Returning for its sixth show in the series, ScotGrass 2022 was hailed a huge success by exhibitors and organisers alike, with no fewer than 5000 visitors welcomed onto the fields at SRUC’s Crichton Royal in Dumfries – one of the show’s largest attendances to date.

Despite rain falling on the previous day, spirits were far from dampened as the weather played into the hands of organisers – allowing farmers and contractors alike to leave their own grass harvests and attend the event.

“This year’s ScotGrass event really was a success and it was the social side that really proved important as it allowed farmers to meet up again after two year’s worth of lockdowns – we should not ignore the isolation the farmers have endured during the past few years, so it was an opportunity to get them away from the farm and socialising with one another again,” commented Hugh McClymont, who farms 430 dairy cows alongside 320 young stock at Crichton.

Read more: ScotGrass gets underway at the Crichton with a Krone demo

“Although ground conditions were slightly damp due to the wet weather, we had an incredible display of working demonstrations on show. Due to having to work around the event date, the grass ended up rather stem-based and not the usual type that I, as a dairy farmer, would be looking for. The D Value this year will be lower but this comes with the challenges of running an event of this scale,” he added.

“One of the biggest messages that was driven home to farmers and contractors was the opportunities for green energy, with the event bringing four electric-powered telehandlers and the world’s first methane powered tractor to the fore. In 20 years time, these varieties may be common place but to be able to demonstrate them to the wider audience is hugely important. We need to highlight that agriculture doesn’t sit on the fence and that we’re always looking for new innovations to aid food production.”

With an array of multi-million pound kit on parade, there was certainly plenty going on for visitors to enjoy. Here are some of the highlights:

Tanco’s new triple mower system

The new Tanco AUTOCUT front and rear triple mowers were the star of the show at ScotGrass. With overall cutting and conditioning widths of 8.9m and 9.8m, mowers are fitted with COMER Heavy Duty 56 Series cutter bars with shear hub protection and quick attach blades are used. The Heavy Duty 56 Series uses 25mm gears, 58 teeth on the drive gears and 18 teeth on the driven gears, with cutting widths of 2.8m (9ft 2’) achieved with the 7-disc M3.c front mower, and overall widths of 8.9m (9ft 2’) with the M9.c 8-disc and 9.8m (32ft 2’) for the M10.c 9-disc rear mowers.

The front M3.c mower is a pull type front mower and uses a rail system to achieve 850mm of vertical travel, ±16˚ of bed movement left and right, and 19˚ travel front to back. This is a product of 680mm travel along the rail and provides the M3.c mower with superb contour following capability.

The wheels of the rear M9 and M10 mowers steer 40˚ through a linkage system connected to the Autocut headstock, as the tractor turns the Autocut wheels steer. The steering system features ‘Active Steer’, which allows the rear wheel steering to be controlled via the tractor hydraulics for extra manoeuvrability and will reset to centre when the tractor hydraulics are put into the float position. The system’s fast reaction ensures the Autocut rear mowers follow the line of the tractor when mowing as well as ensuring easy manoeuvrability when the mower beds are raised.

JCB TM420S public working debut

The JCB TM420S was put to work at the event’s silage clamp. It is one of the most powerful machines of its type, with a four-cylinder engine developing 173hp and copious amounts of torque.

It has a unique transmission providing eight powershift speeds with torque converter lock-up available throughout for ultimate pushing power, and 50kph top speed capability. The transmission’s auto mode responds to light accelerator pedal use by shifting up and down at a relatively steady engine speed for best fuel economy.

Working alongside a JCB 435S agricultural loading shovel, the newcomer also retains a dual pump hydraulics package that is unique to the TM range. A JCB ‘regenerative’ boom hydraulics system exploits the weight of the boom to bring it down quickly but under full control for faster loading cycle times, while the 100cc total pump capacity delivers up to 160-litre/min flow for boom and attachment operation, and up to 100-litre/min to auxiliary services.

Operators will also enjoy the new cab with its increased overhead glass area, larger rear three-quarter windows and standard rear-view camera.

Kverneland’s latest trailed tedder

Kverneland introduced their widest trailed tedder to visitors at the event in the form of a high capacity 14-rotor machine, badged the 85156C, which provides a 15.6m working width.

In addition, the Kverneland Scotgrass demonstration included the flagship 53100MT Vario triple mo-co, and the 95130C four-rotor rake, which is adjustable in width from 10-13m, producing a swath from 1.2-2.2m wide.

New Kubota BV Plus-Series variable chamber baler

Kubota’s new variable chamber baler drew in spectators at the event. With an 18-roller bale chamber and two rollers located in the base of the chamber, this machine has no trouble working with heavy, wet silage bales.

A new 2.3m wide pick-up, designated XL+ incorporates an extensive series of upgrades, including an extra tine added on either side, increasing the working width by 10cm. A new five-bar tine reel incorporates a cam track located at both ends, while each tine bar is supported on four bearings. Tine length has been increased by 10mm and the gap between the stripper plates has been reduced for improved performance in wet crops.

Capacity has been increased with the introduction of a new larger diameter intake rotor, along with a revised drop floor system. The drop floor package uses a rounded profile under the rotor and operates with a parallelogram action – extending clearance under the front and rear of the chamber, when lowered. Bales are tied using PowerBind net injection system, which accurately places the tail of net directly into the bale chamber, without relying on traditional feed rollers or using gravity.

Chamber rollers all run on 50mm diameter bearings, with double-row roller bearings used on all main load points. Kubota’s BF3500 is also equipped with a 15-knife SuperCut pre-chopping system, plus automatic chain lubrication and auto-greasing.

KRONE’s ‘BiG M’ keeps it clean

If fuel efficiency was the name of the game for visitors then KRONE’s BiG M 450 was the people’s choice. Introduced back in 2017, the fifth generation of the machine offers a cutting width of 9.90 m and the new 6-cylinder, inline LIEBHERR engine with PowerSplit control developing 449hp, putting plenty of power in reserve.

Driven by wheel motors and turning through a 50° angle, BiG M is extremely easy to manoeuvre and as such also offers great efficiency in small fields. An excellent front-rear weight distribution (64% : 36%) ensures that the self-propelled mower also copes perfectly in difficult terrain.

When the swathing hoods on both mowers are closed, the augers feed the material from the sides, windrowing it into one central swath. When cutting along field edges you can also close just one hood to present a clean job to the following harvester.

Pöttinger’s Flowtast glide bar system

Pöttinger returned to ScotGrass and their TOP 842 C centre-swath rake fitted with Flowtast glide bar system proving popular with visitors. Flowtast tracks the ground close to the tines across the entire surface and glides effortlessly over wet and peaty soils, even with deep marks and holes. Customers can still equip the rake with the Multicast jockey wheel system as an option on top of Flowtast for additional ground-tracking ability. The TOP 842 C is available in working widths ranging from 7.7 to 8.4 metres.

Flowtast uses a hydraulic cylinder to help alleviate weight on the rake’s rotor unit, leading to a roughly 200-kilogram ground pressure level that protects the soil and glide bar and results in less wear and stress on the rake’s frame. This is aided by the firm’s usage of a special plastic synthetic material offering resistance to wear and abrasion. The rake’s sickle shape bar design also helps, giving it ideal gliding properties during sideways movement.