Versatility plus
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Aitchison’s new drill sets the benchmark when it comes to planting and seeding
|
|
Versatility plus
|
For this season, the all-new Aitchison Seedmatic Professional is added to New Zealand’s largest and most popular range of tine drills.
A big brother to the highly respected and well-known Seedmatic, Aitchison’s new addition has set a benchmark with build quality and attention to detail.
Described as "truly versatile", this drill has been designed as a result of considerable feedback from Reese Agri’s large New Zealand customer base.
According to Jason Prendergast, Reese Agri New Zealand sales manager, the patented Aitchison sponge feed seeding system with its ability to sow all seeds "still sets the benchmark in accuracy and remains unchanged". He says that with a seeding range from 1kg right up to 350kg per hectare, it covers the whole range. The stainless steel fertiliser box, which is offered as standard equipment, is also able to sow seed down as low as 8kg per hectare, which, more often than not, saves the need for a third box.
Aitchison drills are versatile like no other and can sow all seeds accurately from the smallest turnip to large broadbeans without cracking or otherwise damaging the seeds.
The Seedmatic Professional is designed for the serious farmer and contractor with class leading features that include:
· New 25mm 3 coil tines for superior trash shedding and increased tilth
· Adjustable row spacing from 136mm (grasses) to 150mm (cereal crops) (150mm coulter bar can be purchased as an extra)
· Wide 550mm stagger for superior trash clearance
· Huge 14in disc coulters
· Large 16in transport wheels for road stability and clearance.
· Wide 255mm ground wheels for decreased ground pressure (avoid sinking on soft ground conditions)
· Optional Drawbar ram kit to increase coulter ground clearance in extreme conditions, (on trailed units, fits in place of the turnbuckle)
· Seed bin level indicator standard fitment
· Stainless steel fertiliser bin standard
· Unique Roller fertiliser delivery also able to sow seed accurately to as low as 8kg per hectare
"It would be fair to say that [Aitchison seed drills] are enjoyed by farmers in more countries around the world than any other New Zealand-built piece of agricultural equipment" – Jason Prendergast
The Seedmatic range of drills is very extensive and includes more than 90 variants according to Jason Prendergast, New Zealand sales manager.
"Aitchison has been developing these drills in tine and disc format for more than 30 years now and it would be fair to say that they are enjoyed by farmers in more countries around the world than any other New Zealand-built piece of agricultural equipment," he says. "At last count, we concluded that we have active Seedmatic drills in more than 25 countries around the world."
The new Seedmatic Professional is not only proving to be an instant hit with New Zealand dealers, it is also in demand from Europe especially from current Seedmatic users that are looking for the "latest from New Zealand".
Prendergast says that with farm subsidies under threat, there are an increasing number of European farmers looking south for cost-effective alternatives to high-input operations. The Aitchison Seedmatic range of drills is often seen as the perfect partner especially when it comes to rejuvenating old pastures.
There is nothing truer than the simple catchphrase: "One of the easiest ways to make more money is to grow more grass".
This leads to increased milk production, faster weight gains and to potentially higher stocking rates at a low cost, all making your farming operation more profitable.
Using a seed drill to renovate, renew and to "top up" your pastures, as well as to introduce forage crops and cereals, is a significantly cheaper option than buying more land or going to the more intensive TMR-based systems. Mixed ration feeding obviously requires a higher HP tractor to drive a mixer and bought-in feed to supplement silages and hay. Not to mention the construction and maintenance of a feed pad.
Owning your own seed drill has the advantage of being "on-hand" to drill when the conditions are right to maximise germination and growth and to suit your individual farming practices.
For more information contact Jason Prendergast at Reese Agri, tel (06) 357 9323.
An example of how purchasing an Aitchison seed drill will make you money
Buy a seed drill and raise your grass production from 12t/ha of DM to 16 t/ha by topping up at 10kg/ha with one of the short rotation Italian rye grasses. This generates an additional 4t/ha of DM, which at 80 percent utilisation equals 3.2t extra for the cost of the seed, proportion of drill cost and time - say around $125.00/ha.
This means that the extra feed grown is costing around 4 cents per kg of DM.
Another industry "standard" suggests that it takes 6kg/dm to produce 1kg of milk solids. Using the extra 3200kgs DM produced above then equates to 533 kg/ms and at $3.70 kg/ms, your hectare is now producing an extra $1973 per year.
The Aitchison Grassfarmer tine-only seed drill retails for $10,995 (excluding GST), meaning a farmer will own his drill from the extra production off 5-6 hectares.
Keep up to date in the industry by signing up to Farm Trader's free newsletter or liking us on Facebook
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
