English
Set up the spreader to look after every acre
With the New Year now firmly underway, thoughts are turning to the spring growing season, and with crops this year well forward, it is time to take stock of what’s needing to be done ahead of that first top dressing or applying some spring P & K.
Spreader maintenance: now is the time to get the spreader on the back of the tractor and give it the once-over. After greasing all the relevant spots, and oiling up linkages and chains, the machine can be checked over for wear and tear. Check hydraulic hoses and rams for signs of leaks and the PTO shaft for U/J or guard problems that need to be addressed. Road lights are also well worth a look.
Spreading system: this is the first port of call, what do the spreading blades look like, is there the telltale sign of rippling along the blades? If so, now is the time to sort out a new set, not mid-season when the pressure is on. When replacing blades, it is always better to take one off and put the new one on to make sure you are replacing like with like, then there is no chance of putting the wrong blade in the wrong place.
Shutter adjustment: all spreaders have a linkage between the setting scale and the shutter. Make sure the shutter opens to the correct scale setting as laid out in the operator’s manual. With nearly all spreaders being twin disc these days, this will ensure that the same quantity of fertiliser is metered out of each shutter simultaneously to prevent an uneven spread.
Feed-on point adjustment: make sure the feed-on point is set each side to drop the fertiliser onto the disc in the correct position. Inconsistency between each side will result in a poor spread pattern. Remember, on Amazone spreaders, there is no need to worry as the drop-point does not need to be constantly manually adjusted for different products, widths and spread rates, etc.
Electrics: with more and more spreaders having automatic dosing systems fitted these days, it is important to make sure the box in the cab talks to the shutter system properly, again linkages may need to be lubricated. Most boxes have a test procedure to check shutter calibration - on the Amazone ZA-M spreaders electronically take each shutter to 1500 impulses and check the apertures for balance.
Run the spreader up: last thing as always then is to put the PTO in gear, or the hydraulics in the case of the Amazone ZA-M Profis Hydro, and make sure it all runs sweetly. Is the disc speed correct for the width you need with the type of fertiliser you have in the shed?
Spread pattern and calibration: now is the time to do your homework on settings, have you booked a tray test? Get on line at, for example, www.amazone.co.uk and check your fertiliser on the database for the settings on the spreading discs, border spread mechanism and for application rates. If you want settings on the move then download the Amazone FertiliserService App at the iPhone store. Then get the calibration kit out and run some spot rate checks ahead of the big rush.
Errors when fertiliser spreading are costly, not only in terms of loss of yield and quality but also in difficulties from lodged crops at combining. However, fertiliser spreading is no different to anything else; be prepared and it will make sure that your Amazone fertiliser spreader looks after acre for you. With AMAZONE and GPS-Switch you really can get the most from every acre.