The amazing capacity of new combines

Based on a recent record-breaking combine performance in England, as reported in Farmers Weekly's online magazine, I would say the average combine in Western Canada could be pushed to work a little harder.

A farm in Lincolnshire, England, harvested 532 tonnes of wheat in eight hours with one Lexion 580 combine. That's an average of 66.5 tonnes — or 2,500 bushels — per hour.

To give you an idea of just how thick European wheat crops can be, these 532 tonnes were from only 47.7 hectares (118 acres). Average yield was just over 11 tonnes per hectare (or 165 bushels per acre.) Also interesting, crop height was only 61 to 63 cm — just a hair over two feet. These varieties are pouring their energy into grain yield, not  green matter.

Thanks to Scott Day of Manitoba Agriculture for bringing this article to my attention, and thanks to Farmers Weekly for the photo.