Which direction would you go to feed bales?

[flea beetle]

Am feeding the bison hay and straw currently. Wanting to throw greenfeed into the mix next year, and beyond. Right now I am just setting out 3-4 hay bales and a straw bale at a time and they clean it up in a couple days with not a crazy amount of waste. Just stand bales like a barrel and cut net wrap off. The bigger animals eat first, and the smaller ones get a chance after.

Wanting to spread the feed out so everyone has enough room to eat at once without fighting.

Was looking at vertical mixers, but hear they take quite a while to bust up bales and make a nice ration. If it wasn’t for the hour of mixing, and the high cost of the mixer itself, this would be ideal because you could completely mix hay straw and greenfeed and they would likely eat it all.

Bale processors seem like they would work, but the biggest complaint I read about is the alfalfa blowing away in the wind. Is it excessive enough that you waste a lot of feed value? Would be able to layer straw, greenfeed, and hay on top of each other and they should take a lot of it in.

Lastly, looking at the hustler bale unroller. Looks ideal for good hay and straw, but thinking the greenfeed would benefit from being shred up a bit more than this machine is capable of. Again should be able to layer hay straw and greenfeed on top of each other.

So my question is, which way would you guys go?

[AlbertaFarmer5]

Am feeding the bison hay and straw currently. Wanting to throw greenfeed into the mix next year, and beyond. Right now I am just setting out 3-4 hay bales and a straw bale at a time and they clean it up in a couple days with not a crazy amount of waste. Just stand bales like a barrel and cut net wrap off. The bigger animals eat first, and the smaller ones get a chance after.

Wanting to spread the feed out so everyone has enough room to eat at once without fighting.

Was looking at vertical mixers, but hear they take quite a while to bust up bales and make a nice ration. If it wasn’t for the hour of mixing, and the high cost of the mixer itself, this would be ideal because you could completely mix hay straw and greenfeed and they would likely eat it all.

Bale processors seem like they would work, but the biggest complaint I read about is the alfalfa blowing away in the wind. Is it excessive enough that you waste a lot of feed value? Would be able to layer straw, greenfeed, and hay on top of each other and they should take a lot of it in.

Lastly, looking at the hustler bale unroller. Looks ideal for good hay and straw, but thinking the greenfeed would benefit from being shred up a bit more than this machine is capable of. Again should be able to layer hay straw and greenfeed on top of each other.

So my question is, which way would you guys go?

I am on record as stating that the only way livestock production survives here is by being the lowest cost producer possible. Burning diesel fuel and owning expensive machinery isn't part of that if it can be avoided. But neither is wasted feed or poor usage of the feed. Perhaps the profit margins on bison is high enough that you don't need to worry about costs?
I know nothing about bison, but can/will they eat out of hay (saver) feeders? I find feeding different qualities of hay/straw greenfeed in multiple feeders for multiple days at a time results in the least waste, and allows every animal a chance to get their fill of each quality. Day one, enough feeders for everyone to crowd into the best feed, by day 2 or 3, they have mostly moved onto the next best, while picking at the straw all along, by the last day, they are working on the straw. Regulate their intake by letting them eat more or less straw before feeding them the next time. The best hay goes in the best hay saver feeders, the straw goes into anything that used to resemble a hay feeder.

Far less waste than chopping or unrolling onto the ground. Bunk feeders would change that a lot. We had bale processors for years, I'm convinced the best part of the hay was lost, either to blowing in the wind, or being too fine to pick up before being lost in the snow/ground. Chopping greenfeed definitely makes it harder to pick through and waste the coarser parts. Not convinced it helps much with hay.

How does the feeding process work, when you have to get out to remove twines, netwrap, plastic etc? Do they stay far away until the humans are gone, or do you have to watch your back while you work? I'm used to having to push cows out of the way to remove twines, I assume you don't do that with bison?

[tweaker101]

Sounds like you found your solution, just expand it... I am used to cows but am thinking buffalo would be sort of the same. We controlled how far they could go in the bale pods(bales placed in a pre determined grid) with an electric wire. In our pods we had different qualities of hay and also some straw and the bales were placed up on end as I would remove the twine as the cows progressed through the pods. I guess this is where things might be different as I have no working knowledge on buffalo... will they respect a electric wire so that you can limit there movement through the bales and keep them in a area so that they will clean up and not waste as much... We did placed all our bales in the fall and all winter the tractor never came out to feed the cows and I just used my SXS to go and check and move the electric wire and pull twine from the new bales as the cows advanced through the pods.

[DaneG]

Hustler bale unroll.

[farmerboy]

Bison and expensive ways of feeding will not pencil out.
i feed my bison every four or five days put bales on end and remove the net good quality forage only. They will clean everything up with very little waste I know a guy that sets out the whole winter supply of feed in a pasture removes the twine and thats it they are fed for the winter. the beauty of having bison is that you can do that .

[woodland]

What if you put out twice as many bales so there is less competition for a spot? Or possibly some corn grazing for next year?

Maybe I’m a little jaded after trying to find a gearbox for a feed wagon that’s made of unobtainium and putting a new tire on the tractor that normally pulls said wagon this week.

Whoever came up with the idea to chew up bales in a vertical mixer was an equipment salesman with input from his buddy at Esso. Best bales that we bale graze are hay silage bales. Put out 3 days worth or so and they have to work to pull them apart. If you feed on tired pasture the leftovers will improve the grass for at least 5 years.

Love the corn grazing here. Sure saves time, stress and fits the KISS theory for us. Lots of different ways to accomplish the same goal😎

[Hamloc]

What if you put out twice as many bales so there is less competition for a spot? Or possibly some corn grazing for next year?

Maybe I’m a little jaded after trying to find a gearbox for a feed wagon that’s made of unobtainium and putting a new tire on the tractor that normally pulls said wagon this week.

Whoever came up with the idea to chew up bales in a vertical mixer was an equipment salesman with input from his buddy at Esso. Best bales that we bale graze are hay silage bales. Put out 3 days worth or so and they have to work to pull them apart. If you feed on tired pasture the leftovers will improve the grass for at least 5 years.

Love the corn grazing here. Sure saves time, stress and fits the KISS theory for us. Lots of different ways to accomplish the same goal😎

Woodland in our area certainly more corn grazing but depending on location some farmers are running into issues with Elk. One guy I talked to last week has a herd of about 150 elk come in during the night and leave before daylight. Said he wouldn’t graze corn again, it will all go in the pit. He is a big fan of corn silage though, works fantastic for backgrounding calves he said. Personally I consider feed more expensive to replace than fuel so I feed silage daily with a feed wagon and hay and straw with a shredder, not cost efficient I know AB5 but I can control feed waste better imo.

[woodland]

Woodland in our area certainly more corn grazing but depending on location some farmers are running into issues with Elk. One guy I talked to last week has a herd of about 150 elk come in during the night and leave before daylight. Said he wouldn’t graze corn again, it will all go in the pit. He is a big fan of corn silage though, works fantastic for backgrounding calves he said. Personally I consider feed more expensive to replace than fuel so I feed silage daily with a feed wagon and hay and straw with a shredder, not cost efficient I know AB5 but I can control feed waste better imo.

You certainly have to find what works for you. I feed a couple thousand mallards and at least 100 deer and elk daily here. The deer and elk eat out of silage bunks and pits just like a cow would. Even with the losses I still think it’s cheaper than chopping for us.

Our biggest limiting factor is time so that plays into decisions as well.


These two year old dusty rained on clover bales will be shredded to blow some of the dust away. Also currently supplementing the cows on the corn stalks with silage fed in a mixer wagon. They’re all just tools in a toolbox to help you accomplish a goal.

I’m just a pennypincher ……….. probably at times to my detriment 😉

[littledoggie]

We use bale feeders for the most part, but we also process poorer quality hay and greenfeed. We bought the bale processor ~6 years ago, back when they were cheap ;|. It has been a good investment for us. We only process greenfeed and poorer quality/older hay. Never good quality hay - I think too much would be wasted. A hard lesson to learn about running bales through a processor is if they are wrapped in any kind of plastic. It gets chopped up and consumed with the feed and can fatally plug the gut.

[LEP]

My brother sets up two rows of straw bales two rows high and tub ginds a mix of good hay, poor hay,and straw depending on feed analysis. Then he places a homemade feed gate made from 2 7/8 pipe at each end. Throughout the winter he moves each feed gate in as the pile gets eaten. He usually tubgrinds enough to get to the end of February.

Then he starts feeding hay or greenfeed in feeders until the cattle go to pasture. Only need to start a tractor to bed every 2nd or 3rd day. He has a grain hopper and auger in his truck box to drop some grain.

Not for everyone, but can make a ration out of almost any quality of feed with very little waste.

[TSIPP]

You certainly have to find what works for you. I feed a couple thousand mallards and at least 100 deer and elk daily here. The deer and elk eat out of silage bunks and pits just like a cow would. Even with the losses I still think it’s cheaper than chopping for us.

Our biggest limiting factor is time so that plays into decisions as well.


These two year old dusty rained on clover bales will be shredded to blow some of the dust away. Also currently supplementing the cows on the corn stalks with silage fed in a mixer wagon. They’re all just tools in a toolbox to help you accomplish a goal.

I’m just a pennypincher ……….. probably at times to my detriment 😉

If you’re paying bills with cows you better pinch pennies.

[blueversi]

Woodland in our area certainly more corn grazing but depending on location some farmers are running into issues with Elk. One guy I talked to last week has a herd of about 150 elk come in during the night and leave before daylight. Said he wouldn’t graze corn again, it will all go in the pit. He is a big fan of corn silage though, works fantastic for backgrounding calves he said. Personally I consider feed more expensive to replace than fuel so I feed silage daily with a feed wagon and hay and straw with a shredder, not cost efficient I know AB5 but I can control feed waste better imo.

Often wondered about wildlife pressure in the touted low maintenance feeding programs such as swath grazing, bale grazing and corn etc. Our area has extreme elk pressure in fact every farm that had cows here in the past 30 years had fenced hay yards. No matter now as maybe 3 cattle herds left and one of those is rumoured to be liquidating this year.

[DaneG]

Make baled Silage instead of greenfeed and use hustler bale unroller .

[WiltonRanch]

Haven’t brought out the shredder yet this winter. Been using bale feeders as feed quality has been great. I feed every 3 days and find that as long a period for them not to waste nor suffer too drastic swings in caloric intake. Built this unit for carrying a couple bales on the back. Speeds it up if you aren’t using the shredder. I try to feed on knolls and poor areas of crop land and pasture. It definitely helps.


I’ve tried swath grazing and had decent results but find the extra cost of baling more than pays for the feed savings. Not saying I wouldn’t do it if I had less manpower or time. All these things have their benefits.

[flea beetle]

I am on record as stating that the only way livestock production survives here is by being the lowest cost producer possible. Burning diesel fuel and owning expensive machinery isn't part of that if it can be avoided. But neither is wasted feed or poor usage of the feed. Perhaps the profit margins on bison is high enough that you don't need to worry about costs?
I know nothing about bison, but can/will they eat out of hay (saver) feeders? I find feeding different qualities of hay/straw greenfeed in multiple feeders for multiple days at a time results in the least waste, and allows every animal a chance to get their fill of each quality. Day one, enough feeders for everyone to crowd into the best feed, by day 2 or 3, they have mostly moved onto the next best, while picking at the straw all along, by the last day, they are working on the straw. Regulate their intake by letting them eat more or less straw before feeding them the next time. The best hay goes in the best hay saver feeders, the straw goes into anything that used to resemble a hay feeder.

Far less waste than chopping or unrolling onto the ground. Bunk feeders would change that a lot. We had bale processors for years, I'm convinced the best part of the hay was lost, either to blowing in the wind, or being too fine to pick up before being lost in the snow/ground. Chopping greenfeed definitely makes it harder to pick through and waste the coarser parts. Not convinced it helps much with hay.

How does the feeding process work, when you have to get out to remove twines, netwrap, plastic etc? Do they stay far away until the humans are gone, or do you have to watch your back while you work? I'm used to having to push cows out of the way to remove twines, I assume you don't do that with bison?

They typically stay 5-10 feet away when you are cutting net off. A little skiddish of humans. I like the idea of putting different types of feed out, and making them clean up before they get more. They do clean up quite well after themselves. You know how it is though…always looking for a better way.