Case IH new Optum tractors

To better meet power and equipment needs of high-volume hay and forage producers, Case IH beefed up its forage lineup this month with the new Optum tractor series. Fulfilling a new horsepower segment, the Optum tractor joins the company's complete line of hay and forage equipment, which includes updates across its tractor lineup. Elevating baling productivity, Case IH also announced a new ISOBUS Class 3 enabled Feedrate Control system available for select LB4 series large square balers.

"Case IH is proud to offer a full line of hay and forage equipment," said Dave Henderson, Livestock Marketing, Case IH. "From hay cutting and handling equipment to balers and tractors, Case IH offers a lineup of innovative equipment to harvest and handle this important feedstuff, along with a broad mix of tractors designed to meet producer's individual needs — no matter how unique or specialized."

New Optum tractor series delivers heavy-duty, year-round performance.
From the iconic Farmall series to the new Optum tractor, Case IH now offers producers four tractor series designed with the right mix of power, efficiency and versatility for any hay and forage task.

A multipurpose workhorse, the Optum series features the necessary horsepower for high-volume hay and forage operations, plus enough muscle for larger tillage tools and planters. With PTO horsepower ranging from 240 to 270 hp, the tractor series delivers big-iron power, performance and comfort — plus outstanding features and technology, including the fuel-saving Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT).

"Built for heavy-duty, year-round application, the Optum series combines efficient power with operator convenience to handle the large workload and multiple tasks of hay and forage operations, row crop applications and farmstead upkeep," said Dave Bogan, marketing manager, Maxxum/Puma Tractors. "Fulfilling a new horsepower requirement, we designed this series to meet the needs of customers looking for that optimal power-to-weight ratio for any field, cultivation or haulage task."

Highlighting the versatility of the Optum tractor, Bogan added, "It teams just as well with a large square baler or grain cart as it does with a midsize planter or seeder."

Mirroring its progressive feature set, the Optum tractor features new Case IH family styling. The modern look offers a redesigned hood, grille and roof cap with LED lighting, along with a spacious SurroundVision cab designed for maximum comfort and convenience.

Other key Optum series features include:

• Efficient Power: Meeting Tier 4 B/Final emissions, Optum tractors feature Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR)-only technology to produce raw power and torque with less fuel. Additional fuel-saving technologies include a variable vane cooling fan and in-cab electronically shifted front and rear PTO economy speed options.
• Superior roadability: An available antilock braking system, autoguidance and in-cab tire pressure monitoring system provide greater productivity and control.
• Maximum versatility: Three bar-axle choices offer the complete range of wheel spacing options for row crop applications. A flange axle and tire offering — for large singles up to 900 mm wide — are also options. Large hydraulic pumps can run planters and seeders, plus reactive steering, suspended axle and cab suspension are built to power through any haulage task.
• ISOBUS Class 3 functionality: ISOBUS Class 3 enables the CVT Optum tractor and its approved implement to optimize the job at hand. Using ISOBUS Class 3, the implement can control tractor functions such as ground speed, rear PTO and rear hitch for increased performance and throughput.

Multipurpose lineup offers comfort, performance and versatility.
Highlighted by the Optum tractor, the Case IH hay and forage tractor lineup also includes similar updates across its Puma and Maxxum series offerings.

Model Year 2016 Puma series enhancements:
New roof cap styling, enhanced lighting packages and a redesigned grab-rail lighting structure improves form and function. Deluxe seating and leather-wrapped steering wheel options add comfort, and available antilock braking and hill-holder technology for powershift models provide greater roadability. CVT models include ISOBUS Class 3 functionality.

Model Year 2016 Maxxum series enhancements:
New seating choices, a radio antenna amplifier and HVAC control panel make an already best-in-class cab experience even better. A second accumulator added to the front-axle suspension system improves the overall ride. CVT models also include ISOBUS Class 3 functionality.

Tractors team with LB4 series large square balers for high-tech haying.
Pairing perfectly with the ISOBUS Class 3 functionality offered across the Case IH hay and forage tractor lineup, Model Year 2016 LB4 series large square balers are now even easier to operate. Available through AFS Connect, the new ISOBUS Class 3 functionality allows select balers to change settings on compatible tractors (Model Year 2016 CVT Optum, Puma and Maxxum tractors) to achieve maximum productivity and optimal bale quality.

Appropriately named Feedrate Control, the advanced baling technology enables the baler to run at optimal performance by controlling the speed of the tractor. Using Feedrate Control, the baler controls the tractor's forward speed through ISOBUS Class 3 commands, maintaining desired capacity by using a charge sensor. The system then calculates the best speed based on the information received from the sensors.

Feedrate Control includes two running operations:

• Charge Control (available on LB334R and LB434R rotor cutter configurations): Charge Control automatically adjusts the tractor's speed to reach optimal capacity inside the baler. This results in a higher feedrate throughput by up to 9 percent overall.
• Slice Control (available on all configurations of LB334 and LB434 models): Slice Control automatically adjusts the tractor's speed based on bale slice thickness. This allows the operator to predetermine the number of slices per bale to create more consistency.

"Feedrate Control helps producers maximize their productivity and efficiency by always running at full capacity — no matter the crop yield or level of operator experience," said Cole Carling, marketing manager, Hay and Forage. "Without the need to monitor tractor speed, operators can work in comfort and with less fatigue. They also will have greater peace of mind knowing each bale is consistent in quality, flake size and shape."

Carling also pointed to increased fuel savings of up to 4 percent as a result of more-efficient baler operation.