‘Farmers increasingly interested in more precise planting’

“Farmers are interested in the computers and newly developed technology driving the planter. In getting all the information and data for variable rate applications for example”, Badenhorst says. “And we see regularly that farmers are going for a big singular machine instead of a few smaller ones. Bigger planters are more efficient and that makes them more cost effective than smaller units with new technology. Financially it makes more sense to add all the technology to one singular machine.”

Equalizer builds precision planters, tine seeders, VT disc seeders and air carts. Precision planters now form an important part of the market. South Africa is currently the biggest market for this segment for Equalizer. “We grow a fair bit of corn, soybeans and sunflowers in South Africa”, Badenhorst points out.

The South African company mostly exports the CII Narrow Precision Planter (16 & 24 Row) to other countries. “That is the one product that we are really gaining a bit of traction with worldwide”, Badenhorst says. The planter is suitable for planting seeds of field corn, soybeans, canola, sweet corn, popcorn, edible beans, sunflowers, sugarbeets/onions, sorghum/milo, pumpkins and peanuts.

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The best scenario

A precision planter is interesting for farmers because it gives them the precision to achieve greater cost effectiveness, Badenhorst says. “Farmers try to get the best out of their crop. With precision planters you can get that seed placed precisely in the right spot. We have learnt over the years that this helps plants to perform better in a crop.”

“Each plant gets the ability of the best scenario around, and gets the same access to nutrients and moisture. With precision comes better yielding and more healthy crops. At the end of the day, farming is a game of small percentages. We try to maximise these percentages.”

Innovative technologies

Equalizer Planters come factory fitted with innovative technologies of Precision Planting. “That is an advantage, because you’re not making something fit. It is built for it”, Badenhorst emphasises.

One of the features of the CII Narrow Precision Planter is the Precision Planting vDrive – a maintenance free electric meter drive. Badenhorst: “Each row unit controls its own speed in individual rows with this device and it prevents overlap. You get massive savings in seed, because you won’t cover an area that’s already been planted.”

“Each row unit will switch itself off before it overlaps. The machine can also do turn-compensation with the individual row-control. When you are doing a headland outside the field, it will do the outside rows quicker and the inside rows slower. You will get even placement of seeds, even when turning.”

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Liquid or granular fertilizer

Farmers can opt for the hydraulic Precision Planting DeltaForce system, an automated downforce row-by-row control system, or an adjustable mechanical spring down force. “DeltaForce will always give you the best possible job, even with varying soil types”, Badenhorst says.

The CII planter also has Equalizer’s modular 3/4-bin design. This gives farmers the flexibility to manage seed and fertilizer combinations, which could consist of mixtures or straights, depending on their farming needs. “We run that setup on all of our machines. We can configure it for multiple products, for liquid or granular fertilizer for example.”

We see that variable rate applications are definitely becoming the norm

“Farmers see the value really when they start looking at variable rate Phosphorus (P), or when they want to have a nitrogen source running at one rate, and a P source on a variable rate for example. Or they can have a granular fertilizer and a liquid fungicide on one machine. That’s when the multi-tank really comes through. A variable rate application of herbicide, fertilizer and seeds can all happen in one pass.”

“We see that variable rate applications are definitely becoming the norm”, Badenhorst emphasises. “A few years ago, it was just starting, but now with the cost of seed and fertilizer and new available technology, you really get the value out of your crop if you can place the right amount of product where it’s needed.”

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The speed of planting

The speed of the application is very soil-type dependent, Badenhorst says. “But we always say that around 8 kms per hour is a very safe speed. If the soil type allows up, farmers do run up to the 12 kms per hour zone. It is very important to look at the job, and not to just chase the speed.”

Currently, some farmers are sowing at speeds of 16 km/h, Badenhorst says. “But is very dangerous to say that this is the speed to go. At that speed, if you do something wrong, you can make very big mistakes. All conditions have to be right.”

There is currently a big drive worldwide to up the speed to chase efficiency

“In general, we try to be more efficient with the same equipment. If you don’t go any wider, you could try to go quicker to increase the amount of acreage. There is currently a big drive worldwide to up the speed to chase efficiency. But we have reached a spot, where we have to be careful. If you go with 16 kms/h and you hit a rock, it’s fairly comfortable on the tractor, and it is also not good for the equipment at the back.”

The CII planters offers low Stick Keeton SeedFirmers, but can also accommodate the more expensive option of Precision Planting SmartFirmers. SmartFirmer is a seed firmer-sensor that measures the amount of moisture available to the seed, organic matter, and temperature, so farmers can produce maps to adjust their depth correctly to get a consistent crop stand.

Three different products in one pass

According to Badenhorst, the CII Precision Planter is popular among farmers worldwide because of a number of features. “We offer big wheels, so the large wheels and the frame run smoothly in soft soils. And because the wheels are so large, it reduces soil compaction. It just makes for a steady running machine.”

The way it folds forward, makes the machine compact and easy to travel with, Badenhorst continues. “It is not a wide unit, the wings are tugged. And the row units are very accessible and easy to service. The frame actually lifts the row units up, for easy access and maintenance.”

“And what also sets us apart from a lot of other manufacturers in thew world, is the size of the on-frame tank. To have a precision planter with granular fertilizer equipment, is not standard around the world. Most machines are only set up to do liquids. And we can do the seeds as well. It makes it a very versatile planter because it can three different products in one pass.”