• By Vicky Boyd,
Managing Editor •
Nearly four years in the works, John Deere’s larger and more efficient CP770 picker and CS770 stripper were launched Aug. 2. The company will begin taking orders for the machines in October and anticipates the first deliveries in spring 2022, says Chris Murray, John Deere product marketing manager. They will replace the CP690 picker and CS690 stripper.
In its quest to boost all-around efficiency, John Deere didn’t just super-size the new harvesters. Instead, about 75% of the design is new from the ground up, Murray says.
“There’s a lot of value we’re delivering to our customers,” he says, adding the machines target growers with at least 2,000 to 2,500 acres of cotton.
Many of the improvements were based on input from customers, both in the United States and internationally, he says.
Larger engines
Both harvesters feature the new John Deere 13.6-liter PowerTech engine and hydraulic power module to improve fuel efficiency by up to 20% for the CP770 and up to 15% for the CS770.
The CP770 picker can produce a larger, more compact round bale, spanning up to 96 inches in diameter. Currently, the CP690 maxes out at 94 inches.
This allows the CP770 to pack 8% more seed cotton into a module, resulting in a reduction in wrap and hauling costs of up to 8% and increasing the number of acres that can be harvested per day by up to 5%.
Part of the CP770’s productivity increase is due to the new John Deere PRO16 HS Row Unit fitted with high-speed stalk lifters and ultra-fast cotton-grabbing spindles.
Improvements also enable the CS770 stripper to produce up to a 2% turn-out increase and wrap and hauling cost reductions of up to 12% compared to the CS690.
Wrap integrity
Murray said John Deere has worked with the National Cotton Ginners Association, 550 gins nationally and plastic wrap manufacturer Tama USA to ensure plastic wrap integrity isn’t compromised with the larger, denser bales.
For stripper varieties, the John Deere offers the new SH12F, a 12-row folding header that makes the CS770 up to 48% more productive harvesting dryland cotton compared to the CS690 eight-row harvester.
The CP770 and CS770 cab interiors have also been redesigned and enlarged by 30 inches with operator comfort in mind. Two options are available: a premium package and an ultimate package. Both machines come standard with JDLink connectivity as well as Generation 4 displays. Both also come with five cup holders, several USB and device charging ports, a refrigerator under the instructional seat, and Apple CarPlay and Android’s Auto.
The ultimate package also includes heated and cooled leather seats with a massaging feature to reduce operator fatigue.