SIP grassland harvesting machinery can be described in one word and that is ROBUSTNESS. The machines are characterised by their ease of use and their unique construction, which guarantees durability and efficiency in all working conditions. The SIP product range includes: disc mowers, rotary tedders, rotor rakes and pick-up rakes as well as manure spreaders.
Considering the specific segments of agricultural users and their needs, we have designed three lines of machines. The HEAVY-DUTY line for the largest farms and agricultural service providers, the ROBUST line for large and medium-sized farms and agricultural service providers, and the AGILE line designed for mountain farms and farms in transition areas and plains, where manoeuvrable, lightweight and safe machines are needed.
SIP is one of the few manufacturers in the grassland mowing and harvesting segment that offers machines designed to work in the toughest conditions, on steep terrain and on slopes. These are robust and manoeuvrable machines of lightweight construction, with a centre of gravity as close to the tractor as possible. This makes them easier to handle and more safe to work with. All machines designed specifically for use on difficult and steep mountain terrain within the AGILE line have been further marked with the word ALP.
DISC A F ALP mowers for safe work on slopes
For efficient mowing on difficult terrain and slopes, we have designed a welded cutter bar with specially shaped discs to ensure fast and efficient forage flow. The specially shaped discs, made of 4 mm thick high-strength wear-resistant steel, ensure excellent forage removal and long-lasting use. On ALP front mowers, the discs rotate towards the centre, which means that the forage is directed between the tractor wheels, forming a narrower row. This prevents the tractor wheels from running over the cut forage on an incline and, as a result, slipping is prevented. In addition, a hydraulic lateral shift is available as an option, which allows the mower to be shifted 20 cm to the left or right. This allows the centre of gravity to be slightly altered in the event of cross-cutting on a slope and provides greater stability. This equipment is also useful when mowing along the edges of plots or in hard-to-reach areas. For a safe start on a slope, the drive of the front mower is positioned to the right side, which prevents a kick-start. Also, the high-mounted mower drive ensures good forage flow during operation and reduces the load on the drive shaft when working on rough terrain. The mowers’ lightweight design and centre of gravity close to the tractor ensure safe working and excellent visibility on steep terrain. They are suitable for use on special mountain tractors and tractors of lower power, which are often used in mountainous areas. With excellent ground pressure, these mowers ensure an even and clean cut and offer optimum performance on the most demanding terrain.
SPIDER A ALP tedders for optimum spreading and turning at an incline
The light and durable AGILE tedders, also with their specific design, allow safe working on steep terrain and ensure the harvesting of clean and high-quality forage. Their main features are perfect stability, manoeuvrability and easy maintenance. Three basic models are available in this category, offering working widths of 3.5 m, 4.0 m and 6.0 m. The smallest and lightest SIP tedder with fixed hitch, the SPIDER A 350|4 ALP, is available in two versions: a conventional version and a version with hydraulic lifting of the rotors for easier operation. The SPIDER A 400|4 ALP is also available in two versions, a fixed hitch version and a flexible hitch version. For safe transport and better manoeuvrability on narrower paths, the outer swivel system provides a smaller transport width. The spring finger supports are made of flat high-alloy steel with spring fingers of different lengths and loss protection, which prevent damage to the turf and ensure clean forage. The largest model in the Alpine segment is the SPIDER A 600|6 ALP, which with its six smaller-diameter rotors provides exceptional manoeuvrability and even spreading and turning of forage on rough terrain. The pivoting linkage allow the installation of a jockey wheel, thus ensuring optimum tractor and ground tracking. Mechanical adjustment of the spreading angle and system for fenceline spreading is also possible on the articulated models. The centre of gravity of these tedders is as close as possible to the tractor, and their lightweight design allows safe operation with lighter tractors of lower power, even on difficult mountainous terrain.
STAR A ALP rakes for clean, even and airy rakes on rough terrain
The Alpine segment offers three models of single-rotor rakes of lightweight construction, with a low centre of gravity and welded rotor, suitable for attachment to light tractors and allowing efficient work on steep and sloping terrain. All three models have eight double spring arm carriers. The smallest model, the STAR A 300|8 ALP, has a fixed three-point linkage and a flexible single chassis, the STAR A 320|8 ALP is equipped with a flexible linkage and a flexible single chassis, and the largest model in the segment, the STAR A 350|8 ALP, is already equipped with the patented SIP walking tandem chassis. This chassis allows optimum adaptation to the terrain, higher working speeds and the transmission of lower loads to the machine. Also available as an option on the rakes, in the case of the pivoting linkage, is a jockey wheel, which allows the machine to follow the ground step-by-step and thus work even more efficiently on rough terrain, without damaging the spring arms and supports or introducing impurities into the swath.
The AIR A F ALP pick-up rakes represent a step forward in raking technology on mountainous terrain
Also in the pick-up rake category, two AIR F ALP models will soon be available in SIP, with working widths of 2.75 m and 3.0 m. The front-mounted rake lifts the forage off the ground and deposits it in the side swath without the tractor wheels running over the forage, thus reducing the chance of slipping on a slope. The lightweight construction and the machine’s centre of gravity positioned as close to the tractor as possible also add to the stability when working on slopes. The pick-up rakes allow greater manoeuvrability and higher working speeds compared to conventional or belt rakes, while preventing soil and sand from being introduced into the swath and forage dry matter from being lost. This is an innovative machine which represents a step forward in raking technology.
FAVORIT A ALP versatile belt rakes/tedders
This group also includes FAVORIT ALP belt rakes/tedders. These small and useful machines with an innovative left-right ±6° movement allow quality spreading, turning or raking of fresh or dry forage in hard-to-reach areas. They can be adapted for front or rear coupling to the tractor. Optional equipment includes a hay remover to prevent forage accumulation on the machine, hydraulic lifting of the swath curtain for easy operation and a double jockey wheel that allows excellent ground adaptation on very steep and rugged terrain. The weight of these machines is around 300 kg and they are suitable for use on the lightest tractors.
ORION A ALP manure spreaders ensure stability and optimum spreading on difficult terrain
The ORION A ALP category offers four models with different loading capacities. The lightweight construction, wide track and suitably lowered centre of gravity ensure stability and optimum manure spreading on difficult terrain. The smallest model ORION A 35 ALP is the basic version of the spreader with mechanical steering, offering a load capacity of 3.5 t. This model has been upgraded with the ORION A 40 ALP with a load capacity of 4.0 t, which offers hydraulic steering, the same as the larger ORION A 50 ALP and ORION A 70 ALP models. All spreaders have a lower centre of gravity and a “V” chassis shape which gives the machine good stability. They can be mounted on the tractor with lower or upper hitch, and different tyre profiles are available as standard equipment, to be selected according to the specifics of the terrain. The main features of these spreaders are perfect stability, manoeuvrability and easy maintenance.
Keywords: mountains, hills, steep terrain, mountainous terrain, slope, alpine programme, mountain programme, grassland, grass, forage, hay, mowing, safe work, tedding, spreading, raking, mowers, tedders, rakes, belt rakes, mergers