Harvest time is crucial in agriculture in order to obtain high-quality forage. The use of front-mounted silage spreaders proves to be particularly effective here – the devices distribute the unloaded forage evenly and thus lay the foundation for the best forage quality and high compaction. In this blog article, we take a detailed look at the possible applications, advantages and integration of silage spreaders into the harvesting process. You will also find useful information on the silage spreader with front attachment.
Possible applications for silage spreaders with front attachment
The front-mounted silage spreader offers farmers targeted application options for forage harvesting. Particularly when distributing grass silage, a silage spreader generally enables significantly higher throughput due to the fast and even distribution in the travelling silo compared to conventional methods. The entire ensiling process is accelerated and there is ultimately more time for compaction in the silo. This results in a higher silage harvesting capacity.
A silage spreader with front attachment can also be ideally combined with a silage roller at the rear: The combination of spreader and roller means significantly more efficiency, as both spreading and compaction can be carried out in a single pass.
However, the main task of a silage spreader – whether mounted at the front or at the rear of the tractor – remains the homogeneous distribution of the harvested forage after unloading in the silo. This process prevents the formation of heaps and thus subsequent air pockets or incorrect fermentation. The more evenly the grass is distributed, the more firmly it can be compacted, which in turn has a positive effect on the aerobic stability and shelf life of the silage.
Advantages of a silage spreader with front attachment
Compared to the traditional rear-mounted version, the front attachment offers decisive advantages, which we would now like to discuss in more detail:
- Better visibility for the driver: Anyone responsible for distributing feed in the silage clamps knows how important a comfortable working position is. The view of the forage to be distributed and of the silage spreader is crucial for the result. A good view is guaranteed with the front-mounted silage spreader, as it is easy to work forwards. If the device is located at the rear of the tractor, the driver must constantly turn round to keep an eye on the silage distributor. In addition to the increased comfort, the front-mounted version also scores points for ergonomics and making physical labour easier.
- Faster work processes: During the ensiling process, it is important to be able to react quickly to high harvest volumes. If you want to distribute the unloaded grass sensitively and homogeneously, you definitely need a sure instinct! The process is best coordinated with a front-mounted silage spreader. Looking in the direction of travel saves time – and, above all, unnecessary turning round to the rear of the tractor.
- Optimum weight distribution: A silage spreader with front attachment ensures good weight distribution on the tractor. The silage spreader in the front hydraulics and corresponding ballasting at the rear – this results in a high operating weight and therefore better compaction. Thanks to the water-fillable drums of the MAMMUT silage spreader (standard), the tare weight can be increased to up to 2 tonnes. A combination of silage spreader with front attachment and silage roller in the rear hydraulics has proven to be the ideal compaction combination.
More information about silage spreaders with front attachment
On our product pages you will find all information about silage spreaders and their accessories. As a full-range supplier in the bunker silage sector, we produce both roundabout silage distributors and classic drum distributors. Convince yourself of the silage spreaders “made in Austria”.
Integration of a silage spreader with front attachment into the harvesting process
Integrating a front-mounted silage spreader into the harvesting process is a crucial step towards maximising efficiency. Here are some important aspects to consider:
- Adjustment to the silage capacity: The larger the quantities of feed delivered, the trickier the processing in the silage clamp – it is important to distribute and compact large quantities of unloading material in the shortest possible time. If a silage spreader with front attachment is used, the layer thickness can be reduced quickly and easily. The individual layers should not be higher than a maximum of 20 to 30 cm, and even thinner if the material is very dry and old.
- Consideration of the distances: The silage process is also made more difficult if the areas are rounded off. The trailer teams deliver the harvested forage consistently and at short intervals, as the mown meadows are close to the silage clamp. This means maximum concentration for the driver of the roller combination: The silage spreader with front attachment makes this process much easier – the device immediately reduces the height of the piles of forage and prepares them ideally for compaction.
- Adjusting the spreading width: The spreading pattern during distribution is crucial for the quality of stable and high-quality silage. It must be ensured that the crop is distributed evenly throughout the entire silage clamp. In addition to the sophisticated blade shape of the SILO FOX silage spreader, it is possible to customise the outer blades on the drum as standard. To do this, the edged end pieces supplied are simply fitted to the outer rows of distribution shovels. The silage spreaders from MAMMUT are therefore characterised by a high degree of adaptation to the individual conditions in the ensiling process.
- Adjustment of the total weight: All silage spreaders in the SILO FOX series can be filled with water as standard. Whether for front or rear mounting, the drums can be filled with up to 1000 litres of water (depending on the model size). This ensures high ballasting and a corresponding total weight on the roller vehicle for compaction. Furthermore, the additional weight of the silage spreader in the front attachment means ideal ballasting for the usually high operating weight at the rear of the tractor.
Would you like to find out more about the features of our silage distributors? Then read this article to find out about the exact advantages of the new SILO FOX silage spreader model range. Many new specials – such as the standard water filling of the drums – are waiting for you:
Improved efficiency and time savings thanks to front attachment
Opting for a silage spreader with front attachment not only saves time in the long term, but also increases harvesting efficiency. These improvements can be recognised by several factors:
Faster work in the silo
“Time is money” – a statement that everyone knows. If you consider the processes involved in ensiling, the biggest bottleneck is often found in the silage clamp: large quantities of feed are delivered in the shortest possible time. Without the appropriate technology and the resulting impact force, compaction errors can easily occur. Insufficient compaction occurs when new atmospheric oxygen flows into the silage, leading to mould formation and reheating. The efficiency and speed of forage harvesting is significantly increased by using a silage spreader with front attachment. The rapid reduction in layer thickness means that the driver can concentrate better on the rolling process and ensure silage quality. In addition, waiting times for the trailer in front of the silage clamp are reduced or even eliminated. Thanks to the increased efficiency in the harvest, two clear advantages can be recognised – more efficient work in forage distribution and, of course, higher silage quality.
More comfort thanks to front attachment
Labour comfort is playing an increasingly important role, and not just during harvesting. Everyday life in agriculture is now characterised by good organisation and optimised work processes. Of course, this also applies to ensiling: A silage spreader with front attachment helps to increase comfort, as visibility and the working experience are significantly improved. In particular, the swivelling of the silage spreader can be controlled better and more sensitively when using front-mounted hydraulics. How well the forage is distributed in the silage clamp determines, among other things, the quality factors of the silage. This means that the factors of labour comfort and forage quality are inevitably linked.
Combination of silage spreader and silage roller
Compaction of the silage is the decisive factor in quickly starting the ensiling process. For ultimate efficiency, MAMMUT can combine distribution and compaction on just one roller tractor: While the front-mounted silage spreader ensures a rapid reduction in the layer height, the silage roller at the rear immediately guarantees high compaction. The individual discs of the roller penetrate deep into the layers – this point loading results in optimally compacted silage without air pockets.
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More InformationConversion from rear to front
As it was common practice in the past to use the silage spreader at the rear of the tractor, the question often arises as to whether it can be converted to the front. To convert a MAMMUT silage spreader for front mounting, a reversing and reduction gearbox can be retrofitted to the SILO FOX at any time. This reversing gearbox adapts the speed to the front hydraulics (rear: 540 rpm I front: 1000 rpm) and also changes the corresponding direction of rotation. When converting, simply remove the PTO extension in the distributor and replace it with a shorter one – the reversing gearbox is then simply connected to the main gearbox and bolted into the implement. Incidentally, the overload protection on a front-mounted silage spreader is always located inside the machine.
On the following product pages you will find more detailed technical data and information on the accessories for the individual models of our SILO FOX silage spreader:
Useful information on the silage spreader with front attachment
Thanks to our decades of experience in the field of silage feeding technology, we know that every farm has its own unique requirements. In the last point of this blog post, we want to give you some useful information about the silage spreader for front attachment – perhaps your questions will also be reflected in this:
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Reversing gearbox - mode of operation:
The reduction ratio of the SILO FOX reversing gearbox is adapted to the respective model size. In general, this means a change in the rotational speed from 540 rpm at the rear of the tractor to 1000 rpm at the front. In addition to changing the speed, the reversing gearbox on the front-mounted silage spreader also ensures that the direction of rotation is adapted to the front PTO shaft.
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Rotation speed of the drum:
The speed at which the drum of the silage spreader rotates in the forage has a direct influence on the spreading pattern in the silo. For all MAMMUT silage spreaders, the rotational speed is ideally defined for each series and aligned with the number and arrangement of the spreading vanes. This ensures that the silage spreader for front attachment delivers the same uniform results in terms of spreading performance as the one in the rear of the tractor.
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Pure front devices:
We advise against using a silage spreader for front attachment without a reversing gearbox. Although there are front-only devices, these often have the problem of excessive rotational speed. This can result in the feed being thrown out over the edge of the silage due to the rapid rotation of the drums. Maximum working comfort and an ideal spreading pattern can therefore only be ensured with a reversing and reduction gearbox when the silage spreader is used at the front.
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Cost-benefit analysis:
It is easy to answer when the purchase of a silage spreader generally pays off: at the latest when the silage clamp is opened and a good forage yield is achieved thanks to optimum silage quality. If you apply this cost-benefit analysis to a front-mounted silage spreader, it is fair to consider factors such as working speed, comfort and swivelling behaviour thanks to better visibility. All MAMMUT silage spreaders can be retrofitted from rear to front mounting at any time. For you, this means that even a used machine can be upgraded by retrofitting. If you decide to purchase a silage spreader with front attachment (i.e. with reversing gear), the resale value of the machine also increases considerably as it can be used more flexibly.
References for the silage spreader with front attachment
Most of our customers opt for the front-mounted distributor version. Pure rear-mounted implements are hardly sold any more – that’s the way times are changing. You can find out why farmers have opted for MAMMUT and exactly what their requirements are in our customer stories. And who knows, maybe you’ll tell us your “story” soon?
„SF 230 GIGANT“
"SK 250 H"
„SF 260 GIGANT“
in use since spring 2021
in use since 2024
„SF 230 GIGANT“
„SK 250 H“
