The First No-Till Step — Combine Residue Spreading

Chapter 3 – Residue Management Considerations, No. 19, May 1997

Author: Roger Veseth, WSU/UI Conservation Tillage Specialist

Growers will tell you that one of the first steps in successful no-till and minimum tillage systems is uniform distribution of chaff and straw from the combine. It is an important option for managing weeds, diseases, fertility and other crop production factors in order to optimize crop health and yield potential under conservation tillage systems.

Chaff and straw spreading has also been a Northwest focus in conservation tillage research. A Pacific Northwest Extension publication summarizes the research results, potential impacts of combine chaff and straw rows, and the effectiveness of commercial attachments and combine modification for improving residue distribution. “Uniform Combine Residue Distribution for Successful No-Till and Minimum Tillage Systems,” bulletin PNW297.

The bulletin has also been reprinted as PNW Conservation Tillage Handbook Series No. 7 in Chapter 3. This publication and nearly all of the Handbook Series are now accessible.

Commercial chaff and straw spreaders are now available to fit most combine model. After numerous request for information on sources for combine residue spreading equipment, I decided to compile the following list of commercial equipment option to assist growers in locating equipment for their specific combines and production conditions.

Contact your combine dealer for information on chaff and straw spreading equipment for your combines. Many combine dealers are also dealers for some of the commercial combine residue spreading equipment on this list.

Many growers have also made their own shop modifications for improving residue distribution. Copies of one set of plans from a successful grower modification of the flail system of Case-IH rotary combines are available from Veseth (above).

Preliminary Listing of Commercial Combine Residue Spreading Equipment

• Case – IH Combine Chaff Spreaders — Contact your Local Case-IH Dealer.
• F/S “Hurricane” Chaff Blower — F/S Manufacturing Inc.; 1102 Center St.; West Fargo, ND 58078; Phone 701-281-1729 or 1-800-333-2314.
• Hillco Blizzard Chaff Spreader — Hillco; 107 1st Avenue; P.O. BOX 399; Nezperce, ID 83543-0399; Phone or Fax 208-937-2461; 1-800-937-2461.
• Horvick Chaff Spreader — Horvick Mfg.; 4350 48th Ave. North; Fargo, ND 58102-7404; Phone 701-280-2862 or 1-800-373-4084.
• Hurricane Chaff Spreader, Plus Air-Master for Gleaners — K-Line Rep Sales Ltd.; 401 9th St. E.; Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada S7N 0A7; Phone 1-800-525-8189.
• John Deere All Crop Chaff Spreader — Contact your local John Deere Dealer.
• Kirby Straw and Chaff Spreader — Dutch Industries Ltd.; BOX 568; Pilot Butte, Saskatchewan, CANADA S0G 3Z0; Phone 1-800-66DUTCH (38824) or 1-306-781-4820; fax: 1-3060781-4877.
• Koehn Chaff Spreaders — Koehn (“Cane”) Marketing Co.; P.O. BOX 577; Watertown, SD 57201-0577; Phone 605-886-2120, FAX 886-2123, 1-800-658-3998.
• Love Straw Boss and Chaff Spreader — J. E. Love Co.; Garfield, WA 99130; Phone 509-635-1321.
• Redekop Straw Chopper/Chaff Spreader — Redekop Industries; Hwy #16 West; P.O BOX 178A, R.R. #4; Saskatoon, SK, CANADA S7K3J7; Phone 306-931-6664, FAX 933-1088.
• Rem Pneumatic Chaff Spreader — Rem Manufacturing Ltd.; Box 1207; Swift Current, SK, CANADA SK S9H 3X4; Phone 306-773-0644; FAX 773-1188; 1-800-667-7420.
• The Spreader Chaff Spreader — The Spreader Inc.; Hwy. 136 & West St.; P.O. BOX 189; Gifford, IL 61847; Phone 217-568-7219 or 1-800-428-9046.
• Urvold Straw and Chaff Blower — Urvold Industries Ltd.; P.O. Box 204; Nobleford, Alberta, Canada T0L 1S0; Phone 403-824-3737.
• Vittetoe Chaff Spreader — Vittetoe, Inc.; Keota, Iowa 52248; Phone 515-636-2259; FAX 515-636-3764.