Manufacture and Performance Evaluation of a Local Harvesting Machine for Silage Preparation

Abstract

The present research was carried out to manufacture and evaluate the performance of a local silage-harvesting machine to improve harvesting efficiency. The manufactured machine consists mainly of frame, hitching device, transmission system, harvesting device and power source. The manufactured machine performance was studied as a function of change in machine forward speed, knife velocity, knife inclination angle and stalk moisture content. Performance evaluation was conducted in terms of field capacity and field efficiency, harvesting losses and harvesting efficiency, required power, energy requirements and criterion cost. The experimental results revealed that harvesting losses as well as criterion costs were minimum while harvesting efficiency was maximum under the following conditions: Operate the machine at a forward speed of 2.5 km/hr. Operate the harvesting device at a knife velocity of 1250 rpm. Adjust knife inclination angle at zero degree. Harvest silage at a stalk moisture content of about 69% (wb).