"A versatile rake with guaranteed output"
In Groß Schönebeck, the Schorfheider Agrar Gesellschaft are working - for the second season - with the world's largest twin rotor central delivery rake: Lely's Hibiscus 1015 Profi. "After having tried several high output rakes, the farm management has opted for the Hibiscus 1015 Profi because of its simple control, high output as well as the excellent swaths that the machine produces", says Rainer Dickmann, the plant production manager. This farm consists of approx. 2,500 hectares in total. An area of approx. 500 hectares is used as grassland, while rape, cereals and maize are grown on the remaining 2,000 hectares. The roughage that is produced on the farm is used for the 2,000 head of cattle.
The Hibiscus 1015 Profi rakes silage and hay together, but it is also used to gather together straw swaths made by harvesters. Due to its large rotors, the machine has a large working widthso that the crop is laid down in a perfectly swath, Without take-over of crop between rotors. The sophisticated three-dimensional suspension of the rotors ensure - together with the Octosense wheel assembly underneath the rotors - optimum ground contour following by the rake tines. Rainer Dickmann says that "due to the stable suspension of the rotors with the integrated ground pressure relief system, the machine can achieve working speeds in excess of 15 km/h." The combination of high working speeds and a large working width ensures the huge output of the machine. The overall machine construction including the rugged carrier and the A-frames guarantee a long lifetime. Rainer Dickmann points out that the infinitely adjustable working width is sometimes used in the evening to produce wide night swaths by using the largest width, which are then raked in a narrower position the next day, as soon as the dew has disappeared.