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Efficiency Important in Preparing Tobacco for Market
By
Laura Skillman
 HARDINSBURG,
Ky., (Oct. 18, 2006) – Across Kentucky, tobacco stripping rooms
are filled with workers removing the leaf from the stalk and
placing it into bales. By operating this system as efficiently
as possible, farmers can keep expenses under control.
Farmers also need to divide the leaf into the grades specified
by the tobacco company with whom they have a contract. This is
important in order to attain the best prices for their leaf.
Properly preparing the crop for market is an important step and
one that can be costly if not done with quality and efficiency
in mind.
During a recent tobacco meeting in Breckinridge County,
stripping and baling were two of the main topics of discussion.
Part of that discussion centered on stripping room redesign or
construction as farmers move from 80-pound to 600-pound tobacco
bales.
Packaging tobacco for market has evolved throughout the years
with most producers today baling their leaf into square bales
weighing between 80 and 90 pounds. However, larger bales are
beginning to be seen on more farms and are being encouraged by
some manufacturers. These large balers require more space not
only for the machine but also for containers to store the leaf
in until enough has been accumulated to make a bale.
The large bales can be more efficient, said George Duncan,
Extension agricultural engineer with the University of Kentucky
College of Agriculture.
“On the UK farm last year, where the farm manager kept accurate
daily records, going from small bales to large bales resulted in
a 19.2 percent increase in productivity,” he said. “Other people
tell me they have seen an increase in productivity of 50
percent. That’s probably on the upper end.”
But if producers aren’t using an efficient process where they do
not have to handle the leaf multiple times, then the large bales
will not improve productivity and could hurt it.
“Big balers have brought on changes in the stripping room,”
Duncan said. “The one thing that is a principle in trying to
adapt the big baler and make it work efficiently, is a minimum
amount of time you handle the leaf from the time you take it off
the stalk until it’s in the bale and how many people you have.”
Stripping rooms may need to be adapted to accommodate changing
from small to large bales to maintain efficiency. This may
include space for more storage bins, larger doors for efficient
movement of the bins and wagons, easy access to the baler and
quick stalk removal. UK has a number of stripping room redesign
and new design ideas for farmers that should fit almost any
situation. Local county offices of the UK Cooperative Extension
Service can assist farmers with these designs.
Duncan also noted that as farmers move from small to large
bales, they need to investigate the different types of balers
available. Some have a single door while others have a two-door
system, and the hydraulic press does not operate the same in all
models. He also noted that it is worth the additional cost to
include weigh scales on the baler to ensure consistent bales.
While improved efficiency and more rapid handling are possible,
there is a significant investment required for a big baler, he
said. The lower cost balers can use tractor hydraulic power,
which requires the operation of a tractor to make a bale,
whereas the more costly balers have a 230-volt electric powered
hydraulic system. Prices range from $5,500 to $8,500 for various
models. Some cost sharing is available from various sources. |
Contact: George Duncan, 859-257-3000, ext. 115 |
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The UK College
of Agriculture, through its land-grant mission, reaches across
the commonwealth with teaching, research and extension
to enhance the lives of Kentuckians. |
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Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service |
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