McConaghy Contracts is a well-known family-run agricultural contracting business operating along the White Park Road in Co. Antrim, overlooking the north coast.

Now into its third generation with Andrew McConaghy at the helm, the business provides an extensive range of services including silage, slurry, ploughing, sowing, rock crushing, and general contracting work – “basically anything you can think of”, as Andrew puts it.

With customers demanding reliability, efficiency and top-quality results, the McConaghys continually invest in machinery that can stand up to the pace of modern farming.

Their latest addition, the Krone BiG X 980, is already proving itself to be a significant upgrade in capacity and operator comfort.

Long-time operator Andrew Browne shared his experience after putting the machine through its paces in this season’s heavy Irish crops.

Strong first impressions

While Browne had driven various Krone foragers on demo over the years, the BiG X 980 marks the business’s first major commitment to the brand.

One feature that immediately stood out was Krone’s six-feed roller intake system, designed to handle grass that is increasingly dense and tightly packed.

Browne said: “The lumps and grass are all smaller now, and everyone knows how hard dense lumps can be to get through a machine.

“The six-feed rollers do a brilliant job. It opens out, adjusts, and just lets the stuff through more easily.

“It’s noticeably wider from the feed rollers right up to the spout, and that really helps intake.”

Engineered for heavy Irish crops

A standout Krone feature – unique in the market – is the spring-loaded chopping drumfloor and cutter head, offering increased protection and smooth flow even in the heaviest conditions.

Combined with the pre-compression rollers applying 4.5t of pressure, the system ensures a consistent feed into the drum without blockages.

Another advantage is the 820mm gap between the leading roller (with metal/rock detector) and the rearmost roller, giving the machine more time to identify and react to foreign objects before they reach the drum – a major concern in Irish silage.

“It’s just smooth-running,” Browne said.

“No fear of lumps hitting the drum, and that lets you relax more in the seat.”

Operator comfort and ease of use

For operators spending long days in the field, comfort and intuitive controls make a big difference.

Browne notes that the BiG X keeps the familiar hydrostatic feel he was used to.

“Your buttons for the chute and the head are all basically the same as what I was used to,” he said.

“It’s hydrostatic – knock her forward for more, pull her back for less.

“I’d driven a Fendt for a couple of years so it felt natural.”

On the road, the improvements are even more noticeable.

“It’s smoother, less bouncing, easier steered and easier held,” Browne said.

“And when I checked the radiator yesterday after 260ac, it was spotless.

“The screen turns instead of the arm, and there’s a plastic divider in there. It was literally clean.”

Attention to detail in the EasyFlow header

The operators also praised the separation between the crop press and the auger, which prevents both components lifting together in rough conditions.

“When the auger bounces, it’s not bouncing the crop press,” Browne explained.

“There’s no rattling, no banging, even in lumpy grass. Everything is doing its job.”

The header is fully plumbed into the BiG X’s auto greaser, powering 18 grease points that previously needed to be done daily by hand.

“That alone lets me lie in bed a bit longer,” he said.

“There’s always something else to be at, so anything that saves time helps.”

Unmatched power and consistency

From a contractor’s standpoint, power and output matter most – and the BiG X 980 delivers.

“She’s working rightly for the horsepower she has,” Browne said.

“You can cruise. You’re lifting a lot of grass, but there’s no pushing her.

“With the previous harvester, you were always trying to push to get the speed. This one just cruises.”

Meeting customer expectations

For Andrew McConaghy, investing in high-quality machinery is essential to keeping customers satisfied.

McConaghy said: “In farming, people are often opposed to change, but sometimes, if you don’t take a risk, there’s no reward.

“My grandfather and father always said: keep the customers happy as best you can — easier said than done — but you always try.”

With shorter harvesting windows and customers demanding consistency, having a reliable harvester is non-negotiable.

“We need the best equipment and the best staff we can get,” he added.

“Right now, with the BiG X and the team we have, we’re in a good place.”

For more details on the range of Krone BiG X harvesters, visit here

Volkswagen

Volkswagen lands in Laois as Ploughing site works kick-off