Predicting Suitable Days for Field Operations in a Whole Farm Simulation

Accurate information on the suitable days available for field operations is important in the design, development, and selection of efficient machinery systems for crop production. The suitable days available for fieldwork are closely related to weather and soil moisture level, so values vary widely with climate and soil characteristics. A model is available that predicts suitable day information from long-term weather records and soil characteristics for essentially any location. This model forms a component of a whole farm model where it is used in the simulation of the timeliness, productivity, and costs of machinery systems in crop, dairy, and beef production. Optional output provides annual, long-term average, and 80% and 90% probability values for the days suitable for fieldwork each month over many weather years.