You can learn more about a mixer in fifteen minutes of good questions than in an hour of brochure. Here’s the checklist I’d want any farmer to run through before signing for a TMR mixer. Print it. Take it to the dealer.
The machine
- What size do I really need? Bring your ration and head count. Make them show the math.
- Single, twin or triple auger? Ask why that choice fits your loads.
- What horsepower does it need when processing bales, not just blending? Those are different numbers.
- What gearbox is in it, and what’s the service interval?
- How thick is the floor and wall steel, and are there wear liners?
Running it
- What wears first, and what do those parts cost? Knives, liners, bearings, seals. Get real numbers.
- What scale system comes with it, and how is it calibrated? Accurate weighing is where a lot of feed money hides.
- Will it fit my yard? Height, length, turning, door clearance.
Support
- Where’s the nearest parts stock? Not “we can order it.” Where is it sitting today?
- Who services it, and how fast do they come out? Ask other customers, not just the salesman.
- What does the warranty cover, for how long, and what voids it? Read the warranty terms before signing, not after.
- Who do I call at 5 a.m. when it stops? If the answer is a long pause, keep shopping.
Why the support questions matter most
The machine is half the purchase. The other half is the people behind it. Farmers are some of the sharpest, most no-BS buyers around. They know a broken mixer means hand feeding, hired help, and cows off their feed. A dealer network that answers the phone is worth real money.
Red flags
- No local parts, everything shipped from overseas on order.
- Vague answers about horsepower under load.
- Warranty that sounds great until you read the exclusions.
- No references from farms near you.
How to use the answers
Write the answers down for every machine you look at. Same 12 questions, same sheet. When you lay them side by side, the weak spots jump out. One dealer can’t tell you knife prices. Another has parts three states or provinces away. Another gives a horsepower number that sounds low for bale processing.
Don’t just take the salesman’s word on support. Call two or three farmers near you who run the same brand. Ask them one question: “When it broke, how fast were you running again?” Their answer is worth more than the whole brochure.
Questions about the ration
Bring your nutritionist into it. Ask:
- Can this machine hit my target particle length with my forage?
- How long will a typical load take to mix?
- Will it handle my smallest group’s load properly?
Questions about the money
- What’s included in the quoted price?
- Is delivery, setup and scale installation included?
- What finance options are there, and what’s the total cost over the term?
- What’s the realistic resale value in five to ten years?
Questions about safety
- Are all guards in place and easy to keep in place?
- Is there a safe way to check knives and the tub?
- Does it have lights and brakes suited to your roads?
Before you sign
Read the warranty. Read the delivery terms. Make sure the machine size, options and scale system on the order match what you discussed. It sounds obvious, but mistakes on order forms happen more than you’d think.
Questions about the people
The machine is half the deal. The other half is who stands behind it. Ask who does the setup on your farm. Ask who you call on a Sunday in January when the mixer won’t turn. Ask whether the service tech has worked on this exact model before. Ask how training works for your feeders, not just for you.
A good dealer won’t mind these questions. A dealer who gets annoyed by them just told you what support will look like after the cheque clears. Write that down on your sheet as well.
One more thing to ask
Ask the dealer to show you a mixer just like the one you’re quoting, running on a farm near you. Not at a show, not in a yard. On a farm, with a ration like yours. Watch a full load go in, mix and come out. Talk to the person who feeds with it every day, because they’ll tell you what the brochure won’t. If the dealer can’t find one to show you, ask yourself why. A machine with happy owners nearby is usually a machine with support nearby.
Next step
Run these 12 questions past a LEO dealer and anyone else you’re considering. Compare the answers side by side. The right machine usually becomes obvious.
Learn more about LEO Agriculture and our full line of feed mixers and manure spreaders.
