If you run a farm and have an animal stock to work on, you would know the importance of good feed for the animals. Cattle need to be fed appropriately for it to be functioning. Besides other crops, hay and straw feed are great animal options. But feeding them the chaff as it is can cause issues such as digestion problems. This is where a chaff cutter comes in.
A chaff cutter is a machine that helps cut the chaff, hay, and straw into small pieces so the cattle can easily consume them. The chaff cutter has several uses and various other advantages as well. It can be a great investment if you have livestock on your farm or at your house. But first, you must get acquainted with all the details. Keep reading to know more about it.
Classification Of Chaff Cutters
The fodder for animals can be cut into pieces manually, but if it is to be done more efficiently, you need to use a chaff cutter machine. This machine can be classified into two different types based on the head of the cutter – a cylinder-shaped head machine for cutting and a flywheel head machine.
There is another way to classify the cutters as well, which is through the usage of power, which include – cutters with hand chaff, chaff cutters operated with the help of animals, and power chaff cutters or silage cutting machines.
The Cylinder Cutter Head
The cylinder cutting head is typically used for power chaff cutters. This head has four sharp blades and an adjustable cylinder. The blades move in a quick motion to chop off the fodder into pieces. The chopped fodder falls into the housing, where it can be stored safely.
By adjusting the speed of the blades and the rollers, you can control the size of the chopped pieces of fodder. Moreover, you can sharpen the blades as needed without having to take them off the machine.
Flywheel Cutter Head
Chaff cutters with flywheel heads can vary in size, so they may have a different number of blades or knives – anywhere from two to six. The flywheel is made of cast iron and has radial blades. The power chaff cutters use straight blades, while the hand cutters use curved blades.
The blades are mounted on the flywheel using bolts. The power chaff cutters with flywheel heads can cut at a speed of 600 to 1000 rpm.
The speed of the blades is one factor that can change the size of the chopped pieces. Other factors include the number of blades on the flywheel, and their length can vary the size of the chopped fodder.
Advantages Of a Chaff Cutter
There are several advantages of a mechanical chaff cutter. Since it is operated mechanically, you don’t have to use labor to do this intensive work. This saves you time and resources. Using mechanical means is also a more energy-efficient way of doing this.
You can also use the chaff cutter for other purposes, such as cutting straw, hay, and more. The cutter provides a better yield of the chaff for the livestock. As the machine is more efficient, it decreases overall costs as well.
Conclusion
A chaff cutter is a cost-effective and efficient investment. You must ensure that you choose the right one and take proper care of it. Make sure to research the seller and choose a trusted one only. Check the reviews, compare prices, and then make an informed decision.
