"I do find it is a good investment, because at the current fertiliser prices, there’s no room for inaccuracy, you have to be getting the most for your investment in fertiliser and this is one way of making sure you have no wastage whatsoever.”
Located in outside Enniscorthy in Ireland, Padraig farms 100% tillage, growing wheat, barley and oats, along with oilseed rape and beans.
Two years ago, he was in the market for a disc spreader and after doing his research, he settled on the Kverneland Exacta TL GEOSPREAD for a number of reasons.
“We liked a lot of the key features that were unique, the reference sensor which makes the weighing and the application rate extremely accurate”, he says.
“All my fields are stored on the machine and I can just take them off with the USB and put them on the laptop and I find it extremely accurate and I’m more than happy with the spread pattern as well."
Kverneland’s unique approach to precision spreading involves matching fertiliser quality and density to the spreading charts as closely as possible.
The essential parameters to adjust the spreader correctly are the physical properties of fertiliser not the name or nutrient content. This is what controls the spreading pattern and accuracy.
The Kverneland Exacta disc spreader range has a unique feature, the CentreFlow spreading system.
It is this central smooth acceleration of the granules that prevents fragmentation and ensures the spreading characteristics of valuable fertiliser are maintained when it reaches the spreading vanes.
Padraig notes: “One of the benefits is there’s eight vanes per disc, which makes it a very even spread pattern and, also, when you’re on slopes, you have less risk of the spread pattern altering because of the slope.”
For Padraig, who purchased his machine from his local Kverneland dealer Donohoes Agri in Enniscorthy, good after-sales service is critical.
“The back-up is vital now, especially when you’re dealing with machines. You’re going to need someone on the other end of the phone.”
He finds that with Kverneland’s service department support, “there’s no issue - you can ring any time”.
Product manager arable and cropcare Kverneland Group Ireland Leonard Hovenden notes that’s Padraig’s model is the top-of-the-range machine, the Kverneland EXACTA TL GEOSPREAD, with section control, controlled by GPS.
As with all the Kverneland disc spreaders, the “CentreFlow system is the heart of the spreading of the fertiliser spreader. That means the fertiliser is brought up to speed before it enters on to the disc.”
Due to this gentle handling, the spreading characteristics of the fertiliser are maintained with no impact or fragmentation or dust, so that the spreading pattern accuracy can be assured.
“So by using a machine like the TL GEOSPREAD it ensures that he’s accurate in his application of his fertiliser to maximise his input costs, but also to maximise his yield,” Leonard finishes.
The Exacta range includes the CL GEOSPREAD, TL GEOSPREAD and TLX GEOSPREAD, all offering precision farming functionalities.
All Kverneland’s GEOSPREAD models adjust the application rate to the driving speed of the machine.
The weighing system ensures a correct spreading rate, even on hills or bumpy conditions, thanks to the four load cells, reference sensor and automatic calibration system.
GPS-controlled section control ensures precise location of fertiliser in the field by combining a variable discharge point with rate control.
In addition, multi-rate functionality allows perfect dosing of two rates of fertiliser to be applied in one pass, resulting in fertiliser savings.
