Calibrating combine yield monitors has become a crucial part of farm management decisions. If you are doing any form of corn or soybean comparison, whether it be the hybrid, fertilizer, fungicide or anything else, you’ll need a calibrated yield monitor. This ensures you can pull accurate data from the comparison and, in turn, use the data to drive future management decisions. These comparisons and data are a big part of making sure the dollars you spend have a high ROI.

There are many machines that can do their own calibrations (Precision Planting Yield Sense run through a 20/20 monitor, and John Deere Active Yield). However, even after self-calibrations, there is still one more factor that needs to be factored in for full calibration. Moisture is a critical piece to calibrating a monitor. You can do this by setting it to the ambient air temperature each day.

In combines that still use mass flow sensors, it is important to calibrate the monitor for each crop, and you could even need to calibrate more than once a year.

How To Calibrate 

You can complete this calibration by collecting a load of grain and correcting the weight by using an accurate scale (such as a weigh wagon). When you collect your calibration load, make sure the combine is harvesting at the same speed most of the harvesting will take place at. This will ensure the most accurate calibration and example of how the yield monitor will perform in the field.  Along with the mass flow calibration, moisture is still a critical part of accurate yield data. To calibrate moisture, compare it to a professional moisture meter for the best results.

Collecting the most accurate data possible is the key to being able to make informed management decisions. The more accurate your yield monitor is, the better the data can represent what is truly happening in your fields.

Reach out to your local LG Seeds team or STAR Partner for a yield monitor calibration this fall.