By : Nicole Picksley
This upcoming harvesting season will once again bring Precision Agriculture to the forefront and you can rest assured that with John Deere you will have the EDGE in every crop. Precision agriculture technology is also at the forefront of harvesting solutions and ensures accurate and increased consistency, productivity and performance. Precision agriculture technology is now a turnkey solution with John Deere and it’s never been simpler and more accessible. John Deere strives to make it easier for every farmer to tap into the power of high-quality information as it simplifies decision-making and that could increase profitability.
Automation key to efficiency
Automation in today’s market is the key to efficiency and John Deere harvesters, with automated and intelligent features, ensure maximum uptime continuously through the season and a low cost of operation regardless of outside factors.
By ensuring the machine operates at its best at all times, reduce losses and maximize profits. At the heart of John Deere harvest technology and effectiveness is the optional Combine AdvisorTM package to help set, optimize and automate main harvester functions when conditions change. Combine Advisor™ constantly analyses the level at which the harvester is performing and adjusts all machine functions accordingly to limit losses by maintaining the target as conditions change.
New offerings will further strengthen performance John Deere Front-end equipment has also received updated harvesting solutions in-line with improved performance, up time and cost of operation. Technology included in all the latest John Deere front-end equipment is a Header Control Unit (HCU) that communicates seamlessly with the combine. The HCU saves head-specific factory calibration settings and collects and sends header-width information to the combine for accurate yield mapping, minimizing set up time and providing an accurate maintenance schedule.
The range of front-end equipment includes a Hinged Frame Rigid Cutter Bar, Drapers, RDF HydraFlexTM Drapers, a BP15 Belt Pickup Platform and Corn headers Folding (CF) and Rigid (CR).
John Deere HDR Rigid Cutter Bar Drapers are ideal for small grains and canola growers who want to maximise their harvester’s hectares per hour across various crops, changing conditions and uneven or rolling terrain, while capturing more grain. The HDR has a hinged frame that provides unmatched terrain-following capability, with an exceptional wing range and a uniform cut height. It sweeps the down or lodged crop across the cutter bar to recover more crop. HDR Drapers are available in 30ft, 35ft, 40ft and 45ft cutting widths to bring more crop into your combine with each pass. The upgrade from the 40ft draper to the new, larger 45ft version, enables farmers to cover around 10% more ground each day for the same number of passes.
John Deere RDF (HydraFlex Drapers) are built on the field-proven cutting technology of the existing John Deere 700FD, while providing new features to reduce grain loss. All RDF HydraFlex Drapers feature a new Two-Speed Center Feed Section that lets operators slow down the feeding drum and center feed belt speed by 20% compared to the 700FD.These Drapers continues with the field-proven John Deere 10 cm double-cut, dual-drive shaft HydraFlex Cutter bar. The knife system provides industry-exclusive cutting performance by making 1,980 cuts per minute.
John Deere is also offering the BP15 Belt Pickup for small grains and canola growers who need to harvest more hectares per hour. The BP15 features improved feed rate adjustability to handle large or bulky crops with a standard two-speed auger drive sprocket that delivers a 20% faster feed rate when needed, that’s ideal for harvesting canola.
A new line of Corn Heads has also been developed. For harvesting leaning, down or fallen crop, CR Rigid Corn Headscan be equipped with Active End Fenders that pull more ears into the head. John Deere CF Folding Corn Heads include all the features of CR Rigid Corn Heads but offer a low-profile folding frame and an industry-leading fold cycle time of less than 60 seconds when connected to the Combine Harvesters. They also cut down costs by eliminating the need to purchase a header trailer.
“The complete package provides you as a customer with the John Deere EDGE. “