Bae Extension Newsletter

BAE EXTENSION

ISSUE 2

SPRING 2018 BIOSYSTEMS AND AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING

Equipment Safety Starts with Pre-Season Maintenance

By Mark Purschwitz, Ph.D. Extension Professor Agricultural Safety and Health Farmers of all kinds know the importance of good preparation. They realize that doing the right things early in the season leads to good crops or healthy live-

IN THIS ISSUE Equipment Safety Starts with PreSeason Maintenance, p. 1-2 Fan Maintenance, p. 2-3 On-farm Water Crossings, p. 3-5 Abnormally Wet and Warm February, p. 5-7 Managing Stored Grain as Spring Approaches, p. 7-8 Net Wrap vs Twine: Is It Worth Getting Wrapped Up In?, p. 8-10

stock later on. The same preparation is true for safety on farms. If you are an agricultural producer, now is the time to take action to prevent injuries, before things get too busy in the spring.

Start by giving your equipment a thorough inspection. The obvious things to look for are missing or broken guards and shields, burnt-out flashers and taillights used for road travel, a faded SMV emblem, or other safety-related features. Those guards and shields were put there for a reason, and once you are busy with planting or harvest you may never get around to replacing them.

Many machine-related injuries occur when equipment malfunctions out in the field, causing the operator to get off the tractor and make adjustments or repairs. The safest place for the operator University of Kentucky Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

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that can cause breakdowns, you need to get the leaks fixed or the tires replaced. You don’t want to be jacking up a tractor or wagon out in the field or out on the road. Now is the time to take care of these things.

Prevent tractor overturn with ROPS

Shield in need of repair.

Photos courtesy Mark Purschwitz. is on the seat of the tractor, not putting his or her hands into the equipment. So make sure that bearings, chains, belts, sprockets, universal joints, hydraulic hoses, or other functional parts of your equipment are in good condition, lubricated, adjusted, or replaced as appropriate. Be sure everything is operating smoothly, so that you stay on the tractor seat and don’t have problems in the field.

If you do not have a ROPS, or Roll-Over Protective Structure, on your tractor, you at risk of dying from a tractor overturn. Across the country, the tractor overturn is the single most common way that tractor operators get killed. Tractor overturns can occur in a variety of situations, some of which are beyond the control of the operator, so the one sure way to prevent a serious injury or fatality is to have a ROPS. This is a perfect time to retrofit a ROPS to your tractor, and you9 can start by contacting your local dealer. Also, the online “Kentucky ROPS Guide” can help you find suppliers of ROPS for your make and model. Just search for “Kentucky ROPS Guide” on the internet and follow the simple instructions.

Preparation is everything, and now is the time to prepare for a safe farming season.

Inspect tires Tires on tractors, wagons, and other implements are another component to be inspected. Not only are proper inflation pressures important, but if you have tires with chronic leaks or other damage

Fan Maintenance

By Morgan Hayes, Ph.D., P.E. Assistant Extension Professor Livestock Systems As we start to get some warmer weather, it is time to think about getting all the fans ready to perform optimally. In terms of summer ventilation, fans are needed for two purposes. Exhaust fans

Mark Purschwitz, Ph.D., is an Extension Professor in Agricultural Safety and Health.

increase air exchanges in order to remove heat from the animals. Panel fans are used to create areas of higher air speeds that allow the animals to dissipate more heat. Completing fan maintenance can have a major impact on fan performance over these summer months and therefore reduce heat stress to animals.

Dust build-up One of the easiest issues to identify with fans is

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the build-up of dust. Dust can create up to a 40% reduction in performance of fans. When dust builds up on the guards around the fan it decreases the area for air to move through restricting the fan’s capacity. Also, when dust builds up on the blades, the geometry of the blades is compromised, reducing the amount of air each blade can push.

Cleaning fans Often dust in animal barns is sticky, making blowing the dust off the fans difficult. A wire brush or a hard-bristled broom will help with removing the majority of the dust. It is best to do this before you start running the fans; make sure the switch or breaker is off before you work on cleaning your fan. Compressed air can be used to remove the remaining dust from the large surfaces as well as to get dust out from smaller areas around the motor and belts. One additional benefit of getting the dust off of the motor is that it will allow the motor to run at a cooler temperature. This should extend the life of your motor. Also, while most fan motors are in damp environments, many motors are not rated for direct washing, making pressure washing a potential issue. If you want to use water to clean a fan, using a damp cloth is a better option.

Wear and tear Other components to check are the pulleys, belt tension, and wear and tear on the belts. Any belts

showing large cracks should be replaced.

Also, if the pulleys that hold the Photos this page courtesy Morgan Hayes. belt show wear, they should also be replaced. Loose belts or slipping belts can result in up to 60% reduction in performance of fans. A worn pulley will cause the belt to slip or move out of alignment as the motor turns. Belt tensioning should be done according to manufacturer recommendations. Having loose belts is a big issue, but over-tightening can also create extra wear on the belts and the motors.

Grease points and power connections Two additional things that are critical to check are possible grease points and power connections.

Many fans do have bearings that can be greased, and grease should be provided via manufacturer recommendations to prolong motor and fan life. The power connections are another point to check, primarily for safety concerns. Often the insulation on power cords can become cracked or worn, which presents a fire hazard. New cords should be run as worn lines are identified.

Taking the time to maintain your fans now, before warm weather starts, is an important step in making sure you have adequate and safe summer ventilation.

A version of this article originally appeared in the Kentucky Poultry Federation’s Cheeps and Chirps, Vol 11, issue 1.

Morgan Hayes, Ph.D., P.E. is an Assistant Extension Professor in ​Livestock Systems.

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On-farm Water Crossings

By Carmen Agouridis, Ph.D., P.E., M.P.P. Associate Extension Professor Bioenvironmental Engineering February has been a wet month with precipitation levels 5-6 inches above normal. Spring rains on the horizon mean that water levels are likely to flow high once again. For agricultural producers, the wet weather brings many challenges related to managing excess water. One challenge is how to best gain animal and vehicular access across streams on your operation. Two options are stream crossings and culverts. These water crossings are commonly used because of their effectiveness, lower costs, and general ease of installation.

Stream crossings University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Publication AEN-101 Stream Crossings for Cattle

provides details on how to construct and maintain a stream crossing. When planning a stream crossing important items to consider are location, width, entrance and exit approaches, side slopes, time of year, and permits. Locate stream crossings in straight reaches; avoid bends in stream as these areas tend to experience more streambank erosion. For stream crossings used by vehicles and livestock, consider widths of 10 ft or more. The entrance and exit approaches should have a grade no steeper than 5:1 (horizontal to vertical) with side slopes of 3:1 or less.

To construct a stream crossing, prepare the site by removing rocks and debris from the entrance and exit approaches. Grade the area and remove excess material out of the floodplain. After grading, install a layer of non-woven, needle-punched geotextile fabric. Use anchoring pins to ensure the geotextile does not move. Place a 6-inch layer of large aggregate, such as No. 2, overtop the geotextile fabric followed by a 4-inch layer of dense grade aggregate. As far as maintenance, inspect the crossing after large storm events to ensure the rock layers have not eroded.

The BAE Extension Newsletter is published quarterly by the University of Kentucky Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Department, an Equal Opportunity Organization. Š2018 Editorial Committee

Director: Michael Montross, Ph.D., P.E.

Editor, Designer: Karin Pekarchik

Contributors: Carmen Agouridis, Ph.D., P.E., M.P.P., Matt Dixon, Morgan

Hayes, Ph.D., P.E., Joshua Jackson, Ph.D., Mark Purschwitz, Ph.D., Sam Mc

Neill, Ph.D., P.E. Contact the editor: karin.pekarchik@uky.edu Mention or display of a trademark, proprietary product, or firm in text or figures does not constitute an endorsement and does not imply approval to the exclusion of other suitable products or firms.

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Culverts Culverts are fully enclosed structures, such as pipes, that run underneath roads, embankments and the like. Culverts are sized for a minimum storm event; for private lands, this is often a 10-year 24-hour storm event. Determining an appropriate culvert size requires consideration of many factors such whether or not the culvert is inlet or outlet controlled; characteristics of the pipe such as roughness (what material is it made of), diameter, slope, length, and inlet configuration; characteristics of the watershed (how much runoff does the design storm produce and how large is the peak flow); and depth of water at the entrance and exit of the culvert (headwater and tailwater, respectively). Inlet control refers to a condition when the culvert is partially full and water is turbulent, often this is with steeper slopes. Outlet flow occurs when the culvert is full or partially full and the flow is tranquil.

Photos courtesy Carmen Agouridis.

More resources Presently, a University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Publication for culverts is under development. The publication will guide operators through the process of sizing, installing, and maintaining a culvert at their operation.

Additionally, the BAE Ag Engineering Showcase on March 23 will feature a session devoted to onfarm water crossings. Register in KERS for this five-credit in-service training.

Carmen Agouridis, Ph.D., P.E., M.P.P., is an Associate Extension Professor in Bioenvironmental Engineering.

Abnormally Wet and Warm February

By Matt Dixon Meterologist UK Ag Weather Center Rain, rain, GO AWAY! That seems to be the common slogan of Kentuckians as of late, including myself, after three straight weeks of well above normal rainfall. For many of us, it’s just a minor inconvenience. The dog tracks some mud into the house or a road is flooded and you’re forced

Photo courtesy Josh Jackson. to take another route. For others, this amount of rain and flooding creates major issues and for

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some, a life-changing situation.

Agriculture is feeling its own share of impacts.

The latest version of the Kentucky Crop Progress and Condition Report points to some of those problems, whether they are waterlogged pastures, muddy conditions hampering mobility and feeding, or delayed management strategies. Bottom line, it has been abnormally wet. What has led us to these impacts?

One of the wettest Februarys Simply speaking, the ground has just not had the opportunity to dry out in a few weeks. Based on data from the Ag Weather Center, over the past 21 days (2/7 – 2/27), the Bluegrass state has averaged 7.79 inches. The map above shows the various totals across the state. To put 7.79 inches into perspective, normal precipitation for the month of February is 3.68 inches, so we have gotten over double what we normally see. Based on preliminary data, February 2018 looks to place in the top five wettest Februarys on record for the state of Kentucky.

Saturated ground Separating the three-week period above gives a closer look at how we got to this point. Between

February 5th and the 11th, the state averaged 2.32 inches, which was the most in one week since the end of August and start of September last year. With continued rainfall the following week, rivers and streams began running high, prompting river flood warnings to be issued. After the ground had become saturated, Kentucky then experienced its wettest week since early July of 2016. From the 21st through the 25th, the Commonwealth averaged almost four inches of rainfall. What made the period unique was that widespread rains fell on a daily basis. With tropical moisture in place, moderate to at times heavy rain led to tremendous runoff and ponding in low-lying areas.

Stay safe, Kentucky It is important to remember to stay safe during flood events. The National Weather Service has a slogan when flooding becomes an issue: “Turn Around, Don’t Drown” (http://tadd.weather. gov/). The link describes the power of water and the fact that it is never safe to walk or drive through flooded waters.

It is worth repeating: A mere two feet of rushing water can overcome most vehicles, while six inches can knock over an adult. Stay safe, Kentucky.

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Record highs While it has been wet, it has also been warm.

High temperatures jumped into the upper 70s to low 80s on February 20th behind breezy southwest flow. Some locations broke all-time record highs for the month of February. That includes data going back to 1895. The unseasonably warm weather has stuck with the area for much of the latter half of February. In fact, the state was 20

degrees above normal for the period of January 19th through the 25th. Just like precipitation, this will enter the books as one of the warmest Februarys Kentucky has seen (preliminary data suggest top ten).

Matt Dixon is a meteorologist in the Agricultural Weather Center.

Managing Stored Grain as Spring Approaches

By Sam McNeill, Ph.D., P.E. Associate Extension Professor Food and Bioprocess Engineering The January KASS report revealed that 120 million bushels of corn were held on Kentucky farms in December 2017, which is 15 million bushels more than the same time the previous year. The statewide average cash price for corn during those months was $3.57 and $3.80, so the value of corn in this position was $428 and $400 million, respectively. Interestingly, farm bins represented 80% of all corn held in storage across the state in both years, so a 2% loss could result in $8 million of lost income.

Grain farmers typically deliver much of their crop in January and February in most years, and even with lower prices we’re seeing a similar trend this year. However, the combination of low prices and large inventories have resulted in more corn to manage as we enter the spring of 2018. Stored grain should be kept cool and dry and checked more often as outdoor temperatures rise to be sure it stays in good condition until delivered for sale. Clean, good quality corn at 40 degrees should store well through March at 15%, through May at 14% and through July at 13% in Kentucky.

Corresponding levels for soybeans are 13%, 12% and 11%, respectively. Moisture levels should be 0.5 to 1.0 % lower for the same periods with grain

Photo courtesy Sam McNeill. that has high concentrations of broken kernels, weed seeds and/or trash.

Management strategies Last year’s harvest situation ended with many bins filled to the roof and not cored immediately to remove broken grain, fines, and trash that normally accumulate in the center of the bin.

When hauling grain to market, these bins should be cored first. Remove enough grain to form an inverted cone with a diameter equal to about a third of the bin diameter (10-ft across in a 30-ft bin). This will also reduce the depth of grain in the center of the bin, provide better ventilation in the head space and improve airflow if fans need to be operated to control hot spots.

Otherwise, fans should be covered with heavy plastic sheeting, a tarp or metal disk to block warm air from entering false floors and aeration ducts and warming grain on the bin floor. Conversely, roof vents should be screened and may need cleaning to provide good ventilation by the

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itor conditions at numerous locations inside a grain bin, many well below the surface, but keep in mind that grain is a good insulator. Hot spots that are only a few feet from sensors can go undetected for several days or weeks. However, carbon dioxide monitors have been shown to detect elevated gas levels generated by insect and mold activity in grain bins, so they can be another useful tool for safely monitoring stored gain.

Moisture has accumulated on the surface of this grain pile. Photo courtesy Sam McNeill. wind. This will prevent stagnant, moisture laden air from condensing moisture on the roof and dripping water on the grain surface which creates a favorable micro-environment for mold growth and spoilage.

Temperature cable systems can be used to mon-

More information on monitoring tools and managing strategies for stored grain can be found on the University of Kentucky Grain Storage website, www.uky.edu/bae/grain-storage-systems.

Sam McNeill, Ph.D., P.E., is an Asssociate Extension Professor in Food and Bioprocess Engineering.

Net wrap vs twine: Is it worth getting wrapped up in?

would typically be the most expensive to purchase of these assets. The rate of baling is influenced by biomass crop, density of the windrow, moisture, bale density, field conditions (karst topography, lodging, field shape), hills, width of pickup, tractor horsepower, and baler type (string tie vs net).

By Josh Jackson, Ph.D., P.E. Assistant Extension Professor Livestock Systems

What are you willing to spend?

It’s that time of year when it is just about time to start fertilizing, planting, and implementing plans for this year’s hay season. When it comes to hay, we must consider that the capturing of hay quality and yield is the ultimate goal. While most of the quality aspects are related to maturity at harvest, the timeliness of harvesting hay is dependent on various factors.

Depending upon the year or season, finding a couple of acceptable days to cut and roll can be as difficult as using a witty but relevant simile. It is easy to blame the weatherman (trust me, I have on more than one occasion), but the final decision to lay down hay rests with the operator of the hay cutting equipment. In relation to the hay equipment (cutter, rake, tedder, and baler), the baler

As with anything else in life, the cost of a net wrap vs twine depends upon how much you are willing to spend. The cost of twine tie is related to the type and quality of twine, number of end wraps, spacing, and bale size (operator controlled variables). Similarly, the cost of net wrap is related to the number of wraps and quality of net. Generally speaking, the cost of twine has tended to increase over the past several years to approximately $50 per pair of twine (16,000). A low-cost net is about $130-$150 for 7,000 feet. When you apply twine at a spacing of 4� with 2-3 endwraps, the cost difference between twine and net applied at 2.5x disappears. The wrapping material costs are essentially equivalent.

Nonetheless, when compared to a string tie baler under equivalent bale size and field conditions,

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The cost of the additional hours may seem trivial but ownership cost (a calculated value) is a fixed cost of just having the equipment.

For most balers, the cost of the net wrap option adds 25% or more to the cost of a baler. Table 2 shows how this cost per ton would vary for a new string tie and net balers. On a per ton per year basis, the cost would be higher for the net wrap baler but could be offset if 30% more hay was baled (due to the increased production efficiency).

a net wrap baler would allow for a 30% percent higher baling rate, as shown in Table 1. For the larger baler (5 x 5 or 5 x 6), the net wrap baler would allow for ~20 more bales per 8-hour workday. Those additional 20 bales may seem trivial unless your baling window was shortened by heavy morning dews, cloudy skies, impending rains, and high humidity. At this point getting up those additional 20 bales instead of having them rained on and waiting for an extended duration of the hay to dry would be advantageous to most farmers. Most farmers would only cut what they believe they would be able to bale up, and a net wrap baler gives them the capability to have that increased productivity.

Labor, fuel, and ownership costs To finish those last 20 bales, the string tie baler would require another 1.3 hours of labor and at ~$13.00/hr, this would be direct labor cost of $16.90. Operation of the string tie baler requires additional fuel. According to the Nebraska tractor test summary, a 100-horsepower tractor requires an average of 7 gallons of diesel per hour to operate under load. This adds an additional $25.48.

The cost of ownership also comes into play depending upon the amount of hay being baled.

During the wrapping process, net wrap bales turn fewer revolutions than string tie (~2.5 vs ~50). The reduction in total rotations with net allows for 1% more dry matter (mostly leaves) to be captured per bale than string tie bales. This is especially important for high-value crops such as alfalfa.

If bales are being stored outside, most studies show that net wrap is more desirable to maintaining bale quality. Depending upon the rainfall and drainage of storage area, net wrap bales will reduce storage loss by 65% (~7% loss in dry matter (DM) for net wrap bales vs ~20% loss in DM for string tie bales).

The issue with net wrap arises when it is time to feed the hay. The net must be cut off — which can cost about a minute per bale. However, the willingness and ability to cut the net is contingent on age, mobility, sharpness of knife or other object, and/or availability/willingness of spouse to perform this task in addition to watching the gate.

Personal preference and market considerations At the end of the day it is up to the personal preference of the hay producer to decide how to best utilize their time throughout the year. With net you save time in the summer but will spend

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additional time in the winter. If the hay is being sold, consider the preference of buyers within your area. Some hay buyers prefer net wrap for its storage and ease of transport (less likely to mushroom out than string tie bales); while other buyers don’t want to deal with the hassle of removing the net. Selecting the right baler can

be a major decision and must be given due consideration. Select the type that will work for your operation and roll on….

Joshua Jackson, Ph.D., P.E., is an Assistant Extension Professor in ​Livestock Systems.

BAE Ag Engineering Showcase March 23, 2018

This in-service training for extension agents will introduce new BAE extension faculty and highlight the department’s current engineering programs. Engineers will combine lecture and applied activities to deliver five different ag engineering topics.

SCHEDULE 9am-9:30 9:30-10:30 10:30-11:30 11:30-12:30

12:30-1pm 1-2pm 2-3pm 3-3:30pm

Meet in CE Barnhart Atrium before touring Barnhart labs with faculty UAVs and Practical Livestock Applications: Josh Jackson (Hydrology Lab, #151) Grain and Forage Storage: Sam McNeill (228) Using the Ag Weather Center’s Tools for Farm Management: Matt Dixon (Computer Lab, #136A) Working Lunch / Graduate Student Presentations (cookout provided by department; Lab 182) Heat Stress Management for Different Livestock Species: Morgan Hayes (228) On-farm Water Crossings: Carmen Agouridis (228) Tour of BAE’s Agricultural Machinery Lab and Departure Agricultural Machine Research Lab 4

CE Barnhart Building, UK Campus (Atrium, 228, 136A, 151, 182) Instructional Hours: 5; Lunch provided Agents may invite interested farmers/producers/industry personnel.

Register in KERS or contact Karin Pekarchik, karin.pekarchik@uky.edu

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