104 | nzdairy RURAL SERVICES » ProAg Products Ltd Overlooked component can have a huge cost Karen Phelps Have you checked the blades on your mixer wagon recently? Worn mixer wagon blades could be costing NZ dairy farmers more than they realise - in fuel, feed quality, and unplanned downtime. Yet they remain one of the most consistently overlooked components of on-farm machinery. Winter feeding season puts mixer wagons under real pressure. Running day in, day out to process and deliver feed, these machines need to be in top condition and one of the most overlooked components is often the knives, says Oliver Wycherley, Sales Manager at Wearparts. Worn or blunt knives might not seem like an urgent problem, but the knock-on effects can be significant. Machines work harder and longer to process feed, burning more diesel and increasing wear and tear on augers and mixing tubs. Feed consistency suffers too and for dairy operations, this matters more than many farmers realise. Uneven particle sizes make it harder to achieve a quality, uniform mix, and particle length directly impacts rumen function and milk production, reducing nutritional value and affecting feed digestibility and nutrient absorption across the herd. “In more extreme cases, knives that have been left too long can crack or break entirely,” says Oliver. “The last thing any farmer wants is metal contamination getting into feed in front of their stock. It’s a good reminder that knife condition isn’t just a machinery issue it’s a feed safety one too.” The challenge is that replacing mixer wagon knives isn’t a quick job. Depending on the machine, it can be a time-consuming process that pulls the wagon out of action and the operator off other work. That reality is driving a shift in how farmers think about replacement: instead of changing knives reactively, more are moving towards higher-quality blades that stay sharp and last longer between changes. “Farmers don’t want to be pulling their wagon apart any more than they have to,” says Oliver. “Fitting quality knives that hold their edge longer just makes practical sense.” ProAg/Wearparts, a New Zealand-owned, family-run business based in the Manawatu, has been supplying agricultural wearing parts and crop packaging solutions to Kiwi farmers and contractors for over a decade. Sourcing products from leading European and American manufacturers, every part is selected and tested to perform in local farming conditions and their mixer wagon knife range is no exception. Inside the ProAg Products warehouse. For farmers who looking to get more from their equipment through the toughest months of the year, Wearparts offers a range of Tungsten-coated knife options. Processed in Germany, the Tungsten coating delivers exceptional hardness and wear resistance, keeping knife edges sharper for significantly longer than conventional alternatives. “The feedback on the Tungsten range has been really strong,” says Oliver. “Farmers are seeing genuine improvements in chopping efficiency and a noticeable reduction in how often they need to replace knives. When you add up the time and fuel savings over a season, it makes a real difference.” The team behind the business brings more than just product knowledge. Many Wearparts staff come from farming backgrounds themselves, giving them a practical understanding of what matters most when machinery needs to perform during the busiest periods of the year. “We know what downtime costs,” says Oliver. “It’s not just a repair bill it’s time, productivity and stress during periods when farmers simply can’t afford to stop.” With experienced regional representatives across Waikato, Manawatu, Canterbury and Otago/ Southland, and same-day dispatch on orders placed before 4pm weekdays, Wearparts makes it straightforward to get the right parts fast. As winter feeding ramps up, taking a closer look at mixer wagon knives could be a simple step to improve feed efficiency, reduce downtime, and protect herd performance. Whether you’re looking to replace worn knives ahead of the season or want to explore the longer-lasting Tungsten-coated option, the Wearparts team is ready to help. Get in touch to find out which knife suits your machine and get back to focusing on the job that matters.
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