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Reading Room Fuel Requirement Estimates for Selected Field Operations James C. Frisby Department of Agricultural Engineering, University of Missouri-Columbia Field operations needed to culture crops pose a major fuel demand. Farmers can save significant money and energy if they use field operation plans that provide adequate crop care with minimal fuel consumption. Fuel requirements for all field operations vary somewhat by location and date of operation. Tillage fuel requirements are especially difficult to predict. Moisture content, soil type and depth of operation also directly affect fuel consumption. Table 1 lists estimates of fuel consumption for selected field operations. (Values given are for actual field work and do not include travel to and from the field.) The values are estimates — it should be understood that fuel consumption for any operation may vary considerably. Obviously, if the number of field operations is reduced, fuel consumption (and cost for fuel) will be reduced. Only those field operations that are essential for each crop should be done. Table 1. Estimates of fuel required for selected field operations. Machine (mph) Ground speed Power required per foot of width (Pto Hp) Diesel fuel consumption (gallons per acre) Plow, moldboard (8-inch depth) 4.5 13.5 1.68 Plow, chisel (8-inch depth) 5.0 9.3 1.10 Disk, tandem Corn stalks 5.0 3.5 0.45 Chisel plowed 5.0 4.3 0.55 Moldboard plowed 5.0 5.6 0.65 Disk, heavy offset 5.0 8.0 0.95 Field cultivator 5.5 5.2 0.60 Harrow, springtooth 5.5 3.5 0.40 Harrow, spiketooth 6.5 2.5 0.30 Cultivator, row crop 4.5 3.2 0.45 Rolling cultivator 5.5 2.5 0.35 Rotary hoe 7.0 2.3 0.25 Anhydrous applicator 5.0 5.5 0.65 Planter, row crop Conventional 4.5 3.5 0.50 No-till 4.5 2.0 0.35 Grain drill 4.5 2.5 0.35 Corn picker 2.5 3.5 1.15 Combine Small grain 3.0 3.0 1.00 Soybeans 3.0 3.3 1.10 Corn and milo 2.0 4.0 1.60 Mower Cutterbar 6.0 2.3 0.35 Rotary 5.0 5.0 0.80 Mow-condition 5.0 3.0 0.60 Swather 6.0 3.0 0.55 Rake 5.0 1.0 0.25 Baler 3.0 2.0 0.45 Sprayer 4.0 1.0 0.10 Forage harvester Green chop 3.0 2.0 0.95 Haylage 3.0 2.5 1.25 Corn silage 1.5 5.0 3.60 Copyright 1999 University of Missouri Advertisement 12-volt conversion kits available for Ferguson Model TO30. Contains parts and instructions for updating older 6-volt tractors to 12-volt charging system.    [Click here to visit this Sponsor] Home Reproduction of any part of this website, including design and content, without written permission is strictly prohibited. Copyright © 1997-2013 TodaysTractors.com Trade Marks and Trade Names contained and used in this Website are those of others, and are used in this Website in a descriptive sense to refer to the products of others.