Table M3.

1: Estimated Fuel Requirements For Selected Farming Operations

Diesel, Gallons Per Acre*

Operation Low Average High

TILLAGE OPERATIONS:
Moldboard plow .95 1.90 3.80
Chisel plow .60 1.15 2.35
Heavy tandem disk .40 .80 1.60
Standard tandem disk
plowed soil, first time over .35 .65 1.30
plowed soil, second time over .25 .50 1.00
corn stalks, etc. .30 .60 1.15
Spring-tooth harrow .20 .45 .90
Spike-tooth harrow .15 .30 .60
Field cultivator .35 .75 1.45
PLANTING OPERATIONS:
Row-crop planter (with fertilizer, etc.) .35 .50 .75
Grain drill .25 .35 .55
Transplanter .90 1.30 1.95
CROP CULTIVATION:
Row crops, first cultivation .30 .45 .65
Row crops, second cultivation .25 .35 .55
Rotary hoe .10 .20 .30
HARVESTING OPERATIONS:
Cutterbar mower .30 .45 .65
Mower-conditioner (pto) .45 .75 1.10
Mower-conditioner (self-propelled) .70 1.00 1.55
Hay rake .15 .20 .35
Baler, hay .70 1.00 1.55
Forage harvester 1.65 2.50 3.70
Combine harvester
small grain .75 1.10 1.65
soybeans .80 1.20 1.80
corn .90 1.30 1.95
Corn picker .60 .95 1.40
Picker-sheller and Picker grinder .75 1.10 1.65
Potato harvester 1.05 1.60 2.40
Vegetable harvester 1.15 1.75 2.65
Tree fruit harvester (shaker) 1.95 2.90 4.40
MISCELLANEOUS OPERATIONS:
Row crop sprayer (each operation) .08 .10 .20
Orchard sprayer (each operation) .35 .55 .85
Stalk shredder .45 .65 1.00
Fertilizer spreader (bulk, spinner) .10 .15 .20
Anhydrous ammonia applicator .95 1.15 1.7
Forage blower (haylage or corn silage) .70 1.00 1.55

* For gasoline, multiply by 1.37; L-P gas 1.64. Does not include hauling seed, fertilizer,
or harvested crops.
Section Break (Next Page)
 Table M3.2: Estimates of Fuel Burned for Crop and Livestock Production
Operations Under Average Conditions.*

Gallons Diesel/Acre,
Crop or Livestock Production Animal, or 100 Birds

CROP PRODUCTION:
Corn -
Conventional methods 6.9
Plowing with minimum tillage planting 5.4
No plowing minimum tillage planting 4.3
Corn Silage -
Conventional methods 8.7
Plowing with minimum tillage 7.2
No plowing minimum tillage 6.1
Cotton 13.0
Soybeans 6.5
Peanuts 15.5
Small grains -
Oats, barley, rye, wheat, etc. 3.0
With plowing 4.7
Hay -
Dry cured, 3 cuttings, baled 8.6
Haylage -
3 cuttings or dry chopped 13.0

LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION:

Swine -
Raise 1 hog to market 0.3
Dairy cow -
9,000 pounds milk/year 0.8
12,000 pounds milk/year 1.0
Heifer (1 year) 0.3
Beef -
Steer (400 to 1200 pounds) 1.3
Heavy steers (700 to 1200 pounds) 0.7
Heifers (400 to 850 pounds) 1.0
Yearlings (650 to 1200 pounds) 1.2
Cows (winter and raise calf to 400 pounds) 0.6
Poultry -
100 broilers from birth to market 0.6
100 pullets from birth to laying 1.9
Layers for 1 year (100 birds) 5.4
100 turkeys from birth to market 5.4

* Includes all fuel used to remove feed from storage, process and deliver to
feeders.