Based in Elphin, Co Roscommon, Derek Beirne runs an agricultural contracting service. The main services provided are baling and slurry handling within a 15-mile radius of his yard.

Since he started up in 2003, Derek has had Welger balers in the fleet, sticking with the brand which later became Lely. In more recent times, the Agco group acquired Lely’s forage division, with the well-known Lely Welger machines updated and rebranded in the red and green colours of Agco’s subsidiaries, Massey Ferguson and Fendt.

This was part of Agco’s effort to offer a full-line strategy to its customers. These Massey Ferguson balers still have a lot in common with the original Welger machines that have worked well for Derek and his team over the years.

Derek recently decided to upgrade his three balers – two Lely Welger Profi 245 balers and a McHale Fusion 2. Having clocked up 50-55 thousand bales on each of the Lely machines since buying new, he thought it was time to change up.

Two Massey Ferguson RB 3130F Xtracut balers replaced the two older Lely Welger Profi 245 balers and the recently launched RB 3130F Xtracut Protec combination baler replaced Derek’s older Fusion 2 baler. This was mainly down to the fact he wanted to stick with the one brand. This leaves Derek as one of the first contractors in the country to have taken delivery of the new generation combination baler/wrapper units from Massey.

Two variants of the Protec baler are available – the variable-chamber RB 4160V capable of making bales 0.90-1.60m in diameter and the fixed-chamber RB 3130F as notified by the V and F at the end of the models. The RB 3130F has a chamber capable of making bales 1.25m in diameter.

The wrapping unit folds up for road transport to a length of 5.9m.

Pickup

The baler is fitted with a 2.25m, five-tine-bar camless pickup. It is Derek’s first baler fitted with a camless pickup. He noted how quiet it runs as now each tine bar is in a fixed position in comparison to older pickups fitted with cam tracks. Two large 25cm diameter feeding augers on each side direct the crop to the centre of the baler. Derek said the short distance between the pickup tines and the rotor means there’s no dead spot for grass to sit in-between, allowing for a consistent crop flow through the pickup and rotor.

Rotor and knives

Just behind the rotor sits the Xtracut knife bank, equipped with two arrangements of hydraulically operated knife. The first bank is fitted with 13 knives while the second is fitted with 12. Each bank can be engaged individually or both may be engaged offering the full 25 knives to be in place for the shortest chop length possible. The machine can also be bought with a knife bank of 13 or 17 knives. The option is also available to disengage all knives if required. Derek operates his balers with one knife bank in place at any time, noting that longer sharpening intervals can be achieved this way. Each bank is swapped out after every 300 bales, meaning sharpening only needs to be carried out every 600 bales roughly. This flexible knife arrangement was the reason behind opting for the Xtracut feature on each of the three balers bought this year, explained Derek.

The balers are fitted with Massey’s two-stage Hydroflexcontrol protection system. Stage one sees automatic mechanical floor cushioning clear minor blockages. This allows the front part of the feed chamber floor to move. Stage two is the lowering of the hydraulically operated floor which allows major blockages to pass.

Inside the chamber are 18 Powergrip rollers, each manufactured from a seamless solid tube with 10 ribs on each roller to improve performance and durability. Each of Derek’s three balers is fitted with an automatic chain lubrication system and automatic greasing system supplying grease to roller bearings and other lubrication points throughout the baler.

The recently launched RB 3130F Xtracut Protec combination baler/wrapper

Netting and wrapping

Derek noted the baler is fitted with the same netting system as his previous Lely models, which always worked well. The fact the netting system is undercover and away from dirt and debris while travelling on the road is a big benefit for him as dirt cannot get caught up in the net tensioning system, creating problems with net infeed. The RB 3130F balers are not compatible with film binding, which most new balers are capable of today. This is a feature Derek would have liked to have on the balers, giving him the option if customers required it. Although has said this film-binding method will be available next year.

The RB 3130F Protec baler ejects bales at lower elevation angles, improving machine stability. The transfer arm features two active guiding plates directing bales to the centre of the wrapping table. The baler has a unique slope transfer mode, allowing the transfer arm to move more slowly while the wrapper ring is raised higher to receive the bale on hilly terrain. Derek commented on how smoothly bales transfer even on hills, not ending up on the wrapping table at an awkward angle.

The wrapping ring is driven by a set of two rubber rollers to reduce noise and ensure grip. The wrapping table has three belts, with two rollers and four side cones. Six film holders are located underneath each side panel, leaving the baler capable of carrying 14 rolls of film. Derek noted that the hinged film holder makes mounting rolls of plastic easier. All the wrapper’s functions can be manually controlled via the externally mounted control panel above the left mudguard, which leaves maintenance and changing of film rolls easier. The wrapping unit folds up in transport mode, reducing the baler’s overall length to 5.9m.

Derek runs two Massey Ferguson RB 3130F Xtracut balers along with the RB 3130F Xtracut Protec combination baler/wrapper.

Single axle

The RB 3130 Protec is seated on a 10-stud single axle shod with 620/55 R26.5 Alliance flotation tyres. Derek said that although the baler is only on a single axle, compared to other combination balers with tandem axles it is very well balanced behind the tractor, making it easy to pull. The 26.5in rims are a great help providing a large footprint, making wet conditions more manageable.

Comment

Having only put 500 bales through his new RB 3130F Protec, Derek said so far he is impressed with how the baler has performed: “A standout feature has to be the baler’s ability to take in grass regardless of the conditions, on top of this it seems to be easily driven.” He said that in the future he can see his other standard balers being changed for combination baler-wrapper units, because of reduced labour and the lower number of machines needed.

Machine specification

Weight: 5,990kg

Tyres: 620/55 R26.5 Alliance.

Length: 5.9m (transport).

Knives: 25-knife selectable floor (combinations; 0-12-13-25).

Bale chamber: 18 rollers, (1.25m Bale diameter).

Terminal: E-Link pro monitor and Isobus compatible.

Pickup: 2.25m five-tine bar camless.

List price: €80,000 plus VAT.