Ben Davies, product manager at Krone UK, has advised farmers and contractors about adjustments that can be made to silage kit to limit the risk of contamination after the wet winter.
He advised setting up the mowers as flat as possible and not cutting too close to the soil surface. “Combined with applying the lowest possible pressure on the bed, this flat setup will leave a decent stubble height and allow the mower to follow the contours of the ground. In turn this will help the tedder and rake achieve a clean pick up, by avoiding tines catching the soil.
“Leaving a reasonable length of grass stubble will also help machines keep traction and encourage grass re-growth.”
He added that the swath width should be adjusted so that the tractor wheels do not press cut grass into the ground on the next pass. “I’d also set the conditioner baffle to provide intense conditioning for better drying.”
Ahead of cutting, operators should check mower discs for wear and tear, and ensure that knives are sharp and running freely so that repairs can be made in good time.
Ben also added: “It goes without saying to make sure there are no signs of hydraulic or gearbox leakage, the PTO shafts are well greased and there’s no obvious damage to tines. Don’t forget to optimise tractor tyre pressures as well.
“If you do notice excessive wear, be sure to pick up the phone to your local Krone dealer, as Krone machines have replaceable wearing parts that are easy to install on-farm.”
For more information go to www.krone-uk.com