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Self-propelled forage harvesters: chopping silage at scale
Self-propelled forage harvesters chop maize, grass and other crops into silage at enormous rates. Learn how they work, the headers they use and the leading machines.
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| CLAAS JAGUAR 990 | CLAAS | — | 680 kW / 912 hp |
| Fendt Katana 850 | Fendt | — | 625 kW / 838 hp |
| John Deere 9900i | John Deere | — | 720 kW / 966 hp |
| New Holland FR920 | New Holland | — | 670 kW / 898 hp |
A self-propelled forage harvester (SPFH) cuts a crop, chops it into short pieces with a high-speed cutterhead and blows it into a trailer running alongside. The chopped material is ensiled to feed livestock or to supply biogas plants.
Key components
- Headers: rotary maize headers (row-independent), grass pick-ups and direct-cut headers for whole-crop silage.
- Cutterhead: a drum with knives that sets the chop length.
- Kernel processor (corn cracker): rollers that crack maize kernels for better digestibility.
- Spout and automatic trailer filling systems using cameras.
- NIR sensors that measure dry matter and nutrients on the go.
Capacity
Large forage harvesters have engines of 600–1,100 hp and can fill a trailer in about a minute. CLAAS has led the market since the JAGUAR was introduced in 1973.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a forage harvester and a combine?
A combine separates grain from the rest of the plant. A forage harvester chops the whole plant into silage for livestock or biogas.
Agriculture