A duo of Belair zero-grazing machines featured at the recent FTMTA Farm Machinery Show in Co. Kildare – one inside and another in the outdoor exhibition area.
Imported into Ireland by Tom Shaw Farm Machinery, based in County Offaly, these French-built machines were first seen in Ireland in 2015.
Shaw started selling these machines during 2016, showing the first units at last year’s Tullamore Show. Since then, he already has half a dozen units out working.
The machine housed inside one of the marquees at the FTMTA Farm Machinery Show was a Gabare 1726 model. This 26m³ machine has a transport width of less than 2.4m and is just over 8m long.
A tractor with a minimum hydraulic (oil) flow of 80L/m is needed up front. Unladen, the machine weighs 4.1t. The 1726 is priced at €33,000 excluding VAT.
Outside, in the exhibition area adjacent to the main entrance, there was a larger Belair Gabare 2740. This machine has a capacity of 40m³ and, unladen, tips the scales at 5.7t.
A Gabare 2740 is also on display at this week’s SIMA show, in Paris.
Like some other zero-grazing machines, Belair’s units are fitted with Galfre twin-drum, spring-mounted mowing units up front. These are driven off the tractor’s 540rpm PTO.
Asked how drum mowers compare to disc-type units, Tom Shaw said, “A disc mower is not needed on this type of machine. A drum mower works better, especially when you’re dealing with short grass”.
From buckets to robotic feeders
Belair is a French company. With a legacy stretching back over half a century, it now employs 45 staff. The firm produces a variety of machines, including feeders, straw choppers and, of course, zero-grazing units.
The company was producing a range of agricultural equipment as far back as the late 1960s, including buckets and trailers.
By the mid 1990s, the product range had expanded to include bale stackers, vertical-auger mixers and numerous other items. In more recent years, the firm has enthusiastically embraced the latest technology with its Aviso robotic feeder.