The previous John Deere (round) baling record was set in 2012; it stood at 127 bales/hour. It was set using one of the company’s 900 Series balers.
It’s worth noting that 127 bales/hour equates to 27 or 28 seconds per bale.
The company says that it has since beaten that record, though it won’t reveal by exactly how much – until it makes that pronouncement in August of this year. In the meantime, John Deere is asking its customers – or indeed anyone who can get their hands on one of its 900 Series balers – to have a go.
There are some prizes up for grabs; it’s not just about the glory. Alas, these are limited to oddities such as pressure washers or robotic lawn mowers – all bearing John Deere logos of course.
What are the instructions for budding, would-be winners? John Deere is asking participants to: grab a camera or smartphone; start baling; film the escapade in landscape mode – with assistance where possible; upload the video to its special ‘Baler Challenge’ website; and – in time – see how the results shape up.
There are already sample entries uploaded from enthusiastic participants overseas – in Germany and France.
John Deere is running the initiative in a bid to highlight the apparent speed at which its 900 Series balers can operate. That, says the company, is thanks to the machines’ “innovative approach to bale ejection”.
The so-called ‘Fast Release System’ employs a “lightweight rear tailgate that is 40% lighter than a conventional baler tailgate, allowing it to open and close much faster”. This, claims the company, contributes to the balers’ overall speed of operation.
To provide some context on the Fast Release System, here’s a video (below) of a John Deere 990 round baler, working alongside competing machines. Do bear in mind, of course, that this video was shot by a (UK-based) John Deere dealer.
This next, more recent video (below) shows John Deere employees breaking the company’s previous record. It also features a 6R Series tractor; the outfit is working in a field of crisp, dry straw.
But what about Krone’s record?
Of course, Krone also lays claim to the record for the greatest number of round bales made in one hour – by a single machine.
Back in 2012, a Comprima F125XC fired out no less than 149 bales in 60 minutes – tackling wheaten straw on a farm in Germany. 28t of straw were baled during the record-setting feat.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-m1lWz-ZrM
Will we see a new record set for the most round bales made in a single hour? Indeed, could it even be set here in Ireland? It would probably need to be a big, square field – not plagued by a myriad of ill-placed telephone poles or, worse still, pylons. In any case, only time will tell.
