Customer Testimonial: Taranaki Dairy Farmers

“With its accurate spread pattern, advanced technology, and large flotation tyres, the Agri-Spread AS65 has made our fertiliser applications more efficient and hassle-free.”

The Agri-Spread AS65 spreader has been one of the best return-on-investment machines operated for Taranaki dairy farmers and contractors, Michael and Sandy Clark, who are based near Kaponga.

Focusing on efficiency to simplify farm operations and improve work-life balance, Michael and Sandy Clark of the Taranaki region have made key changes, including reducing to once-a-day milking and investing in a high-tech fertiliser spreader.

Operating a 42-hectare dairy farm near Kaponga, the Clarks milk 92 Friesian and Friesian cross cows while running a contracting business, MEC Contracting. Their services include hay and silage work, undersowing with grass seeds and turnip, hedge mulching, and fertiliser spreading.

Sandy explained that rather than relying on imported feed like maize silage and palm kernel, they focus on growing their own, only supplementing with molasses during calving season.

It is very accurate. If you end up with a cup full in the spinner, then it didn’t run out of the machine.

Switching to the Agri-Spread AS65 has been a major upgrade for their fertiliser operations. As the only spreader of its type in the Taranaki region, it has improved accuracy, efficiency, and ease of use.

“The spreader can cover up to 30 metres, even across fence lines, and everything is GPS-mapped, which saves a huge amount of time,” Sandy said.

We also have section control, which turns off spinners in headlands and thinner areas, so we’re not wasting fertiliser.

They also modified their AS65 spreader with an extended bin designed by Sandy’s son, Brad, increasing capacity from 5 tonnes to 7 tonnes, and up to 8 tonnes for lime spreading.

With 36,500 hectares covered and 8100 tonnes applied across 850 loads, the Clarks have found the Agri-Spread AS65 to be one of the best return-on-investment machines they’ve operated.

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