With livestock farmers under pressure to re-build silage stocks, after the challenges of the past 12 months, advisors and nutritional consultants are highlighting the value of including straw in ruminant diets next winter. It is a point that has been picked up by Redrock Machinery managing director Frank Flynn.

“The most efficient way of including straw in diets is through the use of a paddle-based mixer feeder,” he explained.

“The new Redrock machines feature the Fiber-Tech cutting system. This ensures that straw is consistently cut to the precise length required. In addition, the clean, sharp edges produced rub against the wall of the rumen, thereby ensuring maximum cudding. The end result is the maximum utilisation of the diet on offer.”

Flynn added: “The paddle feeder also allows farmers to make best use of potatoes, root crops and other inputs, such as apples. The machine will ensure their inclusion in the diet without degrading their physical integrity.

“There is likely to be an abundance of these crops available for stock feed inclusion later this year. This is further good news for livestock farmers, as they seek to identify the feeding options that will generate the best margins next winter.”

Flynn made his comments in the wake of the successful mixing and feeding demonstrations undertaken by the new Redrock paddle feeder at the recent Livestock Event in Birmingham in the UK.

“By common consent the new feeder performed tremendously well throughout the two days of the event, in the company of seven tub machines. Significantly, all of the silage used for the demonstrations was in round bale format. The fact that the Redrock paddle feeder produced such a consistent mix every time is testimony to the efficiency and versatility of the new wagon,” he concluded.

By Richard Halleron 

Pictured: A new Redrock Fiber-Tech mixer feeder, being put through its paces