Comparative Performance of Hay Densification Machines

Abstract

Densification and baling of hay material is required to reduce its volume for easy transport. Three types of
densification machines viz. i) stationary baler; ii) movable baler; and iii) field baler were evaluated for densification
of different hay materials. The output from stationary, movable and field baler were 0.045, 0.21 and 0.86 t.h-1,
respectively. Densification with stationary baler needed all the hay material to be carried to the densification
yard, thus increasing man power requirement and costs while movable baler could be moved to the place of
availability of raw material. Field baler could collect and bale the harvested hay material spread on field. Field
baler also operated under stationary condition with manual feeding of hay material heaped at one place. The
cost of operation with stationary, movable and field baler were Rs.14400, 4700 and 1500 Rs.t-1 of bales formed,
respectively.