A system and method for measuring the moisture of a harvested crop, such as hay, in the pre-compression chamber of a harvesting apparatus, such as a large square hay baler. Measurement at this time provides a highly accurate and reliable moisture reading. The apparatus disclosed includes two or more sensors disposed at separate positions in the pre-compression chamber. The sensors sense electrical conductivity or RF wave transmission through the hay in the pre-compression chamber.

An additive applicator system for an agricultural cut crop is disclosed comprising a storage tank containing a quantity of liquid additive, an applicator operable to dispense the liquid additive into the cut crop, a pump between the storage tank and the applicator to drive the liquid additive from the storage tank to the applicator, a control valve between the applicator and the storage tank to control the flow of liquid additive back to the storage tank. The additive applicator system further comprises an accumulator between the pump and the applicator.

An agricultural machine configured to harvest a crop by advancing a crop harvesting header across a field, the agricultural machine presenting a fore-and-aft extending longitudinal axis that extends in a travel direction, the harvesting header having a header frame that mounts a cutting platform configured to sever crop being harvested, the header frame having a header axis that extends perpendicular to the direction of travel, wherein the agricultural machine has a cover crop seed dispensing apparatus with a seed dispenser and a distribution line mounted along the header frame, the distribution line having a plurality of distribution points at spaced intervals along the header axis. The seed dispenser meters seed delivery to the distribution line so as to distribute cover crop seed from the plurality of distribution points as the harvesting header severs crop from the field.

A preservative additive applicator for an agricultural baler includes an auger distribution tube with a tube body having dispensing opening at a distal end and a proximal end, the auger distribution tube received at a housing mouth of the auger housing such that the proximal end is mounted adjacent the auger housing with the auger extending through the auger distribution tube to the distal end so as to direct the preservative additive from the auger housing toward the dispensing opening. The auger distribution tube has one or more cutouts positioned along a bottom portion of the auger distribution tube through which a portion of the preservative additive is dispensed from the auger distribution tube along a length of the tube body.

A particulate additive applicator for a baler includes an auger housing and a first sleeve configured to be inserted into a housing passageway and a first auger configured to be received in a bore of the first sleeve and rotatable such that auger flighting having a first flighting diameter interfaces with the first sleeve to deliver particulate additive to an auger mouth to control a first rate of dispensing the particulate additive. The particulate additive applicator has a second sleeve configured to be inserted into the passageway and a second auger configured to be received in a bore of the second sleeve and rotatable such that auger flighting having a second flighting diameter smaller than that of the first to deliver particulate additive. The second auger is used to control a second rate of dispensing the particulate additive when the second auger is inserted into the auger housing.

A baler for forming a bale of crop material includes a bale chamber for forming the bale. One or more constituent property sensors are configured to detect one or more constituent properties other than moisture content of the crop material used to form the bale and to generate one or more sensor signals corresponding to the one or more constituent properties. One or more bale forming actuators are configured to adjust one or more physical characteristics of the bale as the bale is formed. A controller is configured to receive the sensor signals and to generate one or more control signals to the one or more bale forming actuators to adjust the one or more physical characteristics of the bale at least in part in response to the one or more sensor signals.

A nozzle evaluation system is provided for an agricultural baler with a nozzle apparatus having at least one nozzle. The system includes a sensor associated with the at least one nozzle and configured to collect vibration patterns of sound emanating from the at least one nozzle of the nozzle apparatus during application of a fluid upon a respective bale; and a controller configured to: receive the vibration patterns collected by the sensor during application of the fluid upon the respective bale; evaluate the vibration patterns for the at least one nozzle for a clog condition; and record, upon detecting the clog condition based on the vibration patterns, information associated with clog condition.