Teagle bedder boosts East Uplaw Farm's efficiency

Their recent purchase of a mounted Teagle Tomahawk 7100 from Hamilton Ross Group, Bishopton, has significantly reduced straw usage and the time needed to bed their youngstock and sucklers.

Inside the bedder a durable 12mm bed chain smoothly guides straw toward the powerful eight-paddle fan for an even and consistent spread These cattle contribute to their herd of 320 of which 160 are cows, including Holstein Friesians and Brown Swiss, with the beef side featuring Limousin crosses.

This efficiency boost complements their organic dairy operation, which supplies milk under contract to Organic Herd.

“The Teagle works well for us, especially this summer as our cow numbers increased. We were struggling to keep grass ahead of them, partly due to the wet weather,” says John MacLeod. “Being able to buffer feed them with drier silage helped us keep on top of things.”

The Tomahawk's 3.0m³ capacity and 20m spread range allow quick, efficient bedding and silage feeding The bedder’s importance on the farm can’t be overstated. It plays a central role in minimising straw use, saving time and enhancing safety – especially for staff working solo around cattle. With this sixth purchase of a Teagle model, the MacLeods continue to rely on its benefits.

This year’s wet weather posed additional challenges for the MacLeods’ straw supply. Typically, they bale about 1200 round bales annually using a Lely Welger RP245, sourced from a nearby farm, but the unpredictable weather led them to supplement with square bales to ensure enough for winter.

Entering the colder months, the family relies on the bedder daily.

The control box with Bluetooth connectivity enables easy operation John’s father, Iain, who is the main operator of the bedder, explains: “We give the pens a light dusting of straw with about four to five bales, saving between 10–15% of straw compared to rolling out bales.”

This savings on straw, along with a reduction in time spent bedding, underscoring the machine’s value on the farm.

Iain was among the first farmers in the area to adopt a bedder some 25-30 years ago, recognising its advantages early on. “The mounted model was not only more cost-effective but much easier to manoeuvre, especially in narrow sheds,” he recalls.

“The Teagle is well made, compact, but powerful and simple to maintain.”

The MacLeod family rely on their Teagle Tomahawk 7100 feeder bedder to streamline bedding and feeding across their 600 acre operation near Neilston, Ayrshire The MacLeods’ Tomahawk 7100 comes equipped with features designed to optimise performance and convenience. Its Flow Plus technology maintains a consistent feed rate, while a low-speed fan reduces fuel consumption.

Supported by a robust 12mm bed chain, an 8-paddle fan for airflow and Bluetooth controls, the Tomahawk can handle heavy-duty tasks while keeping maintenance low.

Iain credits Teagle’s British-made reliability and its focus on customer feedback for the bedder’s success on the farm.

“Teagle listens to customers. They produce a reliable, robust machine that’s easy to use and keeps on working.” he adds.

The Tomahawk is used daily, using four to five bales for a light dusting, saving up to 15% in straw “We really haven’t found many faults with the Tomahawk so far. We rarely have blockages and in the odd event it does happen it has been down to the operator’s error. Fortunately, it doesn’t happen often as it is not an easy machine to unblock.”

Supported by Hamilton Ross Group and salesman Scott Campbell, the MacLeods have found maintenance manageable with most done in-house, typically involving pre-season sharpening, floor chain tightening and general greasing.

Their John Deere 6410, providing around 90hp, remains paired with the Tomahawk for most tasks, equipped with a custom weight block for stability, especially on slopes around the yard.

“The tractor handles the bedder well and has enough power to meet our needs,” says John.

With its 3.0m³ capacity and spread range of up to 20m, the Tomahawk 7100 is ideal for East Uplaw’s mix of baled straw and silage feeding.

Iain sums up its importance to the farm: “It’s a game-changer. We save on straw, reduce our workload, and it just keeps going day after day.”

With its durability and versatility, the Teagle Tomahawk 7100 continues to play a critical role at East Uplaw, allowing the MacLeods to maintain reducing workload and straw consumption.

The Teagle Tomahawk 7100 add-ons:

Tailgate extension: This addition enhances the bedder’s capacity and ease of loading.

Road lighting kit: A must for road use, the lighting kit ensures that all front and rear markers are visible for safe transport.

Hydraulic filter: Protecting against valve contamination, the hydraulic filter has been crucial in maintaining the bedder’s reliability over years of intense use.

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Side discharge chute: This chute option delivers straw on the right-hand side, perfect for lower buildings and barns, giving flexibility in feeding and bedding across various structures on the farm.

Wide angle PTO shaft: Essential for continuous operation during turns, this addition allows smoother operation, especially useful for the farm’s layout with its sloped yards and narrow aisles.