1998 Annual Report for FNC98-240
Utilizing Alternative Methods for Silage Harvest and Storage
Summary
Minimizing overhead is a key ingredient to maximizing profits for smaller producers.
Objective: To introduce lower-cost methods of harvesting and storing forage and to reduce capital investment of harvesting and feeding equipment.
The producer used technology developed in New Zealand to harvest and store silage on his central Michigan dairy farm. The technology included a lacerator and a multi-purpose forage wagon for harvest and a plastic-coverd, vacuum-sealed system for storage. The lacerator is a flail-type, direct-cut harvester that can be used to fill a silage wagon or to create a windrow for baling. The multi-purpose forage wagon with front and rear discharge can also be used as a feeder wagon. The producer piles direct-cut forage, covers it with 40- by 100-foot plastic sheets, seals the edges and uses a vacuum pump to remove the air.
Results: Final data revealed the New Zealand direct-cut system can reduce capital investment and lower operational costs while allowing the producer to harvest in a single trip across the field, thereby reducing weather risk.
Full Report Available
Information Product:
Utilizing Alternative Harvesting Methods. Video, contact David McCartney, 517-465-6231