Bale feeders for shredding green feed into

[WiltonRanch]

Been on a kick to build a feeder which a guy can shred bales into. First one seems to be working. I'll post a picture later if anyone is interested. Working on another with a sloped in top rail so it's easier for cows to access the feeder. Why I'm doing this is to address the problem of waste when feeding grew feed. Anecdotally what I've seen so far is a substantial reduction in waste. With hay I'd rather roll it out or put in a feeder. Shredding wrecks good hay.

[chaser]

Feeder

I have a feeder also has gate you open drive to and shred bale in only problem cows stand with head and feed blows in face hard on eyes so we chase cows out fill feeders then leave cows back in

[WiltonRanch]

I could see that happening. So far I shred a bit on the ground so they stay back. Here is a picture of the one I'm working on.

[grassfarmer]

Have you figured the cost of "the waste" feeding greenfeed in rings or whatever? Does it exceed the cost of running a bale processor to put the same bale back into a different feed container in loose form bearing in mind if you're feeding on pasture the "waste" is being returned directly to the land or if you're feeding in corrals it's supplying bedding. Cows aren't stupid, they're not usually wasting the good stuff.

[WiltonRanch]

Have you figured the cost of "the waste" feeding greenfeed in rings or whatever? Does it exceed the cost of running a bale processor to put the same bale back into a different feed container in loose form bearing in mind if you're feeding on pasture the "waste" is being returned directly to the land or if you're feeding in corrals it's supplying bedding. Cows aren't stupid, they're not usually wasting the good stuff.

Good point Grass. Cows are being fed in the field barley greenfeed. I have one group I'm using a bale ring for greenfeed. Waste isn't near what it is shredding on bladed off ground that is for sure. Cows tramp a good bit on the ground. Earlier this winter we had our heifer calves in the corral and dad thought it would be interesting to see if they would better utilize the feed if it was shredded and put into the bale feeder. I thought it was a silly idea but they cleaned it up so much better than putting a bale in the feeder. Years ago I seen an article in cattleman about bale shredder waste and reducing it by using a feeder ring much similar to a bottomless silage feeder except 7 feet wide. I built one but found you couldn't get much in nor keep the cows from getting in. So this winter I added a bunk rail to it and a solid end. I know a bale ring would probably be adequate but shredding into a 30 foot long feeder gives more access for the cows. That was a big reason we went to a shredder in the first place was to spread it out enough so the wimps wouldn't get pushed away. This feeder will easily handle 30 plus cows at a crack. As well in a big snow year if you put it in a feeder like this you're not having to plow a bunch of snow to put out windrows. My thought is every time you feed you push the feeder 40 feet and spread the manure. Though Grass your points are valid and until I can substantiate concrete numbers this is just my anecdotal findings. One interesting thing is I feed every 2 days and on my non feeding day the cows are hardly feeding on the windrows but are still happily eating at the feeder. Your reply will be greatly appreciated as I respect your opinions.

[perfecho]

In my older age, I have left the shredder parked, and do as little as possible...;-)
(Wished I had done this earlier...)
Feeding large triticale bales, 10 per week, but 5 at a time, 2 days a week. This is for 63 cows. Twine is already off, I grapple and move into a section, and when the bales are out of the next section, the cows go in and clean up what I dropped. I can make them clean up by not feeding them a little less, but with the colder weather, I like a bit of bedding. The "wastage" will be disked in...I do move the
spots I feed, so never feed at one spot.
Had used feeders a couple of years ago, but had too much buildup right around the feeder which was harder to deal with in spring...although I could have moved feeders more regularly and problem would have been solved.
For me, this has been the simplest, cheapest way I have found....although mid April calving instead of Jan/Feb has made this possible.
Did like a feeder a fellow from Alder Flats makes...it has door at end, but bottom of feeder panel swings in as feed is used up. Good luck with your project.....

http://www.kijiji.ca/v-livestock/red-deer/swing-feeders-for-cows-bulls-or-swing-feeder-for-calves/1214648653?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true

http://www.kijiji.ca/v-livestock/medicine-hat/self-adjusting-round-bale-tub-ground-bale-balefeeder/1152845754?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true

[WiltonRanch]

The swing feeder looks interesting. I would like to see one in action. I was interested in building a cone feeder because they were reported to waste the least. However further reading on studies said when it came to sloppy greenfeed waste wasn't much less than a ring. Besides the least waste was tight tied good quality hay with strings on placed in a ring feeder.

[chaser]

Shredder

Everybody worries about starting a tractor if you got livestock you will need a tractor if you have a shredder and blow into feeder cattle will clean it up better. If your feeder big enough you can take a poor bale shred in then put greenfield on top old cows clean it up put poor bale in feeder they waste even if put in field they waste not everybody gets perfect feed so mix good with bad and works

[WiltonRanch]

I finished the feeder and took it out to the cows. Here's a picture of it after feeding out of it for a week.
Beauty of this is you can feed a bunch of bales in it or blow in 1 1/2 bales of greenfeed. I would really like to know the exact amount of waste compared to feeding on the ground but it looks substantially less.

[grassfarmer]

Really? the waste looks about 30% from the picture but maybe it gives a false impression.

[WiltonRanch]

Really? the waste looks about 30% from the picture but maybe it gives a false impression.

There is a bit over 8 days of feeding barley yellowfeed in this feeder. So about 8 bales of greenfeed there. My dads been back feeding now and don't move feeders lol. Now our calving ground is wet and we're feeding into one of these types of feeders and some ring ones. A good means to see what waste looks like compared. Greenfeed is a tough one to get them to clean all of it up. Doesn't matter what you do there'll always be substantial waste compared to hay. As long as it's going back on the land someway its not a real waste.

[grassfarmer]

WiltonRanch what was the analysis of that feed? Lots of times people are feeding straw and grain instead of greenfeed. I've never fed yellowfeed and don't plan to - don't you think the treatment it had may cause palatability issues?

I don't like these big feeders where guys can put several days worth of feed as it inevitably leads to increased wastage particularly where they stack two bales high. I think also that # of cows per bale per day is crucial to clean up. We fed the whole herd greenfeed last November in one big group, fed every day in rings with them moved to a new spot each day. I'm guessing there were animals eating 20 hours out of every 24 and there was very little wastage. I'll take a picture of the residue the next day I'm past there. Again you have to put a value on your time to feed daily vs weekly and how that relates to wastage prevented.

While it's true that any litter returned to the land isn't real waste the process of getting it there can be expensive and it's real dollars spent. If you can manage your forage resources so that you need to make less greenfeed and graze more of whatever type of forage you will always come out ahead. Trampling litter while grazing it is so much cheaper than cutting it, baling it, hauling it, feeding it out with a bale processor then having the cows trample it around a feeder. Of course you realize that or you wouldn't be building the feeder - the challenge is one of management given the climatic conditions we have and I certainly don't have all the answers.

[WiltonRanch]

WiltonRanch what was the analysis of that feed? Lots of times people are feeding straw and grain instead of greenfeed. I've never fed yellowfeed and don't plan to - don't you think the treatment it had may cause palatability issues?

I don't like these big feeders where guys can put several days worth of feed as it inevitably leads to increased wastage particularly where they stack two bales high. I think also that # of cows per bale per day is crucial to clean up. We fed the whole herd greenfeed last November in one big group, fed every day in rings with them moved to a new spot each day. I'm guessing there were animals eating 20 hours out of every 24 and there was very little wastage. I'll take a picture of the residue the next day I'm past there. Again you have to put a value on your time to feed daily vs weekly and how that relates to wastage prevented.

While it's true that any litter returned to the land isn't real waste the process of getting it there can be expensive and it's real dollars spent. If you can manage your forage resources so that you need to make less greenfeed and graze more of whatever type of forage you will always come out ahead. Trampling litter while grazing it is so much cheaper than cutting it, baling it, hauling it, feeding it out with a bale processor then having the cows trample it around a feeder. Of course you realize that or you wouldn't be building the feeder - the challenge is one of management given the climatic conditions we have and I certainly don't have all the answers.

True. I don't analyze any feed or what not. Should really do. As far as yellowfeed this is pretty much grain and straw. Lol. Sprayed at what I thought was early dough but more like mid dough. Still though we vaccinated the large group today and they appear in great condition. I'd say a bcs over 3. Maybe too fat. Yeah I've had them clean other greenfeed better. Best cleanup I've had is a mix of wheat oats and barley. I'll go that way again once I get some more seed oats grown. Reason I've done barley yellowfeed is on account of shitty harvest weather. Silage is a no go and this is the least labour and time intensive option for me.

[woodland]

I agree that greenfeed is the hardest stuff to get the animals to clean up. Last winter we wrapped 1800 bales of oats @25% moisture that we couldn't get dry. It never fermented and we fed all of them through 3 bale feeders that we moved every day. This was done on our grazing alfalfa and I was sure we were going to kill it from too thick of waste (probably 20%) and for how chewed up the ground got in the warm spells. We were wrong and the alfalfa came back better than ever. Here's a shot of the feeders on a warm day.

This year we chopped the same fields and I would figure waste under 4%.

We generally don't set out to grow grain for greenfeed/silage (but had to due to a conflict with a landlord ) as we feel alfalfa is cheaper to grow and easier to feed. Would alfalfa be an option for you since it could bale graze easier?

[WiltonRanch]

I agree that greenfeed is the hardest stuff to get the animals to clean up. Last winter we wrapped 1800 bales of oats @25% moisture that we couldn't get dry. It never fermented and we fed all of them through 3 bale feeders that we moved every day. This was done on our grazing alfalfa and I was sure we were going to kill it from too thick of waste (probably 20%) and for how chewed up the ground got in the warm spells. We were wrong and the alfalfa came back better than ever. Here's a shot of the feeders on a warm day.

This year we chopped the same fields and I would figure waste under 4%.

We generally don't set out to grow grain for greenfeed/silage (but had to due to a conflict with a landlord ) as we feel alfalfa is cheaper to grow and easier to feed. Would alfalfa be an option for you since it could bale graze easier?

I like that idea. Straight alfalfa or a mix?