Quality kit key to running smooth operation

Versatility and reliability are essential features of the grassland machinery and equipment Oxfordshire farmers RW Taylor runs at Park Farm, Westcote Barton.

The business, a partnership between Richard Taylor, his sons Charles and Robert, and his brother Tim, is involved in both the arable and livestock sectors, with 1300 acres of cereals and 200 acres of grass, 100 acres meadow grass in HLS and 100 acres of grass leys, which provides grazing and conserved fodder for 75 suckler cows and youngstock.

“Silage and mineral lick provides the winter feed for the cows, so we look for bulk in the silage and we make and wrap 1250 round bales a season in three cuts for our own use and we also do some contract mowing, 100 acres for racehorse hay,” Charles says. “Our confidence in machine reliability is critical as the four of us do all the work and in the second and third silage cuts we're also busy with harvest.”

Versatility is crucial in order to produce good silage in variable weather conditions. To meet their criteria of reliability and flexibility the Taylors mow with a 3.2m-cut Krone EasyCut R 320 CV mower-conditioner. “The widespread feature allows us to spread the grass in good weather to speed up the wilt,” Rob explains, “if it's been wet we can put it into rows and ted it out when the ground dries.”

The mower is the Taylor's second and Charles comments that it incorporates significant design improvements. “It folds up and over-centre for transport, rather than the in-line position of the previous model,” he says, “which makes it far safer when we're moving; we have to go only four to five miles on the road but it's through the villages. And the mower takes up less storage space as it is stored in the same position on four legs, which also makes it simple to hitch up. The blades last a long time but it's quick and easy to change them.”

Tedding is done with a six rotor Krone KW 6.02/6 and raking with a linkage-mounted Krone Swadro 46. “It's the biggest single rotor and it does a lovely job, it leaves nothing behind,” Rob says and it suits our 3m system. It's also quick to fold up, it's a 5-minute job as all you have to do is take out seven pins and put the arms up.”

Also important is the fact that the rake puts three swaths into one in front of the 2.05m pick up of the baler, a Fortima V 1500 MC, their third baler. The confidence the Taylors have in the marque is reflected in Tim's – the “baler man” categorical comment: “I think the Krone is the best round baler on the market,” he says.

Versatility is also a factor in their choice of baler type, as is its transport size. “It's a compact machine and we need a variable chamber,” Tim says, “as in addition to the silage, when we make 1.3m diameter bales, we also make 3500 – 4000, 1.4 or 1.5m diameter straw bales a season for our own use and a further 1000 bales on contract work.

“The Fortima makes a hard centre bale, which means we can get more material in the bale, and their size fits our trailers, we can get 20 in a load. We wrap the silage bales as close behind the baler as we can and cart them within 24 hours, but the straw bales' firm outer layer mean that if they have to be left out they are safe from rain, which just runs off them.

“And Krone is improving the design of the baler all the time. We net wrap the silage and straw bales and as the net holder is at waist height it is easy to load and you can see the roll all the time from the tractor seat. The baler is also very easy to service. The Fortima is fitted with the Multicut system but we don't use it as we bed down with a bale unroller.” 

Their is no question over the equipment's reliability. “We get good service from our dealer, Farol at Milton Common,” Charles says, “but everything has proved extremely reliable; it was the strength and reliability of the balers that led us into the other Krone items.”

When the equipment comes up for replacement Krone will be at the top of the list. “We've been using Krone round balers for 20 years now,” Rob says, “and they are developing their products all the time. As long as the machines are in our price range and suit our requirements we will continue to buy Krone.”