Less is more for soil looseners
28th May 2025
Cousins of Emneth is set to display its soil loosener and seed applicator at Cereals.
There are many soil looseners on the market, but none are as well-proven in the field as the offering from Cousins, the company reckons.
Cousins has been manufacturing soil looseners in Norfolk since 1982 and has utilised this experience to bring together its Less Lift Low Disturbance Loosener.
Designed to remove subsoil compaction between 200–300mm depth it is particularly suited to anyone looking to move toward a reduced tillage system and fits well with direct drills, as well as grassland applications.
The Less Lift is a linkage mounted tool featuring front cutting discs mounted directly ahead of the tines, which eases the way, allowing the tines to run cleaner and with less surface disturbance.
The discs are mounted individually on rubber suspension units and are hydraulically adjustable on the move.
The following Step Change tine has been designed with the ideal shallow wing angle and point combination to allow enough lift to remove compaction without causing surface disturbance.
The tines are staggered at 500mm centres.
To the rear, the Shark Fin roller has teeth positioned to create a closing action around the tine-worked zone.
Along with reduction in depth and number of teeth, this combines to further reduce surface disturbance.
The Less Lift can also be fitted with a seed applicator to allow use for establishment of cover crops or oil seed rape.
It’s available in 3m, 4m, 5m and 6m working widths.
For those who need to achieve a greater working depth the original V- form soil loosener can work to depths of up to 500mm.
The centre-leading tine disturbs the soil for the following tines, reducing horsepower requirement.
Offsetting in this way allows tines to run closer, achieving complete removal of compaction across the working width without causing excess surface disturbance.
The number of tines and spacings can be varied to suit working depth and soil conditions.
Both machines will be on display at Cereals 2025.
Cereals stand number: 830
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