An improved penetrometer technique for determining bale density

Bulk density plays an important role in silage quality. To assess the bulk density within round bales, penetrometers in conjunction with non-dimensional data analysis (statistical analysis) and single-dimensional data analysis (penetration resistance curve analysis) are commonly used, but this method provides insufficient information in terms of site-specific interpretation. The paper extends the conventional method with two-dimensional data analysis (map-based analysis) of four round bales, packed by a fixed chamber baler or a variable chamber baler. The results from the experiment demonstrated that the improved methods could provide more insight into the packing quality of bales, based on a combination of various dimensional data analyses.