A number of companies were at the recent Big Iron Show in Fargo with headers that claim to boost sunflower profits
FARGO, N.D. — Although sunflowers can be successfully harvested with a conventional header, a specialized sunflower header will always put more seeds in the tank, according to a North Dakota State University website.
A variety of special sunflower headers were inspected by sunflower growers at the Big Iron Show in September.
Hamilton Systems in Drayton, N.D., sells Fantini sunflower and sorghum headers. Hamilton project manager Lee Moran says the Italian-built headers increase yield by an average of 300 to 600 more pounds per acre into the tank.
“If you use a figure of 18 cents per lb., either in the NuSun or high oleic markets, 300 lb. per acre gives a grower a $55 per acre bonus by preventing seed loss.”
Sheyenne Tooling and Manufacturing sells Sunmaster headers. According to factory representative Brandy Edland, rather than import European headers, Sheyenne engineered the Sunmaster about 20 years ago and they build it in their factory at Copperstown, N.D.
“Growers tend to use old combine technology adapted to work for sunflowers. They put so much time, money and effort into raising sunflowers but then they harvest with something that does a mediocre job,” says Edland.
“We did the math. We advertise a 10 percent yield increase, but we’ve seen a lot higher. These headers work under adverse conditions, such as harvesting downed crops. The snouts are designed to get underneath the sunflowers to stand them back up for harvesting.”
General Implement in Jamestown, N.D., hauled one of its new Italian-built Nardi Sunstorm pan style headers to Big Iron.
Company representative Collin Lura says simplicity is one of the main reasons Nardi introduced the Sunstorm.
“It’s a simple design, fewer moving parts than other sunflower headers, and it’s p.t.o. driven so there’s no electrical hookups,” said Lura. “They grow a lot of sunflowers over there in the Ukraine and Russia, so the Italian engineers made it as simple and reliable as possible.
“We have belts and chain sprocket at both ends driving the reel. The sickle is down below between the two pans. It cuts the stalk right at the head and then we have an auger running to the feeder house instead of a belt, so we’re not ingesting a lot of trash into the combine.”
The white dividers drive the flowers toward the knives, thus avoiding direct contact between flowers and reel. It also straightens the heads, leaving most of the stalks in the field.
Lura explains that the red shield drives the flowers toward the knives. It avoids direct contact between flowers and reel, thus preventing seed loss. The shield’s position can be adjusted mechanically or hydraulically as an option. It also straightens the heads for closer cutting, leaving most of the stalks in the field.
The reel is synchronized with the cutting blade to gently push cut heads toward the auger. The large auger diameter creates a homogeneous flow of the crop into the combine. The reel and auger are located a fix distance, which is not adjustable.
The optional chopper cuts the stem 30 millimetres from the ground, covering the entire working width. It consists of rotating knives on a hydraulically suspended frame.
The position can be adjusted from the combine. The chopper leaves a clean field, ready for seeding.
Lura says sizes range from 25 to 40 feet, plus a 47-foot prototype to be available next year. The 30-foot Sunstorm lists for US$62,000.
