{"id":670,"date":"2026-05-26T05:36:53","date_gmt":"2026-05-26T05:36:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/silage-baler.com\/?p=670"},"modified":"2026-05-26T05:36:53","modified_gmt":"2026-05-26T05:36:53","slug":"forage-grinder-throughput-how-many-tonnes-per-hour-do-you-need","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/silage-baler.com\/da\/application\/forage-grinder-throughput-how-many-tonnes-per-hour-do-you-need\/","title":{"rendered":"Forage Grinder Throughput: How Many Tonnes per Hour Do You Need?"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

Why Throughput Is the Number That Matters Most<\/h2>\n

When evaluating a forage grinder, the specification that determines whether the machine fits your operation is not price, not power rating, and not brand \u2014 it is throughput expressed as tonnes per hour. Throughput tells you whether the machine can grind your daily or weekly feed requirement within the time available. A grinder that costs 30% less than the competition but runs at half the throughput may require double the operating hours to process the same feed volume, consuming more labour, more fuel or electricity, and leaving less margin for breakdown or bad weather delay. Getting throughput right before purchasing avoids the two common mistakes: buying a machine too small and creating a daily bottleneck in the feed preparation chain, or buying a machine too large and paying for capital and power capacity that sits idle most of the time.<\/p>\n

\"Round<\/p>\n

Forage logistics \u2014 moving bales from storage to grinder and then to the mixer or feedbunk \u2014 sets the practical upper limit on daily grinding throughput just as much as the machine’s rated capacity does.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Step One: Calculate Your Daily Grinding Requirement<\/h2>\n

Daily grinding requirement is simply the dry matter tonnage of ground roughage your animals need per day. Start with headcount, dry matter intake per head, and the proportion of the ration that comes from ground roughage. A worked example clarifies the calculation:<\/p>\n

100 beef cattle at an average liveweight of 400 kg in a finishing programme consume approximately 2.8% of bodyweight as dry matter per day \u2014 11.2 kg DM\/head\/day. The ration is 35% roughage on a dry matter basis, so roughage dry matter per head is 3.9 kg. For 100 head, total roughage DM per day is 390 kg. Roughage in this example is hay baled at 85% dry matter, so as-fed tonnage is 390 \/ 0.85 = 459 kg\/day. The grinder must process 459 kg of hay per day for this operation.<\/p>\n

Now factor in operating time. If the grinder runs for 2 hours per day during morning feed preparation, the required throughput is 459 \/ 2 = 230 kg\/hour. The 9F-70 rated at 500\u2013800 kg\/hour on dry hay comfortably handles this requirement with significant capacity to spare \u2014 or allows the operator to complete the task in under one hour, freeing the rest of the morning for other work.<\/p>\n

How Feed Material Affects Real-World Throughput<\/h2>\n

Rated throughput figures are measured on dry hay at 10\u201312% moisture under controlled laboratory conditions. Real-world throughput varies significantly depending on five material characteristics that every operator encounters in practice.<\/p>\n

\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Feed Material<\/th>\nTypical Moisture<\/th>\n9F-70 Throughput (8 mm screen)<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Dry ryegrass hay<\/td>\n10\u201314%<\/td>\n650\u2013800 kg\/hour<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Lucerne hay<\/td>\n10\u201315%<\/td>\n550\u2013700 kg\/hour<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Wheat \/ barley straw<\/td>\n8\u201312%<\/td>\n400\u2013550 kg\/hour<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Dry corn stover<\/td>\n10\u201318%<\/td>\n300\u2013480 kg\/hour<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Mixed hay (semi-dry, 18\u201322%)<\/td>\n18\u201322%<\/td>\n300\u2013420 kg\/hour<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

Use the figure for your primary feed material when calculating whether the 9F-70 meets your daily requirement. If you grind multiple materials, use the lowest throughput figure in your mix as the planning baseline, and treat higher-throughput materials as a buffer that allows you to complete the daily task faster.<\/p>\n

\"Traction<\/p>\n

High-volume forage production requires matched throughput at every step \u2014 from cutting and windrowing to grinding \u2014 to avoid bottlenecks that delay feeding programmes.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

How Screen Size Affects Throughput<\/h2>\n

Screen hole diameter has a direct and significant effect on throughput. Smaller holes require more particle recirculation inside the grinding chamber before material passes through, increasing the average time each particle spends in the machine and reducing the mass flow rate out. As a rough guide for the 9F-70 on dry ryegrass hay, moving from an 8 mm screen to a 6 mm screen reduces throughput by approximately 20\u201330%. Moving to a 4 mm screen reduces it by 40\u201355% compared to the 8 mm baseline. This is not a flaw \u2014 it reflects the additional energy input required to achieve finer particle size \u2014 but it must be factored into throughput planning.<\/p>\n

Practical implication: if your operation requires 6 mm particle size for dairy TMR and your daily grinding requirement is 600 kg at 6 mm output, plan for an effective throughput of 350\u2013500 kg\/hour rather than the peak 800 kg\/hour figure. At 400 kg\/hour average, you need 1.5 hours of grinding to meet your daily requirement \u2014 a manageable operating window for most operations.<\/p>\n

Throughput Planning for Different Operation Sizes<\/h2>\n
\n
\n
S<\/div>\n
\n

Small operation: 30\u201380 head cattle or 150\u2013400 sheep\/goats<\/p>\n

Daily roughage DM requirement: 100\u2013350 kg. At 8 mm screen, the 9F-70 processes this in 10\u201335 minutes. Grinding every second or third day and storing pre-ground material is viable for these scale operations, reducing daily labour to a minimum while maintaining fresh ground material in the feedbunk.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
M<\/div>\n
\n

Mid-size operation: 80\u2013250 head cattle or small dairy herd<\/p>\n

Daily roughage DM requirement: 350\u20131,100 kg. The 9F-70 processes this in 45\u2013165 minutes at 8 mm on dry hay. Daily grinding fits within a 2-hour morning preparation window for the upper end of this range. One machine is sufficient; a second is not needed until headcount exceeds 250 head.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
L<\/div>\n
\n

Large operation: 250\u2013600 head cattle or commercial feed mill<\/p>\n

Daily roughage DM requirement: 1,100\u20132,600 kg. The 9F-70 processes this in 1.4\u20133.3 hours at 8 mm on dry hay. One machine in continuous operation covers this range but leaves minimal buffer. Two 9F-70 units run in parallel is the recommended configuration above 400 head, providing redundancy if one machine requires maintenance.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\"Towed<\/p>\n

The full forage production chain \u2014 raking, baling, storing, grinding \u2014 must be sized together. A high-capacity rake and baler feeding into an undersized grinder creates a daily bottleneck that undermines the investment in field equipment.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

What Reduces Throughput Below Rated Capacity<\/h2>\n

Five conditions commonly reduce real-world 9F-70 throughput below the rated figure. Identifying and addressing these keeps the machine running at its design capacity through the full feeding season.<\/p>\n

Worn hammers:<\/strong> As hammer edges round off, fracture efficiency drops. The machine still grinds but recirculates material longer before it passes the screen, reducing mass flow. Schedule hammer flips at 100 hours and replacements at 200 hours as a preventive measure rather than waiting for visible throughput loss.<\/p>\n

Screen blockage:<\/strong> Moist material coats the screen holes, reducing open area and restricting material exit. Clean screens between shifts when grinding material above 15% moisture. A blocked screen is often mistaken for insufficient motor power when the real issue is reduced screen open area.<\/p>\n

Uneven feed rate:<\/strong> Intermittent overfeeding followed by gaps leaves the chamber alternately overloaded and idling. A controlled, consistent feed rate \u2014 either by operator habit or by an infeed conveyor with a speed controller \u2014 maximises throughput and reduces peak current draw.<\/p>\n

V-belt slip:<\/strong> A stretched or worn V-belt between the motor and rotor reduces rotor RPM below design speed, cutting tip velocity and fracture energy. Check belt tension monthly and replace when elongation exceeds the manufacturer’s specified limit.<\/p>\n

High-moisture feed:<\/strong> Every 5 percentage points of moisture above 12% reduces throughput by approximately 10\u201315%. If bale moisture varies seasonally, plan grinding time on the assumption of higher-moisture conditions and treat dry-weather performance as a bonus.<\/p>\n

Calculate Your Throughput Requirement \u2014 Contact EverPower<\/a><\/div>\n

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

500\u2013800 kg\/hour on dry hay with an 8 mm screen. Rated 11\u201315 kW. Handles hay, lucerne, straw, corn stover, and mixed crop residues. CNC-punched screens in four hole sizes allow throughput and particle size to be balanced for your specific feed material and daily requirement. All wear parts \u2014 hammers, screens, belts, bearings \u2014 stocked at Condell Park NSW for fast dispatch across Australia.<\/p>\n

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

Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n
\n
\n1. How do I calculate how much throughput I need?+<\/span><\/summary>\n
Multiply headcount by daily DM intake per head by the roughage fraction of the ration. Convert to as-fed weight by dividing by the hay’s DM percentage. Then divide by the hours available for grinding per day. The result is your minimum required throughput in kg\/hour<\/strong>.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n
\n2. Does the 9F-70 throughput drop with a finer screen?+<\/span><\/summary>\n
Yes. Moving from an 8 mm to a 6 mm screen reduces throughput by approximately 20\u201330%<\/strong> on dry hay. A 4 mm screen reduces it by 40\u201355% compared to 8 mm. Factor this into your daily grinding time planning when using fine screens for dairy TMR or pellet infeed.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n
\n3. Can I grind every second day and store the output?+<\/span><\/summary>\n
Yes, for dry roughage below 14% moisture, pre-ground material stores well for 2\u20133 days<\/strong> in a dry, covered bin or bag without significant quality loss. Grinding every 2\u20133 days and storing the output reduces daily labour while maintaining feed quality for most beef and dry-cow rations.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n
\n4. What is the 9F-70 throughput on straw?+<\/span><\/summary>\n
Wheat and barley straw at 8\u201312% moisture runs at 400\u2013550 kg\/hour<\/strong> on an 8 mm screen. Straw is denser and harder than hay, requiring more impact energy per kilogram, which reduces throughput compared to soft hay. Plan grinding time using the lower end of this range for dry-season straw, which tends to be harder and more resistant than autumn-harvested straw.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n
\n5. Who should I contact to confirm the 9F-70 suits my operation?+<\/span><\/summary>\n
Contact EverPower Baling Machinery Australia<\/strong> at +61 2 9708 3322<\/strong> or sales@silage-baler.com<\/strong>. Provide your headcount, feed material type, daily operating hours, and target particle size, and the team will confirm whether the 9F-70 meets your throughput requirement or advise on an appropriate configuration.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<\/div>\n
\n

Match Your Grinder to Your Herd. No Bottlenecks.<\/p>\n

EverPower can help you calculate the throughput you need and confirm whether the 9F-70 fits \u2014 before you buy.<\/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":"

Why Throughput Is the Number That Matters Most When evaluating a forage grinder, the specification that determines whether the machine fits your operation is not price, not power rating, and not brand \u2014 it is throughput expressed as tonnes per hour. Throughput tells you whether the machine can grind your daily or weekly feed requirement […]<\/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-670","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-forage-grinder"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/silage-baler.com\/da\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/670","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/silage-baler.com\/da\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/silage-baler.com\/da\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/silage-baler.com\/da\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/silage-baler.com\/da\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=670"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/silage-baler.com\/da\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/670\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":673,"href":"https:\/\/silage-baler.com\/da\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/670\/revisions\/673"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/silage-baler.com\/da\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=670"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/silage-baler.com\/da\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=670"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/silage-baler.com\/da\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=670"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}