Classifieds spotlight: Grain handling equipment you need for this harvest

It’s official. Australia is on track to record its second largest grain harvesting season ever, with ABARES predicting winter crop production this year to hit the 51.5 million tonne mark, just 5 million shy of 2016-2017’s record-breaking season.

You might have your combine harvester sorted, but what about other grain handling equipment? Do you have bins and silos big enough to store or transport a larger than usual load? Is your auger up to scratch? Will you need a grain cleaner to clean your crop?

Here we’ve selected a few key handling grain equipment we think you’ll need for a smooth and successful harvesting season ahead.

The use of a chaser bin side-by-side a combine during harvest is crucial so you don’t waste time having to stop and start your harvester to unload when the tank gets full.

A chaser bin usually requires the use of a higher horsepower tractor to tow, and trails alongside a combine harvester while it’s operating to receive the harvested load to transport to a roadtrain when full.   

Chaser bins come in a range of sizes, usually from 15 tonnes all the way up to 60 tonnes. They come with an unloading auger to unload grain into trucks for transportation.

2010 Balzer 2000

Location: SA

Condition: Used

Capacity: 57 tonnes

Price: $150,000 (excluding government charges)

Balzer is a company based in Minnesota, USA, that specialises in material handling and transportation solutions such as grain carts and manure handling systems. The company was founded in the 1940s and have been manufacturing and exporting its machines around the world including Australia, Japan, Europe and Russia.

This Balzer chaser bin for sale has a capacity of 57 tonnes and has a 24 inch auger. It also has scales integrated which makes it handy for record keeping purposes, and to make sure the right amount is unloaded into trucks.  

It also comes with steer wheels, a pivoting head and roll tarp. Seller is letting go of this unit because he is upgrading but the bin looks in good condition ready for work.

Tru Fab GrainKing 25-tonne

Location: Vic

Condition: Used

Capacity: 25 tonnes

Price: $60,000 (excluding government charges)

Don’t need a massive 60-tonne bin? We found this GrainKing 25-tonne capacity chaser bin that might suit your needs.

This bin is manufactured locally in Perth by Trufab Engineering which specialises in steel fabrication services and steel products.

It has an 18-inch auger, roll over tarp and recently had its tyres upgraded.

Grain augers are used to move grain from truck to silo or vice versa, hence they have an extraordinary length to allow it to reach the tall silos to unload grain effectively.

There are several types of grain augers including conventional, swing-away, pencil and drive over.

Brandt 852

Location: NSW

Condition: Used

Length: 52ft

Price: $15,400 (excluding government charges)

Brandt is a Canadian company which has been producing industrial and agricultural equipment for over 80 years.

This particular auger is a conventional type auger featuring a motor to power the auger, an intake system at one end of the auger and a spout at the other for unloading.

This one for sale is 52ft long, has an 8-inch wide tube and features a Kohler Commander motor. Its tyres and flighting are in good condition and the seller is listing the auger because they’re upgrading.

2020 Farm King 1395 Swing Away Auger

Location: NSW

Condition: New

Length: 95ft

Price: $49,500 (excluding government charges)

A swing away auger features a main auger and a secondary auger that swings away for easier input. The swing away auger has a hopper with a larger intake to help fill silos quicker.

Made in Canada, this Farm King 1395 Backsaver auger has a length of 95ft and a 13-inch wide tube to help move grains quickly and efficiently.

The swing-away auger can be positioned on the right side or left side of the main auger for flexibility.

Silos come in many shapes, built and sizes. The more common ones are steel silos that are flat-bottomed or cone bottomed, depending on how much farmers need to store.

It is important to ensure your silo has a good aeration system to keep pests and diseases at bay and prevent grain spoilage.  

2020 Grainmaster 2104.5

Location: QLD

Condition: New

Size/capacity: 199.5m3/160 tonnes

Price: $25,300

Locally made by the Davey Group in Toowoomba, Grainmaster silos range from five to 1200 tonnes in capacity to cater to different farm sizes and needs.

This 2104.5 sits at the larger end of the scale and features a conical base.

It is gas sealed for effective long-term storage and features an aeration and fumigation recirculation system for effective pest control.  

LYSAUGHT 100T

Location: NSW

Condition: Used

Capacity: 100 tonnes

Price: $6600 (excluding government charges)

This silo for sale is about 7.5m in height and can hold up to 100 tonnes of crop. It is also a steel conical based model and has minimal internal rust, according to the seller.

It comes with a Downfield F370 single phase aerator to ensure optimum air circulation within the tank.

No, we’re not talking about laundry equipment here, but instead cleaners and dryers for grain designed to help farmers achieve the best possible crop for market.

Grain cleaners and dryers consist of several parts including fans and screens to remove contaminants such as dust and rock from grain crops to help grain dry faster and store better.

Nichols grain cleaner

Location: Vic

Condition: Used

Price: $45,000 (excluding government charges)

This grain cleaner for sale is electric powered by a 5kva generator. It features belts that feeds grains into the machine for cleaning. The cleaning area is four screens long and the machine come with 12 different screens of different sizes to suit cereals, legumes and canola.

In the machine, the grain goes through a de-huller, scalper, fan and screens for a thorough cleaning and drying process.

GT 580Z grain dryer

Location: NSW

Condition: Used

Price: $19,000 (excluding government charges)

The GT580Z is a silo shaped dryer which cleans and dries grains at the same time. Its center auger ensures the grain is evenly dried and circulated to assist with both the drying and cooling process.

The seller said it has been kept in a shed when not in use, therefore is in excellent condition.

The dryer is portable and can be easily moved from silo to silo and has inload and outload features.

Find other grain equipment for sale