Purchases of Bourgault’s L9950 I Series Air Cart made prior to August 31 come with a free Saddle Tank.

AS AUSTRALIAN broadacre growers continue to face the pressures of short seeding windows, complex cropping programs, and rising input costs, equipment manufacturers are responding with solutions designed to make every hour in the paddock count.

Bourgault’s latest initiative aims to do just that — introducing Bourgault Australia’s Saddle Tank Program.

Running from 1 July to 31 August 2025, the limited-time offer gives eligible customers a free 1550-litre Saddle Tank valued at over $50,000 with the purchase of a new L9950 I Series Air Cart.

It’s a move that not only adds immediate value at the point of purchase but also delivers practical efficiencies where they matter most.

Meeting the realities of seeding season

For many growers, peak seeding represents one of the most intense periods of the year.

Success hinges on operational reliability, accurate product placement, and minimal downtime between runs.

Even small inefficiencies, like the time spent cleaning out a tank or reloading low-rate products, can compound across thousands of hectares.

Bourgault’s Saddle Tank was developed to tackle these specific challenges.

Mounted low and to the side of the cart for easy access, the auxiliary tank gives operators a dedicated space for low-rate products such as canola, granular inoculants, or micronutrients — all without sacrificing the main cart’s capacity.

“Maintaining high productivity with low-rate products can be a challenge with modern large-capacity air carts,” Bourgault Australia operations manager Mark Harrison said.

“Using a dedicated small tank for those products pays dividends at seeding time, allowing you to reserve the larger tanks for higher-volume products.”

The Saddle Tank offers a smarter way to handle these low-volume inputs, avoiding the need to allocate a full main tank for products used at just a few kilograms per hectare.

In doing so, it frees up capacity and streamlines the logistics of tank filling and product changeovers, ultimately improving seeding continuity.

Designed for modern seeding systems

The Saddle Tank is more than a bolt-on addition — it’s designed with integration in mind.

It connects directly into Bourgault’s 9000 I Series platform and is positioned to improve safety and ergonomics for the operator.

“Bourgault’s Saddle Tank is uniquely mounted at a much lower height and convenient location to the side of the air cart.

“This allows for easy access and filling with far less physical strain on operators when using bagged products.”

The tank’s ground-level access reduces the need to climb ladders or handle heavy product bags at height — a significant safety improvement, particularly when working long hours or in isolated locations.

The Bourgault L9950 Air Cart and 4420 Deep Knife Drill in action, delivering efficient seeding at Merredin, WA.

Enhanced precision and monitoring

In addition to convenience, the Saddle Tank supports more precise product application.

With a smaller tank volume, operators can closely monitor the flow of low-rate products and adjust calibrations accordingly.

The set-up also reduces the risk of product bridging or inconsistent metering, common issues when low-rate inputs are run through large-volume tanks.

“The small-volume Saddle Tank is ideally sized for ultra-low product rates, making it easier to monitor product usage and confirm accurate application.

“Standard in-tank cameras and weigh scales on the 9000 I Series Air Carts make this a breeze.”

This attention to detail reflects a broader shift in broadacre farming, where growers are placing more emphasis on input efficiency, especially for high-value or sensitive products that directly affect crop establishment.

Strategic fit for L9950 I Series

The Saddle Tank is available across Bourgault’s 9000 I Series Air Carts, with the current promotional offer exclusive to the L9950 — the flagship model in the high-capacity line-up.

Featuring a total capacity of approximately 16,600 litres and a four-tank configuration split at 23/11/17/49, the L9950 is designed to handle complex cropping programs with high throughput and flexibility.

Independent metering across each tank enables accurate and consistent delivery, while the system’s modular design allows growers to adapt their cart set-up over time as cropping needs change.

The addition of the Saddle Tank expands this flexibility even further.

For example, operators can now dedicate the main tanks to bulk seed and fertiliser blends while assigning low-rate products, like granular inoculants or zinc fertilisers, to the auxiliary tank.

This separation supports cleaner transitions between crops, fewer tank clean-outs, and greater control over the entire application profile.

In an era where growers are juggling multiple varieties, soil types, and nutrition strategies within a single season, having this level of control at the cart level can make a measurable difference.

Paddock pay-off

While technical specifications matter, the real test for any seeding equipment is how it performs under pressure in the paddock, and it’s here that the Saddle Tank has shown strong returns.

By dedicating a separate tank to low-rate inputs, growers can reduce the time spent on clean-outs, manage fewer interruptions during peak hours, and avoid the common pitfalls of product wastage or cross-contamination.

In practice, this means longer run-time between refills, fewer stoppages, and greater consistency in application, all of which translate into a smoother seeding operation.

It also means more flexibility when switching between crop types or field zones.

For operations that span multiple soil types or have precision ag systems in place, being able to change up product rates on the fly without reconfiguring the entire cart is a substantial benefit.

Supporting safety and serviceability

Ergonomics and serviceability are increasingly important considerations in modern seeding equipment design.

Injuries caused by manual handling, fatigue, or awkward loading positions remain common during long days in the paddock, particularly when weather changes are looming.

“Bourgault’s Saddle Tank is uniquely mounted at a much lower height and convenient location to the side of the Air Cart.

“This allows for easy access and filling with far less physical strain on operators when using bagged products.”

Bagged products can be loaded from the ground, removing the need for ladders or elevated handling.

This reduces the risk of back strain and slips, while also improving loading efficiency when time is tight.

Maintenance tasks like clean-outs or in-season inspections are also simplified due to the tank’s accessible layout.

“It’s about making the job faster and safer.

“Whether you’re loading in the dark, working solo, or managing back-to-back paddocks, having that extra accessibility really counts.”

Timely addition for growers planning ahead

For broadacre growers looking to improve seeding logistics and input management, Bourgault’s Saddle Tank Program presents a targeted solution.

It aligns with ongoing industry priorities: optimising labour, reducing handling risks, and extending operating windows during peak periods.

The upgrade is available with purchases of the L9950 I Series Air Cart between 1 July and 31 August 2025, and is subject to stock availability.

More information is available at bourgault.au/saddle-tank-program or through local Bourgault dealers.

Source: Bourgault Australia