Robotic milking keeping cows happier, healthier
The De Leeuw family has been running their dairy farm in Kaitake, Taranaki, for over 20 years.
Lely says its new Hibiscus 1515 CD four rotor rake is designed for demanding operations, available in working widths of 11-14.8m and swath widths from 1.2-3.5m.
The rake has two main chassis beams in a V-shape and two rotors are suspended from each beam on a subframe that can be adjusted for the working width by altering the swath width and the overlap of the rotors.
The position of the rotors remains consistent due to the parallelogram construction that allows the wheels to self-steer. The rotors' suspension arms can be extended to increase the raking width.
Using the ISOBUS control system in the cab, the operator can vary the angle between the two main beams and/or extend and retract the suspension arms of the rotor to select the ideal set-up. This is simple to do: the operator only has to input or adjust the required swath width and working width and then on the go the rake's components move automatically to suit the control settings.
The Hibiscus 1515 CD also offers different configurations to suit several types of headland turns and the computer lifts and lowers the rotors individually at the right time. Wide positioning of the transport wheels gives good stability on hills and headlands: the wider it is, the more stable it is.
Ground contouring is excellent because the transport wheels are outside, between the rotors. The wide position of the 4-6 wheels per rotor combined with 3D ground contour following provide clean results.
It is fast and easy to move the rake into and out of transport mode and its transport width is just 2.99m.
Tel. 0800 535 969
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