Advanced Sod
Harvesting Machinery
Kramer Simpson
Introduction
• Harvesting Specs
• Types of Equipment
• Advantages
• Video Links
Sod Harvesting
• Can be Harvested in several ways
• Small Rolls- range from 12”-24” wide and 4’ long
• Big Rolls- from 24”- 48” wide up to 125 foot long
• Slabs- from 12”- 24” and up to 4’ long
• First tractor mounted was made by Gerry Brouwer in 1966
Sod Harvesting
• Average price of sod is $0.25 per square foot
• Pallets range from 450 sq. ft to 500 sq. ft
Crop
Price
Yield
Net Profit
Sod
$0.25 sq. ft
Quality
$10,890/acre
Corn
$6.50 bushel
170 bu/acre
$1,105/acre
Wheat
$7.00 bushell
110 bu/acre
$770/acre
Equipment Diversity
• Walk behind units
• Typically can harvest 150-200 sq.ft/hour
• Standard 16 in. cutting width
Tractor Mounted Models
• Usually takes 2-3 man crew, an operator, stacker and a
roller on certain models
• Can cut 600- 800 square feet an hour
• Fixed head
Advanced Tractor Mounted
Brouwer Robomax
• Operator only
• Capable of cutting 1600 square yards per hour
• GPS
Advanced Tractor Mounted
• Robotic Arm
• Automatic Pallet Injector
• Hydraulic Driven Cutter and Depth Control
Advanced Tractor Mounted
Kesmac Slab-Matic 3000
• Up to 1350 sq./yds per hour
• Choice of 3-16” rows or 2-24” rows
• Slabs only
Advanced Tractor Mounted
Kesmac Slab-Matic 3000
• Ability to eject poor turf
• Clamp system interlocks whole section
Self-Propelled
Trebro Auto-Stack II
• Two 24” cutting heads
• Electronic adjustable length of cut
• Stacker has 88 spears
Self Propelled
Trebro Auto-Stack II
• Up to 3,000 sq. yds per hour
• On the go adjustments of Pallet size, length
• Can hold 18 pallets
Advantages of Advanced
Harvesters
•
•
•
•
Less labor required
Speed
Efficiency
Environment
Video Links
• Brouwer Robomax- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4FK_1behE4
• Kesmac Slab Matic-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4M7l8y67dZU
• Trebro Auto Stack-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ur_maE1TB7A