Friday, 02 February 2024 08:55

Reduce your weed burden

Written by  Mark Daniel
Rotowiper system claims to apply more chemical onto the plant than any other type of weed wiper applicator. Rotowiper system claims to apply more chemical onto the plant than any other type of weed wiper applicator.

Weed wiping has taken many formats over the last 50 years or more, with some systems achieving much better results than others.

The Ashburton-manufactured Rotowiper system applies more chemical onto the plant than any other type of weed wiper applicator, delivering sufficient chemical to kill problem weeds in a single pass across the paddock.

The exceptional results, alongside reduced running costs and less chemical use compared to conventional spraying, raises the question why some farmers are not reducing their weed burden with such an efficient tool.

With land values rising or even holding, giving over paddocks to weeds is hard to understand, with some farmers still failing to realise that problem weeds will not disappear on their own and there is an actual cost attached to letting them to survive. Weeds will choke out your grasses and clovers, resulting in reduced production, meaning reduced revenue and profit margin.

For a small capital outlay, the addition of a Rotowiper to a farm’s machinery fleet allows users to tackle this problem in a cost-effective manner, with the concept on using expensive chemicals when the problem weed encounters the applicator roller.

The efficacy of the application is also greatly improved as the machine applies chemical to the more vulnerable underside of the leaf and the plant stem.

There are also ecological benefits as there is no spray drift, so applications can be undertaken even on windy days, there is no need for a blanket coverage as the applicator only applies chemical to the weeds that sit above the crop.

Evolving since its introduction, larger Rotowipers have been added to the range, with the 9-metre FU 900 three point linkage machine released in 2022, while 12-metre machines have become more common and bespoke machines created with a 24-metre working width.

As technology has evolved, these larger machines can now be equipped with auto functions and easy to use electric over hydraulic controls.

www.rotowiper.com

More like this

Featured

'One more push' to eliminate FE

Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) is calling on farmers from all regions to take part in the final season of the Sheep Poo Study aiming to build a clearer picture of how facial eczema (FE) affects farms across New Zealand.

Winston Peters questions Fonterra divestment plan

Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has joined the debate around the proposed sale of Fonterra’s consumer and related businesses, demanding answers from the co-operative around its milk supply deal with the buyer, Lactalis.

Cyclone Gabrielle lessons from Young Grower of the Year

If there was a silver lining in the tragedy that was Cyclone Gabrielle, for New Zealand Young Grower of the Year, Grace Fulford, it was the tremendous sense of community and seeing first-hand what good leadership looks like.

National

Machinery & Products

Disc mower range gets upgrade

Kuhn has announced an expansion of its range of disc mowers, distributed by Norwood in New Zealand, with the addition…

» Latest Print Issues Online

The Hound

Quid prod quo?

OPINION: Ageing lefty Chris Trotter reckons that the decision to delay recognition of Palestinian statehood is more than just a fit…

Deadwood

OPINION: A mate of yours truly recently met someone at a BBQ who works at a big consulting firm who spent…

» Connect with Rural News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter