After giving a sneak preview of its new automatic swath placement system at Agritechica 2025, Pottinger is to make the digital upgrade to Novacat V 1000 ED/RC Collector mowers available this coming season.

According to Pottinger, the automatic swath placement "ensures that these mower combinations with a cross conveyor belt always deposit the forage correctly".

Merging swaths to one side of the machine - intelligent mowing - is "more efficient and easier than ever before", the manufacturer said.

The automatic swath placement allows for around 40% less raking work, lower fuel consumption, and better utilisation of harvest machinery because there is more forage in each swath.

"All of which leads ultimately to much more cost effective harvesting," Pottinger said.

"Also, skipping lanes allows larger turning circles at the headlands, which helps reduce damage to the sward."

According to Pottinger, previously, swath merging systems were a challenge for the drivers because they had to keep switching to the cross conveyor belt manually.

Now, the automatic swath placement system from Pottinger automatically switches the cross conveyor unit, depending on which lane is being mowed.

"The results are the forage is always placed correctly, significantly reducing the risk of operator errors," the manufacturer said.

This allows drivers to focus fully on the machine and their surroundings, reducing user fatigue.

For machines equipped with Pottinger Connect, the mowing pattern will be displayed on the map in the Harvest Assist app.

Novacat mowers

Last year, Pottinger further developed its Novacat F1300 Opticurve mower, a front mounted mower that turns with the tractor to ensure that no uncut strips are left when used in conjunction with a rear set.

The company gave the mower a significant upgrade in the form of the Profiline comfort control system, which will be available as an option.

The difference that the new control system makes is that the mower will steer left or right automatically, depending on the turning angle of the tractor and the inclination of the slope.