Deere Unveils Cotton Picker, Stripper

John Deere Announces New, Highly Efficient Cotton Harvesting Machines

Dan Miller
By  Dan Miller , Progressive Farmer Senior Editor
Deere's CP770 picker (right) and CS770 stripper pack more cotton into each module and harvest more acres per day, while cutting wrapping and fuel costs. (Photo courtesy of John Deere)

John Deere on Monday launched a pair of new cotton harvesting machines that feature greater productivity, a large cab packed with its best technologies, and powered by Deere's highly efficient 13.6-liter engines. Deere says the machines, the CP770 cotton picker and CS770 cotton stripper, are the most productive and efficient it has ever built.

The CP770 cotton picker packs 8% more seed cotton into the module, resulting in a reduction in wrap and hauling costs by up to 8%.

The new CS770 cotton stripper offers up to a 2-point increase in turnout and reduces wrap and hauling costs by up to 12% while harvesting with a new 12-row folding header up to 100 more acres per 10-hour day than the 690 stripper.

Deere's 13.6 L PowerTech engine and hydraulic power module improve fuel efficiency by up to 20% in the CP770 (555 hp) and up to 15% for the CS770 (515 hp) compared to their predecessors, Deere says.

"We spent a lot of time in the field working with our customers understanding their needs, whether it was sitting in the cab of their machine, traveling with them in the pickup truck, getting to hear what their needs are," says Christopher Murray, Cotton Product Manager, John Deere in an interview with DTN/Progressive Farmer. "We want to make sure that we're not only meeting but exceeding their needs."

Deere has been developing the picker and stripper for four years. Produced at Deere's Des Moines, Iowa, works, it will be sold into all major cotton markets -- Australia, Brazil, China, South Africa -- and of course, cotton-growing areas of the U.S.

P[L1] D[0x0] M[300x250] OOP[F] ADUNIT[] T[]

The new CP770 picker and CS770 stripper are about 75% brand new. "We've had great machines that revolutionized the cotton harvesting industry," Murray says. "But our customers want more productivity, more technology, lower cost of harvests and more profitability. These are not upgraded (690s)."

The machines are built on a new mainframe. Deere also increased the size of the new round module builders on the picker and stripper.

The CP770, Deere says is 5% more productive than the CP690. That means harvesting 4.4 more acres per 10-hour day. "You're protecting that cotton quality," Murray says. "You're getting out of field quicker, protecting it from rain or tropical storms, hurricanes."

The CP770's round module builder is capable of making modules 2% larger and 5% denser. Once the cotton is collected, the CP770 wraps and ejects the module in just over 30 seconds. Compared to the CP690, the CP770 can reduce harvesting costs by up to $1.50 per bale through reduced wrap, fuel, labor and hauling costs, Deere says. Some of picker's productivity, Deere says, is attributed to the new PRO16 HS row unit fitted with high-speed stalk lifters and ultra-fast cotton-grabbing spindles.

The CS770 cotton stripper sports a new 12-row folding header, compared to eight rows on the CS690. The bigger head makes the machine up to 48% more productive. The cotton stripper provides a 2-point increase in turnout with its new field cleaner and packs up to 5% more cotton into a module while harvesting up to 100 more acres per 10-hour day compared to the 690.

"(Customers told Deere) they needed a wider header, because they were maxed out on speed, they could harvest up to 9 miles per hour. But they really wanted a wider header to be able to cover more acreage," Murray says.

The cab is quiet and large, 30% larger. It's the same cab found on Deere's X9 combine. Operators have improved visibility with new camera placements, mirrors and lighting. The 770s have more storage and electronics outlets, and new operator and instructional seats. Cab upgrades include leather seats with heat, cooling and massage functions.

"The CommandARM controls are consistent (with other Deere machinery), whether you have an 8R tractor, sprayer or (now the) cotton harvester," Murray says. "We wanted, what we call 'walk up easy.' If you're going from one machine to the next, we want to make sure that the learning curve is very short."

To capture harvesting data, Deere has installed in the CP770 and the CS770 generation-four displays with JDLink connectivity.

There is a new traceability feature. Cotton is one of the only crops that can be fully traced from the field to the mill. Deere is making that possible with its Harvest Identification Cotton Pro technology. "Although the industry does not yet mandate this level of traceability, it's likely to become common in the future," Murray says.

For more information about the CP770 or CS770, go to: www.johndeere.com.

Dan Miller can be reached at dan.miller@dtn.com

Follow him on Twitter @DMillerPF

P[L2] D[728x90] M[320x50] OOP[F] ADUNIT[] T[]
P[R1] D[300x250] M[300x250] OOP[F] ADUNIT[] T[]
P[R2] D[300x250] M[320x50] OOP[F] ADUNIT[] T[]
DIM[1x3] LBL[article-box] SEL[] IDX[] TMPL[standalone] T[]
P[R3] D[300x250] M[0x0] OOP[F] ADUNIT[] T[]

Dan Miller