Claas has announced a number of new features on the Jaguar forager range ahead of the 2022 season, as well as a new 4.2m mounted mower – the Disco 4400 Contour. Charlotte Cunningham reports.

The forage harvesters of the Jaguar 900 model series now benefit from a raft of new features associated with the feeder unit, the corncracker, and the silage additive dosing system. Further new developments are also available for the Orbis and Pick Up front attachments.

According to Claas, the most significant new development for the Jaguar 900 model series is the expansion of the options for the front attachment drive. In addition to the all-mechanical drive and the variable drive for the Pick Up grass and Orbis maize headers, it’s now possible for customers to specify a twin hydraulic drive which offers particular benefits when working with the Pick Up.

With this option, the intake auger continues to be driven via the quick-release coupler, and can adjust its speed in accordance with the length of cut; the pick-up reel, however, is provided with an all-new hydraulic drive which allows it to be driven with variable speed adjustment independently of the intake auger. The principal objective of enabling the pick-up reel speed to be varied is to allow it to be adjusted automatically to the forager’s ground speed, so the faster the forward speed the faster the pick up reel speed.

Important advantages associated with this functionality include efficient raking action at all ground speeds with extremely low wear; if the ground speed or the set length of cut is changed, the rotational speeds of the auger and reel are adjusted automatically to the prevailing conditions. If necessary, both speeds can be adjusted to the requirements of the harvesting situation manually by the operator from the cab. It is therefore possible to respond to changing harvesting conditions either automatically or manually from the cab. The result, especially in changing conditions, is even more accurate crop feeding and a more consistent crop flow overall, says the firm.

Studies of large swaths of whole crop silage harvested using the Pick Up conducted in California with a Jaguar 990 have shown increased throughput levels of up to 13.7% in extreme conditions compared with an all-mechanical constant drive.

Disco 4400 Contour

Also new from Claas is the Disco 4400 Contour – a rear-mounted mower which has been added to the firm’s Disco range.

Rear-mounted mowers with large working widths used in front-rear combinations can be an effective alternative to triple combinations, depending on the application, says Claas. The mower features diagonal 120° folding for safe, vertical road transport at a height of less than 4m and a space-saving storage position combined with performance.

With its 4.2m working width, the new Disco 4400 Contour becomes the flagship model in the Disco range. As with other mowers in the range it features the Max Cut mower bed for which there is a double-swath laying option. This is achieved by placing two swath drums on the 4th and 5th disc (from the inside) to create one narrower and one wider single swath. This is especially useful on wet or soft ground as it avoids driving on the forage, says Claas.