JF-Stoll has a new trailed forager on offer for farmers that adopt do-it-yourself approach to silage production.

Due to appear on the market in 2008, FCT 955 replaces the ever-popular FCT 900 which is found on farms all across the UK. Since 1984 sales of that particular model have topped 3000.

Given its popularity, the Danish firm has revised and upgraded its smallest model to cater for the ongoing trend of higher horsepower tractors.

The driveline is borrowed from larger FCT 1050 ‘contractor’ machines and can handle pto input power of up to 140hp.

The driveline comes from the larger FCT 1050 contractor machines.

For most tractors 140hp at the pto shaft equates to a rated engine power of about 160-170hp.

The feed-rollers and pick-up are now protected by a slip-clutch, avoiding the need for numerous shear-bolts. In addition, the beefier reverse drive mechanism can handle the big lumps of grass produced by large mowers and rakes – a criticism levelled at previous machines.

The chopper unit remains much the same as before and JF-Stoll is keen to point out that those producers who require a longer chop length can do so by removing half the blades. This is claimed to have no detrimental effect on performance. 

Price for the 2008 FCT 955 with 1.8m pick-up will be approximately £21,000.

* Importer WestMac reports a marked resurgence in interest for trailed foragers this season. The market for such machines is served by just three manufacturers – Mengele, Pottinger and JF-Stoll – and totals less than 100 units per year.

However, interest is on the up because livestock producers feeding mixed rations are increasingly keen to secure the quality of their forage by making silage themselves. In addition, the rising costs of disposing of netwrap and film have made round-bale silage a less attractive option.