by Joe Brunker, Monroe, WI 

It’s still pretty busy in Southern Wisconsin.  With all of the cool and wet weather over the last few weeks, some guys are just now finishing up corn and beans. Others are busy spraying, cutting down rye. or making hay. Some sidedressing has started as well. Most of the corn in the area is getting a little yellow from the dampness and nights still in the 30’s. Today’s sun and heat is just what it needs.

The ExactEmerge stands look very good. We walked some fields and talked to customers today. Overall they are very happy. The singulation and spacing is very good. The planters that we checked also had sectional control dialed in nearly perfect.

ExactEmerge Section Control

Exactemerge Spacing

We have cut some rye and alfalfa with the new W260 windrower and new 500R platform with Tri-Lobe conditioning rolls. The W260 has a 6.8L engine that with 260 engine horsepower at 2400 rpm and up to 285 horsepower at the power bulge. The windrower didn’t bog down at all in tall, wet, and sometimes lodged rye, all while going a constant 12 mph across the field. Meanwhile, a competitor’s windrower couldn’t get over 6.5 mph in the same field. The W260 seems to be a great fit for heavy crops and/or hills. The new 500R platform was making a very nice and even windrow in both rye and alfalfa. The 500R includes a new overshot cross auger that delivers increased performance in windrow formation and cut quality. Crop flow is also improved because of the auger and additional converging drums that are taller and closer together on each end of the platform to provide an even flow into the conditioner while reducing bunching, recutting and wrapping on the ends.

W260 & 500R Cutting Rye

500R converging drums overshot auger and tri-lobes

Sloan Support is written by the product support team at Sloan Implement, a 19 location John Deere dealer in Illinois and Wisconsin.  Learn more at www.sloans.com