With the agricultural sector facing considerable uncertainty it is vital to reduce crop production costs significantly, establishment offering one of the largest areas to achieve savings. The most versatile option on the market, Opti-Till® dramatically reduces time, fuel, labour and wearing metal costs; it is five times faster and three times cheaper than plough-based techniques, less than half that of a min-till system.
Opti-Till® provides the ideal machinery mix to quickly, efficiently and cost-effectively establish any crop that can be air-sown, creating the optimum amount of tillage for all soils and conditions. In addition to the Claydon TerraStar®, Straw Harrow and TerraBlade which are used for stubble and weed management, the Opti-Till® range also includes mounted and trailed drills from 3m to 8m, together with Cambridge rolls, all of which have been designed with a minimum of wearing and moving parts to keep operating costs low.
The high output of the Opti-Till® system means that timeliness is greatly improved, so owners can comfortably wait for optimum conditions before drilling, which creates better structured and more fertile soils. The risk of erosion, water run-off and leaching of nutrients is much reduced in soils that are better able to cope with extreme weather events. Crops develop strong and healthy, while worm and bird populations thrive.
The patented leading tine fitted on all Claydon drills moves soil only in the seeding and rooting zone, loosening compacted ground, allowing water to drain away from the seed and creating a fine tilth which encourages roots to grow deep and strong. Plants take-up moisture conserved in the unmoved soil between the rows, which has sufficient strength to support following machinery such as sprayers and spreaders throughout the year, even in adverse weather conditions.
What makes Claydon products unique is the fact that are developed and continually refined on a working farm, by a working farmer. Proven in all crops, soil types and conditions, Opti-Till® has transformed the economics of crop production on farms in over 30 countries worldwide. In addition to the cost saving benefits resulting from changing to Opti-Till®, owners often find that they can sell surplus machinery to help offset the cost.
The Cost Saving Calculator on the Claydon website (www.claydondrills.com/savings-calculator) shows how much can be saved by adopting Opti-Till®.
