Conservation/Efficiency Key to Profitable Harvest
By Bill Casady

The cost of energy continues to change the way we set priorities as we enter into an early harvest. August is traditionally hot, so it’s been no surprise that the days have been oppressive, but harvest is beginning in earnest in some parts of the state and will be in full swing statewide soon. Most estimates place the harvest about two weeks early on average across the state of Missouri.

Harvest is an energy intensive season. Combines use about 1.5 to 2 gallons of fuel per acre, a value greater than any other field operation. Yet, regular tune-ups, oil and filter maintenance combined with good management of service vehicles to haul grain from the field can only improve efficiency just so much. A much larger expenditure of energy occurs at the drying and storage facilities.

An early harvest can have significant value if we use the calendar to patiently wait for field dry down to occur. Patience then becomes the key to conserving energy. Weigh the value of a quick and early harvest carefully with the cost of high speed drying. Grain dried quickly from greater than 25 percent wet basis moisture content can add as much as $40 per acre to the cost of energy used in corn production. Natural air drying from about 20 percent moisture can be accomplished for as little as about $7 for current utility/propane prices.

Field dried grain will cost essentially nothing to dry, but it is still very important to have a plan in place to aerate grain in a timely way. An early harvest has its disadvantages as well as its obvious potential energy saving advantages. Grain harvested very early must wait a long period of time for cool weather to arrive for a proper cooling aeration cycle that will protect and preserve grain. Weigh field drying against other factors such as the condition of the stalks, lodging potential and dropped ears before making your final decisions, but do not be in a hurry to store grain under the hot dry conditions of August.

It’s not too late to complete some last minute sanitation procedures to protect new grain from pests that have taken up residence in and around bins and in all of the equipment that moves grain. Sanitation details are available in several places, but the series of articles describing the SLAM procedure for storing grain begin at (http://ppp.missouri.edu/newsletters/ipcm/archives/v13n18/ipmltr5.htm).

Key Sanitation Principles Include:

1. clean up any left over grain from the bin site,
2. mow and control weeds and habitat for insect and rodent pests,
3. remove all accessible panels to remove any left over grain in grain handling systems and equipment,
4. use bin treatments to eradicate any insect populations. There are still many older bins and even a few new ones that have never been carefully checked to ensure maximum efficiency. Roof vents should be sufficient to allow at least one square foot of open space for every 1000 cfm of airflow. Check fans, burners and other equipment to be sure they are in proper operating conditions and keep fan blades clean and free of obstructions to improve airflow.

Bill Casady
573 882 4370