Making large square bales of high-quality hay will get much easier in 2018 with the introduction of the model L331 and L341 Large Square Balers from John Deere. Both models feature several customer-requested enhancements, including a new MegaWide™ pickup with or without precutter, and numerous hay-making options that hay producers can select from to best fit their operations.
These two new large square balers, which will replace the previous L300 Series Large Square Balers introduced in 2015, are 100 percent John Deere designed and built from front to back, says Travis Roe, senior marketing representative for hay tools for John Deere. "They are a perfect fit for commercial hay producers, as well as larger dairy and beef producers, who demand more consistent bale densities with less crop loss, and who want to spend more time baling and less time clearing plugs and servicing the machine."
The changes start with a new John Deere feed system that increases overall baler reliability and performance under a wide variety of tough haying conditions to get more crop into the baler. This includes a new wider and more robust standard 7.2 feet (2.2-meter) MegaWide pickup with optional 7.2 feet (2.2 meter) and 8.2 feet (2.5 meter) the widest in the industry – Premium MegaWide pickups; new inline, undershot rotor; and heavy-duty roller baffles and gauge wheels. In addition, there are two configurations of precutter, depending on model, 13-knife or 21-knife, with drop floor and slide out tray for easier cleanout.
Another important new option customers can select from is BalerAssist™, which allows the operator to more quickly and easily clear plugs without leaving the cab and makes it easier to access service points. For twine tying, there's a new electronic knotter trip option that improves bale length consistency.
In addition, John Deere has new moisture sensor and bale-weighing options for the large square balers to give operators immediate visibility to crop conditions and bale densities. The new moisture sensor is 33 percent more accurate than competitive sensors and provides on-the-go display of hay moisture in the cab. The bale-weighing system allows flake-by-flake monitoring of bale weight to help the operator create more uniform-sized bales across the field.
The L331 model, which produces a 3x3-foot (.91x.91 meters) bale, and the L341 baler, which makes a 3x4-foot (.91 x 1.2 meters) bale, can be used for many types of hay and forage crops, and offers improved performance when baling straw and cornstalks.
The new L331 and L341 models provide the durability, field performance and quality hay-baling that hay and forage producers are looking for in a large square baler, adds Roe. "These two balers offer a significant increase in productivity, consistent bale density and baling speed and control compared to previous models and competitive machines on the market today."
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