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Farmers are now looking to make the most of effluent.
Dairy farmers are using slurry tankers to spread effluent, boosting soil fertility, says C B Norwood Distributors Ltd, distributor of Pichon tankers made in France.
Rather than seeing effluent as something to be disposed of at least cost, farmers are looking to make best use of it, the company says. Tankers efficiently transport effluent to where it will be most effective, and efficiently apply it, either by spraying or by dribbling it directly onto pasture or injecting it into the soil.
Pichon has made slurry management equipment for 40 years.
The tankers have an integrated frame, the tank forming part of the chassis. This means a lighter machine with a lower centre of gravity. The tank is galvanised inside and out, and can be specified with an internal agitation system.
A range of auto-fill systems is offered, but most common for New Zealand is the BP2 arm which can go either side of the machine, connecting the tanker suction line to a filling cone positioned adjacent to either a pit or tank.
One of three discharge systems can be fitted to the tankers, each with options that tailor the machine to the specific task:
A simple, traditional spreader plate and nozzle is the most common and cheapest option, though it is arguably the most inefficient at retaining the nutrient value of slurry due to losses in atomisation. And it will not suit a farm close to residential areas where smell may be a problem.
A spreader bar, mounted on a hydraulic linkage at the rear of the tanker, delivers the effluent to either trailing shoe applicators or a dribble bar for direct soil application (spreading width up to 28m).
A disc injection system delivers the effluent into the ground for optimum plant takeup and a minimum of nutrient loss.
For models fitted with a spreader bar or injectors, a macerator ensures the slurry is broken up and deals to foreign bodies preventing blockage of the discharge system, while an easily accessible stone trap can be emptied as necessary.
The filling, transport and spreading phases are hydraulically sequenced for simple and easy operation with a minimum tractor spool valve requirement. And for a precision farming application system, electronic flow control can be specified to monitor and control correct application according to the speed and spreading width.
The Pichon tanker range covers capacities 2600 to 30,000L, plus a big range of filling and discharge options.
Tel. 06 356 4920
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