The Prairie Agricultural Machinery Institute in Humboldt, Saskatchewan hopes to field test a new and improved prototype solid manure injection system this spring.
Beginning with a prototype precision manure applicator that could distribute solid and semi solid manure on the soil surface, engineers at the PAMI have developed a flexible screw conveyer type single injection device that can deliver manure under the soil surface.
Project leader Dr. Hubert Landry says the next step is to fabricate a tool bar attachment that will connect the injection devices onto the existing prototype. “The components development and testing for the injection device itself was completed last fall,” said Landry. “Now, we need to integrate that injection system to our prototype land applicator.”
The researchers added a toolbar attachment at the back of the trailer type implement. That attachment is on a parallel linkage for depth control. “We’re looking at two rows of disc openers and have six of the injection devices that PAMI developed,” he said. “The toolbar attachment at the back of the machine will allow us to bring the manure from the existing distribution system to the disc openers using that injection device which is basically a flexible screw conveyer.”
Landry says fabrication of the components developed last fall will occur in the next two months, to be field-testing as soon as weather allows. He estimates the testing phase will take about two years and a finished prototype for manufacturing at that time.