Grieger: On-Farm Survey of Combine Grain Loss in Canola Across Western Canada
Date: January 2020
Term: 1 year
Status: Completed
Researcher(s): Lorne Grieger, Amie Harrison, Charley Sprenger and Alexei Akoulov, Prairie Agricultural Machinery Institute (PAMI)
SaskCanola Investment: $27,500
Total Project Cost: $103,800
Funding Partners: MCGA, Bushel Plus, Sher Gain
Project Summary
The Prairie Agricultural Machinery Institute (PAMI) acknowledges funding and support from the following groups: Canola Council of Canada, SaskCanola, Manitoba Canola Growers, Bushel Plus, Schergain, and all of the canola producers throughout Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba who volunteered for the project. In-kind funds were also provided by PAMI to support the research and development of topics that are important to producers.
Canola is an essential crop in the Canadian Prairies, and canola losses are an unfortunate part of harvest that must be managed by producers. Canola losses can be categorized as environmental losses, header losses, or combine losses. Combine losses occur during harvesting and refer to grain lost (discarded with the chaff and straw) from the separation and cleaning systems; these losses were the focus of this project.
The objective of this project was to obtain a snapshot of the canola combine losses that producers are experiencing across Western Canada and to gain a better understanding of these losses by determining which variables are most likely to have an effect. A secondary goal was to continue to provide awareness to the seriousness of combine losses and to educate producers on methods for measuring their losses.
The in-field testing for this project occurred during the 2019 harvest season, between August 22 and October 18. PAMI visited 31 producers across Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba and measured canola combine losses from 50 combines. Six combine manufacturers were represented during testing with a total of 40 different combine models.
Drop pans provided by Bushel Plus and Schergain were utilized to measure the canola losses from the combines. The drop pans were attached underneath the combine and were dropped once the combine reached a steady state. The canola seed was separated from the chaff/straw and was weighed. Losses were calculated using the collected sample weight, cut width, discharge width, catch area, and canola density. To ensure an accurate representation of producer’s losses was obtained, each combine loss test was repeated three times per combine, and producers were asked to run at their normal operating conditions during testing. PAMI followed strict biosecurity procedures to prevent the transfer of crop contaminants, such as weed seeds, insects, and pathogens.
Of the 50 combines tested, 44 dropped their straw into windrows during the loss testing, while the remaining 6 spread their straw. Due to the reduced accuracy experienced when spreading straw (unpredictability of the distribution of grain throughout the discharged material) the results from these tests were not included in the data analysis.
For this project, the following variables were investigated to determine their potential impact on combine losses: harvest timing, ambient temperature, relative humidity (RH), weather conditions, wind conditions, harvest practices (straight-cut, swathed), grain moisture content, canola variety (shatter resistant, non-shatter resistant), ground speed, grain feed rate, combine settings, combine age, and separator hours.
A statistical data analysis was conducted to identify whether differences observed in the combine loss data were due to the measured variables listed above or due to random variability. Along with this in-depth statistical analysis, the following summary of the combine losses experienced was completed.
• Minimum combine losses measured: 0.2 bu/ac (0.4% of producer’s yield)
• Maximum combine losses measured: 4.1 bu/ac (10.7% of producer’s yield)
• Average combine losses measured: 1.3 bu/ac (2.8% of producer’s yield)
• Estimated financial losses experienced collectively by the producers who participated were calculated using the average combine losses measured (1.3 bu/ac), total canola acres seeded by participating producers (70,400 ac) and a canola price of $9.50/bu:
o Estimated total: $870,000
o Average per acre: $12.35/ac
Research Abstract PAMI Project: R19038P; CARP 2019.23
The table below shows the variables that were found to have a significant impact on canola combine losses, along with the observed losses. For all other variables investigated (not included in table), no significant differences were observed in the data collected from the 2019 harvest season.
Table 1. Variables that were found to have a significant impact on canola combine losses during the 2019 combine loss testing.
This project highlights how important it is for producers to set their combines for current weather conditions and to use loss measurement as a way of verifying these settings. Combine loss measurement can be completed using equipment supplied by companies such as Bushel Plus and Schergain; however, if producers do not have access to this equipment, any pan or tray can be used to obtain a rough estimate of combine losses. It is important for producers to reassess their combine losses as conditions change throughout the harvest day and season. To fully understand existing limitations, further investigation is required for each variable listed above.
Full Report PDF: On-Farm Survey of Combine Grain Loss in Canola Across Western Canada