Keep Your Machine and Your Body Running Optimally During Harvest

By Jane Fyksen Crops Editor
Wednesday, October 1, 2008 9:47 PM CDT

Take a look at combine settings to maximize grain quality and minimize machine field losses, and prevent tragic human loss by keeping safety in mind.

Mark Hanna, Iowa State University ag engineer, offers these general tips:

- Minimize seed coat damage by starting with the lowest recommended rotor or cylinder speed and using only enough speed to adequately thresh grain, while keeping loss to an acceptable level.

- Cleaning fan airflow is normally set at a high level, and then reduced just below the point where grain is blown out the rear of the cleaning shoe

- Adjust one setting at a time; then evaluate the change.

- If different planting dates have cause maturity differences in the same field, harvest by maturity and dry-down rather than by field. “Areas with lodging should be moved earlier in the harvest schedule,” Hanna notes.

- Four soybeans and two kernels of corn per square foot equals one bushel per acre in grain loss. Machine-related losses should be about a bushel per acre or less if the crop is standing well.

“Although most operators are familiar with traumatic injuries associated with the limits of human reaction time around falling grain heads or spinning corn stalk rolls, many more chronic injuries are associated with falls from combines,” he reminds of staying safe.

He reminds producers to periodically clean debris from the combine to avoid both fire danger and slips on residue. Clean off mud, or later in the season, ice and snow. Hopefully Wisconsin producers will have parked their combines away for the winter before the latter becomes a slipping risk.

Hanna says delayed plantings and slower than normal canopy closure in soybeans in some parts of the Upper Midwest will present unique harvesting challenges this fall. Research suggests that 90 percent of machine losses are at the head, with the majority of those occurring at the cutterbar.

“Lower pod set from slow canopy closure in 30-inch rows makes condition and operation of the flexible cutterbar and header height control potentially more important than usual,” he mentions, encouraging combine operators to periodically stop the combine and measure losses, particularly early in the season as conditions change and time may be more available. Each inch of uncut stubble can result in a one bushel per acre yield loss, he points out.

If soybeans are small, cleaning fan speed may need to be reduced to avoid blowing soybeans out of the combine. Similarly, if sieve openings have been reduced slightly for small soybeans, airflow should be reduced a bit to compensate as greater air velocity is created at a given flow when the sieve opening is narrowed.

As for corn, deck plates over snapping rolls should be adjusted for predominant ear size to avoid shelling of kernels on the butt of the ears. Spacing between plates is about 1.25 inches in normal crop. Maintain ear savers on the corn head. Each 0.75 pound dropped ear in 0.01 acre (436 square feet) equals a one bushel per acre yield loss, according to Hanna.

“If stalks are lodged, keep gathering snouts low. Keep the ear above the leading edge of gathering chains and snapping rolls. Drive a bit slower or consider using a corn reel. Consider harvesting against the grain of lodged stalks. Check machine field losses to evaluate effectiveness of various strategies,” he says.

If you’re facing some windblown corn, don’t forget safety in your haste to salvage crop losses. Randall Reeder, Ohio State University ag engineer, says downed corn drags out harvest longer than usual. “The header will plug more often and operator stress and frustration will be higher,” he states. “Under these conditions, it is more important than ever to emphasize safety in and around equipment."

Reeder says downed corn means slower operating speeds; more frequent header plugging; more rocks picked up by the header; and more corn stalks going through the combine along with the grain, slowing grain separation and contributing to more grain thrown out the back of the equipment. Farmers also get frustrated seeing whole ears laying the field.

He says auto steering and/or a row sensor might be something to explore during the upcoming farm-show season. This technology relieves operator stress by at least relieving the operator “of trying to see and follow the row,” he mentions.

Reeder reminds producers to take breaks n despite the rush to finish. Long hours in the combine are fatiguing, putting you at risk for injury should you need to take care of something out of the ordinary. Count to 10 before exiting the cab to deal with a problem, in order to clear your head and bring your emotions into control.

“Drink plenty of liquids and eat healthy,” he adds.

Reeder suggests concerned farm women might tape safety reminders at various places, such as in the combine cab or dryer area.

"When you have to get out of the combine cab to solve a problem, make sure you turn the combine off first," Reeder stresses. "If a second person is helping to unclog the header, still turn the equipment off. The No. 1 rule for preventing injuries is always turn equipment off first.”

“Operating in a safe, deliberate manner may extend harvest by a week or two. That may seem excessive, but compare it to the delay that could result from a major injury," he contends.

John Shutske, an ag safety specialist, and associate dean for Agriculture and Natural Resources Extension in UW-Madison’s College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, agrees that fatigue is an issue during the harvest season. “What happens when we get tired? Lots of things,” he says, mentioning, “Reaction time increases. We have a greater difficulty making quick, correct decisions. We may do things in the wrong sequence - like not turning off equipment that's running before we dismount to clear a clogged part or perform maintenance. We forget key steps and procedures. We lack the time to correctly maintain equipment and machines, often leading to costly breakdowns, frustrating situations, anger, and more stress!”

Take the time to pack yourself a decent lunch each morning. “Your body is not much different than the equipment you depend on! When you put your body under the strain of long days and hard work, it needs good fuel to perform at peak efficiency. Make sure to get enough fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low fat meat/dairy products to provide you with some needed nutritional balance,” he details. “Water intake is also important. If you notice your urine is not clear when you urinate, you could probably use more fluid.”

Be aware of where your kids are at all times, Shutske adds. “This is a busy time of the year for you, but also for your children. With school getting back into full swing, winter just around the corner, and days getting shorter, fall is a time of rapid change. Kids get more active in the evenings after sitting in school all day and when the cool weather comes,” he discusses. “As you move equipment around in the yard, shed or from field to field, make sure that kids have safe places to play.”

“Discuss the dangers of farm equipment with them, and explain that visibility around big combines and trucks is very limited,” he concludes, reminding, “Make sure that young kids have adequate adult supervision when they return from school.”

Comments »

Comment on this story

Comments will be approved within 48 hours

Name:

Email: (optional)

Comments:

Image Verification: (Case sensitive)