Feeding maize silage in winter: Setting the herd up for success
As I write this article, we have just had our first frost in the Waikato, a change in weather signalling that winter is upon us.
Available from 12 to 17 m3 and suited to farms with more than 80 dairy cows, the single vertical auger models are designed with a rear steering axle allowing for a short turning radius.
This new range features several models to meet varying herd sizes, with the SPV Access offered in 12, 14 and 15 cu metre capacities with a 90hp milling head, while the SPV Power is available in 12, 14, 15 and 17 cube sizes with a 120hp milling head.
The rear steering axle offers a 5.9m turning radius, making manoeuvring in silos or accessing narrow feeding passages easy, while the optional front steering axle can be specified to reduce the turning radius to only 5.0m
The engine is placed between the cab and the tub, so offering comfortable access to perform routine maintenance.
Described as an “easy to drive” machine, precise machine control is actioned via an ergonomic joystick, with an optional pedal-controlled layout if preferred. A choice of two different control terminals, the VT 30 or CCI 50, use a simple interface logic for control of the Loading, Mixing and Feeding modes.
The panoramic cab allows the operator to move safely within confined spaces, utilising 360° lighting for dark operating environments and forward-mounted electric retractable rear-view mirrors.
The design of the new range is said to allow large volumes while overall heights remain low. For example, a 15 m3 machine can now operate in buildings with less than 3.00m headroom, achieved by positioning the mixer tub low between the axles.
The machines feature right and/or left-hand side discharge, allowing feed passages requiring simultaneous, bilateral distribution to be handled in one pass. Both units can be equipped with a retractable feed conveyor under the tub, that in transport mode, remains within the machine’s outline, so protecting against impact damage.
The 2-metre wide milling heads are said to deal with all fodder and feed types, benefitting from automated control of the milling head on the downstroke to allow the force to be adapted to the density of the fodder being loaded
The mixing auger is powered hydraulically with two speed ranges. In the “mixing” mode, it ensures complete cutting and mixing of the products at 15 rpm with the ACCESS models and 20 rpm with the POWER models. In the “feeding” mode, the tubs increase speed to 38 rpm for the ACCESS and at 50 rpm for the POWER versions.
