Seven-figure numbers and harvesters are synonymous – therefore the acquisition of one of these giants is not a matter to be approached lightly. Farmers need to see the different harvesters in action and compare those from different manufacturers.
The Grootpan study group’s Harvest Races started a few years ago as a fun event and get-together, and over the years developed into a significant event on the agricultural calendar. This year, Case IH again entered two harvesters for the races in the Class 6 and Class 8 divisions. Case IH’s 8250 held its own in the Class 8 division and walked away with second place.
Case IH’s popular 6150 harvester competed in the Class 6 division and also took second place. Kobus Olwagen, Product Manager at Case, says: “In 1979, the first Case harvesters were welcomed on South African soil. These harvesters have been on the market for quite a few years, and the popularity of Case harvesters has increased tremendously. These harvesters have the only single-drive rotor system patented by Case.”
Kobus explains more about the specifications and unique features of the Case IH 6150 Axial Flow harvester: “Case IH’s well-known 6150 harvester has an 8,7 litre Iveco engine that delivers 246 kW. The harvester’s standard rotor is 76,2 cm (30 inches) wide and 274,32 cm (108 inches) long.
These harvesters have different concaves that can be interchanged to harvest different types of grain.
“The separation area of this harvester’s sieves is 5,4 square meters. It’s big enough to handle this 8-row Geringhoff maize header and possibly bigger headers too, if you wanted,” adds Kobus.
Kobus Olwagen is proud of Case IH’s harvesters, which South African farmers have been counting on since 1979.
Kobus says: “This is a very simple machine. There are no unnecessary moving parts. Everything is effective from the chute, the width that the material enters from the chute, the material moving into the rotor being threshed, the kernels falling on the sieve and going straight to the grain tank.
Case IH’s 8250 harvester walks away with second place in the Class 8 division of the Harvester Race.
“All the components of this harvester are driven by drive belts. When you look inside, you will see that the harvester has standard spreaders. There are also chopping knives that can be adjusted to make the material coarser or finer,” explains Kobus.
The harvester’s grain tank holds 10 570 litres, discharging at 113 litres per second. The chute’s spout can be hinged to distribute the grain evenly in the grain cart. The harvester’s 832″ front tires and 628″ rear tires ensure good propulsion and steering without unnecessarily compacting the field. These harvesters can also be ordered with double wheels.
“The harvester is equipped with a cleaning area at the cooler where the roller sieve is. The unnecessary material and leaves are blown out here and cast on the ground,” adds Kobus.
These harvesters also boast new technology to make the farmer’s and operator’s life easier.
Kobus explains: “It gives you a reading of the progress of the process every three seconds, which can be seen on the screen inside the cabin.” The cab is also designed with the operator, who has to harvest for long hours, in mind. “The warranty on all Case harvesters is 3 years or 1 500 hours,” concludes Kobus.
The team from Case IH after the Harvester Challenge.
