The debate on whether a conditioner is actually required on mowers has been bubbling away under the surface for a while now.
The beneficial effect of conditioning was established decades ago and little research appears to have been done since to support the idea. In the absence of such data, it should come as no surprise that farmers are once again looking at cutting without conditioning.
Mowers without conditioners
McHale is the latest company to meet the demand for heavy duty plain mowers with the official launch of its rear-mounted plain mower, an implement which is already in the public sphere, but now the company is going into full production with it.
Known as the McHale Pro Glide R310, it is fitted with a 3m cutter bar to provide a cutting width of 3.1m using a seven-disc bed.
It is claimed to use proven technology from the existing conditioner mower range and benefits from a number of features which result in better ground following ability, and quicker reaction times to changes in ground conditions.
All the McHale Pro Glide mowers are fitted with a patented 3D ground tracking suspension unit, which is said to deliver a better cutting performance by allowing the mower to move independently of the tractor.
Rear-mounted set
In addition to the rear-mounted unit, McHale will also be launching a butterfly combination which the company calls the B910.
On this pair of mowers, twin 3.4m cutter bars provide a fixed cutting width of 9.1m when accompanied with a front mower. All McHale 3.4m cutter bars are equipped with eight-discs to provide a clean cut.
The mowing discs are designed to maximise crop flow. Each mowing disc has its own individual protective safety mechanism, if a collision occurs, the mechanism will shear in order to protect the drive.
The quick-change blades are angled at 10° to ensure a clean and even cut. They are also free to spin 360° which makes them self-cleaning and stops them fouling on the knives on neighbouring discs.