Conditioners for Hay and Haylage Dr. Dan Undersander University of Wisconsin.

Conditioners for Hay and Haylage

Dr. Dan Undersander

University of Wisconsin

Dan Undersander-Agronomy © 2007

Mower Conditioner Options

Sickle Cutterbar - roll conditioner

Disk Cutterbar - roll conditioner

Disk Cutterbar - impeller conditioner

Cross Section of Crop Stem

Stems have a waxy surface called cutin

Conditioning should crack the stem surface for faster drying


Conditioner width as percent of cutting width

0

20

40

60

80

100

100 120 140 160 180 200 220 240

Cutting Width (in.)

Co

nd

itio

ne

r w

idth

(%

)

Maximum Swath Width

Conditioner Width


Maximum swath width versus cutting width

0

20

40

60

80

100

100 120 140 160 180 200 220 240

Cutting Width (in.)

Max

imu

m S

wat

h W

idth

(%

) Maximum Swath Width

Cutting Width


Put hay into wide swath Keep off of ground


Conditioned hay


Conditioner types

Flail/impellers

Rubber Rolls


Rollers vs flail (impeller) conditioners


Roll and Impeller Comparison

Roll creates a crushing action Impeller creates a stripping action Impeller has greater capacity Impeller tends to have higher losses Roll with rotary mower will leave strips in light crops

(Limited air through rear of machine)


Drying Rate Comparisons

Cutterbar Conditioner Drying Rate Sickle Roll +.2 hr(2nd)

Rotary Roll 0(1st)

Rotary Impeller +1.8 hr(3rd)


Conditioner drying rates

Alfalfa Grass


Conditioner field losses

Flail conditioners have 2 to 3 % higher field losses with alfalfa.

The loss is all leaves so forage quality is significantly reduced. 0

10

20

30

40

50

60

-1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

Weeks from early bud stage

ND

F (

% o

f D

M)

Stems

Leaves


Adjust conditioner properly

Tension on rollers Spacing of rollers


Adjust conditioner roller spacing

Measure clearance where “Crimp” or

smallest clearance occurs


Summary

Flail conditioner designed for grasses Faster drying for grasses Greater leaf loss with alfalfa

DM loss Forage Quality loss

Roll conditioner designed for alfalfa Faster drying for alfalfa

Conditioners for Hay and Haylage Dr. Dan Undersander University of Wisconsin.

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