Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Applied Engineering in Agriculture, cilt.16, sa.4, ss.323-331, 2000 (SCI-Expanded)
Whole-plant corn silage (WPCS) was harvested with a pull-type forage harvester equipped with crop processing rolls. Variables considered were crop maturity, theoretical length-of-cut (TLC), processor roll speed difference and roll clearance. Whole-plant particle size, whole cob and coarse fiber fractions, level of kernel breakage, and kernel fraction particle-size were used to quantify crop physical properties. Compared to unprocessed WPCS cut at 9.5 mm TLC, WPCS cut at 19 mm TLC and then processed had greater whole-plant particle size, less whole cob fraction, fewer unbroken kernels, smaller kernel fraction particle size, and greater estimated surface area of the kernel fraction. The processed treatments at 19 mm TLC and 3 or 5 mm roll clearance required similar specific energy and produced similar harvesting rates compared to the control unprocessed treatment at 9.5 mm TLC. Feeding dairy cattle WPCS (approximately 33% of DMI) increased fat-corrected milk yield by about 4% and fat yield by about 2%. Compared to unprocessed WPCS cut at 9.5 mm TLC, WPCS cut at 19 mm TLC and processed with 1 mm roll clearance increased in situ DM disappearance by seven percentage units. Based on crop physical properties, harvester energy requirements and dairy cattle lactation performance, the recommended settings when harvesting WPCS with an on-board crop processor would be 19 mm TLC and 1 to 3 mm roll clearance.