Wide spread debut - farmers weekly

25 DECEMBER 1998 ------------------------- WIDE SPREAD DEBUT NIEMEYER has entered the wide spreading sector of the disc mower market as part of its 1999 campaign, which also includes larger

disc and drum mowers and new twin rotary rakes. Wide spreading comes in the form of the rear mounted 2.6m (8ft 6in) cut Eurodisc 260-C Quick Dry disc mower, on which the oval discs

contra-rotate in pairs – rather than cutting towards the centre of the cutting bed as on existing models. This arrangement distributes the grass evenly across the full width of the

conditioning rotor, maintains Niemeyer, before it is spread by a series of adjustable vanes on the underside of the conditioner hood. The spreading system is optional on the smallest model

in the range, the 2.2m (7ft 3in) cut Eurodisc 220-C, which is also available as a plain mower – the Eurodisc 220. Prices start at £4350. Front-mounted mowers get a wider model in the shape

of the 3.1m (10ft 2in) cut Eurodisc 310-FB, quoted as offering a 19% increase in cutting width. Its driveline arrangement brings the mower nearer the front of the tractor for better balance

and weight distribution. Top hat outer discs and full depth cowlings on the driven discs dispense with the need for additional guides which, says Niemeyer, tend to become clogged with grass.

Price is £5750. On the drum mower front, three models are added to the companys RO range. The RO275-H has a working width of 2.75m (9ft) as does its mower conditioner counterpart, the

RO275-HIC; the RO304-H plain mower has a cutting width of 3.05m (10ft). All models feature a four drum cutting bed and the IC (intensive conditioning) version features Y-shaped conditioning

flails and the Quick Dry vaned spreader hood. Prices start at £6890. Turning to the twin rotary rakes, newcomers are the 3.4m (11ft 2in) and 3.8m (12ft 6in) cut Twin 345-DA and 395-DH.

Removable tine arms reduces the overall width of the smaller model for transport; the larger version has Niemeyers hydraulic headstock, which rotates the entire rake on its side. Prices:

Twin 345-DA £3500, Twin 395-DH £4500.