The drive among farmers to grow and utilise as much grass as possible has helped identify older and underperforming paddocks that are in need of rejuvenation. Poor grass quality, poor grazeouts and a slow response to fertiliser are all telltale signs that intervention is needed.
If you’re looking to give your pasture a new lease of life, the traditional plough, till and sow method is not the only option. As with most situations, there is no one-fits-all solution. Depending on the situation and where there is still a good percentage of perennial ryegrasss in the sward, stitching in new seed without taking a paddock out of production can provide good results at a reduced cost.
However, success entirely depends on the swards management pre-seeding and post establishment. The real benefits of overseeding include retained surface fertility and firm seedbed, quicker grazing turnaround times and the avoidance of sprays such as glyphosate. Here we take a look at some of the machines suited to overseeding available on the Irish market
Alstrong Auctus
The Auctus T (trailed machine) is priced at €32,000 plus VAT, while the mounted version is priced at €18,000 plus VAT.
On the market eight years now, Alstrong’s Auctus is available in a mounted (M) or trailed (T) version. It has a 3m working width and is designed to sow seed into ploughed ground, burnoff or existing pasture in a one-pass solution. For the coming season, the Galway-based company has fitted a gyro-type lift arm mounted headstock, replacing the previous drawbar to shorten its turning circle. The unit has two rows of hydraulically controlled sprung levelling boards designed to scarify and scratch the surface and remove dead material.
Following this is a spiked drum fitted with 80mm blades designed to both repair poached soil and penetrate the surface to help aeration. Alstrong uses the Kildare-manufactured Doyle pneumatic seeder to broadcast seed. This is followed by two rows of hydraulically controlled 12mm tines which act in a similar fashion to the levelling boards. The 560mm prismatic roller covers the seed, consolidating the seedbed. The spiked drum can be filled with water, increasing the unit’s existing weight of 4.5t to a laden weight of up to 5.2t. Alstrong says a minimum power of 140hp is recommended. The machine is finished in black styling with a number of galvanised components and LED lights. The firm says the axle on the trailed machine is rated for 50km/h. The Auctus T is priced at €32,000 plus VAT, while the mounted version is priced at €18,000 plus VAT.
SMS SSD 300 and Teran N
DH Farm Machinery imports the Czech -made SMS range. The Galway-based firm recommends the SMS SSD 300 direct drill and the SMS Teran N tine harrow, both of which can be used for overseeding or seeding into ploughed tilled ground. Both are available with a 3m working width as standard, though larger versions are also available.
The SMS Teran N has three different tools. First is a levelling crossboard followed by two rows of 12mm tines which are designed to scratch the surface and remove any dead material. It is equipped with an APV PS 300 M1 seeder and a electric control box.
A toplink sensor turns the seeder on or off when the machine is raised or lowered. Two shafts are included for the sowing of different crops.
Outlet hoses are positioned behind the tine rows. Completing the process is a prism roller to cover seeds with a fine layer of tilth and consolidate the seedbed.
The 3m SSD 300 is fitted up front with a single row of 12mm tines followed by 24 disc and seed coulters. Each coulter is fitted with replaceable carbide tungsten tips for a long wear life.
These 400mm serrated discs are divided into two staggered rows with a row spacing of 125mm. Working depth is hydraulically adjustable.
The same APV seeding unit as the Teran N is used, although other seeder options are available. Similarly, the rear prism roller consolidates the surface.
The Teran N has a starting price of €14,500 plus VAT while the SSD 300 drill starts at €22,700 plus VAT. 
Vredo direct seeders
Campey Turf Care imports and distributes the Dutch-built Vredo range of overseeders. Vredo is a well-established brand, particularly in the turf care sector. The principle of its machines is to cause minimal soil disturbance.
Models range from 2.5m to 5.8m in working width. Units up to 2.9m are available, with conventional box seeders (250l and 290l) or pneumatic seeders. The larger models are only available with pneumatic seeders. The pneumatic seeder is said to sow smaller seeds such as clover more accurately. For the agricultural sector, the firm offers its Agri Twin, Agri Air and Agri Series models, with the Agri Air proving most popular.
The Vredo models cut the surface at row spacings of 7.5cm using a double-V-shaped disc configuration. Each disc is separately suspended so all undulations can be followed. Meanwhile, seed is placed directly into the slit between the two discs with little disturbance. Depending on customer preference, the smooth or packer ring roller closes the slit, ensuring good soil seed contact. Seeding depth is adjustable from 0-25mm. Where wider row spacing is required, the crop drill system (CDS) can be fitted. This halves the number of distributors, so sowing can be done at 15cm spacings. Pneumatic seeder models are fitted with Vredo’s own 450l pneumatic seed hopper.
The 2.5m Agri Series box seeder and packer ring roller starts at €31,500 plus VAT, while the 2.5m Agri Air pneumatic seeder starts at €37,000 plus VAT.
The 2.5m Vredo box seeder and packer ring roller starts at €31,500 plus VAT.
Underhaug direct seeders
Jetwash Ltd in Co Leitrim imports the Norwegian-built Underhaug range of direct seeders. Working widths range from 1.5m to 3m. However, the 2.5m UM 7942 is said to be most suitable for the Irish market as it remains under 3m for transport purposes.
The Underhaug seeder uses a different approach compared to some of the other offerings, leaving minimal disturbance, similar to the Vredo machines.
This is due to the arrangement of straight blades instead of discs and tines. The 2.5m machine is fitted with 21 individually sprung legs and skids that follow the ground’s contours.
Each leg has two blades and two seed outlets totalling 42 seed rows and 6cm row spacings.
Leg pressure can be adjusted from 10kg right through to 100kg depending on soil conditions.
The standard hydraulic depth wheels also alter the seeder’s working depth.
Once the blades have cut the surface the seed is placed in directly into the slot and followed by the pressurised skid to consolidate the surface.
Seed metering is controlled via the land wheel drive metering system while rates are set sleeplessly from 0kg/ha to just over 50kg/ha. For accurate seeding rates the firm recommend not to drill at speeds over 6-7km/h.
The roller discharge seeding unit is suitable for use with clover, grass and other small herb seeds.
The 2.5m UM 7942 model is priced at €11,400 plus VAT. 
The 2.5m UM 7492 model is priced at €14,000 plus VAT.
Einböck tine harrows
Irish Einböck importer PJ Callan offers the Austrian manufacturer’s range of grass harrows, seeders and crop care solutions.
Its grass harrow range has proved popular for both pasture rejuvenation and sowing directly into ploughed and tilled seedbeds.
The Pneumaticstar Pro grass harrow and air seeder is available in three working widths – 3m, 6m and 12m. It features a six-row tine arrangement carrying a total of 60 tines for each 1.5m working width. Tine aggression can be altered through one of five preset positions via the centrally mounted lever.
The tine arrangement is designed so that dead material can be pulled out of the sward, encouraging tillering while creating a fine layer of tilth. In tilled ground, the tines help create a fine seedbed as well as cover seed with tilth.
Both electronic and manual dosing pneumatic seeder units are available, the manual unit being operated via ground wheel. Application rates from 1kg/ha to 300kg/ha can be achieved.
Alternatively, either the basic tine harrow or seeder unit can be purchased separately. The standalone grass harrows are offered as two models, the Grass Manager and Grass Manager Pro. The Pro is a more heavy duty version with a heavy duty front levelling bar option.
The basic Grass Manager grass harrow starts at €3,450 plus VAT while the Pneumaticstar Pro range starts at €9,350 plus VAT. The standalone Pneumatic seeder with manual metering start at €4,980 plus VAT.
The Einböck Pnuematicstar Pro range starts at €9,350 plus VAT.
Erth Agriseeder
Erth Engineering offers its ‘Agriseeder’ direct drill. This machine is designed to work with the flexibility of sowing seed into ploughed ground, burnoff or existing pasture in one pass. It comes in 3m and 4m versions and features auto contouring through three 1m frame sections. The three sections are pressurised individually through its own hydraulic ram, which is linked to an overall hydraulic pressure system, meaning each section applies its own independent surface pressures. Various row spacings and hopper sizes can be specified, with a 300l hopper as standard.
The Co Down manufacturer sources the Accord metering unit from Kverneland. Its in-house design mushroom distribution head is transparent and located between the tractor and the hopper, meaning the operator can see that there is still seed in the distribution tubes.
A hydraulically controlled front harrow detaches trash. This is followed by serrated discs which cut a narrow slit 10mm to 15mm into the surface, before the seed is placed in the ground via the trailing coulters. Once the seed has been placed in the ground, it is followed by a smooth roller, which also serves as a depth control unit. A following harrow covers the slots.
As the drill is ground-drive, the forward speed and the seed metering system are controlled by a wheel attached to the roller unit. It comes fully galvanised and has a starting price of €26,000 (£22,000) plus VAT.
The Erth Agriseeder comes fully galvanised and has a starting price of €26,000 (£22,000) plus VAT.
He-Va Grassland rejuvenator
Agriquip, part of the Murphy Machinery Group, imports the Danish-built He-Va range of cultivation and grassland management equipment.
He-Va offers its Grass Rejuvenator in 3m to 8.2m working widths. All models are offered as trailed machines except for the smallest 3m model which is available as mounted or trailed.
The Grass Rejuvenator can also be used for either seeding into ploughed and tilled ground or overseeding as its name suggests. Up front are levelling boards with slicing plates, followed by two rows of heavy-duty tines. These two toolbars remove dead material, break up clods and level the surface if ground has been badly poached or if large clods are present.
The 3m model is equipped with an eight-outlet pneumatic seeder as standard, while the larger models are available with a 16-outlet option.
Seed is distributed behind the rows of harrow tines across the machine’s full working width. Finishing off the process is the 550/600mm-diameter prism roller, which breaks down clods, creates a fine tilth and consolidates the seedbed.
The basic 3m unit has a starting price of €22,000 plus VAT.
APV harrow
APV is best known in Ireland for its renowned air seeders, but the manufacturer also offers a mounted grass tine harrow. Imported into Ireland by Farmhand, its grass harrow features four rows of tines – two rows of strong and two rows of slightly cranked spring tines.
Depending on the specification, the two front rows of tines are either 10mm or 12mm. These are designed to tear the sward and free the grassland of weeds and matting. Meanwhile, the two rear rows of 8mm tines separate the soil from the torn weeds. The harrow rests on swivel and lockable front feeler wheels, which help the machine follow the contours of the ground. A spring-mounted levelling plate is available as an optional extra. This plate is height-adjustable thanks to two bolts at the hole pattern and is also guided by the feeler wheels.
The APV harrow can be configured to fit on to the front of a tractor if required. The Austrian company offers the machine in two working widths, 3m and 6m. The grass harrow can be married up with different APV air seeders, which can be electrically, hydraulically or PTO driven. The 3m machine has 40 tines on the front row and 60 on the rear. Weighing in at 530kg, it has a starting price of €13,500 plus VAT. Meanwhile, the 6m machine has 80 tines on the front row and 120 on the rear. It weighs in at 1,050kg and is priced at €20,000 plus VAT.
The APV 3m tine harrow with an air seeder has a starting price of €x plus VAT.
Güttler
Güttler manufactures a large selection of cultivation and grassland equipment. Phil Traynor in Waterford is the Irish importer of the German-built range. Its two most popular machines designed for rejuvenating older pastures are the GreenMaster and GreenSeeder series.
Both machines are modular in design, meaning tools can be added or removed. The GreenMaster is the most popular unit in Ireland and features a twin-row tine arrangement, consisting of 12mm tines, with 75mm spacings. Following the tines is a self-cleaning prism roller. Two different diameter roller options are available. Seeding is carried out using Güttler’s own pneumatic seeder. Hydraulic drive and mechanical drive options are available. Working widths vary from 2.5m to 3m right up to larger trailed 6m units.
The GreenSeeder is a tine harrow and pneumatic seeder solution, with no following prism roller. The unit is also fitted with two rows of 12mm tines, with 75mm spacings. Two working widths are available, 6m and 7m. Both units are hydraulic-folding for road transport.
The GreenMaster and GreenSeeder are available with or without seeding units and both have the flexibility to have additional tools added or removed, such as levelling boards. The 200l and 400l seed hoppers are the most common in Ireland. Prices for the 3m GreenMaster start from €17,870 plus VAT. 
Prices for the 3m GreenMaster start from €17,870 plus VAT.
Carre Prairial rejuvenator
Drumlish Farm Machinery imports and distributes the Carre Prairial range of grass rejuvenators. Manufactured in France, the machines are available in fixed frame 3m and 4.5m options, and in a 6m hydraulic folding version.
At the front, adjustable angled boron serrated steel knives run on flat leaf springs to cut slots in the ground, helping to aerate the ground. These are followed by heavy duty toothed spring-mounted boards, which offer a levelling action. Two rows of following scarifying tines help improve the sward’s health by removing loosened dead thatch and moss.
Each of the two scarifying tine wing sections feature independent floating, while the depth is controlled from the wheels which are adjusted by a screw handle. The manufacturer said all adjustments to the settings can be made without tools. A Semloc air seeder can be added for total or partial re-seeding. The Tyrone-based machinery dealer explained that the 3m version with an air seeder is priced at €17,960 (£15,000) plus VAT. 
The 3m version with an air seeder is priced at €17,960 (£15,000) plus VAT.
Moore Unidrill
Originating in Co Antrim, Moore has been sold to Agri Linc in England. Now also manufacturing in England, the firm continues to offer the Unidrill. This is a one-pass direct drill offered in a mounted three-point linkage version or in a trailed option.
Various row spacings can be specified, while an 850l hopper comes as standard. Moore uses a Kverneland metering unit with the distribution head inside the hopper. The unit comes with the option of a PTO (1,000rpm) or hydraulically driven fan drive while seeding depth is controlled off the rear packer roller.
Its boron discs cut a slit into the surface before the seed is then placed in the ground via the tungsten carbide tipped coulters. Weighing in at 2,300kg without ballast, the unit is fitted with a Güttler prism-type roller. The unit is ground-drive, uses sealed bearings and features a 100mm x 100mm x 10mm powder coated chassis. With a 3m transport width, the unit has a working width of 2.9m.
Distributed in the Republic by M&S Machinery and in Northern Ireland by McCord Machinery, the typical spec mounted machine is priced at €40,000 (£33,318) plus VAT. Meanwhile, the trailed version fitted with 500/50R17 tyres will cost an additional €8,000 (£6,664) plus VAT. 
The typical spec mounted Unidrill is priced at €38,000 (£32,950) plus VAT.
The drive among farmers to grow and utilise as much grass as possible has helped identify older and underperforming paddocks that are in need of rejuvenation. Poor grass quality, poor grazeouts and a slow response to fertiliser are all telltale signs that intervention is needed.
If you’re looking to give your pasture a new lease of life, the traditional plough, till and sow method is not the only option. As with most situations, there is no one-fits-all solution. Depending on the situation and where there is still a good percentage of perennial ryegrasss in the sward, stitching in new seed without taking a paddock out of production can provide good results at a reduced cost.
However, success entirely depends on the swards management pre-seeding and post establishment. The real benefits of overseeding include retained surface fertility and firm seedbed, quicker grazing turnaround times and the avoidance of sprays such as glyphosate. Here we take a look at some of the machines suited to overseeding available on the Irish market
Alstrong Auctus
The Auctus T (trailed machine) is priced at €32,000 plus VAT, while the mounted version is priced at €18,000 plus VAT.
On the market eight years now, Alstrong’s Auctus is available in a mounted (M) or trailed (T) version. It has a 3m working width and is designed to sow seed into ploughed ground, burnoff or existing pasture in a one-pass solution. For the coming season, the Galway-based company has fitted a gyro-type lift arm mounted headstock, replacing the previous drawbar to shorten its turning circle. The unit has two rows of hydraulically controlled sprung levelling boards designed to scarify and scratch the surface and remove dead material.
Following this is a spiked drum fitted with 80mm blades designed to both repair poached soil and penetrate the surface to help aeration. Alstrong uses the Kildare-manufactured Doyle pneumatic seeder to broadcast seed. This is followed by two rows of hydraulically controlled 12mm tines which act in a similar fashion to the levelling boards. The 560mm prismatic roller covers the seed, consolidating the seedbed. The spiked drum can be filled with water, increasing the unit’s existing weight of 4.5t to a laden weight of up to 5.2t. Alstrong says a minimum power of 140hp is recommended. The machine is finished in black styling with a number of galvanised components and LED lights. The firm says the axle on the trailed machine is rated for 50km/h. The Auctus T is priced at €32,000 plus VAT, while the mounted version is priced at €18,000 plus VAT.
SMS SSD 300 and Teran N
DH Farm Machinery imports the Czech -made SMS range. The Galway-based firm recommends the SMS SSD 300 direct drill and the SMS Teran N tine harrow, both of which can be used for overseeding or seeding into ploughed tilled ground. Both are available with a 3m working width as standard, though larger versions are also available.
The SMS Teran N has three different tools. First is a levelling crossboard followed by two rows of 12mm tines which are designed to scratch the surface and remove any dead material. It is equipped with an APV PS 300 M1 seeder and a electric control box.
A toplink sensor turns the seeder on or off when the machine is raised or lowered. Two shafts are included for the sowing of different crops.
Outlet hoses are positioned behind the tine rows. Completing the process is a prism roller to cover seeds with a fine layer of tilth and consolidate the seedbed.
The 3m SSD 300 is fitted up front with a single row of 12mm tines followed by 24 disc and seed coulters. Each coulter is fitted with replaceable carbide tungsten tips for a long wear life.
These 400mm serrated discs are divided into two staggered rows with a row spacing of 125mm. Working depth is hydraulically adjustable.
The same APV seeding unit as the Teran N is used, although other seeder options are available. Similarly, the rear prism roller consolidates the surface.
The Teran N has a starting price of €14,500 plus VAT while the SSD 300 drill starts at €22,700 plus VAT.
Vredo direct seeders
Campey Turf Care imports and distributes the Dutch-built Vredo range of overseeders. Vredo is a well-established brand, particularly in the turf care sector. The principle of its machines is to cause minimal soil disturbance.
Models range from 2.5m to 5.8m in working width. Units up to 2.9m are available, with conventional box seeders (250l and 290l) or pneumatic seeders. The larger models are only available with pneumatic seeders. The pneumatic seeder is said to sow smaller seeds such as clover more accurately. For the agricultural sector, the firm offers its Agri Twin, Agri Air and Agri Series models, with the Agri Air proving most popular.
The Vredo models cut the surface at row spacings of 7.5cm using a double-V-shaped disc configuration. Each disc is separately suspended so all undulations can be followed. Meanwhile, seed is placed directly into the slit between the two discs with little disturbance. Depending on customer preference, the smooth or packer ring roller closes the slit, ensuring good soil seed contact. Seeding depth is adjustable from 0-25mm. Where wider row spacing is required, the crop drill system (CDS) can be fitted. This halves the number of distributors, so sowing can be done at 15cm spacings. Pneumatic seeder models are fitted with Vredo’s own 450l pneumatic seed hopper.
The 2.5m Agri Series box seeder and packer ring roller starts at €31,500 plus VAT, while the 2.5m Agri Air pneumatic seeder starts at €37,000 plus VAT.
The 2.5m Vredo box seeder and packer ring roller starts at €31,500 plus VAT.
Underhaug direct seeders
Jetwash Ltd in Co Leitrim imports the Norwegian-built Underhaug range of direct seeders. Working widths range from 1.5m to 3m. However, the 2.5m UM 7942 is said to be most suitable for the Irish market as it remains under 3m for transport purposes.
The Underhaug seeder uses a different approach compared to some of the other offerings, leaving minimal disturbance, similar to the Vredo machines.
This is due to the arrangement of straight blades instead of discs and tines. The 2.5m machine is fitted with 21 individually sprung legs and skids that follow the ground’s contours.
Each leg has two blades and two seed outlets totalling 42 seed rows and 6cm row spacings.
Leg pressure can be adjusted from 10kg right through to 100kg depending on soil conditions.
The standard hydraulic depth wheels also alter the seeder’s working depth.
Once the blades have cut the surface the seed is placed in directly into the slot and followed by the pressurised skid to consolidate the surface.
Seed metering is controlled via the land wheel drive metering system while rates are set sleeplessly from 0kg/ha to just over 50kg/ha. For accurate seeding rates the firm recommend not to drill at speeds over 6-7km/h.
The roller discharge seeding unit is suitable for use with clover, grass and other small herb seeds.
The 2.5m UM 7942 model is priced at €11,400 plus VAT.
The 2.5m UM 7492 model is priced at €14,000 plus VAT.
Einböck tine harrows
Irish Einböck importer PJ Callan offers the Austrian manufacturer’s range of grass harrows, seeders and crop care solutions.
Its grass harrow range has proved popular for both pasture rejuvenation and sowing directly into ploughed and tilled seedbeds.
The Pneumaticstar Pro grass harrow and air seeder is available in three working widths – 3m, 6m and 12m. It features a six-row tine arrangement carrying a total of 60 tines for each 1.5m working width. Tine aggression can be altered through one of five preset positions via the centrally mounted lever.
The tine arrangement is designed so that dead material can be pulled out of the sward, encouraging tillering while creating a fine layer of tilth. In tilled ground, the tines help create a fine seedbed as well as cover seed with tilth.
Both electronic and manual dosing pneumatic seeder units are available, the manual unit being operated via ground wheel. Application rates from 1kg/ha to 300kg/ha can be achieved.
Alternatively, either the basic tine harrow or seeder unit can be purchased separately. The standalone grass harrows are offered as two models, the Grass Manager and Grass Manager Pro. The Pro is a more heavy duty version with a heavy duty front levelling bar option.
The basic Grass Manager grass harrow starts at €3,450 plus VAT while the Pneumaticstar Pro range starts at €9,350 plus VAT. The standalone Pneumatic seeder with manual metering start at €4,980 plus VAT.
The Einböck Pnuematicstar Pro range starts at €9,350 plus VAT.
Erth Agriseeder
Erth Engineering offers its ‘Agriseeder’ direct drill. This machine is designed to work with the flexibility of sowing seed into ploughed ground, burnoff or existing pasture in one pass. It comes in 3m and 4m versions and features auto contouring through three 1m frame sections. The three sections are pressurised individually through its own hydraulic ram, which is linked to an overall hydraulic pressure system, meaning each section applies its own independent surface pressures. Various row spacings and hopper sizes can be specified, with a 300l hopper as standard.
The Co Down manufacturer sources the Accord metering unit from Kverneland. Its in-house design mushroom distribution head is transparent and located between the tractor and the hopper, meaning the operator can see that there is still seed in the distribution tubes.
A hydraulically controlled front harrow detaches trash. This is followed by serrated discs which cut a narrow slit 10mm to 15mm into the surface, before the seed is placed in the ground via the trailing coulters. Once the seed has been placed in the ground, it is followed by a smooth roller, which also serves as a depth control unit. A following harrow covers the slots.
As the drill is ground-drive, the forward speed and the seed metering system are controlled by a wheel attached to the roller unit. It comes fully galvanised and has a starting price of €26,000 (£22,000) plus VAT.
The Erth Agriseeder comes fully galvanised and has a starting price of €26,000 (£22,000) plus VAT.
He-Va Grassland rejuvenator
Agriquip, part of the Murphy Machinery Group, imports the Danish-built He-Va range of cultivation and grassland management equipment.
He-Va offers its Grass Rejuvenator in 3m to 8.2m working widths. All models are offered as trailed machines except for the smallest 3m model which is available as mounted or trailed.
The Grass Rejuvenator can also be used for either seeding into ploughed and tilled ground or overseeding as its name suggests. Up front are levelling boards with slicing plates, followed by two rows of heavy-duty tines. These two toolbars remove dead material, break up clods and level the surface if ground has been badly poached or if large clods are present.
The 3m model is equipped with an eight-outlet pneumatic seeder as standard, while the larger models are available with a 16-outlet option.
Seed is distributed behind the rows of harrow tines across the machine’s full working width. Finishing off the process is the 550/600mm-diameter prism roller, which breaks down clods, creates a fine tilth and consolidates the seedbed.
The basic 3m unit has a starting price of €22,000 plus VAT.
APV harrow
APV is best known in Ireland for its renowned air seeders, but the manufacturer also offers a mounted grass tine harrow. Imported into Ireland by Farmhand, its grass harrow features four rows of tines – two rows of strong and two rows of slightly cranked spring tines.
Depending on the specification, the two front rows of tines are either 10mm or 12mm. These are designed to tear the sward and free the grassland of weeds and matting. Meanwhile, the two rear rows of 8mm tines separate the soil from the torn weeds. The harrow rests on swivel and lockable front feeler wheels, which help the machine follow the contours of the ground. A spring-mounted levelling plate is available as an optional extra. This plate is height-adjustable thanks to two bolts at the hole pattern and is also guided by the feeler wheels.
The APV harrow can be configured to fit on to the front of a tractor if required. The Austrian company offers the machine in two working widths, 3m and 6m. The grass harrow can be married up with different APV air seeders, which can be electrically, hydraulically or PTO driven. The 3m machine has 40 tines on the front row and 60 on the rear. Weighing in at 530kg, it has a starting price of €13,500 plus VAT. Meanwhile, the 6m machine has 80 tines on the front row and 120 on the rear. It weighs in at 1,050kg and is priced at €20,000 plus VAT.
The APV 3m tine harrow with an air seeder has a starting price of €x plus VAT.
Güttler
Güttler manufactures a large selection of cultivation and grassland equipment. Phil Traynor in Waterford is the Irish importer of the German-built range. Its two most popular machines designed for rejuvenating older pastures are the GreenMaster and GreenSeeder series.
Both machines are modular in design, meaning tools can be added or removed. The GreenMaster is the most popular unit in Ireland and features a twin-row tine arrangement, consisting of 12mm tines, with 75mm spacings. Following the tines is a self-cleaning prism roller. Two different diameter roller options are available. Seeding is carried out using Güttler’s own pneumatic seeder. Hydraulic drive and mechanical drive options are available. Working widths vary from 2.5m to 3m right up to larger trailed 6m units.
The GreenSeeder is a tine harrow and pneumatic seeder solution, with no following prism roller. The unit is also fitted with two rows of 12mm tines, with 75mm spacings. Two working widths are available, 6m and 7m. Both units are hydraulic-folding for road transport.
The GreenMaster and GreenSeeder are available with or without seeding units and both have the flexibility to have additional tools added or removed, such as levelling boards. The 200l and 400l seed hoppers are the most common in Ireland. Prices for the 3m GreenMaster start from €17,870 plus VAT.
Prices for the 3m GreenMaster start from €17,870 plus VAT.
Carre Prairial rejuvenator
Drumlish Farm Machinery imports and distributes the Carre Prairial range of grass rejuvenators. Manufactured in France, the machines are available in fixed frame 3m and 4.5m options, and in a 6m hydraulic folding version.
At the front, adjustable angled boron serrated steel knives run on flat leaf springs to cut slots in the ground, helping to aerate the ground. These are followed by heavy duty toothed spring-mounted boards, which offer a levelling action. Two rows of following scarifying tines help improve the sward’s health by removing loosened dead thatch and moss.
Each of the two scarifying tine wing sections feature independent floating, while the depth is controlled from the wheels which are adjusted by a screw handle. The manufacturer said all adjustments to the settings can be made without tools. A Semloc air seeder can be added for total or partial re-seeding. The Tyrone-based machinery dealer explained that the 3m version with an air seeder is priced at €17,960 (£15,000) plus VAT.
The 3m version with an air seeder is priced at €17,960 (£15,000) plus VAT.
Moore Unidrill
Originating in Co Antrim, Moore has been sold to Agri Linc in England. Now also manufacturing in England, the firm continues to offer the Unidrill. This is a one-pass direct drill offered in a mounted three-point linkage version or in a trailed option.
Various row spacings can be specified, while an 850l hopper comes as standard. Moore uses a Kverneland metering unit with the distribution head inside the hopper. The unit comes with the option of a PTO (1,000rpm) or hydraulically driven fan drive while seeding depth is controlled off the rear packer roller.
Its boron discs cut a slit into the surface before the seed is then placed in the ground via the tungsten carbide tipped coulters. Weighing in at 2,300kg without ballast, the unit is fitted with a Güttler prism-type roller. The unit is ground-drive, uses sealed bearings and features a 100mm x 100mm x 10mm powder coated chassis. With a 3m transport width, the unit has a working width of 2.9m.
Distributed in the Republic by M&S Machinery and in Northern Ireland by McCord Machinery, the typical spec mounted machine is priced at €40,000 (£33,318) plus VAT. Meanwhile, the trailed version fitted with 500/50R17 tyres will cost an additional €8,000 (£6,664) plus VAT.
The typical spec mounted Unidrill is priced at €38,000 (£32,950) plus VAT.
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