Grassland and forage equipment

As one of the worst kept secrets in the industry, John Deeres new 9000 Series self-propelled forage harvester range finally breaks cover.

The pressure is on as baling gets underway, but extra attention to set-up, baling and wrapping technique, and care of net and plastic can make all the difference to bale quality.

The purchase of a forage wagon has enabled Derbyshire farmer Glenn Mosley to take full control of the farms silage-making operation, bringing with it several claimed benefits.

As one of the UKs first customers of Vicons radical non-stop round baler, the FastBale, we find out from contractor D. Clifford and Sons if it was a gamble worth taking.

The trailed forage harvester has virtually been relegated into obscurity, yet for many livestock farmers, it still represents a solution to finding a manageable alternative to using a contractor with a high-output self-propelled machine.

One south Buckinghamshire-based contractor has opted for a pair of John Deere L1500-series big square balers to handle an extensive forage and straw baling operation.

Now in its final stages of evaluation, we take a close look at Pottingers Impress round baler.

Following updates to its range of six-string large square balers, we try out one of Claas latest Quadrant balers. James Rickard takes the new 5300 for a test drive.