Ration Preparation with a Feed Mixer: Boost Efficiency on Your Farm

Ration Preparation with a Feed Mixer: Boost Efficiency on Your Farm

In animal husbandry, productivity and animal health are directly linked to proper nutrition. Especially in large herds or commercial operations, ensuring that animals receive the same nutritional value with every bite is vital. This is where **feed mixers** come into play. Feed mixers allow you to prepare balanced rations by homogeneously mixing different feed raw materials to meet all of your animals' nutritional needs. So, how does the process of preparing rations with a feed mixer work, and what should you pay attention to?

What is a Feed Mixer and Why is it Important?

A feed mixer is an agricultural machine that enables the preparation of a homogeneous feed called a **Total Mixed Ration (TMR)**, ready to be offered to animals, by mixing various forages, concentrates, minerals, and vitamins in specific proportions. These machines are capable of precisely weighing, chopping (forages), mixing, and discharging feeds.

The importance of a feed mixer:

• Homogeneous Mixture: It ensures excellent mixing of feeds, preventing selective eating by animals and guaranteeing they receive the same nutritional value with every bite. This prevents digestive problems and nutrient deficiencies.
• Increased Productivity: Thanks to balanced nutrition, animals' milk, meat, or reproductive yields increase.
• Digestive Health: Presenting forages and concentrates together supports rumen health and reduces the risk of metabolic issues like acidosis.
• Reduced Feed Waste: It ensures better utilization of feeds and minimizes waste.
• Labor Savings: It is much faster and easier than manual mixing.

Steps for Ration Preparation with a Feed Mixer

To prepare an effective ration with a feed mixer, carefully follow these steps:

1. Step: Determine the Ration Formula

First, identify the type of animals you will be feeding (dairy cow, beef calf, sheep, etc.), their age, weight, and production goals (milk yield, daily live weight gain, etc.). Work with a veterinarian or animal nutrition specialist to create the most suitable **ration formula** for your animals' needs. This formula should precisely state how much (in kilograms) of each feed raw material you will use.

2. Step: Prepare Feed Raw Materials

Prepare all forages, concentrates, minerals, and vitamins you will use in your ration. Ensure their quality and never use spoiled or moldy feeds.

• Forages: Ensure that forages such as silage, dry hay, and straw are of an appropriate size for the machine. Although some machines have integrated chopping blades, pre-chopping feeds can improve homogeneity.
• Concentrates: Prepare concentrates like grains (corn, barley) and meals (soybean, sunflower) for measurement.
• Mineral and Vitamin Premixes: Prepare these additives in the correct amounts using precise scales.

3. Step: Loading Order of Feeds into the Machine

Loading feeds into the mixer in a specific order ensures the best mixing quality and machine efficiency:

• Forages First: Generally, long-fibered forages (straw, dry hay) are loaded first. This allows the machine's blades or augers to break down the feeds and prepare them for mixing with other feeds.
• Then Silage: Silage is added on top of the straw and hay. The moist nature of silage helps in mixing other dry feeds.
• Concentrates: Then, concentrates such as grains and meals are added.
• Minerals and Vitamins (Last): Minerals, vitamins, and other small additives should be added last. This ensures their homogeneous distribution. Different loading orders may be recommended for some machine models; check your machine's user manual.

After adding each feed type, allow the machine to mix for a short period, which contributes to homogeneity.

4. Step: Mixing Time and Speed

Sufficient mixing time and the correct speed setting are important to ensure the feeds are thoroughly and homogeneously mixed. Generally, 5-15 minutes may be sufficient, depending on the machine's capacity and the type of feeds. Over-mixing can degrade the feed structure, while insufficient mixing will not ensure homogeneity.

5. Step: Present the Ration to Animals

Distribute the prepared TMR evenly and regularly into the feeders. Ensure that the feeders are clean and that animals can easily access the feed. The times of day for feeding and how many meals will be offered should also be determined according to your animals' needs.

Practical Tips and Points to Consider

• Weighing Accuracy: Ensure that each feed raw material is **accurately weighed** according to its quantity in the formula. If the mixer has its own weighing system, calibrate it regularly.
• Machine Maintenance: Regularly check and maintain the sharpness of the feed mixer's blades, the condition of its augers, and its general mechanical parts. This extends the machine's lifespan and ensures efficient operation.
• Feed Quality: No matter how good the machine is, using quality feed raw materials always yields the best results. Avoid moldy, spoiled, or stale feeds.
• Water Supply: No matter how balanced the ration is, remember that animals must have access to clean and freely available water.
• Observation and Adjustment: After preparing the ration, continuously observe the animals' feed consumption, body condition, manure, and general health status. Make adjustments to the ration formula or feeding schedule if necessary.
• Expert Support: For complex rations or large herds, regular support from an animal nutrition specialist is very beneficial for both establishing the correct feeding program and preventing potential problems.

A feed mixer, when used correctly, can make a significant difference in animal nutrition. By optimizing the ration preparation process, you can both improve your animals' health and productivity and contribute to the economic success of your farm.