A feed mixer that handles only one small bale at a time would be considered a throwback to any earlier era, unless it came from a company like Jay-Lor.
It is one of the early pioneers in developing the concept of shorter forage cuts with sharp ends.
But why would a company design a small mixer with only 50 cubic feet capacity when forage feeding equipment is gradually getting bigger?
“Because there is no other such mixer on the market,” said Jay-Lor co-founder Jerry Tamminga.
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“And it’s small on purpose. We’re targeting farmers with small ruminants: sheep, goat dairies, small dairies with special needs groups, people with horses.
“We felt there was a waiting market for something like this. It turns out the response from this group has been overwhelming.”
Tamminga said the Mini-Mixer is designed for producers who feed rations in which the cuts are short and the tips are sharp to stimulate the rumens.
“That’s been our claim to fame all along at Jay-Lor,” Tamminga said.
“The way the hay is cut in the Mini- Mixer is exactly what the animals need for that action to occur in the rumen.
“The length of cut is adjustable only by the timing. If you run it longer, you get a finer cut. There’s no mechanical adjustment on the cut.”
The cutting mechanism consists of seven flat knives, three mini Alexander knives and one angling knife.
The drum is polyethylene and the frame is galvanized steel. The scale is a DG STAD 02.
The basic Mini-Mixer machine comes in three variations:
• The stationary unit is powered by a 10 horsepower electric motor and sells for slightly less than $10,000.
• The trailer and truck versions are powered by a 13 h.p. BS Vanguard gas engine and can easily be pulled by an all-terrain vehicle or small garden tractor. They also sell for less than $10,000.
• The self-propelled Mini-Mixer is the most popular version for people feeding in tight quarters. All three wheels are hydrostatically driven, making it easy to maneuver in narrow alleys and around 90 degree corners.
An added benefit with the SP is that the producer can drive the mixer to the exact feeding spot, process the bale and dump it into the feeder. This model sells for $12,600.
For more information, contact Tamminga at 800-809-8224 or visit www.jaylor.com.
