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NIR sensor installation – Case study

NIR sensor EvoNIR on combine harvester
EvoNIR analyser installed on board for in field analysis in real time

The Greenforage/Robustrack team recently installed an NIR sensor on a combine harvester. As an introduction, here’s a description of sensor:

The EvoNIR 4.0 Analyzer with ISOBUS protocol can be connected to any virtual terminal with built-in ISOBUS task controller and can be installed on forage harvesters, combines, balers, forage wagons, slurry tankers, compactors, feed mixers and portable in a carrying case.

Our customer has an extensive arable farming business based near Grantham, Lincolnshire, with a large proportion of the year’s cropping made up of milling grade wheat and malting barley. They run a modern fleet of machinery and currently utilise arable farm management software (Possibly Gatekeeper) being up to date on modern and progressive farming strategies.

Why NIR?

They already use handheld NIR on the farm for assessing grain that is in storage on farm before it is sold to know if it will meet milling grade for the wheat and malting grade for the barley. It also gives a moisture content for the sample for storge.

Why on the combine?

They have installed the NIR sensor on the combine for a few reasons but the main ones are:

  • to map field nutrients for more accurate fertiliser application
  • and most importantly is to have a live nutrient analysis of protein in wheat and barley.

All milling wheat over 13% protein is sold at a premium, the lesser grade goes for feed at a lower price. With the NIR they will have a real time % of protein in the wheat which will allow them to store the milling grade wheat and feed wheat in different sheds before it is sold, this reduces the amount of high protein wheat being blended into the lower grade feed wheat and going for feed at the lower price. Similarly malting barley needs a protein of 10-10.9% so this can be determined at the point of harvest and be divided into different grain stores depending on the protein percentage.  

  • Another benefit of the NIR sensor for the customer is the accurate moisture readings.

Anything over 15% moisture when combined needs drying before storage so it doesn’t go mouldy, logistically they will know at the time it is combined the accurate moisture reading and if it is suitable to go straight into the dry storage or into the wet storage and be put through the grain dryer dried down to 15%.

Machine

It was installed on a 2016 Claas Lexion 780 TT Rotary combine which runs Trimble GFX 750 display and autosteer. Installation of the NIR sensor unit is on the clean grain elevator which leads into the grain tank giving a clean and accurate sample of what is being harvested. All wiring for the system follows factory wiring harnesses and links to the Trimble display through ISOBUS.

The NIR system has its own GPS and modem so data can be imported and exported wirelessly from the Field Trace software the farm has been set up on.

NIR sensor installed

Field Trace allows the farm to map out the field and assign names after the harvest has been completed, giving full colour overlay on nutrient and moisture analysis on a detailed map.

Customer Feedback

The system was found by all to be very easy to use and intuitive, exactly what is needed for farm software with multiple users. In addition, the ease of installation was a great benefit with an equally easy set up and system test.

NIR sensor

X-Nir on show at Maize Growers Association

We will be at the Maize Growers Association on the 23rd February showcasing our X-NIR™ hand held portable analyser.

 

 

We shall discussing the benefits of the device and how you can increase the number of analysis carried out with no extra cost. To find out more please visit :  https://www.greenforage.co.uk/xnir-portable-nir-analyzer/

Green Forage Livestock Stand design

LIVESTOCK EVENT 2016, JULY 6-7th, NEC BIRMINGHAM

Come down to our Greenforage Stand LE 562  to find out all about the Bonino zero grazer range of machines!

We are really looking forward to answering any queries and sharing news and stories with old and new friends!

IS GRASS CUT AND CARRY PROFITABLE ?

AT THE AHDB CONFERENCE 2 DAYS AGO THE PROFITABILITY OF GRASS CUT AND CARRY, TO INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF GRASS IN THE COW’S DIET, WAS REALLY DISCUSSED.

 

David Keiley from the SRUC gave a very very interesting speach on the results of the trial the did last year using one of our Bonino Zero Grazing Forage wagons to increase the grass intake of the cows.

grass cut and carry

48 cows in mid-lactation located at the SRUC were offered of of three treatments:

  • 100% TMR formulated to 40kg production
  • 75 % TMR – 25% Grass
  • 50 % TMR – 50% Grass

Fresh cut grass was mixed with TMR on a kg by kg DM basis production.

Animal production and economic return was assesed for a 16 week feeding period

CONCLUSION

  • Incorporating fresh grass into the diet of cows should reduce costs of production and exposure to fluctuations in purchased feed prices
  • In this experiment, replacing 50% of the TMR with grass was the most economically viable system under a range of feed cost /and milk prices scenarios

However:

  • Careful assessment of grass quality and the costs of getting this grass to the housed cow are required on a farm by farm basis to ensure that the most economically viable diets are being offered to the lactating dairy cow

 

Merry Christmas and Happy 2016

merry-christmas

OUR OFFICE WILL BE CLOSED FROM DECEMBER 24TH – JANUARY 4TH.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS !

Onboard feed analyzer biogas solution

EGMERE ENERGY

ONBOARD FEED ANALYZER

The system is an onboard feed analyzer based on NIR analysis technology for installing directly onto the bucket of the  telescopic  handler, in the scraper of self-propelled machine or in the feed mixer. During loading the scanner analyzes the material in front of it and delivers a precise NIR reading  of the various nutrients present in real time: DM, starch, protein, crude fat, ADF NDF and ash. Once installed it does not require any technical expertise and  is ready-to-use since there is no sample preparation.

The uses and benefits derived from the implementation of this system in the biogas sector are multiple, allowing the:

  1. management of the levels of DM in loads delivered by contractors and suppliers, both of newly harvested material and of purchased silage, to be done simply and immediately;
  2. monitoring of the performance of specific fields in terms of production obtained which can then be used to plan and differentiate between different fields;
  3. tracing of the performance of the silage in the pit, making a comparison between analyses carried out during the filling phase and those made at loading for the digester;
  4. better management of the quantity of dry matter being loaded into the anaerobic digester. In fact, the system offers the possibility of interacting with the digester, making recalculations, according to the DM reported, regarding the quantity of silage to load into the digester. The operating system is open thus allowing the use and import of information gathered to other software systems. In this way, for example, the ecologist has access, allowing adjustment and improvement of feed performance in the biogas production process.

The system revolutionizes the concept of forage analysis turning it into a daily routine: forage analysis, either wet chemistry or NIR, used to be a slow  and expensive process, often undertaken infrequently and most of all, the forage analysis was  only as good as the sample taken. Now the PrecisioFEEDING™ onboard NIR system takes it to another level: it allows continuous analysis making valuable information available in real time. Now it is possible to control the variability of any feed directly in the silage pit or in field, in any type of weather and at no extra cost. The more analyses you make the quicker the cost of the investment is amortized.


At Egmere Energy – Future Biogas in Norfolk the machine onto which the analyzer was installed is a telescopic handler JCB 550-80.

  
  
 
  

Thank you Egmere Energy !!

Livestock Event 2014: Greenforage presents PrecisionFEEDING™ onboard NIR analyser

New NIR onboard analyser system for forages and feeds

After introducting the portable forage analyzer AgriNIR™ into the UK market, Greenforage is now launching its latest innovative analysis solution: the PrecisionFEEDING™

 

(Kendal — June 24, 2014) The need to constantly monitor the variability of grass silage, maize silage and TMR throughout the year is becoming the key to success in the farming industry whether we are talking about dairy farmers, arable farmers or biogas plant managers. Instant feed quality checks  are now possible for any farmers with our Precision FEEDING™ onboard NIR analyser system that performs a real time analysis directly onboard of your front loader or of your scraper and allows the user to adjust the quantity of what goes on the Mixer Wagon in real time making sure the diet established by the consultant is always what is really fed .

Precision FEEDING

Precision FEEDING™  Key Points:

(a) The specific nutritional requirements of all types of stock  can be met.

(b) Expensive purchased feed can be utilized most efficiently, reducing costs and improving margins.

(c) Forages can be monitored throughout the season to ensure diets are fine-tuned as quality fluctuates.

Forage analysis, either wet chemistry or NIR,  is often undertaken infrequently. The process is  slow and expensive and most of all, the forage analysis is only as good as the sample taken. The onboard NIR system allows continuous analysis making valuable information available to farmers and nutritionists in real time allowing to control the variability of the dry matter directly in the silage pit can change also of  15% – 20% .

The instrument is pre-loaded with NIR calibration curves for 7 NIR Families (Crop Families) and with a total of 44 curves. Other crop families and calibration curves can be supplied on request.

The PrecisionFEEDING™ can be installed on any type of front loaders, scrapers, or loading machines; once installed it does not require any technical expertise, it is a ready-to-use system needing no sample preparation. The system can interact with the electronic system of the mixer wagons adjusting the composition of the mix in real time with a significant increase in precision.

Greenforage Ltd, already UK sole distributor of the Bonino  self- loading grazer  wagons, and official distributor of Dinamica Generale’s NIR product  is proud to present to the UK market this unique solution at the Livestock Event 2014 Stand LE 356 Equipment and Machinery section.

Feeds NIR analisys at Oakshall Farm

Huw McConichie of Winnstay joined us two days ago as we carried out a grass silage, corn silage and TMR analysis at the Oakshall Farm, just outside Pentesbury. 

Sam Pearson wished to have the quality of his feed checked and he wanted to see how the different cuts of silage he made during the summer were performing in terms of nutrients. We analyzed 6 samples of grass silage, 4 samples of corn silage and 3 samples of TMR: the results were ready in less then 10 minutes!!

It was a cold and crispy morning yesterday when we arrived in Pentesbury, sunny but with the hills covered in snow: perfect weather to perform a NIR analysys with our portable AgriNIR™ feed analyzer. Sam Pearson, dairy farmer of the very well organized Oakshall Farm decided to have both corn silage and grass silage checked, so we picked samples from the silage pit and went to his office. The analysis of each sample took us less then a minute and the results were recorded on a USB stick and printed out. Sam had a real time picture of what he is actually feeding his cows !! No sample preparation, milling, drying and other time consuming activities: we scanned the samples as they were taken from the silage pit. Once again the simplicity of the process, the speed of the analysis and the accuracy of the machine made a strong impression, even on someone as technologically minded as Sam (during the process he was already posting photos and comments on Twitter!). “With this system” he said ” it is possible for me and for my consultant to monitor what I am feeding my cows and to adjust the diet of my cows any time if necessary” “Keeping under control the feed is strategic for any farmer” added Huw McConichie. “If a dairy farmer with 200 cows is overfeeding protein by 2%, with this system I could potentially save him up to £15.000 over winter”.  It is indeed satisfying that our AgriNIR™ can help farmers saving money, especially considering the difficult economic climate!

Silage analysis

Second hand AB 80

NEW – Second hand Bonino zero grazer forage wagon

We have now available for immediate delivery a second hand AB80 Bonino forage wagon

zero grazer zero grazer 4 zero grazer 7

This machine comes with the hydraulic door and low drawbar. It is a 2005 machine and it is in very very good condition. For more info and photos visit the page of the second hand machines available HERE

Spring 2014 – Zero Grazer