“We’ve used section control on our sprayer for years, and wanted to increase spreader accuracy to match,” explains James Fairbairn, who runs the 1800-acre family farming operation from Whitton Hill Farm in United Kingdom.
“Our old spreader could stripe with ins and outs, where this one is in a different league,” he adds. “We don’t have square fields, so every bit of accuracy saves money and improves application accuracy on all the land we farm.” Supplied by David Henderson Tractors of Hexham, the Vicon RO-EDW GEOSPREAD is equipped with three hopper extensions, providing a 3900-litre capacity. Operator Ross Adamson (pictured) uses the spreader with a John Deere 6175R, with ISOBUS compatibility linking directly onto the tractor’s universal terminal.
“Working on 24m tramlines, you can see the section control adjusting the spread pattern when you’re on narrow strips,” says Ross Adamson. “And the application rate always works out exactly as planned.” Using the Vicon spreading charts app in conjunction with the shaker box test, he says fertiliser types are easily identified, along with initial spreader settings. “It couldn’t be any easier to set up,” he says. “We’ve never striped with this spreader.”
The spreader is washed off every night when in use, keeping the machine in tip-top condition, and the integration of a parking frame and wheels makes it convenient to store in a barn. “I’d prefer rubber storage wheels instead of steel, just to make it easier to push around,” he says. Ross adds that selecting the water course setting in conjunction with the border spreading plate lets the spreader deflect fertiliser backwards, creating a sharp cut-off to the pattern on the first run around the headland.
“This is the type of spreader that everyone should have,” says Ross. “It’s easy to use and very accurate.”