CANADIAN manufacturer Redekop, which is headquartered in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, has released a Seed Control Unit (SCU) after a three-year research and development association with Western Australian John Deere dealership AFGRI Equipment and John Deere Australia.
Initial development involves fitment to John Deere class eight and nine combine harvesters for the 2020 harvest with Redekop hopeful of expanding to other header brands for the 2021 harvest.
The SCU was demonstrated by AFGRI Equipment Wongan Hills dealership at Goomalling recently fitted to a John Deere S780 model.
The unit, which bolts directly under the chopper, comprises of a set of mills - three stationary stators and two rotors per side - with a specially-designed catch hopper equipped with winged blades that cut, chop and push material into the two mills.
In operation, mill speeds run from 2800-2900rpm to achieve maximum kill rate, while drawing minimal horsepower from the machine.
One of the main benefits of the SCU is the chaff, when it exits the mill, is directed upwards into the straw stream being spread.
This not only spreads nutrients evenly back out into the paddock, but it also keeps the dust well away from the machine.
Servicing of air filters, radiators and rotary screens does not increase.
Units can be ordered integrated with a Redekop MAV Straw Chopper (MAV-SCU) through AFGRI Equipment.
Or SCU units can be ordered new for 2020 model John Deere headers, via a 'tick the box option' from the factory with a John Deere factory chopper.
Both options are dealer fitted options.
Wind-compensation tailboards also are an option to maintain spread width.
The SCU also comes with a cooler for each mill which has its own closed system, with a belt drive to a gear box and hydraulic pump.
Cab monitoring and control is achieved through a standalone tablet or through the John Deere GreenStar Gen 4 display, but the system is ISOBUS-compatible meaning it can operate through most popular displays on the market.
Another main feature is the design of the SCU, which means various operating options can be achieved including disabling the mills for windrowing or swapping between chopper mode or mill mode.
To swap between modes takes about five minutes.
According to Redekop product specialist Tanner Donahue each mill can be reversed to double mill life.
An innovative idea is electric control of the SCU and chopper - actuators can shift the chopper and mill unit up and down.
This allows greater access in to the back of the machine.
According to AFGRI Equipment Wongan Hills salesman Ben Milton, the SCU has been tested in WA since 2017.
"Redekop had two units running that harvest, then five running in 2018, 14 this harvest in WA, with 24 in total across Australia," he said.
"This is the first year we've incorporated the SCU with a John Deere chopper.
"Redekop wanted to test it in WA because of our resistance problems and the idea has been to take baby steps in a small area that is easier to control.
"The 14 units we have in operation are all within two hours of Wongan Hills so we can teach people how to run it and keep on top of any issues."
There are test units in Canada and Europe but Redekop has put the most effort into testing in WA.
Independent testing in Canada has resulted in a weed seed kill rate of 98 per cent, a similar figure resulting from GRDC testing in WA.
According to Mr Donahue a summer annual broadleaf called Kochia, is Canada's biggest problem weed, which is now resistant to glyphosate.
"It ends up as tumbleweed and it's drought-tolerant so having a mechanical means to reduce weed seed burdens is very attractive for grain-growers," he said.
"Resistance is just starting to show its head throughout Canada and we think the SCU will be a good tool to spearhead the problem."
While a retail price has yet to be set, Mr Milton said the SCU would be "price competitive".
For the R&D exercise, Redekop sent five company engineers, including Mr Donahue, to WA to assist John Deere and Afgri Equipment, and to provide customer support and service through harvest, as well as feedback on the performance of the SCUs.
As part of that commitment and support, Redekop has also shipped a container of all components and spare parts to AFGRI's Wongan Hills branch, but according to Mr Donahue, they have "hardly been touched".More information: contact Ben Milton on 0427 994 554.
