Feed pad with rubber matting hailed as game changer
For Otago farmers Michelle and Rogan Borrie, a newly constructed feed pad on one of their three farms has been a game changer.
With a 4.2 metre working width, when paired with a 3m frontmounted unit, the duo can cover 7m working width, without the complexities or weight of a rear mounted “butterfly” set up.
Taking many of the elements of its smaller siblings, including the Maxi-Cut mower bed, Active Float suspension and a hydraulic, nonstop collision protection system, the design also features a central pivot point above the machine’s centre of gravity using a coil spring and vibration dampers.
A pair of pivot arms at right angles to the direction of travel give excellent ground adaptation qualities, while oil displaced by the collisionprevention system moves to the suspension ram to create lift when an obstacle is encountered.
The system also reduces load on the front axle by 50%, makes it easier to get into paddocks and removes the issue of “tail swing” seen on large mowers that fold rearwards behind the tractor.
To overcome the issue of a 4m wide swath, favourable in dry conditions but less so in the wet, the mower can be specified with a double swath laying configuration that works by placing extra swath drums on the fourth and fifth discs, resulting in one narrow and one wider swath. The format should prove useful when operating on wet ground as it avoids the crop being driven over and presents a greater surface area for drying compared to one single swath.
