ON-FARM

Seeder-mounted mouse bait spreaders

AS PREDICTED, mice have caused some issues this year and baiting is underway in many places across Australia. Spreading mouse bait always throws up some innovative contraptions.

Ben White
Seeder-mounted mouse bait spreaders

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 Farming Ahead team.

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

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