Demo combines - how they performed

We caught up with some of the companies that operated the demonstration combines and got their assessment of how the machines performed.

All of the machines were tested in a range of crops when conditions were the best that they’ve been for a number of years. There were more machines in Ireland on test than recent years, with Claas, Deutz-Fahr, John Deere, Massey Ferguson and New Holland all working machines. On occasions they played follow the leader around the country as one demo machine followed the other in the grain fields. On occasions they even competed, but nobody wants to talk openly about the outcomes.

Hegartys demo the Deutz-Fahr 6090HTS

Gordon Hegarty and Sons Ltd from Slaneyquarter, Tullow, Co Carlow, and Clifden, Co Kilkenny, were among a number of firms who invested in demonstrator combine harvesters for the 2013 harvest. Hegartys have been Deutz-Fahr dealers for many years, initially as agents for IAM in Kilkenny before Same Deutz-Fahr UK directly took over the Irish distribution directly.

Representing a big investment commitment for the firm, Hegarty’s Deutz-Fahr 6090HTS is fitted with a 6.3 metre (21ft) wide header. Henry estimated that they had brought it to more than 15 customers, not necessarily all with existing Deutz-Fahr or older Fahr combine harvesters.

“It was very well received with a lot of people commenting that they were delighted to see Deutz-Fahr back on the scene with a combine,” said Henry Hegarty

Develop the business

Hegartys sold a new Deutz-Fahr combine last year. Prior to that, the last sale was in 2002. “All along we have continued to stock parts and service existing Deutz-Fahr and Fahr combines,” he said. “Deutz-Fahr seem to have put a lot more effort into the combine harvester business,” Henry said.

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He feels that demonstrating the combine is the only way to develop the combine business. Ken Treacy has brought the combine harvester to customers and set it up harvesting whatever crop the customer was cutting. Then the customers would have a go themselves, typically harvesting for two hours or more.

Henry explained: “A lot of our customers could relate to the demo combine because there are many similarities with older Deutz-Fahr combines. The simplicity of the driveline is in keeping with older Deutz-Fahr machines. Deutz-Fahr combines are good at threshing; you get a nice sample and still don’t throw out any grain.”

He added that they have kept the demo combine specs simple with mechanical sieves but it features auto-contour on the head. “Taking on and off the head is very simple and straightforward,” he adds.

Powering the combine is a Deutz engine producing 306hp with an extra 30hp boost available for unloading on the move or straw chopping. “The Deutz engine with AdBlue has proven to be easier on fuel,” according to Henry.

On the road, the 6090HTS is 11’4” wide, according to Henry, and is fitted with 710/75R34 tyres.

“These are what customers seem to want; they have a big footprint for a narrower tyre.”

Henry believes the 6090HTS would suit customers typically harvesting in the region of 1,000 acres.

For 2014, he would hope to sell at least two combine harvesters on the strength of the demonstrations they have carried out. That includes the demo machine, which at the time of visiting had clocked just about 100 hours.

Massey Ferguson in Cork

Cork Farm Machinery had a week-long loan of Massey Ferguson’s Beta MF 7370 PL combine for use with their customers in the Cork area. The machine was used on farms to the east of the city harvesting wheat and barley followed by a spell in the Kinsale grain growing fields.

DJ Donovan had responsibility for the combine during its stay in Cork. He said that customers were firstly impressed with the PowerFlow header, while in the hilly Kinsale a ParaLevel system of combine levelling proved its worth on some sloping fields.

The new Skyline cab

The Massey Ferguson Beta MF 7370 PL is a six straw walker machine and it was fitted with a 6.6 metre (22ft) wide PowerFlow header. It is powered by an 8.4 litre AGCO Power 360hp engine.

“The adjustment of the sieves and screens is fully electrical, allowing for easy changes on the move,” said DJ. “This was especially useful in the hillier fields around Kinsale.”

He added: “At one point, we were harvesting close to 32 tonnes/hour in wheat and travelling at a speed of up to 6kph. The Fendt tractor type controller was easy to use and farmers quickly got used to its features.”

Kehoes take MF combines on tour

Massey Ferguson dealers for the south east, Kehoe Bros with dealerships at Camolin, Co Wexford and Tullow, Co Carlow, invested in a new Massey Ferguson Beta MF 7360 PL combine for this season. The machine has already harvested over 230 acres of grain crops in a mix of conditions on farms of 31 customers in the Carlow, Tipperary, Wexford and Wicklow regions.

Shane Kehoe and Fred Kiersey were responsible setting up the new combine and keeping it on the move at the various farms where it worked. They spent some time with each customer and helped them to get used to the settings and controls.

Shane Kehoe said that the Powerflow header was a major attraction for customers who used the demon combine. This header has been around for some time. Across all of the customers this was one of the best liked features.

“The other major attraction was the Para-Level system which allows the combine to work on hillside with automatic adjustment of the combine to give a level threshing and sieving area,” said Shane.

The new cab also impressed the farmers who had driven the combine.

The new five straw walker combine is fitted with the latest AdBlue fuelled 276hp engine and Shane said that they proved economical in the field. The grain tank has a capacity of 8,600 litres, while the Powerflow header was 5.4 metres (18ft) wide. While there was a lot of road needed travelling from farm to farm, the compact nature of the machines at 3.3 metres (11ft.4in) wide meant that they could easily handle the road conditions.

Joe Kehoe of Kehoe Brothers said that they have made a significant investment in providing the demonstration combines, including up to €40,000 investment in spare parts for service the machines.

He added, “None of these were needed this year as the machines were set up by our own fully-trained team and worked without a hitch in the various fields. We harvested a range of crops, barley, oats, rape and wheat with the demo combine and it was easy to make setting changes in the field to cater for the different crops and conditions.”

New Holland has CX Evolution

New Holland had a CX7090 Evolution combine in their demonstration fleet in Ireland for the harvest. The machine has moved between customers of dealers Cavanagh’s of Fermoy, Perry’s of Athy and Armstrong Machinery in the Naul, before heading northwards to Kennedy’s of Ballymena.

This five straw walker machine was demonstrated for sale for the 2014 season when it will first be available. It is powered by a 240hp FPT engine and comes with a 10,000 litre grain tank. It was fitted with a 7.5 metre (25ft) wide header.

Brian Magee of New Holland said that the new combine proved itself well able to keep up with the bigger six walker machines due to the use of the new Opti-Clean system used behind the threshing area.

The New Holland Opti-Clean system is standard on machines specified with a self-levelling cleaning shoe. New Holland claims that it improves cleaning performance by up to 20%.

The stroke and throwing angles in the cleaning system are designed to give better cleaning efficiency. The grain pan, pre and top sieves operate independently to optimise the way that grain falls to achieve the increased capacity.

The compact nature of the machine means that in Irish conditions it is easier to manoeuvre into and out of fields. The fact that the five walker design can match the performance of the six walker bigger machines within the structure of a more compact structure is a major plus in its favour.

“The big plus in favour of the new CX7090 Evolution combine based on its field performance in Ireland has been the high output with minimal field losses,” said Brian Magee. The combine has an Opti-Speed straw walker system included which New Holland claims delivers up to a 10% higher productivity. This system automatically varies the straw walker speed based on the field’s gradient.

With Opti-Speed, and when driving uphill, the straw walker speed reduces to lower the transport speed of the straw over the straw walkers. When driving downhill the straw walker speed is increased to prevent blockages.