Opico sward lifter.

[Greythundercloudys]

Seen one advertised, do they make a difference with drainage etc, what size tractor do you need.

 

[ford 7810]

Yes they do a good job had an hydraulic reset one since they first came out but expensive on wearing parts . Decent 100/120 hp four-wheel-drive can manage ok

 

[Greythundercloudys]

What difference do they make to the ground once you've been over it.

 

[ford 7810]

Dry it up a bit with a bit of luck. My advice certainly on our heavy land is keep offwith heavy tackle once its been done .let The air in and do its job

 

[Sid]

Dig a hole see if you actually need one.

Maybe June, July, August maybe September is the time to use it.

 

[capfits]

@Greythundercloudys Sumo disturbs the ground less.
The differance it leaves is quiet marked. They more increases the water percolation through root mat and livestock compaction. Think how quickly heavy rainfall drains and time roots spend in a shallower than ideal soil profile.

 

[Jerry]

I recently got a he-va stealth. Very pleased with it in grass and will do a good job in stubble ahead of the drill I think.

 

[Sid]

I recently got a he-va stealth. Very pleased with it in grass and will do a good job in stubble ahead of the drill I think.

#onboysground

How many ponies on that one and how deep?

 

[Jerry]

#onboysground

How many ponies on that one and how deep?

theres a T6-160 in the front. Handles it easily. Though they field never been touched and pummelled with cattle all winter. 120hp would be plenty other than on steep stuff I’d say.

 

[ploughman1963]

As to drainage - it makes a tremendous difference. We have some fields here that were soaking all year round until we ran the Erth through them. We once spread dirty water/slurry on a field (as normal) that had been gone over with the Erth panbuster earlier in the Autumn. Within hours we had dirty water emerging from drains - not damaged, ust that the water could reach them so much more eaily

 

[Agri Spec Solicitor]

Yes the Opico machine does make a difference on our silt. As said it moves the water down.
Our JD 6220 can handle it with ease though we are only working about 225mm down in silt with few stones.

 

[daveydiesel1]

Our ground has plenty of stones. Would a machine like this just make a mess hokein up stones?

 

[Chap]

I had a 5 leg opico Sward lifter, it was crap . Not heavy enough to get in the ground. Sumo
LDS is what you want

 

[Lazy Eric]

Our ground has plenty of stones. Would a machine like this just make a mess hokein up stones?

Yes; I had someone in with a sumo grass slitter, OMG! Stone everywhere

 

[Stw88]

Hire a sumo here now and then. Does a great job but timing is the key, dryer the better to get the shattering effect. First time we used it had a field on heavy clay that just sat in water, could hardly drive across with the bike all winter. The next year you could drive around with the tractor after an inch of rain and not leave a mark! that field is about ready to do again but it will be 5 years since it was done. Power isn’t so much the issue but you need a good size tractor on the front as the sumo is a chunk of weight. Plenty weight on the front especially if the ground is hard to get some traction.