Henty 2017: Waterway ditcher a winner in low lying country
A machine capable of constructing bankless waterways in a quarter of the time of conventional methods is proving its worth on a southern NSW farmGrain grower Jamie Urquhart imported the Liebrecht Waterway Ditcher to build bankless waterways on his own irrigation farm at Urana, and was so impressed with the product he now distributes the machine.
The Liebrecht Waterway Ditcher was exhibited at the recent Henty Machinery Field Days and an entry in the coveted 2017 Machine of the Year Award.
It handles varying soil types with ease, and performs in rock and other heavy debris.
Urquhart, of Bellevue Partners, says the Waterway Ditcher is capable of moving 7.5 to nine cubic metres of dirt per minute for drains and channels.
“It has directional discharge control with the ability to windrow the material close to the machine or throw it as far out as 35m,” he says.
All wear parts are replaceable with independent side blades for sloping waterways.
A truck-loading hood is optional, enabling the easy removal of pulverised ready to spread dirt.
Quick hitch is standard on linkage models, with eight-foot tow and five-foot linkage models available.
Trimble WM Drain GPS or laser grade automation gives accurate grade control. An automatic self-levelling tilt keeps the machine level in uneven conditions.
Urquhart and his wife Alana run a 3000ha dryland mixed farming enterprise with his parents, Alan and Maria Urquhart.
The enterprise consists of a Poll Merino sheep flock dovetailing with canola, wheat, barley and lupins. In a wet year, the low lying country is susceptible to flooding, causing waterlogging and crop losses.
“We have some low lying country and we were looking to drain some swamps,” Urquhart says.
“We needed to create channels we could drive and work through, without leaving banks as they can act as a levee bank in flat country. We are not on any creeks but it is low lying country and we wanted to drain one low spot to another.”
“In the past, in wet years the low areas get flooded out – we do have rising country which does well in wet years but we are trying to mitigate the losses.”
Liebrecht Waterway Ditcher
Urquhart had been looking around for a suitable machine to create small drains and channels to move water from shallow swamps into the deeper swamps.
He studied internet forums and farmer reviews to evaluate various pieces of machinery.
“The reviews came back positive on the Waterway Ditcher so I looked at importing one from the US as there was no distributor in Australia,” Urquhart says.
“We contacted the manufacturer who awarded us the distribution rights.”
The Waterway Ditcher arrived in June and was immediately put to work in the light sandy loam to heavy grey cracking clay soils cutting 2km of drains.
“It’s a machine which can work in the wet – if you can get your tractor on the country without getting bogged, work can be done,” Urquhart says.
“We have cut drains along water courses from one low spot to another. It can cut up to two feet deep.”
The family pulls the Liebrecht Waterway Ditcher with a 180hp tractor.
“It has a 2.1m cut with the side blades being adjustable up and down so the edges can be tapered when finishing off the drains – this makes it unique to the rest of the market,” Urquhart says.
“Dirt is funnelled into a rotary mechanism and thrown out through the hood to one side up to 35m.
“The hood is adjustable so a windrow can be created next to the machine if required.
“The Ditcher handles rocks and stones – we have had it in stoney country without any problem – that was another reason why we went for this particular model.”
Urquhart says the Waterway Ditcher is also ideal for reshaping existing irrigation drains. He adds plans are afoot to hold a demonstration day of the Ditcher on-farm.
The Liebrecht Waterway Ditcher is priced at $A55,000 plus GST.
SEE ALSO FROM HENTY 2017:
VIDEO: Vimcor debuts hub-mounted track undercarriage
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