Third-generation agricultural contracting family, the Duggans, have been carrying out silage harvesting on hire since the 1960s. Based just outside Dunmanway in Co Cork, the contracting business started off in 1933 when Jeremiah Duggan, the current generation’s grandfather, began thrashing for hire.
The second generation was a team of five brothers who took over the contracting in 1958, and the grew the business over the years.
In 2003, Jeremiah suddenly passed away. This left the sizeable contracting business to be operated by his sons, Jeremy, John and Denis, who were all in their early to mid-twenties at the time.
The family stood up to the challenge and continued to steadily grow the business ever since.
The Krone EasyFlow header uses a camless pickup system.
Denis explained that their mother, Hannah, was a key driving force behind the business, and still is to this day.
Today, the family offers practically all agricultural contracting services to a wide client base within a 40km radius.
History with foragers
Starting off with several Gallignani trailed harvesters, the Duggan family were one of the first contractors in Munster to buy a new self-propelled forager which came in 1972. It was a Dania D5000, and cost £10,000.
Their first new John Deere harvester came in 1982. It was a 5820, which was followed by a 5830, 6810, 6850, 7400, 7450 and, finally, a new 7580 in 2014.
ll John Deere harvesters were bought new. Where possible, a new machine was purchased every four years, but sometimes machines were kept for up to eight years.
Krone's machines are fitted with six intake rollers instead of four, which are used by competitors such as Claas, John Deere and New Holland.
In 2019, Denis Duggan explained that Jim Power Agri Sales brought out a demonstration Krone 630 forager.
A through and through John Deere fanatic, Denis noted that he couldn’t get over the step-up from the JD 7580 to the Krone 630. The demonstration left a lasting impression, and when it came to upgrading the following year, it was between John Deere and Krone.
The spring-mounted independent wheel suspension system allows for a large turning radius.
“Up to that point, all we have had in our lifetime was John Deere harvesters, and we knew no better. When it came to changing, we priced John Deere and Krone spec for spec, and the Krone came in that bit cheaper.
“I can’t exactly say why we made the move to Krone; it wasn’t all about price, we just felt the Krone was more capable. It had a lot of serious features that we liked such as the intake and the comfort. We spoke to three or four contractors running them and the feedback was good, so we decided to take the plunge. Sometimes, a change is good in life,” said Denis. 
"In big fields and big yards, we have put 150-170 acres through it in long days". \ David Pat - Tractor Run Cork
First Krone
“We took delivery of our first Krone forager in 2020. We knew nothing about the brand as such and we did have some teething issues, and some electrical trouble. When the harvester was going well, it was a phenomenal machine.
“In 2022, an opportunity arose to upgrade the machine for a new 630 again, at a good deal. We decided to make the move, and we were delighted we did so. One or two faults we had with the first machine, mainly to do with the arrangement of the pickup tines was addressed, and made a massive difference to the machine,” said Denis.
Header
The EasyFlow header uses a camless pickup system. Krone claims the camless pickup has 58% fewer moving parts compared to a conventional pickup.
The Big X foragers share the same cab as the Big M self-propelled mower.
The pickup reel comes with six rows of tines arranged in a W-format. The reasoning behind this is to provide a consistent crop flow and to catch the little bits of grass that can escape the ends of the header on the headlands.
It’s equipped with a large, 600mm diameter auger.
The Big X comes with some nice features. For example, when the machine reverses, the auger and the crop roller are automatically raised to allow for easy access to the intake system so objects detected by the metal detector can be removed. When resuming work, they automatically return to their working position.
“The intake system on the Krone harvester is unbelievable. It has swallowed up any lump we have ever put its way". \ David Pat - Tractor Run Cork
The infinite height setting and adjustable spring relief allow the crop press roller to roll smoothly, adapting to the varying swath widths. The SynchroSpeed feature allows the header rpm to be adjusted automatically to the forward speed. It can also be manually altered from the cab.
The Duggans 630 is powered by a 15.6l MTU six-cylinder engine with a maximum output of 653hp. \ David Pat - Tractor Run Cork
The EasyFlow header sits on a pendulum frame. This makes for easy attachment and removal and allows the header to follow the contours of the ground.
The header is supported by two height-adjustable guide wheels and one rear cam follower roller underneath the header.
The Big X foragers are driven hydrostatically using Bosch-Rexroth wheel motors. \ David Pat - Tractor Run Cork
“The new pickup is a big improvement on the previous machine. Our first Krone harvester broke 150 to 160 tines in the first two seasons. We have two seasons through our current machine and it has only broken four tines,” said Denis.
Intake system
In terms of the Big X intake design, Krone is unique as its machines are fitted with six intake rollers instead of four, which are used by competitors such as Claas, John Deere and New Holland.
With six pre-compression rollers, it means there’s 820mm between the front roller and rear roller. Krone claims that this distance is required to ensure that if any metal is detected, the slip clutch will initiate before the metal hits the drum.
The hydraulic drive of the intake system means that operators can choose between setting the cutting length manually or automatically. If the engine speed falls below 1,200rpm with an increasing load, the intake and header are stopped automatically, while the chopping drum is running. This is to prevent any blockages due to slow rotational speeds.
The four smaller narrow body foragers (Big X 480-630) have a crop flow channel of 630mm, while the larger wider body models (680-1180) have a crop flow channel of 800mm.
Krone is unique as its machines are fitted with six intake rollers instead of four, which are used by competitors such as Claas, John Deere and New Holland.
Credit: David Pat - Tractor Run Cork
“The intake system on the Krone harvester is unbelievable. It will swallow up any lump we have ever put its way. In fact, sometimes I wonder is the intake even too good, and does it put pressure on shafts and other componentry back along the line? The intake capacity of the machine was one of the main reasons that swung us over to buy a Krone harvester,” said Denis.
Drum
When Krone initially began building foragers, the company’s design brief was a high horsepower machine capable of producing a short chop length for the biogas industry, predominantly in Germany. Krone offers four drums with variations from 20 up to 40 knives. The Duggans’ machine is fitted with a 20-knife drum.
The Big X is equipped with Krone’s VariStream system.
This is essentially a spring-loaded bottom to the drum and a spring-loaded accelerator backplate.
It is designed to avoid any blockages and keep the flow of material through the drum constant. The floor underneath the chopping drum is linked to the anvil of the shear bar, meaning it is adjusted automatically when the shear bar is adjusted to the blades, maintaining a consistent gap.
The Duggans machine is fitted with a 20-knife drum. \ David Pat - Tractor Run Cork
“The one downfall that I believe the Krone harvester has is the blow. It’s not an issue in heavy swarths, it’s the light swarths, where you would be worried about potentially blocking it. The VariStream system is a good help, and I do use it in those lighter dry swarths,” said Denis.
Engine and driveline
The narrow-body foragers (models 480-630) are powered by MTU (Rolls-Royce) engines, while the wider body foragers (models 680-1180) are powered by Liebherr engines.
All engines have a 1,000-hour service interval. The entry-level model has a power output of 490hp, with the range going up to a significant 1,156hp 1180, the highest horsepower forager in the world. The Duggans’ 630 is powered by a 15.6l MTU six-cylinder engine with a maximum output of 653hp.
Krone’s power-split engine management system allows users to select between an Eco or X-Power option, depending on the crop at hand to help reduce fuel usage. The transversely mounted engine allows all components for crop flow to be driven through belt coupling.
“The 630 has loads of power. We run a 30ft Krone rake in front of it, which it handles very well. I’ve yet to see the machine struggle for power.
The Duggan family run a fleet of John Deere tractors. \ David Pat - Tractor Run Cork
“One point I will make is that I am impressed with the fuel efficiency of the machine,” noted Denis.
Running gear
Big X foragers are driven hydrostatically using Bosch-Rexroth wheel motors. This drive concept frees up space to fit a larger-diameter chopping drum in the machines and offers additional ground clearance.
The foragers come as standard with front-wheel drive, with four-wheel drive an optional extra. The wheel motors have an infinitely variable speed range of up to 40km/h. The spring-mounted independent wheel suspension system allows for a large turning radius.
“We are really impressed with the turning circle of the Krone. We gather 30ft swarths, and you would easily turn from one 30ft row right around into the next 30ft swarth. The independent rear axle offers serious comfort on the road and in the field,” said Denis.
Cab
The Big X range of foragers share the same cab as the Big M self-propelled mower. This cab is wider and quieter than the previous cab, with additional glassware adding more visibility.
It has been fitted with a double floor to reduce noise levels. It’s fitted with 16 headlights, with LED lights as an option.
The cab encompasses a 10in operating terminal and a multi-function joystick with more than 20 functions programmed to it, including driving speed, direction of travel and header and chute controls.
“The view in the cab is excellent. The curved windscreen is a big help with this. Coming from running John Deere harvesters, it did take some time to get used to the controls. They were almost set up in the opposite way as the John Deere machines were. Now that we’re used to it, we’re really happy with the setup,” said Denis.
The Duggans 630 is powered by a 15.6l MTU six-cylinder engine with a maximum output of 653hp.
“We are very happy with our 2022 Big X 630. The first Krone machine we bought in 2020 did give some electrical and header trouble to be fair, but our recent machine hasn’t missed a beat. It has wagons of power and serious throughput capacity.
“In big fields and big yards, we have put 150 to 170 acres through it in long days. However, our limiting factor with throughput is the size of the yards and the silage pits that we work in. I think the Krone has to be the most comfortable harvester out there.
“The only thing I would like to change is the blower. In heavy swarths, it isn’t a problem, but it’s in lighter swarths it can give issues.
“The harvester is on all premium wear line parts, and there’s still a few years work left in them. We do all the servicing and maintenance works ourselves. We recently finished getting the machine ready for the coming season, and it has cost us €5,000 plus VAT in parts.
“As a rule of thumb, we like to upgrade our harvester after every four seasons.
“The longest we’ve ever kept a harvester is eight seasons. With the continued help of our loyal customers and staff, we hope to change our current harvester after another two seasons,” concluded Denis.
Likes
Intake capacity. Comfort. Fuel efficiency. Manoeuvrability. Dislikes
The blower can struggle in lighter swarths of grass. Model: Big X 630. Engine: 15.6l MTU six-cylinder 653hp. Transmission: hydrostatically using wheel motors. Max road speed: 40km/h. Diesel tank: 1,220 litres. Chopping cylinder: 20 blades – 5mm to 31mm chop length. Feed rollers: six. Engine service interval: 1,000 hours. Weight: 14,100kg (without header). List price: €480,000 plus VAT.
Third-generation agricultural contracting family, the Duggans, have been carrying out silage harvesting on hire since the 1960s. Based just outside Dunmanway in Co Cork, the contracting business started off in 1933 when Jeremiah Duggan, the current generation’s grandfather, began thrashing for hire.
The second generation was a team of five brothers who took over the contracting in 1958, and the grew the business over the years.
In 2003, Jeremiah suddenly passed away. This left the sizeable contracting business to be operated by his sons, Jeremy, John and Denis, who were all in their early to mid-twenties at the time.
The family stood up to the challenge and continued to steadily grow the business ever since.
The Krone EasyFlow header uses a camless pickup system.
Denis explained that their mother, Hannah, was a key driving force behind the business, and still is to this day.
Today, the family offers practically all agricultural contracting services to a wide client base within a 40km radius.
History with foragers
Starting off with several Gallignani trailed harvesters, the Duggan family were one of the first contractors in Munster to buy a new self-propelled forager which came in 1972. It was a Dania D5000, and cost £10,000.
Their first new John Deere harvester came in 1982. It was a 5820, which was followed by a 5830, 6810, 6850, 7400, 7450 and, finally, a new 7580 in 2014.
ll John Deere harvesters were bought new. Where possible, a new machine was purchased every four years, but sometimes machines were kept for up to eight years.
Krone's machines are fitted with six intake rollers instead of four, which are used by competitors such as Claas, John Deere and New Holland.
In 2019, Denis Duggan explained that Jim Power Agri Sales brought out a demonstration Krone 630 forager.
A through and through John Deere fanatic, Denis noted that he couldn’t get over the step-up from the JD 7580 to the Krone 630. The demonstration left a lasting impression, and when it came to upgrading the following year, it was between John Deere and Krone.
The spring-mounted independent wheel suspension system allows for a large turning radius.
“Up to that point, all we have had in our lifetime was John Deere harvesters, and we knew no better. When it came to changing, we priced John Deere and Krone spec for spec, and the Krone came in that bit cheaper.
“I can’t exactly say why we made the move to Krone; it wasn’t all about price, we just felt the Krone was more capable. It had a lot of serious features that we liked such as the intake and the comfort. We spoke to three or four contractors running them and the feedback was good, so we decided to take the plunge. Sometimes, a change is good in life,” said Denis.
"In big fields and big yards, we have put 150-170 acres through it in long days". \ David Pat - Tractor Run Cork
First Krone
“We took delivery of our first Krone forager in 2020. We knew nothing about the brand as such and we did have some teething issues, and some electrical trouble. When the harvester was going well, it was a phenomenal machine.
“In 2022, an opportunity arose to upgrade the machine for a new 630 again, at a good deal. We decided to make the move, and we were delighted we did so. One or two faults we had with the first machine, mainly to do with the arrangement of the pickup tines was addressed, and made a massive difference to the machine,” said Denis.
Header
The EasyFlow header uses a camless pickup system. Krone claims the camless pickup has 58% fewer moving parts compared to a conventional pickup.
The Big X foragers share the same cab as the Big M self-propelled mower.
The pickup reel comes with six rows of tines arranged in a W-format. The reasoning behind this is to provide a consistent crop flow and to catch the little bits of grass that can escape the ends of the header on the headlands.
It’s equipped with a large, 600mm diameter auger.
The Big X comes with some nice features. For example, when the machine reverses, the auger and the crop roller are automatically raised to allow for easy access to the intake system so objects detected by the metal detector can be removed. When resuming work, they automatically return to their working position.
“The intake system on the Krone harvester is unbelievable. It has swallowed up any lump we have ever put its way". \ David Pat - Tractor Run Cork
The infinite height setting and adjustable spring relief allow the crop press roller to roll smoothly, adapting to the varying swath widths. The SynchroSpeed feature allows the header rpm to be adjusted automatically to the forward speed. It can also be manually altered from the cab.
The Duggans 630 is powered by a 15.6l MTU six-cylinder engine with a maximum output of 653hp. \ David Pat - Tractor Run Cork
The EasyFlow header sits on a pendulum frame. This makes for easy attachment and removal and allows the header to follow the contours of the ground.
The header is supported by two height-adjustable guide wheels and one rear cam follower roller underneath the header.
The Big X foragers are driven hydrostatically using Bosch-Rexroth wheel motors. \ David Pat - Tractor Run Cork
“The new pickup is a big improvement on the previous machine. Our first Krone harvester broke 150 to 160 tines in the first two seasons. We have two seasons through our current machine and it has only broken four tines,” said Denis.
Intake system
In terms of the Big X intake design, Krone is unique as its machines are fitted with six intake rollers instead of four, which are used by competitors such as Claas, John Deere and New Holland.
With six pre-compression rollers, it means there’s 820mm between the front roller and rear roller. Krone claims that this distance is required to ensure that if any metal is detected, the slip clutch will initiate before the metal hits the drum.
The hydraulic drive of the intake system means that operators can choose between setting the cutting length manually or automatically. If the engine speed falls below 1,200rpm with an increasing load, the intake and header are stopped automatically, while the chopping drum is running. This is to prevent any blockages due to slow rotational speeds.
The four smaller narrow body foragers (Big X 480-630) have a crop flow channel of 630mm, while the larger wider body models (680-1180) have a crop flow channel of 800mm.
Krone is unique as its machines are fitted with six intake rollers instead of four, which are used by competitors such as Claas, John Deere and New Holland.
Credit: David Pat - Tractor Run Cork
“The intake system on the Krone harvester is unbelievable. It will swallow up any lump we have ever put its way. In fact, sometimes I wonder is the intake even too good, and does it put pressure on shafts and other componentry back along the line? The intake capacity of the machine was one of the main reasons that swung us over to buy a Krone harvester,” said Denis.
Drum
When Krone initially began building foragers, the company’s design brief was a high horsepower machine capable of producing a short chop length for the biogas industry, predominantly in Germany. Krone offers four drums with variations from 20 up to 40 knives. The Duggans’ machine is fitted with a 20-knife drum.
The Big X is equipped with Krone’s VariStream system.
This is essentially a spring-loaded bottom to the drum and a spring-loaded accelerator backplate.
It is designed to avoid any blockages and keep the flow of material through the drum constant. The floor underneath the chopping drum is linked to the anvil of the shear bar, meaning it is adjusted automatically when the shear bar is adjusted to the blades, maintaining a consistent gap.
The Duggans machine is fitted with a 20-knife drum. \ David Pat - Tractor Run Cork
“The one downfall that I believe the Krone harvester has is the blow. It’s not an issue in heavy swarths, it’s the light swarths, where you would be worried about potentially blocking it. The VariStream system is a good help, and I do use it in those lighter dry swarths,” said Denis.
Engine and driveline
The narrow-body foragers (models 480-630) are powered by MTU (Rolls-Royce) engines, while the wider body foragers (models 680-1180) are powered by Liebherr engines.
All engines have a 1,000-hour service interval. The entry-level model has a power output of 490hp, with the range going up to a significant 1,156hp 1180, the highest horsepower forager in the world. The Duggans’ 630 is powered by a 15.6l MTU six-cylinder engine with a maximum output of 653hp.
Krone’s power-split engine management system allows users to select between an Eco or X-Power option, depending on the crop at hand to help reduce fuel usage. The transversely mounted engine allows all components for crop flow to be driven through belt coupling.
“The 630 has loads of power. We run a 30ft Krone rake in front of it, which it handles very well. I’ve yet to see the machine struggle for power.
The Duggan family run a fleet of John Deere tractors. \ David Pat - Tractor Run Cork
“One point I will make is that I am impressed with the fuel efficiency of the machine,” noted Denis.
Running gear
Big X foragers are driven hydrostatically using Bosch-Rexroth wheel motors. This drive concept frees up space to fit a larger-diameter chopping drum in the machines and offers additional ground clearance.
The foragers come as standard with front-wheel drive, with four-wheel drive an optional extra. The wheel motors have an infinitely variable speed range of up to 40km/h. The spring-mounted independent wheel suspension system allows for a large turning radius.
“We are really impressed with the turning circle of the Krone. We gather 30ft swarths, and you would easily turn from one 30ft row right around into the next 30ft swarth. The independent rear axle offers serious comfort on the road and in the field,” said Denis.
Cab
The Big X range of foragers share the same cab as the Big M self-propelled mower. This cab is wider and quieter than the previous cab, with additional glassware adding more visibility.
It has been fitted with a double floor to reduce noise levels. It’s fitted with 16 headlights, with LED lights as an option.
The cab encompasses a 10in operating terminal and a multi-function joystick with more than 20 functions programmed to it, including driving speed, direction of travel and header and chute controls.
“The view in the cab is excellent. The curved windscreen is a big help with this. Coming from running John Deere harvesters, it did take some time to get used to the controls. They were almost set up in the opposite way as the John Deere machines were. Now that we’re used to it, we’re really happy with the setup,” said Denis.
The Duggans 630 is powered by a 15.6l MTU six-cylinder engine with a maximum output of 653hp.
“We are very happy with our 2022 Big X 630. The first Krone machine we bought in 2020 did give some electrical and header trouble to be fair, but our recent machine hasn’t missed a beat. It has wagons of power and serious throughput capacity.
“In big fields and big yards, we have put 150 to 170 acres through it in long days. However, our limiting factor with throughput is the size of the yards and the silage pits that we work in. I think the Krone has to be the most comfortable harvester out there.
“The only thing I would like to change is the blower. In heavy swarths, it isn’t a problem, but it’s in lighter swarths it can give issues.
“The harvester is on all premium wear line parts, and there’s still a few years work left in them. We do all the servicing and maintenance works ourselves. We recently finished getting the machine ready for the coming season, and it has cost us €5,000 plus VAT in parts.
“As a rule of thumb, we like to upgrade our harvester after every four seasons.
“The longest we’ve ever kept a harvester is eight seasons. With the continued help of our loyal customers and staff, we hope to change our current harvester after another two seasons,” concluded Denis.
Likes
Intake capacity. Comfort. Fuel efficiency. Manoeuvrability. Dislikes
The blower can struggle in lighter swarths of grass. Model: Big X 630. Engine: 15.6l MTU six-cylinder 653hp. Transmission: hydrostatically using wheel motors. Max road speed: 40km/h. Diesel tank: 1,220 litres. Chopping cylinder: 20 blades – 5mm to 31mm chop length. Feed rollers: six. Engine service interval: 1,000 hours. Weight: 14,100kg (without header). List price: €480,000 plus VAT. 
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