Drought conditions are straining the patience and funds of farmers across Australia, leading farmers to find alternatives.
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Queensland dairy farmer Peter Mengel has found some relief in his new Strautmann Verti-Mix 2401 feed mixer.
With conditions so dry he can’t even grow grass, let alone feed crops, Mengel took to a feed mixer.
“I previously used a blue vertical feed mixer, which didn’t have the suspension to cope with our terrain. When the undercarriage needed fixing, it was going to cost me thousands of dollars, so I bought a Strautmann Verti-Mix 2401 instead.
“It comes standard with tandem sprung axle suspension, which ensures a comfortable ride in the paddock on my 191hp tractor,” he says.
The Verti-Mix offers the new Vario2 mixing auger, which has a unique stepped flight design.
“After I’ve put the last bale in the mixer, the feed ration is totally mixed in five minutes,” he says.
“The other machine used to take 20 minutes, I’m mixing four times a day—twice for the dairy cows, one mix for the heifers and one for the dry cows and springers—so that’s a lot of time saved, and it’s reduced my fuel costs by $1,200 a month.”
Mengel has been happy with his investment, saying his cows aren’t leaving any feed behind. His Verti-Mix 2401 is mixing milled corn, soybean meal, bales or sorghum and hay.
Australian Strautmann product manager from Inlon Shane Ryan says the stepped flight design on the Verti-Mix 2401’s auger is delivering more efficient mixing.
“It (Vario2) gives Peter fast low-horsepower mixing because the steps lift and loosen the fodder as it mixes, creating a uniform feed ration without over processing,” he says.
“Tests comparing traditional pure smooth spiral augers with the stepped flight auger have showed considerably reduced power consumption with the new design.
“The patented knife adjustment system also means it can be adapted to specific conditions, using straw knives, bale cutting or root crop knives.”
With sizes from 10.5 to 45 cubic metres, in single, twin and triple auger configurations, there is a Strautmann suitable for all applications
“The Strautmann Verti-Mix is a quality machine, and I’m pleased to be rid of the suspension problems,” Mengel says.
“I also have large 435mm tyres on the mixer, which minimise any rolling from side to side on uneven ground, keeping an optimal centre of gravity.”
You can mind find an extensive range of Strautmann equipment such as forage wagons, feed out wagons or manure spreaders from Australian distributor Inlon or from their website: https://www.strautmann.com.au/.
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