2 combines vs. 1

[ajd132]

Multiple combines can be in different areas at the same time, which may be of interest to someone doing a lot of contract farming or stubble to stubble.

Much depends on the haulage and storage side of things also.

I started running two combines this year for the first time and it is a ball ache. But a big increase in land cropping not correct yet. The second one is an older John Deere that’s well depreciated so plan is just to use it to stripper header oats and cut wheat when it’s dry. It’s cheaper than getting a contractor in to do a couple hundred hectares. And if sh!t hits the fan it can run flat out too.

 

[Salopian_Will]

Thanks for replies so far,
Re. 25ft vs. 30ft, I have no experience running wider headers, just I’ve spoken to a couple of people who ran them locally and they’ve now gone back to 25ft’s.
Would a narrow bodied CR have more capacity than my CX, even with a 25ft header on?
I’m preferring running 1 machine even if I have to cut wetter, I’m sure even in a wet harvest that the drying bill will be less than the annual finance plus maintenance/labour on a 2nd machine.

yes narrow body will cut more than a CX but if you can get your wide bodied CX everywhere, then get a wide bodied CR, which will be better value and there are more of them about.

If gateways are an issue a Montana/hillsider combine will save a lot of taking the header off as it can be lifted over hedges etc we would cross main roads etc happily with the header still on.

 

[Vernon]

Having moved from two tx’s to a narrow body cr last season our only real regret is that we didn’t do it sooner. No plans to go back to two machines at all. The small cr would manage the area you mention, but if your roads can take the six walker cx just replace it with a wide body cr and manage with ease.

 

[JCfarmer]

Header size makes zero difference in fields, in fact that whole argument is the same for any machinery. Size makes no difference.
cut all gateways wide enough to get through without taking header off. Some people will be wasting days of combining over harvest taking the header off Multiple times a day (also the less you have to take it off the less chance there is of an accident)

These dd boys will soon rip a hedge out, regenerative agriculture?

 

[dave mountain]

if you can afford it i would get rid of the cx, get a new cr8.80 and another trailer (and tractor if needed) to keep up. will do that harvest easy and a lot less staff and problems than 2 older machines. combining capacity is cheaper than drying or losing premiums, especially when staff savings and lower hours per year on the combine are added in.

 

[JCfarmer]

One combine all the way, 30ft header would be perfect. Went from a 20ft 7 years ago to 30 and would never go back.

 

[ajd132]

These dd boys will soon rip a hedge out, regenerative agriculture?

Did it long ago before going direct drilling. But no I have no qualms about it whatsoever. It’s far safer. Taking the header of 15 times a season rather than 100+ minimises risk to us and our guys a massive amount.
And actually on top of that loads of small gateways dotted all around the place are hedges again. So there is no loss.
Nice try!

 

[s~~t shoveller]

If your capable with the spanner’s and want to cut it dry two will be better…have a 35 and a 25 here to do 1500 ac and all cut without drying generally.one is 19 years and other 15 .need perfect maintenance though

 

[deleted user 837354]

I started running two combines this year for the first time and it is a ball ache. But a big increase in land cropping not correct yet. The second one is an older John Deere that’s well depreciated so plan is just to use it to stripper header oats and cut wheat when it’s dry. It’s cheaper than getting a contractor in to do a couple hundred hectares. And if sh!t hits the fan it can run flat out too.

What makes it a ball ache?

Last summer I worked on a unit that just had two teams basically and I spent my whole season basically with the B team working elsewhere to team A if that makes sense. Seemed to work well, combine drivers set the pace and it was no issue.

 

[ajd132]

What makes it a ball ache?

Last summer I worked on a unit that just had two teams basically and I spent my whole season basically with the B team working elsewhere to team A if that makes sense. Seemed to work well, combine drivers set the pace and it was no issue.

Because It just takes more time to organise. Admittedly we had doubled our area so it was a whole new ball game to me so I was learning. Went fine though and we basically did as you described.

 

[deleted user 837354]

Because It just takes more time to organise. Admittedly we had doubled our area so it was a whole new ball game to me so I was learning. Went fine though and we basically did as you described.

Why the decision to go with a stripper header? How will you deal with the straw?

 

[ajd132]

Why the decision to go with a stripper header? How will you deal with the straw?

Weve had it at our disposal for a while although don’t own it. We grow a lot of oats and have been using it for them then zero tilling straight into the straw. It works well. Looks a complete disaster until about may, and get a lot of stick but zero difference in yield. It’s pretty cool.

 

[JCfarmer]

Did it long ago before going direct drilling. But no I have no qualms about it whatsoever. It’s far safer. Taking the header of 15 times a season rather than 100+ minimises risk to us and our guys a massive amount.
And actually on top of that loads of small gateways dotted all around the place are hedges again. So there is no loss.
Nice try!

We all have lots of old gateways that have returned to hedges.
I have lots and lots of hedges for the area we farm.

 

[fergie35]

Thanks for replies so far,
Re. 25ft vs. 30ft, I have no experience running wider headers, just I’ve spoken to a couple of people who ran them locally and they’ve now gone back to 25ft’s.
Would a narrow bodied CR have more capacity than my CX, even with a 25ft header on?
I’m preferring running 1 machine even if I have to cut wetter, I’m sure even in a wet harvest that the drying bill will be less than the annual finance plus maintenance/labour on a 2nd machine.

A Narrow body CR say a 8.80 will cut 20-30% more per day than a straw walker easily. often found with 25-30ft headers.

 

[deleted user 837354]

Weve had it at our disposal for a while although don’t own it. We grow a lot of oats and have been using it for them then zero tilling straight into the straw. It works well. Looks a complete disaster until about may, and get a lot of stick but zero difference in yield. It’s pretty cool.

Ideal. Are you putting in OSR or beans behind the oats?

 

[ajd132]

Ideal. Are you putting in OSR or beans behind the oats?

No always wheat but I have planted osr after stripped spring barley before but that was abit hit and miss

 

[deleted user 837354]

No always wheat but I have planted osr after stripped spring barley before but that was abit hit and miss

Ah I see, so it looks a bit interesting until stem extension and the crop clears the 'straw'. Probably looks like a load of volunteers are growing after someone neglected to cut their crop the year prior.

I wonder if there is a benefit from the stood straw being there sheltering the soil until the next crop is covered in, could be a good way of reducing run off and the like as you have a cover crop of sorts.

 

[ajd132]

Ah I see, so it looks a bit interesting until stem extension and the crop clears the 'straw'. Probably looks like a load of volunteers are growing after someone neglected to cut their crop the year prior.

I wonder if there is a benefit from the stood straw being there sheltering the soil until the next crop is covered in, could be a good way of reducing run off and the like as you have a cover crop of sorts.

Definitely helps look after soil. Nothing worse than going onto rain beaten bare soil after a rain event, horrible.

 

[Foxcover]

CR8.80 on tracks will breeze through that and be easy to move about too.
There’s a few 8.80’s round here and they’re real pocket rockets.

 

[Tractorstant]

Also depends on how tolerant the other landowner is..... if it's scorching hot, everything is fit and you are munching away somewhere else......an 8060 ( not the new one ) turning up may stop the phone calls.



https://www.agriaffaires.co.uk/used/combine-harvester/42102865/new-holland-8060.html