13 Years On: John’s Story with the Blaney Bale Shredder

October 2, 2025

At Blaney Agri, there’s nothing we value more than hearing how our machines are making a real difference on farms. Recently, we caught up with John, a sheep farmer from Cushendall, Co Antrim, who has been using his Blaney Bale Shredder for over 13 years. His story is a brilliant example of how durable and effective our machines are, even after more than a decade of daily use.

When John first invested in his Bale Shredder back in 2013, his goal was simple: to make feeding silage to his sheep more efficient. “We needed something to chop silage for the sheep in the wintertime, and the Blaney chopper seemed the ideal thing at the time,” he explained.

Over the years, the Bale Shredder has become an essential part of his daily routine. “It saves me maybe two hours a day. Without it, there would be a lot more manual labour involved,” John told us. He’s found the chopped silage to be better than what many modern machines deliver, helping him feed more accurately depending on flock size and reducing waste in the process.

The design of the Bale Shredder has also helped improve feeding conditions in his housing. John noted that chopped silage doesn’t clump up on expanded metal or slats, keeping passageways clear and feed consistent.

Durability has been another standout factor for him. “It certainly is durable — I only need to send it out for a service about once every five years,” John said. “I’d highly recommend the Blaney Bale Shredder to any sheep or beef farmer feeding silage.”

On top of feeding, John has also put the Bale Shredder to work chopping straw for bedding, proving its versatility beyond silage.

For us, stories like John’s are what the Blaney Advantage is all about. Our founder and chief engineer, Sean Blaney, put it best:
“We build machinery with farmers in mind — durable, reliable, and designed to make life easier on the farm. Hearing from farmers like John, who has saved two hours a day for over 13 years with his Bale Shredder, shows the real impact our machines can have. That’s why we keep innovating — not just to deliver new ideas, but to build lasting solutions for the farming community.”

The Bale Shredder is just one part of our wider winter solutions range, designed to save farmers time and reduce waste during the most challenging months of the year. Alongside the Bale Shredder, we also offer the Bale Feeder X6, Cubicle Bedder, and the versatile Forager X10. Together, these machines help farmers feed, bed, and manage livestock housing more efficiently all winter long.

If you’d like to learn more about our Bale Shredder take a look here: Blaney Bale Shredder.