Bigger headers might be more efficient in the field but they are a nuisance when farmers are trying to manoeuvre them
New Holland’s new Durabine 413 disc header for the Speedrower Plus self-propelled windrower has a cutting width of 13 feet, one inch, a size designed to provide manoeuverability, fast dry-down and close cutting.
The 413 is a response to farmers’ requests for a smaller windrower, a market niche that was not being filled, said Josh Harkenrider, manager of commercial hay and forage implements. Overall width for the 413 in travel mode is 13.5 feet.
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“Many of our customers told us they don’t have wide gates and approaches into their hay fields. Also they wanted a smaller head for travelling down the road,” Harkenrider said in a phone interview. Even a 16-foot header is a challenge on the road, he added, because the driver is always stopping or moving over when meeting traffic.
“There’s also a strong agronomic reason for a smaller header. Our customers told us that a smaller head takes less crop through the conditioning roll. A 13-foot head has a smaller mat so you get better conditioning. A few farmers have told us they can dry the crop down a little faster. And that lets them get out into the field faster to pick up the bales and reduce their weather risk.”
A smaller header will require more time to finish each field, and time is money in the hay business.
“Everything is a trade-off. It takes more time to complete a field, but commercial hay producers tell us they make that up with a higher price based on higher quality. So, you’re trading off possible weather exposure for possible higher price,” said Harkenrider.
“Windrower owners with sickle headers in search of greater capacity and centre-pivot disc mower-conditioner owners looking to step up to a windrower, without upgrading other equipment like their rake, now have a new option to consider.
“The cutterbar and conditioning technology inside the 413 is the same as we install on the Discbine 313 Plus centre pivot mower conditioner. But the conditioning roll is wider. On the 313 we have a 102-inch-wide roll. On the new 413 we have a 125-inch-wide roll.”
Harkenrider said several mechanical factors improve 413 performance. The modular cutterbar and 125-inch-wide chevron-pattern steel or rubber conditioning rolls give growers two options. From the cutterbar, crop is transferred into steel or rubber roll conditioners without requiring an auger.
“The MowMax II Plus modular cutterbar delivers the cleanest, closet cut yet from a New Holland machine. To ensure as much crop is cut as possible, a cutting height as low as half an inch is achievable.
“To save time, the QuickMax knife-change system is standard along with the ShockPro hubs for added protection. The knife is three-quarters of an inch longer so there’s more overlap from one knife to the other. That makes the knife run faster for a better cut.
Harkenrider also noted the unit’s rock guard with 45 percent more overlap between each disc.“In light or late-season crops, operators can also swap the sheaves to slow the rolls from 750 rpm to 640 rpm, similar to the centre-pivot disc mower-conditioners.”
He said there is easy access to cutterbar and drive components. The 413 has poly bifold upper shields that are easy to lift and impact resistant to avoid dents. The roll drive door is made from durable poly and has a steel plate at the bottom for added protection.
Material overlap keeps the curtains in place without clips or magnets.
“Our new disc cutter is identical to the new Case unit. Most of the in-field equipment we share only has different colour and model numbers.”
The 413 made its debut at the Wisconsin Farm Technology Days July 18 and farmers can now place orders.
