Driving impression: Bomford Sila-Bed feeder/bedder Bomford-Turner has branched out into the straw bedding market with its Sila-Bed. Designed as a dual-purpose machine, it can shred and distribute straw bales for bedding or, with its single outlet angled to ground level, feed out silage and haylage bales. James de Havilland takes a look at the pre-production model
There is no doubt that the primary role of the Sila-Bed will be for bedding. The machine has the capacity to carry two 1.50m diameter round bales within its 3.5m³ body. In addition, it is also capable of handling other bale shapes that will slide within its 1.50m width and, with the tailgate lowered, any bale combinations that are able to exploit its 5.46m length. Silage or haylage bales weighing up to 800kg each can be accommodated, too, with the company claiming that the Sila-Bed drive train has been engineered to handle bale loads of up to 1,600kg.
For this driving impression, the Sila-Bed was initially loaded with a large 1.20m x 0.70m x 2.50m package of wheat straw. Although the bale could have been laid flat into the body of the machine, it was put in on its side – to allow swift removal of the strings. The tailgate was then raised to contain the by now loosened bale, and the unit prepared for bedding.
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