Articulated Liquid Manure Spreader

Articulated liquid manure spreader FERTILIZER APPLICATION Fertilizer Application (58f) 16-3-15 A new 6-wheel "articulated" liquid manure spreader equipped with toolbar won the gold medal for innovation at the recent International Salon of Farm Machinery in Montreal, Quebec. Wic Inc., Wickham, Quebec, introduced the high-tech tank whose two rear wheels are turned automatically by a "closed circuit" hydraulic steering system that consists of a cylinder mounted on the front hitch that's connected to a cylinder on the rear axle. The steerable rear wheels prevent damage to crops on headlands or contours by the big tank. All three pairs of wheels have independent suspension and the tank can be equipped with a rear-mounted toolbar that's hydraulically raised or lowered. A series of 3-in. dia. hoses run from the tank to the toolbar, which can be equipped with either shanks or discs for sidedressing corn. "Sidedressing liquid manure makes manure available to plants when they need it the most," says Claude Rivard, president. "It also extends the manure application season so you can apply manure when you're not as busy and lets you control weeds while applying nutrients. The toolbar has three shanks per row. The front shank digs a groove for the manure, and the rear two shanks cover it with 2 to 3 in. of soil. Manure application depth is shown on a gauge (optional) on front of the tank. The distribution boom between the tank and toolbar ensures even spreading between all rows. "An optional computer and dosing pump can be used to automatically apply the exact gallons of manure needed per acre. A speed sensor installed on one of the spreader wheels allows the system to automatically adjust for changes in tractor speed and keeps application rate constant. Application speed is generally 2 1/2 to 5 mph. A series of digital display and indicator lights shows you vehicle speed, gal. per acre, acres covered, gal. applied, etc. The dosing pump can be equipped with an optional dry matter gauge that ensures the proper application of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium during spreading," says Rivard, noting that computer can also be used by itself without dosing pump as a flow monitor. The company's new "Quantofix Volume-ter" kit lets you periodically measure the manure's nitrogen content so you have a better idea of how much manure to apply per acre. It reads the volume of nitrogen from a chemical reaction between a manure sample and a reagent. Tank can be easily removed from trailer frame, allowing you to mount a wagon box or flatbed on it for other uses. A pto-driven impeller at the front of the tank can be opened for fast cleaning in case it plugs up. The distribution boom and toolbar is avail-able in 4 or 6-row models and can be adapted to other tank brands. Wic tanks range from 1,800 to 6,000 gal. The company also offers distributing booms for use on small grain crops, grassland, and non-cultivated fields. Contact FARM SHOW Followup, Wic Inc., Wickham, Quebec Canada JOC 1S0 (ph 819 398-6822).

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