Equipment

Near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) seems like something out of a science-fiction movie: You can shine a light onto a feed and immediately know the chemical and nutritional make-up.

It used to be that round baler performance was measured by the number of bales you could crank out in a day. Not anymore.

Do you remember the last time you changed the oil in your pickup truck? Do you know how old the tires are or the last time it was inspected?

 While our winter weather is behind us, equipment that wasn’t started (and even those that were) may begin to exhibit the battery drain of the past season.

It’s a killer on equipment tires. A juvenile delinquent with a hunting knife probably couldn’t do as much damage as cornstalks can. The outer stalk surface really wears on pickup teeth, rake tines, cams, bearings and slip clutches. Yet, although cornstalk baling is extremely hard on equipment, more and more producers are turning toward the practice.

Advances in seed genetics and other crop inputs continue to help farmers achieve higher yields. However, even with today’s high-producing seeds, maximizing crop performance depends on consistent, accurate seed placement.