Tow and Fert

[trev1]

Hey, just a question for Tow and Fert users. Are they worth it?

 

[vantage]

Hey, just a question for Tow and Fert users. Are they worth it?

Yes.

 

[easy farming]

Hey, just a question for Tow and Fert users. Are they worth it?

	Year	Grass Grown	Tonnes of Nitrogen
Beast from the East and drought	2018	10.10	17.37
	2019	13.28	19.48
	2020	12.43	17.96
	2021	11.51	15.79
Drought	2022	8.06	14.89
Tow and Fert used	2023	11.18	9.87

Grazing platform grass grown per Ha. Nitrogen use does not take into account area, eg fields out for reseeding etc. 2023 was a wet year and as we are a sandy farm would have expected more growth anyway. Too early to say if it is worth it, but foliar application certainly appears so.

 

[nonemouse]

Not had anything to do with tow and fert, but switched to liquid fert through sprayer about 6 years since, and think I’ve seen more benefit on the grass than the corn

 

[Repeat]

Not had anything to do with tow and fert, but switched to liquid fert through sprayer about 6 years since, and think I’ve seen more benefit on the grass than the corn

A few questions if you don't mind? Quite interested in this.
Are you using a trailed or mounted sprayer ?
Grade of fertilizer , bought ready mixed ?
Would you call it foliar low rate N , or using a similar rate to solid on bare ground.

 

[Beef farmer]

Hey, just a question for Tow and Fert users. Are they worth it?

No doubt works, had one here for a while. Fair bit of extra work.

 

[Cowlife]

No doubt works, had one here for a while. Fair bit of extra work.

Worth the extra work?
Looked at them a couple of times but we don't do enough acres.
Would I wreck my sprayer trying to put stuff through it?

 

[nonemouse]

A few questions if you don't mind? Quite interested in this.
Are you using a trailed or mounted sprayer ?
Grade of fertilizer , bought ready mixed ?
Would you call it foliar low rate N , or using a similar rate to solid on bare ground.

I have a demount sprayer on an old Clayton buggy/tractor. Using premixed fert (urea ammonium nitrate ammonium sulphate) 24 N 7S from Omex they provided a tank big enough to hold 2 artic tanker loads, rates are just down slightly on what I was as solid fert, but I was maybe using less than many recommend, all our grass has a fair amount of clover in it.

 

[Hb21]

Yes.

No doubt works, had one here for a while. Fair bit of extra work.

Are you both getting the reduction in N that all the trial data suggests?
I've got a quote sat on the desk...

 

[Beef farmer]

Are you both getting the reduction in N that all the trial data suggests?
I've got a quote sat on the desk...

Didn't stick with it.
It's a near full time job in the growing season to cover our ground as we are a bit spread out.
Urea over 500/ton it's no brainer. In the 3s it's questionable.

But yes the trial we did, you could see the potential

 

[vantage]

Are you both getting the reduction in N that all the trial data suggests?
I've got a quote sat on the desk...

I took part in the trial here in Wales. Useful savings on N, with the flexibility to add other things. They’re not cheap pieces of kit but are robust. Depends how long you think you’ll be on artificial N for, one farm I know is aiming to transition away from N, he uses two boom sprayers as he had the tractors and drivers.
As @Beef farmer says , can be time consuming. Local dairy has bought a 4000l model as they have a lot of cows and land, as a comparison an Amazon trailed spreader, which they apparently have and is worn out, was £100k.

 

[trev1]

Thankyou for all replies

 

[Cotlandfarmer]

I'm sure @Walwyn and @Headless chicken would be able to give you plenty of pointers.

 

[devonboy]

how does the new restrictions on spreading urea affect the use of this?

 

[clemmo]

how does the new restrictions on spreading urea affect the use of this?

Shouldn’t affect it

 

[easy farming]

Shouldn’t affect it

You can, I believe, use unprotected urea, which will be cheaper.

 

[Walwyn]

I'm sure @Walwyn and @Headless chicken would be able to give you plenty of pointers.

Hey, just a question for Tow and Fert users. Are they worth it?

Can't add much to what's been said. Entering 5th season with one here. Based purchase on paying for machine over 2 years with 40% saving per annum, that was when fert prices started with a 2. We managed 60% saving by end of second year.
As mentioned it is a bit slower than conventional but can be mitigated by being set up right in the yard with water storage.
The machines versatility really comes in when you appreciate plant nutrition is far more than NPK. Agitation and mix action allows inclusion of many different ingredients. This of course can add complexity and will all come down to what you want to achieve.
In summary, from a Nitrogen point of view it does achieve what they claim and is a well built machine.

 

[Hb21]

Those of you using a humic acid product along with the urea, how much are you paying for it and what form is it coming in......liquid in a ibc or granules?

 

[JD-Kid]

got one here and can grow a fair bit with it
I did not look at it from a point of cost saving but more for the same input could grow more grass
pet mix I use per Ha applied
33 kg urea SoA MIX 70 % urea 30% Soa
10 grams Gibb (cooler weather low sunshine )
4 its of a bio mix
4-5 kg elemental sulphur

got a 1200 mounted one get about 10 ha per load so it's a bit slower than a bulk Fert spreader that holds 2-3 ton urea down time returning to refill slows the sprayer down

 

[Headless chicken]

Those of you using a humic acid product along with the urea, how much are you paying for it and what form is it coming in......liquid in an ibc or granules?

Off the top of my head I think granules works out at £5.50 an acre liquid about £6.75 could be telling porkies would have to check my notes.

granular £62 for 25kg
Liquid £54.72 for 17.5l

But don’t hold me to that. That was last years price list may have gone up a touch but doesn’t bounce around like fert