Why Buy a TMR Mixer If You Only Need Automated Feeding?

Automated feeding is becoming an important part of modern dairy farm management, especially for farms looking to reduce labour dependency, improve feeding consistency, and make daily operations more predictable. But one common question remains:

Do you really need a TMR mixer if your main requirement is automated feed distribution?

The answer is: not necessarily.

Discover the DELMER Robot + Rotor Automated Silage Feeding System for efficient automated feed distribution in modern dairy farms.

A TMR mixer is primarily designed to prepare and mix a Total Mixed Ration (TMR), while an automated feeding system can focus on moving and distributing already-prepared feed efficiently throughout the barn.

For many dairy farms, separating feed preparation from feed distribution can be a practical way to introduce automation without investing in a complete automated feeding kitchen from day one.

What Is a TMR Mixer?  

A TMR mixer combines different feed ingredients—such as silage, hay, grains, concentrates, minerals, and other ration components—into a consistent mixture.

The main purpose of a TMR mixer is feed preparation.

Depending on the farm's feeding strategy, a TMR mixer may be used to:

• Combine multiple feed ingredients

• Maintain a relatively consistent ration

• Process and mix silage and other roughages

• Prepare feed for different animal groups

• Reduce manual mixing requirements

• Improve consistency in ration preparation

For farms that prepare their own TMR every day, a mixer can be an important piece of equipment.

Explore the DELMER Automated Silage Feeding System designed to reduce repetitive labour in dairy feed distribution.

But there is another part of the feeding process that often requires significant labour: getting the prepared feed from the mixing area to the feeding table.

That is where automated feed distribution becomes relevant.

Feed Preparation vs. Feed Distribution  

It helps to divide dairy feeding into two separate processes:

1. Feed Preparation  

This involves:

Loading → Weighing → Mixing → Preparing the ration

A TMR mixer is primarily associated with this stage.

2. Feed Distribution  

This involves:

Moving → Delivering → Distributing → Repeating feeding routes

An automated feeding robot is designed primarily for this stage.

Therefore, if your farm already has an efficient method of preparing feed, purchasing a TMR mixer simply to achieve automated feeding may not be necessary.

The automation requirement may actually be feed distribution rather than feed mixing.

Why Buy a TMR Mixer If You Only Need Automated Feeding?  

If your primary objective is to automate the movement and distribution of feed, investing in a complete TMR mixing solution may introduce equipment, operating costs and complexity that you don't necessarily need.

Learn how the DELMER Robot + Rotor Feeding System can automate daily feed movement inside the dairy barn.

A farm may already have:

• Prepared silage

• A conventional mixer

• Feed prepared by another facility

• A tractor-based feeding process

• Manually prepared rations

• A separate feed preparation system

In such cases, the biggest operational problem may be the repeated transportation of feed to the feeding table.

This is particularly relevant when employees or tractor operators spend significant time travelling through the barn to distribute feed.

Instead of automating the entire feeding chain, farmers can focus on automating the distribution stage first.

What Does the DELMER Feeding Robot Actually Do?  

The DELMER Automated Feeding Robot is designed to take over the repetitive movement and distribution of feed inside the dairy barn.

Instead of requiring a tractor and operator to travel along the feeding table repeatedly, the robot follows a predefined track and delivers feed according to the programmed feeding routine.

Its compact architecture allows the system to work in barns where space is limited, while flexible track arrangements can be adapted to straight, curved or semi-circular feeding layouts.

The robot can be integrated with different feed-handling arrangements depending on the project — from relatively simple silage distribution to more advanced automated feed-preparation systems.

This makes the DELMER concept scalable.

A farmer doesn't have to jump directly from manual feeding to a complete automated TMR kitchen.

They can start with the part of the operation that is costing them the most time and labour.

Feed distribution.

Learn more about the DELMER Robot + Rotor Automated Silage Feeding System.

Automated Feeding Without a Fully Automated TMR Kitchen  

One of the biggest advantages of a modular approach is that dairy farms can automate according to their actual operational requirements.

A farm may begin with:

Existing feed preparation → Automated feed distribution

Rather than immediately investing in:

Automated ingredient handling → Automated weighing → Automated mixing → Automated transport → Automated distribution

The second approach can be highly automated, but it also involves more infrastructure and equipment.

For a farm whose primary challenge is labour-intensive feed delivery, the first approach may be more appropriate.

How the DELMER Robot Can Fit Into a Dairy Feeding Workflow  

A typical workflow can look like this:

Step 1: Feed is prepared

Feed can be prepared using the farm's existing process or a suitable feed-preparation system.

Step 2: Feed is loaded into the feeding system

The prepared material is transferred into the appropriate feeding equipment.

Step 3: DELMER Robot follows its programmed route

The robot travels along the predefined track inside the barn.

Step 4: Feed is distributed along the feeding table

The system delivers feed at designated locations according to the programmed routine.

Step 5: Feeding cycles can be repeated

Instead of relying entirely on a tractor operator for every distribution cycle, the automated system can perform its programmed feeding movements.

Upgrade your dairy operation with the DELMER Automated Feeding Robot for consistent and efficient feed distribution.

This separates the preparation function from the distribution function.

Key Benefits of Automating Feed Distribution  

1. Reduce Repetitive Labour  

Driving a tractor or manually transporting feed through a dairy barn is repetitive work.

Automated distribution can reduce the amount of routine movement required from farm workers.

This allows staff to spend more time on other important activities such as:

• Animal observation

• Cleaning

• Herd management

• Health monitoring

• Maintenance

• General farm operations

2. Reduce Dependence on Tractor Movement Inside the Barn  

Traditional feeding often requires tractors or other vehicles to repeatedly enter and travel through the feeding area.

An automated feeding robot can provide a dedicated distribution solution designed around the barn's feeding route.

See how the DELMER Robot + Rotor Automated Silage Feeding System supports scalable dairy farm automation.

This can be particularly useful in facilities where internal movement is restricted or space is limited.

3. More Consistent Feeding Routines  

Consistency is an important part of modern dairy management.

An automated feeding system can follow programmed routes and routines, helping farms establish a more predictable feed distribution schedule.

The exact feeding strategy will depend on the farm's ration, herd structure and system configuration.

4. Better Use of Existing Infrastructure  

Automation doesn't always mean replacing everything.

A farm may already have an effective feed preparation process.

Instead of replacing that infrastructure, the farm can potentially automate the next bottleneck: distribution.

This makes the transition toward automation more modular.

5. Scalable Automation  

Every dairy farm has different requirements.

A smaller farm may only need automated feed distribution, while a larger operation may eventually want automated preparation, loading, mixing and distribution.

A scalable system allows automation to develop alongside the farm.

This is one of the key concepts behind the DELMER automated feeding approach.

When Does a TMR Mixer Make Sense?  

A TMR mixer can make sense when the farm needs to prepare a consistent mixed ration from multiple ingredients.

Reduce manual feed distribution with the DELMER Automated Silage Feeding Solution built for modern dairy barns.

For example, a farm may need to combine:

• Silage

• Hay

• Straw

• Concentrates

• Minerals

• Protein sources

• Other ration ingredients

In these situations, mixing is an essential part of the feeding process.

But if the farm already has a suitable way to prepare its ration, the immediate requirement may be different.

The question becomes:

Where is the biggest feeding bottleneck—preparation or distribution?

If the answer is distribution, an automated feeding robot can address that specific requirement.

TMR Mixer vs. Automated Feeding Robot  

The two systems should not necessarily be viewed as competing technologies.

They solve different problems.

Requirement	TMR Mixer	Automated Feeding Robot
Prepare mixed ration	✓	Depending on configuration
Mix multiple ingredients	✓	—
Transport feed inside barn	Limited/depends on system	✓
Automated feed distribution	Not its primary function	✓
Reduce repetitive feeding movement	Limited	✓
Follow predefined barn routes	—	✓
Modular automation	Depends on setup	✓

The right system therefore depends on what the farm is actually trying to automate.

Is Automated Feeding Suitable for Small and Medium Dairy Farms?  

Automation is no longer limited to very large dairy operations.

A modular automated feeding approach can be relevant for farms that want to improve labour efficiency without completely redesigning their feeding infrastructure.

Explore automated feed distribution with the DELMER Robot + Rotor System for streamlined dairy feeding operations.

For example, a farm may already have:

Feed storage + feed preparation + feeding table

The missing component could simply be:

Automated distribution

In such a scenario, automating distribution can be considered as a separate project rather than replacing the entire feeding process.

How to Decide What Your Dairy Farm Needs  

Before purchasing a TMR mixer or automated feeding system, evaluate the complete feeding workflow.

Ask these questions:

Is feed preparation the main problem?  

If your farm spends significant time weighing and mixing multiple ingredients, a TMR mixer may address an important part of the process.

Is feed transportation the main problem?  

If prepared feed is available but workers spend considerable time moving it around the barn, automated distribution may be the more relevant automation requirement.

Is labour availability becoming a challenge?  

If finding or retaining workers for repetitive feeding tasks is becoming difficult, automation can help reduce dependence on manual routines.

Is the barn layout suitable for automation?  

Track design, feeding-table arrangement, available space and farm layout should be evaluated before selecting an automated feeding system.

Do you want gradual automation?  

If you don't want to automate the entire feeding kitchen immediately, a modular system can allow you to start with distribution and expand later.

The Future of Dairy Farm Feeding Is Modular Automation  

Modern dairy automation does not necessarily mean replacing every manual process at once.

Instead, farms can identify individual bottlenecks and automate them progressively.

A practical automation journey could look like:

Stage 1: Manual feed distribution
↓
Stage 2: Automated feed distribution
↓
Stage 3: Automated feed preparation
↓
Stage 4: Integrated feeding automation
↓
Stage 5: Connected herd and farm management

This approach allows the investment to follow the farm's operational needs.

The DELMER Robot + Rotor Automated Silage Feeding System is designed around this type of scalable automation philosophy, helping dairy farms focus on automating feed movement and distribution without necessarily requiring a complete automated TMR kitchen from the beginning.

Discover a scalable approach to automated dairy feeding with DELMER and simplify repetitive feed distribution tasks.

Frequently Asked Questions  

Do I need a TMR mixer for automated feeding?  

No, not necessarily. A TMR mixer primarily prepares and mixes feed, while an automated feeding robot can focus on transporting and distributing prepared feed. The requirement depends on how your farm currently prepares its ration.

What is the main purpose of an automated feeding robot?  

The main purpose is to automate the repetitive movement and distribution of feed inside the dairy barn according to a programmed feeding routine.

Can the DELMER Feeding Robot work with an existing feeding system?  

The DELMER system can be configured according to the project's feed-handling requirements. The appropriate setup depends on the farm's existing infrastructure, feed type and barn layout.

Can automated feeding reduce tractor use inside a dairy barn?  

An automated feeding system can reduce the need for repeated tractor movement for feed distribution, depending on the farm's configuration and feeding workflow.

Is automated feeding suitable for small dairy farms?  

It can be, particularly when labour-intensive feed distribution is a significant operational challenge. System suitability depends on herd size, barn layout, feeding method and automation requirements.

Can automated feeding be expanded later?  

A modular approach can allow farms to begin with feed distribution and potentially integrate additional automation as their requirements grow.

Conclusion: Automate the Problem You Actually Have  

A TMR mixer is valuable when your primary requirement is mixing and preparing feed.

But if your feed is already prepared and your biggest challenge is moving and distributing that feed repeatedly inside the dairy barn, you may not need to automate the entire TMR preparation process.

The DELMER Automated Feeding Robot focuses on this distribution challenge, providing a scalable approach to dairy feeding automation.

Instead of asking, “Do I need a TMR mixer?”, a better starting question is:

“Which part of my feeding process is consuming the most labour, time and resources?”

If the answer is feed distribution, automation can start there.

Explore the DELMER Robot + Rotor Automated Silage Feeding System and discover how automated feed distribution can fit into your dairy farm.