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About Combines

Combine harvesters, often called “combines,” are machines farmers and contractors worldwide use on farms of all sizes to bring in corn, wheat, and other crops. Although pull-type combines were once common, the vast majority of combines for sale on today’s market are self-propelled models.

Today’s combine does the work of several machines from bygone eras. These versatile machines cut, thresh, clean, store, and unload crops all on their own. Farmers can easily configure them to harvest corn, wheat, barley, oats, sorghum, rice, soybeans, and numerous other crops by attaching a front-mounted platform or row crop header.

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2024 John Deere X9 1100 Combine

A Short History Of Combines

An American named Hiram Moore patented the first combine, which was pulled through fields by livestock, in 1835. In 1911, the Holt Manufacturing Company delivered the first self-propelled harvester. Combine harvester improvements over the years have included the addition of:

• Tracks for improved traction and less soil damage
• Sidehill-leveling capabilities to minimize grain loss and ensure even cutting
• Unloading augers to reduce downtime during unloading and enable continuous harvesting
• Continuously variable transmissions (CVTs) for better fuel efficiency and adapting to various field and crop conditions, such as dense or sparse fields
• Self-cleaning rotary screens to minimize manual cleaning intervals
• Hydrostatic drive systems for greater maneuverability in tight spaces and reduced mechanical wear
• Grain loss monitoring systems with sensors that detect and quantify grain spillage during harvesting
• Rotary and axial-flow models to streamline grain separation and reduce harvest time

How Combines Benefit Farmers & Contractors

Combines increase productivity and profitability for all sizes of farms, thanks to several key factors:

• Enhanced efficiency - Using one machine to complete multiple harvesting tasks creates significant time savings, an important capability in today’s increasingly tight harvesting windows.
• Increased productivity - Modern combines move faster and are capable of processing greater crop volumes.
• Better yields - Combines are designed to minimize grain loss, leading to higher profits. New Holland, for example, targets near-zero grain loss with the CR10, CR11, and other New Holland CR models.
• Improved grain quality - Combines are designed to harvest a clean, high-quality product. The Case IH Harvest Command system offers a Grain Quality Mode to obtain the highest grain quality possible.
• Fuel savings - Late-model combines utilize sophisticated engine designs, transmissions, and other components to reduce fuel consumption. John Deere says its X Series combines can achieve up to 20% better efficiency per bushel harvested.

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2022 Case IH 9250 Combine

Intelligent Features Of Modern Combines

Modern combines incorporate sensors, camera systems, various technologies, and other components that result in highly efficient performance and a less taxing operator experience. Some examples include:

• Auto-steering - The benefits of GPS-enabled autonomous steering technologies are reduced operator fatigue, fewer overlaps, reduced fuel consumption, and time savings.
• Grain loss - Technologies like the New Holland IntelliSense automation system reduce grain loss by automatically optimizing threshing, separation, and cleaning shoe settings.
• Grain sensing and yield mapping - Systems like the John Deere HarvestLab 3000 collect real-time crop data while harvesting, which can assist in future decision-making to help reduce input costs and maximize yields.
• Monitoring - Claas Smart Farming and similar systems enable growers to monitor their connected combines and other farm machinery, collect and manage field and farm data, track service needs, and use precision ag technologies to make data-driven decisions to generate greater profits.

How To Select The Best Combine For Your Needs

A combine harvester is a big investment that requires weighing many considerations. Factors can include:

• Type - Combines are available in conventional (cylinder-type threshing system), rotary (rotor-type threshing system), and hybrid (a combination of conventional and rotary) models.
• Header requirements - Ensure the combine can accommodate harvest headers for the crops you grow.
• Tank capacity - Larger grain tank capacities mean fewer stops for unloading and/or more time for your trucks to unload and get back into formation, creating time savings.
• Cab environment - Ensure good visibility, comfortable seating, ergonomic controls, display support, and climate control capabilities.&
• Buying used - Check a pre-owned combine’s hours, condition, and maintenance and repair records.

Where To Buy & Finance Used Combine Harvesters

Explore TractorHouse.com to find new and used combines for sale from industry-leading brands like Case IH, Claas, Fendt, Gleaner, International, John Deere, Massey Ferguson, and New Holland. You’ll also find new and used forage harvesters and combine attachments for sale.

If you need secure, reliable combine harvester financing, explore your options with CurrencyFinance, which arranges loans up to $500,000 with flexible repayment terms up to 72 months.