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Implement Alley Discussion Forum

HP Requirements for Haylage

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lacamo

07-03-2007 09:51:52




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I'm considering harvesting/ensilating fresh cut grass with a flail chopper (eg. NH 38) and a forage wagon instead of baling. My largest tractor is an MF 275 (67 hp). The fields are flat, although access to one is down a fairly steep hill. Will I need a larger tractor?




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lacamo

07-05-2007 10:15:26




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 Many Thanks! in reply to lacamo, 07-03-2007 09:51:52  
Thanks everyone so much for the advice. I read about direct cut ensiling online -- there's even a company in the midwest that sells specialized equipment. See Link for a description. Sucking the air out with a vacuum pump seems like a good idea; although maybe it only works with uber-high moisture content.



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RodInNS

07-05-2007 04:17:48




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 Re: HP Requirements for Haylage in reply to lacamo, 07-03-2007 09:51:52  
I don't think that ensiling direct cut forage is an optimal system, but it does work. The Europeans seem to have a lot more experience with it than we do. They also do a lot of work with long chop....
Your tractor will run the flail chopper OK. However, if you decide to go to a precision chop system, then it's going to be awful slow and hard on the tractor. I don't think it matters if you're runing a 718 NH harvester or a 790, or even a 900.... it's about the amount of power you've got to work with, and that isn't much for any of them when it comes to chopping silage.
You can get by with 80 hp, do OK with 90, and then make a harvester sing with a 100 hp tractor until you get into bigger harvesters where it's 130+....

Rod

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Don-Wi

07-03-2007 22:14:45




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 Re: HP Requirements for Haylage in reply to lacamo, 07-03-2007 09:51:52  
Like the others say, putting it up green won't work at all. If you cut it with a sickle bar or a haybine, and then pick it up with a flail chopper (works but not the best way to go) you could get by, but the length is still too long and unless the previous owner kept up on adjustments, it's probably gonna need new knives and shear surfaces for the blower.

65 HP however is plenty og HP for a flail chopper. We've done it with our Massey 165 already.

Donovan from Wisconsin

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barnrat

07-03-2007 16:43:30




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 Re: HP Requirements for Haylage in reply to lacamo, 07-03-2007 09:51:52  
Harvesting direct cut grass and making it into silage is a no no. Not good for animals(butaric acid), and stinks somthing fierce. If you want to harvest it and feed it right away with out ensiling then you'll be OK. That was what flail chopper were designed for. If you wanna make grass silage find an old NH 717 or 718 chopper they go for about 500-1000 bucks that would be money well spent.



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wayne from wi

07-03-2007 16:06:50




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 Re: HP Requirements for Haylage in reply to lacamo, 07-03-2007 09:51:52  
Are you sure you want to put up haylage with a flail chopper? If you plan to store it as haylage, you need to wilt it to 50% to 60% moisture depending on your storage. Also, the length of cut will be too long and will trap oxygen in the feed, thus will rot and not ferment properly. Take a few minutes and talk with a KNOWLEGABLE neighbor for advice. Wayne



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georgeky

07-03-2007 09:59:31




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 Re: HP Requirements for Haylage in reply to lacamo, 07-03-2007 09:51:52  
If you are on flat ground, I would think the 275 would be OK. I pull a JD chopper with my 666 Farmall. It is about 65 HP. Have also pulled a 717 NH with it. For speed you will need a larger tractor, but if that isn't an issue, I think it will work.



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