“We always have something new,” said Frederik Nel of Lindsay at the NAMPO Show.

“The first electric-driven Zimmatic centre pivot irrigator was built 50 years ago in Lindsay, a hamlet in Nebraska, USA. To conceive it demanded creative thinking and overcoming unheard of challenges, and in the many countries where Zimmatic irrigate today by running around in circles, they remain at the forefront of development.”  

 “In Nebraska the Zimmatic is known as ‘the hill climber’. The Lindsay environment is hilly country and the design of the centre pivot structure was conceived to beat the hard local land’s characteristics.” A

Right in front of the exhibit – with its bright red eye-catching trimmings – the towable mobile pivot with its three wheels attracted tremendous attention. This is one of the towable centre pivot options available from Zimmatic.

The operator swings the wheels in line, unhook the soft pipe and tow the centre pivot to a different land where you only have to attach the pipe to the mother-line, making it possible to irrigate two lands at the price of one. From a three tower to a six tower can be transferred in this manner. From six towers and upwards four wheel centres are available. For one and two tower centre pivots, the Agritow two-wheeler can be used.

Frederik says moveable centre pivots are ideal for beginner farmers who want to expand gradually until each land has its dedicated centre pivot.

 Bigger machines can also be moved with the assistance of a cart centre point. Potato farmers use it to make crop rotation easier or allow lands to lie fallow for seasons.

The light centre pivot frame is ideal for drier regions and smaller lands. Frederik says it is especially suitable for Karoo farmers who might fill a dam from a borehole. The pivot can run on as little as 3 000 to 5 000 litres per hour, and the farmer can cultivate a small land of lucerne for his sheep, or maybe produce vegetables as a cash crop. The centre pivot is rather on the low side for mealies, but ideal for grass and vegetables. With this small centre pivot, it is possible to irrigate from 0,5 ha up to 3 ha.

Zimmatic users have a choice between solid tyres (NFTrax) or high flotation tyres where mud and a possibility of getting stuck in the mud may be a problem. New on the show was the NFTrax^® 2.0, which arrived just in time for NAMPO.

 Frederik Nel says airless tyres mean that you will never again have to check the tyre pressures on your centre pivot, towing a compressor in the land and through mud to get to the machine. It will save you time, labour and replacement costs. In comparison with pressurised tyres, caterpillar tyres cause 30 to 50% less damage than compaction tracks. Shallower centre pivot tracks save considerable time over the longer term and also cause less damage to other machines such as planters, sprayers and harvester combines.

Lindsay’s FieldNet options – with the latest developments in control and communication technology – were also illustrated to farmers. The Lindsay FieldNet is the only centre pivot management system where all technology can be installed on a single platform. From basic smartphone control for switching on and off, to control of variable rates of wetting and the utilisation of electronic water measurement by means of electronic valves, is managed through FieldNet. The FieldNet Advisor technology can also be included. The application of FieldNet is not limited to Zimmatic centre pivots, but can also be used on any other brand or combination of centre pivot packages. Even the management of other irrigation systems, such as driplines, micro systems and sprinklers, can be accommodated.

Another aspect which gives South African Zimmatic users an advantage, is that the company Lindsay Africa has a positive business relationship with the world-wide recognised sprinkler manufacturers such as Senninger, Nelson en Komet. Specific sprinklers are more suitable for specific soils, climates and crops – the experts at Lindsay can assist the farmer in making the correct choice.

Contact Frederik Nel on 072-517-7581, 021-986-8900 or frederik.nel@lindsayafrica.co.za  to find out more about all the technology, or visit the website www.lindsay.com .