NOTE: The Ruminator has been discontinued. Please contact your Rotochopper representative to learn about other liquid application systems for Rotochopper grinders.
Rotochopper Fiber Infusion Systems offer single pass simplicity for calcium treated forage and other thoroughly saturated products.
The Rotochopper tradition of innovating practical equipment solutions for challenging grinding applications continues with the launch of our line of Fiber Infusion Systems. This exclusive technology offers the first turn-key solution for simultaneously grinding and saturating raw materials with liquid treatments made from dry soluble chemicals, including lime-based chemicals that are used to produce calcium treated crop residues. These grinding and saturating systems are designed to produce calcium treated forages and other thoroughly saturated products in just one pass.
The Rotochopper Ruminator TM
The advantages of these grinding and saturating systems start with the new Rotochopper Ruminator slurry mixing system. The Ruminator mixes powdered or granulated chemicals with water to produce uniform slurry.
1-Step Simplicity
The Ruminator integrates with a Rotochopper grinder to apply this liquid solution to the raw material during the grinding process. Using patented and patent-pending technology, this unique method uses the force of the grinding action to thoroughly saturate the properly sized finished particles.
The Ruminator can integrate with a diesel or electric grinder from 300 to 700 horsepower.
Calcium Treated Forage
For farmers and agri-businesses that want to capitalize on the economic opportunities of calcium treated forages, the combination of a Rotochopper grinder and Ruminator offers unmatched simplicity for grinding whole bales and applying the calcium solution. Whole bales of corn stover, wheat straw, or other crop residues come out of the Rotochopper grinder as fully processed forage with remarkably uniform fiber size and liquid saturation.
How It Works
How It WorksTreating crop residues with calcium hydroxide or calcium oxide loosens the chemical bonds that normally make carbohydrates in crop residues inaccessible to ruminant animals like cattle and sheep.
Digestion Optimized
Breaking the lignin bonds in the cell walls substantially increases the nutrition value of corn stover, wheat straw, and other crop residues, allowing calcium treated crop residues to replace grains and traditional forages in feed rations.
Science & Economics
Calcium oxide and calcium hydroxide are both limestone derivatives that are readily available and used extensively in wide ranging applications. Calcium hydroxide, for example, is used in corn tortillas and calcium fortified beverages.
Cost Effective Forage Supplement
University studies and commercial trials have demonstrated that calcium treated corn stover and wheat straw offers cost-effective supplements for grains and traditional forages. By increasing the digestibility and palatability of crop residues, this process allows for higher replacement percentages than untreated crop residues.
More from Less
Perhaps best of all, calcium treated forages provide a buffer against weather-related shortages of grains and traditional forages, increasing the available feed sources while actually decreasing the cost of crop production in many cases. Specifically, corn stover can present a significant challenge if left in fields after harvest since its abrasiveness causes rapid wear on tilling equipment. The demand for calcium treated crop residues creates a financial incentive to remove corn stover, thereby lowering tilling costs.
The Rotochopper Ruminator is the first system to take this proven science beyond field trials and retro-fitted equipment, packaging all the elements of this process into a single streamlined system. The Rotochopper Ruminator system combines all of the ingredients—baled crop residue, water, and the lime-based powder—in one simple step.
The Ruminator Advantage
The Ruminator is completely self-contained to simplify operation, maintenance, and chemical handling safety. An on-board engine provides all necessary power. The Ruminator integrates with a Rotochopper grinder to put the operator in complete control of particle size, moisture saturation, and chemical application rates. Once settings are dialed in, the operator simply loads bales into the grinder, and the control system takes care of the rest. The liquid application system runs only when crop residue is flowing through the grinding chamber, minimizing waste and mess.
History of Grinding Innovation
The Ruminator builds on the patented technology that helped establish Rotochopper as the leader in grind-&-color equipment in the premium landscape mulch market for over 15 years. The Rotochopper Power Application System (PAS) is a time-tested method for thoroughly and evenly coating wood fiber landscape mulch with liquid colorants.
The Ruminator moves beyond the fiber coating technology used in landscape mulch production to provide full fiber saturation capacity on a large scale. While the Power Application System uses liquid treatments, the Ruminator mixes dry powdered or granulated chemicals with water to produce a liquid slurry. The ability to uniformly saturate all of the properly sized particles using a powder-based solution sets the Ruminator system apart from all the other equipment used to produce calcium treated forage.
Learn More
Ready to learn how a Rotochopper Ruminator system can maximize the value of crop residues? Contact us today to learn more.