Farming Monthly National November 2016 | Page 50

| ATV Honda ATV Still ideal for slug pellet application Slug pellet application was one of the first main uses of Honda ATVs on UK arable farms. ith large flotation tyres exerting less ground pressure than a person walking, and capable of travelling over uneven ground at speeds faster than most other vehicles, Honda ATVs proved ideal for the task with high output alternators providing power for the electric-driven applicators and heavy duty suspension supporting the load, while ensuring a smooth ride for the operator. Even during the mid-1980s using pelleters capable of spread widths up to just 12m, the ATVs’ high operating speeds enabled large areas to be treated quickly, saving crops from expensive slug damage in wet, muddy conditions when other farm vehicles would have been unable to travel. In recent years slug populations have increased, and the ability