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Owning sprayer vs hiring it
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Jrditchdigger
Posted 7/3/2022 16:47 (#9732285 - in reply to #9731068)
Subject: RE: Owning sprayer vs hiring it


Southern MN
Just a few thoughts.
Obviously you need to do a little research on what you are paying for chemicals and what you can buy them for. That math will tell you a lot pretty quickly, more than what anyone on here can tell you.

If you have a great custom operator doing a good job great! Not sure of your situation but be aware that it is very operator specific obviously. Our local coop, which I really like, had one of their operators spray many farms this year with the sprayer wheels set on the wrong spacing. Thought those fields would grow out of it but they are not. They have some good operators and some 18yr old kids who are probably great kids but zero experience. Just saying the job your custom operator does can change very quickly.

Don’t expect a $200-$300k machine to be trouble free. First Sp was a JD 6000, absolutely trouble free but tank size sucked. Ran a patriot WT for years over about the same acres total that we cover now with all the passes I used to make and only spent money on some preventative things. Then a 4730, nicer sprayer but a few more problems, tried to add the aluminum extensions to make 120’ boom just does not stand up well when doing that. Now have the JD R series. Absolutely a beautiful machine to run but I think it is costing us more per acre to run than what the coop charges. Also very heavy, almost have to have floaters or duals in early spring situations. Just saying huge cost savings years ago doing your own but machinery costs have changed that equation quite a bit when running newer SP’s.

As many have said doing your own spraying you learn a lot about your crop. When I did all of ours I knew every spot with weed pressure, water issues, etc. Can also up the rate a little on those areas that may need a little more N or that have more weed pressure.

In your situation would probably split things up a little. Continue to hire your guy for the things when you are short of time and maybe go the PT or cheaper SP route and start doing the highest paying passes yourself. Personally have not run a pull type sprayer myself for 35 years but am thinking of going back to that route on some things because of the cost of the newer SP types.

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