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Moisture Meter Designed To Work On Small Balers
Smalll square bale producers can get moisture sensing on-the-go with the new Gazeeka 180. It measures hay bale moisture as the bale exits the chamber. Using microwave technology mounted to the baler, it is accurate to within half of one percent of oven-dried samples in a lab.
  “When hay is going to export, operators need to know exactly what the moisture is when baled,” says John Ashworth, International Stock Food (ISF), U.S. distributor for the Gazeeka.
  Ashworth notes that the Australian-made Gazeeka 870 for big square balers has been on the market for 14 years. It’s commonly marketed with the Staheli West steamer. He expects that will continue with the new 180 sensor.
  Steaming is designed to moisten hay as needed for maximum leaf retention and improved value. Pairing it with the Gazeeka moisture sensors allows the operator to adjust steaming on-the-go to achieve the optimum moisture level.
  The Gazeeka measures total moisture in all types of hay. It marks the location of wet spots and helps the operator segregate bales accordingly. The in-cab monitor displays instantaneous, maximum peak, and average moisture.
  “It lets operators know when to stop baling because the dew has come in or when to stop when the hay becomes too dry without spending time stopping to check moisture levels,” says Ashworth. “If hay producers have had problems with moisture, after running a Gazeeka moisture meter, they don’t anymore. They can set up their systems to use moisture to their advantage, not their disadvantage.”
  Installation for both models is simple. Two opposing antenna are mounted to brackets at either side of the bale exit point. Very low energy/high frequency electromagnetic waves are transmitted between the antennas. The waves measure approximately a square foot through large square bales and about 6 sq. in. through small bales. Power used by the sensors is equivalent to that used by a mobile phone.
  The Gazeeka 180 for use with small square bales is priced at $5,060. The Gazeeka 870 has a suggested retail price of $7,495 for use with big square bales.
  “Brackets for mounting the 870 to large square balers vary from $200 to $700, depending on the brand and model,” says Ashworth. “Brackets for the 180 vary from $250 to $350, depending on type of baler and straight chute or quarter-turn chute.”
  System longevity with the 870 has been a major selling point. “We have units that have been running for the full 14 years we have been selling it,” says Ashworth. “Lots of customers have taken them off balers they were selling and installed them on their new baler.”
  Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, International Stock Food, 1200 Buckhead Crossing #E., Woodstock, Ga. 30189 (ph 770 977-1664; ph 800 497-4243; info@isfglobal.com; www.isfglobal.com).


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2020 - Volume #44, Issue #3