IT'S the biggest header made in the world and the first of its kind in Queensland. The German-built Claas Lexion 600 was purchased by the Pensini family on the Atherton Tableland earlier this year after waiting 10 months for it to be built.
The Lexion 600 weighs 18 tonnes and has a bin capacity of 12,100 litres. The harvester is powered by a 575hp Mercedes Benz.
The machine is able to harvest corn, oats, barley, sorghum, wheat and grass seed and was purchased to service the Pensini's grass seed and cereal cropping properties on the Atherton tableland and for contracting to other farmers.
Pensini's harvester is equipped with a 9.5m (32ft) front designed for harvesting green material.
Patriarch of the family company, Peter Pensini said he knows of one in Tasmania which has a 19m (62ft) front on it for harvesting wheat.
To put this machine's capability into perspective, they are at present harvesting 140-150 tonnes per hour of corn with a 16-row front in the US with the Claas Lexion 600.
Because of paddock size and turning capabilities the Pensini machine is fitted with an 8-row corn front.
There are only about 20 of the harvesters in Australia, with the majority being in the wheat belt in Western Australia.
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