Interview: Super Maxx 60-7 BIO – summer 2024 prize

The lucky winner is Erik Peiner from the district of Euskirchen south of Cologne. Since August, the arable farmer has been using a Güttler Super Maxx 60-7 BIO with 2 rows of harrow tines on his fields. In mid-November, Güttler’s sales promoter Markus Stauder visited the winner to talk to him about his experience.

Markus: Hello Erik, could you start by briefly introducing your farm?

Erik: Together with my father, I run an arable farm in the Voreifel. The heavy soils lie in the rain shadow of the Ardennes, so we get only 500 mm of rain a year on average. This year, though, we are already well above that. On 180 ha we grow wheat, barley, sugar beet, oilseed rape, maize and peas. Apart from the sugar beet and maize harvest, we do all the machine work ourselves.

Markus: How did you find out about the Güttler competition?

Erik: I saw the competition flyer in the WhatsApp status of my RWZ sales rep and then simply entered via the Güttler website.

Markus: Had you been in contact with Güttler and its machines before?

Erik: Many years ago, my father already used a Güttler prism roller behind the power harrow. We currently have a Güttler Duplex front press and a Güttler Mediana for seedbed preparation. We are very happy with the Güttler machines, and the results impress us anew every year. Several Güttler Super Maxx shallow cultivators are working in our region, so I had wanted to test one for quite a while. All the greater was my delight at being drawn as the winner.

Markus: How did you hear that you had won, and how did the handover and first use go?

Erik: During the wheat harvest I got a surprise call from Güttler with the good news that I was the winner. At first I could hardly believe it and was of course delighted. At the beginning of August I was able to collect the Super Maxx from the dealer. For the first use on stubble, staff from Güttler and RWZ were there and set up the Super Maxx perfectly with me.

Markus: What have you used the Super Maxx for so far? What is your experience? Which points did you use for the different jobs?

Erik: We mainly used the Super Maxx for the 1st and 2nd stubble cultivation, and also for seedbed preparation for autumn sowing. So some fields have already been worked three times with the Super Maxx. I particularly liked the full-width cut when working the oilseed rape fields. For the first stubble pass we used the narrow point supplied with the machine. After that we used the forged point for a full-width cut. It is reinforced in the main wear zones, so it keeps its working width of 20 mm for a good overlap right to the end.

Markus: What challenges do you face as a farmer? Where do you see uses for the Super Maxx?

Erik: Above all, consistent weed and grass weed management will become even more important in future. With repeated shallow cultivation, we do not bury seeds in deeper layers but get as many seeds as possible to germinate. On the next pass, everything green is uprooted again and, thanks to the double harrow, quickly dries out on the surface. As we farm in a water protection area, we are not allowed to use glyphosate. With the Super Maxx we have the perfect implement to achieve the effect of a total herbicide mechanically. We also have to work in a very water-saving way, especially in dry years. Here the Super Maxx helps to keep water in the soil, because it works across the full width even at a shallow setting.

Markus: Which tractor did you use with the Super Maxx, and how do you rate the draught requirement?

Erik: We run the Super Maxx with a 190 hp tractor, so we have more than enough power. At 4.5 litres of diesel per hectare, fuel consumption is very favourable. Despite our rather small fields, we achieve a high work rate of 6 to 7 hectares per hour.

Markus: How do you like the adjustability of the Super Maxx?

Erik: Finding the right setting takes a little practice at first, which is why I was glad of the support at the first use. Depth control via the gauge wheels is very good; we always cut precisely across the full width at the required working depth.

Markus: Where do you see the main advantage of the double harrow compared with a roller as the trailing implement?

Erik: We did not miss the roller when working with the Super Maxx. Instead, the cut weeds and the volunteer cereals were not pressed back down but shaken free of soil, and they reliably dried out on the surface.

Markus: What is your interim conclusion?

Erik: I was surprised by the high output combined with low fuel consumption. The work quality with the reinforced forged points also convinced me. I am already looking forward to using it again next spring.

Markus: So are we – and we will accompany you and the Super Maxx again then. Thank you very much for the interview!