Time For A Planter Tune-Up

Mar 18, 2015

Maintenance, repairs and adjustments now can save time later in the field.

Now that the snow is melting we are all eager to get a start on the 2015 growing season. Rather than hopping on the tractor and heading out into a wet field, save some time now by making some annual adjustments to your planting equipment. Achieving picket fence stands begins with a good chain, free of kinks and if lubricant is needed, be sure to use a dry lubricant so that dust from the seed treatments do not gunk up the chain.

Tighten bushings or replace if needed to remove any play from the parallel links. Clean out the meters and change the finger pickup brushes every year. Be sure that everything inside the meter is smooth. Even a little rust can catch seeds causing skips. Check seed tubes to be sure they are in good shape. The end of the tube should be flat to ensure the seeds placement in the row. The disk openers should touch for 2 to 2 ½ inches. This can be checked by attempting to slide a business card in front of and behind the disks, marking where the disks touch and measuring the distance.

Source:psu.edu

Video: Pandemic Risks in Swine - Dr. John Deen

I’m Phil Hord, and I’m excited to kick off my first episode as host on The Swine it Podcast Show. It’s a privilege to begin this journey with you. In this episode, Dr. John Deen, a retired Distinguished Global Professor Emeritus from the University of Minnesota, explains how pandemic threats continue to shape U.S. swine health and production. He discusses vulnerabilities in diagnostics, movement control, and national preparedness while drawing lessons from ASF, avian influenza, and field-level epidemiology. Listen now on all major platforms.

"Pandemic events in swine systems continue to generate significant challenges because early signals often resemble common conditions, creating delays that increase spread and economic disruption."