When the time came for Bidwell Barton Farm to replace its 35-year-old Twose hedgecutter, upgrading to a machine that had the versatility to handle field hedges and tight roadside verges, was essential.
Tackling 350 hours of hedge cutting per season means operator Terry Mason knows a thing or two about what makes a good hedgecutter, and once he saw Kuhn’s Orbital head kit on its latest Multi-Longer machine, he was convinced the investment was essential to increase efficiency and ease of use on tight lanes.
Terry is the main operator at 445ha Bidwell Barton Farm near Thorveton in Devon, growing predominately wheat and maize, while trimming field hedges and the numerous tight lanes and verges is a continual job throughout the winter. The farm upgraded to a Kuhn Multi-Longer 5757 SPAL, with the optional Orbital head kit in September 2023, purchased through local dealer RSM Beares.
Terry explains that the optional head was the major deciding factor in choosing a Kuhn hedgecutter.
“The narrow lanes around the farm are only just wide enough for our tractors, let alone a hedgecutter arm at the side. The Orbital head allows me to change the cutting angle through 360º and means the arm can stay folded to the rear and the head can be turned to cut the verges.”
This feature wasn’t an option on other machines and, although Terry didn’t see this working, he was convinced by the videos he was shown and the build quality of the Kuhn machinery the farm already has.
“We run a Kuhn mower conditioner, rake, power harrow and fertiliser spreader, and RSM Beares is only 15 mins away, so they are on hand if we get any issues. This played a big part in the hedgecutter purchase as we value this support.”
Hedgecutter spec
The Multi-Longer 5757 SPAL offers Terry a 5.7m reach and the parallelogram kinematics means he can move both the inner and outer arm through one movement on the joystick. Alongside the Orbital head, the hedgecutter has several options fitted, including a hydraulic roller, A-frame connection, OPTIview semi-leading arm, and a reversible rotor to select flail direction when cutting different materials.
In the cab, Terry has the electric proportional multi-function joystick with Kuhn’s VT 31 touchscreen as standard, which displays oil temperature and working hours but also enables operators to control oil flow to various features. This is useful for prioritising the speed of different functions, to increase the accuracy of the hedgecutter and avoid jerky arm movements. Terry also says the OPTIview arm is a great feature.
“Our old machine didn’t have anywhere near as much technology as the Multi-Longer, and the semi-leading arm makes long days in the seat much easier, as I’m looking out of the side window, rather than turning my head towards the rear.”
Orbital head controls
All the Orbital head movements are controlled via the electronic joystick, which enables quick and precise adjustments to ensure accurate cutting. This is particularly useful on gateways, as Terry explains.
“Pivoting the front of the head upwards when cutting ditches and gateways is very useful. It has more effect than just raising the head in a fixed position, as we can angle the cutting rotor to ensure we get a close and accurate cut, without constantly changing the position of the tractor. It just wouldn’t be possible with a normal machine.”
Terry also says the hydraulic roller is really useful when cutting alongside fences. He can set the roller proud of the flails to ensure he won’t catch the fence with the rotor. Although he can reverse the rotor direction from the cab, the Multi-Longer has the option to remove the rotor and change its direction manually to prevent changing each flail individually. This is handy for users who don’t have a reversible drive head, or who prefer a certain direction of rotation.
Terry runs the machine on 540 ECO rpm which means the hedgecutter runs at 1,500rpm, making for a quieter working environment and reduces running costs for the McCormick X7.660. He says the advances in operator comfort and ease of use have made hedge cutting more efficient, and the versatility of the Orbital head allows greater options when negotiating tight lanes.
