At a machine cooperative in Funen, operations manager Martin Østerby calculates 100% capacity utilization of a new SAMSON PG II 28 with 36 meters of SAMSON SHB4 hose boom. Every year.

It was late on March 23 before slurry spreading could begin for the Funen machine collaboration between four properties. A total of 70,000 to 80,000 tons of slurry will be distributed on the 2,300 hectares, which is why the first few days were run around the clock.

- We ran non-stop for 16 days and at one point we were up to 2,600 cubic meters in 24 hours. The explanation is that we could spread up to 55 tons of slurry per hectare before maize and that everything is optimized without too much driving on the roads, says operations manager Martin Østerby, who is responsible for the field work on the four properties.

For the season, the farm has invested in a new slurry tanker, a SAMSON PGII28 with a new SAMSON SHB4 hose boom with 36 meters working width.

From 24 to 36 meters

- We are in the process of converting from 24 meter to 36 meter tracks and have therefore also chosen to invest in new SAMSON slurry equipment for this season, says Martin Østerby.

- At the beginning of the season, we divided the slurry into two allocations for winter sowing, but as the season progressed and the weather became stable, more and more of the fields received the entire amount at once. This is one of the explanations for the high capacity we have been able to achieve this year," explains the operations manager.

- The capacity is calculated based on the fact that we need to rent for the application of 20,000 cubic meters of slurry in three out of five years. In addition, we have 70-100 hectares where a wheeled tractor would be appropriate. Here we will also hire a contractor for the work.

Optimization

Martin Østerby mentions these factors as important in the effort to optimize capacity to the utmost and thus achieve 100% utilization of the SAMSON slurry tanker every year.

- It's a bit unusual for a farm to invest in a new state-of-the-art slurry tanker. The vast majority of slurry trucks are operated by contractors who are very competitive on slurry delivery. But in our case, we have been able to invest in our own slurry tanker because we can calculate 100% utilization every year," he explains.

- And there are also some advantages to being able to manage our own work processes all the time. The contractors have to consider their entire customer base, and we don't have to do that," Martin Østerby points out.

Minimum two loads per hour

In his efforts to maintain a high utilization of the investment, Martin Østerby constantly calculates the need to use truck transport and a buffer tank in the process. Likewise, truck access and the number of buffer tank moves must be considered in order to avoid unnecessary wasted time.

- As a basic rule, we should always be able to maintain a capacity of more than two loads per hour. Of course, a lot depends on the application rate per hectare, for example for the 600 hectares of corn we apply manure to.

Height sensors

After a thorough testing period, 2020 is the first season that the new height sensor on the SHB4 dragline boom from SAMSON is on the market.

- Especially in the 36 meter version and with the slightly hilly terrain here on Funen, height sensors on the boom are a great advantage. It's a pleasure to see the boom adapt to the terrain while driving and for the two regular operators, it's a huge relief not to constantly have to pay attention to the boom and risk it hitting the ground. It's a wide boom to keep an eye on, says the operations manager from Funen.

- "It's a piece of advanced technology with four distributors out on the boom and aileron motors and so on," acknowledges Martin Østerby in his enthusiasm for the new SAMSON dragline boom.

Turnkey ready for the season

The pairing with the farm's John Deere 8345R took place at Samson Agrolize in connection with the delivery of the new slurry tanker ahead of the season.

- We also had an employee with us on the first day to get the machine up and running. But after that, everything ran smoothly.

- I'm quite impressed with how painless the commissioning and operation of such an advanced piece of technology is. In fact, we're not used to things going so smoothly when we invest in high-end gear that will be used so intensively throughout an entire spring. "I have to say that Samson Agrolize does a good job here," Martin Østerby says unsolicited.