Co. Down cereal farmer, Barry Mullen is living at Kirkistown Farm, Co. Down, and is farming in around 250ac of a mixture of oilseed rape, wheat and barley and has been working in the cereal sector for 20 years,
They had suckler cows before then and started into cereals throughout the years, while also working as an architect.
Mullen upgraded to the Kverneland e-drill compact in March 2023, leaving behind his Kverneland i-drill PRO.
“The Kverneland i-drill PRO, was a great drill, but that’s dating back to 2008, 2009 when it first came. So, we were just looking to upgrade and try and modernise, And you can you can really see the differences and benefits of the e-drill,” he said.
Simplified operation and advanced feeders
The seasoned cereal farmer praises the e-drill for its “first-class establishment”, noting significant improvements over his previous equipment.
“Straight away, we could see a noticeable difference,” he said of the spring barley planted in 2023.
The e-drill’s simplified operation setup and high performance in the field, particularly the user-friendly computer interface, make it stand out.
Adjusting seed rates on-the-go, a feature not available on his previous drill, has proven invaluable, especially in varying field conditions.
“On our farm, we’ve got a mix of soils from clays, heavy clays to sort of loamy, soft loamy soil and we find it’s been good on both really depending how you set it up for, for each individual soil type.
“One of the main benefits was the eldos metering system, the availability to the option to adjust the seed rate on the go.”
“Also, the calibration from start, to be able to electronically metre out the correct amount and use the computer to set that up and check that through,” Barry outlined.
Enhanced seed placement and monitoring
One of the standout features for Barry is the e-drill’s ability to handle finer seeds like oilseed rape effectively, thanks to innovative add-ons like the in-tank camera.
This feature allows for real-time monitoring of seed levels, offering “a wee bit more confidence” during extensive sowing operations.
“We added a camera into the tank for, for sowing the finer seed. It allows you to, to monitor how much you have left and if you’re in a 50ac field from one end to the other, if you’re the alarm goes off and you’re not quite sure how much seed you have, rather than stop to get out and check, it’s great to be able to see that through the screen live.“
The drill’s precise seed placement, facilitated by CX-II coulters, ensures optimal crop development, which Barry and his agronomist were very impressed by.
“You could almost measure the distance between each seed, It was so evenly placed. And we’re very impressed with how the press wheels and the coulter system set up for the for the seed emergence. Very, very well placed,” he added.
Robust design and efficient performance
The e-drill’s robust design integrates well with Barry’s existing machinery, including a Massey 7718 tractor, proving easy to handle and efficient in power usage.
The compact design’s close center of gravity ensures stability on varied terrains, a crucial factor for the mixed soil types at Kirkistown Farm.
The e-drill’s innovative pneumatic system and parallelogram adjustment for the power harrow and coulter bar ensure precise seed application, crucial for effective crop establishment.
“We use a Massey 7718, which I think boosts to just over 200hp. It can handle it with ease in terms of lifting capacity and weight.
“The weight’s quite close into the back of the tractor, so there’s never any issue with carrying it, hills, etc. We’ve never had a power issue,” the cereal farmer said.
Final thoughts
“We’d be happy to recommend it to anybody. It’s been faultless”, reflecting the satisfaction and trust in Kverneland’s machinery, which continues to support Irish farmers like him in achieving higher productivity and operational ease.
“We’ve never had any issues. Service support and backup first class, and the the e-drill has cemented that really for us in the time that we’ve had it it’s been great. Next machine to add to the list is a Kverneland Cambridge roller,” Barry said.
Kverneland e-drill Range
The range of Kverneland e-drill as integrated power harrow mounted seed drills, allow active seed bed preparation, consolidation and precise seed placement in one pass.
Time pressure in the autumn and spring ask for an efficient and versatile seed drill combination, like the Kverneland e-drill.
The proven concept and clear design of the e-drill maxi and e-drill compact, together with the high level of incorporated intelligent technology ensure precise and reliable performance.
With the innovative pneumatic seed drill, the operator has maximum ease of use, from set-up and filling to operation and transport.
The e-drill compact and e-drill maxi seed drills are available in working widths of 3.0, 3.5 and 4.0m.
The compact version offers a hopper capacity of 1,100 respectively 1,400Lwith hopper extension – whereas the e-drill maxi seed drill has a high-capacity hopper of 1,600 respectively 2,000L with hopper extension.
Alternatively, Kverneland Group Ireland is now offering flexible finance schemes on ALL Kverneland equipment *T&C’s Apply.*
- 1+4 Annuals Scheme: 1.50%* flat rate on 50% VAT inclusive selling price;
- 1+2 Annuals Scheme: 0%* flat rate on 50% VAT inclusive selling price.
Highlights
- Reduced lifting power requirement;
- Simple and reliable calibration with ELDOS;
- Simple and independent depth adjustment;
- Precise seed placement by CX-II coukters.
You can also contact your local Kverneland dealer or contact Kverneland directly:
Product manager, Leonard Havenden – 00353 87 147 5137;
Area south, Greg Tennyson – 00353 87 700 9689;
Area north, Allan Hetherington – 0044 7826 544 630
