Precision Ag in Hay Production

Brian SheffieldSOIL 4213

Types of Hay Production

Silage-Fodder prepared by storing and fermenting green forage plants

Dry Hay-Biomass that is cut, dried down naturally, wrapped in bales, and stored off field

Outline

Silage

-Early silaging-Modern silaging-Silage storage-Silage and precision

Dry Hay

-Early haying-Modern haying-Storage-Dry hay and precision

Silage

Crops Used for Silage-Corn-Grain Sorghums-Oats-Alfalfa-Bermudagrass-Wheat

Biomass should be chopped fine

Moisture should be approximately 65%

No oxygen should be present in silage pile

Harvested after corn kernels are dented

Early Silaging

Very labor intensive Required more

manpower Needed silo for storage

of silage

Modern Silaging

Less manpower More efficient Higher yields Cover more acres

Silage Storage

Silage bunkers Silage bags Silage piles Silos Round bale silage

Silage and Precision

Automatic Length of Cut (AutoLOC)-adjust cutting size according to moisture content

Harvest Monitor via Greenstar 2-plots productivity, area cut, crop mass, yield, moisture

Deere.com

Harvest Doc-monitor yield and moisture measurements while harvesting

Silage and Precision

RowTrak II Guidance-helps achieve greater productivity and higher operating speeds.

Auto-Steer-steers rear wheels automatically to help reduce operator fatigue

Deere.com

HarvestLab-gives the ability to measure moisture on the go

Outline

Silage

-Early silaging-Modern silaging-Silage storage-Silage and precision

Dry Hay

-Early haying-Modern haying-Storage-Dry hay and precision

Dry Hay

Crops used for dry hay-Alfalfa-Bermudagrass-Wheat-Corn Stover-Prairie Hay-Soybeans-Pasture

After being cut, needs a dry down period

Moisture content around 15-30%; high moisture will cause mold

Raked into rows to further enhance dry down period

Early Haying

Hay was cut with scythes

Hay was grouped into bundles

Very labor intensive

First round baler; AC Roto-Baler, circa 1947

Modern Haying

More efficient Greater coverage of

acres per day Less manpower More efficient

equipment; reduced loss

Modern Haying

Mowing Types-Front/Rear mount-Twin rear mount-Side pull-Center pivot-Drum mowers-Rotary-Sickle bar

Storage Round bales

-Twine and net wrap Square bales; large and

small-Twine and wire

Silage round bales Ag wrap

Storagehttp://www.agnation.com/ag_wrap_bale_wrappers.htm

Dry Hay and Precision

BaleTrak Plus Monitor-Monitors and controls all baler functions; reduces operator fatigue

Auto-Trac-Higher pass efficiency, reduces operator fatigue

Deere.com

MegaWide Pick-Up-Higher baling speeds, minimum crop loss, preserves crop quality

Any Questions?