New Holland has continued the launch of its Self Propelled Forage Harvester line that started last year. The five model line-up ranges from 480 horsepower all the way up to 825 horsepower according to New Holland’s Doug Otto, with whom I spoke with during the 2016 Farm Progress Show in Boone, Iowa this week.
One of the greatest features of the SP Forage Harvest says Otto is length of cut. This issue is one of the most critical for a cow’s feed ration. “So depending on the local dairy nutritionist and their theories about the balance of ration with that particular herd, he will request various lengths of cuts,” says Otto. The machine allows you to adjust on the go. “With New Holland, in the monitor, you can set what length you want to cut, with only minor limits based on the machine but most units will go from a half inch all the way up to an inch and a quarter and then if you want longer or shorter you might have to make some mechanical changes.”
Other key features? The New Holland FR Forage Cruiser (aka Chopper) has the widest feed row and feed channel in the industry. The cutter head is 32 inches wide. With that Otts says a producer gets a really thin crop mat and when it goes past the cutter head it gets chopped very consistently. “So I liken that to a paper cutter. If you take a whole ream and try to cut it you get ragged edges but if you take 10 pages and cut it you get nice cuts. Well it’s the same with the Chopper, it’s a thin mat going across the knife blade so you get very consistent length of cut then in the bunk produces a better quality feed. If the lengths of cut are different, it doesn’t ferment as well so when it goes to the cow the protein quality isn’t as high.”
Another cool feature is the Variflow System, which allows you to take the kernel processor that is used to process corn in and out in a matter of three minutes. Otto says you can chop hay in the morning, take the head off, put the processor on and go chop corn in the afternoon even this late in the season. Ultimately, says Otto, it’s the best Chopper on the market to blow forage.
Learn more about New Hollands Self Propelled Forage Harvester by listening to my interview with Doug Otto: Interview with New Holland's Doug Otto on SP Forage Harvester
New Holland 2016 Farm Progress Photo Album
2016 Farm Progress Show Photos
