The right mower: overview, advantages and disadvantages

When you need a new mower, one of the first questions you need to ask yourself is what type of mowing technology you want: drum mower or disc mower. Or should it perhaps be something else? All mowers have different advantages and are particularly suitable for different areas of application. We explain which types of mower make sense for which area of application.

Overview of different mowing techniques

Whereas grass and other long crops used to be mowed by hand with a scythe, today motorized mowers are used almost exclusively. Three different mowers are mainly used in agriculture: The cutter bar, disc mower and drum mower. All three variants offer different advantages, making them suitable for different purposes.

Double-blade mower: insect-friendly cutter bar

In contrast to a drum or disc mower, a twin-blade mower, also known as a bar mower, has two blades running in opposite directions to cut the grass. This method offers a number of advantages: The particularly clean shear cut improves regrowth behavior and protects the meadow's amphibian and insect diversity. Due to the particularly lightweight design of the double blade mowers and their low power requirement, they are often used for tractors with a lower engine output. Cutter bars are also particularly popular for special applications, e.g. use on water. However, double-blade mowers also have disadvantages: The purchase price and accessories for the double-blade mower are generally higher than for conventional mowing technology. In addition, cutter bars can be very vulnerable to wear, which is why maintenance work such as changing and sharpening the blades has to be carried out more frequently.

Disc mower: Popular lightweight

Disc mowers are very popular with many farmers. In contrast to double-blade mowers, they are less prone to malfunction and boast high working speeds and widths. With an overall width of 2-4 m and a possible travel speed of up to 15 km/h, they can cover several hectares per hour. The drive via a gearbox underneath the mower enables a lighter design than the drum mower, so that they are also suitable for less powerful tractors and rather rough terrain. As the disc mower requires around twice as many rotors as the drum mower, there is less swath formation. The cutting height is easy to adjust thanks to the inclination of the discs. However, the fast rotating blades also have disadvantages: Contamination of the forage is more likely in contrast to the bar mower and protective measures against flying debris are necessary. In addition, animals and insects often fall victim to the disk mower.

Drum mower: Robust all-rounder

Like the disc mower, the drum mower is also a rotary mower. In contrast to these, however, the drum mower is characterized by two to four centrally rotating drums with blade rotors, which deposit the clippings in distinct swaths. Drum mowers are particularly popular because they only clog up in exceptional cases and work very reliably, even in difficult conditions or with large quantities of grass. Due to their design, they are somewhat heavier than comparable disc mowers. In addition, the clippings can become soiled more quickly. Similar to disc mowers, drum mowers must also be adequately protected against flying debris.

Attachment options: Front or rear or butterfly mower?

In addition to choosing the right mowing technology, you should also think about the mounting spaces for the mowers. Front mowers offer the advantage that the forage can be mowed and loaded in a single pass. However, the view of the ground in front of the tractor may not always be optimal, which is why particular attention must be paid to the appropriate suspension of the mower and the terrain. It is also possible to attach a rear mower. These often have the great advantage that the mowing angle can be adjusted more flexibly and it is also possible to mow embankments and ditches. However, the seating position when mowing with a rear mower is not always comfortable, as you should always have the attachment in view.

If you want more power, you can also use a combination of front and rear mowers. Butterfly mowers, which combine a mower at the front with two mowers at the rear of the tractor, are particularly popular. This not only ensures a large working width and output, but also a particularly good weight distribution on the tractor. However, the combination of several mowers means that the butterfly mower is generally not suitable for low-power tractors. In addition, the butterfly mower requires special attention from the driver, as two working areas have to be monitored at the same time. Butterfly combinations can consist of disc, drum or double blade mowers.

Heck- und Frontmähwerke haben unterschiedliche Vorteile.

Mower with conditioner

The combination of a mower with a conditioner offers a number of advantages and is therefore popular. In particular, the reduction in drying time by up to 30% and the reduction in the number of passes with the tedder speak for themselves. However, it is essential to set the machine correctly, as otherwise nutrients may be lost from the forage. The use of a mower with conditioner can also have disadvantages: Not all plant varieties are suitable for conditioning with the conditioner. If there is an unexpected rain shower after mowing, the subsequent drying time is considerably longer and the forage quality deteriorates in contrast to untreated mowed material. There is also an additional, considerable reduction in the insect population when using a conditioner.

Mower with swath merger

If you don't want a conditioner, but still want your crop to be merged into swaths in a single work step, you should look for a mower with swath merging. The crop is transported to one side by an auger conveyor. The transport in the augers results in a slight conditioning effect, which is much gentler than a conventional conditioner. This means that mowers with swath merging are also suitable for sensitive crops such as alfalfa, clover-rich grass stands or green rye.