Fodder beet, swedes, turnips and maize can be very high yielding. (A finished fodder beet crop can have a value of around $6,000 per ha.) But they can also be demanding. Which is where Farmchief’s two pieces of very clever (and not-too-expensive) technology come in.
The appropriately named Xact range, manufactured in Europe, delivers precision planting, and inter-row cultivation to maximise crop value and return. Developed back in 1976, they’ve stood the test of time but are also state-of-the-art and attuned to modern fodder grower needs.
Xact Planter
Six- and eight-row, disc-opener planters are available. Three-point linkage mounted and PTO driven, they have a hydraulically-controlled fan on the air vacuum seeder. Each row is independent, with its own seed box and sprung parallelogram frame assembly, meaning they follow uneven contours, although, obviously a well-prepared seed bed is best.
Downward pressure is adjustable with three different tensions on the disc-openers, to penetrate hard, compacted soil.
Spacing is variable between 450 and 750 mm, and there’s an optional fertiliser box to further boost yield.
Calibration is quick and easy, and the return on investment is almost as fast!
XACT Inter-row Cultivator
The inter-row cultivator reduces the need for costly and complicated spray programmes, and is easier on the crop, the soil, and the conscience.