DRAFT OF MAJOR TILLAGE AND SEEDING EQUIPMENT

Authors: HARRIGAN T M - MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY; Rotz, Clarence - Al

Submitted to: American Society of Agri Engineers Special Meetings and Conferences Papers
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/13/1994
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Draft information is frequently used in machinery management. Farm managers and consultants use draft or power data to match tractors with implements and to estimate fuel requirements. For forty years, ASAE has published draft and power data for agricultural equipment as a standard for use by machinery managers. Periodic updating of this data is required to maintain current and useful information. With over fifteen years since th last revision of the draft data, a thorough review of available information is required. Many changes in tillage and planting equipment have occurred. Conservation tillage practices have largely replaced moldboard plowing and conventional seedbed tillage. Tillage tools that allow a range of control over the amount of crop residue left on the soil surface, and combination tools that combine multiple tillage operations are now in common use. A general model with machine specific parameters is proposed to predict the average draft of tillage and seeding implements under general conditions. Implement draft is modeled as a function of both tillage depth and speed of operation for most major operations. The model provides reasonable results under most conditions without requiring knowledge of specific soil conditions. Machine specific parameters are presented in convenient reference tables. The model and reference tables are presented for consideration in the revision of ASAE Standards EP496, Agricultural machinery management and D497 Agricultural machinery management data.