Comb effect tines help to produce an even wilt without contamination

To have complete control over silage making operations – when to mow, ted, harvest and how the crops are clamped – is on the wish list of more than a few farmers who, for the success of their businesses, rely heavily on making good quality silage.

And the importance of creating high quality feed for livestock is certainly not lost on South Lanarkshire dairy farmer, Geoff Hewitt. Based at Quothquan, near Biggar, Mr Hewitt not only runs a 600-cow dairy herd but also heads up Roadhead Farm Feeds, a company which specialises in providing feed for ruminant animals. The business offers customers a range of different feeds – its computer automated mill and mix facility providing the ability to produce bespoke blends to meet herd requirements throughout the year.

“We also farm about 1000 acres which is split 50/50 between arable cropping and grassland for the cows,” he explains. “The grass is rotated around the farm to create a break every three or four years for the cropped area and provide an opportunity for fresh leys.”

As with other dairy farms, the key to successful milk production lies with creating quality home-grown feed – this route not only tends to reduce production costs but also helps to weather the effects of what, in this day and age, can be volatile milk prices.

“Until two years ago we employed a contractor to ted and rake the grass but I was becoming increasingly concerned that endeavours to provide a slick, high-output service may have been compromising the quality of the silage in that, aggressive tedding and raking was causing soil contamination.” he says. “Soil contamination can increase the risk of undesirable organisms such as Listeria bacteria that can have a detrimental effect on herd health.”

As a result the farm decided to be responsible for its own tedding and raking and for this to happen, Mr Hewitt needed to invest in some new grassland machinery.

“We already had a Krone triple mower – an EasyCut 9140 CV Collect – which has a working width of 8.7m and, usefully, through use of two hydraulically driven conveyors, can create a single swath, negating the need to row up,” he explains. “Having had experience with Krone equipment, we turned to this manufacturer to provide us with a wide working rake and tedder.”

The Swadro 1000 rake with its hydraulically adjusted 8.8m -10m working width arrived on the farm at the start of last season. Creating the central swath are two rotors each of which has 15 tine arms fitted with four double tines.

“Krone has designed the rake to ensure that the tines produce a clean job but not at the expense of soil contamination in the swath,” points out Mr Hewitt. “The tandem-axle bogies run on eight wheels to allow the rotor to follow ground contours and the rotors have cardan suspension which allows them a free pendulum movement in the direction of travel. Rotor operating height can be adjusted electronically from the cab while on the move.”

He adds that despite its impressive working width, the Swadro 1000 has excellent tracking and for tight, safe headland turns features a steering system comprising a tie rod attached to the headstock and linked to the rear chassis running on large flotation tyres.

“I would think we can cover about 25 acres/hour given a reasonable sized field,” he says. “And for transport the rotors fold vertically and the whole machine is designed to travel at 40kph – so we are not long getting to the next field.”

Mr Hewitt says that, given fair weather, the normal practice is to mow the grass with the triple mower conditioner and leave it spread out although, if the weather is threatening there is the option of leaving it in a swath to provide some protection.

“We ted the grass with our Krone KW 8.82 which uses small diameter rotors equipped with tine arms each having two tines – the inner one shorter than the outer to create a combing effect,” he says. “Once again, it’s a system which manages to move all the grass but helps to avoid soil contamination in the swath.”

As ever though, the proof of the pudding is in the finished product – the quality of the silage – and on this score Mr Hewitt comments that he is pleased to note that it appears to be void of soil contamination which is reflected in the cows’ greater intake of dry matter and, as a result a gain in feed efficiency.

“I am convinced that taking control of our tedding and raking has resulted in an overall better job,” he says. “And there is little doubt in my mind that the design and operation of the Krone Swadro rake and KW tedder has been instrumental in helping us to achieve it.”