Justification of the design and operating modes of the mower's flattening device

BACKGROUND: Plant processing methods used for the preparation of feed for farm animals should ensure maximum preservation of their nutritional value and beneficial properties. AIM: Modification of the design and justification of the operating modes of the mowers' flattening device to improve the quality of harvested grass feed by increasing the feed value and reducing mechanical losses. METHODS: The research objects are a mower with devices for grass flattening and processing with an adhesive-nutrient, a centrifugal-type cutting mechanism, a flattening device with two ribbed rollers. The main condition for the stable operation of the roller device is ensuring the capture of stems by rollers without pile-up and clogging. RESULTS: According to the research results, it was found that the process of evaporation of moisture from the grass is accelerated by removing the surface (cuticle) layer from the stems, and torn leaves, inflorescences and torn parts of the stems are glued with a liquid adhesive-nutrient having a feed value. After hardening, the adhesive-nutrient increases the stiffness of the stems, forming an easily ventilated structure, which accelerates the drying of herbs, mechanical losses are eliminated. CONCLUSION: The proposed design of the mower improves the quality of harvested feed, as the time for its drying is reduced, and the adhesive introduced increases the feed value, the loss of leaf and fine-grained parts of plants is reduced.