Having baled with a tractor and pull-type baler for many years, over countless acres, under rough and tough conditions, in daytime and at night, I have to say that my observations from the cab of the new Vermeer self-propelled baler were very positive.

With a lot of hay being put up at night to preserve quality, fatigue can play a role in how efficiently and safely a machine is operated. The ride in the cab of the new Vermeer baler was smooth over rolling field conditions at relatively high speeds. Looking back over your shoulder to check how well hay is feeding into the baler is a major fatigue factor when baling with a pull-type machine.

The combination of the design, which feeds the windrow beneath the high-visibility cab, and monitors providing the operator with a look at what is going on with the machine, will greatly reduce that fatigue for producers who have a lot of ground to cover.

Baling on a hillside is always a challenge, so the automated quarter-turn feature is quick and seamless. There is no time wasted as the machine wraps the bale while going into the quarter-turn movement. Going again is just a one push-button operation, and having bales facing the same way will save time when they are picked up.

With something new, farmers are always concerned about maintenance and service. With the ZR5, the baler can be separated in minutes from the power unit, so service of either the power unit or the baler is made with greater ease. Talking with Vermeer engineers and riding in the cab of the ZR5 for myself, I can only say that I wished I had such a unit to bale with when I was farming full time. It certainly would have taken some of the fatigue, time and work out of making hay.