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In the rocky terrain of Fielding, New Zealand, dairy farmer John Ellis faced a serious seeding challenge, one commonly found with Duncan Seed Drills. After relocating to a new property riddled with embedded stones and hard ground, his once-reliable tyne drill became more of a problem than a solution. “The first season I did it with my tyne drill… a paddock full of stones appeared behind me,” John said. “It was horrible.”

This blog explores how upgrading your ground-engaging systems—whether it’s retrofitting discs on fertiliser rigs or adding coil press wheels to billet planters—can lead to tangible gains. We break down the performance differences, outline the risks of sticking with outdated gear, and highlight how smart retrofits can improve crop establishment, reduce downtime, and deliver higher long-term returns.

David Cawrse, shares his thoughts after the 2023 planting season. David used two RYAN NT products for this season: the Retrofit Discs fitted to his AFM bar and the Coil Press Wheels installed on his Ezee On bar. These innovations have allowed David to achieve exceptional seed placement, improved crop establishment, and consistent performance.

Scott Keast has been using RYAN NT Coil Press Wheels. Scott’s had them fitted on his Gason HydraTILL for two planting seasons now. He shares how these aftermarket press wheels have improved germination, minimised maintenance, and handled challenging conditions effectively.

Paul Ryan caught up with Toby Croker from Emerald Hill, New South Wales. Toby discussed his recent purchase of a full set of RYAN NT Coil Gauge Wheels for his Excel Planter. With a planting season behind him, Toby shared how these wheels have outperformed his previous rubber depth gauge wheels.

At the 2024 Ag-Quip Field Days, Judith and Bernard Dawson from Moree, New South Wales, shared their first-season experience with a full set of RYAN NT Coil Press Wheels fitted on their Janke bar. Covering 3,000 acres during a wet planting season, the Dawsons observed significant benefits in germination, performance, and cleaning efficiency.

In Blighty, located in the Riverina region of New South Wales, grower Stewart Crowhurst has gone with an affordable double disc seeder option. Stewart has been using RYAN NT Retrofit Double Discs on his AFM 200 Series cultivator for several seasons now. More recently, he has been trialling RYAN NT Coil Press Wheels, noting their impact on germination and soil finish.

In the southern Riverina of New South Wales, Adrian Burke has been using RYAN NT Retrofit Double Discs and Coil Press Wheels on his Gason Air Seeder for three planting seasons. As a first-time user of press wheels, Adrian shares how this combination has revolutionized his seeding operations for crops like vetch, wheat, canola, and rice.

In Deniliquin, New South Wales, Craig Allit—a grower and contractor—has relied on RYAN NT Retrofit Double Discs to enhance the performance of his RFM Airdrill 2300. With over two decades of experience using RYAN NT equipment, Craig shares how the retrofit discs on his RFM Seeder have improved versatility, fuel efficiency, and planting speed across a variety of conditions.

In Coleambally, New South Wales, Kevin Mannes has been using RYAN NT Retrofit Double Discs on his Horwood Bagshaw Scaribar for seven planting seasons. Specialising in cereal and rice planting, Kevin shares how these discs have delivered consistent results across challenging conditions, making them a vital part of his farming operations.