Looking for a idea for spreading straw

[OutdoorFarmer]

Good morning everyone. I have a small cattle operation of about 60 head of cattle which I calve out during the winter. For years, we bedded down our cows by hand or by leaving a straw bale on the bed for the cows to spread around. It was all fine and dandy when I was a young buck but now that I'm getting older and have health issues, I need to find a low cost way of spreading the straw. Like I said before, I have tried just setting the bale out for the cows to do it but I find they end up either leaving majority of the bale in that spot without spreading or rolling it off the bedding area all together. So I still end up manually spreading the straw anyways. I was hoping that someone might have a idea or invention that could help me out. Right now a bale shredder is not in the cards due to cost factors plus I don't have a second tractor to operate it. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you

 

[Hardnosecattleco]

I've herd and seen a few guys put bales in there apron chain manure spreader to spread them around. Me personally I just do it by hand for now

 

[SBMF 2015]

We bed with round bales of corn stalks or straw. We set the bale down minus the wrap and then use the bale spear on the loader to peel 4-6" layer off then pick the bale up back up a few feet and repeat . We cover most of a 30' x 100' shed with one 68" bale. The cattle spread it even more.

 

[OutdoorFarmer]

I've herd and seen a few guys put bales in there apron chain manure spreader to spread them around. Me personally I just do it by hand for now

I might have to try that with a manure spreader. The reason I want to get away from dong it by hand is that I have a heart condition and my parents are up there in age.

 

[OutdoorFarmer]

We bed with round bales of corn stalks or straw. We set the bale down minus the wrap and then use the bale spear on the loader to peel 4-6" layer off then pick the bale up back up a few feet and repeat . We cover most of a 30' x 100' shed with one 68" bale. The cattle spread it even more.

I have tried doing that but with the way our bale forks are, its extremely difficult to peel layers off without destroying the bale right there. Thanks for the suggestion though. I appreciate it

 

[callmefence]

Brush grapple should work fine. It's uses or endless. Once you have one ,you'll never be without.

 

[Hardnosecattleco]

I've herd and seen a few guys put bales in there apron chain manure spreader to spread them around. Me personally I just do it by hand for now

I might have to try that with a manure spreader. The reason I want to get away from dong it by hand is that I have a heart condition and my parents are up there in age.

Right I hear ya hopefully it works for ya just shouting out ideas to ya is all

 

[Ebenezer]

After you get a bale busted up go over it with a bushhog.

 

[OutdoorFarmer]

After you get a bale busted up go over it with a bushhog.

Not sure if that will work in the winter. It would grab the frozen cow lumps and throw them everywhere.

 

[greggy]

We bed with round bales of corn stalks or straw. We set the bale down minus the wrap and then use the bale spear on the loader to peel 4-6" layer off then pick the bale up back up a few feet and repeat . We cover most of a 30' x 100' shed with one 68" bale. The cattle spread it even more.

I have tried doing that but with the way our bale forks are, its extremely difficult to peel layers off without destroying the bale right there. Thanks for the suggestion though. I appreciate it

Destroy it then.....even better.

Then use a rake on the tractor or even front forks or fel to move it around.....

 

[Larzbarz]

How about a bale unroller? They mount on the 3-point arms, run on hydraulics. The farm I work on also has one on the flatbed of the pickup.