Claas rings up some big numbers
The Claas Group finished fiscal year 2023 with a substantial leap in sales that reflected the high demand for agricultural equipment.
Claas has unveiled its two-model Variant 400 series round balers, due for release in New Zealand and Australia in 2017.
Improvements to the intake, crop flow, wrapping and maintenance systems are said to make the machines more powerful, reliable and easier to use when harvesting all kinds of crops.
The Variant 485 produces 0.9-1.8m diameter bales, and the Variant 470 produces 0.9-1.55m bales, both in widths of 1.2m and optionally either Roto-Feed or Roto-Cut, non-chopping or chopping configurations.
A new star rotor structure turns through 360 degrees instead of the current 180 degrees. In the Roto-Cut version this equates to the 14 knives achieving 6000 cuts per minute, and ensures material is even across the width of the bale chamber, helping to create uniformly shaped bales – ideal when baling narrow, uneven swathes.
A dual roller crop press, already in use on Jaguar harvesters and Quadrant balers, is now also available for the pick-up, and can be adjusted for varying crops without the need for tools. It ensures a more uniform and faster crop flow, allowing higher operating speeds.
The Pro specification includes an extra-large (2.35m) pick-up width with hydro-pneumatic suspension, a moveable cutting floor which automatically drops if there is a risk of blockage, and oscillating castor guide wheels that fold and reduce transport width.
The 400 series has edge-to-edge net wrapping as standard and modifications to the intake chute where a plate assists net or twine into the chamber to promote instant start for the tying process. When net is being used, a new spiral roller ensures netting stretches from one corner of the bale to the other, and an optional wider 1.3m netting trough can also help lay netting over the edges of the bale, creating a rounded edge.
Further improvements include a reinforced front frame for low-wear belt guidance, a wide lubricating brush that coats all chains with oil, and a redesigned tailgate pivot which allows bale discharge in no more than six seconds.
Federated Farmers claims that the Otago Regional Council is charging ahead unnecessarily with piling more regulation on rural communities.
Dairy sheep and goat farmers are being told to reduce milk supply as processors face a slump in global demand for their products.
OPINION: We have good friends from way back who had lived in one of our major cities for many years.
Listed Canterbury milk processor Synlait’s shares have been placed in a trading halt.
OPINION: Even before the National-led coalition came into power, India was very much at the fore of its trade agenda.
A step-by-step guide helping farmers through the process of creating a Freshwater Farm Plan (FWFP) has been launched by FarmIQ.
OPINION: European farmers are going to extreme lengths to have their message heard.
OPINION: The hustle and bustle of one of Bangkok's most popular fast food outlets may feel a world away from…