Applications from the on-farm combine loss survey

Harvest is a busy time, so anything that will slow you down has to be worth it in terms of increased profitability. Fortunately, the recent Canola Agronomic Research Program study, funded by Manitoba Canola Growers and SaskCanola and conducted by Prairie Agricultural Machinery Institute (PAMI), found that taking time to measure and manage combine losses could save yield (increase profit) while preventing volunteer canola issues.

To determine the amount of combine losses and the variables impacting them, PAMI visited 31 producers across Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba during the 2019 harvest season and measured in-field canola combine losses from 50 combines (which included 40 different combine models from six different manufacturers).

Average losses measured were 1.3 bu./ac. (or 2.8 per cent of yield), with a range of 0.2 to 4.1 bu./ac.

An overview summary report and, for those who want more detail, a comprehensive final report of this study are all available on the Canola Research Hub at CanolaResearch.ca. Look for “On-farm survey of combine grain loss in canola across Western Canada” in the Harvest Management section.

At a high level, the operator’s knowledge of the machine and how they adjust to environmental conditions is an important factor in lower losses, according to Amie Harrison, PAMI’s project lead.

Ambient temperature, relative humidity, weather conditions, harvest method (swathed/straight cut), canola variety (shatter resistant/non-shatter resistant) and ground speed all had a significant impact on the combine losses, while combine brand, model and age were not major factors.

Furthermore, this study (which noted additional testing is recommended)
found that:

• Canola combine losses were significantly lower during tests completed above 23°C and at relative humidity levels of less than 45 per cent.
• Tests completed on days with minimal cloud cover had significantly lower combine losses.
• Swathed canola had significantly lower combine losses compared to straight cut canola.
• Non-shatter resistant canola varieties tested also showed significantly lower combine losses compared to the shatter resistant varieties.
• Ground speeds less than 4.3 mph (6.9 km/h) were also attributed to lower losses.