Disc Seed Drills:
Disc Seed Drills:
GrassFarmer® Disc Drills are Built for Tough Conditions, and are ideal for rocky soils or dense swards.
Does this sound familiar? Seeding conditions are perfect. You ring the local contractor. They’re booked solid for three weeks. By the time they show up, the ideal weather window for seeding is long gone. Germination suffers. Feed’s short. Your stock pays the price. What if you didn’t have to wait?
The Aitchison® 3000 Series GrassFarmer® Disc Seed Drill puts you back in control. This is professional seed drill performance, without the contractor-scale cost. Designed specifically for pasture-based livestock farmers who want to sow when conditions are right — not when someone else’s schedule allows it.
Standard Features | GrassFarmer Disc Seed Drill.
Who is the GrassFarmer® Disc Drill Designed & Built For?
The GrassFarmer® is built for pasture-based livestock farmers working in tougher conditions who want to take control of their pasture management and get better returns.
If you’re running sheep, beef, or dairy, you know that timing is everything. Plant when conditions are right, and you get strong germination, better feed, and healthier stock. If you miss the right weather window, your germination suffers and you’re left short on feed, ultimately affecting your returns.
The GrassFarmer® is the entry level seed drill that hits the sweet spot: quality seed drill performance at an owner-operator price, giving you the ability to sow when you want to — not when the contractor is.
They vary in price, functionality, size and upkeep – Contact us and we’ll help you identify the right model for your requirements.
Talk to our team
In Action | GrassFarmer Disc Seed Drill.
Why Choose a Disc Seed Drill?
At the heart of the GrassFarmer® Disc Drill is a heavy-duty 350mm (14″) concave single disc opener, staggered for efficient trash flow. Each disc is individually sprung, meaning it can deflect independently over rocks and uneven ground without transferring shock through the machine or breaking down. As a general rule, Aitchison disc drills are among the best-performing seed drills available for stony conditions — and the individually sprung disc system is a big reason why.
These large 14″ concave discs are particularly effective in matted or dense pastures, cutting through where smaller discs bog down or clog.
Disc seed drills are the go-to choice for farmers working in rocky, compacted, or residue-heavy soils. Where other planting equipment struggles, the GrassFarmer® Disc Drill keeps moving — slicing cleanly through surface trash, riding over stones, and placing seed accurately with minimal soil disturbance.
If you’re farming in stony country, dealing with dense swards like Kikuyu, or working hard summer ground, this is the drill built for your conditions. Tine drills perform exceptionally well in many situations, but when it comes to rocky soils and heavy residue, the disc is the smarter choice.
Here’s what the concave discs do…
- Slice through surface residue to avoid hair-pinning
- Cut clean, narrow furrows for accurate seed placement
- Crush clods and push aside or ride over stones
- Penetrate harder, compacted ground effectively
Because disc openers minimise soil disturbance, they help retain soil moisture, protect beneficial soil structure, and preserve microbial life — contributing to long-term pasture health. Consistent seed depth and placement across all terrain types means you’re giving every seed the best possible chance from the moment it hits the ground.
Take A Closer Look | GrassFarmer Disc Seed Drill.
Seed Distribution | The Sponge Pad System
All GrassFarmer® models feature the unique Aitchison® sponge seed distribution system — a long-proven design trusted by farmers for over 50 years and used across both the GrassFarmer® and Seedmatic® drills.
At the heart of the system is a unique sponge metering unit that handles the selected seed gently and accurately, without cracking or damaging the product. Whether you’re sowing fine grasses, coated seed, larger legumes, or heavy blends, the sponge system delivers consistent, reliable distribution across the full width of the drill.
Sowing rates run from as little as 1kg/ha right up to 350kg/ha — the versatility you need when you’re dealing with different seed types. A variable gearbox (with two ranges) rotates the sponge disc to give you precise control over your rate, making it straightforward to dial in the right output for any job.
The system is gravity-fed, so there’s no complicated air system to maintain or troubleshoot. Simple, Effective & Proven for over 50 years.
Sponge Pad Protection | The New Rodent Stop Slide
When your drill is stored, its recommended storing it without any seed in the hopper, as rodents will try and find their way to this seed.
The New and Upgraded Rodent Stop Slide fitted to GrassFarmer® models shuts off access to the foam pads completely, so rodents can’t reach them. A great addition that protects your seed metering system.
See It In Action | GrassFarmer Disc Seed Drill.
Filmed near Hunterville, New Zealand, this video shows the Aitchison GrassFarmer® Disc Seed Drill being set up and operated by a NZ Farmer. It shows how the individually sprung discs deliver exceptional contour following and consistent ground contact, producing a tidy, professional finish.
This video shows a GrassFarmer 18 Row Disc Seed Drill (fitted with a treadboard upgrade & Cover Harrows) direct drilling into pasture in the Manawatu Region of New Zealand.
Filmed on a farm in the Northland Region of New Zealand, this video shows a GrassFarmer® 14-row Disc Drill with a tread board upgrade, oversowing a paddock to increase pasture production. Notice the sprung metering wheel maintaining constant ground contact to deliver a consistent, accurate seed rate.
Upgrade Options:
Upgrade | The Tread Board & Rear Hitch
This is a great upgrade to your GrassFarmer® seed drill making it easier to use and more versatile. It gives you safe and simple access for loading and space to carry extra bags of seed. With a rear drawbar, you can tow a compaction roller at the same time, while the integrated mounts enable you to tow cover harrows and mount a slug and rodent bait applicator (Bait-It) when needed. This upgrade is available for all GrassFarmer® 3008, 3014 and 3018 Disc and Tine models, and can also be retrofitted to existing machines. Why this is a great upgrade option :
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- Provides easy and safe access for loading seed.
- Allows you to carry extra bags of seed right on the machine.
- Rear drawbar enables towing of a compaction roller.
- Integrated mounts for towing and carrying cover harrows.
- Additional mounts for a slug or rodent applicator.
- Fits all GrassFarmer® 3008, 3014 & 3018 models—both disc and tine versions.
Wanting to retrofit? Drop us some details and we’ll be in touch.
Upgrade | Bait-It Slug Bait Applicator
The Aitchison® BAIT-IT is a rugged 12-volt broadcast spreader, built to apply slug and rodent bait in the same pass as you sow. With a spread pattern of up to 24 metres and a 75-litre hopper, it delivers wide, efficient coverage without adding time or trips to your day.
Five application rate settings give you control from 2.5–20 kg/ha. Compatible with GrassFarmer® and Seedmatic® models — a straightforward upgrade that protects your establishment from the moment seed hits the ground.
Upgrade | HD Cover Harrows
Designed to mount directly onto the GrassFarmer® treadboard and tow behind the drill, the Aitchison® HD Cover Harrows enable you to achieve more in the same pass. The heavy-duty three-row chain design spreads seed, breaks trash, and scratches soil over the row — improving seed-to-soil contact and giving you a better strike rate.
Available in 2.1 m or 2.8 m widths and complete with a tow chain. These HD Harrows are a simple upgrade that goes a long way to improving your germination.
Upgrade | Digital Weight Scales
Make calibration quick and accurate. The digital weight scales let you easily weigh seed or fertiliser during calibration, ensuring your drill is set to deliver the right rate every time.
Upgrade | Area Meter
The Area Meter displays area in hectares or acres, travel speed in km/h or mph, and distance in kilometres or metres — so you always know exactly how much ground you’ve covered. Optional functions include working-time tracking and high/low-speed alarms.
Standard Specifications | GrassFarmer Disc Seed Drill
8 Row Disc Drill | 3008D
14 Row Disc Drill | 3014D
18 Row Disc Drill | 3018D
| SPECIFICATIONS | 3008D | 3014D | 3018D |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Width | 1.2m (4′ 1″) | 2.6m (8′ 11″) | 3.2m (10′ 11″) |
| Overall Height | 1550mm (5′ 1″) | 1550mm (5′ 1″) | 1550mm (5′ 1″) |
| Overall Length | 1950mm (6′ 5″) | 1925mm (6′ 4″) | 1925mm (6′ 4″) |
| Weight Empty | 440kg (970lb) | 615kg (1355lb) | 730kg (1565lb) |
| Seed Hopper Capacity | 130lt (3.6 bu) | 280lt (7.5 bu) | 365lt (10 bu) |
| Sowing Width | 1.2m (4′) | 2.1m (6′ 11″) | 2.7m (8′ 10″) |
| Number of Discs | 8 Discs | 14 Discs | 18 Discs |
| Row Spacing | 150mm (6″) | 150mm (6″) | 150mm (6″) |
| Upgrades | Code |
|---|---|
| Treadboard & Rear Hitch Assembly | ASGFTH |
| Flotation Tyre Upgrade (210mm Wide) | Replaces standard 150 mm width | A28009 |
| Lower Seed Box | Reduces overall drill height by 150 mm *NZ Only | n/a |
| Hydraulic Extension Hose Kit for Towable Roller | AGF-RR-ASSY |
| Hydraulic Ram Disc Coulter Kit *NZ only | A2429 |
| Area/Hectare Meter | A2389A |
| Digital Weight Scales | TB403 |
| Aitchison Bait-It Applicator (75 Litre | 12V) | AZS75 |
| 2.1m HD Cover Harrows 3 rows of 12/16mm chain c/w tow chain | AZGH21 |
| 2.8m HD Cover Harrows 3 rows of 12/16mm chain c/w tow chain | AZGH28 |
Trusted for Over 50 Years
Established in 1970, the Aitchison® brand has been around for more than 50 years. The GrassFarmer® models from Aitchison have been trusted by farmers across New Zealand and Australia for reseeding and renovating existing pastures or cultivated soils. It’s built form the ground up to deliver consistent, reliable performance season after season.
These economical 3-point linkage drills have low horsepower requirements, robust construction, and a simple, effective design. GrassFarmer® drills make it easy to get started with direct drilling—giving you full control of your pasture management without sacrificing reliability or results
They vary in price, functionality, size and upkeep – Contact us and we’ll help you identify the right model for your requirements.
Talk to our team