Probably best known for its specialist “maize-under-plastic” drills, Irish firm Samco has developed a crimper-bagger it believes costs considerably less than other machines. While conventional baggers are commonly self-propelled units, this new machine is coupled to a tractor and driven via the pto.

Fitted with either a straight hopper or a Wakely crimper, the crop (which can be cereals, maize, silage or even chicken litter) is packed into a 2m or 3m plastic sausage by a hefty auger. Cleverly, to avoid having a support bearing and all the associated metalwork on the end of the auger that fills the bag, it is carried on rollers.

At the tractor end there are steering rams to keep the tractor on the straight and narrow, as well as a clever set-up that clamps up against the back tyres of the tractor to control the speed it trundles along. Price for the unit is £30,000, with a crimper adding a further £25,000.

For more go to our special LAMMA 2012 machinery page.