BackPac®: Precise application with the Vogelsang BackPac
Case Study: Fratelli Bizzoni agricultural business

Problem

Uneven distribution of manure, resulting in wavy plant growth.

Solution

Vogelsang BackPac supply system delivers precise output.

The customer and the problem

Paolo Bizzoni, owner of the Fratelli Bizzoni farm in Caravaggio (Bergamo), Italy, cultivates approximately 290 hectares of arable land. Around 12,500 animals weighing between 40 kg and 160 kg are fattened there on a contract basis. The resulting digestate (approx. 60,000 m³/year) is separated and used to cover over 80% of the fertilizer requirement on the fields. Until now, the manure has been spread using a spray plate method – a solution that:

  • causes uneven distribution and wave-like plant growth
  • impairs plants through emissions and pollution
  • has significant disadvantages, especially during dry periods

The solution

Paolo Bizzoni opted for the Vogelsang BackPac supply system with a working width of 15 m, combined with an umbilical cord system and the ExaCut ECL precision distributor. The system delivers highly precise distribution, as Paolo emphasizes:

“I chose Vogelsang because the 15-meter BackPac drag hose coupling offers the perfect combination of lightness and efficiency for a supply system.”
– Paolo Bizzoni, owner, Fratelli Bizzoni agricultural business

The result – visible in the first year 
The advantages of the Vogelsang BackPac were clearly noticeable in the first year after the changeover. The winter barley achieved a yield of around 4.5 tons per hectare – with moisture levels well below average. At the same time, plant development was uniform across all areas. “After so many years, we finally have fields that are as smooth as billiard tables!” reports Paolo Bizzoni enthusiastically. In addition to the visible improvements, the farm has also increased its efficiency and achieved noticeable savings in operating resources and costs.

 

Advantages

  • Uniform slurry distribution, even under dry conditions
  • Increased crop yields, especially for winter cereals and corn
  • Reduced fertilization costs, as the fertilizer comes mainly from the farm's own raw materials
  • Minimized emissions and virtually no plant contamination
  • Optimized use of fermentation residues thanks to fermenters in the biogas plant
  • High area output thanks to 15-meter working width