Marcus Gross, equipment operator points out the important features of the 5710 Hoe Drill Hoe Drill for their operation. "The single point seeding depth adjustment on the front of the machine is nice. Moving the slide even a wee bit changes your seeding depth accordingly. Seeding depth across the whole machine is quite even; side to side and front to back. Field finish is excellent, even though we don't utilize any shank-mounted closures, or harrows in front of the packer gangs. We like the way the shank assembly is mounted to the frame with four bolts, on our previous seeders and current deep tillers one clamp does all the work, and there's usually a few loose shank assemblies. The hydraulics work well when transporting and unfolding. We really like the secondary distributor with its all rubber, corrosion proof construction, easy snap off cover, and hose clamp for keeping the tertiary hose inside the distributor. The tertiary hose is another component we like. They're smooth and hard for easy seed flow, and keep the downward curve to the seed boot really well, which allows the operator to keep fan speed down. If it pinches or kinks it can usually be molded back into shape.

Mayfair Colony adopted zero-tillage seeding in 2005. They chose MRB® equipped 5710 AHDs and 6000 Series Air Seeders to make this happen. Andrew states, "By talking to different producers, and watching several seeding practices in our area we felt the Bourgault 5710 equipped with MRBs, in conjunction with the 6000 series air seeder, and X20™ Zynx monitor / controller system provided us with the best overall solution for these number of reasons. One of the most important was the option of applying urea and anhydrous. When seeding canola, we have applied NH3 and 21-0-0-24 simultaneously with the MRB. Our soil type is light / medium loam to clay loam with many stones. Traditional side banding openers usually depend on some sort of hardened side wing for seed and nitrogen separation. Experience has shown us that even hardened opener's deteriorate quickly in abrasive soils, which could result in less then ideal separation, and shatter frequently in stony ground. The vertical adjustment on the MRB is very important. Seeding shallow in canola we adjust the depth of the MRB accordingly. Seeding winter wheat we put them in the up position, this combined with a low disturbance opener creates little soil fracturing to preserve moisture, and leave standing stubble for excellent snow coverage. Competitive shank type MRB systems don't offer the dual combo boot option, are not infinitely adjustable, cannot easily be put in up position, and very importantly do not cut through field residue. We ran a rental [Bourgault] unit in spring and fall of 2006, and then purchased two units for 2007."

Arnie Gross, the operator of the second Bourgault seeding system mentions the features that are important on the Model 6450 Air Seeder. "The 4 tank design is an outstanding feature. We variable rate our P, K, S, and NH3, so we don't have to blend the dry fertilizers. We are also very impressed with the PDM PLUS Metering System; it is straightforward to maintain, easy to clean out, and works very well with all types of products, even in high humidity conditions. After operating a segmented roller type metering system for a number of years, we are very content with the metering auger. The primary line design is simple and flexible, we can direct product to the seed boots or MRBs."

Andrew Gross describes their transition to variable rate technology. “We started [variable rate seeding] with 20% of our acres in 2007, and seeded all of our acres in 2008 this way. Our plan is to continue doing so for 2009. Past soil samples taken by our local crop input retailer usually recommended a dry fertilizer blend of 30P-26K-25S-3Cu for our cereal crops, even though many of our acres have been very well fertilized over the past 40 years. When preparing our prescription maps for VRC seeding, the zone management soil sampling tests provided by our precision seeding consultant indicated that most of our fields have up to 4% organic matter. Tests also showed above average levels of P, K, S, & Cu, with zones containing up to 100 lbs residual N. Since our switch to VRC seeding, we have dramatically cut our dry fertilizer requirements, without sacrificing yield or quality. In the 2008 growing season our net savings were 17 dollars per acre with variable rate fertility.”

Andrew concludes, "Bourgault treats us as valuable customers, warranty issues have been well taken care of, and the performance of the machines has been excellent. Yes, we are very satisfied with our overall decision to purchase Bourgault air seeders."