Contract services to the biogas industry demand the highest possible standards and the ability to offer high work rates, reckons Steve Suggitt of Suggitt Farm Services of Attleborough, Norfolk. That means if you use the most advanced machinery on the market, it gives you a significant business advantage, he argues.

The business harvests 6000ha/yr of feedstock for anaerobic digesters, comprising 400ha of grass, 1400ha of rye and 4250ha of maize, all with a Krone BiG X 770 forage harvester.

"We built our own AD plant in 2011 after 10 years of research and now specialise in supplying feedstock to AD plants, alongside straw baling and muck services, and applying AD digestate," he explains.

The company's first Krone forager was purchased after a visit to the factory in Spelle, Germany, which lift a highly positive impression on Steve Suggitt.

"The build quality of the feed roller area is better than any other machine on the market - they're so heavily constructed. Presentation of crop to the drum is also superior and this is reflected in the crop flow and the uniform chop quality," he says.

Advances in technology made by Krone also help him to keep ahead in an increasingly competitive market.

"The Krone 770 forager has a 36-knife MaxFlow drum, and tou notice the increase in performance and chop quality thanks to its redesigned knives - it means a significant increase in crop carrying capacity, More horsepower also gives more torue which handles heavier crops better - there's more back -up in the engine," Steve Suggitt points out. 

He also likes the adjustable plate (StreamControl) in the discharge chute which allows him to increase or decrease the blow as needed. " You can get right over the top of the tractor and into the trailer when opening up a field."

With the tight harvest windows imposed on biogas contractors, minimising downtime is crucial and Steve Suggitt is full of praise for the back-up offered by Krone.

"The forager was supplied by Pecks AgriTrac who offer a very good service, But we do a lot of the work on the machines ourselves, and there's always someone to answer the phone at Krone if we need help - even on a Sunday evening."

One feature picked out for particular praise is the compressed air system which blows out the feed rollers on a timed circuit.

"It keeps the dust and chaff away from the knives which is paramount for efficient sharpening."

He comments that the BiG X is very mcuh an owner - driver's machine offering all the creature comforts needed.

"It's very easy to operate and seems more refined than other foragers on the market. We work some long hours in the season but the cab is very comfortable, has good suspension, air conditioning and a fridge."

Control of the header makes for easier working in changeable crop conditions, with variable header speed to match the forager's forward speed.

"When the going is good, outputs can be up to 60 ha/day," comments Steve Suggitt. "And in the wet, the Krone is the go-to machine. With big 800 tyres on the front and 750s to the rear, we never get stuck, and the crop processing system is so good that we've never blocked a Krone forager up."

Steve Suggitt has the full suite of Krone headers, and says that the grass pick-up has proved very reliable, while the X-Disc wholecrop unit performs really well, leaving a very even stubble.

"We specified a 12 row maize header to minimise compaction, and it;s a highly productive option," he adds.