Rip into action

Now Australian farmers have the opportunity to test which will come out on top - a mountain of a ripper, or that challenging ground - as they get prepared for next year's crop sowing.

Danmas imports and sells the HE-VA range of rippers in Western Australia and has appointed Techgrow as the wholesale distributors for the eastern states.

The HE-VA machines have entered the country at an ideal time, with increasing awareness of the need to mitigate the effects of traffic-induced - or naturally occurring - layers of subsoil compaction to boost on-farm productivity and returns.

Left unattended, soil compaction - which occurs at depths of up to 60 centimetres in some regions - can restrict crop and pasture root growth.

This leads to poor plant production and potentially cuts grain yields or slows animal growth - which negatively impacts on a the business bottom-line

And for farmers in many areas, the 2020 season will see ground being opened and broken down like never before.

Using deep ripping to ameliorate compaction allows plant roots to penetrate the soil faster and deeper.

Roots can then absorb more - and deeper - subsoil moisture and capture more soil nutrients, leading to higher crop yields and pasture growth.

The benefits vary with soil type, but many broadcacre farmers are boosting their returns by tackling the problem with ripping to depths of between 25 and 50cm.

The HE-VA deep rippers are an effective and efficient machine for this task and come in linkage and trailed models.

Designed for minimum power requirements, they can lift and loosen soil effectively and without bringing big unwanted clods and stones to the surface

The linkage machines are made in three and four metre (10 and 13 foot) models for easy transport around paddocks and quick - yet effective - deep digging.

Trailed machines are available in cutting widths of 5m, 6m and 7m (16, 20 and 23 foot) and all machines can work to a maximum depth of 70cm.

The HE-VA range has a hydraulic tyne break-out that automatically swings upwards to deviate from any obstacles in the soil.

The units come standard with either 12cm or 20cm points with tungsten tip and inclusion and delving plates are an option for the machine's tynes.

A key feature of the HE-VA unit is the 'V-profile' roller that is mounted on the back of the machine.

This can be adjusted hydraulically to meet the desired leveling and packing finish for the paddock.

The roller is also able to crush clods, leaving a smooth finish behind the machine.

In most cases, a single pass is adequate before the paddock is ready for seeding, and the effect of the ripping lasts for many years.

For on-farm operation, tyne spacing can be varied depending on the work task - with only the central tyne fixed.

This means the sub-tiller can easily be set for tramline loosening with some tynes removed.

For stony soil types, a sub-tiller with a hydraulic automatic-release system is recommended.

A hydraulic cylinder mounted on each tyne and connected to two gas accumulating tanks ensures an automatic swing if it hits unmovable stones.

This system also acts as a shock absorber in stony soils, where it will react to vibrations.

The HE-VA range is built for high-power tractors working broadacre farming areas.

HE-VA linkage deep rippers come in 3m, 4m and 5m widths for easy transport.

Trailed sub-soiler machines are the next step up, suited to tractors up to 600 horsepower (441kW).

Models come with nine, 11 and 13 tynes that cut across 5m, 6m and 7m.

These machines split and fold down to a width of 2.43m for easy transport and access.