Jim Mulhall farms on the outskirts of Kilkenny City. He milks 180 cows with robots, and grows all of his own maize and even started growing cereals last year.  

Jim uses the Amazone ZA-V mounted spreader from Farmhand, which he has praised for its accuracy.

"Everything that we do here on this farm, whether it's milking cows or whether we’re feeding cows, we like to do it as accurately as possible," Jim explained.

"The accuracy and speed, just how quick we’re able to get through work, those to us are the two real standout points; the accuracy and throughput of getting the stuff done.

“We bought the machine from Eardly Machinery in Kilkenny; we’ve dealt with them in the past and have always found if we have any issue, both Nicky and Liam in there are absolutely top class.” Jim explained.

The Kilkenny farmer admitted that the purchase of the Amazone spreader is probably the best machinery purchase he has ever made.

The ZA-V mounted spreader, with a hopper capacity of 1,400-4,200L, reaches impressively high working speeds of up to 30km/h.

Thanks to its high application rate of up to 390kg/min and a working width of up to 36m, it can achieve exceptionally high work rates. 

"We've been using Amazone spreaders here for the past 15-20 years, we've always found them very reliable and very accurate. Every year we spread between 80t and 100t of fertiliser," Jim explained.

“This is our first season with this machine, the ZA-V, and so far we’re very happy with it.

“We opted for the 2,600L because we use a lot of protected urea on this farm which can be quite bulky so we can go with five bags.

“We have found that the machine is extremely easy to operate. If I said to Niall, spread 185kg/ha, what he knows, and I know as he’s leaving the yard, is that he’ll come back with 185kg/ha spread because you simply just key in 185 or 250 or whatever the setting is on the screen and that’s spread,” Jim explained.

There are weight cells on the spreader which allow for 100% accuracy.

"Fertiliser is a big cost on this farm and we need to make sure we’re putting it out accurately and we’re not overusing or underusing the fertiliser," Jim continued.

The weighing system offers controlled convenience and more reliability. It enables online determination of the different spreading material properties with two 200Hz load cells, which provides a high level of measuring accuracy.

The system automatically compares the actually applied rate with the pre-determined rate.

Deviations in the flow characteristics, for instance, when spreading blended mineral fertilisers, are detected and the spreader is re-adjusted automatically via the electric metering shutter slides.

In addition, the applied rate is accurately documented for field-related nutrient application and the application rate can be altered at any time by pressing a button on the ISOBUS terminal. 

“So on this machine we opted for boundary spreading which we hadn’t in the previous machine, so we used to be keeping further out from the ditch or spreading maybe all round on one side... but this has eliminated all that," Jim explained.

"We’re perfectly happy that we’re not wasting any fertiliser into hedgerows.

“We’re happy enough that we can go out and spread at big widths like 24m and we’re not actually overlapping when we come to headlands so we’ve no lodged crops,;same with our grassland crops, we’re not seeing any lodging either.” 

The Amazone ZA-V comes with a choice of electrical or hydraulically-actuated border spreading systems.

The sensitive electrical adjustment of the Limiter V+ border spreading device to the respective field boundary enables comfortable switching between field-side, border and watercourse spreading from the tractor cab during fertiliser application.

Due to the open-bottom design of the Limiter V+, it can swivel down gradually from above into the spread fan, diverting what is going towards the field’s border.

Alternatively the hydraulically actuated Limiter V border spreading system is available for side, border and watercourse spreading.

Prior to spreading, the recommended working height of the Limiter V is fixed via a pin, depending on the border situation.

Around the field’s edge, the Limiter V can then be hydraulically lowered to the pre-selected position and raised again in the field. 

“We are starting to see savings in the amount of fertiliser that we’re using, because we’re not wasting, we’re putting exactly the amount of fertiliser on the crop that we want to put out so we’re not overspreading or under spreading,” the Kilkenny farmer added.

“The speed that we’re able to cover ground we’re just able to get through acres, we’re able to get through the tonnes. 

"We’ve just noticed massive time savings and efficiency and time is diesel and manpower... so there has been a huge saving for us in that regard.” 

Jim also outlined some features of the spreader that are particularly useful on his Kilkenny farm.

“The side steps when we’re loading have made a huge difference. The wheels - we’re able to turn down the wheels and roll it into the shed so it makes it very easy to park it, as you don’t have to get in to the shed with a tractor.

For optimum access to the hopper from outside, even on the narrow extensions, a ladder is available which can be fitted to the left- and/or right-hand side.

For the wide L extensions though, ladders give access to both sides as standard. 

The swivel rolling and parking device facilitates the easy mounting on and off the tractor and manoeuvring in the yard. The castor wheels are quickly folded in and out and optimally protected from dirt. 

The Amazone ZA-V comes with a choice of manually or hydraulically operated roll over hopper cover, or as a cost-effective alternative, a swivel hopper cover is available. 

Safely covering the whole of the hopper access area ensures, when compactly rolled up, the maximum filling opening.