July 2010 Archives

Right from its formation in the mid 1980s, AGCO's strategy to add new products and technology to its line was to purchase additional companies. In the process, it wrote a lot of cheques to get new engineering. Today, however, under a new CEO and with its own R and D team, AGCO has changed gears. "We've moved from a company that acquires technology to a company that develops it," says Steve Koep, vice president of sales for North America.

 

The unusually wet weather across most of the prairies this season gave grain growers a real headache. Cattlemen, on the other hand, were smiling. Pastures and hay crops have rarely been better, a pleasant change after last year's dismal yields. But getting that hay harvested is posing a challenge. Continuing rains mean livestock producers are now the ones reaching for the Tylenol.

It's hard to get wet hay swaths to cure so they can be baled. If swaths get soaked, they may need to be turned to dry completely. To do that, most farmers use a rake. But the trade off can be a loss of leaf material leading to lower quality feed. To make sure you get that job done with the least damage, here are some tips offered by AGCO, which are taken from the publication "Cutting, Conditioning and Raking For Faster Hay Drying".

"Every time you rake hay there is some leaf loss, so rake strategically. The drier the hay is at raking, the greater the leaf loss. If possible, raking alfalfa at moistures between 30 and 40 per cent is often a good compromise between low leaf loss and good drying. Leaf loss can be extremely high if raking at 20 per cent moisture, Hay that is almost dry is less likely to shatter when raked in the early morning when the dew is still on.

"Some rake designs are more aggressive and do a better job of fluffing but are also more prone to leaf loss, particularly at lower moistures. Uniform, consistent raking without bunching is required to avoid wet bales.

"If a partially dried hay field does receive a heavy rain, tedders or rotary rakes can break up a windrow that has clumped and matted into the stubble. Moving a windrow onto a drier surface, or fluffing onto stuble can speed drying. Tedders are better suited to grasses than alfalfa. Avoid using a tedder on alfalfa at moistures less than 50 per cent. Avoid driving with tractor tires on the swatch and causing leaf loss."

New rakes on the market

If you're looking to buy a rake to deal with damp swaths, there are quite a few choices out there; and a couple more have recently been added to the mix. Two manufacturers have just expanded their offerings with some new models.

AGCO announced they're introducing the RK Series Massey Ferguson models. There are three of them in the line.

• Model RK3824 - Single basket, 13.5 ft, right delivery;
• Model RK3855 - Twin basket, 27.5 ft with either right side delivery or two single windrows, and
• Model RK3879 - Twin basket, 26.6 ft, centre delivery

 

AGCO claims these rakes are designed to gently sweep material across their width rather than roll it like most older designs do. This will go a long way toward minimizing leaf loss.

Farm King is another manufacturer to recently add to their product line. Their Easy Rake Series now offers 10, 12 and 14-wheel models, while the Easy Rake Superstar Line has two giant versions with 18 or 20 wheels.

 

These rakes use a fully independent suspension on each raking wheel and an adjustable chain that prevents gouging in uneven field conditions, which reduces the amount of unwanted debris in the windrow.

 

 

Good luck baling. Which reminds me; I need to go get a big hammer! My baler is refusing to cooperate.

Scott

 

 

 

 

 

Hello, and welcome to the first instalment of my blog. As machinery editor for Grainews, it's my job to keep tabs on what's new and exciting in the farm machinery marketplace. And there is a lot.

This year's Western Canada Farm Progress Show (WCFPS) in Regina was proof of that. The event, which hasn't always seen manufacturers presenting much in the way of new features at their displays, had a lot to offer this year. Even the show, itself, presented a more focused approach on highlighting new technology. With the help of DLG, the German agricultural society that presents the pace-setting Agritechnica machinery show in Hannover, WCFPS organizers ramped up their efforts and worked more closely with exhibitors to draw attention to new innovations.

 

 

Arguably, shows like the WCFPS are increasing in importance for producers, who rarely get a chance to actually see new machinery in person. For the most part, buying new farm equipment off the lot has become a thing of the past. The high cost of big-ticket machines has many dealers keeping only the smallest possible inventories. So buying new is a little like ordering from the Sears catalogue. Except if you don't like what you get, you can't return it. Having a chance to evaluate competing models from different manufacturers on the same day, at the same place is something potential buyers shouldn't overlook.

The Regina show had a wide range of new products that spanned most equipment types, but seeding innovations seemed to dominate. And that isn't surprising. New agronomic practises that offer producers a chance to improve their bottom line all centre on getting the right amount of seed into the ground in the right place and at the proper depth. And, of course, doing it in record time.

All the familiar brand names had something new to show the public, that included everything from high-capacity conveyors that speed up seed cart refill times to new opener designs. And there were a few new faces showing their take on how to place seed efficiently, hoping to grab a share of the air drill market in western Canada.

For a closer look at exactly what was on offer, check out the July/August print issue of Grainews, or read it online at www.agcanada.com. There will be more coverage of new products introduced at the show in future editions, so keep an eye out for further articles.

And be sure to come back to this blog for an on-going discussion of new equipment trends. There is a lot going on in the industry and I'll have a lot of first-looks to share with you over the next few months. I've been travelling to events held by the major manufacturers to see what they have in store for their 2011 equipment line ups. There is some shiny new sheet metal about to land on dealers' lots. Aside from showing it to you, we at Grainews have a behind-the-scenes look at how engineers came up with their designs. You won't want to miss it.

Thanks for visiting my blog, and I hope you come back.

Scott

You can delete it later