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Optimizing the Mower-Conditioner for High-Quality ForageRonald T. Schuler, Wisconsin Extension EngineerHarvesting high quality alfalfa forage requires that producers minimize the time that the cut crop is exposed to the weather. To do this, the conditioning unit on the mower-conditioner must be adjusted so the crop is properly conditioned for rapid drying. The conditioning roll system is the most common type found in use on farms in the Midwest, but the impeller type has also started to become popular. The roll conditioner conditions the crop by crushing the stems while the impeller conditioner abrades the stems. On roll conditioners, at least two adjustments can be made: roll pressure and roll spacing. Generally a change in one setting will require a change in the other. The roll spacing is adjusted to match the throughput of forage being harvested. For high crop throughput due to high yields or high forward speeds, the roll spacing should be relatively large. The roll pressure should also be larger for high throughputs. Excessive leaf loss can occur if the forage is over-conditioned. Occasionally, operators will say that they increased the pressure, but there was no impact on the degree of conditioning. This usually is an indication that the rolls were spaced too far apart. In that situation, no matter how much the pressure is increased, crop conditioning will not improve. On intermeshing roll conditioners, the rotational position of one roll can be adjusted relative to the other roll. This is referred to as roll registration. If rotational position is not properly adjusted, over-conditioning and high support bearing loads will occur. On most impeller conditioners, the degree of conditioning is usually set by the position of a deflection shield located immediately above the impeller. Moving the shield down keeps the forage more engaged in the impeller fingers. The best way to check to see if the conditioning system adjustments are correct is to observe the condition of the harvested forage in the windrow. The stems should be cracked. If not, adjustments must be made. Nothing affects the performance of conditioning systems more than the adjustment. A properly adjusted conditioning system will insure rapid drying and reduce risk of loss due to weather. |
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