This article provides detailed information on silage choppers and the different types that exist. It covers the reasons why farmers should invest in these cutters despite the high investments initially used. If you want to know more about these machines, this is the article for you!

Introduction

A silage chopper is also known as a forage harvester, is a multifunctional economic machine used in agriculture to harvest forage plants to make forage. Silage consists of plants such as corn, hay, maize stalks, or Napier grass, that have been chopped into smaller pieces and compacted into a silage bunker.  All these are converted into suitable meals for animals, i.e. poultry and livestock. These machines are the best in farming activities be they large-scale and small-scale livestock keepers.

An example of a silage cutter

Types

Manual Silage Chopper

The manual silage cutter is a manually operated silage machine that has a flywheel that can be rotated by hand. These manual machines do not need any form of power and can be used in remote areas. It reduces the effort previously used in chopping by half due to the presence of sharp cutter blades. It is more suitable for small-scale and medium-scale farmers.

Automatic Silage Chopper

These choppers use power to be operational. Different automatic choppers, such as tractors, engines, or motor-operated choppers come with different specifications. Electric cutters with motor blades use different horsepower. Engine cutters, on the other hand, have a cutter shaft and gear drive. It is a good substitute for manual silage cutters in areas where power is insufficient or not available. A tractor-driven silage chopper is a large machine connected to a tractor for use in large-scale farming.

Mini Chaff Cutter

It is small in size and has a low capacity which makes it preferable in small-scale sectors. It is portable, easy to use, and minimizes wastage. Small scale farmers are mostly advised to use this type of silage cutter as it is readily available in the markets today at the most affordable silage chopper prices in Kenya.

Combined Chaff Cutter

These are multifunctional silage cutters with several features and different controls. Not only can it be used in cutting grass, straw, and hay but also in grinding wheat, corn, barley, etc. It is most preferable for small-scale farmers.

Advantages

Reduces the effort previously used.

It is operational in all weather conditions.

Reduces the feeding costs.

Provides room for by-products to be optimized.

Increases the potential of nutrients yielded.

Plants using these machines are easily digestible and palatable.

Disadvantages

Expensive as it requires high investments.

The management of the processes may be quite challenging.

Loss of nutrients during storage as silage is not easy to market.

Conclusion

Silage making ensures ease in preserving and storing animal feeds, making it easier for producers to focus on maximizing output. Therefore, silage chopper machines have gone a long way in making work easier for farmers once it comes to silage cutting and preservation, giving farmers an advantage to better position themselves in the market and yield high profits. For more, check https://www.chaffcutters.co.ke