USED MACHINERY: Strautmann introduced its Verti-Mix single- and twin-tub vertical auger diet mixers in 1994. Offered originally in the UK by the Amazone/Krone company, the product subsequently grew in popularity when handled by Strautmann UK. Then, in 2011, Cambridgeshire-based RECO took on the Verti-Mix range, and over the past four years there has certainly been no sign of any reduction in its on-farm following. So, does this success make a used example a sound buy?
In 2012, Strautmann launched its ‘new generation’ Verti-Mix feeders. Before starting a drum roll, however, the key difference between these and existing models can be summed up very simply. The newer machines can be fitted with a hopper extension to increase their capacity. Apart from that, the basic machines stuck to the original design template.
The current ‘new’ models are easy to spot as the model number ends in a ‘1’ and the numbers also changed to indicate maximum as opposed to non-extended hopper capacity. As an example, a current Verti-Mix 1501 Standard Twin Series 1 model has a base capacity of 12.0m3, but extensions increase this to either 13.5m3 or 15m3, the latter relating to the model number. At present, the most common used finds come from the previous generation, and here the capacity is easier: a VM600 has a 6.0m3 capacity and so on.
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