Kemper Champion 1200: the 2-row mounted forage harvester for medium-sized farms
04.05.2026
The Kemper Champion 1200 is a compact 2-row mounted forage harvester with a working width of 1.25 metres, built by the German manufacturer Maschinenfabrik Kemper. The machine mounts to a standard tractor and handles cutting, chopping and blowing the silage into a trailing wagon on its own. On the Bulgarian market the Champion 1200 attracts farms running up to roughly 300 hectares of silage maize that want their own silage logistics without depending on contractors. This guide explains the design, the matching tractor, real-world throughput and what to inspect when buying a used unit.
Table of contents
1. What the Kemper Champion 1200 is and who it suits
2. Technical specifications in detail
3. Working principle and rotary cutters
4. Which tractor is needed for the Champion 1200
5. Field performance
6. Comparison with single-row forage harvesters
7. Maintenance and wear parts
8. Used prices and pre-purchase inspection
9. Return on investment
10. Frequently asked questions
What the Kemper Champion 1200 is and who it suits
In short: the Kemper Champion 1200 is a mid-class mounted forage harvester that combines a maize header and a chopper drum in one compact unit. The machine works with a tractor that carries it on the linkage, drives it through the PTO shaft and fills the trailer through the curved discharge spout.
The Champion series concept
Kemper's Champion line covers several mounted silage harvesters with different working widths. The Champion 1200 is the 2-row variant with a 1.25 metre working width, designed to harvest two standard maize rows at 75 cm spacing. The classic Kemper advantage - row-independent rotary intake - is preserved in this compact format, so the machine handles lodged or unevenly drilled maize without trouble.
Who it fits
The Champion 1200 is the cost-effective answer for farms with 30 to 300 hectares of silage maize and an in-house livestock operation. A self-propelled forage harvester in the Claas Jaguar 800 class costs ten to twenty times more, while the Champion 1200 covers the silage needs of a medium dairy or cattle farm at far lower capital outlay. The unit is also a common pick for contract services in the same county.
Technical specifications in detail
In short: the headline figures of the Kemper Champion 1200 are a 1.25 metre working width, two maize rows, a PTO requirement of 540 or 1000 rpm, an own weight of around 1,500 kg and a hydraulically folding spout for blowing silage into the wagon.
Dimensions and weight
In transport position the Champion 1200 fits within the standard road envelope, while the folded spout brings the height down. The roughly 1,500 kg own weight suits a wide range of tractors and does not overload the drawbar.
Chopping drum and chop length
The drum chopper is the heart of the machine and decides silage quality. Chop length is set mechanically between 4 and 12 mm depending on the livestock feeding plan. Shorter chop gives better compaction in the silo but demands more power at the PTO.
Discharge spout
The hydraulically folding spout swings through 180 degrees and lets the operator load the trailer to the left, the right or directly behind. That is a real-world plus, because the trailer driver can follow the harvester in whichever direction suits the field logistics.
Working principle and rotary cutters
In short: the front module is a rotary header with cutting discs that sever the stalk and feed it to the feeder rolls and on to the chopping drum. The whole kinematic chain is driven by the tractor PTO through a central angle gearbox.
Cutting discs
Two rotary discs with triangular knives are mounted on the front module and rotate in opposite directions. The knives cut at the top of their rotation and pull the stalk toward the centre of the machine. This principle is why the 2-row mounted harvester handles lodged or weedy maize better than single-row units.
Feeder rolls and drum
After the cutting module, the stalks pass through two feeder rolls that pre-compress them and pass them evenly to the drum. The drum carries 12 helical knives for a smooth cut. A counter-knife under the drum sets the exact chop length.
Filling the trailer with chopped maize
Chopped silage leaves the drum into the spout through centrifugal force and an air stream from the impeller. In high-moisture crops the operator raises the rpm to keep the throw strong; in dry maize the opposite, lower rpm for smoother feeding.
Which tractor is needed for the Champion 1200
In short: the Kemper Champion 1200 runs comfortably behind a tractor of 80 to 130 horsepower with a 540 or 1000 rpm PTO. Higher power does no harm but adds nothing meaningful, because the drum has its own working regime.
Minimum and recommended power
The minimum is around 80 hp in dry maize and short rows. The recommended power is 100 to 120 hp, which delivers steady performance in tougher conditions and behind a heavily loaded trailer. For tractor selection on a specific farm profile, see the practical advice on choosing between wheeled and tracked tractors.
Hydraulic capacity
The tractor must offer at least one double-acting hydraulic outlet to control the spout. A second outlet helps with header height adjustment. On older tractors with limited hydraulic flow, an auxiliary pump is the cleanest fix for smooth operation.
Safety in operation
The PTO shaft between the tractor and the harvester carries a friction clutch that limits peak torque. Before each season the protective shrouds, their condition and fastenings must be checked. This routine is part of the standard maintenance approach for agricultural machinery, which keeps the risk of serious incidents down.
Field performance
In short: under typical Bulgarian conditions, the Kemper Champion 1200 covers 0.6 to 1 hectare per hour and 25 to 50 tonnes of silage per hour, depending on yield and trailer logistics.
Real-world numbers
On farms with silage maize at 50 tonnes of green matter per hectare, the Champion 1200 covers about 0.8 hectares per hour with well-coordinated trailer rotation. At higher yields (60 to 70 tonnes), the rate drops to 0.6 hectares per hour but the harvested mass holds steady or rises slightly. For wider context on the differences between silage and grain harvesting, see the analysis forage harvester vs combine harvester differences.
Trailer logistics
Champion 1200 throughput lives or dies on trailer rotation. A 20-tonne trailer fills in around 25 minutes, so a continuous process needs at least two trailers and drivers swapping full for empty. Without that organisation, real productivity drops by 30 to 40 percent.
Climatic limits
Champion 1200 works well at maize moisture between 60 and 70 percent. Below 55 percent the stalks turn brittle and shatter, hurting silage quality. Above 75 percent the spout risks plugging and the silage pile faces fermentation problems.
Comparison with single-row forage harvesters
In short: single-row mounted harvesters are cheaper and lighter, but the Champion 1200 delivers nearly double the throughput and a notably better chop quality. On farms running more than 50 hectares per year, the price gap closes quickly.
Throughput and time on the field
A single-row machine harvests around 0.4 hectares per hour against 0.8 for the Champion 1200. On 100 hectares that is 250 hours of work versus 125. When the only good silage windows are short, those days saved make the difference between premium and mediocre silage.
Chop quality
The 2-row drum on the Champion 1200 runs more steadily and holds chop length tighter across a wide condition window. That feeds straight into fermentation and silage nutritional value. Single-row units tend to spread chop length more, which complicates compaction in the silo.
Capital cost and payback
A used single-row harvester costs about half a Champion 1200, but the doubled hours of work and lower silage quality eat that gap in 2 to 3 seasons. Above 100 hectares per year the Champion 1200 is the smarter long-term call.
Maintenance and wear parts
In short: drum knives, the counter-knife, the rotary disc bearings and the PTO shaft friction clutch are the four critical items that drive the cost per hour. A disciplined maintenance habit extends the working life of the machine by years.
Drum knives
The 12 drum knives are sharpened or replaced seasonally, depending on harvested area. With more than 100 hectares per year the full set is swapped annually, with several sharpenings during the season. Dull knives raise tractor fuel use by 10 to 15 percent and degrade chop quality.
Rotary disc bearings
The two rotary discs run at high rpm and their bearings carry the heaviest load. A preventive check every 200 working hours, looking for play and elevated temperatures, prevents costly mid-season failures. For a wider view of common wear items and replacement cycles, the spare parts overview for combines applies to silage units as well.
PTO shaft and friction clutch
The PTO shaft is greased daily on both universal joints during intensive work. The friction clutch is checked once per season for correct release torque. A clutch failure under overload leads to severe drum damage.
Used prices and pre-purchase inspection
In short: prices for a used Kemper Champion 1200 on the Bulgarian market sit between 12,000 and 25,000 BGN depending on year and total hours. A pre-purchase inspection is mandatory and saves on average 2,000 to 5,000 BGN in repairs over the first year.
What to check on inspection
First, dip a finger into the angle gearbox oil and look for metal particles. Second, rotate both rotary discs by hand and listen for unusual noises. Third, eyeball the drum for bent or chipped knives. Fourth, inspect the spout and its hydraulic system for leaks. Fifth, ask for a service history that proves regular care.
Documents and history
A well-kept Champion 1200 arrives with a folder of service records, inspections and parts replaced. Western European machines tend to have cleaner histories because routine maintenance is the standard there. For a curated stock of inspected machines, browse the used agricultural equipment section, which carries silage units across several classes.
Seasonality of prices
Prices peak in August and September, when demand spikes ahead of the silage harvest. Buying in December or January is typically 10 to 15 percent cheaper because sellers face less competing demand. The pattern holds for both new and used machines.
Warranty and service
A used Kemper Champion 1200 from a reputable dealer usually comes with a short warranty on the main assemblies - drum, angle gearbox and hydraulics. The warranty does not replace inspection but adds reassurance that hidden defects will be covered. Before the first season, run a full pre-season check covering all bearings, grease points and hydraulic hoses. Spare parts for classic Kemper models are widely available and delivery times are short when you quote the correct catalogue number.
Return on investment
In short: the Kemper Champion 1200 pays back over 3 to 5 seasons on a farm with 80 hectares or more of silage maize per year, thanks to saved contractor costs and full control over the harvest window.
Compared with contract services
Contract silage harvesting in Bulgaria runs between 80 and 120 BGN per hectare. On 100 hectares that is an annual bill of 8,000 to 12,000 BGN. With your own Champion 1200 the direct cost drops to 30 to 40 BGN per hectare (fuel, wear, depreciation), creating a clear margin gain.
Control over harvest timing
Silage quality depends on a tight harvest window measured in days. With your own forage harvester the farm cuts at the right dry matter level without queuing for a contractor's free trailer. That timing control often delivers a bigger financial impact than the saved service fee, because it shapes feed quality for the whole year.
Frequently asked questions
Working width of the Kemper Champion 1200
The Champion 1200 has a working width of 1.25 metres, which covers two standard maize rows at 75 cm spacing in a single pass. Even at non-standard spacings the machine keeps working thanks to row-independent rotary intake.
Tractor required for the Champion 1200
The minimum is an 80 hp tractor with a 540 or 1000 rpm PTO. The recommended figure is 100 to 120 hp for comfortable work in tough conditions. The tractor also needs at least one double-acting hydraulic outlet.
Tonnes per hour the Champion 1200 delivers
In typical conditions the Champion 1200 harvests 25 to 50 tonnes of silage per hour. Real throughput depends on maize yield and how trailer rotation is organised on the field.
Used Kemper Champion 1200 price range
On the Bulgarian market used Champion 1200 prices range between 12,000 and 25,000 BGN depending on year, hours and condition. A 2015 unit in good condition sells around 15,000 BGN.
Difference between 2-row and single-row forage harvester
The Champion 1200 is a 2-row machine with a 1.25 m working width, while a single-row unit harvests one row at 70-75 cm spacing. The Champion 1200 delivers nearly double the throughput and a more consistent chop quality.