At this year’s FTMTA Grass & Muck event on May 17 in Gurteen, Co. Tipperary, McHale will put its “full range” of silage equipment through its paces.
Front and centre will be McHale’s recently-developed twin-rotor, centre-delivery rakes.
Having launched the R62-72 and the R68-78 last year, Grass & Muck will be the first public demonstration of these machines in Ireland.
Also new to Irish contractors (and farmers with enough grass to cut) is the ProGlide B9000 with ‘Hydraulic Width Adjustment’.
These butterfly rear mowers now come with an hydraulic width adjustment system – as an option. This, according to McHale, enables the operator to adjust the working position on hilly or undulating ground.
Baler updates
Since the last such event (two years ago), McHale F5, V6 and Fusion balers all come with a new pick-up. Notable features include: larger feed augers; a larger diameter rotor; a flexible floor; and a camless pick-up option.
These are intended to bolster performance in uneven, lumpy swaths and – also – in heavy and light rows.
The Fusion 3 Plus was subject to upgrades since then too; a bale weighing, bale density and bale moisture recording option is now available. All new Fusion 3 Plus machines now get two customisable cameras – as standard.
Using a belt baler for silage
Meanwhile, McHale reports that (in its main markets) some customers are using variable-chamber balers for silage. In response, it developed a single-belt option – for better belt tracking and reduced crop loss.
This single (endless) belt is now standard on all McHale Fusion Vario machines; it’s optional on V6 variable-chamber balers.
V6 balers also come with a new hydraulic stretch netter unit, along with a new Expert Plus 3 control box.
Wrapper updates
The McHale Orbital round bale wrapper now comes with a work-light for late-night working, plus external controls to aid the wrap loading process. Machine speed has been increased – to bolster overall output.
Also look out for McHale’s new 998 ‘High Speed’ square bale wrapper. It can operate at nearly 35rpm – apparently delivering up to 40% more output than a standard 998.
The manufacturer will also demonstrate its latest film-binding baler – the F5600 Plus. This machine eliminates the need for net-wrap; it binds the bale with film (in the chamber). This film then forms part of the wrapping layer.
McHale will set up shop on Stand 112 at Grass & Muck.
That stand will also be home to a F5500 fixed-chamber baler, a variety of round bale wrappers (including the W2020 ‘High Speed’ stacking wrapper) and the C4 straw blower and silage feeder line-up.
