A KYABRAM contractor uses the latest technology to provide an efficient seeding service, reports MARK SAUNDERS

The front of most tractors is usually reserved for ballast, or for implements that are driven by a power-take-off shaft.

In John Russell's case that position is home to a unusual set of seed and fertiliser bins, which help him provide a highly mobile and accurate seeding contract service in the Goulburn Valley and southern Riverina.

Made by Daybreak Equipment in Dalby, in Queensland, the bins are part of an air-seeding set-up John uses for planting winter cereal crops and maize.

Each bin has a capacity of 1250 litres and John had them custom-made to fit his tractor.

"I chose the Daybreak bins as they fit closely to the front of the tractor, which keeps the weight near the centre of gravity, and they don't interfere too much with the forward visibility," John said.

When The Weekly Times caught up with John recently, he was busy sowing a maize crop near Kyabram, a job that demands a high degree of accuracy.

"Planting maize is measured in rates of seeds-a-hectare, not kilograms, so you need accurate equipment and precise application technology," John said.

To deliver that level of precision, John has a host of machinery and software made specifically for finely tuned cropping applications.

He also has more than 20 years of experience planting maize. He said maize could provide a valuable source of forage.

"A good maize crop can yield 24 tonnes of dry matter a hectare," John said. "And if followed by a winter cereal crop planted for forage, you can add another nine tonnes a hectare of dry matter to the yield for the year."

John makes a point of staying in touch with his customers and seeing the results of his contract work.

"Whenever possible I look at the finished crop and stay involved in the process," he said.

John's tractor of choice is a front-wheel-assist Fendt 818, boasting 142kW. The tractor is about three years old; when planting maize, it hauls a John Deere 1760 NT planter.

It's John's third Fendt and he said he would not have anything else for contracting.

"The Fendt is very reliable and efficient to run," he said.

"The comfort levels are also sensational and that helps keep fatigue to a minimum."

John said the tractor combined well with a host of software in the cabin, which included access to global positioning satellite technology for hands-free steering and 2cm accuracy driving in the paddock.

"One of the key elements to efficient operation is the amount of time the equipment, such as the maize planter, spends in the ground," he said.

"Working mostly on dairy farms, the paddocks can be quite small. The fields are usually smaller than 20ha each and then there are lots of fences and irrigation check banks.

"But with the tractor's headland management system, I can pre-program a variety of tasks that make moving around the paddock a lot easier."

When John is planting in a paddock, this means all he does is hit a switch on the joystick in the tractor cabin.

Then the software decreases the tractor's ground speed and engine revs, lifts the implement out of the ground, folds up a tine marker on the planter, puts the implement back in the ground after the turn is complete and changes the engine and tractor speed back to the target for planting.

"That all happens without having to use the clutch," John said.

"It's a fantastic system, especially if you are working in dusty conditions.

"You can focus on where the tractor is going and not have to worry about pulling levers or what the planter is doing."

John said the development of machinery had changed the way maize was grown.

"With the scarcity of irrigation water, growing maize has become quite technical, but we have the machinery to match," he said.

The John Deere planter is an eight-row machine, which plants maize in row widths of 765mm.

The eight seeding units of the planter each have a double-disc opener, with two press wheels as well. Each disc opening unit has its own airbag suspension, so it can accurately follow the ground contours.

When planting maize, a vacuum system is used to deliver the seed.

"We can accurately plant 85,000 to 100,000 seeds a hectare, which is typical for maize. That can be programmed into the software to ensure that rate is adhered to, regardless of the size of the seed," John said.

"A monitor actually counts the number of seeds delivered."

In addition to his contracting work, John also has his own property at Kyabram, where his wife, Tracey, and their seven children help out.

"Tracey is a whiz with the book work, which is a vital part of contracting, and my eldest son, who is 16, is very keen to get into the contracting," he said.