Company representative Mark Heuchert said the advantage to these sheets is with the material’s natural ability to wick moisture from the inside of the building to the outside, reducing humidity inside the building. The product, new to the U.S., doesn’t rust like steel corrugated roofing. It also reduces noise without the steel, which typically bounces sound waves around.

Heuchert said he sees large applications for this within the livestock and agricultural industry. He said the material absorbs up to 15 percent of its weight in water, which wicks to the outside and immediately starts to dry. While the product is comparable in cost with metal roofing with insulation, Heuchert said the product weighs more per square foot, so additional trusses to hold it may be needed.

The new product is designed to last over 40 years.

New Deere large square balers introduced

Making large square bales of high-quality hay will get much easier in 2018 with the introduction of the models L331 and L341 large square balers from John Deere. Both models feature several customer-requested enhancements, including a new MegaWide pickup with or without pre-cutter, and numerous hay-making options that hay producers can select from to best fit their operations.

These two new large square balers, which will replace the previous L300 Series large square balers introduced in 2015, are 100 percent John Deere designed and built from front to back. The changes start with a new feed system that increases overall baler reliability and performance under a wide variety of tough haying conditions to get more crop into the baler. This includes a new, wider and more robust standard 2.2-meter MegaWide pickup with optional 2.2- and 2.5-meter Premium MegaWide pickups; new inline, undershot rotor; and heavy-duty roller baffles and gauge wheels. In addition, there are two configurations of pre-cutter, depending on model, 13-knife or 21-knife, with drop floor and slide-out tray for easier cleanout.

Another important new option customers can select from is BalerAssist, which allows the operator to more quickly and easily clear plugs without leaving the cab and makes it easier to access service points. For twine tying, there’s a new electronic knotter trip option that improves bale length consistency.

In addition, the company has new moisture sensor and bale-weighing options for the large square balers to give operators immediate visibility to crop conditions and bale densities. The new moisture sensor is 33 percent more accurate than competitive sensors and provides on-the-go display of hay moisture in the cab. The bale-weighing system allows flake-by-flake monitoring of bale weight to help the operator create more uniform-sized bales across the field.

The L331 model, which produces a 3X3-foot bale, and the L341 baler, which makes a 3X4-foot bale, can be used for many types of hay and forage crops, and offers improved performance when baling straw and cornstalks.

New Deere 0 Series round balers and round bale accumulators available for 2018 hay season

With the introduction of the 0 Series round balers for the 2018 haying season, John Deere is offering its first North American-built round baler pre-cutter and the industry’s first 5-foot pre-cutter baler. The eight models that comprise the new 0 Series round balers build upon the popular 9 Series balers and include several new features that improve hay pickup and overall baling speed and productivity in the field.

The eight new 0 Series balers include:

• 440E and 450E, two economy models for dry hay baling
• 450M, 460M, 550M and 560M with dry hay, silage or pre-cutter options
• 460R and 560R, two premium models with dry hay or pre-cutter options.

A new feature is the MegaWide HC2 feed system that delivers faster hay intake and processing, which increases bale-making capacity per hour compared with previous models. It also helps operators handle a wide variety of forage material and swath sizes with ease by offering a 2.2-meter pickup on both 4-foot and 5-foot bale models, allowing them to cover more acres per day.

In addition, the MegaWide HC2 feed system has a larger diameter roller baffle system; twin-rotor feed system for more uniform hay intake and processing; a self-cleaning drop floor that allows the operator to remove plugs from the cab; and a third drive roll that eliminates belt slippage when baling heavy, wet silage bales and reduces premature wear on belts and drive rolls.

Round bale accumulators

In addition to the new 0 Series round balers, the company is introducing two models of round bale accumulators to give customers the ability to carry up to two round bales behind the baler while making a third bale in the chamber. The new A520R and A420R Plus2 accumulators are fully integrated into the design of the balers and can be used with 6-foot diameter John Deere 7, 8, 9 and 0 Series round balers.

These machines will allow the operator to strategically place the bales where it is the most efficient for bale removal, while dramatically reducing the damage to crop regrowth from excessive field travel. One or two bales can be dumped from the cart at the operator’s preferred location while the machine is baling.

The new 0 Series round balers and Plus2 round bale accumulators will be available in time for the 2018 haying season.

CLAAS announces 2018 baler and hay tool additions

Liner 1700 twin, 1800 twin and 1900 rakes – The North American offering of Liner rakes receives an update for 2018, with three new models replacing two existing models. The Liner 1700 Twin (22-foot working width) replaces the Liner 1650 Twin, while the Liner 1800 Twin is a new size for the line with a wider working width of 24 feet 5 inches. Both rakes can easily transition between single and double windrow production. The Liner 1900 replaces the Liner 1750. Like its predecessor, the Liner 1900 will produce a single windrow and offers a working width of 26 feet 5 inches.

Rollant 620 round baler – This year, the company will be replacing the Rollant 260 with a feed rake version of the Rollant 620. The new Rollant 620 benefits from all of the updates of the Rollant 620FR, minus the feed rotor option.

New Holland presents its methane-powered concept tractor

New Holland Agriculture presented the latest development in its vision for the sustainable future of farming: a concept tractor powered by methane or compressed natural gas (CNG) that reimagines the design of this machine and reveals a connected future.

The new methane-powered concept tractor builds on the foundations of the previous T6 Methane Power prototypes to achieve a significant technological advance. It features a powertrain that uses a pioneering efficient combustion technology specifically developed for agriculture applications by FPT Industrial, a brand of CNH Industrial that has pioneered natural gas traction for the past 20 years. The 6-cylinder NEF engine develops 180 hp, with the same power and torque as its standard diesel equivalent. It also has the same durability and service intervals, and generates up to 30 percent running-cost savings. The innovative tank design, using a composite-layered tubular structure, enables a full day’s autonomy in line with an equivalent diesel model.

The powertrain of the methane-powered concept tractor has the added benefit of quiet operation, with engine noise level reduced by up to 2 to 3 dBA. This translates to around 50 percent reduction in drive- by-noise, which makes it ideal for municipality, yard and transport operations.

In real field conditions, the methane-powered concept tractor produces at least 10 percent lower CO2 emissions and reduces overall emissions by 80 percent compared with a standard diesel engine. Its environmental performance further improves when fuelled by biomethane produced from crop residues and waste from farm-grown energy crops, which results in a virtually zero CO2 emissions profile.

The biodigester is fed with specifically grown energy crops, animal waste, food waste or crop residues. It can use waste collected from food factories, supermarkets and restaurants in addition to the materials gathered at the farm. The biogas produced in the biodigester is transferred to a refining station where it is transformed into fuel-grade methane to power the farm’s vehicles and machinery. The methane can also be used to fuel a generator to produce electricity that can be used on the farm with any extra fed into the electricity grid to power local communities. The byproducts of biodigestion can be used as natural fertilizers on the farm’s fields.

First-of-its-kind, cold-tolerant Balansa Clover receives U.S. patent

FIXatioN Balansa Clover can withstand temperatures at minus 15ºF with zero snow cover.

Farmers and ranchers looking to take advantage of cover crop benefits in extreme environmental conditions now have access to a first-of-its-kind, cold-tolerant clover species. Recently, Grassland Oregon received a U.S. patent for FIXatioN Balansa Clover, a deep-rooting, high nitrogen output clover variety capable of withstanding subfreezing temperatures at minus 15ºF with zero snow cover.

Grassland Oregon Director of Research Jerry Hall said a decade of research went into developing the cold-tolerant Balansa Clover, which can produce more than 300 pounds of nitrogen and 5 tons of dry matter in a single growing season due to its late maturity.

The clover is later in maturity. This extends the growing period, resulting in larger forage yields and pounds of nitrogen fixed. The hardy clover has a deep tap root system with roots reaching depths of 36 inches – effectively loosening soil to help with drainage and infiltration better than many other cover crop species.

The clover has proven its diversity to fit a variety of operations across North America, capable of producing more than 20 tons of silage per acre following corn rotations and increasing daily live weight gains on beef grazing systems through its high crude protein content. It is also tolerant of water-saturated soils – able to survive brief periods of flooding.

JCB unveils new 210T and 215T compact track loaders


JCB launched its 210T and 215T compact track loaders, offering the power and performance of large-platform compact track loaders in small-platform, easily towable machines weighing less than 10,000 pounds.


The 210T and the 215T are powered by the proven 74 hp (55 kW) JCB Diesel by Kohler engine, requiring no DPF and no DEF. The radial lift 210T model has a rated operating capacity (ROC) of 1,900 pounds at 35 percent tipping load and 2,650 pounds at 50 percent tipping load. The 215T vertical lift model has an ROC of 2,100 pounds at 35 percent tipping load and 3,000 pounds at 50 percent tipping load. The ROC of both models can be increased with an optional bolt-on chassis counterweight package, and both are capable of operating high-flow attachments up to 30 gallons per minute.


“The 210T and 215T are the latest in the company’s range of skid steers and compact track loaders that are designed and manufactured in the U.S.,” said Randy Tinley, company product manager for skid steers and compact track loaders. “The horsepower-to-weight ratio of these machines make them ideal for confined work spaces where increased lift capability is required. These are the smallest compact track loaders available that can lift a standard pallet of sod or bricks, or a wet round hay bale.”


Featuring the company’s unique single boom design, the models provide operators with 60 percent better visibility than conventional twin-arm skid steer designs, for safer operation and easier changing of attachments and placing or loading material. Entry to the cab, which is up to 46 percent larger than comparably sized compact track loaders, is also simplified and made safer by a wide-opening side door.  

—Compiled by Progressive Forage staff

PHOTOS: Photos courtesy of Cembrit, John Deere, CLAAS, Grassland Oregon and JCB.