1. Yield Monitors and Their Applications to Today’s Farmer www.caterpillar.com

2. Introduction Yield monitors have been used for a decade but now the applications are being utilized for farmers benefits. Technology advancements and individual efforts to better yield are key to monitors unlimited future.

3. Outline Yield monitor components Yield monitor displays Uses of the monitor Key decisions made with collected data to better yield and increase profit.

4. Harvest Setup & Calibration

5. Components of Yield Monitors

6. Flow Sensor Measures grain flow coming off the paddles at top of clean grain elevator Utilizes load cell technology Polyurethane impact plate Reduces buildup Longer life

7. Flow Sensor Installation 3\8 to 5\8 inch clearance Once top shaft is adjusted, always adjust chain tension from the bottom! Check for wear on paddles, impact plate, and deflector plate.

8. Clean Grain Elevator Adjustment

10. Elevator Mount Unit Mounts on the side of clean grain elevator for all brands of combines Quick and Easy installation Gravity filled chamber through large inlet hole

11. Elevator Mount Unit Proximity switch activates auger to exchange grain sample when chamber is full Constant grain sampling at all flow rates provides an accurate moisture measurement

12. Moisture Sensor Mounts on the side of the Elevator Mount Sensor measures moisture and temperature Easily calibrated at the monitor

13. Header Sensor Turns area counting on and off Mounts underneath cab Arm attaches to the feederhouse Stop Height is set from the cab

14. Pre-Harvest Checklist Copy Data to Card and Make Backup Upgrade Monitor/Modules Clearing Data From Card Clearing Loads/Create New Season Change/Create Field Names Change Grain Type For Each Field Set Swath Width Stop Height Calibration Vibration Calibration (For Each Grain Type) Temperature Calibration Distance Calibration

15. Calibration Procedure Use the same weigh scale each time Harvest four to six loads Record the actual weight for each Harvest about the same amount of weight in each load Best weight is between 3000 and 8000 lbs Don’t use Semi loads with smaller cal loads

16. Calibration Proper calibration can actually be less time consuming than other brand monitors, and the results are typically more accurate

17. Yield Monitors Utilizes technology to reach higher yields and lower grower’s cost Increases crop uniformity, the key to higher yields Helps predict production grades for targeted markets Helps avoid repeated mistakes: continuous improvement

18. John Deere Monitor www.johndeere.com

19. Agleader Monitor www.agleader.com

20. Higher Yields Lowers Costs ag.systems, July, 2002 $/Bu. To Produce a Bushel of Wheat

21.  Allows the producer to analyze specific practices in a field and on his whole farm and compare it to a community of producers.  We boundary each field, in order to utilize the maps to record anything we do to the field, such as soil or tissue testing.  Capturing a specific set of input variables that are deemed critical by the growers is highly important. It is very important that these inputs be recorded consistently for each grower. The Purpose:

22. Agronomic Support: Constantly updating crop specific production systems based on the information we pull from the system. Soil and Tissue Test

23. “In just one year you’ll gain knowledge that would have taken many years of trial and error, and you can apply that knowledge to the next planting season, year after year” (Bodenstine).

24. We generate yield maps for those customers who own yield monitors and GPS systems. The yield maps give the customer a permanent record of that field’s performance for any given year. Locate problem areas within your fields and limiting quantify the affects of those areas that may be production..

25. The Process Yield Monitor Crop Variables Harvest Data Analysis & Interpretation Grower Results

26. Conclusion Yield monitors will be essential to farmers in the future’s market. Analyzing yield and input data will give key points for next year’s production. Using the most advanced technology on the market may be expensive but if used properly will gain a growers profits substantially.

27. Bibliography AFS. 09 Oct. 2007. Insight Monitor. 9 Oct. 2007. Bodenstine, Paul. Why DSS? Agsystems Consulting. Mechanicville: Agsystems Consulting, 2003. "Lexion." 9 Oct. 2007.