Aitchison Air Seeder Pro disc drills likely to debut at Henty
NATIONAL distributor PFG Australia has two of the latest New Zealand-made Aitchison Air Seeder Pro disc drills in hand, with next month’s Henty field days the likely date for their public debuts.
ONE is here and on the ground, the other just weeks away.
National distributor PFG Australia has two of the latest New Zealand-made Aitchison Air Seeder Pro disc drills in hand, with next month’s Henty field days the likely date for their public debuts.
The 6m version – the first to arrive here – was bought by Andy Satchell, owner of Fontus Agricultural Services, Condah, to replace an older machine.
A smaller 3m model is also about to appear, due for unveiling at Henty.
Mr Satchell purchased his new folding machine through dealer Darryl Melano, of Heywood Ag Sales & Service.
PFG national sales manager, cultivation and vegetation management, Justin Fisher hopes to have both the 6m and 3m versions on show at the field days.
“The 6m is the biggest in the range,” he said.
“Originally, these machines were 4.6m wide, but we’ve now gone to 6m with some new technology in the touchscreen electric drive system.
“They’ll suit anyone who’s renovating paddocks, sowing grass, cereal, onion seed or whatever, either in a direct-drill situation or in a paddock that’s been fallowed.”
Mr Satchell said the drill had “proven to be a really good machine”.
“We had some challenging country which had been under blue gums and was mulched,” he said.
“There were mounds and ruts, sticks and stones.
“Even so, we managed 6ha an hour with our 200hp tractor.”
In lighter land, the seder quickly covered 40-50ha at 12-14km/h and he expected his 150hp tractor to handle the drill on the lighter land next season.
Mr Satchell said that, when sowing grass seed, refilling was necessary only every 10-15ha, depending on sowing rate.
He said calibration of the AirPro was simple and adjustable front coulters and rear tyre rollers all performed well.
“The wings are lowered hydraulically, transport width was only about 2.5m and daily maintenance involves merely a quick greasing of the coulters.”
Product pricing starts from $103,750 (+GST), with an extra $36,700 for the optional disc gang and rear packer roller
For details, visit aitchisonseeding.com.au
How to prevent costly harvest season fires
With more than 1000 combine harvesters catching fire in Australia every year, the danger for farmers is real. But there are ways to prevent a disaster this harvest season.
Massey Ferguson’s power shift
Think muscle cars and you’d be forgiven for thinking American coupes, but an iconic tractor brand shows in The Weekly Times’s latest issue of Crop Gear magazine that there are horses for courses.