Horsch, a global manufacturer of seeding, planting, tillage and application equipment, announces an expansion of its North American primary tillage line by launching the all-new Omnis FT into the North American marketplace. Engineered and built at the company’s facility in Mapleton, N.D., this new concept in primary tillage incorporates innovations pioneered by Horsch both domestically and abroad.
The Omnis FT is ideal for breaking up compaction and providing consistent soil tilth in conditions where residue has already been properly sized and distributed by the combine. One of the unique features of the product is its overall shank spacing. The thorough horizontal fracture is accomplished by four ranks of shanks spaced on 15-inch centers with 1,800 pounds of trip force. Each shank is equipped with the Horsch MulchMix shins that aggressively turn and mix soil/residue and create and uniform soil structure. The thorough mixing of soil/residue also accelerates the decomposition process. A variety of tips are available along with bolt-on sweeps.
“One of the unanimous points of feedback we have gotten over the years when farmers see our European concepts is the desire for thorough horizontal fracture and tilth versus ‘ripping’ soil,” says Horsch product manager Jeremy Hughes. “The act of ‘ripping’ really does nothing to promote uniformity in soil structure. With the Omnis FT, soil can be tilled down to 10 to 11 inches and thoroughly across the working width of the machine, giving a fully tilled, uniform soil structure. This provides uniform water infiltration, uniform soil warming, uniform residue/soil blending, and an unrestrictive environment for optimum root growth.”
One of the main advantages of the Omnis FT is its ability to work at variable depths. It can go down to 10 or 11 inches for breaking up compacted zones, or it can run shallower, depending on the desired tillage. Another noticeable feature on the Omnis FT is the large-diameter tires for transport and field operation.
“One big complaint we hear with primary tillage tools is tires,” says Hughes. “Small tires on a heavy machine results in getting stuck. Large-diameter tires give a tremendous advantage in those unexpected circumstances.”
A wide range of options are available depending on field conditions. “We have made the Omnis FT a very versatile concept with the ability to mix and match options on a standard base unit to meet individual needs,” says Hughes. A choice of rolling basket, leveling tines, or a three-bar heavy harrow complete the rear of the Omnis FT according to what type of soil finish is desired. An optional rear hitch is available for towing a fertilizer caddy or a pull-type finisher, or the unit can be ordered without anything on the rear.
“For several years we have been working in North America with various European primary tillage techniques along with analyzing domestic technologies,” says Hughes. “Our goal has been to take those unique global primary tillage techniques and incorporate them into a domestic concept. With Omnis FT, that vision is now a reality.
“When looking at the basics of what we want to accomplish with primary tillage, the first is to accelerate decomposition of harvested crop residues, and second is to start the creation of a uniform seedbed soil structure.”
Harvesting technology today has evolved to effectively manage crop residues, whether through fine-cut straw choppers or through chopping corn heads. With proper sizing and uniform spreading of harvested crop residues, this is the initial first step of seedbed preparation. After the combine, primary tillage is the next step toward making a seedbed for the next crop. By having residue already sized during harvest, the Omnis FT uses shanks only for tillage, making it a simple yet affective primary tillage concept.
Optional cutting coulters are available if working in longer, less-prepared residue conditions. With the cutting coulter option, one coulter is dedicated in front of each shank.
“We learned over the years with air seeders that one coulter in front of each shank makes for cleaner residue throughput while balancing the machine better,” says Hughes. “We took this experience and put this concept as an option on Omnis FT.”
Omnis FT will be launched in fall of 2019. The range will include 11-foot rigid, 16-foot rigid, 21-foot rigid, 21-foot folding, and 26-foot folding versions. For more information, contact your local Horsch dealer, or contact Horsch at (701) 532-1000, www.horsch.com or info.us@horsch.com.