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Mowers
A brief overview of the development of mowing equipment and mowing techniques
Like all agricultural techniques and equipment, mowing technology has undergone numerous changes in the course of its development. Hand-operated harvesting tools such as sickles, scythes and harvesting knives were the first tools used to bring in animal feed, hay and grain. Due to the relatively high time expenditure of approx. 30 hours per hectare and the naturally limited mowing capacity, farmers were quick to look for more technically effective ways of mowing.
The mowing wagon pulled by horses or other farm animals represented a major leap forward in the development of mowing equipment and techniques. A patent for this method was registered in the USA in the first half of the 19th century. Bar mowers were already being used here, which made it possible to mow a hectare of meadow or pasture with a horse-drawn cart in around 3-4 hours. Due to the effectiveness of this mowing technique, the method spread worldwide by the beginning of the 20th century.
The advent of combustion engines opened up new possibilities for driving mowing equipment. Here too, the scissor-cut principle of the bar mower continued to prove to be an effective mowing technique. Thanks to the engine drive, it was now possible to achieve much wider mowing widths. In addition, motorised mowers enabled significantly longer mowing times and working intervals than horse-drawn mowers. The development of the double blade bar gave mowing technology a further boost, significantly improving the cutting pattern and cutting performance.
Mowing equipment and mowing techniques in the present day
Roundabout mowers with rotating blades that work according to the free-cutting principle are another form of motorised mowing technology that came onto the market in the 1960s. Such drum mowers or disc mowers, like bar mowers, are still widely used today. Today, these two mowing methods are the most common mowing techniques in commercial agriculture. As shown above, the motorisation and mechanisation of agricultural mowers has led to an enormous reduction in mowing times and a corresponding increase in efficiency. While non-motorised mowing methods required several hours to mow a hectare of meadow, modern motorised mowers are able to mow this area in just a few minutes.
Environmental protection and mowing technology
In addition to mowing speed, there are other factors that have a significant influence on the choice of mower. For example, bar mowers are superior to roundabout mowers in terms of nature conservation and forage quality. Double-blade mowers allow mammals, insects and amphibians a significantly higher survival rate. Thanks to the clean cut, the double-blade mower also proves to be superior to the rotary mower in terms of forage quality. The forage is significantly less soiled by the shear cut method and stays fresh for longer. The effectiveness and low maintenance requirements of modern, high-quality bar mowers have led to horse-drawn mowing once again becoming an option for farmers. This method enables small to medium-sized organic farms in particular to realise environmentally friendly and efficient mowing.