The HarvestLab sensor on the spout of your John Deere SPFH automatically takes thousands of samples for representative, accurate dry matter readings of the crop you’re harvesting while you’re harvesting! Real time moisture and yield information is shown on the GreenStar 2630 display inside the cab, along with readings for material throughput and crop yield per field, hectare or trailer load. You can even print a summary of this vital information (for your own records or for your customers) with the optional on-board printer, providing an instant hard copy of the work done.

The HarvestLab system brings a new level of innovative and intelligent technology to your operation, regardless of whether you’re a livestock producer, contractor or run a biogas facility.

• Lower costs
• Better silage quality
• Intelligent management
• Higher efficiency and productivity
• Field and office use to make the most out of your investment.

Because the sensor is designed as a mobile piece of equipment, the field isn’t the only place where the HarvestLab system adds value. You can now create your own silage analysis laboratory at home by detaching the sensor from the forage harvester and following a few simple steps. Place the optional turntable on your HarvestLab sensor, connect it to your laptop and you’re ready to start doing your own silage analysis without depending on a costly laboratory. You’ll get precise readings of your maize, grass, alfalfa or whole crop silage dry matter within seconds. Measuring silage dry matter has never been easier!.

In the field, the HarvestLab system helps produce high quality silage and prepare for optimum preservation. In the office, it aids you when balancing rations to maximise top herd productivity and cut feeding costs.

In the field, the HarvestLab system doesn’t require calibration and can measure crop moisture at material speeds of up to 40 m/sec. Thousands of measurements – on average one analysis per 50 kg of fresh silage – make readings more representative and accurate than with traditional methods.

The HarvestLab sensor can easily be converted into a counter-top forage analysis lab with just a few components.

In the perfect world of harvesting, the fields are forever level, the weather is always ideal, the crop density is completely uniform and the moisture levels are right all the time. In the real world, though, there’s only one constant: change.

How do you manage change and get the most from your John Deere forage harvester during harvest? It starts with having the right information at the right time.

The best management decisions start with HarvestDoc. On your GreenStar 2630 display HarvestDoc automatically gathers your raw yield, moisture and mapping information for every part of every field. At any given moment during your harvest, you’ll know precisely your crop yields, crop moisture levels and harvesting productivity.

HarvestDoc lets you optimise silage additive dosage for perfect silage preservation according to dry matter, cut length and throughput. With HarvestDoc you benefit from automatic, georeferenced recordings of harvesting data for later documentation, analysis or invoicing for farm contractors. .

AutoLOC (Automatic Length of Cut adjustment) adjusts the cutting size of silage material according to the moisture content measured on-the-go by HarvestLab. This feature is an added benefit to John Deere self-propelled forage harvesters when used with HarvestLab. AutoLOC helps to enhance silage preservation by improving particle packing and optimising density in storage facilities. Also, by adjusting length-of-cut based on moisture, effective fibre length will be more consistent, thus improving the nutritional value of the silage.

Automatic length of cut adjustment:

• Superior silage compaction
• Fewer silage losses
• Increased productivity and efficiency
• Higher product quality
• Improved consistency
• Reliable results
• Lower fuel consumption

Reduced cost

• Top preservation through optimum length of cut and silage additive dosage*
• Higher silage quality to reduce costly supplement feed
• Lower fuel consumption

Maximum productivity with perfect rations

• Balanced rations accurate dry matter values obtained in the field and with the stationary unit
• Higher silage quality

Superb customer service

• Differentiation through higher quality feed and preservation
• Valuable crop information
• Additional services such as additive application or feed ration balancing

Increased efficiency and productivity

• Automatic length of cut adjustment for optimum throughput
• Optimised additive dosage based on dry matter, cut length and throughput
• Additional GreenStar solutions such as AutoTrac assisted steering

Intelligent management

• Automated documentation for business management
• Optional on-board printer for field-level proof of the work done
• Additional GreenStar solutions such as JDLink

Owners of biogas plants can also benefit from HarvestLab. The precise dry matter measurement allows optimisation of the liquid in the digester for increased gas production at no extra cost. A valuable contribution to increase the efficiency of your biogas plant!
Supply management

• Top preservation and reduced losses through optimum length of cut adjustment and additive dosage
• Automated documentation for business management

Fermentation and bacteria control for maximum output

• Accurate crop mass measurement
• Accurate crop dry matter measurement to manage best feeding ratios