Aimed at large-scale grassland farms and contractors, the MERGE MAXX 950 uses two adjustable, variable width and bi-directional merger belts to give a maximum grass pick-up width of 9.50 metres in a single pass.
The bi-directional design of the twin belts provides multiple windrow delivery options: forage can be delivered into a single central windrow, a single lateral windrow (left or right side), two lateral windrows (one either side) or a central and left or right lateral windrow. With this degree of versatility, the MERGE MAXX can collect up to 18 metres into a single windrow from two passes, or – in light crop situations such as a multi-cut silage system – collect up to 27 metres of grass into one windrow from three passes.
Pick-up and windrow width can be adjusted to suit the quantity and type of forage material being harvested, thus enabling the number of passes and associated costs to be reduced. For lateral windrows, the windrow width can be varied between 1.00 and 1.50m. For central windrows, the windrow can be up to 2.20m in width.
Auto-regulating rollers at the front and side of the pick-up unit self-adjust their position according to crop thickness. These in turn pass a consistent and constant supply of forage to the merger belts, thus enabling the MERGE MAXX to produce a uniform, airy and faster-drying windrow which makes it easier for the subsequent baler or chopper to collect large volumes of grass: for forage harvesters this can equate to a 2-3 km/h increase in forward operating speed.
As with any rake, clean grass pick-up and the ability to produce a swathe which is free of stones, soil or other impurities, is reliant on the ability to follow ground contours accurately. On the MERGE MAXX 950, this is controlled by three key design elements: articulated pick-up skids, powerful lift-control springs, and pivot points which provide vertical and angled ground clearance. As well as ensuring good forage quality, less debris within the swathe also translates to less time and money spent on replacing blades and other working parts on the forage harvester or baler.
KUHN’s latest variable chamber round baler range will be represented by the VB 3165, a machine producing bales from 0.80–1.60m diameter and 1.20m wide.
One of four models in the range, this baler is equipped with KUHN’s Progressive Density system which uses two chamber rollers, a starter roller and five endless baling belts to produce evenly shaped bales. Belt pressure increases as the bale grows and can be adjusted from the tractor cab to compensate for variations in crop type quality and to maintain a constant density as the bale is formed.
The VB 3165 is suitable for baling a range of wet and dry crops: from hay and straw (5-20% moisture), to haylage (18-35% moisture) and silage (35-80% moisture). It is available with KUHN’s Optifeed, Opticut 14 or Opticut 23 intake rotors.
All VB models can be supplied with, and controlled by, KUHN’s new ISOBUS terminals, the 5.4 inch (14.3cm) CCI 50 and the 12.1 inch (30.5cm) CCI 1200, both of which can be used to control any ISOBUS-ready machine.
KUHN’S twin-reel film binding system, winner of a silver award in the Livestock Innovation category of the 2019 LAMMA Innovation Awards, will feature at ScotGrass on the i-BIO+ and FBP 3135 BalePack combination baler wrappers.
Unlike other film binding systems, which use wide mantle rolls to perform the bale binding function, the KUHN system uses two standard 750mm stretch film rolls to fully encapsulate the bale. As well as improving silage preservation and making the recycling of waste plastic easier, this system also reduces plastic usage by up to 30% by pre-stretching the wrapping film by 70% prior to application. Film loading is also quicker and easier as each roll weighs just 27kg, compared to the wider rolls which can weigh between 40-90kg.
The i-BIO+ and FBP 3135 BalePack round baler-wrapper combination machines both use KUHN’s IntelliWrap system, which enables the operator to wrap the bale with 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 or 9 layers of film as appropriate. Both machines can also be used with conventional net binding; switching between film and net binding is quick and simple as the two systems are separate, with enough space available to carry film and net rolls at the same time, therefore making it easy to switch from one system to the other for different crops or between different fields.
