A TMR mixer truck has one main duty: to carry feed materials to the blending machine, or to move the finished ration from one place to another. In agriculture, and especially in husbandry, this vehicle is really important. When you are about to mix the fodder, there are two choices. You either bring the materials to the mixer, or you bring the mixer to the materials. Whichever option you choose, it always comes back to this big vehicle. Bring materials to the mixer and you need a truck. Bring the machine to the materials and you need one too. Hence, this long and wide vehicle is always needed on a working farm.
What many farmers discover, though, is that a truck and a mixer working as two separate things is not the same as a machine built to do both. That is really what this article is about. We will look at what a TMR mixer truck actually is, which approach is more efficient, the parts that matter, and how to pick the right size for your farm.
Contents
What Is a TMR Mixer Truck?
A TMR mixer truck is a mobile machine that mixes, carries, and dispenses total mixed ration along the feed line. Instead of mixing the ration in one location and then transferring it to a separate vehicle for delivery, the truck does the whole job in one pass. Feed goes in at the loading point, the augers stir and even out the material as the truck travels, and a conveyor dispenses it where the animals are waiting.
This is different from the other kinds of TMR equipment you may already know. A stationary mixer sits in one place and needs something else to move the feed. A trailed mixer is towed behind a tractor, so the tractor and the mixer work as a pair. A truck-based machine, on the other hand, is self-contained. One operator, one machine, one trip. If you want to understand the mixing side in more depth, our guide to the TMR mixer covers how the mixing itself works, while this article focuses on the mobile side of the job.
What Is More Efficient?
Between the two choices we mentioned at the start, there is a real consideration, and it is worth thinking through before you buy anything.
Choosing an ordinary truck just for carrying materials will always leave some leftover residue in the bed. Feed sticks to corners, packs into the front wall, and gets left behind. Over a season that adds up, and it is feed you already paid for. Using a purpose-built TMR mixer truck avoids most of that, because the augers keep working the material toward the discharge, so you can take out the rest as many times as you need until the box is genuinely empty.
There is a second efficiency that people notice only after they switch. With a separate truck and a separate mixer, the mixing has to happen somewhere else first. That means an extra handling step, extra time, and usually an extra person. Combining the two removes that step completely. Add up the fuel, the labour hours, and the machine you no longer need to buy, and the sums often look very different from the sticker price comparison.
The third point is consistency. Every time feed is transferred from one container to another, it has a chance to separate. Fine particles settle, long fibre floats to the top, and what leaves the mixer well blended does not always arrive that way. Fewer transfers means the ration reaching the feed bunk is closer to the ration you formulated.
Truck-Mounted or Self-Propelled?
Once you decide on a mobile machine, the next question is which kind. The mixer body and the truck can be supplied as a mounted unit or as a fully self-propelled machine, and each suits a different situation.
| Type | How It Works | Best Suited To |
|---|---|---|
| Truck-mounted | The feed box is mounted onto a truck chassis such as Sinotruk, Foton, or Dongfeng | Farms that want road speed, easy local servicing, and a familiar chassis |
| Self-propelled | A single purpose-built machine with its own engine, cab, and controls | Large commercial farms feeding big volumes every day |
| Feed delivery box | An auger box that transports and spreads feed already mixed elsewhere | Farms that already own a mixer and only need distribution |
That last option is worth a moment. If you already have a good stationary or trailed mixer that you are happy with, you may not need a full mixer truck at all. A feed delivery box handles the transport and spreading part alone, and Jummos builds these in six models from 5 m³ up to 30 m³, with maximum net loads from 2100 kg to 9000 kg. It is often the cheaper route to solving a distribution problem.
TMR Mixer Truck: The Detailed Parts
The mixer body and the truck work together, but the process is simpler than it looks, and any operator can pick it up after going through the basics. Below are the parts that actually determine whether the machine performs.
Mixing Chamber
This is made from strong material, and it is the most important part because it determines the strength and stability of the whole mixing process. Pay particular attention to the bottom. It carries the total weight of the machine plus the fodder, and when the machine is working there is additional pressure and shake on top of that dead weight. The bottom plate has to be strong.
Good machines use wear-resistant steel for exactly this reason. As a reference point, Jummos boxes use Q345B or 16Mn wear-resistant steel, with 3 to 4 mm side panels and a heavier 4 to 6 mm bottom plate depending on the model. That difference between side and bottom thickness is not an accident. It reflects where the punishment actually lands.
The Augers and the Knives
Knives are installed along the auger, and they are the main component that cuts and blends the material at the same time. Sharp knives are strongly suggested, because they make the process faster and that saves energy. A dull knife does not cut so much as tear, which takes longer, uses more fuel, and gives you a less consistent chop length.
A monthly check is suggested to keep an eye on the knives’ sharpness and shape. Many machines run around three knives per auger, and where there are two augers that gives six in total, though the exact number varies by model and manufacturer, so check your own machine rather than assuming. Auger blade material matters too. Larger Jummos machines use NM400 wear-resistant steel blades at 8 mm thick, which is the kind of specification that decides whether an auger lasts a season or several.
Machines with two augers generally handle a bigger batch and mix it more evenly, which is why capacity and auger count tend to rise together.
Window
In the front part of the TMR mixer truck chamber there is a window, and its function is to check on the mixing progress. Observation is highly needed for two purposes. The first is simply to know how far along the process is. The second is to limit the time spent, and that ties directly back to saving energy.
This second point deserves emphasis, because overmixing is a genuine and underrated problem. Run the augers too long and you keep breaking the fibre down past the point where it is useful. Cattle need a certain amount of physical fibre length to keep the rumen working properly, and a ration that has been mixed into something too fine can cause digestive trouble. The window is how you avoid guessing.
Discharge Spot
This is the core of the connection between the machine and the feed line. It is better to choose one with a wide discharge capacity, because it helps the feed move freely and keeps the whole area easily accessible.
There are generally two discharge arrangements. The first uses a conveyor, with the discharge directed toward the front. The second is side discharge, which uses a door installed at the rear or the front of the box. Better machines can spread to both sides, working one direction at a time so the operator keeps control of where the feed lands. On Jummos trucks this is handled by a hydraulic belt conveyor with a herringbone rubber belt, controlled from an in-cab handle, and the larger machines can spread at a rate of 0.5 to 4 m³ per minute.
Spreading distance is adjustable as well, which matters more than it sounds. A feed bunk that sits close to the truck needs a short throw, while an open feed line may need more reach. On the compact 9SW-05 the spreading distance runs from 0.1 to 0.5 m.
The Tires
The tires carry a big duty, much like the bottom plate mentioned above. Wide and low is generally the best combination. Those characteristics help the farmer unload the fodder with minimum effort, keep the machine stable when the box is full and the load is shifting, and reduce the damage done to yard surfaces by a heavy machine making the same trip twice a day.
Weighing System and Cab Controls
This is one part the original generation of machines did not have, and it has quietly become one of the most valuable. An onboard weighing system reads out the load in real time, which means you can deliver a measured ration to each group rather than estimating by eye. If you are grouping animals by production stage, the weighing system is what makes that grouping actually mean something at the feed bunk.
Larger Jummos trucks include an Aiweichuang weighing system, along with a two-channel reversing camera, which is a genuine safety feature on a machine this size working in a busy yard.
“The part farmers underestimate most is what happens between the mixer and the feed bunk. You can formulate a perfect ration, mix it perfectly, and still lose the benefit if the feed separates in transit or gets spread unevenly down the line. That is why I always ask about the whole feeding route, not just the mixing. When the mixing and the delivery happen in the same machine, there is simply less that can go wrong along the way.”
Sue Su, Marketing Director, Jummos
Choosing the Right Capacity
Capacity is where most buying mistakes happen, in both directions. Too small and you are making three trips where two would do, every single day, twice a day. Too large and you have paid for volume you never fill, while manoeuvring a machine that struggles in your barn.
The honest way to size a machine is to work from your actual daily feed volume, then check the machine dimensions against your barn access, turning space, and feed line width before you commit. A machine that cannot get down your feed alley is not a bargain at any price.
| Model | Capacity | Type | Suited To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9SW-05 | 5 m³ | Compact spreader, three-wheel chassis | Small farms and tight barn layouts |
| 9PL 8 | Mid-size | Truck-mounted | Growing operations |
| 9PL 12 | Larger | Truck-mounted | Higher daily volumes |
| 40 m³ self-propelled | 40 m³ | Self-propelled, double NM400 augers | Large commercial farms and feedlots |
Full specifications for each model, including dimensions, chassis options, and engine ratings, are set out on the feed spreader truck product page.
Keeping the Machine Working
A feeding machine runs every day without exception, which makes maintenance less optional than on equipment used seasonally. If a baler breaks down you lose a day of baling. If the feeding machine breaks down, the herd still needs feeding that afternoon.
The routine is not complicated. Inspect the augers and knives regularly and keep the knives sharp, as noted above. Check the hydraulic hoses and motors for leaks or wear, since the hydraulics drive both the augers and the belt. Watch the belt conveyor for tracking and wear, because a belt that drifts to one side will eventually damage itself. Calibrate the weighing system if your machine has one, because an uncalibrated scale is worse than no scale, since it gives you confidence in a number that is wrong. And load the box evenly within its rated capacity, especially on higher-capacity models where an unbalanced load affects handling.
Two Situations Where a Mixer Truck Makes the Difference
Rather than general claims, it is more useful to look at where this machine genuinely changes the arithmetic on a farm.
The first is distance. If your feeding area sits well away from where the feed is stored and mixed, an ordinary truck means loading, driving, and unloading, with the mixing handled separately beforehand. A mixer truck collapses that into one operation, and the further apart those points are, the more it saves. Loading and unloading height also matters here, since a machine designed for the job is far more comfortable to work with than a general-purpose truck that happens to be tall.
The second is cost stacking. Running an ordinary truck alongside a separate feed container usually works out more expensive once everything is counted, not less. You are buying and maintaining two machines instead of one, and you still have to do the mixing somewhere else. Farmers who compare only the purchase price often miss this, and it tends to become obvious about a season later.
Jummos
We are pleased to introduce Jummos, a manufacturer of agricultural and farming machinery based in Qingdao, China. Our products are built to support agricultural and husbandry activities, and the range includes bale wrappers, TMR mixers, feed spreader trucks, feed delivery boxes, and manure cleaning equipment. Parts are guaranteed for a year to ensure your satisfaction, and colour and capacity can be customized, with OEM supply available for distributors and brand partners.
For those who are still new to agriculture and husbandry and would like to consult with someone experienced, you are in the right place. If you are working out whether a trailed or stationary TMR mixer would suit you better than a truck, or how a mixer truck fits alongside the total mixed ration feeding approach, we are glad to talk it through. Besides providing the products, we gladly answer questions. Contact us now and find the machine that fits your farm.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a TMR mixer truck used for?
A TMR mixer truck carries total mixed ration and dispenses it evenly along the feed line, handling transport and distribution in a single pass. Augers move and even out the material inside the box, and a belt conveyor spreads it where the animals feed. The main benefit is that mixing, carrying, and spreading happen with one machine and one operator, which cuts labour and reduces the handling steps where a ration can separate.
What is the difference between a TMR mixer truck and a trailed TMR mixer?
A trailed mixer is towed behind a tractor, so you need both machines and an operator to run them as a pair. A TMR mixer truck is self-contained, either mounted on a truck chassis or fully self-propelled, with its own engine and cab. Trailed mixers often suit farms that already have a suitable tractor and shorter distances to cover. Trucks suit operations where feed has to travel further, where road speed matters, or where freeing up the tractor for other work is valuable.
How do I choose the right capacity?
Start from your actual daily feed volume rather than the size that sounds impressive. Then check the machine’s dimensions against your barn access, turning space, and feed line width, because a machine that cannot manoeuvre where you feed is no use regardless of capacity. The Jummos range runs from a compact 5 m³ model suited to small farms up to a 40 m³ self-propelled truck for large commercial operations, with mid-size options in between.
How does the spreading actually work?
Feed is loaded into the open-top box, augers stir and move the material toward the discharge side, and a hydraulic belt conveyor dispenses it along the feed line. Larger machines can spread to both sides, operating one direction at a time so the operator stays in control, with spreading efficiency of roughly 0.5 to 4 m³ per minute on the largest model. Spreading distance is adjustable to match how close the feed bunk sits to the machine.
How often should the knives be checked?
A monthly check is a sensible baseline for sharpness and shape, though a machine working long hours every day may need attention more often. Sharp knives cut cleanly, which is faster and uses less fuel, while dull knives tear the material, take longer, and give a less consistent chop. Since the feeding machine runs daily, it is worth building this check into a routine rather than waiting for a noticeable drop in performance.
Reviewed by Sue Su, Marketing Director of Jummos, on August14, 2026. Machine specifications and capacity details were checked against current Jummos feed spreader truck and feed delivery box product data to keep the information accurate for buyers.