African farmers test-drive CASE IH combines

The Case IH Axial-Flow 4088 proved its suitability to tough African farming conditions, and specifically to the needs of emerging field crop farmers, during extensive field tests conducted recently on a variety of crops in Kenya. The machine’s rugged simplicity also won it praise.

African farmers test-drive CASE IH combines
The simple, compact design of the Axial-Flow 4000 Series combines allows these machines to be easily adapted to different field conditions and for harvesting a variety of crops.
Photo: CNH Industrial
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Case IH’s Axial-Flow 4088 combine harvester was recently put through its paces during field trials in Kenya. Equipped with a Case IH 20-foot rigid header, the machine was tested on wheat, barley, canola and sorghum, and was also tested on maize using a six-row maize header.

According to a statement by CNH Industrial, owner of the Case IH machinery brand, the combine was tested for 150 hours on each crop and consistently performed well, delivering good grain quality across the board. The maize sample, for example, recorded less than 1% cracked grain.

Challenging conditions
The area where the trials were held experienced excessive rainfall during the trial period, which made conditions difficult for the wheat harvest, but the Axial-Flow 4088 performed without problems.

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“The results of all tests confirmed that this model of combine is well suited to tough African conditions. The five customers who tested the Axial-Flow 4088 particularly liked the fact that it was simple and easy to operate,” the company said.

Compared with conventional straw walker combines, the Axial-Flow, with its rotary threshing system, is straightforward and simple to maintain. It was reported that daily maintenance during the trial period was carried out in considerably less time than it would have taken for a conventional harvester.

“One customer who tested the Axial-Flow 4088 was a large-scale farmer who currently uses three of Case IH’s larger Axial-Flow 140 Series combines. He was impressed by the capacity of the Axial-Flow 4088 model and would highly recommend it for the emerging farmer sector. The other four customers involved in the field tests were emerging farmers, who agreed that the Axial-Flow 4088 is a simple, robust combine giving exceptional grain quality,” the company said.

American quality
Designed in the US and built in Case IH’s state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Harbin, China, Axial-Flow 4000 Series combines incorporate a high level of US-made components for maximum reliability.

The harvester offers both operator comfort and remarkable capability, with high harvesting capacity, thorough crop threshing, low grain losses, gentle grain handling and superior sample quality.

“The simple design of the Axial-Flow 4000 Series combines allows these machines to be adapted quickly to suit changing harvesting requirements, field conditions and crops, making them the perfect choice for contractors and farmers with multiple crops,” said Massimiliano Sala, product manager for combine harvesters for Case IH in in Asia, Middle East and Africa.

“Owners can move from maize, to wheat, to sorghum in hours, so more time is spent harvesting and seasonal output is increased.

“Axial-Flow 4000 Series combines are also very easy to use, so even operators who are new to the Axial-Flow concept can quickly learn how to harness their full potential.”