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Description: This rotary disk mower is towed by a tractor that supplies power through a power take off (PTO) to rapidly rotate the disks (see NAL #4830) that cut the forage. Equipped with a conditioner, the cut forage passes between rollers that crush the stems, thereby hastening drying of the forage left 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. Without the conditioner, the leaves may be overly dry by the time the stems have dried sufficiently for baling hay, leading to lost leaf nutrients during windrowing and baling. Thus, conditioners reduce the drying time, increase retention of nutrient rich leaves attached to 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 #4830 through #4836.

Resolution: 504x504

File Size: 214.17 KB