TTMI Maffra’s Shane Marshall with the Bednar Terraland TN 3000 HD7R ripper.
Photo by
Jeanette Severs
Deep ripping equipment manufactured in the Czech Republic is boosting productivity on farms in Australia.
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The Bednar Omega OO 6000L seed drill and Bednar Terraland TN 3000 HD7R ripper were imported by TTMI Maffra and purchased by Greg Peddle, a farmer in Gippsland.
The unit was on display in March at Farm World agricultural field days at Lardner Park, and at a demonstration day at Maffra at the end of May.
Other Bednar Omega seed drills were demonstrated at Warrnambool and Colac in late May.
TTMI’s Shane Marshall said the new Gippsland owner of the Bednar machinery was generous to provide the unit for display and practical demonstration.
“Bednar is a family owned business in the Czech Republic, and their machinery is European-built,” Shane said.
“Bednar products have been in use in Western Australia for about 15 years and we started importing them to the east coast about 18 months ago.
“Australia is the biggest seller worldwide of the Terraland rippers.
“In WA, growers using the ripper are measuring tripled crop yields within 12 months.”
The Bednar Omega OO 6000L seed drill on show at Farm World field days at Lardner Park this year.
Photo by
Jeanette Severs
Ripping brings up higher production clay typically from 30 to 1000mm below the soil surface, to be incorporated into topsoil.
“Ripping brings nutrients up from underneath the clay pan, and raises soil fertility,” Shane said.
“Where we used it at Giffard, we were breaking through compacted soil and bringing manganese up from underneath the clay pan.
“So the manganese was then available to the plant. Utilising those nutrients and trace elements increases your crop yield.
“This machine will dig down 650mm, and because the mixing tines overlap, every bit of ground is actually being disturbed.
“The depth of ripping is set off the hydraulics of the roller.
“Then a double packer roller at the back with crumbler teeth finishes the surface.
“The two rollers make it a one-pass solution machine.”
Shane said the method improves yield and the soil moisture profile. That was especially beneficial for plants to longer roots, seeking moisture at deeper levels.
“What we’re finding is by bringing up the claypan, paddocks that otherwise stayed wet are drying faster,” he said.
“The moisture is getting away down into the soil where it’s needed.”
A fail-safe also ensured safety if an underground stump got in the way.
“This machine has an hydraulic breakaway, so if you do hook it onto a red gum stump or something like that underground, it’ll just fall back,” Shane said.
“The spring is adjustable to how much pressure you want on that breakaway.”
The Bednar Omega OO 6000L seed drill can be used for conventional, minimum till, direct drilling or pasture over-seeding.
It incorporates precise seed placement, a robust disc working section and adjustable inter-row spacings of 12.5 or 16.7cm.
Shane said more growers across the east coast were buying the Terraland rippers, with increasing sales in northern NSW and south-east Queensland.
The TTMI Maffra team has established a pasture trial to compare the AFS Connect Pum 260 and Bednar Terraland TN 3000 HD7R rippers. A paddock was ripped and seeded using both machines in mid-May.
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