An East Sussex-based agricultural contractor specialising in grass establishment and regeneration has made the Moore Uni-drill the cornerstone of his direct drilling operation.
Roland Davis of Agrifactors (Southern) Ltd, based in Heathfield, East Sussex, has been supplying grass seed since 1977. Over four decades later, the business has grown into a full-service contracting operation covering agricultural grassland, amenity grass, and sports pitch establishment and maintenance. The team currently maintains 90 football and rugby pitches for clubs, schools, and local councils, while also managing approximately 160 hectares of owned and rented grassland supporting a 100-head beef suckler herd and 250 pedigree Pole Dorset ewes.
Seed supply accounts for 90% of Agrifactors’ turnover. The company stocks amenity grass varieties, vetches, herbs, and stubble turnips, including bespoke grass mixes produced on site. Wild flower seeds are also harvested, dried, dressed, and supplied to major UK retailers under the Sow Wild brand name, and are increasingly used in rewilding projects nationwide.
Rare varieties are harvested under a special licence from SSSIs as part of the Weald Meadows Initiative, a programme designed to protect and grow populations of endangered wildflowers across the local area. Christopher Davis, Roland’s son, harvests seed using a specialist combine and prepares it for planting, often within just 10 days of harvest.
The business has moved decisively away from intensive cultivation. “We used to cultivate intensively before planting grass, but now the emphasis is on carbon capture and avoiding ploughing,” explains Christopher. “More than 90% of what we establish is by direct drilling, and everything we do is as environmentally friendly as possible.”
Wild flower seeds are spread after harrowing, but grass and stubble turnips are established using a Moore Uni-drill. The current machine is the sixth the company has owned and operated.
“The Moore drill is exceptionally versatile,” says Christopher. The company runs a 3-metre version with 32 coulters spaced at 70mm. For sports grounds and lawns requiring a dense sward, RTK guidance enables a second pass with coulters operating between the previously drilled rows, effectively halving the seed spacing to 35mm for maximum sward density. For agricultural grass establishment, a single pass at 70mm row spacing is sufficient.
Two rows of discs run at a shallow angle and at just 10 to 15mm depth, ensuring minimal soil disturbance. The coulters are mounted alongside the discs and graze the soil surface while dropping seed into the slot. Coulter depth is controlled by the rear packer and hydraulic top link, with a side indicator making it immediately clear if the drill is not set level.
A Guttler roller packer at the rear closes the slot, ensures seed-to-soil contact, preserves moisture, and performs consistently on uneven ground. For sports pitches, this means the surface is left level and ready for use almost immediately after overseeding.
With a working season of just six weeks per year, Agrifactors needs to average 12 hectares in a typical 16-hour day. “It has to be accurate and reliable,” says Christopher. “We can’t afford downtime, and the Uni-drill requires very little routine maintenance and is quick and easy to set up and use.”
The drill features an Accord metering system and its own GPS speed sensor, while the tractor’s autosteer ensures precision placement. An optional 270kg weight kit on each side of the drill frame aids disc penetration in hard or dry ground conditions.
Agrifactors’ current Moore Uni-drill, purchased in January 2020, is their first linkage-mounted model after five previous trailed versions. Operator Harvey Sheffield explains: “When we had trailed versions, we believed they were the better option, but limited stock availability meant we could only get the mounted machine and now we prefer it. For manoeuvring on headlands and in field corners, it’s so much easier to use.”
The drill is operated with John Deere 6130R tractors chosen for their compact size and light weight, though care is needed during road transport, with a 1,200kg front ballast weight fitted for stability.
Agrifactors is currently trialling GS4 grass seed mixes for mid-tier stewardship schemes, incorporating grass seed, legumes, and herbs. A 40-hectare trial on the farm’s own land was drilled directly into existing ryegrass using the Moore Uni-drill to minimise disturbance. “It has proved very successful,” says Christopher.
GS4 mixes attract area-based payments under stewardship schemes, with restrictions on nitrogen applications, grazing, and harvesting, making low-disturbance establishment particularly important.
Given that the drill works almost exclusively on third-party land, with the risk of hidden tree stumps and large stones, reliability and fast parts availability are critical. “The back-up was exceptional previously through Sam Moore, but if anything it’s even better now that Agri-Linc stocks the whole range of machines and parts,” says Christopher. “There is a dedicated representative for Moore drills, and anything we’ve needed has always been in stock and dispatched immediately.”
Routine maintenance is minimal. Operators check and reset all coulter positions once a week, which takes around 20 minutes. The team has also found that the fan housing can collect water when travelling on wet roads, which is easily resolved by running the fan before starting work.
“The Moore Uni-drill achieves reliable establishment with minimal soil disturbance, and its ability to perform so well in both agricultural and amenity sectors makes it the best option for our business.” Christopher Davis, Agrifactors (Southern) Ltd.
Originally featured in Farmers Guide, October 2021.
