McHale or Kuhn straw chopper.

[HarryB97]

Would love a teagle, other than been told they don't like wet/damp straw and when they block with silage they are nightmare. Also neighbors purchased a dung spreader now two years old and the axcel & castings holding it cracked off on the main road a few weeks ago, and it's well cared for, so bit of putting 🫣

I had a mounted teagle and in 4 years I only blocked it with straw once as I left the bed on by accident and probably went through 20 shear bolts. I fed round baled silage through it everyday and the key is to have the bale fully chopped when baling and turn the bed on and off to gently feed it through. It rarely blocked unless it was really sugary and it would sometimes bridge on the exit of the spout. Unchopped square silage was a complete no go though! Was faultless and have just bought a telehawk T2 as have sold the tractor and bought a second telehandler.

 

[beardface]

Mchale job done.

 

[hally]

I had a mounted teagle and in 4 years I only blocked it with straw once as I left the bed on by accident and probably went through 20 shear bolts. I fed round baled silage through it everyday and the key is to have the bale fully chopped when baling and turn the bed on and off to gently feed it through. It rarely blocked unless it was really sugary and it would sometimes bridge on the exit of the spout. Unchopped square silage was a complete no go though! Was faultless and have just bought a telehawk T2 as have sold the tractor and bought a second telehandler.

Our teagle 8500 self destructed after 5 years blowing silage bales. It neede a new gearbox and we were told we would be advised to use the upgraded one as the original wasnt up to the job. The new gearbox needed the driveline upgraded to apparently so the whole job was not cheap, asked if they would help with the parts seeing the originals were not up to the job but they weren’t interestedso just fixed it then traded in for a Mchale . However I don’t think any of these blowers are up to chopping bales year after year As they are just not strong enough. Use a diet feeder now which is a much better job imo.

 

[copse]

I've got a teagle but won't be getting another. Build quality poor, paint awful, electrics intermittent. Plus they won't be any cheaper than the 2 you are looking at.

We had demo of Teagle and Kuhn and teagle was not in same league in terms of build quality and strength.

 

[tr250]

I wouldn’t bother, we have had teagle then Mchale. No comparison in build quality imo. Teagle didn’t like feeding silage long term.

I will look again at them then but looked at them at lamma last year and came away not that impressed

 

[Pistonbroke]

McHale trumps Kuhn when (not if) they block. The flywheel holes and lever bar is one very ingenious design feature McHale didn't "nick" from Kuhn, Lucas, et al, and unless you enjoy trying to reverse the flywheel by ramming a ruddy great big bit of 2 by 4 down the spout, buy the McHale

McHale also has a moveable "comb" above the intake beater (just like Lucas) and this really helps reduce problems with mouldy straw or long wet haylage

I really would not recommend teagle for anything more than lovely dry barley straw. Fed haylage through one for 3 years and it was done. Non replaceable fingers on the beater were worn away, side chute worn through, knives needed sharpened weekly, third set of chains were stretched, and yes everything was greased and adjusted every fortnight

Have you ever done anything with the filter? No mention of it in the book. Remote switches stopped working this morning,but could be just a plug pulled out

 

[DrDunc]

Have you ever done anything with the filter? No mention of it in the book. Remote switches stopped working this morning,but could be just a plug pulled out

Never touched the filter in 12 winters of work(150t straw and 1000+ bales haylage a year). Tractor filters and oil changes by the book, and careful to keep probes clean though

Had to replace the remote switches a couple of times, but not likely they've both gone at the same time? Usually know they're going because it takes a couple of clicks before they work.
What about the "safety" push button switch? I'd test it first, only 4 screws to take off the cover.

 

[7610 super q]

£14k for a machine that chops straw. Wow.
Having said that, I recently saw an advert for a machine that cuts hedges.........£30k.
I don't know.

 

[DrDunc]

£14k for a machine that chops straw. Wow.
Having said that, I recently saw an advert for a machine that cuts hedges.........£30k.
I don't know.

It doesn't even do much in the way of chopping, especially running it at 420rpm on the shaft (seems to make the bedding last longer if it's not smashed up)

It does mean you don't have to roll out half a dozen bales at a time when labour availablity, or youth (!) is no longer available though

 

[An Gof]

£14k for a machine that chops straw. Wow.
Having said that, I recently saw an advert for a machine that cuts hedges.........£30k.
I don't know.

Having resisted buying a straw chopper for many years I can tell you that £14k is an absolute bargain for the work saved. I have been reflecting on how mean and stupid I was not to buy one before.
Has anyone who manually beds cattle ever regretted buying one?

 

[Martyn]

£14k for a machine that chops straw. Wow.
Having said that, I recently saw an advert for a machine that cuts hedges.........£30k.
I don't know.

Doesn't sound a lot if it looked after and last year's, and mean my physical body stays healthy, currently bedding over 300 head of stock, taking to long & I'm shattered by the time everything else is done.

 

[spitfire]

Have priced both of the above brands, they both come in at £14k. Both seam to have good reviews, both come from.local dealers. Have been told green McHale paint is poor? Our Kuhn mowers have flaked paint so thinking it's all new machinery!

I'd go for the McHale you won't get any support off kuhn and paint is poor, very few machines get pdi properly and they have some very unscrupulous dealerships.

 

[7610 super q]

It doesn't even do much in the way of chopping, especially running it at 420rpm on the shaft (seems to make the bedding last longer if it's not smashed up)

It does mean you don't have to roll out half a dozen bales at a time when labour availablity, or youth (!) is no longer available though

Having resisted buying a straw chopper for many years I can tell you that £14k is an absolute bargain for the work saved. I have been reflecting on how mean and stupid I was not to buy one before.
Has anyone who manually beds cattle ever regretted buying one?

Doesn't sound a lot if it looked after and last year's, and mean my physical body stays healthy, currently bedding over 300 head of stock, taking to long & I'm shattered by the time everything else is done.

Not knocking anyone for buying one, just can't get over the cost of machinery these days. I'm way out of touch.

 

[The Son]

Have owned and operated both, but I would say the mchale edges it, good throw, easy to use, paint is good on mine nearly a year old, washed it the other day and looks like new, apart from the stone dings on the spout, but that is not the machines fault.

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Not knocking anyone for buying one, just can't get over the cost of machinery these days. I'm way out of touch.

The things you use the least seem to be the biggest waste of money…like a combine for 300k that gets used for 2 weeks or a baler that is used for a month for 30/40k
Most straw choppers will be used every day for 6 months

 

[An Gof]

The things you use the least seem to be the biggest waste of money…like a combine for 300k that gets used for 2 weeks or a baler that is used for a month for 30/40k
Most straw choppers will be used every day for 6 months

We have cattle houses all year around so it’s a no brainier here. Get it bought @Martyn , Philip Halse will soon have one down to you

 

[Martyn]

We have cattle houses all year around so it’s a no brainier here. Get it bought @Martyn , Philip Halse will soon have one down to you

A Symonds are cheeper on a machine to my surprise 🫢

 

[redsloe]

A Symonds are cheeper on a machine to my surprise 🫢

Versatility of the mounted lucas makes it a no brainer here. Probably similar money but you can stick it anywhere.

 

[sidjon]

A Symonds are cheeper on a machine to my surprise 🫢

They were 6k dearer for us

 

[casper74]

I had a Kuhn bought from a farm sale a few years ago, just traded it in for another Kuhn, It's used 365 days a year won't be without one.