A switch in 1997 from chain harrowing his 1,300 acres of grassland to using two three-metre grass harrows in tandem has brought about substantial benefits for a Yorkshire farm manager.

George Bush came across the OPICO machines while on a visit to the 1996 Royal Smithfield Show and agreed to allow the firm to carry out a demonstration on fields at Denton heavily laden with manure. He recalls: "The manufacturers gave us a demonstration in the fields at Denton in January in terrible conditions. It was a frosty morning, but the machine made such a good job of breaking up the muck and dead grass that I decided to buy two."

Mr. Bush is a great believer in 'precision' muck spreading and says the initial results showed that the move to tine harrow would further increase the benefit from farm manure and save him as much as £60 per acre in fertiliser costs.

Precision muck spreading relies on a good harrow. In the past chain harrowing has commenced from mid-April onwards, depending on the growing season, but this was not giving an even enough spread. Mr. Bush said: "Chain harrows have a tendency to bounce which means that some parts of the ground are not covered. But the OPICO tine harrows have a constant pressure on them and cover all the land."

The tine harrow have also enabled him to include clover in the leys. "This is because the pressure on the tine scores the ground deep enough for clover seed to establish. All we will have to do is harrow, sow and then roll. It works one hundred per cent."

"The machines are excellent - there's no two ways about that. They have now covered over 4000 acres and they are still on the same tines. Obviously they are a bit worn but I think they will do another season. We're absolutely delighted with them."