Review: Alstrong

By: Brent Lilley

Date: 05.12.2017

As NZ recovers from a wet winter, decisions around how to repair the pugging and damage done to pasture are likely uppermost in mind. Farm Trader reviews Alstrong, to see how it could be of assistance.

Given the widespread need for pasture management around the country, it was a timely visit south to view a couple of machines being used to rejuvenate pastureland.

Duncan _Alstrong -Aerator -3-sm

Designed and built by Irish company Alstrong, the machines are imported and sold in New Zealand by Duncan Ag, who have a long history of building and supplying quality machinery to farmers.

Alstrong Aerator

Duncan _Alstrong -aerator _8-sm

The Alstrong Aerator is a large steel drum roller fitted with 150mm long blades parallel to the direction of travel that punches into the soil. As the roller moves forward, there’s a slight twisting motion to open the ground up, aerating the soil. The way the blades are mounted means the weight of the roller is all on one blade at a time to ensure they penetrate the ground effectively. In the right conditions, they can have a shattering effect up to 300mm down.

The machine can be operated at a forward speed of up to 20km/hr, so good work rates are easily achieved. The three-metre trailing model is available in New Zealand and can be ballasted with water.

On the largest three-metre model, this gives around six tonnes of weight. The machines are well-thought-out and built with large flotation tyres, mudguards, lights, and a soft ride transport system on the trailing models.

Alstrong Actus

Duncan _Alstrong -Auctus -sm

The Alstrong Actus pasture rejuvenator is ideal for removing pugging and repairing damaged pastures. The heavy-duty three-metre-wide machine combines several components in a robust steel frame. At the front are two rows of levelling paddles mounted on spring tines.

These lightly scratch at the surface, removing dead grass, levelling any pugging, and creating loose soil for the seed. Behind that, a steel drum roller helps further level and firm up the soil, with triangular blades fitted to the drum to cut slots in the ground, aerating the surface.

Duncan _Alstrong -Auctus -2

An electronic air seeder sits in the centre of the machine and distributes seed evenly via eight hoses, with splash plates across the width. This is a simple and easy-to-use unit, which delivers accurate sowing rates and even coverage.

Two rows of adjustable grass harrow spring tines lightly scratch at the ground, ensuring the seed makes it to the ground and that there’s adequate seed-to-soil contact for germination.

Behind the tines is another roller with heavy-duty cast prism rings that ensure the soil is firmed up around the seed, leaving a smooth level finish behind.

A well-built heavy-duty frame holds all the components together. Large flotation tyres for safe and stable transport, mudguards, and road lights finish off the machine and meet legal requirements.