Compared to cheap imported seeders, it’s night & day with the RYAN NT Retrofit Discs on our Duncan Drill…
Paul Ryan, RYAN NT’s Managing Director, speaks to Donnybrook (WA) grazier farmer and contractor Phil Giancono about his experience with the RYAN NT retrofit discs on his Duncan Drill.
Mr Giancono decided to do the conversion at the beginning of 2023. Initially, he used tines for his seeding system, but he found they were bringing up a lot of rocks and clogging up with trash, especially dry seeds.
“I was looking around for a disc seeder, but I couldn’t find one in the size I wanted when looking at the new ones, as I can’t go too big,” he said.
“The system I needed had to stay within a specific size, and I'm known to modify everything.
“After looking around, I found the Ryan discs online and did a bit of research into them.
“I was a bit of a guinea pig to do the conversion since it hadn't really been done a Duncan Drill before.
“Paul was pretty helpful with that side of things, and since converting to the discs, it's been great.”
Phil Giancono with his Duncan Drill fitted with RYAN NT retrofit double discs
The Duncan Drill with discs is a contractor's dream
Giancono said as a contractor, he used to have to go to everyone's places to have a look to see if the seeding job would be suitable for his tine machine.
“But now, with the discs, I didn't have to go to any jobs to check the land out; I just rocked up and did it and seeded with ease,” he said.
“It chops through kike thatch easily.
“Compared to your cheaper Chinese seeders, it's night and day with the discs on the Duncan Drill.
“It still brings up a bit of rock, but not nothing compared to your tines.
“Another considerable saving that I noticed was fuel efficiency.
“When I sat down and worked it out, we probably saved about 30% in fuel compared to operating with a tine.
“So overall, we're pretty happy with the conversion.
Phil Giancono in paddock sown with his Duncan Seeder fitted with Ryan Retrofit Discs
When asked how many acres he sowed and if he could get the seed in the ground faster than with tines, Giancono explained, “They did a total of around 700 and were up a gear”.
“We covered a fair bit of land this year,” he said.
“You’re still limited to how fast it can go, but definitely a bit faster than your tine.
“You don't have as much soil throw with the discs compared to the tines on the Duncan Drill, and the fuel efficiency stood out with us.
“That was a big one.”
Get superior penetration & cutting with your Duncan Seeder
Phil Giancono's Duncan Drill fitted with RYAN NT retrofit double discs
RYAN-NT has developed its retrofit double disc to assist farmers in planting into trash. Over many years, they have created this economical system and now have a model to suit the popular New Zealand system, the Duncan Drill.
Unlike conventional double discs, they have designed the RYAN-NT Double Discs with an offset axle design where the serrated disc is forward of the plain disc. The unique design allows better penetration and cutting versus the conventional side-by-side system.
The coulter discs are a massive 18” for ease of rolling, with plenty of height, keeping the bearings out of the soil. The axles are a massive 30mm fitted with Timken tapered bearings.
The disc legs are attached to a heavy-duty 400lb RYAN Tyne Trip, allowing the disc assembly to handle the roughest terrain.
In addition, the Ryan system has tungsten mud scrapers and front and rear seed boots.
Contact RYAN NT today for the number one retrofit disc system.
