The 3720 model range is available in working widths from 9.1m (30') to 21.3m (70') and there is also a variety of spacing options for the two-row drill being offered at 190mm (7½"), 254mm (10") and 305mm (12") spacing, with the flexibility of a row-crop spacing on the 190mm (7½") and 254mm (10") spaced models.

The drill has a high degree of contour-ability and consistency with a ParaLink walking (PLW) coulter arm assembly featuring a 1:1 parallel link design.

The opener assembly offers minimal sensitivity to debris and existing seed furrows to ensure accurate seed placement. Operator control is easy with in-cab precise electric-over-hydraulic control so you can make adjustments as field conditions change.

There are two seed boot choices offered for selected models.

The low disturbance LDx seed boot scraper is available on all models and is designed to create minimal disturbance helping to ensure precise seed placement as well as maximise moisture retention.

For drills of 254mm (10") and 305mm (12") row spacing only, there is also a winged (DW) seed boot scraper option that provides additional seed protection by placing the seed away from the furrow created by the coulter where "hair-pinning" can occur. In addition, the DW scraper can be used to separate seed and starter fertilisers.

You can configure the 3720 ICD with a choice of packer and cleaner wheels to suit your specific requirements. The 114mm (4.5") wide semi-pneumatic double-shoulder "offset" is very effective in directing soil over the furrow, as well as closing the soil flap.

This packer is a very popular choice with the low disturbance scraper offered on all 3720 ICD configurations. There is also a 114mm (4.5") wide semi-pneumatic double-shoulder (without the offset) which is most effective when combined with the disk winged scraper.

Spoked cleaner wheel choices are a 76mm (3") wide cleaner wheel which helps to minimise damage to standing stubble and a 114mm (4.5") wide smooth crown cleaner wheel for better flotation on softer or pre-worked soils.

Seeding Masters

For drills coupled to a Bourgault airseeder using the X35 Apollo control system, owners can option useful features such as PackMaster and Liftmaster. The PackMaster option features a load cell that measures actual packing force exerted on the ground and responds hydraulically to maintain uniform packing pressure in varying field conditions.

LiftMaster provides automated lifting and lowering of the openers at the field headland turns.

Bourgault also has Hi-Flotation running gear choices for 3720-60 and 3720-70 units using 800/65R32 tyres on the front of the main frame and 540/65R24 on the front of the wings.

The 3720ICD is also ideally suited to using Bourgault's Series III Mid Row Bander fertiliser applicators for safe and predictable double shoot applications when one-pass seeding.

More details:

www.bourgault.com

Bourgault 3720 heads WA cropping in the right direction

Clare Downs is a family farm, run by Tom, Andrea, George, Jack and Jasmine Carmody. The family operates a grain and cattle operation, normally cropping 3400ha, and turns off between 1000 and 2000 beef cattle each year. 

Clare Downs is located just north of the idyllic south-east coast of Western Australia, 100km west of Esperance and spread between the localities of Cascade and Coomalbidgup. The farm receives an average rainfall ranging from 360 - 580mm.

From gently undulating Malley sands and grey clay to rolling red river loams to coastal sand and clay flats; a large range of soil types are farmed. The cattle are bred on Prenti Downs station, 1050km north and trucked to pasture and feedlot pens at Clare Downs.

Cropping is no-till, full stubble retention, controlled traffic, stripper front and disc seeding.

When Tom first came back to the farm, the approach was no-till, with an occasional summer working, with sheep.

As the family progressed in no-till, the seeding equipment has changed. The changes went from a Bourgault 8810 spring tine cultivator bars with gang type presswheels (60 feet wide), to a John Deere Conserva Pac, 57-feet wide, to a Seedhawk, 24m, to Rootboot Razor disc, 12m, and now to the Bourgault 3720 disc, 12m in width.

Moving from spring tines to a hydraulic system enabled better early dry seeding with good seed placement and, most importantly, seed soil contact.

The change from the Conserva Pac to Seedhawk was to get onto set tramlines, then from Seedhawk to Rootboot razor was for stubble flow at seeding.

Whilst the Razor is an excellent, simple disc seeder with seed and fertiliser separation and spring loaded scraper, it is spring down force, and on the family's heavy country it struggled a little in dry seeding and like all spring machines, rocks hurt.

The Carmody's felt they needed a disc seeder with an undercut disc for digging, hydraulics for down force and smoothness of break out/in , parallelogram for ground following and a split boot for seed and fertiliser separation.

The Bourgault 3720 ticked the boxes, and has the bonus of a walking beam between the cleaner wheel and press wheels, which makes it very smooth over the ground. About the only complaints so far about the machine are getting underneath for maintenance.

The Carmodys say the Bourgault digs well, places seed well, separates fertiliser, follows the ground beautifully and has excellent stubble handling abilities, whilst not hair pining stubble into the seed bed.

Setup with the right press wheels and the cleaner wheel in the pinned up position, soil throw for chemical incorporation is easily achieved. Put the cleaner wheel back down, slow down to 8km hr, and you can hardly see it's been in the paddock, the Carmodys said.