Pottinger has announced a new addition to its grassland range, the new Mergento VT 9220 belt-type rake. It comes in working widths of up to 9.2m for a central swath and 8.7m for a side swath.
The product is designed for alfalfa, clover, and a wide variety of crops from permanent grassland to straw. According to the company, Mergento collects the forage using the pick-up, while dirt and stones remain on the ground.
Cross conveyor belts on the belt-type rake transport the forage to the swath, without further contact with the ground. Pottinger claims that the belt rake minimises disintegration losses because the forage is not raked across the ground. The overall result apparently being more energy, more crude protein and less crude ash in the forage. Pottinger says that the coordinated system ensures a consistent flow of forage and perfectly formed swaths even with short crop material. The conveyor unit consists of the pick-up, the crop press roller and the cross-conveyor belt.
According to the company, the six-row controlled pick-up delivers maximum collection performance with minimum forage contamination. The crop is gently collected from the ground by the successive pick-up tines and fed to the cross conveyor belt. The cam track makes the tines retract just before the belt.
Depending on the shape of the field, the volume of forage, and the follow-up harvesting machine, the Mergento VT 9220 can place a centre swath, swaths to the left or right, two single swaths, convey from the inside out, and even load forage for a short period.
The new equipment for all types of forage will be available from August 1, 2022.