Maximising machine use to make the most of an investment is often a priority for most machinery buyers. But one Wiltshire farming business has taken this thinking to the next level.
Ever since Peter (father) and David (son) Lemon of Manor Farm, Marlborough purchased their first 24 metre self-propelled sprayer in 1989 they have used one machine to carry out multiple functions.
Their most recent machine, a 40 metre Bateman RB55, new in 2020, currently fulfils all spraying, fertiliser applications and drilling duties across 1,420 hectares of land. David Lemon explains: "With a total of seven different farm partnerships including shared farms, joint ventures, contracting arrangements and our own land to look after, our focus is always on making the very best use of favourable weather and ground conditions.
"At the same time, we want to foster a farming system which diminishes our environmental impact by reducing the number of passes each crop requires and keep as much carbon locked up in the soil as possible. To that end we took the conscious decision more than 20 years ago to move towards a min-till system and to reduce our tractor fleet by using one machine to perform multiple roles."
At that time the Lemons were farming 600 hectares and running two drills, two sprayers and a fertiliser spreader, all of which were replaced with a Bateman self-propelled sprayer. To enable it to carry out multiple operations, it was equipped with a factory fitted demount system which allowed it to quickly switch from spraying to drilling to fertiliser duties.
"We immediately eliminated the need to run a fleet of tractors and completely transformed our way of operating," says Mr Lemon. "We are now farming 3,500 acres and have recently taken delivery of our eighth consecutive Bateman and fourth RB55, which features a similarly versatile demount system to enable it to work across a range of functions."
In its spraying mode the new machine features a 40m, 10-section boom equipped with the latest Norac UC7 height control system and Bateman Boom Levelling (BBL) upgrade which actively drives the boom's centre roll.
Sprayer operator Darren Palin explains: "When you are spraying to 40 metres, it is a no brainer to choose the boom levelling system. The UC7 system is a marked improvement over its predecessor (the UC5), thanks to more precise tilt and angle sensors which counter the boom's natural tendency to roll and yaw. The updated system enables me to maintain a more consistent and faster forward speed, even when working at the full 40m width on undulating or uneven ground."
The sprayer is also equipped with Topcon's CropSpec canopy sensors which automatically scan the crop at every pass, used to govern real-time variable rate applications of liquid nitrogen as well as monitoring cropping variations from the office throughout the season.
In addition, the spray pack features Altek four-way nozzle bodies which can be switched automatically via the sprayer's Topcon X35 console, effectively giving the sprayer four separate spray lines, says Mr Palin. "The four-nozzle system was a lot cheaper than an alternative pulse-width modulation system, but still allows me to make on-the-go adjustments to optimise droplet size and spray coverage.
"In a light wind I can set the console to automatically select any nozzle or combination of nozzles to suit my direction and speed of travel in relation to the wind direction and strength so that I can maximise my running speed without running the risk of excessive drift or poor application coverage."
An RTK signal from the Lemon's own Topcon radio base station keeps the vehicle on track, with hydraulic auto-steer enabled via the latest Can-based steer valve, from the same manufacturer.
In its fertiliser spreading format, the Bateman is equipped with a Kverneland GeoSpread twin disc unit. New seven years ago and used on the Lemon's previous machine, the spreader features 20 sections and is calibrated to spread at 40 metres.
If required, the CropSpec sensors can be used to govern variable rate applications based on real-time canopy conditions, but in general, granular applications are pre-planned and based on recent and existing soil and crop mapping data.
The Bateman machine is also put to work as the Lemon's primary seed drill. It is currently equipped with an eight metre Horsch Pronto-based coulter drill, mounted on a home-made carrier - designed and constructed by Mr Palin - which mates the seeding coulters to the hopper and metering unit.
LH Agro's Chris Limb converted the current drill to IsoBus by installing an RDS Artemis drill controller which enables the drill's auto-section and variable rate functions to be IsoBus controlled via the same X35 terminal that takes care of spraying and spreading tasks. "The drill has had four revamps since it was first built in 1998," explains Mr Palin, "but I am currently working on a replacement which will be better suited to wetter conditions."
Mr Lemon adds: "Our biggest challenge has always been the weather and how to make the most effective and efficient use of increasingly sporadic periods of favourable conditions. "Some of our land has a significant blackgrass burden which means we need to delay drilling. A soggy October and wet November can be disastrous but that is exactly what we have had to contend with in the last two years, with wet soils, damp straw debris and uneven seedbeds contributing to too many blockages to count.
"To Darren's credit, despite the difficult conditions, we did not have any seeding misses but it was a soul-destroying season so we need to make some improvements."
Mr Palin explains: "I am in the process of designing and building an eight metre tine drill carrier which will mate to the existing hoppers and metering unit, but will use 12mm Weaving Sabre tine instead of discs. "This should enable us to work in a wider range of conditions without the constant need to clear blockages. If it works as hoped, we will subsequently look to go to 10 metres sometime in the future."
The factory demount system (four mounting bolts and a set of demount legs and jacks) enables Mr Palin to switch from spraying mode to drilling or fertiliser spreading in less than half an hour - or just 15 minutes if he has got help - so there is minimal downtime going from one function to the next.
Mr Lemon says: "Unlike a normal self-propelled sprayer which, over the course of 12 months, might only average a couple of days work each week, our machine is operating for an average of five or six days throughout the year, and a full seven days a week during really busy periods.
"We will make anywhere between five and 14 passes depending on the crop and will put 1,250 hours on the machine each year. Compared to other similarly specced sprayers, or a combine which sits idle for all but eight weeks of the year, our multi-purpose machine is a much more worthwhile investment.
"Unfortunately, the second-hand market for 40m sprayers is relatively small, which means resale values are considerably lower compared to more popular 36m machines. That is not too much of a concern for us though, because by the time we have got to the stage where we need to renew or revamp the machine it will already have earned its crust. Compared to a larger fleet of tractors and individual implements, the Bateman's depreciation per hectare is actually quite low.
"It is also much easier from a time and resource management perspective to maintain one machine than it is to manage and service a much wider fleet of kit and we are confident we are getting the most out of our investment and sweating the asset accordingly."
Sensor
The cab-mounted CropSpec system scans crops at every pass, enabling real-time variable rate applications to be made.
Hopper
A three-tonne hopper is used to speed up fertiliser reloading.
Drill pack specifications
- Model: Horsch Pronto coulter drill
- Working width: eight metres (two by four metre sections)
- Coupling: Home-made carrier to mate seeding coulters to hopper and metering unit
- Control: Topcon RDS Artemis IsoBus upgrade with auto-section and variable rate application control. Also controls the main and secondary hoppers and Techneat applicator for seed and fertiliser applications
Fertiliser pack specifications
- Model: Kverneland GeoSpread
- Working width: 40m-plus
- Number of sections: 20
- Control: Topcon CropSpec canopy sensors for variable rate granular applications
Verdict
With such a complex set of functions for one machine to undertake, working with the right people is vital to ensuring crops are drilled, fed and protected accurately and on time, says Mr Lemon. "With weather patterns becoming increasingly erratic and the choice of crop protection products narrowing year on year, the timing of each operation is also critical, especially when so many key tasks are performed by a single machine.
"The technical support provided by LH Agro's Chris Limb is a critical part of the equation. We have used Topcon equipment for well over a decade. Chris knows our machine inside-out and has been key to making the multi-nozzle spray system, IsoBus drill and fertiliser spreader work seamlessly and has worked closely with Darren to make sure all three functions can be controlled through the X35 console."
