Page 22 - 2021 Virtual Field Day

22 SPECIAL PUBLICATION Thursday March 18, 2021 .
VIRTUAL FIELD DAY

An innovative ripping machine is
making inroads to helping solve subsoil
issues that cost Australian farmers
millions of dollars in lost production. RIPPING IDEA: The Rocks Gone Ree nator H4 can bring problem soils into full production by overcoming problems
tackle some of the most di -‘‘
that impede penetration of water, nutrients and plant roots.

BY MEL WILLIAMS

N AWARD WIN
The Reefinator
NING hydraulic
primary ripper,
Adesigned by a H4 is capable
of a rapid
former farmer, is helping to
cult soil constraint problems transformation
that impede Australia's agri- of rocky outcrop
cultural productivity growth. into crop BRUTE STRENGTH: Four leading tynes
e rst Rocks Gone and ve tynes at the back and can work to
Ree nator model was seedbed. Some depths of 450 millimetres in the soil.
released speci cally for of the rock it is
paddock renovation by crushing can be
Tim Pannell, who had been
a broadacre cropper in at a hardness
Western Australia's north- ... denser than
ern grainbelt.
He has since re ned the good concrete.
machine to a tractor-towed Rocks Gone owner Tim
model - the Ree nator H4. Pannell
Mr Pannell said his
overriding goal was to help
primary producers across Rocks Gone and available PRACTICAL: Latest Rocks Gone
the country ameliorate is- exclusively through WSB GOING DEEP: The Ree nator H4 was built to delve deeper into the soil Ree nators are tractor-towed.
sues associated with subsoil Distributors in South and, due to its hydraulic breakout.
strati cation, geological and Australia and Victoria, the
man-made hard pans, rocks Ree nator H4 has been solution to deal with rough - making it easy and safe Ree nator H4 machine is e Ree nator H4 is built
and stumps. extensively tested for and and rocky areas. to operate. tted with four leading tynes using Australian-made
"By crushing, mixing, used on a wide range of He said, unlike many deep "If you hit a blue granite and ve tynes at the back. machining and components
ripping and leveling, the Australian soil types and rippers commonly used by rock, for example, the tynes ese can work deep into - including hard facing the
Ree nator H4 brings these farming conditions. farmers, the machine was just oat over it - as long as the ground, delving down to wear components - to the
areas back into full produc- It was voted the Best ideal as the rst ripper for you haven't set the pres- 450 millimetres. Rocks Gone in-house high
tion by opening the soil and Australian-made Machine untouched land and soils sure too high and you just ere is a revamped quality standards.
allowing water, nutrients at SA's 2019 Yorke Peninsula that had never before been keep going." cable-suspended leveling It is smooth to pull and
and plants roots to penetrate Field Days. ripped to depth. Mr Pannell said this made blade and the Ree nator H4 able to work e ciently
deep into the treated parts," Mr Pannell said the " e hydraulic breakout a big di erence to productiv- comes with a ribbed drum, through stubbles and duplex
he said. ripper had been delivering system makes the Ree nator ity because the process was weighing 30 tonnes when soils that have not been deep
e process has proven exceptional results across H4 an easier, smoother ma- smoother and had almost no full of water. is has 'arms' ripped before due to their
to be highly e ective in farms nationally. chine to pull with a tractor," catching or dragging. similar to those used on the rocks, stumps and hardpans.
signi cantly boosting broa- " e Ree nator H4 is he said. " is minimises down- previous model. " is machine makes
dacre crop and pasture plant capable of a rapid transfor- "It features a 32 litre time and stoppages for Mr Pannell said all of the process viable because
establishment and growth, mation of rocky outcrop into accumulator designed to repairs and maintenance," these key features were it can turn around country
leading to higher grain yields crop seedbed," he said. handle up to 3000 pounds he said. designed speci cally to facil- that previously couldn't be
and an improved feedbase "Some of the rock it is per square inch (psi) pres- "Hoses plumbed from the itate better crop and pasture ripped" Mr Pannell said.
for livestock. crushing can be at a hard- sure. But its typical working hydraulic cylinders are 25 rooting depth, e ciency of Ease of use and mainte-
Mr Pannell said this ness of about 70 megapas- pressure range is about millimetres in diameter to mixing lime into the soil pro- nance is also improved, due
meant increased returns cals (MPa). 1000-1500psi. accommodate high speed le and increased soil water to the hydraulic tyne that
for individual growers - and " is is signi cantly dens- "Results are more ow out of the cylinders holding capacity - all leading can ride over granite while
overall productivity growth er than - say - good concrete consistent, and the hydraulic on impact. to better plant growth. minimising damage.
for industry - by regenerat- at 30MPa." tyne allows some give when "Pressure can ramp-up "In some cases, unpro- e H4 Ree nator is avail-
ing areas of land that were Mr Pannell said the it is needed. quickly and, with smaller ductive, degraded land has able from WSB Distributors,
previously under-perform- Ree nator H4 was built to "With the hydraulics, you hoses, oil can't escape fast been turned into some of the which is the sole agent for
ing, or even unable to be delve deeper into the soil don't need the shear pin enough from the cylinder." best preforming soils on the South Australia and Victoria.
used for farming. and, due to its hydraulic because it's a live action To smooth soil and crush farm after treatment with the More information: Luke
Manufactured in WA by breakout, was the ultimate process - with give-and-take rocks while in operation, the Ree nator," he said. Hocking, 0488 781 222