Combines

[Clive]

Not really something that gets discussed in relation to direct drilling but without doubt one of the most important operations in making one pass establishment successful ?

Good quality straw and chaff spread is essential and some combines seem to to achieve this much better than others

My experience over the last 10 years is with Claas Lexions which have always produced good results. Are others as good now or is the current trend towards straw rakes evidence that combine manufacturers need to take the issue of straw chop and spread more seriously if they want to sell to direct anyone pass seeders ?

 

[Feldspar]

Current version of the Massey Delta @ 30ft is not good! Next generation of Delta's will have 35ft and a power spreader. Probably not very useful to anyone reading as in all probability you probably would never consider one.

No-till has different requirements. No need for the straw to be chopped ultra- short - indeed this may causing an increased amount of hairpinning. Having said this something like a Claydon does not like long straw so it depends on your drill.

Stripper headers are the ultimate in my view in conjunction with true no-till and I'd be very happy if anyone could crack the problem with losses. Pod stick applied to wheat anyone?!

 

[doorknob]

I can not say enough about the importance of residue distribution. I tried it once without a chaff spreader and an inferior straw spreader on a CIH. Not a good idea. Not only a bear trying to plant thru it, but the slugs were using the dense chaff mat as a home base for their destructive talents.

I still only have the CIH factory spreading system as that is all I have access to at the time, but it is a far better system than not having one.

 

[agricontract]

Even our lexion straw chopper and chaff spreader was not good enough to stop slugs this year wish I had lifted the header right up and just took the heads off leavening the straw as long as I could still standing
TT is a must for dd I would say

 

[lexion610]

Luckily, on wheat we bale the straw so there's little residue to have to distribute, and we try and cut the stubble at a fair height to get at least some OM back. On rape we try and cut as close up to the pods as we can to help alleviate distribution problems, and speed up the combine a bit. the chopper just spreads to 6.6m but it's a bit touch and go. We run Cerexbibs because, as you can see, there's not much room for anything wider round here, as much as we'd like it!

 

[agricontract]

Would a TT not be narrower still

 

[lexion610]

Same width I think, but only available on the narrow body 700 series lexions.. Massive over-capacity for us!

 

[Alfie]

Or buy an older 570tt like we did for under 1000 acres :lol: massive overcapacity but we don't dry much now