{"id":677,"date":"2026-05-26T05:41:33","date_gmt":"2026-05-26T05:41:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/silage-baler.com\/?p=677"},"modified":"2026-05-26T05:57:35","modified_gmt":"2026-05-26T05:57:35","slug":"what-power-rating-does-a-feed-grinder-need-for-a-feedlot","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/silage-baler.com\/bn\/application\/what-power-rating-does-a-feed-grinder-need-for-a-feedlot\/","title":{"rendered":"What Power Rating Does a Feed Grinder Need for a Feedlot?"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

Power Rating Determines Throughput Capacity \u2014 and Nothing Else Substitutes for It<\/h2>\n

Choosing the wrong power rating for a forage grinder is one of the most common and expensive purchasing mistakes in Australian feedlot and livestock-feeding operations. An underpowered machine trips its thermal protection under full load, forces the operator to feed at a fraction of the rated rate to keep the motor running, and fails to deliver the daily grinding volume required without running extended hours. An overpowered machine wastes capital and draws electricity or fuel for capacity that never reaches the feed it is supposed to produce. Power rating is not a marketing number \u2014 it is the physical ceiling on the work the machine can do. Understanding what power rating your operation genuinely needs, and why the 9F-70’s 11\u201315 kW specification fits the majority of Australian beef and small dairy operations, prevents both the underpowered and overpowered mistake.<\/p>\n

\n

\"High<\/p>\n

High-volume feeding operations require power ratings matched to daily roughage tonnage \u2014 a mismatch between grinder power and herd size creates a daily bottleneck that limits the operation’s productive capacity.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

How Power Rating Connects to Throughput<\/h2>\n

In a hammer-mill grinder, the motor’s power output determines how much kinetic energy the rotor delivers per unit of time. More energy per second means more fracture events per second, which means more material processed per hour \u2014 throughput. The relationship is not perfectly linear because screen size, material hardness, and moisture content also affect how efficiently each watt of input power converts to size reduction work. But as a practical rule, doubling power approximately doubles throughput capacity at equivalent particle size settings.<\/p>\n

The 9F-70 at 11\u201315 kW delivers 500\u2013800 kg\/hour on dry hay and 300\u2013550 kg\/hour on straw and corn stover. A 7\u20138 kW grinder of similar rotor diameter delivers approximately 300\u2013450 kg\/hour on dry hay \u2014 adequate for very small operations but insufficient for the 400\u2013800 kg\/day requirements of a 100\u2013200 head feedlot. A 22 kW machine delivers 900\u20131,400 kg\/hour on dry hay, which is appropriate for large commercial feedlots or feed mills but represents significant over-investment for operations below 400 head.<\/p>\n

Calculating the Power Rating You Actually Need<\/h2>\n

The calculation has four steps. Work through them for your operation before comparing machines.<\/p>\n

\n
\n
1<\/div>\n
\n

Daily as-fed roughage requirement<\/p>\n

Headcount \u00d7 daily DM intake per head \u00d7 roughage fraction of ration \u00f7 hay DM percentage. Example: 150 beef cattle \u00d7 10 kg DM\/head\/day \u00d7 0.35 roughage fraction \u00f7 0.85 hay DM = 618 kg as-fed hay per day.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
2<\/div>\n
\n

Available grinding window per day<\/p>\n

How many hours can you realistically allocate to grinding each day? For most operations: 1\u20132 hours during morning feed preparation. Example: 1.5 hours available.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
3<\/div>\n
\n

Required throughput in kg\/hour<\/p>\n

Daily requirement \u00f7 grinding window. Example: 618 kg \u00f7 1.5 hours = 412 kg\/hour minimum required throughput.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
4<\/div>\n
\n

Match to machine power rating<\/p>\n

Select a machine whose rated throughput at your screen size and material type comfortably exceeds the required figure \u2014 ideally by 20\u201330% to allow for material variation, screen blockage pauses, and feed loading time. Example: 412 kg\/hour required \u2192 9F-70 at 500\u2013800 kg\/hour on dry hay with 8 mm screen provides 20\u201390% headroom. Suitable.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Power Rating by Feedlot Size: Practical Reference<\/h2>\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Herd Size<\/th>\nDaily Hay Requirement<\/th>\nRequired Throughput (1.5 hrs)<\/th>\nRecommended Power<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
30\u201380 head<\/td>\n120\u2013330 kg<\/td>\n80\u2013220 kg\/hr<\/td>\n7\u201311 kW<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
80\u2013200 head<\/td>\n330\u2013820 kg<\/td>\n220\u2013550 kg\/hr<\/td>\n11\u201315 kW (9F-70) \u2713<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
200\u2013400 head<\/td>\n820\u20131,650 kg<\/td>\n550\u20131,100 kg\/hr<\/td>\n15\u201322 kW or dual 9F-70<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
400\u2013800 head<\/td>\n1,650\u20133,300 kg<\/td>\n1,100\u20132,200 kg\/hr<\/td>\n22\u201337 kW or multiple units<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n
\n

\"Mid-size<\/p>\n

A well-sized forage grinding system keeps pace with the daily feed chain \u2014 from bale storage through grinding to the TMR mixer \u2014 without creating bottlenecks that slow the operation during peak production periods.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Why the 9F-70’s 11\u201315 kW Rating Fits the Australian Mainstream Market<\/h2>\n

The majority of Australian feedlots and backgrounding operations run between 80 and 300 head. The daily hay grinding requirement for these operations falls in the 330\u20131,200 kg range. The 9F-70 at 11\u201315 kW, processing 500\u2013800 kg\/hour on dry hay with an 8 mm screen, covers the full range of 80\u2013200 head operations comfortably within a 1.5-hour grinding window. For the upper end (200\u2013300 head), a 2-hour grinding window or a slightly larger screen size extends coverage without requiring a machine upgrade.<\/p>\n

This range also aligns with the standard 3-phase electrical supply on Australian farm properties \u2014 15 kW draws approximately 30 amps on a 415 V 3-phase supply, which is within the capacity of a standard 32-amp circuit breaker and does not require special high-current installation. For off-grid or remote properties, the diesel option provides equivalent grinding performance from a self-contained power source.<\/p>\n

Operations above 300 head that are scaling up should contact EverPower to discuss whether two 9F-70 units running in parallel (which provides redundancy as well as additional throughput) or a larger single machine better fits their infrastructure and operational model.<\/p>\n

Check if the 9F-70 Suits Your Feedlot Size<\/a><\/div>\n

Recommended Product: 9F-70 Animal Feed Grass Grinder<\/h2>\n
\n
\"9F-70<\/div>\n

11\u201315 kW rated power. 500\u2013800 kg\/hour on dry hay with 8 mm screen. Fits standard 3-phase 415 V farm supply (30 A circuit breaker). Also available in diesel configuration for off-grid properties. Covers 80\u2013200 head feedlot and backgrounding operations in a 1.5-hour daily grinding window. Full spare-parts support from EverPower’s Condell Park NSW warehouse, Australia-wide delivery.<\/p>\n

Get Pricing & Availability \u2192<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n
\n
\n1. What happens if I run a grinder above its rated power?+<\/span><\/summary>\n
The motor’s thermal protection trips the circuit<\/strong>, shutting the machine down to prevent overheating damage. Repeated trips accelerate winding insulation degradation and shorten motor life significantly. If your machine trips under normal feed rates, either the feed rate is too high, the screen is blocked, or the power rating is genuinely insufficient for your daily requirement.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n
\n2. Is 11 kW enough for a 100-head beef feedlot?+<\/span><\/summary>\n
Yes, comfortably. 100 finishing cattle need approximately 410 kg of as-fed hay per day<\/strong> at 35% roughage in the ration. The 9F-70 at 11 kW processes this in under one hour. An 11 kW motor on this workload runs at well below rated load, which extends motor life and reduces electricity consumption per tonne processed.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n
\n3. Does grinding straw require more power than grinding hay?+<\/span><\/summary>\n
Yes. Straw requires 20\u201335% more power per tonne<\/strong> than equivalent hay because the hard hollow stems require more fracture energy per kilogram. If you grind mostly straw, use the straw throughput figure (400\u2013550 kg\/hour for the 9F-70) rather than the hay figure when sizing your machine to your herd.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n
\n4. Can I run two 9F-70 units in parallel for a larger herd?+<\/span><\/summary>\n
Yes, and this is a practical option for operations of 200\u2013400 head<\/strong>. Two 9F-70 units provide 1,000\u20131,600 kg\/hour combined throughput on hay, redundancy (one machine can cover daily requirements if the other is down for maintenance), and lower capital outlay than a single larger machine of equivalent combined power.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n
\n5. How do I confirm the 9F-70 suits my herd before purchasing?+<\/span><\/summary>\n
Contact EverPower Baling Machinery Australia<\/strong> at +61 2 9708 3322<\/strong> or sales@silage-baler.com<\/strong> with your headcount, feed material type, daily grinding window, and ration roughage fraction. The team will run the throughput calculation for your specific situation and confirm whether the 9F-70 fits or advise on an alternative configuration.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<\/div>\n
\n

Right-Size Your Grinder Before You Buy.<\/p>\n

EverPower will confirm whether the 9F-70 covers your daily roughage requirement \u2014 or advise on the right configuration if your operation is larger.<\/p>\n

Contact EverPower Australia<\/a><\/p>\n

EverPower Baling Machinery Australia Pty Ltd \u00a0|\u00a0 27 Harley Crescent, Condell Park NSW 2200
\n\ud83d\udcde +61 2 9708 3322 \u00a0|\u00a0 \u2709\ufe0f sales@silage-baler.com<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Power Rating Determines Throughput Capacity \u2014 and Nothing Else Substitutes for It Choosing the wrong power rating for a forage grinder is one of the most common and expensive purchasing mistakes in Australian feedlot and livestock-feeding operations. An underpowered machine trips its thermal protection under full load, forces the operator to feed at a fraction […]<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-677","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-forage-grinder"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/silage-baler.com\/bn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/677","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/silage-baler.com\/bn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/silage-baler.com\/bn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/silage-baler.com\/bn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/silage-baler.com\/bn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=677"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/silage-baler.com\/bn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/677\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":689,"href":"https:\/\/silage-baler.com\/bn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/677\/revisions\/689"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/silage-baler.com\/bn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=677"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/silage-baler.com\/bn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=677"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/silage-baler.com\/bn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=677"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}