Precision Ag in Hay and

Forage Production

John Locklear

Hay Background

• Cutting/Swathing

• Raking/Tedding

• Baling

Forage Background• Swathing/

Windrowing/

Chopping

• Crop stored to ensile

(silo, pits/bunkers,

piles, wrapped)

Precision Ag in Cutting/Swathing

• GPS Guidanceo Lightbaro AutoSteer

• Tractor or Self Propelled Windrower Applications

Precision Ag in Forage Harvesting (Deere)

• HarvestLabo Measures crop moisture on

the go• Harvest Monitor

o Productivity, yields, area, etc.

• IntelliGaurdo Detects metal in the

cutterhead• AutoLOC

o Changes length of crop cut on the go; Improves bulk density

• GPS Guidance

Precision Ag in Forage Harvesting (Claas)

• CEBIS (Data Management)o Stores info from custom jobs,

yield maps, etc.• QUANTIMETER

o On the go moisture measurement

• AUTO FILLo Uses 3D imaging to

automatically fill the transport vehicle

• GPS Guidance

Precision Ag in Forage Harvesting

• Tractor Implement Automationo Used with a silage wagono Senses windrow size and

locationo Speed and direction are

automated from sensor information

Precision Ag in Baling (1)

• Monitoring Systemso Shows material in bale

chamber o Shows bale diameter/sizeo LSB-Shows if knots were

missedo Vermeer- Bale weight and

moisture content

Precision Ag in Baling (2)• Wrapping Balers

o Wrap bales for silage after it is baled conventionally

o More advanced monitoring systems

Precision Ag in Baling (3)

• Tractor-Baler Automation (Deere)o Used through ISO-BUS port,

CAN communicationo Automates stopping,

wrapping, and ejectiono Can be manually overridden,

much like Autosteer

Precision Ag in Baling (4)

• Harvest Tec Systemso Tagging system: records

weight, field, time, moistureo Adjusts amount of

preservative applied depending on moisture

Questions?