The Kubota DMC8540R – the first 4 m trailed mower conditioner that Smith Power is bringing to market – will enable farmers to achieve great output with one mid-size tractor in 120 – 180 hp power range. The machine, explains Erik Roelofs, Smith Power Equipment International Product Manager, is ideal for crop that requires conditioning to stimulate drying, such as lucerne, alfalfa and sometimes grass.
“As the machine is trailed, carried by its own frame and wheels, the load on the tractor is limited. Because of this the farmer can reach high output with a relatively small tractor. The limited load also greatly reduces wear and damage on the tractor,” says Roelofs.
Due to the centre-mounted drawbar, the mower can work on either side of the tractor – left or right. This enables the farmer to cut the field from one side to the other, instead of sometimes needing to drive through the field to create smaller blocks as is the case with a mower that only cuts on the right side.
Kubota mowers always have three blades per disc, instead of the two commonly found on competitor offerings. This results in 50% more cutting action, which helps farmers to maintain higher driving speed while cutting. Additionally, Kubota mowers always have an equal number of cutting discs on the cutterbar. This ensures a constant cutting quality over the whole working width and reduces the risk of blockage.
“A trailed mower such as the DMC8540R has a perfect guidance of the mowing unit, given that it’s guided and suspended on both sides. The ground pressure of the cutterbar can be set by the length of the springs and is equal over the whole working width,” says Roelofs.
The upwards possible movement is 500 mm and 150 mm downwards. This enables the mowing unit to follow the ground contours much better with a constant ground pressure compared to rear mounted mowers. It makes cutting in uneven field much easier without damaging the soil or having premature wear on the mower.
The conditioner ensures a constant cropflow and high capacity due to the fact that both of the rollers are driven and are positioned for an optimal cropflow.
For optimal performance and comfort, Roelofs advises farmers to use the Kubota M135GX, Kubota M7153 or Kubota M7173 tractors with this implement. Given these tractors all have powershift gearboxes, reducing or increasing speed while running on high engine speed is smooth and comfortable.
“This will be very beneficial for the lifetime of both the tractor and implement. The four-cylinder concept is fuel efficient and ensures a high power-to-weight ratio to reduce the risk of damaging the soil while cutting in the field. The four-pillar cabin is standard on these tractors for optimal visibility on the road or while cutting in the field,” concludes Roelofs.
