Tractor, harvester IT comes of age
Over the last halfdecade, digital technology has appeared to be the “must-have” for tractor and machinery companies, who believe that bringing IT to tractors and farming will offer its customers huge benefits.
KUHN Farm Machinery has introduced a new flagship FC 13460 RA trailed mower conditioner, in the shape of the FC 13460RA, aimed at users requiring increased capacity and efficiency from a wider trailed machine.
Featuring a 12.4-13.4m cutting width, operators are said to benefit from reduced fuel consumption and lower soil compaction due to a wider pass, while also accessing well-known features such as Lift- Control and the Optidisc-Elite cutter bar.
KUHN’s grassland product specialists note that the FC 13460 RA offers significantly higher output from a single machine, with a 25 to 30% wider cut on each pass than compared to a mounted triple- mower combination, resulting in savings in fuel, labour and time.
The Mo-Co uses KUHN’s proven cutter bar, featuring the Fast-Fit quick knife system to reduce downtime. The mower features 12 discs on each unit, said to deliver improved crop flow and an increased knife overlap, while a greater distance between the discs allows improved crop flow to the rear of the mower and away from the cutting area. Disc skid linings and TRIPLE 5 knives are standard.
Central to the design is an innovative frame that offers constant ground pressure control through the Lift-Control suspension, with the weight of the mower spread between the tractor’s drawbar and the mower’s axle and flotation tyres helping to further protect the soil.
The manufacturer says, “Lift- Control allows users to change bed pressures to suit the conditions, helping to protect swards and prevent damage to the mowers, especially in wetter conditions.”
When fitted with the belt grouper, the FC 13460 RA can produce a swath between 1.8m and 3m wide and group a 13m cut into one row, helping to increase the output of the following operations.
It is ISOBUS compatible and available with a CCI 800 or 1200 screen. Users can also take the option of the CCI A3 joystick to group up to 30 functions onto a single control.
Independent section control of the mowers is only an option through the CCI screens. This feature lifts the mowers automatically to avoid double cutting crop at the end of a run, helping to maintain forage quality and reduce operator fatigue.
Expect units on farm during quarter two of 2024.
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