New hay mowers on the market

Hay producers, start your engines, because Case IH, Claas, and New Holland have all announced new mower lineups for 2022.

Each lineup from the three companies has a variety of models to fit small or large operations.

Case IH DC5 series disc mower conditioners

Case IH is now offering new size options for center-pivot DC5 series disc mower conditioners, designed for higher performance in a smaller build. Other changes to the mowers are designed for better crop flow, faster dry drown, and no-tool adjustments to the implement.

The DC105 disc mower conditioner is a new configuration from Case IH with a modular cutterbar that has a width of 10 feet 1 inch. The conditioning system is available in rubber or flail style. A smaller center pivot and overall size is designed for easier road and small-field navigation.

The DC125 has a longer swath gate, with adjustments made to fins and wedges to enhance cutting and windrowing over previous models, and has a cut width of 11 feet 7 inches. The DC135 model is replacing Case IH's DC133 in the company's mower lineup. This model has a cutterbar width of 13 feet 1 inch, with eight discs. Both of these models have the option of rubber, steel rolls, or flail conditioning.

• READ MORE: CASE IH DEBUTS DRIVERLESS AUTONOMOUS SPREADER

The new DC165 is replacing the DC 163, as well, with an even larger cutterbar at 16 feet 5 inches and ten cutting discs. This model is offered with rubber or steel roll conditioning.

The new DC5 series disc mower conditioners are available to order now. For more information, visit CaseIH.com.

CLAAS DISCO 9300 TREND Mower

The new Disco 9300 mower from Claas has a large working width available in either 29 feet 2 inches or 29 feet 10 inches configurations. Despite the size, the Disco has a lower profile, with 150 PTO HP power requirement, and doesn't require a monitor for operation.

The cutterbar is designed to be maintenance free, with a bolted, torsion-resistant build. Each cutterbar has eight contra-rotating mower discs, uniformly spaced for an even cutting pattern. The one-piece base plate is made of 5 mm thick steel and creates a dirt-removing tunnel effect in connection with the skids. The intermediate pieces are shaped differently for converging and diverging mower discs to enable an effective cut as a counter blade and for maximum overlap.

• READ MORE: CLAAS ANNOUNCES NEW TRACTOR AND COMBINE FOR 2023

The protective curtains on the mower fold out wide for access to the cutterbar for maintenance, and the build is designed to prevent the turning and attachment points from rusting. The mower bar is equipped with a quick knife change system, with color-coded blades to make changing them out easier, and the replacement blade box is divided into three compartments to keep them sorted.

For more information on the Claas Disco 9300 Trend mower, visit claasofamerica.com.

New Holland Discbine PLUS series

With the introduction of the new Discbine Plus series, New Holland focused on enhancing cutting and swath controls for its center-pivot disc mower conditioners. All the models in this series use a newly redesigned cutterbar, similar to the one featured on New Holland's Durabine Plus disc headers on the Speedrower Plus windrowers.

The cutterbar has longer knives for a faster tip speed, designed for improved cut quality. The models have a 30% lower cutting height than previous models, to leave less behind in down and tangled crops. Reshaped rock guards help with crop-to-knife engagement.

The Discbine Plus' conditioning system is sized for each model for uniform conditioning and fast drydown across the entire series. Conditioning options include intermeshing rubber or steel rolls. A flail tine conditioning system is also available.

• READ MORE: NEW HOLLAND'S WINDROWER HAS A NEW LOOK FOR 2022

The swath gate is 5 inches longer, with adjustable crop spreading wedges to break up crop streams. These also have adjustable crop fins to make windrows as 3- to 8-feet wide. The forming shields are also 5 inches taller than previous models and work with the swatch gate to make a tunnel effect designed for more windrow control and neater swaths.

The Discbine 310 Plus has a six-disc cutterbar with a cut width of 10 feet 1 inch. This model can be equipped with a 540- or 1,000- rpm drive, and requires as little as 80 hp to operate. The 312 Plus has a 11 feet 7 inches wide cut, with a 1,000 rpm drive. The 313 Plus has a wider cut than the 312 with an additional 1 foot 4 inches to its width. The 316 Plus has the widest cut in the series at 16 feet 5 inches.

For more information on the New Holland Discbine Plus series, visit agriculture.newholland.com.