Alpen
• Rabe, Gregoire Besson GmbH, Bad Essen
• Sulky, Chateaubourg, France
• VÄDERSTAD GmbH, Derwitz
• VOGEL & NOOT Landmaschinen GmbH & Co KG, Wartberg, Austria

Steering and data management systems on tractors
Automated steering systems are a major innovation that has achieved widespread adoption in just a few years. Demand for the system on tractors is increasing especially in the middle and lower power bands.
Automated steering systems have a range of benefits including comfort, efficiency and precision, in addition to being environmentally friendly. Work can also be carried out late in the evening and at night in most cases. Through reduced workload, driver fatigue can be reduced, which means the driver is able to focus his energy on his work and optimizing productivity.

Exhibitors presenting solutions in this area include:

• AGCO Germany GmbH – Challenger, Marktoberdorf
• AGCO Germany GmbH – Fendt, Marktoberdorf
• AGCO Germany GmbH – Massey Ferguson, Marktoberdorf
• AGCO Germany GmbH – Valtra, Marktoberdorf
• CLAAS Vertriebsgesellschaft mbH, Harsewinkel
• geo-konzept GmbH, Adelschlag
• John Deere Vertrieb, Bruchsal
• Müller Elektronik GmbH & Co. KG, Salzkotten
• CNH/New Holland Germany GmbH, Heilbronn
• CNH/Steyr, Heilbronn
• CNH/Case IH, Heilbronn
• Reichhardt GmbH Steuerungstechnik, Hungen
• SAME DEUTZ-FAHR GERMANY GmbH, Lauingen
• Topcon, Tres Cantos, Spain

Injection machinery and equipment for liquid organic fertilizer
Injection technology for liquid manure, which enables the placing of the manure or digestate directly into a growing crop, seems a logical option for today's farmers and is therefore included in the machinery demonstrations at the DLG-Feldtage.

Exhibitors presenting solutions in this area include:

• Duport BV, Dedemsvaart, The Netherlands
• Fliegl Agrartechnik GmbH, Mühldorf
• Kverneland Group Germany GmbH, Soest
• Hugo Vogelsang Maschinenbau GbmH, Essen (Oldenburg)

Machinery demonstrations overview:

Morning timetable

Afternoon timetable