Menu

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

FORAGE WAGONS

Tips and advice for buying a used forage wagon

Forage wagons have come on a long way in the past couple of decades and now offer an affordable way for small farms to keep the job of grass cutting…

DIET FEEDERS

Guide to buying used paddle-type feeder wagons

Following last week’s look at second-hand tub-based feeder wagons, this time around we’re focusing on the perks and pitfalls of used paddle-type machines Keenan has been a dominating force on…

DIET FEEDERS

Tips for buying a second-hand tub feeder wagon

Livestock farmers might be notorious for their aversion to machinery maintenance, but that’s no reason to completely disregard the chance to snap up an older feeder wagon on the cheap.…

MOWERS

Front mowers on test – is pushed or pulled best?

If you are shopping for a new front mower, aside from the brand, there’s one big decision to make – whether you want a push or a pull front suspension…

See all

Case studies

RAKES

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…

BALERS AND WRAPPERS

Farmer builds ingenious twin-chamber double square baler

Keen to increase the pedestrian pace of small-bale hay production, Virginia farmer Rusty Inskeep designed and built a baling system that almost tripled the farm’s output. The slick setup allows…

FORAGERS

AD firm urges contractors to charge higher, sustainable rates

AD plant management firm Future Biogas has taken the unusual step of encouraging the contractors it employs to charge sustainable rates in order to build a long-lasting and performance-focused relationship.…

MACHINERY

Dorset farmer opts for old-school auto-feeding silage tower

It’s not unusual to see ranks of tower silos standing across the rural North American skyline, but the sight of one in Dorset is far more rare. Tower silos started…

See all

Insights

FORAGERS

Stalkbuster hacks down maize stubbles while harvesting

Header maker Kemper has developed a chopping system that fits beneath a regular maize header to cut stubbles tight to the ground. The Stalkbuster is designed to obliterate the habitat…

MACHINERY

Non-stop round balers: a glimpse of the future?

Many manufacturers have had a stab at producing a credible non-stop round baler, but as yet none have managed to do so with any real commercial success. The combination of…

How hedgecutter maker Bomford Turner became a UK success story

The Bomford company’s pioneering approach to power farming dates back 150 years or more to the early days of steam cultivation when Benjamin Bomford bought a set of cable ploughing…

See all

News

MACHINERY

Agritechnica 2019: Hornung trailer eases bale loading

A little-known German company has developed a self-strapping trailer to save the rigmarole of tightening dozens of straps separately and then neatly winding them back up again once unloaded. See…

GRASSLAND AND MAIZE EQUIPMENT

Agritechnica 2019: Ploeger self-propelled merger

Mergers are becoming a popular way of reducing contamination while grouping swathes of grass, but Dutch firm Ploeger has taken taken things to the extreme by building a self-propelled model…

FORAGERS

John Deere updates flagship foragers for 2020

John Deere has given its 8000 and 9000 series foragers some fresh updates for the 2020 season. Among the new features is active header control with active lateral tilt float,…

BALERS AND WRAPPERS

John Deere debuts higher output square baler range

John Deere has launched three new large square balers to replace its previous L1500 range for the 2020 season. The three new models are the L624 (70cm x 120cm), L633…

See all

Test and reviews

FORAGERS

New Holland improves engine of flagship FR920 forager

The launch of New Holland’s range-leading FR920 forager in 2017 flung the company into a battle at the top of the chopper market, but it has so far resisted the…

MOWERS

Early 2000s Krone Big M mower still going strong

When faced with 2,500ha of grass to cut a season, many contractors would invest in set of shiny new kit covered by the welcome reassurance of a manufacturer’s warranty.  But…

FORAGERS

Forager makers aim to raise milk yields with long-chop maize

There has been plenty of chat in the industry of late about the benefits of long-chop maize on cow health, milk yield and quality. The theory is the bulkier forage…

LIVESTOCK

Buyer's guide to brushcutters

When it comes to keeping farm fence lines clear of overgrowth, there is no substitute for brushcutters. These machines are so good that it’s hard to find a bad one.…

See all

Video

RAKES

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…

Video: The best bits from Scotgrass 2019

Scotgrass 2019 took place at the Crichton Royal Trust in Dumfries last Wednesday (15 May) under some scorching mid-May sunshine. The triennial event was well attended despite there being plenty…

MOWERS

Video: US farmer smashes eight-hour world mowing record

A Colorado-based farmer has smashed the world record for grass cut in an eight-hour period. Tate Mesbergen from Mesbergen Farms, Greely, Colorado, set about the challenge on 1 July and…

Video: Best kit from Grassland & Muck 2017

This year’s Grassland and Muck event was the place to see all the latest and greatest kit in the world of forage production in one place. A thick grass crop…

See all