Sprayer Spraying Quantities

[blueriver]

I am a novice farmer and need some advice on Spraying Equipment.
I need to buy a spray rig for my 40 acre hay field.
How much water does it take to spray an acre of ground, in general terms?
I realize that different chemicals take different strengths and I will have to adjust for that.
Would a 150 gal tank be sufficent, or do I need something larger.
I am looking for a 3 point mount on the back of my 585 Case IH tractor.

Its really not as complicated as some would like you to think. If you can read the manual for the sprayer you can calibrate the sprayer ... if you can read the directions on the chemical you can mix it...you can calculate ground speed for the tractor.

Use eye protection and rubber gloves while mixing ... spray in the early mornings with no wind and you can do it!!

Buy 150 gallon 3 point sprayer ... I prefer boomless nozzles.

In reference to the custom spraying, they all vary depending upon acreage covered and what your spraying.

 

[Farmerford]

g norton:

Most herbicides need to cover all the topsides of the leaves or blades of grass for maximum effect. In general, about 25 gallons of water per acre is more than enough spray mix to thoroughly wet the "foliage" to the point of runoff, even with the relatively crude (ie, cheap) sprayers like mine that don't have a consistent spray pattern. So, I think you can expect a 150 gallon sprayer to cover at least 6 acres per fill up, and more if the herbicide recommends less that 25 gallons of mix per acre.

Of course, that 25 gallons of mix on each acre will contain the quantities of the actual herbicide, which may vary from one quart to one gallon (or more or less) depending on the amount of active ingredient desired and the percentage of active ingredient in the herbicide bottle you buy. But that does not change the fact that you may need about 25 gallons of water/herbicide mix to cover an acre.

So, a 150 gallon sprayer may need seven fill ups to cover the 40 acres. Seven beers for 40 acres sounds about right to me. Yesterday I drank two beers just hooking the backhoe to my John Deere crawler.

 

[jbooth]

I'd assume these were RR beans, so I'd guess you to be at $5/a for Glyphosate, $1/A or less for adjuvants, and the rest would have been application...

You've not seen their insurance bill...it's not all profit...

No, they sprayed for corn ear worms in the beans, never heard of that before, but the worms were there. Don't know what insecticide was used.

I realize it is not all profit. I'm sure they are not like the (ethnicity deleted) hay haulers who were buying hay for $30.00 a ton and selling for $29.00. Decided they needed to get a bigger truck since profits were down.

 

[cfs]

like others have said it depends and the chemical. as a custom sprayer operator's son i know that my dad uses any where from 10- 20 gals/acre = chemical. oh his aplication rate is $10/ acre = chemical. those large sprayers cost from $200 000 - $300 000.

 

[LoPresti Lawnscape]

10-15/a doesn't include chemical, he's out that either way, and I couldn't quote that until he tells us what he's trying to accomplish. But if you really wanted to challenge me, we could maybe get something done in a pasture for under $15...24D is pretty cheap, and if it laid nice, I've seen app for $7 or less, but not likely for a guy with only 40A...

You're right, those are expensive machines, you've got to get the acres under them to make them pay. That used to be my bread and butter, selling our spraying services.

BTW, if you don't belive me, here's what the ISU custom rate survey has to say...

http://www.extension.iastate.edu/publications/fm1698.pdf

Spraying (materials not included) Average Range
Ground, broadcast, tractor, / acre $6.10 4.50 - 8.90
Ground, incorporated, tractor, / acre 10.90 6.50 - 13.20
Ground, broadcast, s. propelled, / acre 6.50 4.00 - 13.00
Ground, banded, tractor, / acre 7.30 6.00 - 9.00
Ground, road ditches, / hour 52.05 30.00 - 75.00
Aerial, / acre 8.50 4.00 - 14.00

Sorry if you felt threatened, and that wasn't my intent. It just surprises me that the spraying goes so cheap.

I get 150.00 an acre to spray lawns with my ride on boom sprayer so my perspective is different.

I do agree with the poster that mentioned taking a class or getting some training if you plan to do it yourself.

You can get yourself in a real jackpot if you over apply Herbicides especially.

 

[g norton]

Thanks For all the info to an Alabama boy.
I am going to a pesticide seminar in March 2011, should learn just what you are talking about.
My land is a river bottom and is flat.
I can use a 20' boom type spray rig.
My tractor is a 585 Case IH 2wd. Rear lift capacity is about 2200 #. Therefore the 150 Gal Tank.
I am trying to get my dad's hay fields back in cultivation after laying out for the past 5 years, the grass is still alive under all the overgrowth.
You can imagine what I have to contend with, small trees, cow itch vines, black berry vines, broom sage, creaping briers, golden rod, johnson grass to name a few.
Yes I will be using herbicides.
In addition to the 40 acre hay field, I have about 70 acres of pasture here.
At least the pasture is in pretty good shape. Just needs the ordinary maintenance.
Thanks again.