1-1.4T/H Oat Hay Hammer Mill Grinder in New Zealand

Why a Thoroughbred Stud in the Waikato Needed a Grinder

New Zealand's equine industry is world-renowned, with thoroughbred breeding concentrated in the Waikato region around Cambridge. The stud farm we worked with grows its own oat hay – a mix of spring oats cut at the milky stage, dried, and baled. The hay also contains some clover and ryegrass. The horses love the taste, but they waste the coarse stems.

The farm manager had tried feeding chopped oat hay from a local contractor. The chop size was inconsistent – some pieces over 20mm, some under 2mm. The horses would waste the large pieces and cough on the dust from the fine pieces. The manager wanted a consistent 6-8mm particle size.

Setting Up for Oat Hay Grinding

The farm has a bale breaker for the oat hay bales. The broken material is fed into the mill by a belt conveyor. The mill came with three screens. The manager tested all three on the oat/clover hay mix (12% moisture):

• 10mm screen: Throughput of 1.4 tons per hour. Particle size: 80% between 3mm and 10mm, 12% below 3mm, 8% above 10mm. The horses ate most of it, but some longer pieces over 12mm remained. Regular waste.
• 8mm screen: Throughput dropped to 1.2 tons per hour. Particle size: 85% between 2mm and 8mm, 10% below 2mm, 5% above 8mm. The horses ate everything. No visible waste. Minimal dust. The manager chose the 8mm screen as the standard.
• 6mm screen: Throughput dropped to 1.0 tons per hour. Particle size: 85% between 1.5mm and 6mm. More dust. The horses coughed slightly. Not ideal.

The 8mm screen is the sweet spot for horses. The 10mm screen leaves some waste. The 6mm screen creates too much dust.

The mill discharges into a cyclone. The cyclone vent goes into a baghouse filter – not just a fabric bag. Horses are sensitive to dust, and the farm manager wanted the cleanest possible air in the feed room. The baghouse captures 99.5% of fine particles.

What the Ground Oat Hay Is Used For

The stud farm produces a custom feed for their thoroughbreds. The recipe varies by age, but a typical ration is:

• 50% ground oat hay (8mm screen)
• 20% ground barley grain
• 15% soybean meal
• 10% molasses
• 5% minerals and vitamins

The ground hay is mixed with the other ingredients in a paddle mixer. The manager reported that feed waste has dropped from 25% to under 5%. The horses have better coat condition, and the vet says respiratory issues have decreased.

The farm also sells ground oat hay to two other stables in the region – a side business that generates about NZ$1,000 per month.

What the Customer Said After Eight Months

We spoke with the farm manager about eight months after delivery. Here is what he told us:

The mill runs about four hours per day, five days per week. We have put about 700 hours on it. We changed the hammers at 400 hours – flipped them to the unused side. The 8mm screen is still the original – no holes.

The oat hay grinds well. The 8mm screen is perfect for our horses. They eat everything. No waste. No coughing.

The baghouse filter was expensive, but it is worth it. The feed room is clean. The horses' respiratory health has improved.

Would I buy from RICHI again? Yes. The mill has saved us money.

Logistics: Shipping from Qingdao to Tauranga

New Zealand's main seaport for the North Island is Tauranga on the Bay of Plenty. The grass crusher machine was shipped from Qingdao to Tauranga – about 30 days at sea. From Tauranga, the customer arranged truck transport to Cambridge, about 80 kilometers inland. Total transit time was about 38 days.

Pre-sale services that built their confidence

• Material testing: He sent us 20kg of oat hay (including clover) by air freight. We ran it through an SFSP66*60 in Qingdao using 6mm, 8mm, and 10mm screens. The 8mm screen produced the best balance. We sent him the particle size analysis and a video.
• Equine nutrition advice: We explained that horses need a coarser grind than cattle to avoid colic risk. He chose the 8mm screen based on guidance from his vet.
• Dust control recommendation: We recommended a baghouse filter for the cleanest air. He bought one from a local supplier based on our specifications.
• Reference from a customer in Australia: We put him in touch with a stud farm in Scone, NSW, that had bought an SFSP66*60 from us for oat hay. They confirmed that the 8mm screen worked well for their thoroughbreds.
• English manual with photos: The photos helped his staff.

A Note on Grinding Oat Hay for Horses

• Horses need an 8mm grind. The 10mm screen leaves pieces that horses waste. The 6mm screen creates dust that can cause respiratory issues.
• Dust control is critical for horse health. Horses are sensitive to fine particles. A baghouse filter is recommended over a simple cyclone.
• Oat hay grinds easily. Throughput is good – 1.2 tons per hour on the 8mm screen. The hollow stems are lightweight.
• The magnetic grate caught several pieces of wire from the bales. Essential safety feature – wire in horse feed is dangerous.
• The baghouse filter requires regular emptying. The manager empties it once per week. The collected dust is fed to the farm's sheep – no waste.

Global Reach of RICHI Hammer Mills

This project in New Zealand is one example. RICHI Machinery has exported hammer mills for oat hay and other horse forages to over 80 countries. The SFSP66*60 is a popular choice for equine operations because it can produce the 8mm grind that horses need. The 8mm screen is a standard recommendation for horse hay grinding.

If You Are Grinding Oat Hay for Horses

• What screen size do your horses need? For adult horses, 8mm works well. For ponies or miniature horses, 6mm might be better. For weanlings, 6-8mm. Test a few sizes.
• What is your moisture? Oat hay should be below 14% moisture. Higher moisture can cause mold that is dangerous for horses.
• How will you handle the dust? Horses are sensitive to dust. A baghouse filter or at least a double-bag cyclone system is recommended.
• What is your throughput requirement? The SFSP66*60 with a 55kW motor can handle 1.0-1.4 tons per hour on an 8mm screen.
• Do you need a bale breaker? Yes, for consistent feeding.

If you have oat hay and horses, a grass crusher hammer mill with an 8mm screen can reduce waste and improve feed efficiency. Send us a sample of your oat hay. We will test it with different screens and send you the particle size analysis. You can see the results before you decide. That is the best way to know. RICHI has exported hammer mills for forage and hay processing to over 80 countries worldwide.