Jaylor wagon mixes it up to improved productivity

12/01/2018

Great mixing ability, easy fill and a low horsepower requirement were prerequisites for the Mixer Wagon Graham Hargreaves had decided would lift productivity on his Northland dairy farm.

Graham, his wife Angela and their two sons Lucas and Bradley, farm Millbrook Farms in Waipu. Their Dairy farm has Spring and Autumn calving herds producing milk 365 days a year. Graham’s dad Ian also lives on the farm, “He’s a real ‘fix it’ man,” he added. “He keeps a good eye on the run off for us and is a valuable part of the team.”

Graham elaborated, “When both herds are milking, we milk a total of 450 cows on the 160 ha property. We grow maize, millet for baleage, as well as 30ha of stack grass silage. A lease block provides us with another 300 bales of silage annually."

Graham’s relationship with Power Farming, Whangarei is a fairly new one. Eighteen months ago he was looking for a new general-purpose tractor for the farm and feed pad. He wanted a reliable, easy to drive product that was supported by a great back up reputation.

The purchase of the Deutz-Fahr Agrofarm G 100 and a X56 Trima loader has proved a good choice.

Several months later he took a serious look at the farm’s potential to raise productivity. He realised that improving the supplement feeding in his grass-based operation was the way ahead. “I felt that a mixer wagon that would allow me to weigh and mix the feed I was providing, would improve the quality of the dry matter consumed.”

Graham admits that the Jaylor was equally a choice of capability and convenience. The local Power Farming branch could supply, and their back up, and Jaylor’s comprehensive warranty package made the Jaylor 4425 Single Auger Mixer wagon a good fit.

With the Deutz-Fahr 100 G now an integral part of the feeding operation, Graham said, “Being able to know exactly how much of each product we are feeding is really helpful.

We feed a mix of stack silage, maize and a blend of palm kernel, soya bean and tapioca.”

“We load all the ingredients and then started mixing. We have recently installed extra knives to deal with the fodder beet we have grown for the first time this year.”

Under normal conditions the processing time is 10 minutes. With the inclusion of fodder beat into the ration a further 15 minutes is needed to give an even chop.

This exceptionally fast processing time is directly linked to the effectiveness of the uniquely designed and patented Jaylor square auger.

Feeding out is apparently a simple and accurate operation these days. “It’s a very easy process.” Graham said, “Because of the thorough mixing process the cows eat everything. They are unable to sort it so they get the full nutritional value.”

Of course the “bottom line” is, have yields improved? Graham concluded, “We have certainly noticed an increase in milk in the vats since we first started with the Jaylor Mixer Wagon.”

Click here to learn more about Jaylor 5425