Protein/Energy Tub Alternative using Grain

[Whfarms]

I AM close to finishing a RFID driven self feeder that allows me to grain cattle in a pasture based on there RFID ear tag. The feeder should be done in the next 30 days, and I am working on getting the programming correct now. The basics are simple, read a RFID ear tag, look up the tag in a DB stored on a micro controller, feed the animal the grain it says to give it. It may also adjust to the temp/weather, but I haven't tested that.

I am looking for ideas for the grain mix. Our cows get winter stockpile and baled grass hay. Most of the cows are young but some older ones that can easily end up with Winter Cow Syndrome if not properly babied.

Corn in WI is easy to get and obviously offers some energy and min protein. As for protein what do people recommend. It will be premixed so they will get X lbs of the mix not of each ingredient. Would you add your minerals to the mix? Obviously straight hay would be ideal, and stockpile even better, but I have animals that need the extra and in todays market we can afford to give them the extra and not cull the cow.

Comments and opinions are welcome.

 

[Warren Allison]

I AM close to finishing a RFID driven self feeder that allows me to grain cattle in a pasture based on there RFID ear tag. The feeder should be done in the next 30 days, and I am working on getting the programming correct now. The basics are simple, read a RFID ear tag, look up the tag in a DB stored on a micro controller, feed the animal the grain it says to give it. It may also adjust to the temp/weather, but I haven't tested that.

I am looking for ideas for the grain mix. Our cows get winter stockpile and baled grass hay. Most of the cows are young but some older ones that can easily end up with Winter Cow Syndrome if not properly babied.

Corn in WI is easy to get and obviously offers some energy and min protein. As for protein what do people recommend. It will be premixed so they will get X lbs of the mix not of each ingredient. Would you add your minerals to the mix? Obviously straight hay would be ideal, and stockpile even better, but I have animals that need the extra and in todays market we can afford to give them the extra and not cull the cow.

Comments and opinions are welcome.

If you will go back into your profile and add your location, you will get a lot more and a lot more accurate responses.

 

[Whfarms]

Done. Sorry thought that was there already.

 

[Whfarms]

Done. Sorry thought that was there already. I updated it. I am in southwest Wisconsin

 

[Whfarms]

Done, Did It.

Feeder works awesome!

 

[sstterry]

Done, Did It.

Feeder works awesome!

Can you post pics and explain how you built it?

 

[Whfarms]

Here is a video of the feeder. Less than 1K in it using scrap around the place.

Basically, it is 4x4x8 with a square pyramid inside the prism. The upside down square pyramid has a short auger and wiper motor attached to the bottom of the pyramid (I can get some picts). When an animal places its head inside the cut out the RFID reader reads the tag, looks the animal up in a Database stored on an SD card and ask: "Does this animal get grain now and if it is yes, Then How much, Disperse, Mark fed else do nothing except log a retry by the animal. All the electronics are simple Arduino based.

The video fails. I thought I posted it the other day. It is too large.