Abstract
We have developed a cutting round baler for the rice whole crop silage (five-row type,φ1,000mm) and have reported on its outline in a previous report. This report addresses a small round baler for the rice whole crop silage developed to miniaturize five-row type. This report examines its structure and performance. This small round baler also used the head-feeding combine as a base machine. Concretely, this small round baler is a self-propelled type using a rubber track and pretreatment equipment (divider, pick-up device, reciprocating knife, feed chain) of the head-feeding combine (operation width : 750mm). In addition, this small round baler is a direct-cut type which is attached with a bale chamber (fixed-chamber type : φ500mm) instead of a threshing device. For this small round baler, the number of bales was 80bales/10a., bale density was 90kgDM/m^3, and weight was 30kg when rice plants of 60% moisture content (yield : 3,300kg/10a) were baled. Harvesting and baling efficiency were 105min./10a. Bale density was low, but fermentation quality was excellent.
