Thursday, 01 October 2020 12:23

Good mower an essential tool

Written by  Mark Daniel
Kverneland 2828M mounted disc mower. Kverneland 2828M mounted disc mower.

Third-generation dairy farmers Hayden and Tania Edmeades run 500 dairy cows and associated young stock over 190ha near Putararu in the Waikato.

Like every dairy farm, a good mower is an essential tool, whether it’s for cutting winter feed or topping and tidying paddocks that have got away from the herd.

In the Edmeades case, the job falls to a Kverneland 2828M mounted disc mower, featuring seven discs that deliver a cutting width of 2.8 metres. With two seasons under its belt, Hayden says the stand-out feature is the mower’s contour following ability. 

“We have a lot of sloping ground on the farm, some it quite gnarly, but the mower follows the ground exceptionally well, with no scuffing or sward damage. Once set, I really don’t have to make any adjustments from there on,” he says.

Featuring a centre pivoting design that creates even weight distribution across the full width of the cutter-bar, the mower is carried at a fixed height by the tractor’s three-point linkage, while a hydraulic cylinder takes care of lifting and lowering into and out of work.

The design also incorporates an integral hydraulic suspension system that is easily adjusted to cope with changing ground conditions or working speeds. 

Handled easily by the farm’s 4-cylinder 110hp tractor, Hayden notes the mower “uses plenty of steel” in its construction, in this case a hefty 805kg.

The driveline sees power being transmitted directly to the first disc, removing the need for an inner shoe, which in turn means crossing already mown swaths is trouble-free, with no risk of bunching.

During operation, Hayden reports that the cutting quality is always good, with blades lasting well, but easily changed with the dedicated tool if required. 

The round discs mean that if any objects are encountered, they do not “pinch”, while peace of mind is also kept in check by the mechanical break-back system.

For transport, the mower folds vertically to around 125 degrees, meaning that the cutter-bar and top cover is pulled in behind the tractor’s rear fender, reducing the likelihood of getting “tangled” with gateposts or other road users.

More like this

Kuhn unveils 14.5m mower for high HP harvesters

With most forage harvester manufacturers offering machines touching 1000hp, the logistics puzzle has always been ‘dropping” grass and pulling into a swath big enough to feed the “beast”.

First KV Qualidisc 21000T harrow heads

Taking up a considerable portion of the Power Farming site at the recent South Island Agricultural Field Days near Christchurch, the Kverneland Qualidisc 21000T trailed compact disc harrow, the first sold in the southern hemisphere, has a working width of 12.25m.

Kverneland upgrades baler, sets wrapping record

The Kverneland Group has announced several upgrades to its round baler ranges for 2025, much of it centred around automation, as well as the ability to wrap bales with film rather than net.

Tedder designed for heavier crops

Recently launched and likely to be an indent-only machine for New Zealand, Kverneland’s new 15.6 metre tedder is aimed at increased productivity and timeliness.

Featured

Dr Mike Joy says sorry, escapes censure

Academic Dr Mike Joy and his employer, Victoria University of Wellington have apologised for his comments suggesting that dairy industry CEOs should be hanged for contributing towards nitrate poisoning of waterways.

People-first philosophy pays off

The team meeting at the Culverden Hotel was relaxed and open, despite being in the middle of calving when stress levels are at peak levels, especially in bitterly cold and wet conditions like today.

Farmer anger over Joy's social media post

A comment by outspoken academic Dr Mike Joy suggesting that dairy industry leaders should be hanged for nitrate contamination of drinking/groundwater has enraged farmers.

From Nelson to Dairy Research: Amy Toughey’s Journey

Driven by a lifelong passion for animals, Amy Toughey's journey from juggling three jobs with full-time study to working on cutting-edge dairy research trials shows what happens when hard work meets opportunity - and she's only just getting started.

National

Machinery & Products

JDLink Boost for NZ farms

Connectivity is widely recognised as one of the biggest challenges facing farmers, but it is now being overcome through the…

New generation Defender HD11

The all-new 2026 Can-Am Defender HD11 looks likely to raise the bar in the highly competitive side-by-side category.

» Latest Print Issues Online

Milking It

Buttery prize

OPINION: Westland Milk may have won the contract to supply butter to Costco NZ but Open Country Dairy is having…

Gene Bill rumours

OPINION: The Gene Technology Bill has divided the farming community with strong arguments on both the pros and cons of…

» Connect with Dairy News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter