Zero Till Farming Without Blockages: How RYAN NT Discs Cut Through Heavy Trash
Trash management remains a major challenge in zero till farming. Heavy stubble, pasture residue, wire weed, and rocky paddocks often slow sowing progress. As a result, many growers experience blockages, hairpinning, or uneven seed placement when residue loads increase.
However, farmers using RYAN NT Retrofit Double Discs describe a different outcome. They report cutting cleanly through residue while keeping ground cover intact. Importantly, these results support growers seeking practical stubble burning alternatives without increasing disturbance.
Cutting residue cleanly in zero till farming systems
Chris Davis, a grazier near Busselton in Western Australia, focuses on retaining ground cover after the growing season. He explains that residue management caused ongoing problems with his older setup. According to Chris, the previous machine “would just drag all that up in a big heap and make a big mess in the paddock.”
That situation changed after fitting RYAN NT discs to his Duncan Seed Drill. Chris says, “we can leave as much residue as we want,” and that the discs “cut straight through it, like a knife.” As a result, residue stays standing instead of being dragged into heaps. He also notes that keeping residue in place “adds more organic matter in the soil.”
For farmers running livestock and pasture systems, this means grazed residue doesn’t need to be managed before sowing. The discs cut through what’s left behind instead of dragging it.
Full interview here – https://ryannt.com.au/duncan-seeder-retrofit-double-discs-review-busselton-wa/
Pictured: Chris Davis
Zero till farming straight into heavy pasture stubble
Ash Rowe farms near Ardrossan on South Australia’s Yorke Peninsula. He retrofitted RYAN NT double discs onto his Morris Concept 2000 hydraulic tyne bar before sowing pasture. That season, Ash sowed “about a thousand acres of pasture,” mainly medic and triticale.
He explains they sowed “straight into a lot of stubbles” grazed by cattle and sheep, with “a lot of residue on the ground.” However, the discs “cut straight through and sowed straight in.” Importantly, Ash reports “no blockages,” which differed from his previous tyne setup. He also says the result was “pretty even germination.”
When residue cuts cleanly instead of dragging, growers can leave stubble standing and still place seed properly in the ground.
Full interview here – https://ryannt.com.au/retrofit-discs-on-a-morris-concept-2000-ash-rowes-experience-in-ardrossan-sa/
Pictured: Ash Rowe
Serrated discs supporting zero till farming without hairpinning
Richard James farms near Bute in South Australia and has used RYAN NT Retrofit Discs since 2012. Over time, trash handling has remained a key reason he continues using the system. Richard says “the trash handling has been great slicing through straw.”
Previously, he experienced “a bit of pinning trouble” with his older machine. However, he explains the serrated leading disc “chops through the straw quite fine.” As a result, Richard says, “we don't have the hairpinning troubles we used to.”
Full interview here – https://ryannt.com.au/retrofit-discs-on-a-horwood-bagshaw-air-seeder-richard-james-experience-in-bute-sa/
Pictured: Richard James
Handling grass, wire weed, and tough residue
Craig Bardney farms near Yenda in New South Wales and has used RYAN NT discs for seven planting seasons. His paddocks include grass, wire weed, and variable residue loads across seasons. Craig says he’s “surprised how much they can handle.”
For example, he mentions wire weed during summer conditions. Importantly, Craig adds that the discs “handle trash really well.” This matters for growers who sow across different paddocks, where residue levels change from year to year.
Full interview here – https://ryannt.com.au/a-great-decision-craig-bardneys-experience-with-ryan-nt-retrofit-discs-on-his-horwood-bagshaw-scaribar/
Pictured: Craig Bardney
Zero till farming performance in rocky and tough ground
Bill Guest farms near Narrabri in New South Wales and has run RYAN NT retrofit discs for over three seasons. His paddocks include rocky and grassy ground that previously caused sowing issues.
Bill says the discs “can handle rocks” and “tough going,” adding that “grass makes no difference.” Therefore, he explains, “they just sow it in” and deliver “good germination.” He finishes by saying he considers them “the ideal thing.”
Full interview here – https://ryannt.com.au/ryan-nt-retrofit-discs-on-a-napier-grasslands-drill-bill-guests-experience-in-narrabri-nsw/
Pictured: Pictured: Paul Ryan (left), Bill Guest (right) and Bill Guest's wife (middle)
Zero stoppages in heavy trash
For some growers, time savings matter most during sowing. Gary Roberts farms near Port Pirie in South Australia and ran RYAN NT discs on a Flexicoil ST820 frame during 2023.
Gary describes the key benefit as “no clogging up.” He says, “I never got out of the tractor once to unhook all the rubbish.” As a result, he describes the outcome as “a lot of time saving.”
Full interview here – https://ryannt.com.au/retrofit-discs-on-a-flexi-coil-st820-seth-and-gary-roberts-experience-in-port-pirie-sa/
Pictured: Gary Roberts
Why trash cutting matters in zero till farming and stubble burning alternatives
Across these growers, residue types varied widely between paddocks. However, the outcome stayed consistent across operations. The discs continued cutting through residue without blocking or pinning.
For growers practising zero till farming, good trash handling changes how paddocks are prepared. Instead of burning or removing stubble, growers can sow straight through it. For growers looking for stubble burning alternatives, cutting through residue instead of burning it keeps ground cover intact. That ground cover helps protect soil structure and soil health during sowing.
Word from the Company
A RYAN NT spokesperson says the feedback reflects the system’s design intent.
“The RYAN NT Double Discs are built to cut cleanly through heavy residue. Hearing farmers describe zero blockages and reduced hairpinning confirms the system performs as intended.”
Conclusion: Zero till farming with residue left standing
Farmers across regions describe the same outcome using RYAN NT Double Discs. The system cuts through residue, avoids blockages, and keeps sowing moving.
For growers practising zero till farming, effective trash handling changes paddock preparation. For those seeking stubble burning alternatives, these results show how cutting residue supports soil protection during sowing.
Learn More
- Ryan NT Retrofit Double Discs — https://ryannt.com.au/retrofit-double-discs/
- No Till Seeder Options: Discs or Tynes? — https://ryannt.com.au/no_till_seeder_options_discs_or_tynes/