Seed corn producers rely on DRAGO GT

Turns out, the yield-saving features of the DRAGO GT like the automatic self-adjusting deck plates and Quad Suspension bring seed corn producers more yield as well.

In brief:

• More and more seed corn producers across Europe harvest their seed corn with the DRAGO GT.
• Automatic deck plate adjustment and shock absorbers reduce grain losses significantly.
• Together with seed corn producers, Olimac has adapted the DRAGO GT corn head to these particularly fragile plants.
• The new experience gained in seed corn production delivers valuable insights for harvesting regular field corn.

Whether you run an Oxbo, a Bourgoin or another seed corn harvester: as a header, the DRAGO is the best choice when yield, grain quality and service life have to be maximised. The very features that give the DRAGO GT better harvest quality and greater reliability in regular corn also make it the ideal solution for seed corn. Deck plates with shock absorbers, longer knife rollers running at lower speed and an all-gear drive make sure you bring in more high-quality seed corn season after season.

In seed corn, every kernel counts. The value per hectare is many times higher than in regular corn. That makes the loss-reducing features of the DRAGO GT all the more relevant to a farm's bottom line. They were developed for maize harvesting in general, but in seed corn their effect is particularly clear.

Automatic deck plates – the ideal setting for every plant

The patented automatic deck plate adjustment continuously adapts the opening to each individual stalk, independently for every row. In seed corn, where ear sizes vary considerably within a single field, this is decisive: even the smallest ears on very thin stalks are picked reliably, without the deck plates running too tight for stronger plants.

There is a second effect. Because the opening is never closer than necessary, far less plant material enters the machine. Seed corn production runs cleaner and more evenly.

Quad suspension – the kernels stay in the tank

The second source of loss during picking are kernels that break off when the ear hits the deck plates. Olimac DRAGO GT reduces this impact with a patented system and noticeably reduces shelling losses on impact.

Combined with the extra long stalk rollers, up to 25 percent longer than the market standard, noticeably more grain ends up in the tank than with the headers commonly used in seed corn harvesting.

Adapted to the specifics of seed corn

Olimac has developed dedicated adaptations for seed corn. The response characteristics of the automatic deck plates are tuned to fragile plants, so that thin stalks and small ears are handled reliably. In addition, various knife roller options are available to respond to individual harvest conditions.

All of this grew out of close cooperation with seed corn producers. Over several seasons the machine has been refined and improved year after year.

Endura Drive – durability that pays off as uptime

The DRAGO GT is driven entirely by gears. The chainless driveline convinces with its freedom from maintenance and with outstanding efficiency thanks to helical bevel gearboxes. That lowers maintenance costs, but above all it keeps the operation running: especially in the narrow harvest window of seed corn production, a machine that runs without trouble is worth more than any single feature.

Safe transfer to the harvester is handled by the extra large cross auger with a diameter of 500 mm. It takes up even high throughputs evenly.

Service, spare parts and flexibility

Dragotec maintains spare parts hubs for Olimac headers worldwide. For seed corn producers, parts availability matters as much as the technology itself. Add to that a Dragotec service that stays reachable throughout.

Another advantage is the flexibility in configuration: Olimac supplies all common row spacings and working widths, folding or rigid, with short delivery times.

What we were able to learn from the seed corn harvest

The insights gained in seed corn do not stay in the niche. What works under these demanding conditions flows back into the standard range, and in the end farms harvesting conventional corn benefit from it too.

The technology at a glance

• Deck plate adjustment: patented, automatic, individually for every row
• Shock absorbers: patented, significantly fewer shelling losses
• Stalk rollers: up to 25 % longer than the market standard
• Drive: Endura Drive, chainless, helical bevel gears
• Cross auger: 500 mm diameter, the largest on the market
• Configuration: all row spacings from 50 cm upwards and all working widths, folding or rigid

Do you produce seed corn and want to know what the DRAGO GT can do on your fields? Get in touch and we will work out a suitable configuration together with you. You will find more technical detail on the DRAGO GT product page.

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