Grass Technology, based in Co Carlow, offers the Pro-Drill 2500 seeder for overseeding into existing pasture or burn-off.
The unit, which has been designed around an Amazone seeder, is offered in one working width of 2.5m.
What’s different about this concept is it doesn’t use discs, but straight blades. These blades cut the soil, while an equalising hydraulic system works in tandem to cause the flat nosed-up clearance plates to follow the ground contours.
The Pro-Drill 2500 is equipped with 15 blades, which cut these straight slots in the surface into which the seeds are placed, keeping disturbance to a minimum.
Spacing between each of the 15 Hardox blades is 70mm. The seeder can be adjusted, closing off some of the seed outlets to allow a wider spacing if required.
The firm says each blade can be turned up to four times, for a long working life. Seeds are planted at a depth of 12mm, with a land wheel drive metering system. Seed rate can be regulated on the side of the machine using the adjustable control.
Maintaining even drilling depths across the whole working width of the seeder is a series of small interconnected hydraulic rams. One for each seeder coulter is mounted on the underside of the seeder bar, where it operates at a set pressure so that, in the event the coulter hits a foreign object, it will rise over it.
The displaced oil from this ram raises the working pressures in the other seeder arm rams to ensure they do not also rise. This ensures the set depth is maintained.
Grass Technology recommends a minimum power requirement of 100hp for the unit. It is priced at €18,000 plus VAT.