Timeliness and productivity on a cropping operation near Mannum, SA, has improved following investment in a new seeding rig.
Adrian Bormann said he previously had the proverbial ‘road train’’ to sow crop on the 1800 hectare Sanderston farm, with a Horwood Bagshaw 10.5-metre scaribar, 4000-litre cart converted to 5000L, and tow-behind liquid fertiliser cart – all of which required an upgrade to a New Holland T8 420 front-wheel-assist tractor.
For the past two seasons a Morris 15.3m C2 Contour drill and 9365 tow-between cart, which includes a 5000L liquid tank, has done the job.
Tyne spacings also changed from 26.25 centimetres with a stiletto boot to 30cm with a RootBoot system for paired-row sowing.
“Sowing on the shoulder and having the following press wheel is working well,’’ Mr Bormann said.
“It’s a double shoot system that separates the seed and fertiliser and we are running liquid trace elements as well.’’
He said the new rig had improved the timeliness of sowing, and they could now cover 60ha before refilling, compared with 25ha previously.
“We share-farm a lot of smaller paddocks and this means we don’t always have to shift a lot of filling equipment - we can do them in one fill.’’
Mr Bormann said he was still learning with the machine, but depth control and placement was good and had resulted in good germination and establishment.
“We are also learning what we can do in-furrow with liquids, including flutriafol in furrow,” he said.
“Zinc is also important here and is doing well.
“Our soils are very variable and it is our hope that, with improved inputs, we can narrow the variability.”
He has also done some variable rate sowing to help with the changing soil types.
“This is something we never would have been able to do before,” he said.
“Summer spraying is also allowing us to capture summer rainfall better and we are getting on top of grasses.’’
Located in a 325-millimetre rainfall region, a good start to the 2015 season and growing crops on vetch stubble saw the Bormanns to take out the local Murray Plains crop competition with a 3.9 tonne/ha Mace wheat crop and a 1.6t/ha 44Y89 Clearfield hybrid canola crop.