Factors In Change To Bulk Grain Harvesting

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31143, 20 August 1966, Page 10

Factors In Change To Bulk Grain Harvesting

There has been a rapid change to bulk harvesting in North Canterbury over the last five years. One farm machinery firm sold 50 header harvesters in 1960, of which five were equipped for bulk harvesting. Five years later in 1965, the same firm sold 80 headers and of those only four were not equipped for bulk harvesting.

There has also been a general increase in wheat acreage. Comparing the acreage of wheat grown in North Canterbury since bulk harvesting began, in the 1959-60 season 21.000 acres were threshed compared with 28.000 acres in 1963-64. The swing to bulk harvesting and increase in acreage grown have made the need for farm storage of grain acute. The chances of having wheat trucked straight off the header to the flour mill are decreasing each year as more and more people go into bulk handling. The types and cost of storage structures vary from farm to farm, according to labour and facilities. Some

farmers have sheds suitable for conversion to bulk storage. In using an existing shed the considerations must be that (a) the floor is damp proof: (b) the floor is capable of taking the extra load of silo and grain: and (c) the shed is not required for an alternative use. If wheat is stored durfing the winter months it is not much use having implements sitting outside when they would normally be in the shed. The most economical silo, erected in an existing shed, costs about 20s a ton for materials. Where no suitable shed is available a silo can be built outside on a concrete base, the cost being about 60s a ton stored, for materials

only. This type of silo is also available in kitset form. There are many variations in the type of storage silo either constructed on the farm or available for purchase Some broad principles apply to all—(li it must be strong enough: (2) it must be watertight. (3) cleaning out must be easy (disinfection each season is essential): (4) siting is important—it must be safe from flooding and accessible to heavy trucks at all times; and (5) doors and slides must be grain and weatherproof The cheapest silo is one which does not have to have grain moved out of it during the storage season. If the above principles are followed and the grain stored

at the right moisture content (i.e., 15 per cent for wheat) no trouble should be encountered. Farmers will naturally want to know the cost of converting to bulk. Take the case of a farmer growing 70 acres of wheat annually averaging 45 bushels to the acre. He has a good bagging header and wishes to store two-thirds of his crop. It will cost: To convert header to bulk .. £IOO Purchase auger and motor £240 Farm transport conversion £IOO Purchase moisture meter and grinder £SO Purchase materials for 2/27-ton silos .. £162 Total .. £652 What will be the return for i this investment? i Saving on sacks for 2100 bushels £35 I Storage increment (if grain held till September) at Is 6d a bushel .. £l5B i Plus savings on labour, twine and cartage of at least 3d a bushel .. £26 Total .. £220 Less interest at 6i per cent on value of wheat from February to September £65 Balance .. £155 In addition 1050 bushels are harvested in bulk and either sent direct to the mill or temporary farm stored. The savings on sacks, twine, labour etc., give an added return of £3O. Considering the returns only from the wheat stored till September, when the maximum increment is received, £155 returned from £652 investe4 is a return on capital of 24 per cent. Looked at another way, the capital cost is recouped in four seasons. There must be few enterprises on the arable farm showing this sort of a profit. A change to bulk harvesting next season must be planned well ahead. Concrete foundations should have at least three months to cure before grain is put in the silo. Materials such as iron and strapping are in short supply and usually the shortage becomes more acute as harvest approaches. Now is the time to plan a change to bulk harvesting and farm storage.

The accompanying article has been written by Mr R F Y. KENT, a farm advisory officer of the Department of Agriculture. Rangiora