Big idea for small spreads

Springtime is the key opportunity for most small to medium-scale property owners to build up the production potential of their soils with fertiliser and seed applications.

Silvan Australia has just released a new Agrex Poly Hopper Fertilizer Spreader capable of effectively spreading a wide range of fertiliser and seed products when attached to a small to medium horsepower tractor.

The Agrex XL500 has a load capacity of 350 litres with a PTO and linkage attachment.

Its hopper is formed from corrosion-resistant UV-stabilised polyurethane with the addition of stainless-steel metering and spreading discs for further protection against corrosion.

This choice of materials is the key to ensuring a long and useful life, as corrosion or the aggressive fertiliser materials left behind in the hopper is almost invariably the cause of premature failure of many spreaders.

The Agrex XL500 in its ready-to-use form is supplied with a one-to-one output shaft from the PTO to the spreader, which rotates the spinner and agitator.

There is one manual control lever calibrated for the chosen quantity of application of the fertiliser and seed combination, while a second control lever determines the spreading pattern of left, right and full area behind the spreader.

Key options available include a one-sided or doubled-sided spreader attachment, a stainless-steel agitator which fits into the base of the hopper and an additional mechanical control lever.

A hopper cover which fits over the hopper is also available to protect against moisture and rain.

Silvan Australia's Product Manager Gavin Wheatcroft says the XL500 is the latest introduction to the Silvan Agrex range of high-quality fertiliser spreader options from one of the world's leading manufacturers of such technology.

The range extends from a small acreage unit to large capacity broadacre and contractor versions with a load capacity up to 10,000 litres.