Mounted or trailed drill?

[Beefsmith]

Irrelevant of the brand but thinking about current conditions as well as more normal conditions what’s the best all round machine? I know some people will say both but if you had to have one only, which would it be? To be based around a 200 ish hp tractor.

I’m thinking something that can be altered between both disc and tine seeding coulters but I’d say trailed would penetrate better in the dry where as mounted better in the wet? I’m looking at our unmoved stubbles and min tilled ground today and no way would any trailed drill run, but I think a mounted might just go.

 

[Tractor tom7480]

Always trailed ...

 

[Brisel]

I think you have to view this autumn as exceptional. The last time it was this wet was 2012, so the last 6 years have been kinder so I'd go trailed as you'll get more acres done in a day with a bigger hopper most of the time. I don't think one drill can do everything in all conditions all the time. If you're still cultivating I'd pick up a second hand mounted tine drill for years like this when the fuss has died down next September. I have a mounted 6m tine drill which is a PITA most of the time as the hopper only holds a tonne of seed & requires lots of ballast on the tractor to lift it. I haven't put it over a weighbridge but I'll bet it's nearly 20 tonnes on 4 wheels which must be doing serious damage at depth in these conditions, even at 18 psi in the tyres.

However, since you're posting this in the DD forum, what is your current system? If you were no till with a disc drill, I'd consider a tine as a backup. Lots of experienced no tillers in here with both discs and tines to cover most conditions.