Dividers save valuable crop losses for Midlands grower

Moora grower Erin Cahill has installed E-Kay Crop Dividers on both the front and rear wheels of his self-propelled sprayer and, as a result, he says his crop damage in cereals is now “next to nothing”.

A set of crop dividers for his self-propelled sprayer was “in the budget’’ over several years for Midlands grower Erin Cahill, and after finally taking the plunge when canola production and related pesticide applications increased significantly, he says he wouldn’t spray without them now.

Erin and his wife Natalie crop 2300 hectares over properties east and west of Moora and when their canola program jumped from 200-300ha up to 600-700ha, the crop losses from wheel track damage or trampling began to escalate.

Erin quipped that when the losses added up to more than a year of boarding school fees, it became a quick decision.

Up to three late season spray applications can be made in the canola for sclerotinia disease and including crop-topping, while at least one fungicide pass normally occurs in cereal crops.

“The wheel tracks are also just annoying when you are direct heading the canola – and it’s the same in the wheat and barley,’’ Erin said.

“I hear similar where canola is swathed – you can be dealing with a tangled mess every 36 metres.

“As a result, sometimes I wouldn’t want to do three applications and would look at using a plane, but the plane doesn’t do as good a job and it’s extra cost.

“If I can get on the paddocks, I prefer to use a ground rig and just do next to no crop damage.”

The E-Kay Crop Dividers feature a pivoting divider arm with minimal moving parts to allow easy adjustment for different crop conditions. Both the pitch and height can be adjusted to suit the particular crop.

Erin installed the E-Kay Crop Dividers on both the front and rear wheels of his self-propelled sprayer, choosing them over an alternative option that uses an airlift system.

Sourced via McIntosh & Son at Moora, the E-Kay Crop Dividers can be fitted to a wide range of sprayers. They feature lightweight poly cones with a solid front tip and flared sides.

“We mounted them on the drop leg of the sprayer and while it can take four to five hours to put all of the mounts on, it’s then just 15 to 20 minutes to put all the Dividers on,” Erin said.

“Once the mounts are bolted, they stay there, and then with the Dividers it’s just a D shackle, chain and pin.”

A pivoting divider arm with minimal moving parts allows easy adjustment of the E-Kay Crop Dividers for different crop conditions. Both the pitch and height can be adjusted to suit the particular crop.

“Just using a simple chain to lift up and down was another reason we went for the E-Kay Crop Dividers, although once we got the heights set, we didn’t have to change things much. When we bring the sprayer up on to the road, we just shorten the chain a little,” Erin said.

The nose cone on the Dividers is spring-loaded and so easily trips over any obstacles or when travelling through ditches.

“If you get bogged or hit a rock, the spring just trips,” Erin said.

He estimated the previous wheel tracks were damaging about 3 per cent of the crop in cereals and up to 5pc on headland turns. Canola trampled in the tracks did not recover, however he said the damage was now negligible since using the E-Kay Crop Dividers.

“The damage in the canola is next to nothing now – maybe just 1pc or so,’’ he said.

For further information on the E-Kay Crop Dividers, growers can contact their nearest McIntosh & Son branch here.