Philip Barr manages several properties across South Australia’s Mid North region, from Mallala to Riverton, on behalf of Adelaide-based owner Peter Moloney. The 1,820-hectare enterprise grows wheat, barley, lentils, canola and faba beans, while also finishing trade lambs on bean stubbles. After previously operating a John Deere S790 with a 12m MacDon FD140 front, Philip upgraded to a new Case IH AF10 header paired with the newly released 15.2m Geringhoff flexible draper front, the only one of its type operating in Australia at the time.
We couldn’t get the capacity out of the John Deere. We could only get 35 tonnes per hour in wheat, and we want to be getting 50–60t/hr. We are now doing that easily with the machines we have got now.
Philip Barr
Header Front: Geringhoff Flexible Draper
Header Front: Geringhoff Flexible Draper
The 15.2m Geringhoff front features a three-sectioned frame acting independently across the width of the machine, delivering up to 1.2 metres of contour adjustment. Combined with a flexible cutterbar providing an additional 150mm of movement, the front offers exceptional ground-following ability, particularly valuable in lentils, one of the enterprise’s highest-value crops. The integrated air system positioned behind the knife also assists in guiding crop cleanly onto the belts and reducing harvest losses.
You are on the ground with lentils. We started at about 6km/hr, but then we let loose up to 10 or 11km/hr and that’s when the Geringhoff front comes into its own. It floats over the ground and goes up and down as required. I think we would be reducing our harvest losses by 30–40 per cent in difficult country.
Beyond lentils, the front has comfortably handled wheat yielding up to 6t/ha at speeds reaching 12km/hr, achieving up to 54t/hr even in hilly country. Philip said the wider front has also improved efficiency around creeks and uneven terrain, reducing time, fuel use and operator frustration during harvest.
We are now going around creeks and watercourses in one hit, and we are not having to come from different angles. We are definitely going faster and doing it safer and easier.
