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Wider mowers bring more efficiency
When it came to replacing an old pair of mower conditioners, Gareth Roberts and son Aeron looked to Mona Tractors for a pair of Kverneland mounted units.
“We had been using an old 2.8m front/rear combination, but took the opportunity to go a bit wider,” explains Gareth Roberts of Plas Heaton Farm, Denbigh. “Our aim was to cut 100 acres/day.” The family farm opted for a 3332FT for the front, and a 3332MT for the rear, with both units combining to give a 6.2m cut. Having used the combination for two seasons, Aeron Roberts, who
operates the mowers, said the quality of cut and ease of set-up have been beneficial, and the farm can now comfortably hit its 100 acres/day target. “A contractor provides the forager, rake, trailers and clamp, while we mow and ted to get our grass to the dry matter content we prefer,” explains Aeron. “It’s a good system – our contractor chops 100 acres/day, and we can now match
While the working width remains unchanged at 9.8-10.2m, the way it controls that width has been revolutionised with Curve Pilot - automatic side-shift of both rear mowing units. Curve Pilot automatically controls the side-shift on both rear mowers by up to 400mm in response to tractor steering. This innovative feature does not need any GPS input or auto-steering integration to operate. Instead, that to make the most of weather conditions and achieve a satisfactory wilt.” “I really like the QuattroLink suspension on the rear mower,” says Aeron. “It lets the rear mower float, which makes it very easy to pull at forward speeds of around 12kph using my John Deere 6155R.” The Roberts’ cut around 300 acres each season, often in two cuts,
accept a generous overlap on headlands for example, which can restrict the working width and reduce output. The 55100MT Vario retains many of the 53100’s proven features, including QuattroLink bed suspension for contour following. The butterfly outfit uses a pair of nine-disc cutting beds, with conditioning achieved through a semi-swing steel tine conditioner. Conditioning hoods offer dual adjustment at both the front and rear of each hood, to vary the intensity of conditioning to suit crop volume. In addition, the rear part of the hood allows rapid change-over from swathing to spreading. The 55100MT Vario can also be retro-fitted with BX swath groupers which, thanks to quick release couplings, can be fitted and removed in a matter of minutes. with a heavy first cut being split between clamp and bales. While bales are used for dry cows and beef cattle, clamp silage is exclusively for the farm’s 125- cow herd. “We want as much milk as possible from grass, but when the grass quality is no longer there, our silage has to be top notch,” he says. “And that starts with making a clean, tidy cut.”
CURVE PILOT AUTOMATICALLY ADJUSTS MOWERS
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Curve Pilot uses a simple gyroscope to sense turning movements, which then controls side-shift on the rear mowing units.
Doing so prevents striping that can occur between the front and rear mower units when following headland curves or mowing around obstacles. This feature enables the operator to make full use of the working width, rather than having to
There is a new triple mower for the 2025 season that aims to make the most of productivity and simplify control. It’s called the 55100MT Vario, and it replaces the 53100MT Vario.
6 KVERNELAND HEADLAND NEWS
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