Forage harvester

– Uses:
– Forage harvesters can be attached to a tractor or self-propelled units.
– They consist of a drum or flywheel with knives that chop and blow silage into a connected wagon.
– Towed harvesters come in single-chop, double-chop, or precision-chop types.
– Larger machines have paddle accelerators to increase material speed.
– Self-propelled machines can produce over 400 tons of silage per hour.

– Grass Silage Harvesting:
– Grass silage is usually cut and wilted before harvesting.
– Swathes are collected using a windrow pickup.
– Maize and whole crop silage are cut directly by the header using various cutting equipment.
– Kernel processors are often used to crack kernels in cereal crops.
– Silage from grass, canola, oats, or wheat is chopped into small pieces and treated with additives.

– Corn and Sorghum Silage:
– Silage from corn or sorghum doesn’t require additives due to high sugar and starch levels.
– Additives are used to augment fermentation in corn and sorghum silage.
– Different cutting equipment heads are used for corn and grass silage.
– Kernel processors are installed between the cutterhead and accelerator.
– Additives like bacteria, enzymes, mold inhibitors, and preservatives accelerate fermentation.

– Additional Equipment:
– Wikimedia Commons has media related to Forage harvesters.
– A list of farm implements is related to forage harvesting.
– Contractors spend significant amounts on forage harvesters.
– Definition of silage can be found on merriam-webster.com.
– Various articles provide insights into forage harvesters and silage production.

– Technological Advancements:
– Newer forage harvesters are operated by electronics.
– Self-propelled machines with high horsepower engines are more efficient.
– Headers can cut swaths up to 35 feet in a single pass.
– Different heads are used for various types of silage.
– Additives like bacteria, enzymes, and mold inhibitors enhance the fermentation process.