The 26th Annual Farm Progress Hay Expo was held last week in Boone, Iowa, on the same site at which the Farm Progress Show will take place in late-August. The 10-acre exhibit field featured manufacturers and distributors showcasing their hay and forage products to interested farmers.
Dave Homan, a farmer from Remsen, Iowa, attended the show with his sons, Jeremy and Jared. He has used a Case IH LB432 baler for four seasons and is pleased with its performance.
“We do a lot of custom work for dairy farmers,” says Homan. “We especially like the rotor-cutter because it cuts the hay into three-inch pieces, which means a lot less waste for the farmers feeding the hay.”
Homan points out that dependability is another asset of the baler. “It’s been very dependable,” he says. “It’s easy to service and it’s been a reliable machine.”
Case IH Equipment Featured
Case IH had the opportunity to spotlight and demo its equipment at the show. The Case IH WD2303 windrower has 226 horsepower, the highest in the industry, so operators can cover more ground in less time. It features the Case IH suspended cab, the industry leader in terms of comfort and roominess, and the rear-axle suspension makes for a smoother ride through the field.
“New this year on the WD3 Windrowers is the LED lighting option for better visibility at night,” says Brett DeVries, Case IH Marketing Manager, Hay and Forage. “Other options include the Pro 700 display and a leather seat.”
In addition to these products, the RD163 Disc Head, with a 16-foot disc header, was on display.
“The wide discs have two primary advantages,” adds DeVries. “First, it is positioned at a flatter angle for better cut quality, and secondly, operators can run it at lower header rpms to save horsepower and fuel. In addition, the heavier duty components of the header bar allow for more durability.”
A full-length crop auger evenly feeds material into the conditioning rolls. What does this mean to customers? “This means operators have a more even distribution of crop material across the entire width of the windrow, which creates a more even, more rapid drydown process,” says DeVries.
Good Crowds
“We’re happy with the turnout,” says Frank Holdmeyer, Wallaces Farmer Executive Editor, in regard to the number of people who attended the 2012 Farm Progress Hay Expo. Wallaces Farmer was one of the host publications of the Hay Expo, along with Prairie Farmer and Wisconsin Agriculturalist. “Naturally we have larger crowds when the show is held in Wisconsin, but the people who come to the Hay Expo are not casual observers. This is an audience of potential buyers.”
How does your hay crop look this year? We know some parts of the country are dry – do you think this will affect prices? Let us know! To learn more about how Case IH hay and forage equipment can help you Be Ready for the future, call your local Case IH dealer or visit Case IH.