Swativo – The first pickup rake from KRONE

With the Swativo T 1040 Pro, KRONE is launching its first-ever pickup rake. Thanks to its flexible and extremely gentle operation, this swathing system is particularly suitable for leafy forage such as lucerne. 

Spelle, May 2026: With the new Swativo T 1040 Pro, KRONE is now entering the world of pickup rake technology and specifically expanding its product range to include a further swathing system. While rotary rakes are particularly effective for grass and straw from stemmed crops such as cereals, pickup rakes offer clear advantages for leafy and herbaceous crops such as lucerne or clover. Thanks to the Swativo T 1040 Pro’s particularly gentle collection and conveyance of the crops, leaf loss is minimised and forage quality is further improved. This means that, in future, KRONE will offer the right swathing technology for virtually every forage plant and every application. “When developing the Swativo T 1040 Pro, the focus was not only on top-quality forage but also on consistent swath formation and intuitive ease of use – and that is exactly what we have achieved with this machine,” emphasises Tobias Reher, the product manager responsible. The pickup rake combines tried-and-tested KRONE technologies with well-thought-out design features to ensure even swathing, and, with a maximum working width of up to 10.40 m, proves to be a highly efficient link in the harvesting chain. 

OptiSwath – perfect swathing with no leaf loss

At the heart of the Swativo T 1040 Pro lies the OptiSwath concept – OptiSwath combines perfectly coordinated components of the swathing units to ensure a constant crop flow and even swaths. The EasyFlow pick-up, with its five rows of tines, ensures that the crop is picked up with minimal loss and is also very low-maintenance. A two-part design ensures optimal ground adaptation – even in difficult conditions. Rubber-coated guide rolls guide the pick-up safely over every contour of the ground at the set working height, thereby further helping to protect the soil and ensure clean forage intake. 

In combination with the innovative FlexFlow feed rotor, KRONE employs a twin-rotor system. As the speed of the feed rotor can be flexibly adjusted in relation to the pick-up speed, the crop flow can be optimally adapted to different harvesting conditions. The crop is therefore thrown onto the conveyor belt in a controlled and loose manner; with a width of 1.20 m, this belt is unique and can therefore reliably handle even large volumes of crops. 

In addition, the conveyor belt is mounted at a steep angle on the machine so that it feeds the crops directly towards the swath. The belt speed can be adjusted as required and can therefore be optimally adapted to the driving speed of the tractor. In this way, the Swativo T 1040 Pro’s special swathing technology prevents the crops from becoming blocked and therefore ensures a consistently even crop flow. 

All units involved in the crop flow control system are hydraulically driven. To ensure a reliable oil supply, the machine features its own on-board hydraulic system whose pump units are operated by the tractor’s PTO shaft. 

Confident even in the most challenging conditions

The driver can easily adjust the bearing pressure of the pick-up units hydraulically from the tractor cabin to suit the prevailing ground conditions. For example, on damp ground, reducing the ground pressure helps to ensure that the delicate sward is not damaged. In addition to the hydraulic pressure relief on the swathing units, the pick-up is also mechanically relieved, enabling it to react extremely quickly to uneven ground. 

Similarly, the pressure exerted on the crops by the crop press roller units and deflector sheets can be easily adjusted hydraulically as required. This optimises the pick-up capacity to ensure a very even crop flow as well as the swath shape. With high-quality forage plants such as lucerne, every single leaf counts when it comes to quality. That is why, during the development of the Swativo T 1040 Pro, particular emphasis was placed on ensuring that the crops are picked up and conveyed with the utmost care.

Flexible swathing and ease of use

To ensure maximum flexibility in swathing, the Swativo T 1040 Pro features telescopic units and conveyor belts with adjustable directions of rotation. This allows for a variety of swath shapes and positions: From centre and side swathing to single or twin swathing. This allows the machine to be optimally adapted to different operating strategies and crop volumes. 

The machine is operated via a fully-fledged ISOBUS control with a modern user interface. All functions and parameters can be easily adjusted from the tractor cabin. Stored crop profiles for different operating conditions facilitate the work and ensure a consistently high standard of work. 

The machine features as standard an automatic belt stop which ensures neat swath ends. Another standard feature is a collection function which enables the targeted collection of crops in difficult areas of the field. The optional Section Control automates the raising and lowering of the pick-up units on wedge-shaped surfaces. 

Easy to handle in the field and on the road

The new pickup rake also impresses in other areas of operation. A mechanical forced steering system ensures excellent manoeuvrability and facilitates working on tight bends and swathing corners. The steered axle ensures excellent manoeuvrability in confined spaces and, thanks to high working speeds, enables a high acreage output. For road transport, the belt units can be easily folded in hydraulically and lock automatically. A compressed air brake system and LED lighting, including warning panels, provide the required safety. 

Conclusion: With its state-of-the-art control and swathing technology, the KRONE Swativo T 1040 Pro stands out as a high-performance pickup rake for use in leafy forage harvesting chains. The combination of high pick-up capacity, gentle forage handling and flexible swathing makes it a versatile machine which is ideally suited to harvesting delicate leaf crops such as lucerne. 

Quick overview

• Pickup rake with a working width of up to 10.4 m for high acreage output and efficient swathing

• Uncontrolled EasyFlow pick‑up with 5-row curved tines, plastic scrapers and hydro-mechanical relief for clean, gentle forage intake

• Two-part pick-up unit with Octolink finger couplings and rubber-coated guide rolls for optimal ground adaptation and maximum protection of the sward

• The FlexFlow rotor actively feeds the crops onto the conveyor belt – ensuring an even crop flow without blockages

• 1.2 m wide conveyor belt at a steep angle for reliable collection of even bulky crops and flexible swathing

• Telescopic units and variable belt rotation directions for centre, side and twin swathing ensure maximum operational flexibility

• Mechanical forced steering for excellent manoeuvrability, easy working in corners and higher working speed

• ISOBUS operation with a modern user interface, storable crop profiles and functions such as Section Control and automatic belt stop for maximum ease of use

• Thanks to its extremely gentle forage handling and high efficiency, this is the ideal machine for low-loss harvesting of leaf crops such as lucerne

Technical data:

Working width: 8.40 m to 10.40 m
Swath width: approx. 1.00 to 2.00 m
Transport width: approx. 2.99 m
Transport height: approx. 3.85 m
Transport length: approx. 6.2 m
Pick-up: uncontrolled, two-part EasyFlow pick-up 
Feed rotor: Star rotor with adjustable rotational speed 
Conveyor belt: 1.20 m wide cross-conveyor belt with adjustable direction of rotation and speed
Transport chassis: Single axle with compressed air brake, Tyres 520/50 R17 10 PR
Steering: Mechanical forced steering
Operation: ISOBUS operation with a modern and intuitive user interface
Power requirement: approx. 88 kW/120 hp