ON-FARM

Seeder-mounted mouse bait spreaders

Spreading mouse bait always throws up some innovative contraptions

Ben White

This article is 8 years old. Images might not display.

This month we have two – one from Brad Plant who farms at Manangatang, Victoria. Brad’s mouse bait spreader is ground driven via the air-commodity cart and uses a keyless drill chuck and drill bits to modify the application rate. Product is metered into the air-stream and blown out to a swath width of around 16m. 

The other spreader idea is from Griffith farmer Michael Pfitzner who has adapted a “whale-tail” spreader with bait product metered from the air commodity cart. Michael reports that the whale-tail was highly inaccurate at spreading fertiliser so was sitting idle but works perfectly in its new adaptation. The metered product is drawn into a fabricated plenum mount for the whale-tail which draws product in a venturi style. 

A couple of books from our Workshop series are on the way to both Brad and Michael because the best mouse is a dead one.

If you have some innovative adaptions or farm-built contraptions that make life easier, send them through to us and we will include them in this Ideas and Innovations section of Farming Ahead. 

We will send you a couple of copies of our Workshop series reference books. Email us the idea at contact@kondinin.com.au or send us an MMS of it at 040 111 FARM (040 111 3 276)

A growing series of reports, each focused on a key discussion point for the farming sector, brought to you by the Kondinin team.

A growing series of reports, each focused on a key discussion point for the farming sector, brought to you by the Kondinin team.

editions

Research Report: Side-by-side Vehicles (November 2025)

Kondinin Group’s research team dives into the side-by-side market for this report, looking at popular diesel models, a few petrol versions and a couple of electric vehicles.

editions

Research Report: Farming Inputs (October 2025)

Inputs are unavoidable in any farming system. This Research Report focuses on several key farming inputs with a view to maximising outputs, production and profit.

editions

Research Report: Self-Propelled Sprayer Testing (September 2025)

Kondinin Group’s Mark Saunders, Ben White and Josh Giumelli have rounded up five of the latest self-propelled sprayers to cast a discerning eye over them for this month’s Research Report. The sprayers were run over our regular test track and thoroughly inspected to see what makes these million-dollar machines tick.

editions

Research Report: Sealable Storage Options (August 2025)

Kondinin Group researchers in collaboration with the GRDC Grain storage extension team test dozens of gas-tight sealable grain storages to Australian Standard AS2628-2010 identifying best and worst features in the ultimate grain storage buyers guide.