Tow and Fert in the UK

Walwyn

Member
Location
West Wales
Hi,

Any crew with experience of the Tow and Fert units, or similar?
Will be using on grass.
Any comments on their use, efficacy etc?

Cheers,
N
Works as described really, I thought it was a bit awkward balancing pressure initially but that was me not realising I could alter the oil flow from the tractor, simples now.
Using far less N, not just because of the machine but it's definitely given us the flexibility to try different things.
 

JD-Kid

Member
yea got one here. find it ok a fair bit to learn with it im finding tho and have seen some good things very much a little and often type system
bit of learning how some things react or what efect. some things can have like live microbes and N products dont mix too well killing the bugs off.
did have probs with urea in the cold trying to melt it. and also had prob's with a S90 product. when mixing 20 kg per ha turning off pump to fold up boom it settled in the lines blocking them a lower rate. might of been better.
 

Nsoiled

Member
Yeah, bit of fine lime, bit of fish, bit of mag etc. I'm as tempted to rig up a decent agitator (eg Honda trash pump??) and use my boomjet thingy as it handles particles under 1.2mm alright .

Then again I can probably just use the heli to do it 🤷‍♂️ and just use a bowser / agitator setup
What kind of rate do you put those materials out at?
Only real thing about tow and fert type unit is wide nozzle for application of whole materials (composts esp).
 

Nsoiled

Member
yea got one here. find it ok a fair bit to learn with it im finding tho and have seen some good things very much a little and often type system
bit of learning how some things react or what efect. some things can have like live microbes and N products dont mix too well killing the bugs off.
did have probs with urea in the cold trying to melt it. and also had prob's with a S90 product. when mixing 20 kg per ha turning off pump to fold up boom it settled in the lines blocking them a lower rate. might of been better.
Thanks for this
Do you do any testing, before/after btw?
 

JD-Kid

Member
Thanks for this
Do you do any testing, before/after btw?
in what way soil and or leaf tests ...
I did try normal sprayer for a start with fish seaweeds etc and used UAN but only 8 meter sprayer so was too slow went to a 1200 3 point linkage. tow and fert with twin booms so getting 18-22 meters spread now
only thing I find is in rough going and having to slow down rate changes alot. so need to make maxes to suit forward speed
can be up set with wind a bit
think can lift gains if the season is good
reson got it was not to cut fert use but to get more growth for the same amount applied. as fert costs were holding back outputs
 

Nsoiled

Member
in what way soil and or leaf tests ...
I did try normal sprayer for a start with fish seaweeds etc and used UAN but only 8 meter sprayer so was too slow went to a 1200 3 point linkage. tow and fert with twin booms so getting 18-22 meters spread now
only thing I find is in rough going and having to slow down rate changes alot. so need to make maxes to suit forward speed
can be up set with wind a bit
think can lift gains if the season is good
reson got it was not to cut fert use but to get more growth for the same amount applied. as fert costs were holding back outputs
Thanks, I was thinking leaf or forage I guess.
Otherwise, how are the measuring success, growth rates?
 

neilo

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Montgomeryshire
Works as described really, I thought it was a bit awkward balancing pressure initially but that was me not realising I could alter the oil flow from the tractor, simples now.
Using far less N, not just because of the machine but it's definitely given us the flexibility to try different things.

Out of interest, what does one of these machines cost in the UK? There doesn't look an awful lot to it, compared to a conventional sprayer.
 

Nsoiled

Member
Out of interest, what does one of these machines cost in the UK? There doesn't look an awful lot to it, compared to a conventional sprayer.
They're expensive.
Not considering a purchase myself, looking at a home built unit.
AFAIK there is IP on the unit, with the pump I think. At least they do manufacture their own pumps.
That said, thing about them is versatility I think. Can apply suspensions, melted urea and even seed.
My plan is to apply compost (as a whole material) along with nutes and biostims.
That said, the essence of the design is a high flow, low pressure pump (<3bar). With high bore transfer and wide apperture outlets. In my case 5-6mm openings on the nozzles. And vigorous recirculation.
 

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Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

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As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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