Fendt’s Katana 65 self-propelled forage harvester, which arrived in the UK in 2013, gained a big brother at Grassland UK in the form of the Katana 85.

The main change is the significant jump in power output from 650hp on the Katana 65 to 850hp on the bigger version.

It is largely aimed at farmers with anaerobic digesters, who seem to need every ounce of power they can get their hands on.

See also: Fendt forager finally gets UK launch

This has prompted a change of engine from the 16.8-litre V8 Mercedes used on the Katana 65 to an 850hp unit with a 21-litre V12 from MTU.

The new model gets a chunkier chassis to accommodate the bigger engine and a fuel tank that holds either 1,250 litres of diesel plus 200 litres of AdBlue or 1,400 litres of diesel only.  

The Katana 85 can be fitted with either 28 or 40 knives, the latter usually the weapon of choice for those cutting maize for AD.

Four-wheel drive is standard and the eco mode potentially cuts fuel use if the crop is a bit lighter.