There’s no falling behind the drill work with these two 16.3m wide HE-VA King Rollers, pictured here rolling some of the 4,800ha of arable ground at Thurlow Estatein Suffolk.

Farm director Andrew Crossley explains: “In 2012 we got rid of an assortment of different sizes and makes of rolls that had accumulated over the years, and replaced them with just three 16.3m wide HE-VA rolls. They fit our system: we are on 40m tramlines. Our three drills are all 8m wide, so with a 16m wideroller, not only is everything in sync, but the rolls can keep up with the drills at a steady forward speed.

“Despite their width, the HE-VA rolls still give even consolidation on undulating ground thanks to a weight transfer system between the gangs. They are also easy to pack up, and safe to move around,as the rolls fold up horizontally into a configuration which makes them very stable in transport.”

He adds: “Having two sets of rolls in the same field is for the photo, but they do work closely together following the drills’ progress. It’s part of our ethos to have machines working in teams to get a job done well, and on time. The third setof rolls we have are brought into action every time weather threatens or if we are rolling ahead of the drills as a final cultivation.”