World Record for the JAGUAR 1200.
World record holder: the most whole crop silage harvested in 12 hours.
The North Texas sky looks harmless this June morning, but dark clouds are gathering on the horizon – it is tornado season. While others are opting to wait and see, 39 undeterred individuals and more than 30 trucks head out for an unprecedented harvest showdown: the CLAAS harvest chain – comprising an AXION 960 with a DISCO 9700 RC AS and the new JAGUAR 1200 – runs like clockwork for the whole 12 hours. The result: a total of 4,096 tonnes of whole crop silage, a World Record, and proof that this forage harvester knows no limits.
The idea came from CLAAS employee Matt Jaynes along with CLAAS dealer Ty Rankin and contractor Todd Poling.
It was Todd Poling, with his business P.M.S. Harvesting, who organised a suitable harvest area and the accompanying logistics. Matt, of course, drove the forager himself, while Ty took care of coordinating everything.
Back in 2001, Bob Armstrong was on another team that set an impressive record with a JAGUAR 900. He harvested 1,891 tonnes in 12 hours. 24 years later, the question is: how much more is possible today?
The answer came in the form of a brand new JAGUAR 1200 – an all-new forage harvester design with 1,110 hp and 20% more throughput than the JAGUAR 990 under comparable operating conditions.
A perfect site was quickly found: contractor Todd Poling’s field and transport logistics centre in Dalhart, Texas. “The field, the clamp silo and the truck logistics were large enough to handle this task”, says co-organiser Ty Rankin.
Achieving an impressive harvest yield was always going to be the headline target. But there was also a higher, wider-ranging objective:
The aim was to demonstrate maximum output, uncompromising quality, exceptional operator comfort and the highest possible efficiency during the entire process, from mowing to rolling the clamp.
Bearing these considerations in mind, whole crop silage was the obvious choice – significantly more demanding than maize and perfectly suited to showcasing the entire CLAAS harvest chain: from the AXION 960 with the DISCO 9700 RC AS mower to the JAGUAR 1200 with the PICK UP 4500 to the XERION 12.590 for rolling the clamp – an absolutely top-performance combination.
“A world record is about more than figures – it’s also a question of proving just how much you can achieve with our new JAGUAR 1200. We wanted to show that maximum performance and efficiency can go hand in hand.”
Matt Jaynes
Product Manager
This outstanding performance is complemented by innovations, such as joystick steering which reduces the strain on the shoulders during long days in the field. A new, larger and quieter cab also reduces stress on the operator while CEMOS AUTO PERFORMANCE helps deliver greater harvest performance and fuel efficiency – all day long. AUTO FILL allows the trailers to be loaded automatically with pinpoint accuracy and the NUTRIMETER sensor provides precise, real-time analysis of the crop moisture and constituents as well as accurate average figures for the field.
CLAAS connect also played an important role in this harvesting record: parallel to the manual measurements, all the operating data were subject to live monitoring, were recorded and were documented for the official adjudicator. This also meant that Bob, who had set the world record 24 years ago, was able to follow the progress of this attempt remotely on his tablet.
“CLAAS connect allows you to check the harvest data completely automatically, regardless of where you happen to be – in the field, on the road, at the farm.”
Jennifer Kotula
Digital expert
The official adjudicator on the scene confirmed the world record: a total of 4,096 tonnes of whole crop silage. For Matt, Todd, Ty and everyone involved, this was the proof that modern CLAAS technology is pushing back the boundaries of what is possible. “The JAGUAR has done exactly what it was built to do – it’s a really incredible machine”, says Ty Rankin.
And will this record ever be broken? Well, as they say in Texas: “Never say never!”
