Since 1837, we’ve been making innovative solutions for farming. And we’ve used those years of field experience to create field equipment that works quickly, yet gently.

Despite nearly 50 years in the forage harvesting business, we invested more in research and development of this new generation of forage harvesters than ever before. Not only will John Deere forage harvesters help you produce premium-quality silage, but they can be equipped with technology tools that will simplify and speed up decision making, reduce operating costs and improve your bottom line. Forage harvesters are complex machines. And John Deere is the only agricultural equipment manufacturer that designs and builds its own engines, drivetrains, hydraulics, cooling systems, electronics and telematics. We have a lot of experience with forage equipment, but we know that’s no substitute for making forage year after year. And that’s why we asked what you wanted.

The 8000 Series Self-Propelled Forage Harvesters are built by John Deere. But their design comes straight from you, the farmer. The 8000 Series delivers easier serviceability, improved crop flow and a best-in-class cab for all-day comfort and better visibility. With the all-new design, the 8000 Series is lighter in the field when fully ballasted for corn harvesting. Less weight means less fuel consumption. We made improvements in the efficiency of the crop flow and cutting system, which consumes almost 75% of the total engine power, and that adds up to big fuel savings. No matter how many acres you harvest, what crops you have or how far apart your fields are, we have the right size forage harvester for you. In addition to powerful, fuel-efficient John Deere-designed engines, oil and filter changes are needed only every 500 hours.

Harvesters equipped with ProDrive benefit from fuel saving engine speed management. This automatically matches engine rpm to the harvester’s power requirements for different field and road conditions. On the 8000 Series, our engineers matched the crop flow to engine horsepower, and the higher throughput allows you to cut faster, even in heavy, tall crop, without sacrificing the quality of cut or kernel processing. That’s why our three higher-horsepower models have a wide-body design. No matter which 8000 Series SPFH you choose, what you get is consistent, high quality forage, excellent cutting performance and day-in, day-out reliability. The quality of your forage is critical to your business. John Deere’s DuraDrum™ cutterhead was already renowned for producing the best quality forage. Now it’s even better. When you add our infinite variable length of cut and proven kernel processor, you can cut any combination of high quality forage to satisfy even the most demanding customers.

The larger diameter of the DuraDrum creates a faster cropflow, which makes a big difference when the harvester is working at extra short cut lengths. The net result is higher throughput for lower power consumption. An all new hydraulic cutterhead brake stops the drum in just 7 seconds. If you choose you can sharpen your knives with the new hydraulically driven sharpening stone. Setting the shearbar takes less than a minute and can be done independently. That means you can get the job done quickly to keep your knives razor sharp for a longer life and more efficient cutting. And the combination of the new shearbar adjustment and revised knife design uses the full width of the tungsten coating without having to readjust the knives. So there’s less work for you and the knives. We’ve increased the length of the tungsten carbide coating, so knives last longer and operating costs are lower. And the newly designed knife holders help create a more uniform and focused crop stream. They also optimize the point of exit for the crop, helping to reduce the overall power demand of the crop flow. When you’re chopping nonstop, that adds up to significant fuel savings.

The 8000 Series machines are designed for versatility. Grass crops, whole crops or corn — our headers let you match your forage harvester to the crops you grow or chop. The John Deere rotary row-independent heads are low-maintenance and high-capacity. And because row spacings are irrelevant, you can cut the feld in any direction you want, matching field efficiency with trailer capacity.

The new 9 series Hay Pickups auger flighting provides smoother crop flow. With automatic speed matching of the auger speed with the feedroll speed, productivity is further enhanced. With the optional dual header drive feature, tine speed can be automatically matched to ground speed. Whether you’re a dairy or a beef operator focused on chopping quality feed for your herd, or a harvester contractor looking for equipment that keeps your customers satisfied, you’ve come to the right place. No one brings more experience to the forage harvesting business than John Deere. When it’s time to chop, you can count on us.

For more information go to https://www.deere.com/sub-saharan/en/index.html