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Feedbeet Harvest
Feedbeet Harvest
Feedbeet is harvested in the Northern Hemisphere from September to December. The timing of harvest is key for dry matter yield and practical convenience.
The longer the beet stays in the ground the more dry matter that is produced. On the other side stands practices for the machine harvest. Harvesting feedbeet involves considerations on harvesting equipment and also the question of leaf harvest or not.
Harvest Equipment
Selfpropelled harvester
The tractor pulled beet harvesters have, to a great extend, been replaced with self propelled sugarbeet harvesters. These harvesters have predominantly a 6-row harvesting unit. Through cleaning rollers the beets are seperated from the adhering soil.
The cost of these harvesters is generally high, therefore beet growers often prefer to have the beet lifted by a contractor. The cost of beet lifting varies from region to region, in a range between 250 and 300 € per hectare.
Tractor pulled harvester
A tractor pulled beet harvesters were common in most beet growing areas some years back. They are generally in the lower end in terms of required investment.
As a new beet grower such machines are readily available in most sugarbeet growing areas. And since they are often not in use it should be easy to purchase a second hand machine at low costs. A machine which easily can lift up to 100 ha or more per season.
More about harvesting...
Beets are lifted out of the ground while the beet lifter is moving forward with various types of lifting methods. The most common lifting method (in North Europe) are
the upper wheels, two slightly angled diskformed steel plates which lifts the beet
while being rotated from the friction with the ground. The upper wheels have good lifting capacity with minimal losses and clean lifted beet with good harvester set-up.
Dry harvesting conditions are always key for optimal cleaning. Initial cleaning is already taking place during lifting, but further cleaning is most often practiced (and recommended) via subsequent dry or wet cleaning. Low soil tare and less stones
are beneficial for handling, storage and feeding.
Beets should be stored (defoliated and undamaged) in a clamp for 2-3 weeks after harvest. This time allows the root to rest and the soil on the surface to dry, which reduces possible effluent loss during following ensiling. Furthermore the intermediate clamp storage will loosen the soil attached to the beets allowing a better cleaning when reloaded with the loader/cleaning machine.
Beets have continuous growth during the autumn, with a positive impact on yield
and consistent nutrient composition. Harvest time will always be a compromise between getting the highest yield and the harvest conditions. The wide window
allows flexibility in timing to avoid dirty beet harvested and as well avoid compaction of the wet soil in the field.
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