When the lark sings and the crops take off, an army of slurry tankers must be able to deliver nutrients with precision and around the clock. At Samson Agrolize, winter maintenance of the advanced slurry trailers is systematized.

Slurry season is well underway and it could be hectic this year.

The mild winter, where crops have been able to grow almost constantly, brings forward the plants' longing for nutrients and thus there is a risk that the manure season will be short and hectic before the crops become too big to spread the manure.

The foremen at Samson Agrolize's service partners and at Samson Agrolize, Service Manager Flemming Tind is busy sending service teams with typically two technicians and a well-equipped service vehicle out to the many Samson users across the country.

- Since October, four to five service teams from here and from our service partners across the country have been busy carrying out systematic winter inspections and preparing slurry trailers for farmers and especially contractors, he explains.

- Although it's still too soft to drive in many places, we could really use some winter weather, as many people still call us for help with winter maintenance.

Ready for the season

Since Samson introduced a three-year warranty on new trucks three years ago, an annual winter inspection of the advanced slurry tankers has been systematized by the dealer organization Samson Agrolize. Now, the systematic approach to a preventive winter service is extending to all vehicles older than just those still under warranty.

- We are well aware that when, for example, a contracting company takes on extensive tasks for its customers, the equipment must function optimally. Often around the clock at the height of the season. And there's no time to change a pump bearing or repair damage that occurred last season and could have been prevented, says Flemming Tind.

- It's no secret that the widespread use of sand in the cubicles of cattle farmers is taking a toll on equipment. Some exposed parts can wear a lot during a season when it's at its worst. Of course, this varies greatly depending on how much cattle slurry from these properties a given truck delivers and how much the truck is in the field or on the road.

Specialized service engineers

For example, a newer slurry tanker, such as a Samson PG II, can spread between 50,000 and 100,000 cubic meters of slurry in a season.

- When a team comes out to perform a winter service on a slurry tanker, it can take from one day to three or four days. This is very individual and consists primarily of a check of all the vital parts, including electronics and any updates. But especially all the moving parts that work in slurry must be checked, says Flemming Tind.

- Of course, it is always decided in consultation with the customer what needs to be repaired. Our service engineers have extensive experience in assessing how close bearings, stuffing boxes and material thicknesses are to needing replacement to avoid stoppages during the season.

At the beginning of February, the phone rings almost constantly at Flemming Tind at Samson Agrolize, who with great experience manages to combine an available appointment with a service team with a request for a preventive winter inspection.

- Right now, we're getting new customers every day and are extremely busy. However, for both customers and us, it's much better to get the gear sorted now rather than having to make panic rescues in the middle of the peak season. Especially if it could have been avoided with a preventive winter service, says the busy service manager.

At Samson Agrolize in Viborg, Service Manager Flemming Tind confidently directs the company's specialized service teams out for preventive winter inspections on Samson Slurry Trucks. Samson Agrolize has a network of service partners with local spare parts warehouses and trained employees across the country.

When the lark is singing and the plants need precise nutrient delivery the most, the slurry bed needs to work perfectly. When conditions are right, the advanced slurry tankers often run around the clock at contractors.