PRACTICAL TEST: Although a few other models are now coming along, the Greenland RV 186 LOC was the first variable chamber round baler in the UK with a true chopping mechanism. Although it was not without its problems during our appraisal carried out last year, the RV 186 LOC we tried impressed us with its high output and ease of operation
Variable chamber balers have long been a popular contractors’ tool. Their ability to produce a smaller, and therefore lighter, silage bale and still make a conventional straw bale, means they are ideal dual purpose machines. But a true pre-chopping system for grass has, up until recently, been available only on fixed chamber balers. The crop slicers fitted to variable chamber balers are aimed more at easing feeding-out than improving baled silage quality.
Greenland currently has a head start in putting a true chopper on a variable chamber baler. But two problems were, at least at the time of our appraisal last year, still keeping its designers busy. The first concerned the net wrap system, which proved a bit of a problem on our test baler.
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