Compact design for new 8.4m and 9.2m Novacat butterfly mower

Farmers without the bank balance, workload or field sizes to justify a set of Pottinger’s 10m V 10000 butterfly mowers now have some slightly smaller V-spec options to consider.

The two new models, V 8400 (8.4m) and V 9200 (9.2m), are notable for their particularly short headstocks, which keep the weight of the beds close to the tractor.

As a result, some owners will get away with running the mowers on a four-cylinder tractor, provided the topography allows.

See also: Driver’s view: Andrew Lawman’s Pottinger Novacat A10 mowers

In bare form, the smaller version takes about 120hp to run; adding an ED tine or RC roller conditioner takes that to 150hp.

For the V 9200, those figures are 140hp and 160hp, though buyers need to factor in the power required for a front unit, too.

The shallow cutterbar carries seven twin-blade discs on each V 8400 bed, or eight on the 9200, and is set on a central pivot that travels through 20deg to -16deg to follow ground contours.

There’s also “hydraulic weight alleviation” that ensures ground pressure is spread evenly across the full width, and a safety system that sees the beds fold backwards and lift simultaneously in the event of a collision.

The pithily named Basicline controls provide the bare necessities, plus the ability to lift each bed separately or both together via one spool valve and a toggle switch.

Fancier Selectline versions include isobus compatibility and the automatic lifting and lowering of each side, which eases the job of cutting wedge-shaped fields.

List price of a V 8400 is £38,560, or £50,600 with a tine conditioner.

The V 9200 is £41,643 or £60,648, and the V 10000 is £49,268 or £67,056.

The firm also has a Novacat S range that runs to 11.2m working width.