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WHY THE FARMERS CHOOSE VERTICAL MIXING MORE AND MORE OFTEN

Feed mixers with vertical augers are working in the Czech Republic for 8 years to the full satisfaction of our customers without major failures and repairs.

The benefits of vertical mixing, next to the theoretical considerations, are also evidenced by practical results.

Vertical mixing has major advantages

  • The most essential advantage is perfect and quick preparation of the feed ration. Mixing is a matter of 3 to 4 minutes and the processed material retains all its natural characteristics, since it is not pressed, squeezed, or heated during the cutting and mixing process.
  • The results is a mixture that is soft and evenly distributed with preserved structuring fibre, which makes the ration also easily digestible and the cattle can easily ruminate.
  • With the right machine design, the ability to mix the feed ration with the micro-granules and mineral content is very high, since it reaches 2.8 % of the deviation value of the mixed material. This evidence is based on a statistical evaluation of several samples at specified distances in a feed trough. The standard result value of horizontal mixing solutions is 3.8 to 4.5 %, which is the extremely important data for an optimization of performance and health of a herd.
  • The second, also very important advantage lies in the service life of the equipment and the associated economy of operation. The experience shows that in the case of horizontal mixing, on our farms the service life of the equipment is approximately 3 500 to 4 000 h. Ordinary repairs, maintenance and operation inputs accounts for approximately 25 % of the purchase cost of the machine, whereas due to being equipped with a milling cuter, the purchase cost is much higher compared to the vertical mixing wagon.
  • For vertical mixing, approximately 8 000 to 12 000 hours for operation and service life are tested. The costs of ordinary repairs and maintenance do not exceed 10% of the purchase price, which is generally much lower than horizontal screw mixing systems.
  • In other words, this means that after 5 to 6 years of use, you will have running costs of 500 000 CZK for the horizontal screw solution at a purchase price of approx. 1 000 000 CZK, contrary to a vertical mixing wagon with 60 000 CZK of running costs at a purchase price of approximately 600 000 CZK..
  • An important aspect of the economy of operation also includes fuel and repairs of the towing equipment.
  • The horizontal mixing system is generally more demanding for the tractor's input power, usually by 20 to 25 % more compared to the vertical mixing system. This also results in a higher probability of the PTO and PTO gearboxes wear out. Today, it is already tested in operation that fuel consumption is 15 to 20 % lower by vertical mixing system.
  • The third advantage is the reliability parameter, which is based primarily on the simplicity of the vertical mixing system construction. The use of high-quality materials makes the operations very reliable, which is especially important in this business branch. Only the vertical mixing system ensures trouble-free cutting of hay in both forms - free and round bales. Similarly, straw can be processed for feeding of for bedding.

These benefits are financially several times more cost-effective, compared to the costs of a worker, which are saved when loading by a loading milling cutter with a horizontal mixing wagon. In order to improve the health of the herd, we can see a rising number of farmers dismantling the loading milling cutter from a horizontal feed mixer wagons.

The question of the position of the loading milling cutter mechanism on a wagon is to be considered in particular from the point of view of the disadvantages of this solution.  Last but not least, it is necessary to consider the usefulness of creating the weakest point on the wagon. The sales of vertical feed mixer wagons in western Europe clearly outweigh other systems, and there are countries such as the Netherlands, where wagons with horizontal mixing system are no longer sold at all.

Perfectly processed feed ration

Simple construction - long life

Highly mixed material - 2.8% deviation value