Green grass, the sound of a tractor humming in a field across the section, the smell of diesel mingled with blooming trees on a crisp, spring morning make it a whole lot easier to get up and off to a fast start during the growing season. Your crops, however, require more.
Fields that get off to a quick, uniform start yield better. When Iowa State University Extension specialists compiled and analyzed research from across the Midwest, they found that an uneven corn stand with just 17 percent of the plants emerging late yielded 4 percent to 8 percent less grain.1 On 200-bushel-per-acre corn, that’s 8 to 16 fewer bushels per acre. When lagging plants accounted for half the field, yields dropped by 20 percent. Whether across the north 40 or the west quarter, that’s a lot less grain to haul. And that’s never a good thing, especially now with today’s margins.
The Iowa State specialists attribute late-emerging plants to several factors, including:
- Variation in soil temperature
- Seeding depth
- Crop residue distribution
- Soil crusting
- Soil moisture
The good news is, you can manage these factors at various stages, from tillage to final seedbed preparation to planting.
When it comes to preparing the ideal seedbed, a final pass with the Case IH Tiger-Mate® 200 field cultivator can help put your crops in the best position to achieve their maximum yield potential. While creating a firm, level seedbed, the Tiger-Mate 200 helps warm the soil for quicker drydown and earlier planting.
A combination of split-the-middle sweep pattern — the first three rows of shanks take a full cut through the soil, the fourth and fifth rows cut out the middles — and 6-inch shank spacing helps the Tiger-Mate 200 thoroughly mix crop residue and chemicals with the soil.
The Tiger-Mate 200 shank package helps keep the cultivator at a uniform depth, which is critical to creating a level seedbed. A true 150 pounds (68 kg) of tip force provides consistent holding power in extreme conditions, ensures penetration at higher speeds in hard ground and helps maintain uniform depth and crop residue flow.
The Tiger-Mate 200 Advanced Leveling System (ALS) evenly distributes soil and crop residue behind the field cultivator for a smooth, level finish and easier planting. Choose the option that best meets your desired field finish, soil environment and farming practices:
- The tiger-tine harrow uses a combination of split-the-middle indexed-tine placement, parallel linkage and three tine angle adjustments
- The coil-tine harrow uses a three-bar design and 15-inch rank
- The spike-tooth harrow uses a five-bar design and 10-inch rank
The ultimate finish
Pairing the Tiger-Mate with our Crumbler® seedbed finisher enhances seedbed preparation performance without an added pass across the field. With its unique Case IH Agronomic Design™ features, the Crumbler reduces clod size and creates a level seedbed of firm, fine soil covered by loose, coarse soil.
Top yields depend on every contributor — from seed to fertility to equipment to pest control —doing its part. Talk to your Case IH dealer about how the Tiger-Mate 200 Seedbed Preparation System can help set up your crops for success this year.
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