John Deere 458 Silage Special

[ddg1263]

With the corn prices so high I thought it might be useful to buy a john deere 458 silage special and raise a field of corn and just harvest it as silage to feed to my cows. I can put some cotton seed with it to up the protien a bit. I need to buy a baler becasue my cattle operation in getting bigger, and I really need to be efficient with my land, time, and equipment. Is this a good idea to try and raise corn instead of hay, and turn my cows out on the land I have in reserve for my hay fields and feed out silage durning the winter? Has anyone had any sucess with the John Deere 458 silage special? I could always use it as a standard bailer if the silage harvest did not work.... Anyway, I am just thinking of some way to help with the increase in the corn prices. Thanks in advance...

 

[dun]

Neigbor has one that I've used. Gobbles up the material really well but when it plugs it's a killer to clear.

 

[ddg1263]

Thanks dun,

I have always hired out my hay operation, so it will be a big decision for me....Hay was 60 dollars a roll where I live this year, and it is always high unless I want to haul 50+ miles away....

 

[Angus Cowman]

guess it would depend on how much hay you put up a yr

what it cost to grow the corn versus hay

if having your own baler will outweigh the added expenses and labor you will have

I have heard people say well I can get it put up when I want it up and I can do a better job
well most of the time that is BS you are gonna get your hay put up when you have the time and the weather permits
and just because you do it yourself doesn't mean it will be any better than what a hired contractor puts up for you
plus it will add alot of frustration and labor to it

 

[dun]

One thing I noticed about the silage specail was that it plugged worse then my 535 when we tried to bale real stemmy and almost crackely dry stuff.

 

[upfrombottom]

One thing I noticed about the silage specail was that it plugged worse then my 535 when we tried to bale real stemmy and almost crackely dry stuff.

It will make you carry a 2 ft. Crescent and a cheater pipe with you. I would love to have a PTO with a reverse.

 

[dun]

One thing I noticed about the silage specail was that it plugged worse then my 535 when we tried to bale real stemmy and almost crackely dry stuff.

It will make you carry a 2 ft. Crescent and a cheater pipe with you. I would love to have a PTO with a reverse.

Get a vicon. It comes with a 6 foot offset wrench that is made to fit the end of the feedroll shaft.

 

[agmantoo]

ddg1263

Where are you located?

 

[sizmic]

Why not just get a baler with a wet kit already on it? The wet kit option on our 567 was an extra $300. I still don't think I would try baling corn silage, too much headache! I'm gonna try milo and soybeans this year, been using soybeans and dwarf millet. As for baling hay when the weather is right, it's alot easier when you can put it up as silage.

Sizmic

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=1 ... 0658525370

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2 ... 0658525370

 

[novaman]

Sizmic, what's the crop in the second picture?

 

[sizmic]

Tyrone soybeans and dwarf pearl millet. 1st is austrian winter peas and cosaque black oats.

Sizmic

 

[john250]

With the corn prices so high I thought it might be useful to buy a john deere 458 silage special and raise a field of corn and just harvest it as silage to feed to my cows.

I think you can buy a shredder to fit the 458, but I'm not confident that will do the job of a real corn chopper. Corn has to be chopped fine to ensile properly. That is what I was always told. I think I would look for a plan B. :2cents:

 

[Angus Cowman]

With the corn prices so high I thought it might be useful to buy a john deere 458 silage special and raise a field of corn and just harvest it as silage to feed to my cows.

I think you can buy a shredder to fit the 458, but I'm not confident that will do the job of a real corn chopper. Corn has to be chopped fine to ensile properly. That is what I was always told. I think I would look for a plan B. :2cents:

I have never heard that where baleage was concerned

I know baleage is ALOT different than regular sileage
a sileage baler doesn't have any effect on the way it is cut unless you get a set of crop cutter knives installed
to bale crops for sileage you don't have to have the crop cutter knives on a sileage baler they are an option
basically a sileage baler is set up with heavier bearings and rollers and is able to bale wet crops without plugging
they also have endless belts because of more strain put on the belts and laces from the extra weight of the bale