Contract Service

Zurn Top Cut Collect

Zurn Top Cut Collect

Keep your fields clean

Our Top Cut Collect by Zurn uses award-winning German engineering to mechanically harvest herbicide-resistant weeds before they set seed.

The 12m helical reel works to gently present weed seeds to the double-cut knife, that cuts just above the crop line. The conveyor belts transport the seed-heads up into the hopper and the high-dump system allows complete removal from the field.

Zurn Top Cut Collect in the field at Brick Kiln Farm, Westhall, Suffolk

Black grass in cereals

Blackgrass control

We know how damaging blackgrass can be to your yields. Rothamsted Research suggests resistant blackgrass currently costs the industry £400 million per year. As resistance grows, and the efficacy of herbicides reduce, that figure will likely only increase.

We use the Zurn Top Cut Collect as a valuable additional tool to reduce the spread of blackgrass on your farm. It’s particularly important to remove weed seeds on plants that have resisted all previous herbicide applications before they set seed. By mechanically harvesting the seeds in May and June we can be sure they are removed from the field and reduce the seed return and resulting damage to next year’s crop.

Helping to tackle ryegrass in organic wheat

In June 2024 Archie worked with Home Farm Nacton using the Zurn Top Cut Collect to reduce ryegrass in their organic wheat in Suffolk.

home farm nacton logo

  • We have bases at Westhall and Barsham (in North Suffolk), so we are able to cover both Suffolk and Norfolk. Demand for the Top Cut Collect service is high. We aim to cover as much of the East of England as possible.

  • While it is mainly used in wheat and other cereals, we are experimenting with other applications. We think there is a big opportunity to help vegetable producers. So far, we have done trials in kale and next up will be leeks. We’ve seen the machine used in sugar beet in Germany too.

  • The weeds need to be growing out above the main crop canopy. We are also looking to time the cut before the weeds have set seed. This will be from May through to harvest.

  • The tractor is fitted with narrow 32cm wheels to protect the crop. The machine has sensitive level controls, so we can set the cutting height according to each farmer’s needs.

  • We have a 12m working width and typically travel 3-5 kpm. In fair conditions we aim to cover up to about 100 acres a day.

Modifications for 2025

Since our first season in 2024, Archie has been working with the engineers at Zurn to further improve the Top Cut Collect system.

The main objective has been to lower the level of the cutting knife to about 30cm from the ground. This will give the machine broader applications. We’re particularly hopeful about using it in vegetable crops. Zurn have provided a new set of wheels for the wings. Once fitted they will reduce the ground clearance.