Workhorse Technologies for organic farming (1998-2002)

• FG Agricultural Technology: Rüdiger Krause, Christian Schellert
• various manufacturers of horse-drawn equipment,
• various European working horse associations

3 / 1998 until 10 / 2002

• Peter Herold
• Jürgen Heß

The project serves to determine the performance potential as well as the further and new development of modern horse-drawn machines and implements. The focus of the investigations is the use of a front wagon in combination with various three-point implements (double-blade mower, tedder, windrower, possibly high-pressure baler) in grassland farming. The parameters studied are: Tractive power requirement, area output, work economy and work quality, and possible environmental effects. As far as possible, these parameters are surveyed in direct comparison with tractor use. The results serve on the one hand for the formulation of empirical figures for the modern use of working horses, and on the other hand for the ecological and economic evaluation of the use of modern working horses and tractors in organic farming.