ESTIMATED COSTS OF SOLDIER AND COMBINE SUGARCANE HARVESTING SYSTEMS IN LOUISIANA

Soldier (wholestalk) harvesting of sugarcane has been the predominant method of harvesting sugarcane in Louisiana for many years. With the short harvesting season and frequently wet harvestingconditions found in the state, this type of harvesting system has proven to be a very flexible and suitable system. Combine (billet) harvesters have the ability to recover more of the sugarcane in the field, compared to soldier harvesters, particularly in fields with lodged sugarcane. This report quantifies some of the differences in machinery requirements, performance rates, and estimated costs of operating soldier and combine sugarcane harvesting systems in Louisiana.