The most expensive machine in your operation should be your planter. During the season, there are many factors out of your control, so it makes sense that to give your crop the best possible outcome the planting phase is critical. If you can control and optimise depth, down force, seed spacing and population all at a speed that will make the most of your optimal planting window, then you have a chance at a great start.
The John Deere MaxEmergeR Row Units, well known for providing accurate singulation, population, spacing and uniform depth at 8km/h, have been offering great planting solutions for a while. The new John Deere ExactEmergeR models, however, offer the same accuracy but now at 16km/h.
The ExactEmergeR comes with a central commodity system that saves seed filling time and removes the variable weight characteristics of the individual hoppers. In addition, Vanderfield now provide a smart suspension option from a new third party component supplier that we have been working with, Dawn Industries. The Dawn ReflexR Active Suspension System provides both down and up force, giving the added depth accuracy and press wheel pressure needed when field conditions vary from one end to the other.
At the heart of the Exact Emerge is the row unit itself. Two separate electric motors control the seed singulation drum and the brush delivery system. These motors are timed in correct ratio with ground speed to ensure that seed is delivered precisely into the trench to eliminate bounce.
Craig Saunders farms 1550 acres of irrigated cotton at St George and has used a MaxEmerge for over seven years. He recently moved to the ExactEmerge and found that, in its first season, it performed faultlessly to plant on average 350 acres per 12 hour day. His is a 12-row machine on 40” spacing and hosted on a John Deere 8245R, which handled it easily, Craig said.
Craig reports that the result, even given a lot of rain after the plant, was ‘striking’. He highlights exact spacing, exemplary singulation with almost no skips, and precise seed soil contact, with the positive down force applied independently to each press wheel.
One feature that Craig really admired is that the planter senses ground conditions such as bounce and press wheel pressure in real time, to arrive at a ride quality factor which advises the operator to speed up or slow down for optimal planting results.
Additionally, in cab monitoring allows real time control of seed rate by the row, and down force is automated.
Craig adds: “The ExactEmerge allows me, across all soil types, to really open up the planting window, which is at its optimum around St George from early October to mid-November. We do try to spread our plant out over that time to minimise hail damage risk and manage the pick operation.”
“We also had a special adaption developed by Mick Kennedy, from Vanderfield St George, to allow us to apply APP zinc to the leading edge of the seed trench precisely. It’s this sort of partnership that has allowed me to keep great men and inspire them to excel in their work. Mick really takes the time to understand our business and is very often on farm with us, even engaging with the team sometimes daily. Vanderfield has a huge talent bank to call on, and Mick has many of those talents on speed dial.”
Craig has found that moving from the MaxEmerge on to the ExactEmerge has significantly reduced the need for making adjustments and made management easier, with easier set up and faster planting time, and is “just better” overall.
To explore simpler and better planter solutions that work for you, contact your local Vanderfield dealership.
