ISSUE 50
53100 MT ● QuattroLink suspension ● ISOBUS compatible ● 10.2m working width
● Non-stop break-back protection ● Semi swing steel tine conditioner ● Adjustable conditioner hood
triple mower and then use the T235 for its 6m combination, replacing a four-cylinder N174 model that is currently in use. Field sizes range from 15-52 acres, and few of them are flat. “Output is good, but on the steeper banks, I can lose forward speed, particularly in a heavy crop,” he says. “It’s also why we operate at the narrowest working width, to make sure we have enough overlap when mowing across the banks.” That mowing speed, depending on the crop, is from 12-16kph with the rear hoods fully open to spread the crop, with the semi-swinging steel conditioner tines easing the job for the tedder as the farm seeks 28-33% dry matter. “We do have a lot of undulating fields, so having mowers that float and follow ground contours is also very important,” he says. “The front mower is amazing to watch as it oscillates and moves around, all the time hugging the ground.”
“And it’s much the same with the rear pair, thanks to the Quattro-Link suspension system.” “With a bit more power, I should be able to comfortably hold speed going up the steeper banks,” he adds. “These are banks where you only chop one way when filling trailers, so having a butterfly mower has really improved tractor stability, making headland turns on those steeper banks so much safer and easier.” With forage quality in mind, he says the farm leaves a generous 50mm stubble height to encourage rapid regrowth, with fertiliser and slurry applied as soon as the forage leaves the field. It also keeps blades and tines away from the ground, reducing the risk of soil contamination. “We have put higher skids under all three beds, lifting the mowers by 40mm,” he says. “It all adds to the high-quality forage we need for the cows.”
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