Farming systems and production management

Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://elibrary2.sugarresearch.com.au/handle/11079/13844

Research outcomes: Growers and harvesters benefit from the ongoing research in productivity improvement, production management and agronomical techniques. Developed technologies and management practices that enhance productivity and demonstrate a high rate of return on investment.

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Adoption of an optimal season length for increased industry profitability : SRDC Final report BSS264
(BSES, 2007) Di Bella, LP; Cristaudo, A; Wood, AW
The project aimed to maximise commercial cane sugar (CCS), sugar yields (TSPH) and industry profitability in the Herbert region by exploiting regional variation in CCS, soil moisture and trafficability. There is significant potential to increase total sugar production, and individual grower and district CCS through better management of harvesting scheduling.
Improvements in base cutter design and cane feeding : Final report NCE004
(SRDC, 2002) Harris, H
This project followed on from Project US2 (Cutting of sugarcane), which showed that conventional basecutters and knockdown angles contributed to cane damage and loss by way of disk contact, multiple layered cuts and stalk bending.
Implementing an integrated sugar system in NSW : Final report NSC005
(2006) Beattie, R; Ensbey, N; Aitken, R; McGuire, P; Garside, A
The New South Wales Sugar Milling Co-operative’s (NSWSMC) move to whole cane harvesting for cogeneration will increase in-field haulout traffic by 30% with the potential for yield decline due to increased soil compaction. Trials were established in all three milling areas of NSW in 2003 comparing various controlled traffic (1.8 m) row spacing/ planting configurations with the conventional 1.5 m configuration. Results obtained for both one and two-year crops are reported. The trial results have indicated the potential for small yield increases and demonstrated that adoption of controlled traffic cropping systems will not result in loss of productivity. These results have given growers confidence that they can adopt a controlled traffic farming system without productivity losses. Although there were generally no major yield differences between the three controlled traffic systems evaluated, it is considered that the dual row configuration is the best option for NSW given the slower canopy closure in the other 1.8 m configurations. In addition, it is possible to zero till dual rows with double disc planting technology but this option is not possible for a wide row configuration. However the construction of the wide throat strip tillage machinery has enabled a reduced tillage option for wide throat plantings. Further trials were established in 2004 comparing fallow plant with replant to determine the effect of a legume break on the yield of the following cane crop. These trials also included tillage treatments to observe effect on zero-tilling cane through soybean stubble. These trials were established with a stalk planter, with results showing no yield penalty through zero-tilling cane. In 2005 trials were established comparing conventional tillage with zero-tillage using a disc-opener billet planter, similarly results showed no yield penalty from zero-tilling cane through soybean stubble. An economic analysis indicated that by adopting a controlled traffic, reduced tillage, legume fallow system, on a 72ha farm, a grower will improve gross margins by $12,857 when compared to a conventional system. Variable costs such as fertiliser and fuel are greatly reduced in such a system. Harvester operator visibility when cutting large two-year old crops green is severely limited due to the increased bulk of cane material so GPS guidance systems (± 2 cm) were evaluated in these trials. As a result of these trials the NSW industry has established an RTK GPS base station network, with coverage of all three mill areas. The entire harvesting fleet in Broadwater and Condong have been set up with GPS guidance in readiness for whole-of-crop harvesting, with a number of units being set up on growers’ tractors. A total of 60 GPS units are now operating on the NSWSMC base station network. A large scale extension program was undertaken throughout the life of the project with numerous field days, shed meeting, farm walks being conducted to increase the awareness among growers of the benefits of adopting the new farming system. As a result adoption of controlled traffic farming has increased dramatically since trial work began in NSW 2003. This has been a result of a broad scale extension program advocating the results of the farming systems work along with innovative growers making a successful transition to controlled traffic farming.
Achieving the world's best practice harvesting and transport costs for the NSW sugar industry
(2007) Beattie, P; Dines, G; Crossley, R; Prestwidge, D; Higgins, A; Laredo, L; Power, A; Sandell, G; Tickle, A
This project set out to develop innovative techniques for cane supply management within the NSW Sugar Milling Co-operative Ltd (NSWSMC), assess and promote harvester group optimisation within the NSW industry and to aim for world’s best practice harvest costs. In his independent assessment of the sugar industry Hildebrand (2002) reported that forecast prices in 2004 - 2006 would create an urgent need for productivity and cost improvements for the industry to remain internationally competitive. Hildebrand also recommended worldwide benchmarking of activities against the strongest competitors followed by implementation of cost effective options. This project concentrated on the largest cost item for cane production; harvesting, to develop innovative techniques for efficiency and cost improvement with the aim of achieving worlds' best practice harvesting costs of $4 per tonne of cane. Additionally harvest and cane supply management are significant milling costs and with the need to reduce unit costs it was essential to find ways to automate harvest management and reduce the workload for NSWSMC Cane Supply Managers at each mill. The NSW sugar industry currently has one of the most efficient cooperative harvesting arrangements and is well positioned to make additional steps to capture additional cost savings across the NSW sugar industry value chain. These economies are essential with the co-generation plans for the NSW industry. Additional costs of whole cane harvesting can be partly offset by the efficiency gains in all mill areas. The project aimed to investigate and implement whole-of-system solutions for reduced costs in the harvesting and transport sectors of the NSW Sugar industry. At the start of the project we were interested in examining scenarios involving changes to harvesting and transport, which include reduced harvesting groups, harvest best practice, optimised/rationalised loading pad locations and automated harvest management. Such changes required a different approach and this project saw excellent collaboration between organisations and agencies involved in sugar industry research and development. Initial stages of the project involved the NSWSMC and Agtrix working together for the implementation of the harvest management system, now called CHOMP. Agtrix and the NSWSMC pioneered the development of this program that is now used widely in the Australian sugar industry. Work with CSIRO and Harvesting Solutions centred on utilising modelling tools developed through other SRDC funded projects like CSE005 to optimise locations of cane loading pads in NSW and to examine efficiencies associated with harvest group amalgamations.
Overcoming barriers to controlled traffic adoption : SRDC Grower Group Innovation Project final report
(2007) Aylward, C
At the commencement of this project, the available solutions for keeping harvesting traffic centred on wider row spacings while adequately filling cane bins are not effective. This was due to unsuitable harvester elevator design, which results in a larger proportion of the field area being compacted, defeating the purpose of controlled traffic farming. The issue of getting cane into bins in wider row spacings is more problematic than was currently recognised by those promoting the adoption of CTFS in the sugar industry. The existing harvester elevator suits 1.5m row spacings. Simply extending the whole elevator is too expensive and increases weight, as do bolt on elevator extensions, which reduces harvester stability on uneven fields, being a major safety issue. This problem has plagued several of our group members and visitors from other areas such as Maryborough, have nominated this safety issue as a major reason growers will not adopt wider row spacings. Several of our group members (in a harvesting Co-op) have spent $5000 repairing slews, bearings, pivot points etc due to the additional wear and tear caused by the weight of a bolt on conveyor. Other group members have reported reduced bin weights which have raised concerns for mill transport scheduling staff. In 2004, three of our group members trialled powered paddles on their harvesters. All successfully overcame the weight and stability issues, they were cheap to construct, they were effective in allowing machinery to remain centred in the interspace, thus minimising compacted area, and they were effective at maintaining suitable bin weights in both wide row spacings (CT) and narrow (1.5m) row spacings of farms in conversion to CTFS. However, because of different elevator designs on the different harvesters, only one paddle operated successfully, the other two increased cane losses through recirculation and also through the secondary extractor. Group members realised we need assistance from experienced harvester engineers to successfully over come these problems. SRDC funding was sought to assist with these costs. This project aimed to continue work commenced by group members in 2004 harvest season.
Improved harvesting efficiency in farming systems : SRDC Grower Group Innovation Project final report
(2007) Tabone, B
The aim of the project was to achieve more efficient harvesting within our group. We monitored the harvesting effort for each paddock to determine the levels of paddock efficiency and increase awareness of the results. The results from two seasons are as different as the weather conditions during the growing and the harvest. It can be noted the through put during both years in both crop configurations is less in the 2006 season. The 2006 season had a damp start and a very wet middle and a dry end (thank goodness) As a result, more engine hours per ton were required to harvest the crop. Wet field conditions and lower bin weights, equates to more trips for the haul outs realising a small increase in fuel consumption. The work efficiency is the relationship between total engine hours and total elevator hours expressed as a percentage. The elevator was running 5% longer while harvesting twin rows in 2006 which indicates a slower forward speed during cutting. To reward on farm efficiency, a new payment system needed to be formulated to achieve a harvester price differential. The payment system most widely accepted is the hourly rate as can be monitored easily and ratified by the growers. The growers would also get an instant benefit from any on farm improvements they made such as pipe crossings making hauls shorter and haul road improvements. Also, conditions change each year which makes it difficult to adopt any other formula which would be as indicative or relative to each situation.
Design and build a moving wall on side tipping cane transporters : SRA Grower Group Innovation Project final report
(2006) North, M
With the finalisation of the New South Wales Sugar Milling Cooperative’s Co-generation project, the transportation of whole of cane crop, with its 50% increase in bulk density, without losing the current efficiencies of two 33m3 infield transporters or haul-outs loads to one 66m3 road transport container and secure with a automated tarp was the aim. To maintain road transport efficiencies, the decision was made to introduce new 90m3 aluminium transport containers with automatic tarping systems. The logical harvest haul-out response was to follow suit and increase haul outs by the same percentage. Trial work done with the group’s old haul-outs tipping whole cane crops, but this resulted in unloading difficulties as the leaf material held the load together instead of achieving a pouring action as is experienced with clean and burnt cane. The 8 tonne load remained in the haul-out basket causing it to become dangerously unstable as maximum tipping height was achieved, then the load would release in one uncontrolled mass. This resulted in cane spillage and very uneven loads which were unable to be tarped and greatly increased the chance of serious damage to equipment due to the unstable tipping process. These issues would compound with the proposed larger 48m3 12 tonne haul-outs. To address this, some type of device is needed to encourage the load to tip in a controlled manner, without spillage before causing instability in the haul-out bins and evenly enough for the automated tarping system to be utilised.
The operation of the two-in-one harvesting attachment in a controlled traffic system : SRA Grower Group Innovation Project final report
(2009) Castellani, E
The project has developed an automatic base cutter system to assist harvester operators utilising the Two in One harvesting attachment. The trial results have proven that the Two in One system offers: The potential to reduce operator fatigue; Reduce in-field compaction and operate under a 1.85 controlled traffic system.; Significant costs reductions associated with reduced maintenance and fuel cost; Units operate at lower operational speeds and significant increases in field operational efficiencies; compared to single row harvesters. The sugarcane industry is one of the only remaining mechanised industries that harvests it crop as a single row. Most other industries have moved to wide swath harvesting to improve harvesting efficiencies and reduce costs. The Two in One concept is the first step towards wide swath harvesting in the Australian sugar cane industry. The Two on One is the only commercially available cane harvesting system available to the sugar industry globally, at this point in time.
A project scoping document to SRDC on harvesting RD&E
(2010)
Mechanical harvesting of sugarcane has been a major success story for the Australian sugar industry. However, the Australian sugarcane industry has suffered a plateau in productivity (Wilson and Leslie 1997) and there is considerable evidence that mechanisation is a component of this plateau in performance. SRDC has provided significant investment in harvester technology and harvesting operations. This research has been fragmented and has not been carried out within the context of the supply chain or a farming system framework. However, this research has clearly shown the magnitude of harvesting losses and their ultimate effect on productivity is clearly associated with the harvesting system.
The effect of two different Toft basecutters on ratoon yield
(1992) Smith, MA
The visual appearance of the cane stubble remaining after harvesting with the Toft angled underslung basecutter usually fitted to 7000 series harvesters is different to that remaining after harvesting with the horizontal leg-driven basecutter fitted to the earlier 6000 series machines. This difference lead many observers to infer a greater level of stubble damage with the 7000. This trial and others in north Queensland could not detect any differences in ratoon yields due to previous harvesting with the two different basecutter types.

Farming systems and production management

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