Winter Canola Machinery and Equipment Guide
Machinery and equipment required for winter canola production will vary depending on the operator’s production system preferences. The following discussion describes basic machinery and equipment needs for producing winter canola, and it approximates costs incurred from operating machinery involved in the production process.
Winter canola producers have several machinery and equipment options. Their choices will depend on the production practices that they select. Generally, producers may opt for growing winter canola in a conventional system or a no-till system. The following table outlines basic machinery and equipment requirements in these two models. The equipment needed for raising winter canola is similar to winter wheat production equipment needs.
Conventional winter canola production requires seedbed preparation and cultivation. A no-till model saves cultivation equipment expenses and time and can be successfully implemented, though residue management will be key. Regardless of the production system, producers will apply fertilizer and may need to spray herbicides, fungicides or dessicants to maintain the crop.
Winter canola will most likely be direct harvested by Missouri producers, though swathing is an option. Swathing may minimize shattering losses, but investment in proper equipment is required. Canola is a small-seeded crop. To minimize waste during harvest and handling, harvesting, transportation and drying equipment should have the proper seals. Producers may use duct tape or caulking to protect the integrity of bins and trucks.
Equipment and Machinery Needs for Winter Canola Production
| Conventional Production | No-Till Production | |
|---|---|---|
| Tractor | X | X |
| Field cultivator | X | |
| Drill | X | |
| No-till drill | X | |
| Fertilizer spreader | X | X |
| Sprayer | X | X |
| Combine | X | X |
| Grain cart | X | X |
| Grain truck | X | X |
Owned and Operated Equipment or Custom Hire Services
When considering crop production machinery and equipment needs, producers have the option to used owned equipment or hire a custom service provider. The decision will depend on an operation’s current machinery and equipment inventory, time available for conducting machinery operations and the difference in cost. The following table compares projected costs for the two scenarios. In the first, a grower owns and operates equipment. In the second, a grower hires a custom service provider to carry out equipment-related work. The machinery costs are meant to represent total costs incurred for operating equipment used in winter canola production.
Estimated Machinery Costs and Custom Rates, Per Acre Per Year
| Machinery Cost | Custom Rate | |
|---|---|---|
| Field cultivator | $9.80 | $15.20 |
| Drill | $12.80 | $14.07 |
| No-till drill | $16.40 | $16.53 |
| Fertilizer spreader | $7.62 | $6.08 |
| Chemical sprayer | $3.70 | $5.98 |
| Combine | $31.00 | $27.89 |
| Grain cart | $9.65 | $9.00 |
| Grain truck* | $22.00 | $17.60 |
| * Grain hauling costs and custom rates will vary based on farm proximity to the final market. | ||
Sources
Boyles, Mark, Joshua Bushong, Heath Sanders and Michael Stamm, eds. 2012. Great Plains Canola Production Handbook. Oklahoma State University, Kansas State University and University of Nebraska. Manhattan, KS 66506.
Buntin, David, Timothy Grey, Glendon H. Harris, Dan Phillips, James Buck, Eric Prostko, Paul Raymer, Nathan Smith, Paul Sumner and John Woodruff. 2017. Canola Production in Georgia. University of Georgia Extension. Athens, GA 30602.
Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics. 2012. Machinery Cost Estimates: Summary. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Urbana, IL 61801.
Eleveld, Bart, Tom Silberstein, Mark Mellbye, Mike Flowers and Emily Lahmann. 2010. Enterprise Budget, Spring Oats, Willamette Valley Region. Oregon State University. Corvallis, OR 97331.
Herbek, Jim. 2012. Canola. University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service. Lexington, KY 40506.
Lamprecht, Jason. 2013. Rates Paid By Kansas Farmers For Custom Work. Kansas Department of Agriculture and USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service. Topeka, KS 66601.
Lee, Dewey. n.d. Critical Management Inputs for High Yield Wheat Production. University of Georgia.Athens, GA 30602.
Long, Rachael F., Jerry L. Schmierer, Karen M. Klonsky and Pete Livingston. 2008. Sample Costs to Establish and Produce Alfalfa Hay. University of California Cooperative Extension. Davis, CA 95616.
McNeill, Samuel G. and Douglas G. Overhults. 1992. Harvesting, Drying and Storing. Canola Production & Management. University of Kentucky. Lexington, KY 40506.
Plain, Ronald L. and Joyce White. 2012. 2012 Custom Rates for Farm Services in Missouri. University of Missouri Extension. Columbia, MO 65211.
Riggins, Steven K., Richard L. Trimble and W. Donald Shurley. 1992. Marketing and Profitability Considerations. Canola Production and Management.University of Kentucky.Lexington, KY 40506.
Schmidt, Walter. n.d. Canola Production in Ohio. Ohio State University Extension.Columbus, OH 43210.
Stiles, Scott and Terry Griffin. n.d. Estimating Farm Machinery Costs. University of Arkansas. Little Rock, AR 72204.