NEW BALERS will be the feature of Claas grassland machinery display at the event, but there will also be new mowers, tedders rakes and forage wagons strutting their stuff.

The two Claas baler additions are the new Variant 400 variable round baler and the Quadrant 5200 big square baler.

The round baler features four models and two bale sizes – with the 460RF and 465RC, bale size is variable from 0.90m up to 1.55m, while bales up to 1.8m can be created using the 480RF and 485RC.

Standard across the board is a 2.35m wide pick-up, fitted with a dual roller crop press.

This has four height settings so that it can be quickly and easily adjusted for a more uniform and even crop flow.

Also standard is the Pro hydraulic drop down floor, allowing blockages to be quickly and easily cleared from the cab.

The floor will also lower 30mm automatically to allow large lumps to pass through and be drawn into the baler.

In the event of a blockage, the operator simply lowers the floor so that the blockage can be forced into the baling chamber and the floor raised again to commence baling.

The 480/460RF are fitted with the same Roto Feed rotor system as before, but the 485/465RC models feature a new system.

With them, feed into the baler is via a new design of star rotor made to handle wetter crops, into the Roto Cut unit, which is fitted with 14 knives that achieve 6000 cuts a minute.

On all four 400 models, the bale chamber has been strengthened, in particular the front frame which has been reinforced, as has the tailgate, which has faster opening and shutting.

Belt guidance has also been improved for greater reliability and reduced wear.

A redesigned net spreading system incorporates a stainless steel plate over which the net is fed into the bale chamber, which keeps the mechanism cleaner and more efficient.

A new option is an extra wide netting trough, that allows 1.3m wide netting to be used, applying it over the shoulder of the bale for better weather proofing.

The new Quadrant 5200 big square baler has new high capacity knotters and heavier duty drive systems.

The longer bale chambers feature the new, patented Claas automatic pressure control (APC) system. Standard on the 5300/5200 and optional on the 4200, APC ensures that bale weight is maintained by automatically monitoring the knotters and the stress on the drive system.

Optional on the 4200 and standard on the 5300/5200 balers, a knotter control system (KCS) has input from sensors on all six knotters.

This detects any broken strings or missed knots, alerting the driver. All three have a hydraulically suspended 2.35m-wide pick-up, fitted with a double roller crop press and power feed system auger as standard.

An option is hydraulic drive to the pick-up reel, top crop press roller and the PFS auger so operators can match pick-up speed to crop size.

On the 5200 and 4200 models the 15% longer bale chamber is fitted with three pressure rams, while there are six on the bigger 5300.

All three have a hydraulically powered fan system, similar to that used on Lexion combines.

These blow air over the front and sides of each knotter to keep them clean.

Completing the line-up of working machines from Claas will be a range of mowers, from the smallest mounted to the widest triple combinations, and the latest trailed models.

These will be aided and abetted by Volto tedders and Liner rowing up machines. Harvesting will be carried out by either Cargos forage wagons or Jaguar 800 and 900 self-propelled forage harvesters.

Kuhn shows off key new machines

THERE will be a wide spectrum of Kuhn hardware on display at Grassland and Muck event.

Key machines include the FC 3160 TCD RA centre-pivot trailed mower conditioner, the GA 13131 four rotor grass rake, and the GMD range of disc mowers.

Aimed at big users, the FC 3160 TCD RA has a grouper function which lands it above the standard centre pivot mower, the FC 3160 TCD.

It can group two swathes together using a conveyor belt for following foragers or balers.

The mowing bed has seven cutting discs fitted with fastfit knives giving it a 3.1m working width and a 2.99m travelling width.

The conditioning flails can be set at either 780 or 1000rpm according to the crop being worked.

All functions can be adjusted from the comfort of the tractor cab via a central control box.

Kuhn’s new rake, the four rotor GA 13131 Gyrorake has a working width of 8.4-12.5m and has four rotors.

The front holds 11 tine arms and the rear holds 12 per rotor, each with four tines per arm.

The Scottish Farmer:

THE IMPRESSIVE Kuhn GA 13131 four rotor rake in action

Each rotor is mounted on four pivoting, large diameter wheels for ground contour following and load bearing.

It also has three-dimensional rotor suspension for stability at speed.

Rotor height can be adjusted hydraulically and the rotors are powered by a headstock-mounted hydraulic drive unit, which gives the option to increase front rotor speed by up to 20% when working in lighter crops.

One central windrow can range from 140 to 240cm in width, controlled via a cab-mounted VT50 series terminal which is ISOBUS compatible.

It needs a minimum pto power of 95hp. The GMD disc mower is one of Kuhn’s longest ‘serving’ machines, celebrating machines, celebrating 50 years this year – an original GMD4, built in 1969, will be on the stand, having been ‘retired’ 12 months ago.

The latest generation come in working widths ranging from 2.6-5.2m and offer entry level, affordable and efficient machines, said Kuhn.

New features include LiftControl and Protectadrive systems.

The former is a suspension and non-stop safety system while the latter adds further safety by protecting the Optidisc cutter bar’s internal components from impact damage.

Quicke’s ‘smart’ loader on parade

THERE will be the first UK glimpse of the new Q-Series Quicke loader in action, at the event, on stand 119. Billed as stronger, smarter and more user friendly, the Q-Series is set to revolutionise and digitalise tractor loader handling, argued Quicke.

Operator vision has been increased by 30% thanks to a new contoured design, including the cross tube being lower down the frame.

The Scottish Farmer:

SOME ‘SMART’ technology makes the new Q-series loaders stand out from the crowd

It has also launched the Q-Companion, an operator support system, which comprises of two position and two pressure sensors, bringing loader work into the digital age, said Graham Gould, from Quicke.

The concept can be set up in under an hour and has three main functions displayed on an easy to use, ‘sat-nav’ type screen in the cab.

“Loader status monitoring allows you to keep track of the position, angle and remaining lifting capacity.

"It can also calculate the weight lifted, so you can weigh the amount of feed or a bale that you’re carrying,” pointed out Mr Gould.

“And finally, you’ll also be reminded when it’s time for routine maintenance tasks such as lubricating or checking bolts.”

Krone’s big range on show

IT WON’T be just about its new forage equipment for Krone at this year’s event, as it will be using its expertise to offer professional advice on how to produce costeffective quality forage.

On the tackle side, though, Krone will be putting its BiG X 700/770 models through their paces, featuring new Liebherr V8 engines.

This power unit has twice the service interval length as its predecessor with engine oil and filters only being changed after 1000 working hours.

The popular control systems, PowerSplit and ConstantPower features are retained.

The former automatically adapts engine output to harvest conditions, while the latter senses the current load and controls ground speed at optimum torque levels.

Krone will also have the new RX 360 GL/GD, RX 400 GL/GD and RX 430 GL forage wagons working which replace the ZX 400 GL/GD and ZX 450 GL models.

All have identical frames and share the 2015mm EasyFlow pick-up and eightrow rotor cutter.

They have double tines arranged in a patented W-pattern, which makes for a more consistent crop flow.

The 880mm diameter rotor cutter is powered by an oil-immersed gearbox on its end and feeds the crop at a width of 1760mm.

The 46-knives cut the crop to nominal 37mm chops, set from a central control unit.

The Scottish Farmer:

KRONE’S RX 430GL is just one of a new series of forage wagons being seen at the event

The RX 400 GL/GD and RX 430 GL models have a movable headboard, which tilts to increase capacity by about 4m3 and assists in unloading the wagon more efficiently.

The new RX models are available in caster-steer or force-steer configuration– the latter can counter steer when the machine is drifting on slopes and help during reversing.

The company’s rake line up at Grassland will consist of the entry level model that rakes 5.7m to 6.4m into 1m to 1.7m swaths, whereas the higher capacity Swadro TC 930 model, also on show, offers working widths of 8.1m to 9.3m.

Using Krone’s cardanic rotor suspension system and special lift tines, these allow for a fast forward speed and productivity of 27%, without increasing crop losses, said Krone.

The maintenancefree rotor gearboxes, with heavy-duty and unlubricated Duramax cam tracks, now come with a three-year warranty.

Artic-steer running gear with a forward sloping beam and Y-gearbox is feature on the TC 930 but comes as an option on the TC 640. The transport height for both models is under 4m.