K-Line Ag UltraRipper digs down to 750mm

K-Line Ag has launched a new deep ripper range capable of working to depths of up to 750mm, as growers contend with soil compaction caused by increasingly heavy farm machinery.

Designed and manufactured at K-Line Ag’s Cowra facility in New South Wales, the new UltraRipper range comprises the 12.5-metre 3612P and 6.5-metre 3660T.

K-Line Ag says the UltraRipper can help prevent yield losses of up to 40 per cent by breaking through deeper compacted soil layers and improving crop access to moisture and nutrients.

Both models use a non-inversion tillage system designed to lift and fracture compacted soil layers while minimising surface disturbance and keeping soil horizons intact.

K-Line Ag product and portfolio manager for Crop Production Australia and New Zealand, Wade Smith, said deeper compaction had become an increasing challenge as agricultural machinery grew in size and weight.

“The UltraRipper has been designed around a non-inversion tillage system that lifts and fractures compacted layers while maintaining topsoil integrity,” Smith said.

“We lift and shatter the hardpan, but we don't mix the soil horizons. The good topsoil stays on top where the seed needs it most.”

According to Smith, soil compaction that was traditionally found at depths of around 300–350mm can now extend as deep as 600mm in some situations.

The UltraRipper’s 750mm maximum working depth is designed to break through these deeper hardpan layers, helping crop roots access more moisture and nutrients.

“By breaking through those deep compaction layers, we're giving crop roots the freedom to explore more soil, access more moisture and nutrients, and ultimately deliver better yield potential,” Smith said.

The flagship 3612P offers a 12.5m working width and is designed for tractors producing more than 600hp.

Its smaller 3660T sibling has a 6.5m working width and is suited to tractors above 400hp.

K-Line Ag says the non-inversion shanks require around half the horsepower of inversion-style shanks.

Both models feature 500mm shank spacing, with the 3612P running 25 shanks across its 12.5m operating width. Their narrow profile is designed to reduce unnecessary disturbance at the soil surface.

The machines are built around a 200 x 200 x 12.5mm toolbar and 400 x 400 x 16mm main pull.

K-Line Ag trialled the UltraRipper at Mount Hope earlier this year behind a Case IH Steiger Quadtrac 785, with the machine operating across hundreds of acres over a two-week period.

The UltraRipper also draws on the heritage of Paxton Plow Co, which was acquired by K-Line Ag parent company CNH in 2019.

“It's built on the DNA of Paxton Plow Co, drawing on its ethos of strength, simplicity and reliability,” Smith said.

“We've been extending that legacy across the K-Line Ag ripper range ever since. The UltraRipper is the latest step in that development.”

The Australian-designed and manufactured K-Line Ag UltraRipper range is expected to arrive at dealerships across Australia in the coming months, in time for post-harvest ripping.

Related: CNH acquires K-Line Ag