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“Drilling output is up by around 10 acres/day, and the scope of on-the- move adjustment for the power harrow is really useful.”
explains George. “In wetter soils, I can raise the clod board from the cab, to let soil flow through. And it’s the same when you hit patches of lighter soil - tweak the power harrow working depth, without affecting the drill. This has the potential to bring more output to combi drilling, along with saving fuel.” “And it’s really useful when levelling a headland that’s been ploughed out, filling in that last furrow,” he says. George adds that drill calibration and set-up has been easy. “Electric seed metering is superb,” he says. “We’ve sown cover crops, turnips, winter wheat, winter barley, grass seed and beans. It’s been very accurate.”
f-drill combination improves efficiency
Monmouthshire contractor MRI Whistance opted for an f-drill front tank with a Rotago F power harrow drill combination for more output.
“We opted for a 4m folding model with a front tank,” says George Whistance, pictured. “I liked the concept of improving balance, compared to putting everything on the rear linkage.” The firm had been using a 3m combination working with a five-furrow plough, but sought more output from a 4m outfit. This
enabled the firm to add a second five-furrow plough for a higher- output weather-proof system. “Drilling output is up by around 10 acres/day, and the scope of on-the-move adjustment for the power harrow is really useful,” he adds. Being equipped with ISOBUS- technology, the Rotago F power
harrow can be tweaked on-the- move for working depth and clod board height, to improve efficiency in response to changes in soil type. “In reality, few people would bother to stop and change their depth settings, but this has been really useful throughout constantly changing conditions,”
2300S IMPROVES SEEDBED QUALITY When Tom Wayne was looking for a replacement for his four-furrow Kverneland plough, local dealer JA Bloor introduced him to a five-furrow 2300S model.
“...the clean, level finish and perfectly matched furrows makes drilling a pleasure.”
“We were looking for a bit more output and a far better finish,” explains Tom who farms with his parents at Fox Fields Farm, Radbourne, Derbyshire. “I really wanted No28 mouldboards, the finish they produce is ace.”
With an MF 7618 shod on 650 tyres, the improved mouldboard design comfortably accommodates the wider tyres running in-furrow, without impacting on the quality of finish. As a mixed farm with 220 dairy
cows, followers and beef cattle, SA Wayne is predominantly grassland with around 100 acres of arable crops providing a supply of cereals for feed rations, plus straw for bedding. “We’ve also invested in a secondhand 3m power harrow drill combination, so we can be in control of crop establishment with a productive, two-pass weather-proof plough and drill system,” adds Tom. “With this process, there’s a good chance we’ll always get drilled-up.” As a popular-build specification, the 2300S has knock-on points, auto-reset bodies and manual vari-width, which Tom says is currently set for 16in furrow widths. Maize skimmers handle
trash, and a set of rear discs leave a clean furrow wall. “We chose the longer point-to- point clearance of 100cm, which is great in trash and also when ploughing in old grass leys, though it does make a five- furrow mounted plough quite long,” he adds. “That said, the clean, level finish and perfectly matched furrows makes drilling a pleasure, ensuring we getting a consistent planting depth.”
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ISSUE 49
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