Photo Gallery: Acre-Eating Forage Equipment For 2013

Fuel-Efficient Choppers

John Deere introduces seven self-propelled forage harvesters – the 7180, 7280, 7380, 7480, 7580, 7780 and 7980 models. They feature fuel-efficient and powerful IT4-compliant engines, dual tire options and a spout-turning system. Most models come with infinitely variable length-of-cut transmission, Dura-Drum cutterhead and Duraline high-wear parts, and HarvestLab with constituent sensing capabilities. Visit www.johndeere.com.

High-Performance Harvester

The New Holland FR Series self-propelled forage harvester, under the Forage Cruiser name, features an all-new chopper body and blower advancements. The five 424- to 824-hp models have a new high-performance grass pickup header as well as known FR Series VariFlow and HydroLoc systems. The machines are compatible with a wide range of headers. Visit www.newholland.com.

Increased-Throughput Baler

The Krone BiG Pack high-speed large square baler has 20% more throughput than previous-generation balers. It features increased packer capacity and an increase in plunger strokes. Other features include a larger-diameter knotter shaft, wear plates on the bottom of the chamber and a color touch-screen monitor. Visit www.krone-northamerica.com.

Square Baler With Shorter Cut

The Claas Quadrant 3300 RC delivers the same 3 x 4’ square bale as the standard Quadrant 3300, plus its Roto Cut feature delivers shorter crop lengths. The baler’s 92.5” heavy-duty pickup and precompression chamber measure flakes before they move to the high-capacity plunger boasting 46 strokes per minute. Visit www.claasofamerica.com.

Efficient Large Baler

The Case IH redesigned LB4 Series large square baler provides up to 20% more capacity than previous-generation balers. Its gearbox runs at 48 strokes per minute for faster and efficient crop throughput. The flywheel has 48% more inertia, improving performance in uneven windrows and varying crop conditions. The high-capacity pickup features a roller windguard, feed-assist roller and faster rpms to maximize crop flow into the baler. Visit www.caseih.com.

Customizable Round Balers

Twelve 9 Series Round Balers from John Deere offer a larger selection of machines to handle a wide variety of hay and silage needs. The line produces 4 x 4’ 750-lb bales to 5 x 6’ 2,200-lb bales. Premium models come with larger cams and bearings, diamond chains and other enhancements. Silage-special models offer the option of larger bale sizes than previously were available. The 469, 559 and 569 balers have faster gate cycles, heavier chains and larger shafts, bearings and pickups. Visit www.johndeere.com.

Increased-Capacity Baler

The New Holland BigBaler offers up to a 20% increase in capacity and up to 5% denser bales, company officials say. BigBaler 330 produces 3 x 3’ bales; BigBaler 340 makes 3 x 4’ bales. The MaxiSweep pickup features a full-width feed-assist roller with paired overshot-undershot augers at both ends to pull material in. A standard roller windguard helps precompress the crop mat before it reaches the pickup tines, ensuring continuous crop flow. Visit www.newholland.com.

Heavy-Duty Baler With Wrapper

The Claas Rollant 455 Uniwrap Round Baler/Wrapper is a reinforced, heavy-duty version of the Rollant 375 Uniwrap. It features an HD Roto Cut feeding system with a 25-blade chopping rotor for a fine chop, a 1,000-rpm pto and a cab-operated, hydraulic, forward-dropping rotor floor for easier cleaning. Visit www.claasofamerica.com.

Flexible Silage Baler

The 504 Pro Baler features a 5 x 4’ variable chamber with heavy drive components needed to handle silage baling and produce high-quality bales, according to Vermeer. With the Hydroflexcontrol feature, the baler floor can flex up or down to minimize blockage in the pickup. The floor can be opened from the cab to clear blockage. Visit www.vermeer.com.

Narrow, Trailed Disc Mower

The Kuhn GMD 2850 TL trailed disc mower retains other GMD TL Series mowers’ features with a narrow working width of 8’10”. It has a hook-and-go attachment, the Optidisc cutterbar with differential disc spacing and the Protectadrive cutterbar with improved suspension and greater adjustability. A lower tractor ballast requirement allows its use with smaller tractors. Visit www.kuhnnorthamerica.com.

Tough-Built Mower

The Massey Ferguson Pro DM Series mowers – DM1358, DM1361 and DM1362 – feature individual compact angular gears providing smooth power transfer to all discs. The wedge-shaped cutterbar provides a low cut and the Big Disc design ensures a large overlap. Working widths range from 8’ to 11½’. Visit www.masseyferguson.us.

Windrowers With Options

Two self-propelled windrowers unveiled by John Deere are the 110-hp W110 and the 148-hp W150. They can be matched with six draper heads ranging from 15’ to 40’ and three auger heads in 14’, 16’ and 18’ widths. The interchangeable heads let operators switch heads on a single traction unit, matching different crops and harvest conditions. Visit www.johndeere.com.

Easy-To-Adjust Butterfly Mower

The Krone EasyCut B 970 butterfly mower has an adjustable working width of 30’10”-31’10”. Its spring suspension system uses a pivoting arm to adjust ground pressure and allow flotation changes as needed. The mower uses the Krone EasyCut cutterbar with quick-change blades and SafeCut hubs with shear hub protection. Visit www.krone-northamerica.com.

Rotary Rake Series

The Massey Ferguson RK Series rotary rakes include the RK3802 three-point, single-rotor rake for use with smaller tractors without hydraulic valves. The larger dual-rotor rakes – the 21’ RK3845 and the 27’ RK3879 PRO – feature a transport chassis with steerable rear wheels to make tight turns. Visit www.masseyferguson.us.

Triple-Head Merger

The Tri-Flex Triple Head Merger, from H&S Manufacturing, comes in 30’ and 35’ models and uses an I-Can computer system. Each model has identical-width heads with a center cam-center drive system and a pto-driven pump. The suspension system adjusts head height from the cab and a 42” cross conveyor easily moves the crop for smooth, even windrows, according to the company. Visit www.hsmfgco.com.

Close-Mount Tedder

The GF 7902 rotary tedder by Kuhn, with small-diameter rotors, can spread short, thick crops. It replaces the GF 7702 and mounts closer to the tractor, making it easier to attach to a smaller tractor and reducing the weight on the tractor’s rear axle. Visit www.kuhnnorthamerica.com.

Tedder Features Small Rotors

The Krone KW 792 tedder’s eight small-diameter rotors, each with six tine arms, ted hay uniformly even in heavy crops, according to Krone North America. The unit has a 25’11” working width and folds to a transport width of 9’4”. Visit www.krone-northamerica.com.

Durable Tedders

New Holland’s ProTed rotary tedders are available in four-, six- and eight-rotor configurations with working widths from 17’ to 36’. They come with a new frame design and heavy-duty modular rotor gearboxes. Hydraulic vertical folding with automatic tine height controls allows tedders to move from transport to working position without manual adjustment. Visit www.newholland.com.

Adjustable Tedders

Two Massey Ferguson TD Series tedders, the TD 1655 and TD 1665, have working widths of 33’6” and 41’8”, respectively. Their easily adjusted spreading angles of 15º, 18º and 20.5º make them adaptable to all forage and crop conditions, according to the company. The rotor head’s induction-hardened casting is break-resistent and built for adverse tedding conditions. Visit www.masseyferguson.us.

Tedder Spreads Material Evenly

The Volto 1100T tedder from Claas features ten 4.9’ rotors with six arms per rotor and a working width of 35’1”. Spreading arms allow the tine arms to release material behind the tedder for gentle, even spreading and optimal allocation of material. This also creates an even pressure distribution on the tines for greater durability and longevity. Visit www.claasofamerica.com.

One-Pass 36’ Seeder

Brillion Farm Equipment combines the Landoll front-folding grain drill hitch with its 12’ seeders, creating the 4630-36 Folding Seeder. Three independently operating seeders fold from a transport width of 13’6” to a working width of 36’. Individual, frame-mounted three-point hitches raise and lower seeders without changing the main frame’s position, making for easy maneuvering. Visit www.brillionfarmeq.com.

Bale Fork Uses Spears And Teeth

The Steffen Systems Model 8520VHD bale fork can move two 4 x 4’ bales, or three 3 x 3’ or 3 x 4’ bales. Using five spears and 20 large bale teeth, the machine handles a variety of stack configurations. Mounts are available for skid loaders, telehandlers, forklifts and tractor loaders. With the powered tilt option on a forklift, bales can tilt vertically. Call 888-783-3336 or visit www.steffensystems.com.

Large Round-Bale Grinder

The G278-30-400 Grinder with feed roller assembly is the largest of Warren & Baerg’s high-production, virtually dust-free round bale grinders. Designed for round bales, it also handles square bales. The grinder’s feed-roller assembly system helps process round bales at 20 tons per hour. Visit www.warrenbaerg.com.

Redesigned Silage Bagger

The newly redesigned 5 Series Roto-Press with reconfigured oil bath comes from Sioux Automation Center. Its breaking mechanism has an attached rather than separately mounted handle, and the driveshaft has been adjusted for maximum chain wear. Idlers feature a needle-bearing idler sprocket; bearings were moved inside; and the conveyor flap, now rubber, was shortened to increase clearance. Visit www.siouxautomation.com.

Direct Geardrive Live-Floor Boxes

A new generation of Meyer rear-unload boxes replace roller-chain reduction systems with a faster (40-70 second unload) direct geardrive design. Meyer Boss RT hydraulic geardrive units are available in semi-trailer, straight-truck, ag-trailer and wagon-mount applications to haul silage, grain and other crops. Call 800-325-9103 or visit www.meyermfg.com.

Side-Discharge Shredder

The CropLogix Windrow Draper 20, from Loftness Specialized Equipment, is a side-discharge crop shredder that places two windrows side by side for fast baling. It has a 20’ cutting width and computer-balanced rotors equipped with 4.5” cupped knives to maximize suction and reduce the risk of striking unwanted objects. Visit www.croplogix.com.