Farm Contractor & Large Scale Farmer
    Twitter LinkedIn
    • FREE Email Newsletters
    • About Us
    • Advertise
    • Subscribe
    • Contact Us
    Twitter LinkedIn
    Podcast
    Farm Contractor & Large Scale Farmer
    • News
      • Arable & Agronomy
      • Dealership News
      • Environmental Land Management Scheme/Policy
      • Event News
      • Health & Safety
      • Machinery
      • People
      • World News
    • Farm Machinery
      • Amenity & Maintenance
      • Cultivations
      • Drilling
      • Grassland Equipment
      • Harvesting
      • Muck & Slurry
      • Sprayers
      • Telehandlers
      • Tractors
      • Tractor of the Year
      • Tyres & Tracks
      • Whatever happened to?
    • Precision Farming
    • Markets & Policy
    • Profiles
      • National Arable and Grassland Awards
      • Company Profiles
      • Reader Profiles
    • Livestock
      • Beef
      • Dairy
      • Sheep
    • Magazines
      1. September 2025 issue
      2. August 2025 issue
      3. 2025 Drills and Seeds supplement
      4. July 2025 issue
      5. June 2025 issue
      6. Cereals event guide 2025
      7. May 2025 issue
      8. April 2025 issue
      9. March 2025 issue
      10. 2025 Tyre Developments supplement
      11. February 2025 issue
      12. National Arable and Grassland Awards supplement
      13. January 2025 issue
      14. December 2024 issue
      15. November 2024 issue
      16. October 2024 issue
      17. September 2024 issue
      18. August 2024 Issue
      19. 2024 Drills and Seeds supplement
      20. July 2024 Issue
      21. Cereals Supplement
      22. June 2024 Issue
      23. May 2024 Issue
      24. April 2024 Issue
      25. Tyres and Tracks Supplement
      26. March 2024 Issue
      27. National Arable & Grassland Award – Meet the Finalists
      28. February 2024 Issue
      29. January 2024 Issue
      30. December 2023
      31. Agritechnica Preview Supplement
      32. November 2023
      33. October 2023
      Featured

      September 2025 issue available now

      By Matthew TiltSeptember 1, 2025
      Recent

      September 2025 issue available now

      September 1, 2025

      August 2025 issue available now

      August 1, 2025

      2025 Drills and Seeds supplement available now

      August 1, 2025
    • Events
    • Podcast
    Farm Contractor & Large Scale Farmer
    Machinery

    Accurate nematicide application more critical than ever for UK farmer

    Matthew TiltBy Matthew TiltFebruary 26, 20243 Mins Read
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email

    For potato grower Ollie Dennis, of Dennis (Haddenham) Limited, running a successful 700ha arable farm that includes 400ha of potatoes grown annually for the crisping, chipping, packing and processing markets is about attention to detail and using the best technology and equipment to keep production costs as low as possible.

    Ollie, who manages the family business alongside his father Jonathan and uncle William Dennis said: “In the eighty years since my great grandfather first established the business, I’d argue that the last 10 years have seen as much change as the previous 70.

    “However, as farmers, we often have to remind ourselves that external factors such as unpredictable weather, Brexit, inflation and larger geopolitical events such as the war in Ukraine are out of our control, so it’s all about focusing on the elements we can control, and that includes keeping on-farm production costs as low as possible to ensure the business remains profitable.”

    An early spring task is nematicide application, but given that the cost of nematicide has increased by over 50% during the last 10 years, accurate application to maximize the efficacy of the product and minimize wastage is as important as it’s ever been.

    In 2014, Ollie ditched an old chain-driven applicator following calibration and maintenance problems and invested in the first of three Maxicast nematicide applicators from manufacturer Techneat Engineering.

    “The key benefits of the Maxicast are that it has lower running costs than most other applicators, it’s simple to use, quick to set up, and uses the same Garmin GPS electronic rate controller as other Techneat machines – cab mounted and designed for easy output monitoring,” he said.

    Ollie added that applying the nematicide is safe, accurate and straightforward thanks to a closed transfer filling system and the twelve fishtail outlets, spaced at 450mm intervals along the full width of a 5.4m boom, which he explained deliver the product precisely where it needs to be within the three-bed system via a powerful hydraulic fan.

    “To further improve accuracy this season, we will be investing in an ISOBUS controller for better variable rate control and adding an auto shut-off system for more accurate headland control.

    “The large 400l hopper that ensures we stop to refill less often, and with an all-weather cover to protect the machine, the Maxicast has extremely low running costs and offers a high level of accuracy. It can also be used to apply cover crops, and, since we have recently decided to minimize ploughing in future establishment, we’ll be adding a cover crop mix to improve our potatoes by putting more nutrients back into the soil and improving our soil structure from this autumn.

    “Technical back-up and service support from Techneat has always been excellent with each Maxicast serviced pre-season alongside its annual National Sprayer Testing Scheme compliance test” concluded Ollie.

    For more information go to www.techneat.co.uk

    Tweet
    Share
    Share
    Pin
    Share. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email
    Previous ArticleDairy contracts to be fairer and more transparent after a decade of campaigning
    Next Article 60 years at JCB for Anthony Bamford
    Matthew Tilt
    • Twitter
    • LinkedIn

    Machinery editor for Farm Contractor & Large Scale Farmer. Matt has worked as an agricultural machinery journalist for five years, following time spent in his family’s Worcestershire contracting business. When he’s not driving or writing about the latest farm equipment, he can be found in his local cinema, or with his headphones in, reading a good book.

    Read Similar Stories

    John Deere extends parts solutions

    September 2, 2025

    Kramp to offer Vapormatic range

    September 1, 2025

    Krone announces new generation of digital cameras to improve safety during operation

    August 27, 2025
    Most Read Stories

    Smart tramlining and new drill options from Amazone

    September 7, 2025

    New liquid application options from Horsch

    September 7, 2025

    Tech takes front seat in Amazone cultivation launches

    September 7, 2025
    Farm Contractor & Large Scale Farmer

    The UK's leading agricultural machinery journal

    Twitter LinkedIn
    © 2024 MA Agriculture Ltd, a Mark Allen Group company

    Privacy Policy | Cookies Policy | Terms & Conditions

    • Farmers Weekly
    • AA Farmer
    • Poultry News
    • Pig World

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.