Rhodri Williams is in Australia for Landpower to demonstrate and help set up CLAAS harvesters.

AS HARVEST rolls south through Australia’s grainbelt, a highly specialised group of nine is adding to the number of European visitors here to work the season.

Hailing from the United Kingdom and Germany, they are “down under” to demonstrate the latest in harvesting technology on offer through CLAAS.

Engaged by Landpower, the Melbourne-based Australian importer of CLAAS LEXION harvesters, most of the team is working in the Western Australian grainbelt, one each is in Queensland and South Australia, and Welshman Rhodri Williams is working in New South Wales and Victoria.

Between them, they are covering a fair chunk of the CLAAS Harvest Centre dealer network, with Mr Williams currently working with JJ Farm Equipment at Yoogali, which services clients in the Western Riverina in an area bordered roughly by Hillston, Lake Cargelligo and Finley.

A Masters in Agricultural Engineering graduate of Harper Adams University in Shropshire, Mr Williams recently completed an internship at CLAAS headquarters in Harsewinkel, Germany, and has worked for CLAAS in the UK for three years.

Landpower’s 2024 demo team with the only special-edition LEXION 8800 in Australia, and one of 12 in the world, which celebrates the manufacture of 500,000 CLAAS harvesters. From left, the demo drivers are Peter Heimes, Jannes Stauvermann, Carsten Rang, Jelle Jensema, Rhodri Williams, Jack Jordan-Hill, Franzi Henke, Sebastian Erkel, and
Thomas Neubert.

He arrived in Australia for the first time early last month, and will head to Caffery’s at Echuca and the CLAAS Harvest Centre at Ballarat for his Victorian harvest experience after his harvest commitments wind up in JJ Farm Equipment’s patch.

Change for good

What the demonstrators offer is a side-by-side comparison of the latest CLAAS LEXION against whatever machine the grower or contractor is running, plus a walk-around of and drive in the new unit.

“We’ll harvest anything the customer wants to see the machine in.

“We’re looking at numbers and data; the whole time, we’re looking at yields, losses, fuel burn, and throughput and quality of grain.

“Our aim is to demo that our machine can provide a clean sample with no grain damage.”

Mr Williams said the technological advantage of the harvesters he and the demo team are championing come from intelligence gathered while the machine is running.

Using Bushel Plus software in conjunction with technology developed by CLAAS, LEXION harvesters sensors are looking for indicators of grain losses out the back, cracked grain, and screenings in the grain tank, and adjusting variables like sieves and fan speeds within the machine to optimise yield and quality.

“Our machines are subject to a lot of software testing, and have a market lead in automation.

The CLAAS LEXION units also use software to rate or derate engine power needed with regard to grain on board, yield, and topography in order to reduce overall fuel burn.

Unlike the other eight members of the Landpower demonstrator team who will depart Australia prior to Christmas, Mr Williams will stay on until the end of March.

“I’ll be looking after cultivation and tractor demos.

“It’s my first time in Australia; I must say I do love it.

“Once the harvest is done, I’ll be the main demo driver for CLAAS Australia,” Mr Williams said.

The landscape, the wildlife and the people have all made a positive impact on him, and even the weather gets the thumbs up, despite some days over 40 degrees Celsius, with the dry air out in the red country a sweetener.

“I’m coping okay; over 30 here is more bearable than over 30 in Europe.”

Some rain interruptions have allowed Mr Williams time to service the special edition LEXION 8800 he is driving, one of 12 made to commemorate the milestone of 500,000 headers made by CLAAS, and the only one operating in Australia.

Yields offer mixed bag

Speaking with Grain Central earlier this month, JJ Farm Equipment dealer principal Justin James said barley and canola harvested with the demo machine have shown a wide range of yields.

Feeding into the reel have been plenty of crops that show the impact of a relatively low-rainfall growing season, and frost damage too.

District averages sit at 2.5-3t/ha for canola, and 5-6t/ha for wheat and barley, and many growers are getting one-third or more less than that.

Some pleasant surprises are also out there, with one barley crop harvested in the Landpower demo yielding 7.2t/ha of Planet barley.

“There’s frost damage in every crop — canola and barley — we’ve seen with the demo.”

Mr James said frost has “hammered” crops in low-lying areas, but slopes were much less affected.

“There doesn’t have to be too much of a rise before things improve.

“The frustrating thing for growers is better parts of the field that were lower lying and had caught any moisture are the ones that have been hit.”

The CLAAS LEXION 8800 500000-edition harvester in action in the JJ Farm Equipment dealership area in south-west NSW. Photo: Rohdri Williams/CLAAS

While plenty of crops in South Australia and Victoria were earlier cut for hay due to their low yield potential, exacerbated by frost damage, Mr James said most of his clients and their neighbours have chosen to harvest.

“A lot of local agronomists have advised guys to put the headers in and go.”

He said this was based partly on grain-yield potential, and the fact that many continuous croppers do not have their own hay equipment, and available contractors were in short supply at the ideal time to cut.

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