How many round bales can you make in an hour? – Agriland

The previous John Deere (round)baling record was set in 2012; it stood at 127 bales/hour. It was set using oneof the companys900 Series balers.

Its worth noting that 127 bales/hour equates to 27 or 28 seconds per bale.

The company says that it has since beaten that record, though it wont reveal by exactly how much until it makes that pronouncement in August of this year. In the meantime, John Deere is asking its customers or indeed anyone who can get their hands on one of its 900 Series balers to have a go.

There are some prizes up for grabs; its not just about the glory. Alas, these are limited to oddities such as pressure washers or robotic lawn mowers all bearing John Deere logos of course.

What are the instructions for budding, would-be winners? John Deere is asking participants to: grab a camera or smartphone; start baling; film the escapade in landscape mode with assistance where possible; upload the video to its special Baler Challenge website; and in time see how the results shape up.

There are already sample entries uploaded from enthusiastic participants overseas in Germany and France.

John Deere is running the initiative in a bid to highlight the apparent speed at which its 900 Series balers can operate. That, says the company, is thanks tothe machines innovative approach to bale ejection.

The so-called Fast Release System employs a lightweight rear tailgate that is 40% lighterthan a conventional baler tailgate, allowing it to open and close much faster. This, claims the company, contributes to the balers overall speed of operation.

To provide some context on the Fast Release System, heres a video (below) of a John Deere 990 round baler, working alongside competing machines. Do bear in mind, of course, that this video was shot by a (UK-based) John Deere dealer.

This next, more recent video (below) shows John Deere employees breaking the companys previous record. It also features a 6R Series tractor; the outfit is working in a field of crisp, dry straw.

Of course, Krone also lays claim to the record for the greatest number of round bales made in one hour by a single machine.

Back in 2012, a Comprima F125XC fired out no less than 149 bales in 60 minutes tacklingwheaten straw on a farm in Germany.28t of straw were baled during the record-setting feat.

Will we see a new record set for the most round bales made in a single hour? Indeed, could it even be set here in Ireland? It would probably need to be a big, square field not plagued by a myriad of ill-placed telephone poles or, worse still, pylons. In any case, only time will tell.