Roll Design for a Tandem Roll Mower-Conditioner

ABSTRACT A tandem roll mower-conditioner (TRMC) was equipped with various combinations of steel and tire carcass rolls and evaluated for the effect on digestibility, drying time, and yield of Coastal bermudagrass. When the TRMC was equipped with fluted steel rolls working against tire carcass rolls, the average digestibility was 7.3% more by 48 h in vitro dry matter digestibility tests and required two to four hours less drying time than bermudagrass cut with a sickle bar mower. However, 16.3% less bermudagrass dry matter was recovered.