Galway-based engineering firm Alstrong will showcase its trailed Auctus one-pass reseeding unit and its trailed grassland aerator at the show. The Auctus is designed to sow seed into ploughed ground, burn-off or existing pasture in a one pass solution.

Available as a mounted or trailed unit, up front, both feature two rows of hydraulically adjustable sprung ripper paddles. These scarify and scratch the surface, removing dead material. Following is a spiked drum fitted with 60, 80mm hardened steel aeration blades. If more weight is required, this roller can be filled with water to bring the weight from 4.5t to up to 5.3t.

A free-wheeling ‘revolving scraper’ roller runs close to the drum, between the spikes to keep it clean. Behind the spiked drum sit two rows of hydraulically controlled 12mm tines. Finally, the 560mm prismatic roller consolidates the seedbed.

Alstrong uses the Kildare manufactured Doyle pneumatic ‘Vario’ air seeder. This broadcasts the seed via eight little splash plates. The seed is distributed after the tines and before the prism roller. The unit comes with a control box which offers seed rate change on the move, a hopper low level warning, an acre meter and a live groundspeed reading. The seeder is capable of sowing fine seeds from a rate as low as 1kg/ha to sowing grass seeds at up to 80kg/ha.

Trailed aerator

The firm’s toothed-roller aerator, available in 2.5m or 3m, will also be on the stand. It’s designed to a break hard pan up to 30cm deep. The 2.5m and 3m models have dry weights of 2.7t and 3t. When filled with water, operating weights increase to 5t and 5.5t. The drum is fitted with 15mm hardened steel blades designed to penetrate the soil, altering its structure and allowing air into the ground.