AGCO Fine-Tunes Baler For Biomass

AGCO Fine-Tunes Baler For Biomass BALERS When ethanol plants are finally ready to use crop residue instead of grain AGCO Corp intends to be ready to help farmers collect Retrofitted Challenger LB34B balers pulled behind Challenger 680B combines were field tested this fall The combines harvested grain normally while the chaff and straw were baled up in 3 by 4-ft square bales “Crop goes directly from the combine into the throat of the baler never touching the ground ” says Dean Morrell AGCO The only changes made to the combine was a hitch to connect and power the baler which was modified to operate without a pickup unit A funnel-type opening was fabricated to help move crop material into the bale chamber The tongue also had to be modified to accommodate the wider throat opening “The existing straw chopper sends stalks cobs and husks 6 to 8 ft through the air into the baler mouth ” says Morrell Ironically the combine/baler combination may be of interest to crop and livestock producers whether or not biomass demand for ethanol production develops “We had two units running in Iowa this fall and the customers really liked them ” says Morrell “This machine makes lots better cattle feed versus chopping the stalks up and baling them as they normally would ” Morrell says the company is continuing to test the equipment Such R&D projects are not usually released to the public but this is an unusual situation he adds “We’re evaluating market interest ” says Morrell “A lot depends on the biomass market and what it does ” Morrell believes the system will be easily adapted to other sources of biomass such as cereal grains AGCO has indicated that the modified large square baler is expected to be offered for all Class VIII combines from AGCO and other manufacturers Contact: FARM SHOW Followup AGCO 4205 River Green Parkway Duluth Ga 30096 ph 770 813-9200; www agcocorp com

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