For Monmouthshire farmer Roger Williams, switching to a twin-rotor, RA2072 supplied by Hopkins Machinery has improved output and efficiency with forage production for his beef cattle.
“I had been using a single rotor rake, and although it was a useful bit of kit, having to go up and down on the same row to pull enough grass in for the baler was proving a bit slow,” he says. “With much tighter weather windows, my preference was to get the baler working right behind me, so I needed greater output from my rake.”
From Red House Farm near Mitchell Troy, Roger Williams aims to make around 500 round bales each year, comprising hay, haylage and straw.
“I carry out my own mowing and raking, getting the crop ready for baling, which is then packed into round bales by a neighbour.”
Grass is cut using a 2.8m, Kubota DM2028 plain disc mower using three blades per disc. After wilting, the crop is pulled into rows using an RA2072 twin rotor rake, which offers a hydraulically adjustable working width from 6.2 to 7.2m.
“The rake is a much more productive solution that follows the tractor really well, to create a boxy swath that fills the baler’s pickup,” he says. “We’ve gained timeliness and are now making better quality forage.”
In addition, the farm has invested in an SE4280 flail chopper which has replaced a rotary topper.
“The flail does a lovely job around boundaries and margins,” he says. “The finish is so much neater than a rotary topper.”
The 2.8m flail chopper uses a double headstock design, enabling it to be front- or rear-mounted. And a hydraulic offset enables the unit to be side-shifted to reach into field edges without risk of damaging the tractor.
“I’m really pleased with all the kit I’ve had from Hopkins,” he says. “The flail is future-proofing, because when I do replace one of my tractors for one with front linkage and PTO, this will add more efficiency to hedgecutting. I’ll be able to can carry the flail up front and the hedgecutter behind, which will save swapping implements.”
