This year, one of the most talked about subjects on Irish farms is sprayer testing, which will come into effect on 26 November.

Many tillage farmers will have up-to-date sprayers but what about the stockmen who use sprayers on their farms for grassland management? In this article, we look at some budget sprayer options, which may suit customers opposed to spending money on getting their existing sprayers tested.

Osella

Osella is a family-owned Italian company, which manufactures sprayers for agriculture, horticulture and orchards. PJ Callan, Ardee, Co Louth, has been an importer and distributor in Ireland for Osella sprayers since 1980. Osella sprayers are popular among tillage and grassland farmers in Ireland. The range of sprayers which Osella produces are manufactured from quality components but are reasonably priced, aimed at mid-sized tillage and dairy farms.

There are two ranges in the product line, the Euro Compact mounted from 200l to 1,200l tanks, 6m to 12m galvanised booms with stainless steel fluid lines, heavy-duty polyethylene tanks and galvanised tank frames, fitted with Comet and Bertolini pumps, priced from €1,650, plus VAT.

Osella also has a Pro range, the Euro Compact Speed comprising 800l to 1,200l tanks, with hydraulic operated booms from 12m to 21m. This sprayer has increased in popularity with the larger farmers and has a starting price of €6,500, plus VAT.

Bury

Johnston Farm Equipment Ltd, Longford, is the main importer and distributor of Bury sprayers in Ireland. Johnston Farm Equipment has been distributing these sprayers throughout the country for the last 14 years. The Bury sprayer range consists of two models, one of which is directly aimed at grassland farmers. The Bury Smart range is available in 400l, 600l, 800l and 1,000l capacities. Boom sizes are available in 10m, 12m and 15m. All booms are self-levelling and fitted with anti-drip nozzles.

All Bury Smart sprayers have the following as standard: polyethylene tank, hand wash tank, tank agitation, large chemical basket, tank sump, 100l or 130l pumps, boom winch, triple filtration and a heavy-duty galvanised frame and booms. They also come with two different control options, four bank manual controls for 10m and 12m booms and six bank manual controls and boom filters on the 15m version. Filling the machine is taken care of by a self-fill, which is standard on the 800l and 1,000l models.

Agrional

Cavan Agri has been importing and distributing the Italian sprayer Carraro and Delta Force for the past 20 years. In response to customers’ demands for a cost-efficient, fully-functional sprayer suitable for grassland farms, Cavan Agri introduced a new budget sprayer – Agrional – in 2013 to the Irish market, which it imported from Turkey. The Agrional sprayer (pictured below) has a number of benefits such as a reinforced box section boom, which is fitted with rigid pipes and clamped nozzles, robust regulator and a triple diaphragm pump, which does not require an accumulator to balance the flow rate.

Supplied with a heavy tubular steel frame and reinforced polyethylene tank, this fully galvanised sprayer meets all requirements for the small to medium-sized farmer. Ranging from 300 litres and a 6m boom up to 1,000 litres and a 12m boom, these sprayers have a starting price of €1,500 including VAT.

YES

The YES range of sprayers has been distributed by Farmhand for over 30 years in Ireland.

Over that time, the company has grown in popularity largely due to its strong galvanised frame and booms combined with its heavy-duty tanks and quality components. Models range in size from the 6m, 200l CX2 up to the 12m, 1,000l CX10.

Stainless steel piping, a top-mounted suction filter and an integrated hand wash tank are standard kit on all sprayers.

Electric controls, self-fillers and self-levelling booms are all available as optional extras.

The YES range of sprayers provides a solution ideally suited to grassland farmers.

The sprayers can be built up with a basic spec or with a range of options depending on the customer’s needs. YES sprayers start at €1,875, plus VAT.

Hardi NK

The Hardi NK range of sprayers which is imported by IAM offers customers a range of sprayers with capacities form 400l to 800l and boom sizes of 6m to 12m. Hardi is well-known for its pump design, which is specially designed for the application of chemicals and liquid fertiliser.

The diaphragms separate the liquid from the vital parts ensuring reliability and durable operation. These pumps are self-priming, able to run dry without damage, easy to service and are fitted with chemical resistant diaphragms and valves.

All booms have an adjustable spring-loaded break-away, as well as adjustable height. The single Snap-Fit nozzle holders have a built-in non-drip diaphragm check valve. SB booms fitted on the 6m, 8m and 10m models are directly mounted to the frame, while the heavier MB boom is available in a 12m width. These booms feature a heavy-duty crossfold design, outer wing lockouts with centre or contour lock positions; grease lubricated bushes and trapeze suspension. The NK line offers as standard the HARDI BK-180 control unit, which features a main on/off, safety valve, pressure filter, high-quality gauge, agitation valve, pressure equalisation and the HARDI-MATIC for constant application rate regardless of RPM variations.

The high-impact polyethylene tank has a deep sump that ensures complete emptying of the tank, while the top-mounted suction filter makes it safe and easy for the operator to perform routine maintenance. Prices start at €2,705, including VAT.

Gaspardo

Atkins Farm Machinery in Co Cork is the main importer for the Gaspardo range of sprayers. Gaspardo offers a complete range of efficient and reliable mounted or trailed sprayers to meet the needs of all farmers. To meet the needs of the grassland farmer who wants a simple but functional machine, Gaspardo offers the entry-level Sauro sprayer (pictured).

The Sauro is ideal for farmers who need to match the sprayer with reduced size tractors. The simplified design allows the sprayer to be quickly set up while the operating and maintenance costs are very low thanks to its simplified mechanical design such as galvanised frame and booms. The Sauro is available in tank sizes of 150l to 1,000l with boom sizes of 3.5m to 12m, meaning there is a Sauro to suit all farmers’ needs. Prices start from €2,950, plus Vat.

Berthoud

Berthoud sprayers are imported into Ireland by Murphy Machinery in Co Kilkenny. The company offers a grassland range of sprayers from the Alto range fitted with a 300l tank and 7m boom all the way up to the Force range, which has an 1,000l tank and hydraulic folding booms from 12m to 24m in width. The Alto range is available in 300l, 400l, 600l and 800l variants with boom widths from 7m to 12m. The main frame and booms are protected by UHR polyester paint for long life, while the agitation is hydraulic. Regulation on this sprayer is by constant pressure which is a requirement under the new spraying regulations. Three-section shut-off is standard. All sprayers are fitted with piston-type pumps varying from 60 to 105l/min.

The most popular seller in Ireland is the Berthoud Alto Plus, with a 600l or 800l tank and either 9m or 12m booms. Standard equipment on this machine is a 105l/min pump, 80l clean water tank, 15l hand wash tank, winch control for boom height (hydraulic optional), self levelling booms, DPM constant pressure regulation and self filler. The grassland range is priced from €3,000, plus Vat.

Bargam

Bargam sprayers (pictured below) are imported into Ireland by Farmec Ireland Ltd in Co Meath. The company offers a full range of CE-compliant sprayers that will provide an economical sprayer option for farmers. Bargam and Farmec have recently celebrated a successful silver anniversary after 25 years of partnership during which time more than 2,500 Bargam sprayers have been sold in Ireland.

Bargam offers tractor-mounted models with tank sizes from 200l up to 1,600l and manual folding boom from 6m up to 15m wide. It also offers customers tractor-mounted models with tank sizes from 800l up to 1,600l and hydraulic folding booms from 12m up to 21m wide. The full range of Bargam sprayers includes machines with tank capacities up to 6,200l with conventional or air-assisted booms up to 42m wide. Prices start from €2,700 plus VAT.

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Watch: what is involved in sprayer testing?