New Holland is introducing the new UltraFeed pickup head for FR Forage Cruiser self-propelled forage harvesters in North America. The UltraFeed head, boasting a 13-foot (4-meter) working width, is specifically designed to handle larger windrows, while facilitating improved crop flow through the crop channel.
The new design also optimizes the horsepower and cutterhead capacity of the FR Forage Cruiser. “Our engineering team strategically developed the UltraFeed head to increase our FR Forage Cruiser’s productivity across diverse crop types,” says Josh Harkenrider, commercial hay and forage marketing manager for New Holland. “The ability to modulate and equalize crop flow satisfies the FR’s appetite for production.”
As part of the new design, a robust belt-driven driveline was incorporated into the UltraFeed head. This new element not only increases capacity and uptime, but also extends service life for the head. Its driveline, coupled with a new auger design, smoothens crop flow into the forage harvester’s feed rolls, instilling confidence and reliability in the field.
To further optimize crop flow, a large roller windguard has been incorporated. This compresses large swaths ahead of the pickup reel, which is also beneficial in handling light windrows. Additionally, the integration of mesh to the top of the head allows operators to monitor crop flow into their FR Forage Cruiser with optional LED lights enhancing visibility.
To streamline routine maintenance, an optional auto greasing system can be added to the UltraFeed head to reduce maintenance time alongside new tine hardware.
“Extensive testing by the New Holland product validation team of the new UltraFeed pickup head confirmed significant throughput improvements across various crop conditions and cut lengths, compared to past units,” says Melissa Kelly, livestock and dairy segment lead for New Holland.
UltraFeed was first launched during last year’s Agritechnica trade show in Germany and will now be displayed during the upcoming World Ag Expo in Tulare, CA USA.
