The information below has been supplied by dairy marketers and other industry organizations. It has not been edited, verified or endorsed by Hoard’s Dairyman. 
The R1 allows for merging of windrows with the windrower in front of a self-propelled forage harvester or in conditions that do not require wide swaths for dry-down. The R1 can eliminate the need for raking or merging passes through the field.
RCI Engineering of Mayville, Wisconsin, introduces the R1 Merger Attachment for John Deere W200-Series Windrowers. The R1 Merger Attachment is available for John Deere W235 and W260 Windrowers equipped with 500R Rotary Platforms.
All controls for the attachment are integrated into the controls of the windrower. The unit can be disabled for center-dumping, and can merge up to three windrows into one as needed.
Many improvements have been made in the design over previous generations. The key improvements are as follows:
- Forming shields can be adjusted for changing windrow width when the merger attachment is not used.
- Belt tensioning is now automatic and does not require any maintenance.
- Improved scrapers are incorporated to the roller supports to keep the rollers clean in even the harshest conditions.
- Structure has been simplified to shorten the installation time and to reduce the load on the windrower.
To learn more about the R1 Merger Attachment, see your local John Deere dealer or visit RCIengineering.com. RCI is a John Deere Allied Supplier.
