AT a massive 38 metres (125ft), this may well be the longest and fastest on-farm auger in Australia.
Springsure grain growers Peter and Luke Bradley, Lindley Downs, placed an order for the Canadian-built Westfield 160-16 at the end of April and took delivery just two weeks ago.
They have already put the mighty machine to work, processing 700 tonnes of sorghum into a new 2100t Kotzur Silo.
The mobile auger and new silo are part of the Bradley family’s plan to store more grain on-farm, providing them with greater control over their marketing.
Mr Bradley, his wife Kerrie, son Luke and daughter-in-law Sophie farm 4000ha in the Orion district, south of Springsure. They also contract farm and harvest in the McKenzie River district near Blackwater, and south to the border town of Mungindi.
Mr Bradley said the hydraulic auger was fully mobile and would be invaluable both on-farm and in their contracting business. “The auger is capable of processing 600t/hour and can be moved to other locations,” he said. “It increases our flexibility. It cost $90,000 imported from Canada.”
The Bradleys selected the auger from a pamphlet they saw on the internet, with information supplied by the managing director of Westfield Augers Australia, Rowland Schmelzer.
“The other alternative was to buy a new elevator and pit which was going to cost $400,000, but only capable of processing 250t/hour,” Mr Bradley said.
And so far the operation of the new auger has not disappointed. “It really is beyond belief,” Mr Bradley said. “It allows us to unload a 30t semi-trailer in three minutes. “It will enable us to operate two headers at 90t/h in a 3t/ha sorghum yield crop and doesn’t tie up our labour and equipment unloading.”
The Westfield 160-16 is operated from an 8530 John Deere Tractor PTO and has two hydraulic lifts.
The swing-away auger is electrically driven by four wheels, which can be operated by remote control.
Springsure grower invests for future
AN investment of more than half-a-million dollars in on-farm infrastructure is helping Springsure grain grower Peter Bradley ensure the viability of his family’s large-scale grain operation.
Working in partnership with his wife Kerrie, and son and daughter-in-law Luke and Sophie, Mr Bradley farms in the Orion district south of Springsure, while also running a busy contract farming and harvesting business.
The Bradleys’ infrastructure investment includes a Westfield 160-16 fully hydraulic auger, and two 2100-tonne Kotzur silos that are fully sealed, computerised and aerated for long- term storage.
“We really believe this investment gives us more flexibility to be able to store and sell on-farm, and gives us a more reliable cash flow,” Mr Bradley said.
“The other bonus is we can continue to harvest when it suits us, and not rely on grain depots to be open to make deliveries.
“We can also blend our grain to ensure a higher quality product.
“With sorghum one, the price is currently sitting on $310/tonne, while sorghum two is sitting at $298/t – that is a difference of $12/t.”
This week the family is delivering 2000t of Scorpio and Taurus variety sorghum to the Port of Gladstone.
The delivery involves the loading of seven AB triple road trains that will travel as far as Biloela, before decoupling and travelling onto the Gladstone Port.
The Bradleys sold the consignment to PentAG Nidera at $309/t as part of a shipment to China.
In all, they planted a total of 2800 hectares of sorghum including five varieties, including Scorpio, Taurus, G22 and G33, and are trialling the Liberty White variety for the first time.
With a rolling harvesting under way, the G33 variety is the next to be harvested and the season will finish with the Liberty White variety.
“We will be very interested to see how the Liberty yields, as it is a new seed variety, and one that chicken farms and piggeries like, as it doesn’t stain the meat,” Mr Bradley said.
The Bradleys are hoping their sorghum crop will yield 3.2t across the entire planting.
