One of the major exhibitors at this year’s National Ploughing Championships, is Redrock Machinery Ltd of Co. Armagh, who not only had a large stand, but had plenty of equipment to fill it.
The company had several new developments on show including a new twin auger 16.5t feed mixer, which slots in above its smaller 14t single auger unit.
This new mixer is based on a beefed up chassis from the 14t model, rather than being a scaled down version of the company’s heaviest machines, allowing a significant reduction in price for this capacity in the range.
Mixer sales are on the up again according to sales manager for Redrock, James Rooney, after a lull in 2023.
He puts this down to an encouraging rise in milk prices and the ongoing need to keep the machines fresh on farm.
It is the latter point which is important for both farmers and suppliers. Mixer wagons are in daily use and have a good number of wearing parts in an environment, which is far from machine friendly.
Reliability is essential, and although Redrock does not shy away from durable engineering, all machines wear out eventually, therefore the need for regular replacement arises accounting for the number on display at the event generally.
22T dump trailer from Redrock
Also new, is a 22t half pipe dump trailer, which is its biggest model of this type yet. They remain popular sellers as a general purpose trailer and Redrock finds that the demand is as strong as ever.
Sticking with trailers the company now offers sequential hydraulic locking on its silage/grain units. The valve sits beneath the rear of the bed and will release the lock before allowing the rams to lift the tailgate, all operated from same spool valve.
Such a system ensures a tight seal, allowing fine seeds such as rape to be carried securely, and even enables the trailers to be used as nurse tanks if a rubber seal fixed to the trailer body and a drain valve installed towards the front.
Although the trailers are not built for this role, Redrock makes purpose built nurse tanks as well, the company is happy to fit the necessary items for them to be used as such.