REGINA – It may be debatable whether bigger is better when it comes to farm equipment, but there’s no question about who has the biggest air seeding cart.
Bourgault Industries of St. Brieux, Sask., pulled the tarp back on a monster-sized air cart at the Western Canada Farm Progress Show which ran in Regina from June 18-20.
The 6550 model is a 550 bushel, four-tank cart that weighs in empty at 6,500 kilograms and at average rates is capable of covering 120 acres of wheat, 150 acres of peas, 125 acres of canola or 155 acres of lentils without refilling tanks.
Read Also
Agriculture ministers agree to AgriStability changes
federal government proposed several months ago to increase the compensation rate from 80 to 90 per cent and double the maximum payment from $3 million to $6 million
Tank sizes are 15 bu., 75 bu., 165 bu. and 295 bu., and can be arranged in up to six combinations for inoculants and fertilizer blending.
They are filled with a 25-centimetre auger that hydraulically swings a low profile hopper under the B-train trailers that will be required to supply the inputs.
Even though the machine could weigh as much as 15,000 kg in the field, when fitted with the optional dual rear 650/75 R34 tires the six metre wide unit creates only 16 pounds per sq. inch of field compaction.
This is comparable to or below Bourgault’s other air carts.
With the optional Australian-made Kee Technologies Zynx touch-screen monitor and controller, satellite mapping systems can be used to apply variable rates of product through the seed drill.
The tank will initially be used to apply dry urea rather than liquid fertilizer or anhydrous ammonia, but the Zynx system could potentially manage those as well, significantly extending the seed unit’s refill timing.
The machine includes a guidance system, but an auto steer component is planned for the near future, say company officials.
It costs approximately $100,000.
Bourgault released another big machine at this year’s show, but this is promoted for its durability rather than size.
The 5730 ACD coulter drill is designed for seeding or fertilizing into pasture and hay land with little soil disturbance and is available in six to 10 m widths.
The fixed height coulter system has a 200 kg trip weight for cutting into hard packed pasture with the 50 cm diameter disc.
It is available in 181/2, 233/4 and 311/2 cm spacings and on the latter two, mid-row banders can also be fitted to the heavy duty frame.
Prices start at $60,000 for the six metre model and increase by $8,640 per metre of drill. Company officials say the units may find their way to larger cattle and hay producers and to dealers that rent equipment.
