John Deere is offering one of the most complete lines of hay and forage making mowers and balers in its history for the upcoming season
It’s all hands on deck at John Deere for this year’s haymaking season with The Bureau’s watch call of a possible El Nino dry weather spell facing local livestock producers, that could very well impact pasture and lead to extensive manual feeding.
It’s this very understanding of the unique needs of on-farm hay producers and contractors that has driven the development of John Deere’s comprehensive range of Balers and Mower-Conditioners (MoCos).
John Deere Production System Manager, Stephanie Gersekowski, said the spread of models, many of which are customisable, ensured there was a John Deere hay solution suited to a diversity of conditions.
“We understand different production zones demand equipment with particular features and capabilities and this is why John Deere has worked to offer as many options as we do,” Ms Gersekowski said.
“The comprehensiveness of the range is supported by our continual investment in technology and innovation, and with manufacture occurring in the United States and France, our lineup delivers the premium quality and performance our customers expect from John Deere.”
MoCos offer wider cutting width and lower dry time
Nineteen models across four types of MoCos – centre pivots, side pulls, and front and rear mounts – make up the John Deere Mower-Conditioner range, allowing growers and contractors to customise their solution or ‘mix and match’ to cater to their requirements.
The John Deere C500 Center-Pivot Mower-Conditioner is particularly popular, with a 5m cutting width making it the widest in the line-up. This means operators can cover up to 10% more hectares each hour than with previous models – ideal for covering large areas each season.
The full model offering comes in a variety of widths, reaching out to 9.9m with the R990R twin mount when used in conjunction with a front mount mower. While at the other end of the scale, for smaller paddocks or laneways, widths down to 2.4m in the 324A rear mount for instance are available for optimal manoeuvrability.
Some of the widest windrows delivered by the John Deere range include the S250, S300, S350, C300, C350 and C400 MoCos. These models support minimised dry time and the production of higher quality feed, and the ability to perform in narrow harvest windows.
Quick Change Knives are available on a variety of models, meaning operators spend less time servicing and more time cutting hay, as well as simple in-paddock knife changes to ensure the best quality cut.
Baler range drives quality and efficiency
Following the advent of one-pass baling and wrapping, the Wrapping Baler also known as a Combination or ‘Combi’ Baler, was transformational for the hay industry. Cutting down on the need for multiple tractors and operators by combining the function of baling and wrapping into one machine.
John Deere’s Combination Round Balers are available in the fixed chamber C441R model or the variable chamber C451R and C461R.
These Combi Balers are built from the platforms offered by John Deere’s broad Fixed and Variable Chamber range, for dedicated baling, including seven models with G, M and R specs.
These models provide operators with an ultimate choice of machine, depending on the technology and autonomy preferences and requirements to be met.
Two of the most relied upon Round Balers in the John Deere range in local production regions are the 450M for smaller areas and the larger 560R that carries the most extensive automation functions currently available.
Stephanie Gersekowski wants to encourage hay producers and contractors to speak with their local dealer to have a conversation about what John Deere hay solution could help grow their production and profitability.
“We are proud to offer an extensive and diverse range of options to our hay customers and are dedicated to helping them find the right equipment to maximise their efficiency and transform their operation,” Stephanie Gersekowski added.
For more information about the extensive John Deere range of haymaking models for all size farm operations this season, contact your local John Deere dealer on this link.
