Czech agricultural equipment manufacturer SMS is preparing to introduce a larger capacity version of its Porto bale transporter for producers looking to clear fields of silage or straw bales quicker and more efficiently.

As its product designation suggests, the Porto V18 will self-load and transport up to 18 round bales at a time, three more than the current V15 model.

See also: Buyer’s guide to bale trailers with hydraulic sides

Both work in the same way – a cradle arm, adjustable to suit different bale diameters, is lowered so that its two tines slide beneath the bale.

The bale is then lifted onto the lined open-frame body or, in the case of the third bale in each section, on to the preceding two bales.

Once three bales are in place, a hydraulically operated headboard pushes them towards the rear, leaving space for another trio.

At the storage area, the pusher extends to its greatest reach as the tractor and trailer move slowly forwards to form a neat two-tier, double-row line that can be left intact, reformed into a larger stack or loaded into a barn.