We traveled to Vermeer’s Forage Product Showcase in Pella to see the company’s newest hay equipment in the field, in classroom sessions and up close. The biggest news was not one replacement model. It was two distinct product stories aimed at two very different customer decisions.
The new 605S Series expands Vermeer’s pull-type round baler offering into four customer-facing configurations; Cornstalk Special is a Premium configuration developed for abrasive residue. Separately, the ZR2200 power unit and Z605N G2 bale chamber move the self-propelled platform forward with changes to density control, baler drive and the operator environment.
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Two launches deserve two separate evaluations
It would be easy to combine every new feature into one long release. That would blur the real buying decision. The 605S asks which pull-type configuration best fits an operation. The ZR asks whether self-propelled baling can create enough additional productivity, consistency and labor value to change the economics of the entire day.
The 605S is a baler-selection decision. The ZR is an operating-system decision.
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The 605S Series broadens a successful platform
Vermeer cited U.S. market-share figures at the event showing the 605N gained share in six of the last seven years and grew to approximately twice the share once held by the popular 605SM. The 605S was not created to repair a weak position. It expands a proven one.
Rancher, Signature, Premium and the Premium Cornstalk Special configuration give customers four clearer fits. Across the family, Vermeer revised crop feeding, density development and netwrap spreading. The point is not to push every buyer to the top specification. It is to stop making unlike operations buy the same baler.
Read the complete 605S Series field report →03
The ZR-5N G2 advances self-propelled baling
The complete ZR-5N G2 setup combines the ZR2200 power unit with the Z605N G2 baler. The 200-horsepower Cummins® remains, while enhanced baler motors and a density system designed to work with that power make better use of it. In-cab density adjustment, soft-core capability and automatic pressure release for a slug are meaningful functional changes.
The operator also gets a better joystick, more lighting, an improved camera view and several practical details that matter after hundreds of hours in the seat.
Read the complete ZR-5N G2 report →04
Why our perspective is different
Shepherd’s Garage is not evaluating the ZR only from a spec sheet. We own and operate one. We know the value of hydraulic drive, independent pickup and chamber control, automated bale cycles, zero-turn maneuverability and arriving at the end of a long baling day less fatigued.
That ownership experience also makes us less interested in declaring one machine right for everyone. Bale count, crop, tractor availability, labor and weather windows should determine whether a 605S or a ZR creates the better return.
Talk with Shepherd’s Garage
Start with your operation—not the option list.
Tell us what you bale, how many bales you make and where time or labor is limiting you. We can help narrow the right 605S configuration or determine whether the ZR belongs in the conversation.
The complete showcase package
What Vermeer Unveiled at the 2026 Forage Product Showcase
Inside the Vermeer Product Showcase: The New 605S Round Baler Series
Read story →ZR owner’s reportInside the Vermeer Product Showcase: The New ZR-5N G2
Read story →Preproduction equipment is shown and described. Features, specifications, configurations and availability are subject to change. Confirm final details with Shepherd’s Garage.