Tillage Farmer Padraig Kehoe on the efficiency of his Kverneland Exacta TL GEOSPREAD

With fertiliser costs still a significant input cost, farmers must rely on their fertiliser spreaders to be as

efficient and accurate as possible.

Padraig Kehoe, a tillage farmer, shared his experience after 2 years spent using the Kverneland Exacta TL GEOSPREAD and its effect on his crops.

“I do find it is a good investment because at the current fertiliser prices there’s no room for inaccuracy, you have to be getting the most for your investment in fertiliser and this is one way of making sure you have no wastage whatsoever”.

Located in The Ballagh, just outside Enniscorthy Padraig farms one hundred per cent tillage, growing wheat, barley, oats along with oilseed rape and beans. Two years ago he was in the market for a Disc Spreader and after doing his research he settled on the Exacta TL GEOSPREAD for a number of reasons.

“We liked a lot of the key features that were unique, the reference sensor which makes the weighing and the application rate extremely accurate”, he says.

He emphasised that “you have less risk of the spread pattern altering because of slope”, making the Exacta TL GEOSPREAD a very impressive investment as it boasts with an unrivalled accuracy preventing fertilizer wastage for maximum returns.

“All my fields are stored on the machine and I can just take them off with the USB and put them on the laptop and I find it extremely accurate and I’m more than happy with the spread pattern as well.”

For Padraig, good after sales service is critical. “The backup is vital now, especially when you’re dealing with machines.. You’re going to need someone on the other end of the phone”. He finds that Kverneland’s service department support are always on hand to give assistance., “There’s no issue you can ring any time.”

Kverneland’s unique approach to precision spreading involves matching fertiliser quality and density to the spreading charts as closely as possible. The essential parameters to adjust the spreader correctly are the physical properties of fertiliser not the name or nutrient content. This is what controls the spreading pattern and accuracy.

One of its key features is the CentreFlow spreading system ensuring that there is no impact, fragmentation or dust thanks to a central release point and a smart association of acceleration and centrifugal force allowing the fertilizer to be brought to sufficient speed before hitting the disc and its 8 vanes. These guarantee a continuous flow of fertilizer to the field, an essential requirement for efficient and high capacity spreading.

Leonard Hovenden, product manager arable and cropcare Kverneland Group Ireland notes that’s Pardraig’s model is the top of the range machine, the TL GEOSPREAD, with section control, controlled by GPS. “So by using a machine like the TL GEOSPREAD it ensures that he’s accurate in his application of his fertiliser to maximise his input costs, but also to maximise his yield” Leonard finishes.

See this walkthrough video on the Exacta range:

The Exacta range includes the CL GEOSPREAD, TL GEOSPREAD and TLX GEOSPREAD all offering precision farming functionalities.

For more information on Kverneland Disc Spreaders: - Kverneland Spreading-Equipment

Contact Kverneland:

Leonard Hovenden: Product Manager Arable & Cropcare – 00353 87 147 5137

Allan Hetherington: Area North – 0044 7826 544 630

Greg Tennyson: Area South - 00353 87 700 9689

Website: www.kverneland.ie

Kverneland Group is a leading international company developing, producing and distributing agricultural machinery and services. Strong focus on innovation allows us to provide a unique and broad product range with high quality. Kverneland Group offers an extensive package aimed at the professional farming community, covering the areas of soil preparation, seeding, forage and bale equipment, spreading, spraying and electronic solutions for agricultural tractors and machinery.