All articles about Grassland and maize equipment

From grass tedders to the most powerful forage harvesters; from forage wagons to big balers; from buckrakes to wheeled loading shovels; from bale wrappers to clamp covering materials, we cover every aspect of the forage harvesting and silage clamp filling process.

Advice and tips

BALERS AND WRAPPERS

Tips for buying a second-hand New Holland square baler

New Holland has a long history in the big square baler game, having launched its iconic D1000 four-stringer in 1987 and followed it up six years later with the equally…

FEED AND NUTRITION

How to avoid costly silage losses from damaged wrap

Birds are a major source of damage to baled silage, but tears can occur at the baling and gathering stages, too. If a hole is not patched, air will seep…

BALERS AND WRAPPERS

Ultimate guide to buying a big square baler 2021

New models promising further increases in bale weights, greater versatility and easier operation feature in this year’s Ultimate Guide to big square balers. The choice of models, features and specifications…

BALERS AND WRAPPERS

Ultimate guide to buying a round baler 2021

With Isobus electronics becoming increasingly popular for its common display format across different types of machines, this year’s Ultimate Guide to round balers highlights the machines on which this added-value…

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Case studies

WORKSHOP SKILLS

Dairy farmer converts bin lorry to dish out dairy rations

Having spent his formative years driving HGVs, Niall Turley doesn’t always turn to tractors for powering implements on his family’s dairy farm near Camlough, County Armagh. So much so that…

FORAGERS

Contractor keeps costs down with quartet of ageing Jaguars

Regularly forking out for new forage harvesters is one way of keeping reliability in check, but Neil Jones has found it far more cost effective to build strength in numbers.…

GRASSLAND AND MAIZE EQUIPMENT

Dutch dairy installs powered silage clamp cover rollers

There can’t be many jobs in farming more dreaded than sheeting and unsheeting silage clamps, with mere mention of the task sending friends and family scuttling off to other “more…

MACHINERY

Borders contractor geared up to bag over 9,000t forage/day

There used to be plenty of contractors offering a forage-bagging service, but the dedication required to run these machines efficiently means just three players remain. One of those is Hawick-based…

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Community

WORKSHOP SKILLS

Inventions Comp 2024: Niall Turley's self-propelled feeder

Niall, Brendan and Brian Turley’s bin lorry feeder wagon was crowned runner-up in the complex category of Farmers Weekly annual Inventions Competition. Rather than buy an expensive tractor to run…

WORKSHOP SKILLS

FW Inventions Comp 2022: Ollie Mackintosh's inter-row drill

Ollie Mackintosh’s inter-row seeder has been awarded highly commended in our Inventions Competition. Having built a successful 6m inter-row seeder for sowing grass under maize (featured in the 2016 Farm…

WORKSHOP SKILLS

Inventions Comp 2021: Mowers, rolls and harrows for grassland

Entries into grassland category of this year’s Inventions Competition centre on ways to improve the efficiency of resowing, rolling and ridding fields of weeds. Scroll down to see some of…

WORKSHOP SKILLS

Inventions Comp 2021: Feeding and bedding tools

Feeding and bedding livestock can be a time-consuming job, but the entries into this year’s Inventions Competition show there are plenty of ways to speed the process up. See also: Tips…

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Insights

BALERS AND WRAPPERS

Ultimate guide to buying a big square baler 2025

Having forged a partnership with Kuhn for a range of big square balers launched in Britain in 2013, John Deere has now quietly withdrawn from this market sector to concentrate…

BALERS AND WRAPPERS

Ultimate guide to buying a round baler 2025

Tougher build and technology updates for faster and easier working are among the features of the latest round balers and baler-wrappers featured in our 2025 Ultimate Guide. We look in…

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News

RAKES AND MERGERS

Pottinger adds Isobus automation to simple Top VT grass rake

Isobus automation and other handy electronic control features are now available on Pottinger’s otherwise “simple spec” four-rotor grass rake. In standard form, the Top VT 12540 C offers 10-12.5m of…

FORAGERS

John Deere tops 1,000hp with flagship F9 forage harvester

John Deere has cranked the power output of its range-topping forage harvester to more than 1,000hp. Badged F9 1000, the newcomer takes over from where the 9900 left off, with…

BALERS AND WRAPPERS

Massey Ferguson unveils new twin-chamber conventional baler

There has been a flurry of new developments in the small baler world in recent months, the latest of which was Massey Ferguson's launch of a new twin-chamber conventional baler…

DIET FEEDERS

Lely ramps up capacity of automated Vector feeding system

Dairy producers switching to Lely’s Vector automated feeding system or using an existing installation can equip themselves with a comprehensively upgraded mixer-feeder to save time or serve more cattle. The…

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Test and reviews

BALERS AND WRAPPERS

Driver's view: Liam Rooney's Claas Quadrant 5300 Evolution

The 5300 Evolution occupies the top spot in Claas’s Quadrant line-up, with a hydraulic pre-chamber that helps create dense 120x90 bales. Two such machines are operated by Shropshire native Liam…

BALERS AND WRAPPERS

Driver's view: Will Reed's Krone Big Pack 1290 HDP Gen 5

Now in its fifth generation, the Big Pack 1290 HDP is Krone’s answer to high-density, six-string baling. It’s the frontline machine of choice for Suffolk straw merchant Will Reed of…

BALERS AND WRAPPERS

Driver's view: Blackwater Baling's NH BigBaler 1290 HD

New Holland’s battle for big baling supremacy is led by the 1290 HD, which is the tool of choice for Gavin and Liz Strathern’s Blackwater Baling outfit. Five of them…

BALERS AND WRAPPERS

Driver's view: Robert Redman's MF LB 2234 XD baler

Packing a heavier flywheel than its standard-spec sibling, Massey Ferguson’s LB 2234 XD is geared up for producing high-density bales. Two of these 120x90 six-stringers are the frontline machines for…

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Video

FORAGE WAGONS

Video: Lely revolutionises zero grazing with autonomous Exos

Dutch firm Lely has put the finishing touches to its self-propelled grass harvester and feeder, which is set to go on sale in the Netherlands next year. The battery powered…

WORKSHOP SKILLS

Winning Inventions Comp entry up for grabs in farm sale

After 53 years, several million small square bales and dozens of farm inventions, Cotswolds contractor and farm-scale engineer Frank Henderson is calling time on his career – and his bespoke…

WORKSHOP SKILLS

Video: Time-saving feeding and bedding kit inventions

Clever feeding and bedding kit is helping livestock farmers shave hours off their daily routine. We've picked out some of the best ones from the many entries to our 2020…

Video: Abimac front rake helps solve contractor’s labour short...

A North Yorkshire farmer is running an Italian-built front-mounted rake combined with a baler on the rear to make his rowing and baling operation a one-pass affair, curbing the reliance…

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