12 Putting a futuristic take on a prehistoric moniker, Unverferth Manufacturing Co., Inc., wants farmers to use its Raptor strip-tillage tool for higher yields and reduced input costs. Named after the real-life sharp-taloned dinosaur most of us first heard about when watching/reading Jurassic Park, the Unverferth’s Raptor was designed to reflect the power and precision of its prehistoric namesake. The talon on the dinosaur’s foot resembles the shank of the strip-tillage tool ripping through the compaction deep in the soil. But rather than reaping mayhem, this strip-tillage and fertilizer delivery tool was engineered for high-acreage farmers seeking efficiency and performance. The Raptor “Most recently, in 2021, we introduced the Raptor strip-tillage tool with an innovative narrow fold design and a fully integrated dry or liquid fertilizer system, all built by Unverferth,” explained Andy Unverferth, Director of Marketing with Unverferth. “It’s another company product innovation that will help our farming neighbors become more efficient and profitable. According to Unverferth, the new Raptor simplifies the strip-tilling process by combining a strip-tillage tool with a fertilizer delivery system. “It eliminates the need for farmers to source components from multiple suppliers, ensuring a seamless and efficient operation.” Unverferth said that it’s important to understand the benefits a farm operation can realize by going to a strip-tillage program. “Strip-tillage is the process of tilling a seedbed strip in the field that the planter can ride on and plant into in the spring,” he said. “The benefits of this are alleviating compaction for better root growth, faster warming seedbeds in the spring, and we’re not tilling the entire soil profile, so we’re protecting the ground from soil erosion while requiring less horsepower to make the tillage pass. We can also deliver fertilizer during the strip-tillage pass, so we’re reducing trips across the field and lowering the amount of fertilizer needed since we’re injecting the nutrients in the row, right where they’re needed,” continued Unverferth. PHOTO: Unverferth Manufacturing Co., Inc. MAINTAINING SUCCESS WITH INNOVATION A Look at Unverferth’s New Raptor Precision Ag Strip-Tillage Tool ANDREW JOSEPH FARMS.COM
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