Mobile bale and feed processor and method

A bale processor comprising:

• a towable frame mounted on wheels for travel over a ground surface, the frame having a travel direction when being towed, the bale processor being operable while being towed, said frame having a front, a rear, a first side and a second side;
• a tub mounted to the frame, and a bale shredder mounted within said tub;
• a bale loader mounted at said rear of said frame and operable to load a bale into said tub for processing by said bale shredder;
• a grain tank, a grain metering system, and a grain cracker mounted to an exterior of said tub for cracking grain received from the grain tank and discharging cracked grain into said tub;
• and
• a side discharge coupled to the frame for discharging mixed shredded material and cracked grain material from the tub and onto the ground surface for consumption by livestock.

A bale processor comprising:

• a) a frame mounted on wheels for travelling over a ground surface;
• b) a processor body mounted to the frame for receiving a feed bale, the processor body having a bale shredder mounted within the processor body for shredding the bale;
• and
• c) a grain delivery system mounted on board the frame, the grain delivery system including a grain tank for holding a supply of whole grains, and a grain cracker for breaking whole grains received from the grain tank into cracked grain for improved digestion by livestock;
• and the processor body having a grain inlet by which to receive cracked grain from the grain cracker independently of loading of bales into the processor body.