Review: Strautmann Verti-Mix 3101

The Strautmann Verti-Mix 3101 proves there’s more to a mixer wagon than steel and augers, with a smart design, flexible capacity, and thoughtful features

Strautmann, a name synonymous with agricultural excellence (both here and overseas) offer a diverse range of mixer wagons. Our test subject, the Verti-Mix 3101, is the biggest in the twin auger, tandem axle range.

Whether you are reading this as your first foray into the mixer wagon world or looking to upgrade, there are plenty of cool features to appreciate on a machine of this classification, which also manages to avoid being over complex.

That said, don’t be fooled by thinking it is also just a big steel tub with a couple of gearboxes, PTO shafts and corkscrews. While in layman’s terms that’s exactly what it offers on paper, there’s far more to the German-made mixer range than its list of specs.

Drawbar and Driveline

If we start at the front, the Strautmann Verti-Mix 3101 is equipped with a robust drawbar and driveline system. There are multiple hitch options; our test machine had a ring hitch, but K80 ball for example is another option. Regardless of the hitch option, it always goes back to a ladder hitch, which allows you to move the drawbar up and down. This is so that it sits level regardless of the tractor drawer height, which ensures consistent mixing throughout the tub and means it doesn’t spill out the back or the front because it’s pitched in one way or the other. In terms of drive lines, these are always Walterscheid, and for the main shaft, a wide angle is always spec’d on the Strautmann.

Augers and Knives

IMS is the unique auger design, which facilitates efficient mixing and ensures uniform distribution of feed throughout the Strautmann range. This really is where you sort the men from the pineapples in terms of mixer wagon quality.

The steep auger allows the feed to be rolled up and boiled, so it essentially does two things at once. This takes slightly more diesel to drive but it does increase the quality of the mix and also speeds it up, so while it takes a bit more to drive, it needs less mixing time – so overall diesel consumption is unaffected.

I would also argue that faster mixer also reduces the risk of overmixing (yes that is a thing – think of the flat, unrisen, over-mixed pikelets you may have experienced for Sunday brunch). The cows are equally as unimpressed as you on this one, trust me.

On the augers themselves, optional INNODUR wearing elements are available. These 5mm-thick and 100mm-wide stainless-steel plates are screwed to the auger flightings with an overlap. Stainless-steel half bin liner options are also available, with 15mm or 20mm auger thickness options, all of which significantly extend the service life of the IMS mixing auger, and likewise with the tub.

The other men vs pineapple differentiator is the knife design and mounting. Strautmann offer two options – standard or bale knives. The majority of those brought into New Zealand are the bale knife option (mainly because we do at one point or another want to chop bales). However, most mixers in New Zealand are also chopping straw to add fibre to the brew to slow the rumen down and allow the maximum to be extracted from the nutrient rich feed. The main benefit here is that you have a knife up on the top of the auger, which is not quite at a right angle but is facing upwards. This allows that fluffy and bulky material to be dragged off the walls to stop it just sweeping around the outside, again all in the name of faster mixing times.

Delivery Options

Strautmann offer a variety of delivery options. Our test unit featured the front cross left/right hydraulic side shift conveyor. There are also V extensions on our particular side discharge, or also the choice of multiple feeding options from various belt sizes to extensions to simple Danish door-type dropping systems. Again, you can also have discharge doors front, back, left, right or a combination of these. The front door with our test machine conveyer seems to be the most popular, mainly due to being able to feed both sides, and for me the feed discharge from the front tub door seems to have the smoothest flow out of all of them without those ‘pulse’ lumps.

Bin and Axles

As mentioned, the Strautmann Verti-Mix 3101 is the largest in the tandem axle twin auger design. This model also boasts a clever piece of engineering with the bin itself having a roll in the wall at the top. This is a patented feature of the Strautmann series. The Verti-Mix 3101 is actually three models in one. In its base configuration, it is 25 m3. As your herd or farm grows, a 180mm extension takes the same bin up to 28 m3, or a 360mm extension (such as on our test machine) it is taken up to the maximum 31m3. Genius.

Underneath ADR axles take care of dispersing the weight. For safety both axles are braked with rear passive steering and a set of hoses for locking when reversing.

Weight System Options and in-cab monitor

Strautmann offers three distinct weight system options for the Verti-Mix series, each tailored to meet the varied needs of farmers and their appetite for technology.

PTM HL 50 – Programmable weighing device without data transfer (our test machine), this is the basic model of the Strautmann weighing devices. You can store 50 recipes from 30 ingredients in the machine-mounted monitor.

PTM AV 75 – Radio remote control is essentially wireless scales with 50m of range and allows it to be in the cab of the loading tractor/telehandler and can be easily carried by hand on your Android phone on the MyScale app.

The Gucci version is PTM Advance Super USB-programmable weighing device with data transfer. All of the benefits of the above two options with up to 150 recipes from 30 ingredients can be stored with complete feed inventory, meaning you know how much you have fed your animals but also how much is left in the bunker/feed bin, so knowing when to order that next batch of PK is much easier!

In terms of feeding control, the machine has an on-board hydraulic block where only one set of pressure/return hoses is required from the tractor. Functions are operated from an electronic control box in the cab. Many older Strautman loader wagon operators will be familiar with the switch type operation. I felt that it works well, is easily laid out and is well illustrated as to what function does what.

Summary

As I mentioned at the start, it is often hard to distinguish the differentiators when it comes to relatively simple machines like mixer wagons. The Strautmann Verti-Mix with its robust construction, efficient auger and knife design, versatile delivery options, and advanced weighing systems, means there is a lot to give peace of mind.

Additionally, if the herd grows so can the mixer, unless you have the big daddy from the start, and let’s face it, as time goes on, we all need a bit of room to grow. Like they say with bread, it rises in the yeast and sets on the waist – even if your sweatpants let you down, Stratmann has your back(side)!