July 21, 2005

Good Swathing Can Lead to Safer Harvest

The way a field is swathed influences how safely workers can combine it, according to a North Dakota State University safety expert.

“By giving serious thought to the shape and features of a field while swathing, you can start safer combining before getting in the combine seat,” says George Maher, NDSU Extension Service agricultural safety specialist. “Consider the shape and contours of a piece of land, as well as the obstructions present. Give some thought as to how field operations can be patterned for safer farming.”

The direction of swathing in the field determines the travel of the combine. That means workers should swath fields so the combine doesn’t have to make sharp turns or start and stop on steep hillsides. Sharp turns are especially difficult for combines with full or nearly full grain tanks, he says. Starting and stopping combines on steep hillsides also can be difficult to do safely.

The density of the crop and the lay of the land directly affect the speed of the swather and combine. Since much of North Dakota is expecting a better-than-average crop this year, harvesting equipment may have to operate at a slower speed, so workers should allow more time for swathing heavier crops, Maher says.

“Trying to swath with the same speed as in a light stand will result in more plugging and more stops, raising the opportunity for an accident,” he adds. “Swathing at the proper speed, according to crop conditions and the lay of the land, is safer and will take less time than swathing with frequent stops for unplugging.”

He also has this advice for swathing crews:

• Swath carefully around and across gullies and erosion ditches. A combine’s higher center of gravity means it does not have the same degree of stability as a swather. Adding extensions to the combine’s grain tank will raise the combine's center of gravity significantly. When a combine wheel drops into a gully or erosion ditch, the grain in the tank will shift, which could cause the combine to tip.
• Try to lay the swath as far from the edge of a bank or drop-off as possible since the weight of the combine can cause the soil to shear off. A grain drill puts less weight on the ground for the width it covers, so it easily can plant a crop too close to the edge.
• When swathing near obstructions in a field, remember that self propelled combines steer differently than most other farm equipment. The back end of the combine swings wide as the machine goes through a turn because of its rear steering.
• Always make a backward swath around obstructions such as power line and telephone poles. This reduces the chance of hitting the pole since the grain auger will be on the outside of the turn.

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Source: George Maher, (701) 231-8288, gmaher@ndsuext.nodak.edu
Editor: Ellen Crawford, (701) 231-5391, ecrawfor@ndsuext.nodak.edu

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