Dropping a whole round bale into a vertical mixer is one of the reasons people buy one. It’s also where a lot of fuel and time gets wasted. Here’s how to process bales faster and easier on the machine.
Prep the bale
- Remove all net wrap and twine. Every bit. It wraps the auger and ends up in the cows.
- Check for stones and metal. Bales picked up off rough ground carry surprises.
- Know your bale. Dense, dry hay processes differently from damp baleage.
Load it first
Bales go in first, onto an empty or nearly empty tub. That gives the knives full access. Drop it on top of silage and it floats and spins.
Drop the bale gently. Throwing it in hard shocks the driveline and gearbox.
Use the restrictors
Push restrictors in while the bale breaks down. They hold the hay against the auger so knives cut faster. Once it’s processed, pull them back before adding the rest of the ration.
Keep knives sharp
Sharp knives cut a bale down quickly. Dull ones tear it slowly. If bale processing time is going up, knives are the first suspect.
Speed and power
Start the auger at a steady speed before the bale goes in, and keep the tractor at the recommended PTO speed. Processing pulls hard, so make sure the tractor matches the machine. Bigger bales need more power.
One bale or two?
Two bales at once can save time if the mixer is sized for it and the tractor has the power. Too much at once overloads the driveline. Follow the manufacturer guidance.
Loader matters too
If loading is slow, your whole feeding routine slows down. Loader height and bucket size cap how fast you can fill the mixer. More on that in our piece on loader height and tonnes per hour.
Bale type differences
- Dry hay bales: process fairly easily with sharp knives.
- Baleage: wetter and heavier, can be stringy.
- Straw bales: tough, slippery, harder on knives.
- Big square bales: often break apart more easily than tight round bales.
Adjust processing time and restrictors for each.
Slicing or breaking bales first
Some farmers break bales with a bale processor or slice them before loading. It can speed things up, but it’s another step. For most vertical mixers, a whole bale is fine if knives are sharp and restrictors are used.
Watching processing
Look into the tub, from a safe position, during processing. When the bale has broken down and stems are the right length, move on. Don’t keep processing out of habit.
Fuel and time
Processing bales is one of the most fuel-hungry parts of mixing. Sharp knives, correct restrictor use and not overprocessing cut fuel use. Track mix time for bale loads.
Safety with bales
- Never climb into the tub.
- Make sure loader and mixer operators communicate.
- Keep people clear when dropping bales.
- Remove wrap from the ground, not from the top of the mixer.
Disposing of net wrap
Keep wrap out of the feed and out of fields. Have a bin near the loading area. Wrap in the rumen causes real problems.
Wet weather and frozen bales
Bales stored outside take on water. The outer layer gets heavy and can be mouldy. Peel off bad material before loading. In cold climates, frozen bales are much harder to process and can be hard on knives and gearbox. If you can, store bales under cover, or bring the next day’s bales into a shed to thaw a bit before loading.
Mouldy feed shouldn’t go to the cows at all, mixed or not.
Quick questions
Should net wrap come off before loading? Always. No exceptions.
How long should a bale take? It depends on bale, knives and ration. Watch the tub and time it, then use that as your baseline.
One more thing to ask
If you’re buying a mixer for bales, ask the dealer to show it processing your bale type. Bring a round bale of your hay or straw and time it. Ask what restrictor settings they’d use and how often they’d expect knife changes on your forage. Ask what tractor power they’d want for that job. A machine that handles a light hay bale with ease may struggle with dense baleage or tight straw. Seeing it with your own feed beats any spec sheet.
Watch the result
Check particle length on the bunk. Too long means more process time or sharper knives. Too fine means you’re overdoing it.
For big bales and heavy daily use, our heavy-duty TMR mixers are built with that work in mind.
Bottom line? Clean bale in first, restrictors in, sharp knives, then the rest. It’s that simple and it saves real fuel.
Learn more about LEO Agriculture and our full line of feed mixers and manure spreaders.
