The Smart Way to Kickstart Early Grass Growth: Why an ATV Spreader Might Be Your Best Tool This Spring
April 13, 2025
With the ground still soft after a wet winter and fertiliser costs high, many livestock farmers are asking the same question: how do I get early grass growth without making a mess of the land or spending a fortune?
The answer could lie in swapping out the tractor or contractor and getting ahead with a smaller quad spreader for early fertiliser application.
Why Early Grass Growth Matters
If you’re running cattle or sheep, every extra week they’re out grazing is money saved. Silage isn’t cheap to produce or feed, and keeping livestock indoors for longer means more work and higher costs. To get stock out sooner, you need grass—and lots of it.
That means boosting early growth with fertiliser. But there’s a catch: when the land’s too soft to carry a tractor or tonne spreader without damaging the ground, you need another option.
Ground Too Soft? A Quad Spreader is a Smarter Choice
If your soil type means ground conditions are poor or your fields can’t carry a heavy tractor right now, a quad or ATV spreader is ideal.
Even if you’re only putting out a bag or a bag and a half at a time, you’ll still cover a decent area—getting nutrients onto the fields now, when it really counts.
Do It Right: Why Accuracy is Key When Fertiliser is This Expensive
Fertiliser or urea isn’t cheap—at up to £450+ a tonne, any waste quickly adds up.
If you’re applying 2 bags per acre and your sower is inaccurate, you could easily waste 10% or more. Over 50 acres, that’s 500kg of fertiliser wasted, and £225+ down the drain—and you’ve still got gaps in the field where growth will struggle. Multiply that by 2 or 3 spreads in a season, and you’ve lost enough to have paid the extra for a high-quality spreader.
That’s why the Quad-X Pro Spreader is tray-test developed and proven to ensure an even, accurate spread. No striping, no overloading patches while another is left short. The Pro Spreader will maximise the opportunity for each grass plant to get what it needs to grow strong.
The Problem with Cheaper Spreaders
We hear it all the time – “I just need something cheap to throw it out.” But when you break it down, it’s a false economy. Here’s why:
-
Many cheaper spreaders don’t spread evenly. You might be throwing the first quarter too heavy, the next bit too light, and the last part hardly at all.
-
Gaps and overlaps mean wasted fertiliser, wasted time, and poor grass growth.
-
With fertiliser that costly, a bad spread job is money down the drain.
The Quad-X Pro Spreader: Made for Early Season Spreading
The Quad-X Pro Spreader has been designed with early fertiliser spreading in mind:
-
Wide spread up to 24m (with upgrade option), covering more ground in fewer passes
-
Accurate spread pattern – every unit is tray-tested before it leaves the factory
-
465L capacity (or 680L with extension sides) – ideal for standard 600kg fertiliser bags
-
Easy to tow with an ATV – light enough to avoid damaging soft ground
-
Lever control from your seat – open/close the shutter without getting off
If you’re looking to get ahead this spring and make your fertiliser go further, the Pro Spreader is a smart investment that pays for itself.
A Farmer’s Tip
“I’ve been able to get fertiliser out weeks before I’d normally risk the tractor. The Pro Spreader handled it no bother. The grass is well ahead already.”
— Tommy Jackson, Co Antrim
In Summary – Why It Works
✔️ Spread early when tractors can’t
✔️ Get stock out sooner = save on feed
✔️ Avoid damaging soft ground
✔️ Use fertiliser more efficiently
✔️ Make your investment back quickly through better results
Need Advice? Let’s Chat.
We’re happy to talk through your land, soil type, and fertiliser needs to help you find the right spreader.
📞 Call: 028 2587 2800
✉️ Email: info@quad-x.com
And if you’d like a copy of our full ‘Sowers, Spreaders and Smarter Fertilising’ guide, packed with tips and comparisons to help you choose the right model, just get in touch and we’ll send it your way.