While hay and straw making season may seem far away, farmers will hit the fields in a mere matter of months. In preparation for this, John Deere is adding to its lineup of balers with the introduction of the new L341R, a high-density large square baler. The new baler creates 3x4 high-density bales. For straw specifically, producers can expect to see a weight increase of up to 30% when using the L341R.
“There are fewer bales to pick up and move which leads to less in-field compaction,” says Chase Milem, marketing manager at John Deere. “Since fewer bales need to be removed from the field, farmers save time, labor, and fuel. In addition, the heavy bales help ensure trucks are loaded with the most amount of hay possible for enhanced efficiency.”
High-density balers are commonly used in crops having more elastic characteristics, such as straw. The L341R, features increased plunger force, tension panel pressure, and an 18-inch longer bale chamber than previous models to provide the extra pressure to the bales. Added pressure is applied to the crop as it is moved through the baler, packed, and then formed into a bale.
For example, the L341R can form up to 1,200-pound, densely packed 3x4 straw bales. Previously, the same-sized bale weighed up to 925 pounds. Across a 160-acre field, with straw yielding 2-tons per acre, a farmer could get by with four fewer trailers to transport the bales. In this scenario, hauling bales 200 miles at $4.80 per mile can save $3,840, or $960 per trailer load. “The time farmers will need to retrieve the bales from the field will be less. Since there are fewer bales to pick up and move, and less traffic in the field, potential crop regrowth can increase,” Milem says.
John Deere is also making new Bale Documentation technology available on its large square balers to support greater agronomic and resource management. Using Bale Doc, farmers can track bale weight and moisture, and flow that data into the John Deere Operations Center for analysis and permanent record keeping.
“Gathering bale yield data may offer farmers insights into irrigation frequencies and water-volume applied. It also can improve nutrient application plans and provide an estimate on the volume of residue removed from a field,” Milem says. “The L341R helps our customers leverage John Deere equipment and technology they may already use, while maintaining the valuable parts and service support they are accustomed to receiving from their local dealer.”
