One-pass ‘grain and
fert’ combination drill makes its debut
On
display at the Highland Show will be the new Maschio one-pass ‘grain and fert’
combination drill, launched earlier this year by OPICO, and designed
specifically to withstand the stony conditions of Scotland.
OPICO’s
Scottish territory manager Sandy Clark explains: “The ability to till, drill
and deliver fertiliser in one-pass continues to grow in popularity here. This
new combination from Maschio is both very robust and very accurate.”
The
combination drill consists of a 3m wide Alitalia pneumatic seed drill mounted
onto a heavy duty ORSO power harrow together with a front-mounted fertiliser
system.
Accurate
rate control is achieved using Flexeed metering systems, and the drill’s
Perfecta double-disc coulters accurately place seed and fertiliser together.
The
1260 litre front fertiliser tank is available with the choice of hydraulic or
PTO-driven fans. Metering can either be mechanical (land wheel) or electronic
(radar/GPS), the latter being controllable from the cab.
The
wheels are positioned under the front tank which spreads the weight and also
acts as a front press.
Fertiliser
rate is accurately controlled using Maschio’s patented Flexeed ‘cartridge type’
metering system – the same as is used to control seed rate on the drill. Users
benefit from a choice of metering rollers, enabling different sizes of
fertiliser granules/seed and different rates to be used. The graduated fluted
rollers ensure accuracy and consistency of metering, whilst the simple design
enables easy calibration and incorporates features such as hopper isolation.
The
drive line in the ORSO consists of a heavy duty main gearbox – rated 250 hp –
and a higher specification material is used throughout the drive train. Its
barrel-type taper roller bearings are 30% stronger than standard taper roller
bearings.
Maschio
power harrows also have a closer spacing of rotors than others - four per metre
– and ensure a fine tilth is created.
Other
useful features of the ORSO include: Quick-fit tines which reduce downtime;
stone deflectors which prevent damage; accessible bearings for ease of
maintenance; a double skin trough both for strength and to prevent stone
damage. It also comes with a three-year warranty.
The
Alitalia drill is mounted onto the 600mm packer roller of the ORSO and not onto
the power harrow itself. This ensures the drill follows the ground contours
enabling seed to be placed at a consistent depth for even germination. Since
the power harrow is not bearing the weight of the drill or seed hopper, this
also prevents damage where stones are encountered.
Seed
hoppers are available with either a1500 litre or 2000 litre capacity. Seed
metering is electronic, and utilises RDS technology to deliver accurate
variable rate control.
Accuracy
is further enhanced by the Alitalia’s Perfecta double-disc coulters – these are
large discs, mounted on parallelograms, which combine to give excellent soil
penetration and even seed placement. The fertiliser granules and seed are
delivered in–between the double discs, which are followed by a Neoprene press
wheel.
Other
Maschio-designed features that save time and money and come as standard on the
Alitalia drill are: the Genius Lite control box. This has a pre-start function so
the drill is primed before it is engaged into the soil so there is no delay at
the start of a run, and a pre-stop function so that seed is not wasted on
headlands.
Another
time-saver is the QUICK-MATCH system which enables quick and easy attachment of
the ORSO to drill using a 3-point linkage. In fact, the drill and power harrow
combination can be detached safely by one operator in just a couple of minutes,
so that the harrow can be used alone.
The
3m Alitalia/ORSO combination alone costs £44,110 +VAT, and the additional grain
and fertiliser kit costs £23,197 +VAT. For details of their local Maschio
dealer, farmers and contractors should contact OPICO on 01778 421111.
