An animal feedstuff processing system for processing animal feedstuff includes an animal feedstuff storage device for storing a pile of animal feedstuff, a separating device for removing a quantity of feedstuff from the pile and including a rotatable separating element and a first drive for the separating element, a movement device with a second drive, and configured for moving the separating device and the pile of feedstuff towards each other. A sensor is arranged for determining a relative position of the separating element with respect to the pile of feedstuff. A controller is configured to control the animal feedstuff processing system. During at least a part of the movement of the separating device and the pile of feedstuff towards each other, the separating device is driven in an idle mode by the first drive, wherein the separating element has no operable contact with the pile of feedstuff. The sensor measures a sensor signal representative of an operating parameter of the first drive, and the controller is configured to determine contact between the separating element and the pile of feedstuff based on the sensor signal. The animal feedstuff processing system is controlled on the basis of the determined contact.

A three-point bale spreader attachable to a tractor includes an arm capable of lifting a bale into a processing chamber. A pair of rotors with a plurality of flail knives is rotated to shred the bale. A conveyor feeds the bale into the rotating rotors, while a door can be opened to varying degrees to allow the shredded material to exit the bale spreader.

A bale processing apparatus include a frame, a bale hopper defining a bale chamber for receiving a bale, a bale shredding assembly including a shredding rotor rotatable in a rotor chamber, and a bale movement assembly configured to move a bale in the bale chamber toward the bale feed opening and the shredding rotor. In embodiments, the apparatus may be mountable on support arms of a loader such that the bale processing apparatus is liftable off of the ground surface, and may include a rotor operating assembly may be mounted on the frame and configured to rotate the shredding rotor, and the operating assembly may include an engine fully mounted on the frame such that the frame and the engine may be removed as a unit from the loader. Other embodiments are also disclosed.

A hay bale feeder is described. Embodiments of the hay bale feeder include a frame, one or more bale support members, and a pair of spaced apart drum assemblies. The hay bale feeder can be implemented to shred a square hay bale. The hay bale feeder can typically be attached to a tractor or other vehicle. The pair of spaced apart drum assemblies can include a pair of drums having protrusions that are adapted to shred a square hay bale as the square hay bale is gravity fed to the pair of drum assemblies.

In one embodiment, a bale processor includes a hopper for receiving baled material, a discharge opening for outputting chopped material, and primary and secondary rotors. The primary rotor has an axis of rotation and a rotatable flail to chop the material from the bale received in the hopper. The secondary rotor is rotatable to chop the material after being chopped by the primary rotor, and the secondary rotor is offset from the primary rotor such that the primary rotor is between the secondary rotor and the discharge opening. The flail includes a pivot tube for rotating about the axis, first and second hammers secured to the pivot tube, and a paddle. The paddle is positioned between and secured to the first and second hammers to generate airflow when the first and second hammers are rotated at an operating speed, thereby increasing a throw distance of the chopped material.

A bale processor apparatus has a bale processing chamber mounted on a chamber frame on wheels for travel in a travel direction. A lift arm frame is pivotally attached to a rear end of the chamber frame about a lift pivot axis, and a lift actuator pivots the lift arm frame from a lowered position to a raised position. A bale turning assembly is pivotally attached to the lift arm frame and bale fork tines are attached to the bale turning assembly. A turning actuator pivots the bale turning assembly from a standard position, where the bale fork tines extend rearward from bale processing chamber to a turned position, where the bale fork tines are rearward of the bale processing chamber and perpendicular to the travel direction. A shear bar cuts twine on rectangular bales as they fall into the chamber but does not affect cylindrical bales.

In one embodiment, a bale processor includes a hopper for receiving a bale of baled material, a discharge opening for outputting chopped material, and a processing section below the hopper and intersecting the hopper at an impingement zone. The processing section has primary and secondary rotors. The primary rotor is rotatable and has flails sufficiently long to extend into the impingement zone to chop the material from the bale received in the hopper when the primary rotor is rotated. The secondary rotor is rotatable and has flails to chop the material after being chopped by the primary rotor. The secondary rotor is offset from the primary rotor such that the secondary rotor is on one side of the primary rotor, the discharge opening is on another side of the primary rotor, and the only passage from the secondary rotor to the discharge opening crosses the primary rotor.

A bale shredder apparatus may comprise a frame and a bale hopper mounted on the frame and defining an interior bale chamber for receiving a bale to be shredded with a bale feed opening. A bale shredding assembly may be in communication with the bale chamber through the opening to shred a bale in the bale chamber. A side wall of the hopper may be movable away from the primary side wall to permit removal of a bale from the bale chamber. A primary bale movement assembly may move a bale in a lateral direction toward the opening and a secondary bale movement assembly may move the bale in a direction substantially transverse to the lateral direction. A shredding rotor of the shredding assembly may include at least one brace including at least one leg extending outwardly from the outer surface of the rotor.

A bale processing apparatus include a frame, a bale hopper defining a bale chamber for receiving a bale, a bale shredding assembly including a shredding rotor rotatable in a rotor chamber, and a bale movement assembly configured to move a bale in the bale chamber toward the bale feed opening and the shredding rotor. In embodiments, the apparatus may be mountable on support arms of a loader such that the bale processing apparatus is liftable off of the ground surface, and may include a rotor operating assembly may be mounted on the frame and configured to rotate the shredding rotor, and the operating assembly may include an engine fully mounted on the frame such that the frame and the engine may be removed as a unit from the loader. Other embodiments are also disclosed.

A bale shredder may comprise a bale hopper defining an interior bale chamber for receiving a bale to be shredded, a bale shredding assembly to shred a bale in the chamber including a shredding rotor having a plurality of flails to contact a bale in the bale chamber, and a passage for receiving material shredded by the shredding rotor. In embodiments, a conveying assembly may facilitate material flow through the passage with a moving conveying surface. A collecting auger assembly may collect material ejected by the shredding rotor through the passage and may include an auger with an auger shaft rotatable about a rotation axis. In embodiments, a discharge assembly with a discharge rotor configured to receive the shredded material from the collecting auger assembly and expel the material through a discharge opening, and the discharge rotor may rotate on the auger shaft of the collecting auger assembly.