2002 Annual Report for FNE02-401
Designing an Affordable Silage Wrapper for Small Farmers
Summary
Nearly ever small beef producer will tell you that the cost of silage equipment makes making silage economically unfeasible. If the silage equipment could be acquired at a reasonable cost, then the benefits of feeding silage are innumerable. This project designed and made a prototype of a silage tuber that can be made by any small farmer who has a welder and basic hydraulics knowledge.
Completed to date: The initial silage tuber prototype was not a success: the dimensions of the tube stretchers required a far larder tube than we had available. The prototype was altered to fit the tube. Upon testing the prototype, we discovered that the stretchers were not strong enough to stretch an entire tube. Therefore, only half tubes can be made at a time. Additionally, bales can not be any larger than 4 feet in diameter with the current prototype.
To be completed: We are planning an educational field day with our cooperative extension agent, Dee Potter. This will occur sometime in July or August. We will also send the information into FARM SHOW, a well known showcase for new farm ideas. We will have brochures completed by the date of the field day.
Objectives/Performance Targets
Accomplishments/Milestones
Impacts and Contributions/Outcomes
Collaborators:
Norman Smith Hall
University of Maine
Orono, ME 04469