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The world record maize harvest in action.
A US family-owned farming operation has set not one, but two new Guinness World Records by harvesting 1111 tonnes of maize in eight hours and then 1620 tonnes in 12 hours.
They used a Claas Lexion 760 Terra Trac combine harvester equipped with a 16-row corn front.
In doing so, the team at Stewart Farms Partnership, Yorkville, Illinois, easily cruised past the 1300 tonne, 10-hour record they set eight years ago.
The feat represents a throughput of almost 135 tonnes per hour or one truckload every 12 minutes.
Harvesting commenced at 9am in less-than-ideal conditions, with 12mm of rain having fallen the previous day. The grain bin was emptied at precisely eight, 10 and 12 hours after the work started.
The 1379 tonnes recorded at the 10-hour mark represents a 6% improvement on the 2010 record, which was attributed to ongoing improvements to the Lexion.
Compared to its 2010 counterpart, today’s Lexion 760 has much higher power, a more efficient cooling system, a larger grain tank and several operator assistance systems.
The recently released Claas Jaguar 1000 Series has seen its flagship 1200 set a new official Guiness World Record in forage harvesting, harvesting 4096 tonnes of whole crop silage in 12 hours, alongside an efficiency record of just 0.49 litres of fuel consumption per tonne of silage harvested.
Innovation awards at international agricultural events are always on the wishlist of manufacturers.
Claas has announced the arrival of its new Jaguar 1000 series forage harvesters, taking power delivery beyond 1100hp, aimed at achieving 20% more throughput, better chop quality, greater efficiency and more operator comfort.
With the biennial Agritechnica Event just a few months away, manufacturers are offering sneak peaks at new innovations, with Claas recently highlighting its new Cerex 700 RC round baler.
Well known for its dominance in the harvesting arena, Claas has channelled its engineering excellence and a deep knowledge of the ag industry with the Fieldays release of the 2025 facelift Claas Arion 600C Evolution and Claas Night Edition Arion 660 tractors.
Three New Zealand agritech companies are set to join forces to help unlock the full potential of technology.
As the sector heads into the traditional peak period for injuries and fatalities, farmers are being urged to "take a moment".
Federated Farmers says almost 2000 farmers have signed a petition launched this month to urge the Government to step in and provide certainty while the badly broken resource consent system is fixed.
Zespri’s counter-seasonal Zespri Global Supply (ZGS) programme is underway with approximately 33 million trays, or 118,800 tonnes, expected this year from orchards throughout France, Italy, Greece, Korea, and Japan.
Animal owners can help protect life-saving antibiotics from resistant bacteria by keeping their animals healthy, says the New Zealand Veterinary Association.
According to analysis by the Meat Industry Association (MIA), New Zealand red meat exports reached $827 million in October, a 27% increase on the same period last year.
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