Features Too Many Farmers Forget When Looking for a New Silage Wagon
A silage wagon is one that hauls and delivers feed and grain in particular; this can be for harvesting, for delivering the material to a silo, or it can be used for filling troughs and feeding areas for livestock. A silage wagon is meant to be a bit different than a standard trailer or dump truck because of the material inside. When you're in the market for a new silage wagon, note a few features to look for so you understand these differences and how they can make your job easier overall.
Unloading mechanism
How your silage wagon unloads is very important; if you're unloading into a silo, you don't want a tipper truck as you need to have a chute for more accurate unloading. On the other hand, a chute makes unloading into another truck or pit very slow. A side tipper is good for unloading into a trough for feeding. You might also choose a feed-out belt that slowly delivers the grain when you need to carefully fill a trough with the least amount of spillage.
Attached versus self-propelled
If you have a strong tractor with a three-point hitch that is meant for heavy hauling, you might opt for an attached silage wagon. This type simply gets pulled behind your tractor, and since you already have this type of vehicle, you may not want to pay extra for a self-propelled silage wagon that you drive or steer on your own. For larger farms, you can also purchase multiple trailers; this allows you to hitch one to the back of another and, in turn, haul more grain without having to upgrade to a larger self-propelled wagon or truck you actually drive.
Material of construction
It's never good to try to save money by investing in a silage wagon that is made of lightweight aluminum. Aluminum resists corrosion, but it may also be more prone to bending and other damage due to the weight of the grain you're hauling. An all-steel frame, body, chassis, and other such parts will be more resistant to the weight of grain and to the vibrations caused when you unload the wagon itself. The side panels of your silage wagon especially should be all-steel, as this will help to resist distortion, bending, dents and dings, which are common for wagons used for grain and other such materials. Invest in quality, such as Siwa silage wagons, so you know your silage wagon will last for years.
