September 2025 The Northern Farmer
Efficient Use of Fodder
The incredibly dry conditions this year mean the efficient use of fodder and bedding has never been more important. AgriSource offers a range of products that can reduce daily usage, minimise waste and increase nutritional benefit, in addition to reducing labour and increasing operational efficiency.
Dividing up and feeding out round bales of silage can be both time consuming and hard work.
The Göweil round bale slicer can be used to either cut bales in half or into several slices — for example when reversing down a feed passage — saving time and labour and reducing waste as the livestock eat. This is also useful when bales need to be divided between buildings or pens.
AgriSource also offers a range of double and single silage pushers which can be used to keep the silage at the barrier, getting the most out of each feeding.
The Göweil slicer is strong and well made, with an optional wrap holder to retain the net and stretch film when required.
The mounted and trailed Kidd bale processors are also a good way of feeding round bale silage efficiently and make dividing bales as easy as possible.
A dual-purpose machine, the Kidd blowers are also useful bedding machines, allowing both round and square bale straw to be used efficiently.
For customers feeding straw, the Kidd 475TC (Twin Chop) can be used to pre-chop straw to a consistent chop length, giving livestock more nutritional value.
Being easy to operate and suited to a variety of locations and situations has made the Spread-a-Bale bedding machine with Horizontal Rotor (HR) a popular choice.
Making eating easier for young stock and significantly reducing mixing times compared to introducing full straw bales into diet mixers. By retracting the additional knife bank with the tractor hydraulics, the 475TC becomes a conventional flywheel bedding machine that leaves the straw longer for a more effective and longer-lasting bed.
Finally, the popular loader-mounted and simple-to-operate Spread-a-Bale bedding machines are available in a range of sizes: Micro, Mini, Midi and Maxi. Whether using a mid-range skid steer or tractor loader up to a 4.5 ton telehandler, there is a Spread-a-Bale to suit your loader.
Farm building access and layouts vary massively, and AgriSource can offer a choice of spreading systems and mounting options to suit. Horizontal Rotor (HR) is ideal where greater throw distance is required in larger buildings. The latest ST or Side-Throw models can bed to either side or directly forwards, even when end-mounted, making them versatile and ideal for bedding from narrow passages.
The original Spread-a-Bale Twin Vertical Rotor system is a timeless design that creates a wide fan spread pattern — still the best solution for many farms.
Customers favour the gentle bedding action, minimal dust, simplicity of use and easy self-loading that their Spread-a-Bales provide.
