A key to buying a pre-owned mixer wagon is to match its intended operation to its overall condition. An intensively used machine nearing the end of its life on a large dairy unit could give several years’ valuable service when employed on a small beef farm. Bottom line is that, given a little patience, you should be able to find a machine to meet your needs … and budget. Here we look at BvL V-Mix vertical-auger mixers
Unless you chance upon a mixer that is part of a dispersal sale or one that is being moved on in good nick due to a change in farm policy, the bulk of used wagon buys will be offered in a worn state. A canny first user will swap out a mixer whilst it is still in good working order but approaching the end of its life as a front-line machine. Loads of downtime is not something that any livestock farmer can afford.
With this in mind, the first job is to work out just how much work you expect your used buy to do. Expect it to mix at full stretch day in and day out and you will soon find out why the first user has moved it on. Conversely, buy a similarly well-worn wagon, that could well have a greater capacity than you ‘need’, operate it lightly, and even in its worn condition it could last for several years.
The trick is to match your budget and available mixers with the intended usage. This will include ensuring the machine has a specification that fits in with your feeding system. No point in buying a rear discharge or side door only model if you need to feed into raised troughs. Also, consider the machine’s overall physical dimensions. The BvL models we look at here range in height from just under 3.0m to nearer 3.5m, widths spanning around 2.2m to 2.7m. Height and width of building doors are clearly critical here.
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