Differently shaped areas of land can be raked nicely and quickly
Mr. Háček, a private farmer farming land in the Prague-East district, can't get enough of the SB-1352 double rotor delivery rake from ROZMITAL. For the third season running, he has successfully raked forage on 60 ha of meadows and pastures without any problems. We took the opportunity to ask him about his experience with the machine.
Although Mr Háček comes from a farming family, he became a farmer 15 years ago when he took over the farm from his father, until then he had worked as a construction manager.
"Originally, I was involved in both livestock and crop production, but over time I cut back on the livestock part and for the last 10 years I have been involved only in crop production. I farm a total of 360 ha of land, of which 60 ha are meadows and pastures," Mr Háček says. Interestingly, Mr Háček uses forage crops both as animal feed, which he offers to neighbouring farms, and as heating fuel during the winter on his farm.
Three years ago, the farmer decided to buy a new delivery rake. "I own an older single-rotor machine of a competitor's brand, but I needed a new one with a larger working width and more manoeuvrability, as the meadows I manage are rugged and hilly," says Mr Háček.
The choice fell on the ROZMITAL SB-1352 twin-rotor side row delivery rake.
The working width of the machine ranges from 6.8 to 13.4 m, making it suitable for medium to large areas. The machine has excellent copying characteristics, as each rotor is equipped with a hydraulically operated chassis that allows the rotor to be adjusted in height from transport to working position and back. The main support frame with transport axle is designed with lightweight beams that allow the rotors to copy the terrain independently of each other. In addition, each rotor is equipped with its own copying wheels, which increase the copying characteristics. An important feature of the SB-1352 is the ability to rake in one or two rows by repositioning the rotors. This can be adjusted to suit the density and quantity of the stock. To reduce the stress on the working rakes and also to reduce losses during work, a 13-arm rotor is used at the rear.
"It's a trouble-free machine that has everything I wanted from a new delivery rake. It gives me a higher daily output, but most importantly, it can rake different types of land, including small meadows, nice and fast," says the farmer.
The machine achieves excellent manoeuvrability thanks to the rear steerable axle and the hydraulic swivel of the second rotor in relation to the main beam. "Everything is easy to adjust and set up, it's intuitive and there is a manual that anyone can follow if necessary," says Mr Háček when asked how difficult it is to set up and operate the machine.
"Anyone interested in the delivery rake should be aware that it is a large and heavy machine, so it needs to be aggregated with a heavier tractor, especially if, like me, you are moving in hilly terrain," adds Mr Háček.
The farmer aggregates his harvester with a 170 HP (132 kW) DEUTZ-FAHR tractor. A machine with two hydraulic circuits is required, one circuit to move the machine from the working to transport position, the other to rotate the rear rotor against the main beam of the machine and thus adjust the method and width of the swathing.
And machine maintenance? "There are a lot of lubrication points, as it's a big and hydraulic machine, but when it's lubricated it runs and works pretty well. In the three years I've had the machine, I haven't had any problems with it," says Háček.
We thank Mr. Háček for the opportunity to visit and watch him and his machine at work and wish him every success not only with the machine but also as a farmer.
