The cost of silage harvest and transport systems for herbaceous crops

Conference · Tue Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1996

OSTI ID:478670

Turhollow, A; Downing, M; Butler, J

Some of the highest yielding herbaceous biomass crops are thick-stemmed species such as energy cane (Saccharum ssp.), Napiergrass (Pennisetum purpureum), and forage sorghum (Sorghum bicolor). Their relatively high moisture content necessitates they be handled and stored as silage rather than hay bales or modules. This paper presents estimated costs of harvesting and transporting herbaceous crops as silage. Costs are based on an engineering-economic approach. Equipment costs are estimated by combining per-hour costs with the hours required to complete the operation. Harvest includes severing, chopping, and blowing stalks into a wagon or track. For 50% moisture content, in-field costs using trucks in the field (options 0 and 1) are $3.72-$5.99/dry Mg ($3.37-$5.43/dt) for a farmer and $3.09-$3.64/dry Mg ($2.81- $3.30/dt) for custom operators. However, slopes and wet field conditions may not permit trucks to enter the field. Direct-cut harvest systems using wagons to haul silage to trucks waiting at the field edge (option 2) are $8.52-$11.94/dry Mg ($7.73-$10.83/dt) for farmers and $7.20-$7.36/dry Mg ($6.53-$6.68/dt) for custom operators. Based on four round trips per 8-hour day, 50% and 70% moisture silage, truck transport costs are $8.37/dry Mg ($ 7.60/dt) and $13.98/dry Mg ($12.68/dt), respectively. Lower yields, lower hours of machine use, or a higher discount rate result in higher costs.

• OSTI ID: 478670
• Report Number(s): CONF-960958--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

09 BIOMASS FUELS
BIOMASS
COST
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
HARVESTING
MATERIALS HANDLING
STORAGE
TRANSPORT