Deere Introduces New 770 Series Cotton Harvesters
August 2, 2021 John Deere is rolling out two new cotton harvesters – the CP770 Cotton Picker and CS770 Cotton Stripper – designed to increase harvest efficiency and productivity.
“We listened closely to our customers on what their needs were,” said Christopher Murray, John Deere Marketing Manager, Cotton Harvesting. “They asked for more productive machines that were going to reduce their cost of harvest, and that’s what we’re delivering. The new CP770 cotton picker is 5% more productive than the previous CP690, and the CS770 cotton stripper with the new 12-row folder header is up to 48% more productive than the current CS690 with the 8-row header. That equates to up to 100 more acres covered in a day in dryland cotton.”
The new harvesters are 75% new from the ground up and represent a strong platform that John Deere plans to utilize for many years. The new mainframe provides a solid foundation for each machine and includes an all-new cab, power module, and larger round module builders on both the picker and stripper models.
As Murray noted, “About the only thing carried over from the previous machines is the green paint.”
CP770 Cotton Picker
What’s New?
Increased productivity was a primary goal in developing the new harvesters. Productivity for the CP770 picker improved by 5%, allowing a grower to cover nearly five more acres per day and reduce harvesting costs by up to $1.50 per bale through reduced wrap, fuel, labor, and hauling costs. Part of that increased efficiency comes from the new John Deere PRO16 HS Row Unit fitted with high-speed stalk lifters and ultra-fast cotton-grabbing spindles.
Transport speed was also increased 18% – from 17 mph to 20 mph – to make field to field movement timelier and more efficient.
The cab is noticeably larger, quieter, and more comfortable, with strategically placed cameras, mirrors and lighting providing more visibility to all the right places.
New technology was incorporated throughout the CP770 and CS770. “These machines come with the latest and greatest technology,” pointed out Murray. “The new Gen4 4600 Command Center provides information, documentation and guidance to the John Deere Operations Center where customers can use the information to make better decisions on their farm to help reduce costs and improve profitability.”
JDLink Connectivity is also included at no additional charge. And the exclusive John Deere Harvest Identification Cotton Pro Technology allows the use of RFID data to fully trace cotton from the field, through the gin, and to the mill.
A new John Deere 13.6 L PowerTech engine and hydraulic power module improve fuel efficiency up to 20% for the CP770 and up to 15% for the CS770, while reducing maintenance requirements and costs. Combined with the updated crop handling components, these systems work together to help growers harvest more pounds of cotton per hour at faster speeds than previous models.
Both machines also include an option for a load-carrying extended accessory platform, allowing growers to add toolboxes, fire suppression systems, or other items to their harvesters.
CS770 Cotton Stripper
Improvements in Stripper Efficiency
“Our CS690 customers told us that were not as productive in dryland cotton harvest as they wanted to be,” explained Murray. “They couldn’t utilize all of the capacity of the harvester and wanted to be able to harvest more acres without going faster. The natural progression with the CS770 was to go to a 12-row header.”
Two header options are available: a 12-row rigid header for narrow row growers and a 12-row folding header for wide row cotton production. Forty-inch row spacing is standard on the folding header but can also be converted for use in 38-inch rows as well. The folding capability increases productivity in the field and, for transport, two rows on each end fold up to the same dimensions as the CS690’s 8-row header.
The CS770 stripper also includes a new 3-drum, 75-inch field cleaner that provides a 2-point increase in turnout by removing more actual plant material from seed cotton in the field.
Module Size Options
The new round module builder on both the CP770 and CS770 is capable of making modules 2% larger and 5% more dense, although the traditional 90-to-94-inch size is certainly still attainable.
“We worked with the National Cotton Ginners Association (NCGA) and did market research with the 550+ gins in the U.S. to understand how they were handling modules,” said Murray. “What types of trucks were they hauling them on? What size of equipment do they have on feed floors? What type of feed floors do they have? From this collaboration, we came to the decision to make a larger module.”
But it’s not an automatic process. If the operator wants to adjust to the larger module size, a pop-up window appears on the Command Center screen, notifying the operator to contact the gin to make sure they can handle the larger diameter module. The operator has to confirm that information before the module size can be adjusted.
The current TamaWrap+ is also used on the new harvesters to protect and preserve fiber quality and prevent degradation from the field to the gin.
“We also made sure that the wrap feeding system is faster and more robust so it will feed wrap in all field and weather conditions,” added Murray. “We’re also working closely with Tama, the National Cotton Council, Cotton Incorporated, and NCGA to make sure we’re doing training on how modules should be handled in the field, in the gin yard, and on the feed floor. Through that collaboration, we’ve been able to educate everyone that has a touch point to make sure the modules are being handled and properly processed with the least amount of contamination possible.”
Pricing for the new CP770 and CS770 harvesters will be released in October, and customers can place their orders and spec out the machines to their needs at that time. Harvester delivery will begin in Spring 2022.
Photo credits: John Deere
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