Sumo DTS advice

[SteveE]

Hello one and all.

We recently acquired a Sumo DTS 4m drill second hand and this will be our first experience of one having used plough and power Harrows and combi drill for the last 30 plus years.

Whilst I know there are many arguments for rival drill manufacturers and types of drill we felt that this would be the best stepping stone for us due to costing of machine and the ground we farm.

I was wondering if any experienced users are able to point me in the right direction with regards any anything to watch out for etc etc? We remove all straw from fields already and have done for many many years and up until recently been applying chicken manure before ploughing.

Again any constructive advice would be most appreciated (the drill won't be changed for a couple of years so suggesting other drills won't be that helpful).

Many thanks one and all.

Steve

 

[Hampton]

North or south Shrops?

 

[SteveE]

North or south Shrops?

North near Oswestry

 

[Hampton]

North near Oswestry

@Wheatland has one in south Shropshire

 

[Spencer]

Did you get it from Ellis?

 

[jonnieboy]

Good drill
Just go at a steady pace and don’t go over deep

 

[Wheatland]

@SteveE What age is your drill? Does it have the Orga metering and the increased stagger on the legs? Good drills, can be a PITA if baler Man doesn’t get all the straw, as @jonnieboy says, there’s no need to drop the leading legs in deeper than 6-8”; It’s not a subsoiler. It’s capable of all combinable crops and maize but beans and osr are its real strength

 

[SteveE]

Did you get it from Ellis?

No it was a private sale

 

[SteveE]

@SteveE What age is your drill? Does it have the Orga metering and the increased stagger on the legs? Good drills, can be a PITA if baler Man doesn’t get all the straw, as @jonnieboy says, there’s no need to drop the leading legs in deeper than 6-8”; It’s not a subsoiler. It’s capable of all combinable crops and maize but beans and osr are its real strength

It is a 2013 so no orga metering but has only done about 500ha as its been sat in a shed for a few years as the lads had given up farming where they were.

We thought that about the depth, we usually only ever ploughed to about 7 inches so wouldn't drop below that without running a subsoiler through first, use the right machine for the right job we thought.

Main crops would be wheat and osr, is there a great advantage to using the 1inch Coulter over the 5 for osr? I know it suggests it in the manual for osr and beans.

 

[Wheatland]

I prefer using the 5” closed back coulter for osr as the 1” can just drop the seed down the slot behind the leg unless your soil is very sandy or loose. The coulter just wants to be scuffing the surface for osr and let the covering discs and press wheels firm it in.

1” is definitely better for beans.

If your machine hasn’t got the mod which extends the stagger of the back row of coulters you will need to put as much effort as possible into having clean shortish stubbles with ALL the cereal straw baled including the bits where the combine turns on the headlands as in certain conditions the drill will block up which can be annoying. If you do have trouble, then a pass with a rake or topper may help.

I would otherwise avoid cultivations or subsoiling if possible, it’s almost alway a waste of time and effort.

 

[SteveE]

I prefer using the 5” closed back coulter for osr as the 1” can just drop the seed down the slot behind the leg unless your soil is very sandy or loose. The coulter just wants to be scuffing the surface for osr and let the covering discs and press wheels firm it in.

1” is definitely better for beans.

If your machine hasn’t got the mod which extends the stagger of the back row of coulters you will need to put as much effort as possible into having clean shortish stubbles with ALL the cereal straw baled including the bits where the combine turns on the headlands as in certain conditions the drill will block up which can be annoying. If you do have trouble, then a pass with a rake or topper may help.

I would otherwise avoid cultivations or subsoiling if possible, it’s almost alway a waste of time and effort.

Thanks @Wheatland! Good to hear from someone who has been there before. Yes no extra stagger on this one at the moment, stubbles are cut short it all depends how good the baler men who come in are so will see. Thanks for your replies very much appreciated!

 

[R J]

Good drill
Just go at a steady pace and don’t go over deep

When you say a steady Pace , is that 7-8 kph ish
Thanks

 

[jonnieboy]

When you say a steady Pace , is that 7-8 kph ish
Thanks

Hi yeah makes a better finish than 10k as you get more soil throw the faster you go

 

[Will 1594]

Got a dts ,coming hopefully in 2 weeks , 3 m machine
Any tips . Any one wanting to see it going quite welcome to come look ,

 

[SteveE]

Got a dts ,coming hopefully in 2 weeks , 3 m machine
Any tips . Any one wanting to see it going quite welcome to come look ,

I've done the rape with it so far but was late getting it in this year so can't comment at all yet. Think as stated above take your time seems to be main thing. Not that I am ever not wanting any tips to improve things! I hope your machine suits your needs and works well for you!

 

[mo!]

Got a dts ,coming hopefully in 2 weeks , 3 m machine
Any tips . Any one wanting to see it going quite welcome to come look ,

Go slow, don't use it in the wet. Or late season. Or on heavy clay. It's not a magic bullet.

 

[R J]

They dont like a heavy application of fym ! As I found out today

 

[manttys]

How many horses needed for 4m machine? Light soils, but some hills

 

[Hobbit]

How many horses needed for 4m machine? Light soils, but some hills

We pulled our 4m with a puma 175 without any problems but didn’t try on the hills, just swapped to a puma 230 and kept going.

 

[Wheatland]

240hp on ours, more for beans