DLG e.V.

The DLG-Feldtage 2024 event at Estate Brockhof – June 11 to 13, 2024 in Erwitte near Lippstadt, Germany – Machinery demonstrations covering crop protection sprayers, mineral fertilizer spreaders – technology for lifting, loading and filling

The DLG-Feldtage 2024 event will be held 11-13 June in Erwitte near Lippstadt, Germany, under the guiding theme “Crop production out of the box”. At this year’s machinery demonstrations with live commentary in German, 77 different machine combinations are planned. This makes DLG-Feldtage 2024 Europe’s largest event for live machinery demonstrations. Visitors can look forward to a total of more than four hours of technical demonstrations over three days in the new “Live Arena” and on the three DLG courses.

The machinery demonstrations at DLG Feldtage 2024, a field trade fair for crop professionals, will focus on the live demonstrations: “Weed control with row crop cultivators in cereals and maize”, “Shallow tillage – from flat cultivators to skim ploughs”, “Multi-tank seed drills for combined sowing of seeds and fertilizer”, “Innovative technology for chemical crop protection”, “High-tech mineral fertilizer spreaders” and “Technology for lifting, loading and filling in the field”.

Innovative technology for chemical crop protection 

Located in the Live Arena, the redesigned course for the field sprayers will present the challenges in the field allowing visitors to make cross-comparison of the machines: First on the bumpy track and then on the field track, which place extreme demands on boom stability and balance.

The working speed during the various working steps is measured and displayed to the visitors. The field sprayers in the headland area will be able to demonstrate the exact rate adjustment works using pulse width modulation (PWM).

The subsequent return journey on the track has been completely redesigned. The first section demonstrates belt application by the field sprayer. Precision is important, as the spray nozzles have to be guided as precisely and centrally as possible over the rows of plants. Spot spraying is presented in the final section. The machines performing this task have great potential for saving resources.

Harald Kramer from the North Rhine-Westphalia Chamber of Agriculture will comment on the crop protection sprayer demonstration in collaboration with Albert Spreu (RKL Rendsburg).

High-tech mineral fertilizer spreaders – focus on performance and precision

Fertilization in modern agriculture must be both powerful and precise. Modern high-tech mineral fertilizer spreaders are able to place the fertilizer precisely.

In practice, mineral fertilizers are usually distributed using throw spreaders. There is currently a noticeable trend towards pneumatic spreaders. Manufacturers are continually developing their spreaders in the direction of site-specific application, not least in order to be able to meet the increased requirements and future demands.

The demonstration of seven fertilizer spreaders shows what modern mineral fertilizer spreaders can already achieve today and the features that are offered to the farmer.

When passing through the course in the Live Arena, the spreaders will first demonstrate edge and water border spreading as well as ditch and surface spreading. Spreading material is collected during both border and area spreading in order to assess the distribution. To make the details more visible to visitors, both the spreading pattern achieved and the accuracy at the water’s edge are displayed on an LED wall.

Ulrich Lossie (Deula Nienburg) will comment on the demonstration of the mineral fertilizer spreaders.

Technology for lifting, loading and filling in the field

Whether solid manure, compost or fertilizer lime need to be be loaded onto a spreader, the seed drill is to be filled with seed or heavy silage bales or lighter hay and straw bales need to be loaded – it is difficult to imagine this without suitable loading technology. For the second time at the DLG Feldtage 2024, manufacturers will have the opportunity to present their loading, lifting and filling technology as part of the commented machinery demonstrations.

In the new Live Arena, the loaders are presented on a course that allows visitors to make a vivid cross-comparison. A drone will accompany the demonstrations and offer a bird’s eye view. The course itself requires both the maneuverability of the loaders and the skill of the driver. For example, a “sensitive load” has to be picked up, quickly placed on a trailer and then picked up again. This load must then be driven over an obstacle course and finally overcome an obstacle hill.

The demonstration of “Technique for lifting, loading and filling in the field” will be commented on by Martin Vaupel (LWK Lower Saxony).

DLG Course 1: Weed control with row crop cultivators in cereals and maize 

Mechanical weed control continues to gain in importance. Automatic cultivators, which hoe between the rows as well as in the row, are now not only found for special crops like vegetables, but are used increasingly for crops such as maize and sugar beet.

This boom in mechanical weed control is driving the development of hoes and harrows in particular, offering farmers a range of options. As part of the machine demonstrations at the DLG Feldtage, 18 modern cultivators will be presented for weed control in maize. Seven harrows will also be demonstrating how efficiently and effectively they implement mechanical weed control for spring oats.

Jonathan Kern (Bioland consultant, Oberstenfeld) will comment on the demonstrations in cooperation with Alexander Czech (LWK NRW).

DLG course 2: Shallow tillage – from flat cultivators to skim plows

With the increasing scarcity of active chemical ingredients, the demands on the entire cultivation process are growing – especially when working the soil as the most important agricultural resource. An increasing number of farmers are now working their soil only as deep as absolutely necessary – ideally only a few centimeters. This protects the soil, efficiently combats weeds and volunteer crops and saves water and diesel. The range of equipment available for shallow tillage has been increasing in recent years. In addition to new machines, there are also many further developments of machine types from the past. In addition to trailed tillage technology, some manufacturers are using ground and PTO drives.

During the demonstrations on the fields at the Estate Brockhof, visitors will be able to observe how the shallow tillage equipment performs in a cross-comparison of direct sowing and mulch sowing methods. For the first time, students from Cologne University of Applied Sciences will offer spectators a cross-sectional view of the working results of the equipment after the demonstration.

The demonstrations on shallow tillage will be commented on by Jonathan Kern (Bioland Beratung, Oberstenfeld) and Alexander Cech (LWK NRW).

DLG course 3: Multi-tank seed drills for combined sowing of seeds and fertilizer

Another premiere at the DLG Feldtage 2024 is the demonstration of multi-tank seed drills. If seeds have different requirements for placement in the soil or if seed mixtures are sown as catch crops that tend to segregate during filling or in the machine itself, then a multi-tank drill can be a suitable alternative. The same applies, for example, when fertilizers or granules need to be applied to the soil in a targeted and efficient manner with the seed or at a defined distance from it. Untreated wheat and pea seed will be used in the demonstrations of the multi-tank seed drills.

Jonathan Kern (Bioland consultant, Oberstenfeld) will comment on the demonstrations in cooperation with Alexander Czech (LWK NRW).

DLG. Progress and sustainability in the agriculture and food industry

The DLG (German Agricultural Society), founded in 1885 by Max Eyth, stands for productivity and sustainability in innovation-driven improvements in agriculture and the food chain. The aim of the DLG is to promote progress through the transfer of knowledge – especially with regard to technology and quality control. Non-profit, politically independent and with an international network, the DLG has more than 31,000 members worldwide.

As one of the leading organizations in its sector, the DLG not only organizes trade fairs and events in the fields of agriculture and food technology but also tests food, agricultural technology and equipment. With its competence centers for agriculture and food, its demonstration farm where practical trials take place along with its numerous publications, the DLG continually promotes independent knowledge transfer. In addition, the DLG works on numerous national and international committees of experts to develop solutions for the challenges facing agriculture and the food industry.