A Baler With Brawn

It looks different, and it is. The new Hesston® by Massey Ferguson 2370 Ultra HD (high-density) baler not only offers sleek new styling, but it’s also the industry’s first Class 8 large square baler. The 2370 Ultra HD, featuring the latest in large square baler technology, is designed to meet the rigorous requirements of operators who export hay and bale straw and other crop residue—including those who harvest biomass for the biofuels and livestock feed industries.

“As their market demands increase, our customers have asked for even more capacity, density and reliability from large square balers,” explains Shaun Allred, tactical marketing manager for hay and forage products at AGCO. “While the 2370 Ultra HD operates on the same design principles as the existing Hesston by Massey Ferguson big square balers, nearly every component has been redesigned or reinforced to handle the ultra-high density.”

The statistics tell the real story. For starters, the Model 2370 Ultra HD makes 3- x 4-foot bales with 20% greater density than the class-leading Hesston by Massey Ferguson 2270XD baler. That’s due in part to a faster, more powerful plunger, and because the new baler packs a maximum rated load of 760 kilonewtons (kN), or 63% greater than the 2270XD.

An all-new OptiFlow™ pickup assembly, with 80 double tines on five tine bars and 25% more pickup teeth, allows for improved feeding performance, especially at high speeds. Meanwhile, dual 7-inch bale tension cylinders provide an increase in bale tension of 213% more than the 2270XD.

“Putting this into perspective, running an XD baler at maximum load is the equivalent of running the 2370 Ultra HD at roughly 61% load,” Allred relates. “On the other hand, we don’t expect this baler to replace the 2270XD for those who bale alfalfa, since the 2270XD compresses sufficiently and at optimum weight for transportation and storage. The Ultra HD promises a high return on investment, though, for commercial operators who bale crop residue such as wheat, rice and rye straw, as well as biomass products such as corn stover.

“In some areas,” adds Allred, “these crops are hard to bale, not only because of the slick nature of the material, but also because they’ve been chopped up by the combine. The new pickup on the Ultra HD helps pick up these types of crops, while putting them into a much denser, higher-quality bale. That means there are fewer bales to handle, move and store, and they hold together better.

“It also means commercial operators can get closer to the legal weight limit on a truck loaded with something like straw bales. That translates into reduced shipping and storage costs, and greater productivity,” he adds, noting that the 2370 Ultra HD can make wheat straw bales weighing up to 1,400 pounds.

Also, consider that Hesston by Massey Ferguson balers have long been known for their simple design, which, compared to those of other brands, uses fewer cylinders, hoses, couplers and hardware. Such simplicity, in addition to the 2370 Ultra HD’s new shielding, helps make service and routine maintenance faster and easier, which, in turn, helps keep the baler running longer for greater productivity.

To learn more about the Model 2370 Ultra HD, see your local Massey Ferguson dealer or visit MasseyFerguson.com.