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Incorporating the patented Claydon in-line tine system, this strip-till drill is designed to meet the needs of larger farming and contracting businesses which require high outputs, combined with the flexibility to tackle any crop establishment situation.
Claydon says that a regular drill has a typical daily output of 35ha, while the T4.8 has a suggested seasonal output of 1,200ha at 250hp. It will sow directly into stubble, in min-till situations or on ploughed/cultivated land. Claydon claims the drill will work across the widest range of soil types, enabling any crop establishment situation to be handled with just one drill pass.
The Claydon Hybrid range can be adapted to suit different crops and conditions. The customer can choose the standard tine set-up, a twin-tine option instead of the rear seeding tine, have fertiliser placed down the front or rear tine, can replace the leading tine with a cutting disc, or change the seeding tine for the twin-tine kit and replace the leading tine with a twin cutting disc.
Like all other models in the range, the T4.8 can only deliver seed from its 3,500-litre hopper, which can be divided 60:40 to enable a combination of seed and fertiliser to be delivered to the 15 long-life tungsten carbide leading tines. Claydon believes this highly effective system encourages deep, complex rooting structures to develop quickly, which minimises soil erosion and produces stronger, healthier crops with improved yield potential.
The T4.8 measures 8.72m long, 3.3m high and has a road transport width of 2.95m – its design ensuring that in the field, 50% of the weight is transferred to the tractor to maximise traction. With a low power requirement of 50hp to 65hp/meter, the manufacturer states the machine incorporates a minimum of moving and wearing parts for low running costs, features quick-fit wearing metal to minimise maintenance and incorporates solidly sprung seeding tines for even drilling depth.
Running on three large, centrally mounted depth wheels fitted with cleated tyres, which run on clean, dry, uncultivated ground to ensure excellent depth control and avoid soil capping, the T4.8 features a floating seeding chassis which is independent of the hopper, allowing the drill to follow contours in the field.
The front of the chassis is guided by shouldered cutting discs or optional press wheels, while the double rear toolbar can be equipped with a range of press wheels, batterboard and harrow configurations to fully cover the seed.
Weighing approximately 6,000kg, the T4.8 features intuitive controls, is equipped with single-point depth control and includes a stainless-steel Claydon metering system and an RDS Artemis control system. The specification also includes a hydraulically driven fan, tramline kit and a double rear toolbar. Options include GPS-controlled variable rate seeding, fertiliser placement, front tool bar with press wheels or shouldered cutting discs, a vision kit (three cameras and four lights), stone release system, twin-tine kit and marker arms.
Claydon believes its system reduces the costs of establishment.
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