A farmer depends on two expensive liquids as assets (apart from money) – diesel fuel and water. For that reason the two production factors have to be conserved, economised on, and utilised to the best possible advantage. That is exactly what the aim of the Orthman team is when empowering the farmer with the 1tRIPr XD Combo multi-tiller.

Orthman believes in three basic principles for efficient soil cultivation namely:

Good seedbed preparation

The seedbed is prepared in such a way that as much as possible of the valuable moisture is preserved by cultivating only the strip where planting is to be done. The cultivation also improves the seepage of water to the plant roots, which promotes good germination and finally a good plant stand.

Exact placement of fertiliser

The 1tRIPr XD performs equally well with dry, liquid or NH3 fertiliser types. The adjustable depth control also allows the farmer to place different types of nutrient at varying depths in the cultivated strip. The plants can then absorb the nutrients at the correct time when it is needed most to ensure the best yield.

Best possible root zone preparation

The multi-cultivator loosens the soil in the strip to ensure optimal root development. It breaks up the sods and opens pores so that the plant roots will have room to develop and absorb fertiliser and moisture more efficiently. The implement’s design and action is what convinced Wéhan Coertze of Pavera Agri, near Lichtenburg, to purchase a 1tRIPr XD multi-cultivator.

“I hunted far and wide and found the Orthman name advertised itself for good quality,” says Wéhan. “I reckon I am saving as much as one third of my input costs thanks to the multi-cultivator.”

“The biggest saving is on diesel. I do the planting with about seven litres/hectare. This includes all soil preparation and planting,” explains Wéhan.

“The Combo-part of the 1tRIPr XD Combo means that the planter can be towed behind the implement to enable the full soil preparation and planting process to take place in one go. This not only saves fuel, but also time. All the fertiliser is applied simultaneously, which means more savings.”

Brian Nieuwoudt of Orthman explains how the implement limits loss of soil moisture. “Because all cultivation is done at one time, the farmer saves 30% to 40% of the soil’s moisture content between the rows.”

Wéhan is a farmer who does his homework meticulously and he calculates that the 1tRIPr XD Combo can pay for itself within two years with diversified grain production, or in four years when mealies only is produced.

“We did trials to establish what the most profitable way of planting would be. At present I plant to get 30 000 seedlings/hectare and to ensure a good plant stand. Then I harvest about an average of 6 tons/hectare on drylands,” says Wéhan.

The implement is available in different sizes varying from a six to a sixteen row cultivator. The cultivating units can also be purchased separately to be fitted to any existing Orthman-beam.

Regarding after-sales service, Wéhan is very satisfied with Brian’s work. “Similar to Orthman, Brian’s name is also legendary. He is available at all times when I need him.”

You can also conserve your soil moisture and diesel. Contact Brian Nieuwoudt on 076-283-0766, or visit the website www.orthman.com.