The 9400NT is designed for growers and custom operators with full or partial no-till farming operations looking to accurately plant cereal grains, legumes and cover crops. 

With a variety of innovative features, the 9400NT grain drill minimizes operator downtime and maximizes productivity. Kuhn’s heavy-duty PRO openers cut through soil and crop residue to provide consistent, precise seed depth. Kunh’s proven Helica meter design, combined with smooth drop tubes and standard seed agitator, generates a steady flow of seed and minimizes pulsing when planting. 

ISOBUS compatibility is available on the 9400NT and monitors critical grain drill functions, along with alerting the operator to machine malfunctions. This gives operators easy-to-use technology at their fingertips. The system monitors the seed shaft, hopper level, speed and acres planted on-the-go. The Calibration Assistant provides a quick and easy way to calibrate the grain drill with a simple static catch test.

With three hopper configurations available (seed only, seed and fertilizer, seed and seed), plus an optional legume box, the 9400NT is versatile and can be suited to fit an operation’s diverse planting needs.

ASV breaks into new size class with RT-50 Posi-Track loader

ASV Holdings Inc., an industry-leading manufacturer of all-purpose and all-season compact track loaders and skid steers, introduces the new compact RT-50 Posi-Track loader, featuring an industry-leading performance-to-weight ratio. The RT-50 perfectly positions itself between the RT-40 and RT-65, completing ASV’s lineup and allowing operators to do more in more places. The track loader includes best-in-class ground pressure, ground clearance, serviceability and performance. The nimble machine features serious performance for its weight and easy transportability, making it an ideal compact track loader for rental houses, commercial businesses, weekend warriors or as an addition to landscape, construction or snow-clearing contractors’ fleets. 

Performance

ASV builds the RT-50 with features to optimize productivity and quality of work. The machine’s high pin height gives it the ability to load landscape trucks and small dump trucks. Its wide tracks and even weight distribution from the large number of contact points within the patented Posi-Track undercarriage, allows for class-leading ground pressure. This, combined with optional smooth turf tracks, minimizes risks of turf damage. Plus, ASV builds the RT-50 with best-in-class ground clearance. This allows the unit to operate on more sites, easily traveling over logs, stumps, rocks and other obstructions with less risk of getting hung up. Its width also means ease of use in tight areas other loaders can’t reach, such as sweeping or plowing snow on sidewalks or working in narrow home developments.

Serviceability and reliability

The RT-50 includes features allowing for the highest ease of serviceability, saving operators maintenance time so they can get back to work. A large rear-tilting hood gives easy access to all maintenance points. 

A flexible rubber track with internal positive drive sprockets provides superior traction and track life. The open-rail and drive-sprocket design results in increased sprocket and bogie wheel life along with easier and faster undercarriage cleaning. All of the wheels are exposed in the undercarriage, allowing material to spill out, reducing the risk of abrasive material getting trapped and wearing away components. Individually replaceable steel sprocket rollers within the undercarriage save both time and money. 

The RT-50 will be available for purchase in spring 2020.

604 R-Series balers offer versatility for various types of hay producers

Most forage producers share the same goal: Produce consistent, high-quality bales. But there’s no perfect one-size-fits-all baler that will fit every producer’s needs; some want simplicity and ease-of-use while others demand smart features, high speed and maximum output.

That’s why the new Vermeer 604 R-series balers feature a range of components, features and options. Three 6-foot by 4-foot (1.8 meters by 1.2 meters) models — Classic, Signature and Premium — offer unique combinations that provide the right levels of sophistication, performance, speed and versatility to meet the needs of just about every hay producer.

The 604 R-series balers start with a common foundation that offers every operator the longevity and durability he or she has come to expect from Vermeer equipment. In the new 604 R-series baler lineup, the platform includes features common to all three models, including a camless pickup and rotor design, a hydraulic density system and new netwrap system.

Maximize capacity and performance

The 604R Premium baler is strong, fast and smart. Make hay 19% faster compared to the 604R Signature, and produce bales 30% denser with the 604R Premium versus the 604R Signature and Classic. An industry-first net lift system allows operators to carry the roll from either the truck or ground up into the netwrap system by using an electric thumb control. The new auto-eject helps by eliminating two steps in the baling process, while heavy-duty components and steel doors provide the toughness customers have come to expect from Vermeer balers.

Find the best fit for your farm

With three different distinct options for customers, the new 604 R-series balers offer a new level of versatility. It’s important to identify which of the models — Classic, Signature or Premium — is the right fit for your business. Identifying your operating style, specific needs and preferences is a major step in finding which 604 R-series baler will be best for your hay and forage production needs.

Introducing the Kuhn MM 890 Merge Maxx hay merger

With 30 feet of pickup in a single pass, the Kuhn MM 890 Merge Maxx hay merger is the newest addition to the growing Kuhn hay merger lineup. It is unique in the industry and unmatched in its simplicity of operation, durability and merging capabilities. Designed for commercial operations, the MM 890 is the largest twin merger in the industry and has the ability to merge to the left, right, or 50-50 split creating even windrows for forage harvester efficiency.

The electronics on the MM 890 help operators maximize their time in the field. The Kuhn IntelliMerge ISOBUS control system is an industry exclusive and standard on the MM 890, helping to improve operator ergonomics and operational efficiency. The Kuhn OptiSense belt stall indicator alerts the operator when the belts on the merger start to slow down. This gives the operator a chance to react before the machine plugs, keeping the merger moving across the field for improved productivity.

The floating windguard ensures smooth and even windrows to make the forage harvester more efficient, while the crop netting increases leaf retention in the windrow improving forage quality. Simple and durable mechanical flotation on each head eliminates the need to engage float via the tractor’s hydraulics.

Lemken offers Karat 9 for maximum versatility with intensive cultivation

Lemken, a global manufacturer and supplier of professional crop cultivation implements for strategic tillage, planting and crop protection, offers the Karat 9, a multipurpose cultivator designed for maximum versatility.

The Karat 9 offers farmers variable working depths from 2 to 12 inches (5 to 10 centimeters) to incorporate crop residue deep into the soil for faster nutrient release and compaction alleviation. A set of symmetrically arranged, heavy-duty shanks followed by serrated, concave discs ensures consistent, thorough mixing of soil and organic matter. This results in better seedbed preparation and higher yields. With working widths from 9.8-23 feet (3-7 meters), the Karat 9 can be customized to fit any size operation. And with operating speeds up to 8 miles per hour, tillage can be completed quickly in spring or fall.

For farmers working in uneven terrain, the semimounted Karat comes equipped with hydraulic depth adjustment. This allows for easy handling and continuous adjustment from the tractor cab via the trailing roller. An additional hydraulic traction booster acts as a smart ballasting system and ensures the cultivator always maintains correct working depth, even when driven across uneven ground. This innovative feature reduces slipping and saves fuel. At a 4-inch (10-centimeter) working depth, this equates to 14% less fuel consumption and 2% greater acreage performance. At 8-inch (20-centimeter) working depths, that increases to 22% less fuel and 6% greater acreage performance.  

—Compiled by Progressive Forage staff

PHOTOS: Photos courtesy of Kuhn North America Inc., ASV Holdings Inc., Vermeer and Lemken.