[Translate to English:] Oszillierende Mähbalken

[Translate to English:] Mähbalken mit Doppelmesser-Schneidwerk

Cutter bar

Mowing with cutter bar

The cutter bar is the central device for cutting through the crop in oscillating mowing technology. Depending on the requirements and type of mower, cutter bars can be up to several metres wide. They are found in numerous agricultural machines, but also frequently in mowers used in horticulture and the hobby sector. The cutter bar as a technical mowing system was already in use in the early 19th century. In 1834, a patent was registered for a horse-drawn cutter bar mower (the so-called Virginia Reaper by Cyrus McCormick).

The cutter bar was the standard mowing method in agriculture until the development of motorised mower drives. Only gradually were other methods, in particular roundabout mowers, added as alternative mowing techniques. However, mowing with bar systems remained a widely used mowing method due to its numerous advantages. Due to its lightweight design, the cutter bar is the preferred mowing system in hilly terrain. However, large meadows, pastures and fields in the lowlands are also harvested and maintained with cutter bar systems, as the technology can be used for a wide variety of mowing tasks.

Matching products

Oscillating mowing technology

The cutter bar in motion
The double-blade cutting unit in motion

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Knife bars and environmental protection

While in the 1950s and 1960s the focus was on economic and technological aspects of agriculture, in the following years an increased awareness of ecological aspects of agriculture developed - also as a counter-current to the heavy use of pesticides and monocultures. The last few decades have seen a rapid upswing in organic farming. The importance of the sector can easily be seen from the abundance of organic products now available in supermarkets as standard.

In this context, the various mowing methods have also been re-evaluated. The cutter bar proves to be superior to other mowing methods, particularly in terms of nature conservation. Firstly, the protection of the plants during mowing is an ecological advantage. Cleanly cut grasses and plants grow back much faster and form new green areas. In addition, the forage quality is significantly improved.

The cutter bar also performs significantly better in terms of protecting all animal species affected by mowing. Larger mammals can flee from the cutter bar in good time. Small creatures living on and in the meadow, such as amphibians, insects and small mammals, also have significantly better chances of survival. Mowing with horses is also possible thanks to the low power requirement of the system. In this way, the mowing method makes an active contribution to environmental protection and allows gentle and efficient mowing to be realised.