The Best DUO in Australia: chisel plough TO 6000 CTF and disc cultivator XE 12 400

Farmer Paul Leto, situated in Western Australia in a wheat belt area, is farming on 6000 ha altogether with his sheep and cattle approximately 5000 pcs. The main crops are wheat, barley and pastures (pastures 3000 ha). Paul belongs to innovative farmers always seeking for new technology that will increase his income, while also reducing input costs.

What has impressed Paul?

The first big impression was the packing system that Bednar SWIFTERDISC XE 12 400 was using at the end of the machine. For Australia conditions we typically recommend V-ring packers. Which perfectly fit the soil type and leave the surface, after the 2 rows of A-disc, perfectly finished, pressed down with a nice structure to prevent evaporation after the tillage pass (two rows of offset discs) and good prevention from soil blowing off in the wind. The V-ring leaves the surface in a nice line profile in the tractor direction. This line direction has a better tension hold against wind and the surface is “uneven” therefore the soil stays put as it acts like a wind breaker.

Paul Leto and his farm crew, together with Grant in black T-shirt (Importer Power Ace)

Great structure of top soil after one pass of V-ring

Besides the great tillage technology Paul has recognized from the first view, with the great design of the frame he sees the potential of stability on two sectioned frames in 12,4m working width. On flat fields this size of framing is filling up the holes or uneven parts from the first pass. Two section frames also help an easier set up and great depth control over the whole working width. Wear of the disc is going to be the same on all discs, not more in the middle and less on the sides. This can help the farmer to plan the maintenance as a “General disc maintenance” not just “Part disc maintenance”.

Usages if SWIFTERDISC does not end in tillage only, but on the farm usage is also after the seeding of grass pastures, where a SWIFTERDISC XE 12 400 is doing one pass for mixing the seeds into the ground and then pressing them with the packing system for better germination. The seed is broadcasted after the disc section and pressed down with a V-ring packer at the end. This process absolutely reduces the time spent working on the field. As this belongs to the minimum tillage technology – One pass tillage, seeding and packing.

Paul is also an active sheep and cattle producer, he takes advantage of the precision set up of the XE 12 400 and broadcast seeded pastures for high quality food for the cattle. The pasture is a mix of different feed crops.

First evaluation of XE 12 400 job on different land area

BEDNAR machinery for precise inter-row cultivation

The TERRALAND TO 6000 is a best seller in Australia and has ended up on Paul’s farm too. His first opinion is to use it as a normal ripper. Now in certain conditions the Terraland is used for strip till technology. The design allows the farmer to do so. In this case the axel of the machine is the depth control mechanism instead of back spiky rollers. The two ripper tines follow the axle, therefore after a pass there are no tracks left on the ground even where no spikey rollers are used.