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Description: This rotary disk mower is suspended by chains from the back of a tractor that tows the mower and supplies power through a power take off (PTO) to rapidly rotate the disks. After the rotating disks cut the forage, the forage falls in a swath behind the mower. When the forage has dried, the swath is raked (e.g., NAL #3469) into a windrow to facilitate pickup by a chopper or baler. For hay, the leaves may be overly dry by the time the stems dry sufficiently for baling, leading to lost leaf nutrients during windrowing and baling. To minimize these losses, some mowers are combined with conditioners that crush the stems, reduce drying time, optimize retention of nutrient rich leaves on the stems, and reduce the risk of rain damage before the forage can be chopped or baled. Some mowers funnel the forage into a windrow to facilitate pickup for baling or chopping, although this prolongs drying time because the depth of the forage is greater in a windrow than in a swath. Several rotary disk mowers are illustrated in NAL #4831 through #4836.

Resolution: 504x508

File Size: 43.91 KB