Contractor Matt Redman has purchased a second Kuhn Aero 24 metre boom spreader to satisfy the increasing demand for the herbicide Avadex Excel 15G granules in his area. “A matching pair of applicators will mean we can double our capacity without affecting the accuracy of application that we need,” he says.
“We have been applying Avadex Granules for our clients for the last three years and demand has nearly trebled in that time. The first Kuhn Aero boom spreader with a 24 metre boom was bought in 2013, with the second arriving in this year, in time for the autumn season.”
Matt explains that the applicators are NSTS tested every year and they maintain them to a high degree. “We tray test at the start of the season to ensure even distribution of the granules across every outlet. I think this is an important procedure to make sure application is spot-on. We have perfected this now and see it as an essential part of the set-up.”
“In my trading area of Bedfordshire and surrounding counties, Avadex is mostly applied to winter wheat for the control of black-grass. Brome and wild-oats are seen as a bonus. The acreage of this herbicide has increased massively year on year. Farmer customers come back every year and generally want to increase the acreage they are using it on. We also have new customers wanting to use it as the starter herbicide in their black-grass control programme.”
Matt Redman reckons that there is an application window of four to six weeks for Avadex granules, depending on when customers start drilling and how late they are willing to finishing drilling. “Avadex is always applied pre-emergence. The Kuhn applicators are mounted on John Deere 6420s tractor fitted with 650 & 480 Michelin Xeobib tyres running at 7-8psi and a John Deere 6930 tractor fitted with 650 & 540 Michelin tyres allowing a very light footprint. Both tractors have full GPS steering. Depending on the field location and farms, we can apply around 150 hectares a day with each machine.”
Dr. Dominic Lamb of Gowan says that more Avadex than ever before went out onto farm last year and indications are for an even heavier demand this coming autumn. “Avadex has established itself as the starter herbicide for the control of difficult-to-control grass-weeds such as black-grass, annual meadow-grass and wild-oats. Don’t forget you also get a bonus of cleaver, charlock, chickweed, mayweeds and poppy control, too,” he says.
It is important that Avadex is applied accurately and that the granules are evenly applied across the boom width, says Dominic.
Matt Redman Agriculture operates across Bedfordshire and the surrounding counties and offers a range of contracting services including spraying, Avadex application, direct drilling, cultivations, conventional drilling and hedge cutting. (www.mattredmanag.co.uk)
