Abbey Machinery says that animals only digest 15-20% of what they eat; the remainder has to be stored and handled in an ecologically-friendly manor. That calls for ever-greater volumes of slurry to be dealt with.
Hence the launch of Abbey’s biggest tanker to date – a 6,000-gallon goliath. This new machine is built on a tri-axle bogey system with front and rear steering axles.
The cylinder (barrel) is supported internally, for additional strength, and is baffled to reduce slurry movement while in transit. The company says that the tanker’s parabolic, weight-sensing drawbar makes the machine relatively easy to tow – despite its size.
The firm, based in Co. Tipperary, has just completed the manufacture of two such machines; they are both destined for overseas markets.
These tankers come equipped with Siemens flow-measurement systems – to boost application rate accuracy.
But why would such a large machine be specified?
According to Abbey, the selection of an appropriate tanker depends on several criteria, including:
- Volume of slurry to be applied;
- Horsepower of the tractor available;
- Distance of the storage areas to the fields;
- Soil aspect (hilly versus flat) and type (clay, loam, sandy or heavy);
- Crop to be fertilised;
- Road legislation in your market.
“We are very excited about this new, large-scale tanker,” explained Michael O’Grady, Abbey Machinery’s sales, marketing and business development manager.
“It opens up new doors for us around the world. There are so many features on this machine. Its tri-axle system, with front and rear self-steering axles, makes it a dream to move around the yard.
“Plus, it has been designed so that it can be containerised – to improve its shipment capabilities.”
