Hay processing system for a mixer feeder

摘要

A mixing and feeding apparatus is provided for processing long-stemmed and livestock feed material. The apparatus comprises a receptacle having upright front and rear walls and side walls defining a mixing chamber for blending the feed material. One of the side walls has a discharge door which is generally aligned with the mid portion of the mixing chamber. The receptacle also has a scalloped bottom wall defining a pair of side-by-side troughs, each of the troughs having an inwardly projecting hay bar located on an upper end of the trough. An auger arrangement is disposed in the receptacle to blend the feed material in the mixing chamber. The auger arrangement includes first and second lower augers located in the bottom portion with one of the lower augers in each of the troughs. The auger arrangement further includes third and fourth upper augers positioned above and generally parallel to the first and second lower augers. Each of the first, second, third, and fourth augers comprise longitudinal shafts provided with segments of spiral flighting to move the feed material from the front and rear walls to the mid portion of the mixing chamber. A combined knife and paddle arrangement is mounted on the longitudinal shafts of the first and second lower augers and located between adjacent segments of the spiral flighting in the mid portion of the mixing chamber.