Disc vs Tyne - Straight Through the Stubble: Rob Hensley’s RYAN NT Discs in West Wyalong
When comparing disc vs tyne options, one of the main arguments you might hear is frustration with tynes' handling of heavy stubble when sowing. Residue hair-pinning around openers, machines getting blocked, and growers sometimes feeling forced to burn paddocks before planting.
West Wyalong farmer Rob Hensley wanted to avoid that situation. Instead of burning residue, he fitted RYAN NT Double Discs to his RFM air seeder and put them straight to work. The aim was simple: keep sowing moving without stoppages and get through heavy straw without the usual stress.
Rob didn’t muck around with the verdict. He called it “one of the best things” he’s bought on the farm.
So what’s behind that comment? Let’s walk through it.
Rob Hensley with his RFM XT5000 seeder fitted with RYAN NT Discs
Bigger Seeding Systems Have Changed Machinery Roles
Over time, seeding systems have become wider and heavier. Therefore, many farms now rely on a single main bar to handle broadacre cropping. As a result, older Flexicoil Air Seeder Frames and Morris Air Seeder Frames often lose their original role within the operation.
Even so, these frames remain robust and familiar machines. Instead of selling them cheaply, many farmers park them while considering future options. This is where RYAN NT’s retrofit disc solution provides a practical path forward, allowing growers to repurpose second-hand frames into effective seeders, including dedicated pasture seeders, without replacing entire machines.
Benefits of discs vs tynes - The stubble trouble reason Rob switched
The decision to move to discs came down to stubble. Rob said burning residue was something he never liked doing, and the pressure on that job was part of why he wanted a different approach.
“I used to be not very happy burning stubble,” he said. Anyone who has handled stubble burning knows what that job involves: soil damage risks, weather checks, permits, fire risk, neighbours, smoke, and that nagging feeling you’re one gust away from a very bad afternoon.
The season before had left a serious amount of residue behind. Rob said some paddocks had been up to 20 bags, which meant heavy straw loads going into sowing. In those conditions, the real question in any disc vs tyne comparison is whether the machine will keep moving when the trash gets thick.
Rob Hensley's RFM XT5000 seeder fitted with RYAN NT Discs
The Disc vs Tyne Argument - Proof is in the pudding: No Blockages
Rob said the discs answered that question straight away. “We still went straight through them without one blockage at sowing time,” he said.
For growers running stubble-retention systems, that sort of reliability can change the feel of the whole sowing window. Instead of planning around residue loads, slowing down, or stopping to clear hairpinning, Rob said the bar just kept moving.
For Rob, that clearly mattered. He said the change saved time, removed pressure, and made sowing easier to manage with a small team. That’s the moment where a “nice idea” becomes a proper tool. Because blockages don’t just slow you down, they break rhythm. They wreck your day. They can mess with depth and seed rates if you’re not onto them straight away. And they always seem to happen when you’re already behind.
When comparing to his previous system of burning off, Rob explained, “It saved a lot of work and a lot of worry from when you're lighting fires, and there’s only my wife and me.”
What Rob’s running
Rob’s machine is an RFM air seeder fitted with RYAN NT Double Discs. He said the bar runs on 8-inch spacings and is around 28 feet wide. It also has a double chute setup, which allows fertiliser and seed to be placed separately during sowing.
In Rob’s case, the split setup worked well from the start. He said he was putting down about 80 kilograms of MAP and 40 kilograms of wheat and barley seed. Asked how the split seeding had gone, Rob kept the answer simple.
“It was marvellous for us,” he said.
The system suited his program and slotted straight into the job.
Rob Hensley's RFM XT5000 seeder fitted with RYAN NT Discs
Sowing speeds and how the bar ran after comparing disc vs tyne
Once the machine was set up, Rob said he was sowing at about 10 kilometres an hour. That gave him a steady working pace while still moving through the residue load left by the previous crop.
He also noticed what looked like a fuel saving. Rob was careful not to overstate it. He said he had not measured the reduction, but he still felt the difference throughout the season.
“I reckon we cut a lot of fuel, but I didn’t measure it,” he said.
Also worth noting: sometimes the biggest savings aren’t on a spreadsheet. They’re the ones you feel when you’re not stopping, clearing blockages, burning stubble, or doing extra passes you didn’t plan on. Not glamorous. Very real.
Germination through Gilgai Country
Trash handling was one part of the story, but it was not the only one. Rob also spoke about crop establishment in the country with gilgai and undulating ground.
That matters because one of the common concerns growers raise in the disc vs tyne conversation is ground following. If paddocks are uneven, the question is whether the opener keeps seed placement consistent enough to produce an even strike.
Rob said the discs performed well in exactly those conditions. He described strong germination in parts of the farm that had gilgai, and he directly compared that result with what he had previously seen from tyne openers.
“We had a great germination through some of our country that’s got a bit of gilgai in it,” Rob said.
Then he drew the contrast more clearly.
“With the tynes it used to be out of the ground a bit,” he said.
By comparison, he said the discs gave him even establishment through the undulating country.
“With these we had perfect germination through undulating ground,” he said.
RFM Airdrill 2300 seeder fitted with RYAN NT Discs
The envy of the town, especially those vested in the disc vs tyne question
That result was not something he noticed alone. Rob said other people commented on how good the crops looked.
“Quite a few people commented on how good our crops looked,” Rob said.
That compliment doesn’t pay the bills, but it’s usually a sign the establishment was even, the timing was right, and the crop got away well.
Results in a dry year for the disc vs tyne
The season itself was dry, which makes the crop result more relevant. Dry years often sharpen the difference between systems because any advantage in residue cover or moisture conservation becomes more important.
Rob did not describe record yields, but he did say the farm still produced solid crops given the conditions. He said barley averaged about 15 bags and wheat averaged about 9 bags across the whole lot.
When asked about the lean moisture year, Rob pointed to the value of leaving residue standing.
“The extra moisture from the straw held helped us a lot,” he said.
This point is something simple but easy to forget when you’re staring at rainfall charts: straw and stubble can help retain a bit of extra moisture. If you can seed through it cleanly and keep it on the surface doing its job, you’re giving the crop a better chance when the taps turn off.
Tyne vs Disc – single row trial in South Australia
The disc vs tyne pre-em question everyone asks
Another point that often comes up when growers consider a seeder disc system is the use of pre-emergent herbicides. Rob was asked directly whether he had used pre-ems with the discs.
He said he had. His program included Boxer Gold and some Treflan.
Just as importantly, he said the machine handled that without trouble.
That matters because plenty of people want to keep their weed program consistent. They’re not looking to reinvent everything just because they’ve changed a seeding setup. Rob’s experience suggests you can run a practical pre-em program and still get on with the job.
It’s worth noting that discs and pre-emergents are often discussed. Some growers worry about throw, coverage, and herbicide safety. People get stuck thinking about single-disc fallbacks, where throw can be a bigger worry.
Who won the disc vs tyne battle? Would he ever go back to tynes?
By the end of the interview, the obvious question had to be asked. After a season like that, would Rob ever go back to tynes?
His answer was immediate and clear.
“No, I’d never go back to tynes,” he said.
A simple setup that suits the job
Rob also made another point that is easy to miss if the focus stays only on performance. He likes the simplicity of the machine.
Asked about the old Ryan air drill, Rob said it goes beautifully and suits him well.
“It’s very simple, and I’m not a young fella, so it suits me,” he said.
That’s a point worth sitting on for a second.
A lot of gear is sold as “simple,” but once you own it, you realise the opposite. Rob's current system has less worry, less extra work, and a machine that suits the way he wants to run the farm.
Where to from here? Is the disc vs tyne argument settled?
Rob Hensley’s experience is not an abstract argument about disc vs tyne systems. It is a paddock-based account from a grower who fitted discs to an RFM air seeder and worked them through heavy straw, gilgai country, undulating ground, and a dry season.
His verdict was built on straightforward outcomes. The machine handled stubble without blockages, helping him avoid burning. On top of that, it worked with his pre-emergent program, and it produced strong germination in difficult conditions. It worked with his pre-emergent program.
For growers asking whether a seeder disc system can handle trash and still establish a crop evenly, Rob’s answer was practical, direct, and easy to understand.
In Rob’s case, the discs worked, and the crop results confirmed it.
A few takeaways if you’re weighing up the disc vs tyne question?
If Rob’s disc vs tyne story sounds familiar, here are a few practical takeaways:
- Stubble load: If you’re dealing with heavy residue and you’re sick of blockages (or burning), stubble handling becomes the main game.
- Country shape: Gilgai and rolling ground punish inconsistent depth. Uniform emergence is a real win, not a nice-to-have.
- Labour reality: If it’s you, your partner, and maybe a bit of casual help, low-fuss gear matters more than ever.
- Weed program: Rob ran common pre-ems and didn’t see issues. That’s reassuring if you want to keep your system steady.
And one mild contradiction, because farming is full of them: discs can feel like a bigger change than sticking with tynes, but Rob’s whole experience was that life got simpler after the change: fewer fires, fewer blockages, less worry. Sometimes the new setup is actually the calmer one.
If you’re running an older bar and you want better stubble flow, solid establishment on tricky ground, and a setup that doesn’t need constant babysitting, Rob’s West Wyalong story is a good one to file away.
Looking for More Information On Retrofitting Your Tyne Seeder?
If you are considering upgrading an existing seeder, the following resources provide more detail:
- Retrofit Double Discs – https://ryannt.com.au/retrofit-double-discs/
- Small Farm and Pasture Disc Seeder Options – https://ryannt.com.au/ryan-nt-retrofit-double-discs-small-farm-disc-seeder-pasture-cropping-drills/