By grafting an auger system to the back of its 9.1m plain disc butterfly mowers, Claas has created a simpler, lower-cost grouping option.

While belt systems require a conditioner to transfer the crop from the cutterbar, augers fitted on the new Disco 9300 Direct Swather get round this by grabbing the material as soon as it is scythed.

See also: Driver’s view: Thompson Brothers’ Claas Disco 8500C Contour

To avoid overloading, the flights have a conical profile that accommodates the growing volume of crop as it makes its way to the centre.

The so-called “pockets” integrated into the covers provide additional space for efficiently moving the material.

Shear bars and knives have also been fitted at the outlets to prevent crop building up and clogging the system.

Independent raising and lowering of each auger provide operators with a series of swathing options.

These include creating a large central row, swathing just one side to clear field margins, consolidating an 18m mowing area into a 12m bout, or lifting the augers out of work entirely for full width laying of the crop.

All of these motions can be controlled via isobus, as can the settings of the “active float” hydraulic suspension system.

The absence of a conditioner means these mowers can be run with tractors from 180hp.

Claas has also recently added a Disco 9300 C Auto Swather model to its line-up of swathing mower conditioners.

This too covers 9.1m, but is fitted with a steel tine conditioner and belt mergers.