Kuhn FC703RA mower

Although seen before in the UK with a lateral conveyor fitted, this Kuhn FC703RA reverse drive mower conditioner now spreads grass across the full width of the machine. It also features deflector plates to divert grass from the tractor’s wheels. Demand for the machine came from users wanting grass to be spread out instead of grouping the crop into one swath. The mower folds into a transport position of 2.4m wide and 4m high. A ball joint allows the two mower decks to fold into one another but also gives the machine the flexibility to move independently. The machine is priced at £40,862 and can cut 7ha/hour when powered by a 160hp reverse-drive tractor.

Case IH/JF Stoll Forager

JF Stoll’s new 1355 trailed forager is claimed to be bigger, beefier and hungrier than anything the company has ever produced. And to prove it the company hitched it up to a 535hp Case Quadtrac at Grassland. Usually recommended for tractors of about 250hp, the new forager is claimed to be capable of matching a medium-sized self-propelled outfit at 100acres/day (200t/hr). It has a hydraulic folding chute that will fill the largest silage trailers but can still negotiate low hanging trees. List price is £47,000.

Landini Powerlift

First working demo for Landini’s new hybrid telehandler-tractor. Seen working in reverse-drive mode with a 3m Fella SM310 mower-conditioner, the Powerlift has a swivelling driver’s seat and controls to allow it to work as a standard telehandler or run backwards where views of the implement are paramount. Power is provided by a 150hp Sisu engine and drive is hydrostatic. It will lift up to 2.9t and the three stage boom can reach up to 8.5m.

JCB 7000-series Fastrac

The new JCB Fastrac emerged for its UK debut at Grassland. Taking on much more of a conventional tractor appearance, the 7000-series can be fitted with up to 42in rear wheels and is said to be designed as more of a draftwork tractor than previous Fastracs. It’s fitted with a new full-width cabin which is set further back, doing away with the load-deck found on the company’s other high-speed tractors. Under the bonnet there’s a big Cummins six-pot pumping out between 173hp and 200hp depending on the model. On the gearbox front it has a new 24F x 9R semi-powershift transmission with a clutchless shuttle. Production is due to kick off next month and price for a mid-range 7200 is £92,305.

New Holland Balloon

No it’s not the latest mode of transport for New Holland mechanics Tethered on the company’s plot at Grassland, this yellow-liveried hot-air balloon was due to give visitors an aerial view of the showground but unfortunately the wind meant it never got off the ground. Expect to see it at various shows and events around the country throughout the year.

Fella Side-Rake

Twin-rotor rakes that fling grass out to one side are popular on the continent but rarely make it over the channel. Reco is determined to change that, arguing that its new Fella TS2000 is more versatile than a standard two or four rotor rake because operators can choose between bringing between three and seven 3m (10ft) mower-swaths into one just by doubling back on their last bout. The 9m rig weighs in at £27,000.

Tonutti V-rake

Acrobat-style finger-wheel rakes aren’t usually associated with high output forage operations but Tonutti’s Millenium V20 might challenge that. Its 11.8m (39ft) wing-span and ability to work at speeds of up to 24kph (15mph), give it the potential to cover two to three times the area of any other rake in the UK according to importer Sunshine Agriculture. Price for the V20 with hydraulic rear-wheel steer is £19,872.

Elho Bale Wrapper

This Finnish Elho Sideliner 1620 wrapper was working on importer Opico’s demo plot. Key features are a progressive hydraulic system that ensures an even film stretch and twin satellite-arms linked directly to the table rollers to make sure they always run in sync. Also, when the film-break monitors sense a roll has run out they trigger the opposite arm to apply a double layer to compensate until the operator gets the chance for a refill.

K-Two Airovator

The benefits of grassland slitters are well-publicised – oxygenation increases nutrient uptake, allieviates compaction and boosts root development. But in a dry year it can be difficult to get the tines into the ground. To that end K-Two has developed a version of its Airovator with a 1100-litre water tank. As well as increasing the overall weight, it allows the company to fit closer spaced tines to increase the unit’s efficacy. Price for a 3m version is £4350.

Jeantil Trailers

Reco has added French-made Jeantil trailers to its line-up. Fitted with aluminium greedy-boards, this 16t version was working with Landini’s new Powerlift telehandler hybrid on the Reco plot at Grassland. It’s ‘half-pipe’ body is claimed to be more rigid than a standard shape and means material doesn’t get hung-up when tipping. Standard spec includes 10-stud commercial axles with truck-type brakes, a sprung drawbar and a special overturn avoidance system to lock out the suspension when the trailer tips. A full range from 8-24t is available with prices ranging from £23,000-£32,000.

Strautmann Forage-Wagon

The Strautmann Giga Vitesse I Duo has been specifically developed for the UK and Irish markets because of our narrow roads and heavy grass crops. To help with manoeuvrability it is shorter than standard machines and has a steering rear axle. Its chopper unit uses a larger than normal rotor to ensure steady crop flow. A flip-down headboard means it can be employed as a regular trailer alongside a forager in maize. List price is £51,500 for an ISOBUS-controlled wagon with 600mm wide tyres.