Holmer Terra Dos 5 Sets a World Record in Sugar Beet Harvesting

World Record: 24 Hours, 95 Hectares, 10,000 Tons

In 2025, HOLMER officially set a new world record in sugar beet harvesting. The Terra Dos 5-40 HD beet harvester worked 24 hours non-stop, harvesting 95 hectares and 10,000 tons of sugar beet.

If we convert these figures into agronomic indicators, we get approximately:

• Average yield – about 105 t/ha (calculated from 10,000 t harvested on 95 ha);
• Average harvester performance – roughly 4 ha/h and over 410 t/h (also calculated from the official figures).

Thus, HOLMER demonstrates not only the technical power of the Terra Dos 5-40 HD, but also that a modern beet harvesting complex, with properly organized logistics, can completely change the perception of fieldwork intensity and scale.

For the company, this is already the second world record: previously HOLMER set a record with the earlier generation Terra Dos T4-30 HR 12. The new achievement of the Terra Dos 5-40 HD logically continues the evolution of the brand’s beet harvesting machinery.

Video with Holmer Terra Dos 5.

Holmer Terra Dos 5: Next-Generation Platform

Officially, Terra Dos 5 is positioned as “the new generation of beet harvesters”, built on the success of its predecessor and setting new standards. The machine is available in two versions – Terra Dos 5-30 (two-axle) and Terra Dos 5-40 (three-axle). The modular design has been retained, which means maximum unification between versions and lower service and spare parts costs.

The key power unit is the Mercedes-Benz OM 473 engine of Stage V emissions class, with a displacement of 15.6 litres, an inline-six configuration and a maximum output of 480 kW / 652 hp at 1,600 rpm, plus 3,100 Nm of torque in the 1,050–1,300 rpm range. The fuel tank holds around 1,150 litres, and the AdBlue tank about 95 litres, allowing Terra Dos 5 to work long shifts without refuelling.

The HOLMER EcoPower system manages the engine and hydraulics, ensuring effective beet cleaning at reduced engine speeds (from 1,050 rpm) and optimising fuel consumption depending on load.

The HOLMER Comfort Cabin III is designed around the operator: cab suspension, automatic climate control, heated floor, built-in vacuum cleaner, GRAMMER seat with ventilation and heating, plus a 12.1" HOLMER EasyTouch terminal with the SmartDrive operating concept.

Key technological features include:

• HOLMER DynaCut – precise topper system with automatic cutting height/thickness adjustment;
• EasyLift – automatic single-row depth control of the lifter unit;
• Automatic row steering and working depth control of the harvesting units;
• Cleaning system with three large-diameter turbines for intensive soil removal.

Together, these features deliver consistently high work quality under difficult weather conditions, on slopes and in heterogeneous soils – exactly the environments where records are set.

Main Technical Specifications of Holmer Terra Dos 5

Below is a summary of the two base Terra Dos 5 versions according to the manufacturer.

For the Terra Dos 5-40 HD version, on which the record was set, the manufacturer emphasises a reinforced running gear; however, the base engine and overall machine concept remain the same as on the standard Terra Dos 5-40.

Why the Terra Dos 5-40 HD Can Set Records

A world record is a combination of the right fields, smart logistics, a professional team and a machine that doesn’t “give up” in the 20th hour of work. Looking specifically at the harvester, several features of the Terra Dos 5-40 HD come to the fore:

1. Powerful and fuel-efficient engine. The 652 hp Mercedes-Benz OM 473 provides ample traction even in heavy soils and high-yield crops, while the EcoPower system helps keep fuel consumption under control.
2. Large hopper – fewer unnecessary trips. The 45 m³ hopper (about 31 t of beet) reduces the number of unloading cycles, which is crucial in a 24-hour run where every extra minute spent turning and unloading cuts average throughput.
3. Fast unloading. Transferring around 45 m³ in roughly 50 seconds minimises “dead” time during beet transfer to transport vehicles.
4. Process automation. Automatic row steering, EasyLift, automatic control of discharge elevator height and lifter depth, 360° visibility – all of this makes the operator’s job easier and allows the machine to maintain a high working speed without compromising cleaning quality.
5. Comfort and stability during night work. Comfort Cabin III with good sound insulation, well-designed work-area lighting and ergonomic controls helps the operator stay focused throughout very long shifts.

The combination of these factors enabled the Terra Dos 5-40 HD to lift and unload 10,000 tons of beet in 24 hours without compromising harvesting quality.

What This Record Means for Beet Growers

The HOLMER record is not just a bright marketing story – it is a clear indicator of where the beet harvesting segment in Europe is heading.

1. Benchmark for productivity. If 95 ha and 10,000 t per day can be achieved by a series-production machine with a standard engine and standard harvesting units, this sets a new benchmark for all beet harvester manufacturers.
2. Higher logistics requirements. To unlock the full potential of the Terra Dos 5-40 HD, proper logistics are needed: sufficient transfer trailers and trucks, well-coordinated work with the sugar factory. This pushes farms towards comprehensive modernisation of the entire “field–factory” chain.
3. Focus on the operator. A 24-hour shift is a stress test first and foremost for the human operator. Hence the emphasis on the cab, ergonomics and automation is no longer an “option” but a mandatory element of modern machinery.
4. Reliability test. A world record is a stress test for the whole design: driveline, hydraulics, cleaning system, hopper and unloading elevator must work flawlessly at maximum load.

For Ukrainian beet growers, the Terra Dos 5-40 HD is primarily a benchmark of how a high-productivity harvesting complex can look when power, a large hopper, smart automation and operator comfort are combined in a single machine.

Holmer Terra Dos 5 and Ukrainian Reality

The Ukrainian sugar beet sector has gone through different stages – from record areas to severe reductions – and is now again looking for a balance between domestic consumption, exports and processing capacity. Against the backdrop of competition for skilled labour and rising fuel costs, high-performance self-propelled harvesters like the Holmer Terra Dos 5 give farms the opportunity to:

• quickly cover large areas within optimal agronomic windows;
• minimise losses during harvesting;
• work reliably in wet autumn conditions and heavy soils;
• build logistics with minimal downtime of machinery and transport.

Even if not every farm can afford its own Terra Dos 5-40 HD, the appearance of such machinery in Ukraine through service providers, cooperatives and leasing programmes is only a matter of time. And the world record near Trantow clearly shows that the potential to improve efficiency in Ukrainian beet production is far from exhausted.

Spare Parts for Agricultural Machinery – at BAS.UA

Any high-performance machine – whether a beet harvester, seeder, self-propelled sprayer or header – needs reliable service support and high-quality spare parts.

BAS-Agro LLC manufactures and supplies spare parts for agricultural machinery, in particular:

• for seeders,
• for headers,
• for tillage equipment,
• for sprayers,
• for grain and other harvesters.

On the company’s website BAS.UA there is a convenient online catalogue where Ukrainian farmers can select parts for both domestic and imported machines, plan fleet renewal and prepare for the harvest season as thoroughly as the team behind the world record set by the Holmer Terra Dos 5.