The Rural Voice, 1981-09, Page 20W
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The Rural Voice,
Box 10, Blyth,
Ont.
POSTAL CODE
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ADVICE ON FARMING
On-farm corn drying
The continued expansion of corn
production across the Province has
increased the Ontario farmers' concern
about the need for on-farm drying
systems.
Many factors can influence the choice of
equipment for drying corn, but a
comparison of costs of existing systems
can aid in making the final decision.
In a recent Branch study, drying costs
were collected for 1978 and 1979 from 33
farms located in the major corn growing
areas of Ontario. These consisted of 14
in -bin dryers, 5 batch dryers, and 14
continuous flow, all fueled by propane.
In this study, fixed or overhead costs
consisted of depreciation, interest on
investment, insurance, taxes, repairs and
maintenance.
The operating or annual drying costs
consisted of the cost of the drying fuel,
electricity, and labor. The fixed portion of
drying costs for study cooperators de-
pended on type, age, and annual use of the
dryer. Because of the variation in capital
investment according to year of purchase,
annual fixed costs did not always reflect
volume increases.
The percentage of operating costs for
fuel, electricity, and labor of total drying
costs increased between the two study
years for batch dryers to 55 percent for
both in -bin and continous flow dryers.
Higher fuel costs in 1979 due to a slightly
higher averager moisture content and
increased propane prices caused an
increase in operating costs over 1978.
Fuel costs are a major consideration in
drying corn. For in -bin dryers these costs
amount to $4.48 per tonne --50 percent of
total drying costs; for batch dryers, S4.55
per tonne -- 47 percent of total drying
costs; and for continuous flow dryers,
$3.02 -- 43 percent of total drying costs.
Volume of annual use and efficiency in
energy use are key factors that must be
continually examined. It is important to
use new or existing equipment to its full
capacity in order to reduce unit capital and
operating costs. New system and/or
energy conserving methods must also be
considered as capital and energy costs rise
each year.
G.A. Fisher
Economics Branch, OMAF
Horsepower
Ask three farmers the horsepower of a
tractor and you'll likely get three answers:
brake P.T.O. and drawbar. All three
systems of measuring horsepower are
PG. 18 THE RURAL VOICE/SEPTEMBER 1981
valid, but may not answer the important
question, "How much work can it do?"
Technically, a horsepower (hp.) was
defined by James Watt about 200 years
ago, as the power required to lift 33,000
pounds one foot in one minute. If the
speed is increased to lift the weight two
feet in one minute, the force required will
be two hp.
Brake hp. sometimes called flywheel, or
maximum hp., is the ultimate power
developed by an engine without driving
the alternator, water pump and fan,
hydraulic pumps for power steering,
brakes or auxiliary equipment or for any
driving mechanism. In other words, the
maximum hp. available from a stripped
engine. Obviously, all of this horsepower
is not available to use for work.
P.T.O. horsepower is the hp. available
at the P.T.O. with tractor in a stationary
position, but with the necessary compon-
ents, eg. fan, water pump and alternator
in operation. This is approximately 8 to
10% less than brake hp.
Drawbar hp. is usually 8 to 10% less
than P.T.O. hp. since the added rolling
friction of the wheels and the power
required to drive the transmission and
differential is now subtracted. The draw-
bar hp. may therefore be up to 20% less
than brake or maximum hp. If you are
buying solely on a dollar per hp. basis,
there may be a wide difference between
dollars per brake hp. and dollars per
drawbar hp.
No erosion in north
Northern Ontario farmers are not
experiencing the same soil erosion
problems as their southern neighbors, but
that doesn't mean they can forget about
soil conservation.
"Northern Ontario has not reached the
same point of monoculture as southern
Ontario where for example farmers grow
corn year after year," says Walker Riley,
Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food
soils and crops specialist.
Most farmers in northern Ontario are
involved in livestock farming in which
grass and legume crops are still very much
part of the crop rotation system. The area
has not been involved in cash crop farming
until recently.
Around the New Liskeard area, there is
a trend toward continuous barley and oats
that can be compared with continuous
corn and soybeans in the south," says Mr.
Riley; "possibly, the area could be headed
for some of the same soil erosion problems
appearing in the cash crop areas of the
south."
In the productive clay belt area around
New Liskeard, there are few signs of wind