Which tool for min till

Phil P

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
North West
You just need the right coulters to deal with trash, it’s never been a problem since going to disc coulters (horsch) on the combi, even with very high volumes of trash.
This was one pass with the dal-bo then straight in with the combi. Straw had been chopped.
EABE5730-E407-4365-BBAA-E9D764BCB940.jpeg
 

Flat 10

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Fen Edge
TBH the difference between the Vaddy and the combi was like light and day, when I went on to min till. Combi worked (tine drill) but often needed another cultivation pass but so did my first box Vaddy. Since going to a system disc system I now find an extra pass can actually over work it.
I confess I am aiming for a coarser seed bed and using a higher water rate and angled nozzles on pre em to reduce slumping, so far I am happy with results. Very happy with pre em results.
I have a system disc vad here and while I like the seeding discs and press wheel because the seed placement is so good I cannot get the best out of the system disc cultivation element. I wonder if i'm travelling too slowly? i'm sure its something i'm doing wrong but all it seems to do is move clods to the left and then back to the right when i use in a sumo type seedbed. Especially when i see lots of short disc type cultivators making a good job. Any tips?
 

BuskhillFarm

Member
Arable Farmer
Surely a plough also leads to panning and a need for a subsoiler? I find discs + tines are the perfect solution on our heavy land, but not the deep cultivation that the trio gives.
I also find that discs are better on clods than tines but the system disc on the drill can do a lot of work for me there.
Each to their own and I am by no means saying my system is the best.
I’ve an old browns shear bolt subsoiler for tramlines and odd headland just.
 

Phil P

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
North West
I have a system disc vad here and while I like the seeding discs and press wheel because the seed placement is so good I cannot get the best out of the system disc cultivation element. I wonder if i'm travelling too slowly? i'm sure its something i'm doing wrong but all it seems to do is move clods to the left and then back to the right when i use in a sumo type seedbed. Especially when i see lots of short disc type cultivators making a good job. Any tips?
I’d say try going faster if you can, I’ve always found any type of disc cultivation equipment will work better at speed. They rely on the clods been thrown into the next set of discs to shatter and break them down. At slow speeds as you say it will just cut the odd one up and push them from one side too the other.
 

BuskhillFarm

Member
Arable Farmer
We bought a dal-bo supermax 300 back in September and been really, really impressed with the results on our heavy ground. One pass then combi drill.
The 300 (3m) says 180hp minimum in the specs though but I believe there is a 250 (2.5m) which is rated at 150hp. I priced the equivalent KV and Sumo machines and the price gap was staggering!
View attachment 1011283

This is some really heavy yellow clay that we did with it this time and there’s not a missed bit on it (unlike usually!)
View attachment 1011286

ps, it doesn’t like a lot of long trash but I don’t think many do, need a pass with the discs first if it’s really trashy.
What tractor are you using it on? Do you have many hills?
 

Phil P

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
North West
What tractor are you using it on? Do you have many hills?
Had it on my 6215R and my uncle’s 200hp Claas (can’t remember the model number 🤦🏻‍♂️) depending on soil type we where doing anything from 6-12kph. Unfortunately my uncle has now retired and sold his tractor so I’m going to be stuck for another tractor to drag it this year. The combi goes on the 6215 and I really don’t think my 6630 will handle it on anything other than sand and that’s if it will even pick it up! I’m thinking of either hiring something or there’s a contractor lad locally who has a 6250R that I may get in as and when. It does take some pulling though.

And yes we have some hills.
E70C9DA9-1EF2-4812-9A34-745AB2E343AC.jpeg
 

BuskhillFarm

Member
Arable Farmer
Had it on my 6215R and my uncle’s 200hp Claas (can’t remember the model number 🤦🏻‍♂️) depending on soil type we where doing anything from 6-12kph. Unfortunately my uncle has now retired and sold his tractor so I’m going to be stuck for another tractor to drag it this year. The combi goes on the 6215 and I really don’t think my 6630 will handle it on anything other than sand and that’s if it will even pick it up! I’m thinking of either hiring something or there’s a contractor lad locally who has a 6250R that I may get in as and when. It does take some pulling though.

And yes we have some hills.
View attachment 1011370
Ah my tractors kind of in the middle. Doubt it would go fast enough to do a good job. Have thought of a grange toolbar on the powerharrow, is annoying using one?
 

Phil P

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
North West
Ah my tractors kind of in the middle. Doubt it would go fast enough to do a good job. Have thought of a grange toolbar on the powerharrow, is annoying using one?
One tractor is fine if you’re guaranteed dry weather but that’s been anything but the case past few years. We’ve got plenty of ground that if it gets any kind of heavy rain once it’s been worked we won’t get near it again till spring so need to be following with the drill. And we just wouldn’t cover the ground fast enough.
 

Renaultman

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Darlington
It's the cost of ownership of these fashionable implements over a small acreage that can be more costly than doing the operation.
I's a good job that @Dman2 is only a youth and has many years in front of him to pay for these large ticket items. ;)
You don't have to buy new though XPress was £10,000 Vaddy £13,500 not as much as a new plough. ;)
 

Renaultman

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Darlington
You have forgotten the other benefits, no roundup spray, less weeds, natural blackgrass suppression less carry over of disease, etc etc... plus no expense on extra kit.
No black grass, got strerile brome and Ryegrass to keep an eye on. What extra kit? Certainly not going to get in to an argument over which system is better but for actually getting the corn in the ground there is no comparison, and I have done both. I love a day tootling up and down the field with the combi, it is far more relaxing than flying about with the Vaddy but the end of the day I will have done approx half as much and used twice as much diesel and probably killed quite a few more worms :(
 

czechmate

Member
Mixed Farmer
We bought a dal-bo supermax 300 back in September and been really, really impressed with the results on our heavy ground. One pass then combi drill.
The 300 (3m) says 180hp minimum in the specs though but I believe there is a 250 (2.5m) which is rated at 150hp. I priced the equivalent KV and Sumo machines and the price gap was staggering!
View attachment 1011283

This is some really heavy yellow clay that we did with it this time and there’s not a missed bit on it (unlike usually!)
View attachment 1011286

ps, it doesn’t like a lot of long trash but I don’t think many do, need a pass with the discs first if it’s really trashy.


Do you have a picture of it out the ground by any chance ?
 

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