Fieldays 2026: The Importance of Balanced Feeding with Abbey Feeder Wagons

Fieldays 2026 is officially underway, and Abbey Machinery is delighted to be exhibiting alongside our New Zealand partner, Farmgard, at the Enterprise Ireland Stand D67. Throughout the event, the Abbey team will be showcasing our latest diet feeder and slurry management solutions, designed to support efficient, high-performance farming systems across New Zealand.

Nutrition management and consistent, balanced feeding play a critical role in maintaining animal health, supporting milk production, improving feed efficiency, and reducing costly digestive stress within the herd.

With feed representing up to 60% of dairy production costs on many farms, achieving accurate and consistent feed delivery is essential. Total Mixed Ration (TMR) systems help ensure every mouthful contains the correct balance of nutrients, minerals and fibre. However, successful TMR feeding depends not only on ration formulation, but also on the quality and consistency of the mixing and feed-out process.

Abbey Machinery’s premium twin and tri-auger diet feeders are engineered to support these principles through thorough mixing, accurate weighing, efficient feed-out, and flexible machine configurations suited to modern dairy operations.

Key features of the Abbey Feeder range include:

• Rolled tub design for fast, complete and efficient mixing

• Precision auger systems for even ingredient distribution and reduced feed sorting

• Accurate weighing systems for consistent ration delivery

• Flexible feed-out and discharge configurations

• Optimised auger and wall design for reduced power demand

• Adjustable knives and extended counter knives for efficient processing of varying feed types

• Capability to handle grass silage, maize silage, straw, whole crop, grain, vegetables and blended rations

• Increased steel in Abbey augers for greater durability and a longer machine lifespan compared to many competing brands

Abbey feeders are designed to improve workflow efficiency, reduce labour demand, minimise feed waste, and deliver repeatable feeding routines across a wide variety of farming systems.

Morrinsville dairy farmer Zeb Wills uses an Abbey mixer wagon as part of his 580-cow operation and says the machine has helped improve feed consistency while reducing waste.

“The full mix means the cows are getting all the crucial minerals and nutrients in each mouthful,” says Wills. “Every cow gets the same balance of feed, keeping them healthy and reducing waste significantly. The Abbey machine has really helped support our high-input system and maximise milk production.”

South Auckland farmer Jim Foote, who milks 550 cows in Karaka, says the Abbey feeder has improved both feed consistency and operational efficiency on his farm.

“The quality of the mix and feed-out has helped reduce wastage, while the speed of mixing and chopping has saved significant time,” says Foote. “The machine handles a wide range of ingredients in one load, including grass silage, maize, grain and vegetables, which has really helped drive production during the winter months.”

Abbey Machinery offers a range of feeder models from 15m³ to 40m³, with the 20m³, 25m³ and 30m³ models proving particularly popular within the New Zealand market. New additions to the range for 2026 include the VF1700, VF1900 and VF4000, offering increased flexibility and capacity for growing dairy operations.

Popular optional extras in New Zealand include the Combi front-mounted fixed PVC conveyor with side discharge elevator and the 3200mm PVC belt discharge elevator, helping tailor each machine to individual farm layouts and feeding systems.

Alongside its feeding equipment, Abbey Machinery is also showcasing its slurry and manure management solutions, developed to support efficient nutrient application and more sustainable farming practices.

If you’re visiting Fieldays this week, be sure to stop by Stand D67 at the Enterprise Ireland pavilion and meet the Abbey Machinery and Farmgard teams. We’d be delighted to chat about the latest machinery solutions for modern dairy and livestock farms and show you what’s new for 2026.