Little help please

[VAStocker]

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I am looking for something to haul feed to the pasture. Right now I haul about 800 lbs. a day in 5 gal. buckets I like feeding the calves in bunks because it makes them calm when it comes time to load them up or get them back to the barn to be worked. I still have some old creep feeders left over from the cow calf days that I can remove the sides on and use as self feeders but I don't won't to loose my ability to move the calves from pasture to pasture by myself. With my ATV and buckets I can lead them anywhere I want and man that really makes things easy on us when comes time to get'em up. I have heard of a feed buggy that mounts on the back of a Kawisaki mule or Kabota but I haven't found one on the internet yet. Any coments please. Also posted on tractor and machinery forum wanted as many ideas as possible. Thanks

 

[Bullbuyer]

Send a message to flaboy, I think he does some metal work (welding, etc.) might be able to give you some design ideas. Also, Ironpeddler (?) is from down around Bristol/Kingsport - he might have some ideas to help you out.

 

[Texas PaPaw]

Schoeling Enterprises makes small gravity hoppers to mount on atv's, pickup's, etc. They have a pull rope to open a gate that lets the feed slide out. A friend has the smallest model, which hold 150 lb, mounted on an atv. It is all the load the atv can handle. Their 400lb model could be mounted on a pickup or possibly a utv such as a mule. The downside is there is not an accurate way to know how much you feed. You can reach them at 940-564-3438.

Another option is the T & S trip hopper feeder which has an electronic counter & an adjustable gate which allows you to put out a set amount for each "click" of the counter, so you can regulate how much you feed. The T & S feeders come in several sizes from 300lb up to 3000lb. I have seen a 750lb unit mounted crossways on an old Chev Blazer have also seen them mounted on small trailers and pulled by an atv. When mounted crossways they can feed in a bunk or under an electric fence.

For more info on the T & S check out this link:

http://www.tsfeeders.com/

The T & S feeders can feed in a continuous stream or in piles. In my experience feeding pellets or cubes in piles on grass sod results in very little waste.

 

[Herefordcross]

Those jokers are salty, I saw 'em on RFDTV and called about one and they ain't cheap.

 

[mnmtranching]

Front end loader with bucket works nice. I use a Bobcat. Scoop up the feed or shovel it in, then dump it in the bunks.

My cattle will follow the Bobcat anywhere. :shock: 8)

mnmt

 

[windwalker]

I use a gravity wagon .with a tractor.. the chute is hydoro it opens up for 3 seconds closes. cab operated

 

[Arnold Ziffle]

Not as fancy as what some of the others have suggested, but a lot better than hassling with a bunch of 5 gallon buckets I'd say: if you go to a TSC store you can get a 1,200 pound carrying capacity cart with 12 or 13" wheels for about $100. Doesn't have a solid bottom or walls so you'd need to buy a couple of sheets of cheap quarter inch plywood to form a nice box. Dump from your silo/hopper directly into your cart, or if your feed is just loose in a ground level bin like we had years ago use a good wide & deep scoop shovel to quickly load your 800 pounds (well at least quicker than with all those buckets!), hook up to your ATV and away you go. Still a bit labor intensive, but you're used to that, and its cheap. Works pretty well to haul a few square bales to remote locations as well, not to mention t-posts, wire, chain saw, firewood, etc. Something like this:

http://www.mytscstore.com/detail.asp?pc ... 9&zz=77056