Page 14—Corn Talk, Lancaster Farming, Saturday, October 10, 1998
Ag Progress Demonstrates Com Harvesting Equipment
ROCKSPRING (Centre Co.)
Kernel processing, fast and
more efficient silage harvest
ing, and even methods to get
improved fresh market sweet
com ears into the wagon were
highlights of two Ag Progress
demonstrations.
During Ag Progress Days in
August, a couple of companies
introduced com silage harves
ters to a crowd of several
hundred visitors to the
Rockspring research site.
Afterward, one company put
on a show of a sweet com pick
er and demonstrated the tech
nology to a crowd of about 45
vegetable growers and agri
industry representatives.
Lynn Hoffman, Penn State
agronomist, provided informa
tion about the com hybrid
planted at the demonstration
area and introduced two com
silage harvesters.
The harvesters included new
com kernel processing technol
ogy to allow improved ensiling,
which creates better dry matter
feed for livestock. The proces
sor, in essence, crimps, cracks,
and shreds the kernel to allow
improved digestibility for
animals.
The com was planted on
30-inch rows no-tilled on May
15.
The two harvesters demon
strated to the crowd included
one that uses a rotating blade
and the other with a conven
tional chopping silage head.
The material was a couple of
weeks early to ensile, noted
Hoffman, because the com was
at the milking stage with too
high moisture in the com. If the
com was planted in early May
instead, the kernel breaking
process could have been better
demonstrated, he noted.
Visitors were allowed to see
how the com was chopped and
loaded into wagons at the site.
In a separate demonstration,
sweet com growers were pro
vided information on several
-*1
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w TVs
In a separate demonstration, sweet corn growers were provided Informal "
tion on several varieties of bicoior sweet corn planted both no-tlll and conven-
de " onstra «<» n at th ® test Plots was on a corn picker by a
company based in Wisconsin. '
varieties of bicolor sweet com
planted both no-till and con
ventionally tilled. The demon
stration at the test plots was on a
com picker by a company base
d in Wisconsin.
The no-till plot was planted
May 15 and the conventionally
tilled plot was planted May 18,
according to Tom Murphy,
Lycoming County extension
agent. For both plots, a preplant
fertilizer with 400 pounds
34-0-0 was used. A sidedress
ing of 100 pounds of 10-30-10
was also added. About 150
pounds per acre of nitrogen
altogether were applied.
In addition, several weed and
insect control applications were
used.
The no-till plot was planted
into rye stubble and hairy vetch.
The same applications were
applied.
The com picker draws the
stalk into an area that pinches
the com and pulls it off, similar
to how it is done by hand in the
field.
According to several grow
ers, the challenge is coming up
with a machine that can dif
ferentiate between useful,
marketable ears and those that
won’t sell on the auction block
or at the farm market.
Varieties need to be planted,
if using the picker, that mature
at the same time.
Also, according to an equip
ment demonstrator, growers
need to consider several factors
before deciding to pay about
$26,500 for the machine,
including materials and labor
cost and sweet com market
prices, before deciding on the
cost effectiveness of the picker
compared to hand-picking.
The growers had a chance to
look into the wagon at the sweet
com picked by the harvester.
Many noted that the sweet com
ear size was sufficient.
(O®3M -miLZ MSWS
PENNSYLVANIA MASTER CORN GROWERS ASSOC., INC.
** V> «
9 ✓
During Ag Progress Days in August at Rockspring, a couple of companies
introduced corn silage harvesters to a crowd of several hundred visitors.
The harvesters included new com kernel processing technology to allow
improved ensiling, which creates better dry matter feed for livestock. The pro
cessor, in essence, crimps, cracks, and shreds the kernel to allow improved
digestibility for animals.
'4 ? C'a
According to several growers, the challenge is com
ing up with a machine that can differentiate between
useful, marketable ears and those that won’t sell on
the auction block or at the farm market