OzValue Ag has responded to demand and added a full stainless steel version to its line-up of Donder three-point linkage spreaders.
The new model is the Donder CGSA 4000 SS and, along with full stainless steel panels in its 4000-litre hopper, it has a heavy duty gearbox, double acting hydraulic cylinders to open and close the Stainless steel flow control gates
Other major features are 24-36m stainless steel spinners, mudguards, flip over tarp and lights. The Donder CGSA 4000 SS can accurately apply all types of granular fertilisers as well as slug and mouse bait, and it comes with a price tag of $18,000 excluding GST.
Donder spreaders are straightforward machines with all the features needed to accurately apply fertiliser in today’s conditions at a fraction of the price of many other brands. They are manufactured in Turkey and are sold throughout Europe, Latin America and Australia.
Australian importer OzValue Ag Machinery sells Donder spreaders direct to farmers and contractors, and OzValue Ag sales manager Mitchell Blackmore says they can spread in widths from 10m to 36m.
“They can handle all types of industrial fertilisers – urea, super, MAP, DAP and potash – and they are capable of broadcasting seed,” Mitchell says.
“Some guys spread a mix of super and clover over pasture with their Donders, others spread seed and harrow it in. They can also spread low rates down to a couple of kilo per hectare so they are used to spread mouse bait in the Wimmera and the Mallee and slug bait in southern Victoria.”
With the addition of the stainless steel model, there are five models in the Donder CGSA range. The CGSA 1500, CGSA 2500, CGSA 3000 and CGSA 4000 have hopper capacities of 1474 litres, 2350 litres, 3000 litres and 4000 litres respectively with the 1500L starting from $7450 Excluding GST.
Mitchell says CGSA spreaders can apply fertiliser evenly and precisely and have the ability to infinitely adjust spreading widths. The range is versatile enough to suit many types of farming practices.
“Donder spreaders can cater to all types of farming operations, from large broadacre farms, to irrigated operations, to small farmers. They can run on everything from 90-100 hp tractors up to Case IH Magnums and John Deere 8 Series machines.”
Three sets of spinner discs and blades are available for Donder spreaders, one set covers the 10m-16 range, another the 18-24m range and the third the 24-36m range.
“The spreader comes with one set of spinners and you can order the others. It is fast and easy to change discs, you just remove two bolts. This means you could spread super at 36m in the morning and slug bait at 20m in the afternoon.”
Another option on Donder spreaders is a straightforward automatic rate controller with GPS unit. It has double acting shutter cylinder and two electric actuators that enable the spreader to maintain a set application rate at varying speeds. The rate controller can be used with all mainstream GPS systems.
Other features on Donder spreaders are a agitator that allows fertiliser to flow evenly without bridging whether the hopper is full or nearing empty, and a sieve that prevents oversized fertiliser or other objects entering the metering area.
Donder spreaders run off a heavy duty oil bath gear box with stainless steel components. It ensures the spreader has a long, trouble-free working life. The gearbox is driven using the tractors PTO at 540 RPM with an optional hydraulic drive in place of the pto for those without 540 PTO.
Standard features include plastic mudguards that stop water and mud from building up on the spinners and Folding hopper tarp.
Justin Hobson and his family run several properties northwest of Ballarat and he uses Donder fertiliser spreaders in his farming and contracting operations. Owning both a standard model and a stainless-steel model.
The farming side of the business crops 1000 ha of wheat, canola, and barely and also has some irrigated ground where corn, pyrethrum and other crops are grown.
Justin says he applies a full range of products with his Donder – urea, potash, MAP, and pasture booster.
“We have used Donder spreaders for five or six years now and we have had a really good run with them. We upgraded from a 3000 litre model to a 4000 litre model and we use it a lot. It has done about 500 hours this year already and it doesn’t give us any problems,” Justin says.