Grain Drills Upcoming Auctions

About Grain Drills

Grain drills, sometimes referred to as seed drills and related to air drills, enable growers to plant seed across multiple rows at consistent depths and spacing intervals. A grain drill includes one or more V-shaped disc openers, or “V” openers, to create a furrow for the seed, and seed from the hopper are inserted into the furrow through a seed tube. Metering systems help regulate seed flow, and at the back end of the machine there are press wheels to compact and firm up the soil.

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2020 Great Plains 1006NT Grain Drill

Grain drill models are available for soil, partial till, and no-till conditions. The latter helps preserve moisture and combat soil erosion. These ag machines can plant cereal crops as well as cover crops, which are planted in an effort to renovate pastures, establish wildlife habitats, and assist other conservation efforts. Because grain drills plant seed at precise depths and intervals, much higher germination rates and crop yields are achieved.

Grain Drill History

Early English farmer and inventor Jethro Tull is credited with inventing a horse-drawn mechanical seed drill in 1701 that would help to dramatically improve yields. Previously, seed was broadcast by hand, which often led to wasted seed. Tull’s invention employed a front-located plow that created a furrow, a slotted rotating cylinder that moved seed from a hopper, and a back-located harrow that covered the seed. The earliest known seeding tools, however, date to 1500 B.C. Babylon, and later to the 2nd Century with the multi-tube seed drills that Chinese farmers used.

Grain Drill Capabilities

Grain drill features can include down-pressure adjustment options and multiple seed box support for planting different seeds simultaneously. There are also grain drills with multiple or divided hoppers, and sometimes smaller seed boxes that are used to plant native grasses. Depending on the hopper arrangement, a grain drill may support planting just one seed or multiple seeds, or seed and fertilizer simultaneously.

Find The Right Grain Drill

There are typically thousands of new and used grain drills for sale on this site. These include models from leading manufacturers and brands such as Brillion, Case IH, Crust Buster, Great Plains, International, John Deere, and Land Pride.