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The plough has been a basic instrument for most of recorded history, and represents one of the major advances in agriculture. When agriculture was fi rst developed, simple hand-held digging sticks were used to create furrows in fertile soil, in which seeds were sown. However, to grow crops regularly in less fertile areas, the soil has to be turned or ploughed to bring nutrients to the surface. And so the plough developed along with humankind. Radium Engineering has been a market leader in the farming machinery industry for more than 25 years. One of Radium’s most popular implements is the chisel plough. Recently, Radium introduced a new addition to the chisel plough range, namely the ZoneTill. The ZoneTill only cultivates the zone or area where the seeds will be planted. The new machine will enable farmers to use conservation tillage instead of no-till methods. Some South African farmers still use the no-till method on their lands, growing crops from year to year without disturbing the soil through tillage.
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Die ploeg is al sedert die vroegste opgetekende geskiedenis ʼn basiese werktuig. Dit was een van die groot deurbrake in die landbou. Toe mense begin plant en saai, het hulle eenvoudige graafstokke gebruik om vore in vrugbare grond te trek waarin saad gesaai is. Wanneer gewasse gereeld in minder vrugbare grond geplant moet word, moet die grond egter omgedolwe of geploeg word om voedingstowwe na die oppervlak te bring. En só het die ploeg saam met die mensdom ontwikkel. Radium Engineering is reeds meer as 25 jaar die markleier in die landboumasjineriebedryf. Een van Radium se gewildste werktuie is die beitelploeg. Radium het onlangs ʼn nuweling in die beitelploegreeks bekendgestel, naamlik die ZoneTill. Die ZoneTill bewerk net die sone of area waar saad gesaai gaan word. Die nuwe masjien stel boere in staat om bewaringsbewerking te beoefen in plaas van die geenploegmetode. Sommige Suid-Afrikaanse boere volg nog die geenploegmetode en kweek jaar na jaar gewasse Radium’s sonder om die grond te bewerk. Die nadeel van hierdie metode is dat die grond hard word, sodat water dit nie kan deurweek nie.
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We recently visited Koos Kleynhans, a Free State farmer. He is most enthusiastic about Radium’s dual tine tipper. When he changed over from his old rippers to Radium’s big ‘uns, the cost savings were immediately apparent. Koos cultivates 4000 hectares and has two tractors that pull his new six-row dual tine tippers through the fi elds. Each tractor cultivates 45 hectares a day. The fuel consumption of Koos’s previous rippers was 18 litres of diesel per hectare. Since Koos took his new Radium rippers in use, the tractors use only 15 litres per hectare. This means a saving of R120 000 in fuel consumption. The dual tine tipper therefore pays for itself by the fi rst harvest. One of the advantages of Radium’s dual tine tipper is that the shears can be adjusted according to the farmer’s preference for the rows that have to be planted. Another advantage is that the frame is very sturdy, while the ripper still draws easily thanks to the design of the tines. Koos added that he was very happy with the service he received from Radium. In his opinion, the design of the Radium dual tine tipper is excellent – he would not change anything. The ripper’s price also gives real value for money.
Advantages:
• Soil water retention is improved
• Improved infi ltration
• Lower costs per hectare
• Reduced compaction
• Allows crop plants’ roots to develop better
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Ons het onlangs gaan kuier by Koos Kleynhans, ʼn Vrystaatse boer. Hy kan nie uitgepraat raak oor Radium se tweetandskeurploeg nie. Toe hy oorskakel van sy ou skeurploeë na Radium se bielies, het hy die kostebesparing dadelik gevoel. Koos bewerk 4000 hektaar en het twee trekkers wat sy twee nuwe sesry-tweetandskeurploeë deur die landerye trek. Elke trekker bewerk 45 hektaar per dag. Die brandstofverbruik met Koos se vorige skeurploeë was 18 liter diesel per hektaar. Vandat Koos sy nuwe Radiumskeurploeë aangehaak het, gebruik die trekkers net 15 liter per hektaar. Dit kom neer op ʼn besparing R120 000 in brandstofverbruik. Só betaal die tweetandskeurploeg vir homself binne die eerste oes. Een van die voordele van Radium se tweetandskeurploeg is dat die tande geskuif kan word soos ʼn boer dit verkies, vir die rye wat hy moet beplant. Nog ʼn voordeel is dat die ploegraam baie stewig is, maar dat die ploeg terselfde tyd baie lig trek danksy die ontwerp van die skare. Koos sê verder dat hy baie in sy skik is met die diens wat hy ontvang het van Radium. Volgens hom is die ontwerp van Radium se tweetandskeurploeg piekfyn – hy sal niks daaraan verander nie. Hy reken ookdat dit ʼn werktuig met ʼn billike prys is.
Voordele:
• Waterhouvermoë van grond verbeter
• Beter infiltrasie
• Laer koste per hektaar
• Minder kompaksie
• Beter wortelontwikkeling van gewasse
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Radium Engineering has been analysing southern African livestock feeding processes, and looking at the overall design of its older feed mixing machines. Modern farming demands feed mixers that ensure fast and homogeneous mixing of all types of fodder, irrespective of the density and moisture content of the ingredients. Radium’s new compact feed mixer range has now been expanded by the Italian Matrix company’s Xeno and Argon models. Matrix’s Xeno vertical feeders are very compact and handy machines suitable for working in small or medium-sized farms. Thanks to their robust construction they ensure a long life, great reliability, low running expenses and minimal maintenance. Radium is offering two sizes, with a capacity of 7 m3 and 9 m3 respectively. They are equipped with vertical augers without crosspieces, allowing for loading whole bales. It is well known that two-auger cutters are very fast. Both Xeno models have an electronic programmable weighing system with a scale indicator mounted on a turning support. Argon Radium also offers the Argon 12, weighing in with a capacity of 12 m3. It is a horizontal trailed mixer wagon, with two counter-rotating horizontal augers equipped with knives for fast shredding and mixing of all kinds of product, producing a soft and uniform unifeed ration. The mixing tank is made of steel ST 52.3. The augers’ transmission has an oil bath gear case. The discharge conveyor can be placed on the right or left hand side or both depending on the farmer’s requirements. It incorporates an electronic programmable weighing system with 7 recipes (12 components each), a scale indicator mounted on a turning support, and a comfortable and safe ladder for checking mixing inside the tank. These mixers enable the farmer to programme the TMR (total mixed ration) per head of livestock, resulting in a faster and more accurate means of mixing. The farmer can now mix all ration ingredients for feeding, including long-stem dry hay and other tough roughage that previously could not be included in TMR.
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'n Moderne boerdery benodig voermengers wat alle soorte voer vinnig en homogeen kan meng, ongeag die digtheid en voginhoud van die bestanddele. Radium se nuwe reeks kompakte voermengers is nou uitgebrei deur die Italiaanse firma Matrix se Xeno- en Argon-modelle. Matrix se Xeno-vertikalevoerders is baie kompakte, bruikbare masjiene wat geskik is vir klein of mediumgrootte plase. Danksy hulle stewige konstruksie hou hulle lank, met uitstekende betroubaarheid, lae bedryfskoste en minimale instandhouding. Radium bied twee groottes, naamlik 7 m3 en 9 m3 onderskeidelik. Radium bied ook die Argon 12, met ’n vermoë van 12 m3. Dit is ’n horisontale sleep-menger, met twee horisontale kontra-awegare toegerus met lemme. Dit kan alle soorte produkte vinnig sny en meng, om ’n sagte en uniforme enkelvoer te maak Hierdie mengers stel die boer in staat om die TMR (totale mengrantsoen) per stuk vee te programmeer, sodat die voer vinniger en meer akkuraat gemeng kan word. Die boer kan nou alle rantsoenbestanddele vermeng, met inbegrip van droë langsteelhooi en ander taai ruvesel wat voorheen nie in TMR ingesluit kon word nie.
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A revolutionary new tillage machine, which is specifically-designed to increase soil productivity, has been introduced to the South African farming industry by specialist agricultural engineering firm, Radium Engineering. The Pretoria-based company, which has been manufacturing and supplying agricultural machinery nation - wide since 1976, has launched the state-of-the-art Radium Combo Ripper, a cost-effective soil preparation machine that minimises the damaging effects that ploughing and turning have on soil. The machine is an upgrade of Radium’s tried-andtrusted heavy-duty chisel plough – with coulters added to the front in order to cut through surface debris so that the tines and hammerhead sheares can pass through the soil without packing, as well as a roller on the rear to level out the worked area and to break up unwanted clods. Radium Engineering general manager Grant Roest explains: “Conventional, intensive tillage farming systems have greatly-increased crop production and labour efficiency. However, serious questions are being raised about the energy-intensive nature
of these systems, and their adverse effects on soil productivity and environmental quality. By making use of Radium Engineering’s new Combo Ripper, farmers can more effectively reduce soil erosion in the long-run and; ultimately, improve soil producti vity. The machine is also designed to eliminate operations such as discing and cultivating.”
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Dié Pretoriase maatskappy, wat sedert 1976 landboumasjinerie vervaardig en landwyd verskaf, het die tegnologies gevorderde Radium Kombo-skeurploeg bekend gestel. Dit is ’n koste-effektiewe grond voorbereidings masjien wat die skade verminder wat ploeg en omwerk aan die grond veroorsaak. Die masjien is ’n nuwe weergawe van Radium se beproefde swaardiens-beitelploeg – met kouters vooraan wat afvalmateriaal op die oppervlak opsny sodat die tande en hamerskare deur die grond kan gaan sonder om dit vas te pak, sowel as rollers agteraan wat die bewerkte area gelyk maak en ongewenste kluite breek. Radium Engineering se hoofbestuurder, Grant Roest, verduidelik: “Konvensionele, intensiewegrondbewerkingstelsels in die landbou het oesproduksie en doeltreffende werkwyses aansienlik verhoog. Daar is egter ernstige vraagtekens oor die feit dat dié stelsels energievrate is, en oor hulle nadelige uitwerking op grondproduktiwiteit en omgewingsgehalte. Met behulp van Radium Engineering se nuwe Kombo-skeurploeg kan boere gronderosie op die lang duur effektief verminder en grondproduktiwiteit verhoog. Die masjien is ook ontwerp om een of twee aksies uit te skakel, naamlik skottelploeg en skoffel.
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Pieter van der Westhuizen farms in the Parys region of the Free State, in the heart of South Africa. Lying between the Vaal River in the north and the Orange River in the south, the province consists of flat, rolling grassland and crop fi elds, rising to lovely sandstone mountains in the northeast. The province is the granary of South Africa, with agriculture central to its economy. Cultivated land covers 32 000 square kilometres, and natural veld and grazing another 87 000 square kilometres. Van der Westhuizen bought a Prospread Spreader from Radium in 2001 and estimates he has used it to spread about 15 000 tons of various kinds of fertiliser and other materials over the years. As his crop
activities increased, so did the machine’s workload. Over the past four years, the spreader has covered about 600 ha per annum, spreading about 2 400 tons of material per annum. Running maintenance on the spreader included replacing the rear spinners, putting in a new chain and new sprockets on the rearn driveshaft. Van der Westhuizen estimates that these repairs did not cost more that R20 000 over the last ten years. The robust mild steel construction of the bin showed very few knocks after ten years of hard work in the harsh African soil. Radium’s modern, state of the art Prospread currently costs R231 000. Instead of pensioning his trusted old workhorse, Van der Westhuizen brought his spreader to Radium for a complete overhaul. As his farming activities became more sophisticated, the spreader also needed to be adapted. Among other things, he requested Radium to convert the spreader’s outdated ground-related drive to an hydraulic drive in order to be compatible for variable rate application.
The total cost of overhaul and conversion came to under R60 000, transforming a tried and tested workhorse into a spanking new thoroughbred for much less than the price of a brand-new Prospread. An investment in a Radium machine is always a good move for a forward-thinking farmer.
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Pieter van der Westhuizen boer in die omgewing van Parys in die Vrystaat, in die hartjie van Suid-Afrika. Die provinsie word begrens deur die Vaalrivier in die noorde en die Oranjerivier in die suide, en bestaan uit deinende grasvlaktes en landerye, wat uitstrek tot by die liefl ike sandsteenberge in die noordooste. Die provinsie is die graanskuur van Suid-Afrika, en landbou is die kern van sy ekonomie. Daar is 32 000 vierkante kilometer bewerkte grond, en nog sowat 87 000 vierkante kilometer natuurlike veld en weiveld. Van der Westhuizen het in 2001 ’n Prospread-strooier van Radium aangeskaf en reken hy het oor die jare sowat 15 000 ton verskillende soorte misstof en ander materiaal daarmee versprei. Soos wat sy gesaaides uitgebrei het, het die masjien se werklading ook toegeneem. Oor die afgelope vier jaar het die strooier sowat 600 ha per jaar bewerk en omtrent 2 400 ton materiaal jaarliks gestrooi. Tydens lopende instandhouding van die strooier is die agterste strooiers vervang, en ’n nuwe ketting enratte aangesit. Van der Westhuizen skat dat al hierdie herstelwerk nie meer as R20 000 in totaal gekos het nie. Die stewige bakkonstruksie van sagte staal het verbasend min duike en skrape gewys na tien jaar se harde werk in die harde grond van Afrika. Radium se moderne Prospread met die nuutste tegnologie kos tans R231 000. Pleks daarvan dat hy sy getroue ou werkesel op pensioen sit, het Van der Westhuizen sy strooier na Radium gebring en heeltemal laat opknap. Namate sy boerderymetodes meer gesofi stikeerd geword het, moes die strooier ook aangepas word. Hy het Radium onder andere gevra om die strooier se verouderde grondverwante konstruksie vir groter presisie met hidrouliese aandrywing te vervang. Die totale koste van die opknapping en omskakeling was minder as R60 000, en het ’n beproefde werkesel omvorm tot ’n spoggerige volbloedmasjien, vir baie minder as die prys van ’n splinternuwe Prospread. ’n Belegging in ’n Radium-masjien is altyd ’n wenresep vir ’n boer met sy oog op die toekoms.
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Radium Engineering has been analysing southern African livestock feeding processes, and looking at the overall design of its older feed mixing machines. Modern farming demands feed mixers that ensure fast and homogeneous mixing of all types of fodder, irrespective of the density and moisture content of the ingredients. Radium's new compact feed mixer range has now been expanded by the Italian Matrix company's Xeno and Argon models.
Xeno
Matrix's Xeno vertical feeders are very compact and handy machines suitable for working in small or medium-sized farms. Thanks to their robust construction they ensure a long life, great reliability, low running expenses and minimal maintenance. Radium is offering two sizes, with a capacity of 7 m3 and 9 m3 respectively.
They are equipped with vertical augers without crosspieces, allowing for loading whole bales. It is well known that two-auger cutters are very fast. Both Xeno models have an electronic programmable weighing system with a scale indicator mounted on a turning support.
Argon
Radium also offers the Argon 12, weighing in with a capacity of 12 m3. It is a horizontal trailed mixer wagon, with two counter-rotating horizontal augers equipped with knives for fast shredding and mixing of all kinds of product, producing a soft and uniform unifeed ration. The mixing tank is made of steel ST 52.3. The augers' transmission has an oil bath gear case. The discharge conveyor can be placed on the right or left hand side or both depending on the farmer's requirements. It incorporates an electronic programmable weighing system with 7 recipes (12 components each), a scale indicator mounted on a turning support, and a comfortable and safe ladder for checking mixing inside the tank. The Argon series is equipped with a sluice gate with chute on the right, plus a bolted sluice gate on the left when a second outlet is needed.
These mixers enable the farmer to programme the TMR (total mixed ration) per head of livestock, resulting in a faster and more accurate means of mixing. The farmer can now mix all ration ingredients for feeding, including long-stem dry hay and other tough roughage that previously could not be included in TMR. Radium has become a household name in the livestock feeding industry throughout southern Africa, known for reliability, simplicity and innovative designs.
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Radium Engineering is going digital with four weighing systems of Dinamica Generale, an Italian company specialising in scales and other electronic weighing equipment for farming use. The systems are the Dina3 portable scale, the Pegasus on-board weighing system, the Taurus Basic and the Gemini.
Pretoria-based Radium Engineering had its beginnings in 1964, when John Roest was on his farm in the Waterberg district, pondering how to weigh his cattle and pigs. Bits of iron and pipes got welded together and his first scales were made in a backyard shed. The neighbours liked John's ideas. Then more farmers ordered scales and neck clamps, and Roest patented his devices.
Today, nearly fifty years later, John Roest's innovative thinking hat sits comfortably on younger Roest heads and Radium Engineering continues to extend its range of implements that work well for South African agricultural conditions. The Dinamica weighing range adds precision to many aspects of daily farming activities.
DINA3 portable scale
The DINA3 enables the farmer to check the weight and overload of any vehicle, in any place. It consists of two weighing platforms with ramps and a portable indicator, together with a printer and USB connection. The ramps weigh only 20 kg each, yet the system is capable of measuring weights between 100 kg and 20 tons, both static and in motion. It features extra levellers to extend the platforms, and movable platforms that can be adapted easily for wheel or axle weight.
Knowing the weight of any vehicle and its load has several advantages. Overloading is prevented, as the system gives a warning message. A vehicle that is properly and evenly loaded, is much safer on the road and easier to handle, and it ensures more economical fuel usage.
Pegasus on-board scales
The Pegasus weighing system is ideal for front loaders, for weighing material when loading the truck in static or dynamic mode, with accumulation management. The dynamic mode permits weighing without interfering with the operator's work. It saves time and reduces costs as the operator no longer needs to drive from the load area to the weigh bridge. The on-board scales have numerous advantages:
Works on every vehicle
Strong and waterproof, for difficult environmental conditions or vehicles without a cab
Useful and easy keyboard
Handy mini printer for printing weighing results
Automatic load accumulation up to 256 weighing for a total of 999 tons
Live weight reading
Record components, customers and operators
Automatic motor revolution compensation
Overloaded logging and overload warning
Easy and immediate calibration set
LCD Display with backlight for easy reading
Up to 10 data sets for easy selection of your attachment
Double pressure transducer for high accuracy
Taurus Basic weighing system
The Taurus weighing system consists of reliable and long-lasting components designed for the most rugged environments. It can be used to weigh cattle, pigs, sheep, horses, goats and so on. The weigh bars are easy to install under squeeze chutes or platforms, and their IP68 protection grade (water full immersion protection) allows for the best product on the market against dirt and moisture. The weighing indicator has a blocker filter, guaranteeing correct and stable weight readings also with restless animals.
Accurate weighing of animals increases profitability and improves reproductive performance management. The farmer is able to establish the true breeding value of the animals and select animals by weight for sale and/or slaughter.
Gemini pallet weighing system
The Gemini weighing system is indispensable for the packaging area of any farming operation, for determining the weight of delivery material, pallets, bins, tanks, etc. It consists of universal weighing bars, with a U-bar attachment for pallets. The weigh bars are available in lengths of 800 and 1200 mm for maximum flexibility and range of uses, and are made of alloy steel. The bars have a total capacity of between 2000 and 4000 kg, depending on the system chosen.
The basic and the advanced Gemini systems both come equipped with 5 m connection cables, a power supply cable of 3,5 m and a power supply. The advanced system has a thermal paper printer for producing information. Both systems offer an indicator column as an optional extra, while the advanced system also sports a weight repeater with 5 digits 60 mm, a remote control, and a facility to unload data on a PC.
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