Lely'sannual field day event in Hanover last week showcased new
mowers, a new variable chamber baler and first sight of the
company's newly acquired forage machinery, not to mention what is
claimed to be the world's largest tedder.
Lely recently acquired a minority holding in Mengele, which gave
it the marketing rights to the company's products. The deal
provides Lely with a welcome and planned entry into the forage
wagon market and also the trailed forage harvester scene. But UK
farmers and contractors will have to wait until 2011 for their
chance to buy them in Lely livery when the existing Mengele
contract with RECO ends.
On the mower front, newest additions include the Splendimo 460
P, at 4.6m, and the larger 5.4m 540 P. Both models are trailed
centre-pivot machines and use two Lely-built cutterbars (2.4m and
2.8m) in a Vermeer chassis. With no conditioner unit, the
individually pivoting cutter bars with their hydraulic floatation
systems are free to follow ground contours. Power requirement for
the 460 P is said to be only 90hp with outputs of up to 7.5ha/hour
(18.5 acres). Its one possible downfall is that the mower's wheels
run on the cut grass.
It's the widest tedder in the world,
claims Lely for its new 15m-wide Lotus 1500 model. Outputs of
20ha/hour are possible, says the company.
Lely also introduced a new design of its Splendimo MC and M
mowers, which centres on a new headstock that reduces the weight of
the mowers by more than 200kg and provides a non-stop break-away
system. If the mower meets an obstacle, the cutterbar moves
backwards and also lifts the machine to cut the weight on the
cutterbar so that it can pass over the obstacle.
For transport, the cutterbar folds over-centre to bring the
weight directly behind the middle of the tractor for a smoother
ride. Mower height can be reduced by folding down the cover.
The new design will be available next season for the Splendimo
280, 320 and the new 360M and, in mower conditioner MC range, as
the 240, the 280 and the new 320MC.
For those looking for a new tedder that eats acres, Lely's new
Lotus 1500 with its 15m working width could be useful. Reputed to
be the biggest in the world, output is rated at 20ha/hour (50
acres) and there is news of a 20m model making an appearance next
year.
Not just an extended smaller model, the 1500 has a new headstock
and a twin driveline linked to an overload protection system that
retains the synchronisation of the rotors.
Completing the new machinery line-up is the Lely Welger V160
variable chamber baler, which Lely describes as an entry level
model. Producing bales with diameters from 0.9-1.23m (35-48in), the
crop is fed into the chamber by a rotor system - there are no
knives available. The bale is formed using endless belts with no
connectors and a constant pressure system helps to ensure even
density throughout the bale.
Lely says it is aiming the V160 at smaller acreage farmers who
want an economically priced baler that can handle silage and
straw.