{"id":690,"date":"2026-05-27T03:27:06","date_gmt":"2026-05-27T03:27:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/silage-baler.com\/?p=690"},"modified":"2026-05-27T03:30:57","modified_gmt":"2026-05-27T03:30:57","slug":"how-a-grass-grinder-reduces-feed-waste-and-cost","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/silage-baler.com\/da\/application\/how-a-grass-grinder-reduces-feed-waste-and-cost\/","title":{"rendered":"How a Grass Grinder Reduces Feed Waste and Cost"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

Feed Waste Is a Hidden Tax on Every Livestock Operation<\/h2>\n

Feed is the single largest variable cost on Australian beef feedlots and dairy farms \u2014 typically 55\u201370% of total operating cost on a per-head basis. Yet on many operations, 10\u201320% of the feed purchased never reaches an animal’s digestive system in a useful form. It ends up trampled into the feedbunk, sorted into a pile of rejected stalks, blown out of the bunk as dust, or passed through the rumen unfermented because the particle size was too large for adequate microbial digestion. Each of these loss pathways has a dollar cost that compounds across every feeding day of the year. A grass grinder addresses all four of these pathways simultaneously: it eliminates sorting by removing particle size contrast, reduces dusty fines that cattle avoid, prevents bunk trampling by producing a cohesive ground material that compacts rather than scatters, and increases rumen fermentation efficiency by maximising surface area per unit of dry matter. The result is that more of every dollar spent on feed actually becomes animal production rather than waste.<\/p>\n

\n

\"Round<\/p>\n

Every bale that enters the operation represents a feed cost already paid \u2014 a grass grinder ensures the maximum proportion of that cost is converted into animal production rather than waste.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Where Feed Waste Occurs: Four Pathways and Their Costs<\/h2>\n

Understanding the specific mechanisms of feed waste is the first step toward quantifying the savings a grinder can deliver. On most operations feeding unground hay, waste accumulates through four distinct channels that a grinder addresses directly.<\/p>\n

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

Sorting refusal \u2014 3\u20138% of DM offered<\/p>\n

When hay is fed long, cattle selectively consume the leaf and seed-head fractions and leave the stalk fraction as refusal. This refusal is typically 60\u201380% stalk by dry matter weight and has a lower energy and protein value than the average ration \u2014 but it still represents paid-for dry matter sitting in the bunk. On an operation spending AUD $380\/tonne on hay and feeding 500 kg\/day, a 5% sorting refusal represents $9.50\/day of purchased feed not consumed \u2014 AUD $3,468 per year, on a modest scale.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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

Bunk trampling and contamination \u2014 2\u20135% of DM offered<\/p>\n

Long hay in a feedbunk is easily pulled over the bunk rail by cattle reaching in, or pushed to the floor when animals jostle for access. Once on the ground, it is contaminated with urine, faeces, and soil, and is rarely consumed. Ground hay forms a more cohesive mass in the bunk, sits lower, and is less easily displaced \u2014 reducing floor-contamination losses by 60\u201380% compared to long hay.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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

Dust fraction avoidance \u2014 1\u20133% of DM offered<\/p>\n

Very fine material below 2 mm \u2014 produced by poor-quality grinding with worn hammers, or naturally present in mature, over-dry hay \u2014 is avoided by cattle. It falls to the bunk floor or clumps in wet spots and is not consumed. A well-maintained 9F-70 with fresh hammers and an 8 mm screen produces less than 5% fines by weight, minimising this fraction. Overly dry hay below 8% moisture produces more fines regardless of grinder condition \u2014 a reminder that bale quality at grinding time affects waste as much as machine settings.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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

Rumen passage before fermentation \u2014 3\u20137% energy loss<\/p>\n

Particles above 20 mm have a shorter rumen retention time than shorter particles of the same material, because the rumen’s sorting mechanism passes long particles forward to the reticulum before they are fully fermented. Energy extracted from a 25 mm hay particle is 10\u201318% lower than from the same hay ground to 8\u201310 mm. This is not visible waste \u2014 it exits in the faeces \u2014 but it represents energy paid for in the feed that does not reach the animal’s metabolism.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Quantifying the Savings: A 150-Head Feedlot Example<\/h2>\n

The following calculation uses conservative mid-range figures for a 150-head beef feedlot in a 120-day feeding programme, purchasing mixed hay at AUD $360\/tonne as-fed.<\/p>\n

\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Waste Pathway<\/th>\nWaste Rate (unground)<\/th>\nWaste Rate (ground)<\/th>\nAnnual Saving (AUD)<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Sorting refusal<\/td>\n5%<\/td>\n0.5%<\/td>\n$2,270<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Bunk trampling \/ floor loss<\/td>\n3%<\/td>\n0.6%<\/td>\n$1,360<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Dust fraction avoidance<\/td>\n2%<\/td>\n0.4%<\/td>\n$907<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Rumen energy efficiency gain<\/td>\n\u2014<\/td>\n\u2014<\/td>\n$1,800\u2013$3,600*<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Total estimated annual saving<\/td>\n\u2014<\/td>\n\u2014<\/td>\n$6,337\u2013$8,137<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

*Rumen energy efficiency saving estimated as 3\u20136% improvement in feed conversion ratio across 150 head \u00d7 120 days \u00d7 10 kg DM intake \u00d7 $360\/tonne hay cost.<\/p>\n

\n

\"Towed<\/p>\n

Consistent forage quality from paddock to feedbunk \u2014 starting with good raking and baling practice \u2014 maximises the savings achievable with a forage grinder downstream.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

The Payback Calculation for the 9F-70<\/h2>\n

With annual waste reduction savings of AUD $6,337\u2013$8,137 on a 150-head operation, and the 9F-70 purchase price in the AUD $5,000\u2013$9,000 range (contact EverPower for current pricing), the payback period from feed-waste savings alone is approximately 9\u201318 months. This calculation does not include the additional production value from improved average daily gain or reduced metabolic health costs, both of which add further return on investment that is real but harder to isolate in a mixed-variable production system.<\/p>\n

On operations with higher hay prices \u2014 lucerne at AUD $500\u2013$700\/tonne, for example \u2014 the dollar savings per percentage point of waste reduction are proportionally higher, shortening the payback period further. The calculation also improves as headcount increases: fixed machine costs (depreciation, interest) stay constant while waste savings scale directly with the number of animals fed.<\/p>\n

Maintaining the Savings: Keeping the Grinder in Specification<\/h2>\n

The waste-reduction savings described above are contingent on the grinder producing a consistent particle size within the anti-sorting, anti-dust target range. A machine with worn hammers produces more coarse outliers that cattle can sort and more fines that cattle avoid \u2014 partially re-creating the sorting waste it was installed to eliminate. Monitoring particle size distribution monthly with a Penn State sieve test, flipping hammers on schedule, and replacing worn screens before they drift outside specification are the maintenance practices that preserve the savings. The cost of maintaining the 9F-70 in specification \u2014 hammers, screens, bearings, and belts over a full year \u2014 is AUD $300\u2013$600, a small fraction of the annual waste reduction savings on any operation above 80 head.<\/p>\n

Calculate Your Feed Waste Savings \u2014 Contact EverPower<\/a><\/div>\n

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

Reduces feed waste from sorting, bunk trampling, and dust avoidance by processing hay, straw, and crop residues into consistent 4\u201315 mm particles that cattle cannot sort and will not refuse. 500\u2013800 kg\/hour on dry hay. CNC-punched screens in four sizes. Through-hardened reversible hammers. Electric and diesel power options. Full spare-parts support from EverPower’s Condell Park NSW warehouse.<\/p>\n

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

Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n
\n
\n1. How much feed waste is typical when feeding long hay?+<\/span><\/summary>\n
Combined waste from sorting refusal, bunk trampling, and dust avoidance typically runs 8\u201315% of dry matter offered<\/strong> when feeding long hay in a standard feedlot or dairy TMR. The exact figure depends on bunk design, stocking density, and hay type \u2014 lucerne wastes less than coarse cereal hay under the same feeding conditions.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n
\n2. Does grinding hay actually improve feed conversion ratio?+<\/span><\/summary>\n
Yes. Reducing particle size from 25+ mm (long hay) to 8\u201312 mm increases rumen fermentation surface area, improving energy extraction from the fibre fraction by 10\u201318%<\/strong>. In a high-roughage ration (35%+ roughage), this translates to a measurable improvement in feed conversion ratio \u2014 typically 3\u20136% in controlled comparisons.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n
\n3. How quickly will feed waste reduction show up in the feedbunk?+<\/span><\/summary>\n
Bunk behaviour changes are visible within 3\u20137 days<\/strong> of switching to ground roughage \u2014 refusals decrease in volume, the composition of refusals becomes more representative of the fresh ration, and floor-contamination from pulled-over hay drops noticeably. Quantifying the savings through a formal waste audit takes 2\u20133 weeks of consistent data collection.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n
\n4. Does the grinder pay for itself purely from waste savings?+<\/span><\/summary>\n
On operations above 80\u2013100 head feeding hay at current Australian prices, yes \u2014 typically within 12\u201324 months<\/strong> from waste reduction savings alone. Production improvements (better ADG, reduced health costs) add further return that shortens the effective payback period beyond what the waste calculation shows.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n
\n5. Where can I get the 9F-70 in Australia?+<\/span><\/summary>\n
Contact EverPower Baling Machinery Australia<\/strong> at +61 2 9708 3322<\/strong> or sales@silage-baler.com<\/strong>. Stocked at the Condell Park NSW warehouse with Australia-wide delivery and full spare-parts support.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<\/div>\n
\n

Stop Paying for Feed That Never Reaches Your Animals.<\/p>\n

EverPower can help you estimate the waste-reduction savings on your specific operation before you invest in the 9F-70.<\/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":"

Feed Waste Is a Hidden Tax on Every Livestock Operation Feed is the single largest variable cost on Australian beef feedlots and dairy farms \u2014 typically 55\u201370% of total operating cost on a per-head basis. Yet on many operations, 10\u201320% of the feed purchased never reaches an animal’s digestive system in a useful form. It […]<\/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-690","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-forage-grinder"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/silage-baler.com\/da\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/690","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=690"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/silage-baler.com\/da\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/690\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":696,"href":"https:\/\/silage-baler.com\/da\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/690\/revisions\/696"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/silage-baler.com\/da\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=690"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/silage-baler.com\/da\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=690"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/silage-baler.com\/da\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=690"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}