New Krone self-propelled mower breaks surface

Designed especially for contractors who mow and bale for a living, Krone’s new BiG M450CR is bigger and better than any of the other mowers in its range, according to the German manufacturer.

It recently made an appearance at the AFIA Fodder Festival in Elmore, VIC, as well as a cameo appearance at Kubota’s recent dealer conference in Hobart, Tasmania, where the Kubota M5 series tractors were also launched.

With an industry leading 11.2m in cutting width, 1.25m wider than the 2017 BiG M450CV, Krone said the BiG M450CR sets a new benchmark for the industry.

“We haven’t seen a mower like this in Australia before,” said Kubota Australia’s Senior Product Manager for Krone, Lars Pasedag.

“This CR model offers a new super roller conditioner. It’s called an M-Roll, as the lug of the roller has two pressure points to give the crop extra crimping while it travels through the roller.

“This process delivers quicker drying time for the crop in the field to get the hay into a bale and safely off the paddock compared to standard roller conditioners.”

The BiG M450CR features a power of 450hp with the option to run in EcoMode at 354hp, and cutting height can be set from the cabin.

Elmore farmer, Clint Cail, was the first owner of the Krone BiG M450CR in Australia and is very impressed with his new purchase so far.

Echuca CIH Dealer Principal, Darren Stephenson, coordinated the sale of the Krone BiG M450CR to Cail and said feedback has been outstanding.

“The existing BiG M 400 was an eight-year old model that was due for an update,” he said.

“This mower is much more powerful, and it was its wider cut, updated interior and super conditioner roller that caught Clint’s eye over previous models.

“Clint said the mower has been great so far, and has noticed how smooth it is out on the field. The dry weather forced his Jenhawill Baling business to end their season early but the mower definitely made the harvest of more than 6,000 hectares a more efficient process.”