John Deere revealed its newest series of forage harvesters to the public earlier this month. The updated F8 and F9 models bring increased horsepower options, expanded automation features and technology offerings compared to previous models, according to the brand.
“A higher quality forage output with more power, more precision and more uptime, that’s the focus of the new forage harvesters for our customers,” said Bergen Nelson, John Deere’s Go-To-Market manager for Harvesting Equipment, in a press release.
“We’ve combined our strongest hardware with our newest and smartest precision ag technology to give forage producers a machine to create higher-quality forage throughout the year.”
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At the top of the line, the flagship F9 Series is available with two engine options, Deere’s own 18X or a massive Liebherr V12, 24-litre diesel. This range has five horsepower options from 700 to 1,020.
The JD18X engine’s emissions system doesn’t require DEF. The company says Deere’s HarvestMotion Plus technology allows for increased torque at lower r.p.m.’s, which provides fuel savings of up to 15 per cent and up to a 10 per cent boost in power.
The smaller F8 Series uses Deere’s JD14X engine, offering horsepower ratings from 425 to 645.
Both lines are packed full of intelligent automation features to maximize feed quality and make operation simpler.
Included in that technology package is ground speed automation, which helps maintain consistent load by adjusting ground speed in real time based on crop conditions.
Operator input can be reduced by using ProTouch Harvest. That gives operators push button control for a number of pre-set harvest settings.
Active Fill Control is designed to provide consistent truck fills under changing conditions.
“The machine is not just collecting data, it is using the data to optimize automated decision-making,” said Nelson. “(It will) not only help operators do more but help them do it better with less manual input and more consistency.”
The machines get a new inoculant dosing system with a larger capacity tank and an automated clean out system to save clean up time at the end of the day.
The F8s and F9s get two different kernel processing ranges: Ultimate250TM KP and the XStream305TM. Offering 56 per cent more surface area, the XStream305TM has a more effective kernel crush at wider gaps for longer wear life.
There’s an upgraded cab with a swivel seat. Maintenance upgrades include a redesigned wiring harness, centralized control panels and embedded software for improved diagnostics.
“At the end of the day, this machine isn’t just about horsepower; it’s about forage quality that leads to better milk production, feed consistency, and operator productivity and confidence.” said Nelson.
