Highline Mfg's new balepro with straw chopper

[ALLFARMER]

For those of you who don't know what I'am talking about Highline's new bale processor has an optional what looks like a straw chopper off a combine mounted after the flails. I figure if your raising replacements this would make an easy way to add straw to their ration. Or any maintaince ration for that matter. Just wondering what those who don't hate iron think about it? lol

[cowman]

Just wonder why you might want to chop straw finer? Some of this darned rotary straw is chopped too much as it is?
The neighbor had a real wreck a few years ago with rotary straw. Cows impacted.

[ALLFARMER]

Just thinking back to when I worked at a feedlot feeding replacement heifers. The calves started to gain to fast so we took straw from a conventional combine an hired a tubgrinder to chop it up. We then mixed it with a small amount of silage (4 horizontal auger mixer). Well it didn't mix too well and the calves picked the silage from the ration. We were then left with straw at the bunks. I don't remember how many kg's we ended up with but it was a high straw ration over 50%. What I was thinking was putting down fine cut straw and then hay on top. Not sure if the cows would eat the top and leave the bottom. I guess this is why guys pay the big bucks for a vertical mixer.

[cowsense]

Seen the new processor demo'ed; it was very slow, is set up extremely awkward and has an abortion of a drive. Processed the feed into mainly dust and fines! If you need feed chopped hire a custom tub grinder and get it cut the way you need it!