A US family owned operation has set two new Guinness World Records.
Stewart Farms Partnership from Illinois harvested 1,111 tonnes of maize in eight hours, followed by a further 1620t in 12 hours.
Achieved with a Claas Lexion 760 Terra Trac harvester, equipped with a 16-row corn front, the team averaged 135 tonne an hour, or one truckload every 12 minutes.
A spokesperson for Claas said harvest commenced at 9 am in less than ideal conditions, with 12 mm of rain falling the previous day, despite which Stewart Farms smashed a previously held 10 hour record from 2010.
“The grain bin was emptied at precisely eight, 10 and 12 hours,” it said.
“The 1379 recorded at the 10-hour mark represents a six per cent improvement on the 2010 record, which was attributed to ongoing improvements to the Lexion platform.
“Compared to its 2010 counterpart, today’s Lexion 760 features significantly higher power, a more efficient cooling system, a larger grain tank and several operator assistance systems.”