Silo distributor
Silo distributors are agricultural attachments for tractors for the production of silage .
There are two types of construction. The first silo distributors were plates with tines driven by the tractor's PTO shaft . In principle, they are reinforced rotary tedders . This design has the disadvantage that, due to the system, the crop can only be conveyed to one side and that a reasonably precise work is only possible through the use of protective cloths. However, these fabrics interfere with the rolling work in the vicinity of silo walls. Most of the silo distributors sold today consist of a rotating horizontal drum fitted with spikes or metal sheets, with which the wilted grass, which has been chopped up by loading wagons , is distributed over the silo area. This should ensure uniform compression and the lowest possible air content in the silo.
A silo spreader is not absolutely necessary when ensiling chopped material, but is often used for better distribution on the silo area. When cutting in the loader wagon, however, small blocks of grass can form, which can enclose cavities under the solidified cut edges. In such cavities, putrefaction processes can occur, which impair the quality of the feed silo.
The silo distributor is attached to the rear of the three-point hydraulic system of the rolling tractor and driven by the PTO shaft. The roller of the silo spreader is lowered as required and throws up the grass in front of the tractor moving backwards, thereby dissolving uneven compaction and can be used to redistribute the grass on the silo area.
Initially, silo distributors were often made from old truck axles. Today they are offered by various manufacturers. Newer versions have a joint with swivel hydraulics so that the grass can also be distributed over the edges of the silo without the roller tractor having to drive too close to the edge.
