Unrolling bales

[lukem86]

I didnt want to hijack the other round bale thread....

I have always fed in bale rings before, but wanted to unroll some bales for the cattle this fall, on some ground that i will seed for perennial pasture next spring to try to build some fertility in spots.

What do you use to unroll bales, or how does it work? If you cut the wrapping off and start rolling it will it unwind? What would be a cost effective way to unroll them?

Would a long steel pipe pushed through the center with a couple chains on the ends hooked to a 3pt or atv work to do it?

Thanks

 

[J]

We've had luck turning them on their side and using the forks on the front "roll it" along. Helps if you have a little bit of a hill or slope to work with. Also have done it with the forks on back but that one takes some practice and patience.

The type of hay also makes a difference.

 

[OklaBrangusBreeder]

I just bump them with the front tire of my tractor and drive forward.

If you get the bale facing correctly, they'll actually unroll pretty easy.

 

[certherfbeef]

Hubby catches the bale with the loader then bumps the bale with the tire till it starts to unroll. Like someone else mentioned...the bale has to be headed the right direction.
If you have a few hills, let them roll. If no hills, the tire on the tractor will pull a layer off as it rolls the bale.

 

[mnmtranching]

Round bales unroll real easy. You got to onroll them the right direction [50% guess] or you can go buy the way the string is wraped. Anyway they unroll good one direction and not so good the other.

I use a Bobcat with pallet forks, just give them a boost once in a while and away they go. I have hills so its real easy.

mnmt

 

[L Weir]

If your lucky enough to have a bull you can let him unroll it for you like ours does on occasion. My husband usually unrolls them down the hill.

 

[TheBullLady]

lol.. I have two or three cows that will also unroll it, but I have to make sure they get on the right side of the bale.

I really like unrolling the bales better than feeding in rings, although we do it both ways. It's more time consuming, but I don't think they waste as much, and all the cows get a chance to eat.

 

[AngusLimoX]

First I take the twine off. Then I use a "cow".

Sometimes a little messy and wasteful. But I think I rolled it up for the "cow" in the first place! Let HER do some work!

:lol:

 

[KenB]

I unroll mine also, i use the bucket on the front end loader to unroll them.
:lol: The bull helps part of the time, but most of the time he would rather fight with the tractor.
The bull has never acted mean in any other way, except with the tractor.

 

[Texas PaPaw]

A neighbor has one of these to unroll bales:

http://www.perry-co.com/hay.htm

Works very well. If you go one way the hay comes off fast & thick & the other way it spreads it thinner & farther.

 

[Beefy]

a lot of times i will roll them out by hand while dad is doing one on the tractor. bermuda tends to roll out easily. if its too big for me to get started i let him throw it a time or two with the forks on the back of the tractor that he uses to unroll with and then unroll it by hand while he does another. the tighter the better they unroll. other types of hay are a different story. peanut hay, for example, is just too heavy and leafy to unroll out by hand well.

as far as knowing which way to unroll just look at the swirl in the middle of the bale. if it looks like a 6 it unrolls to the right.

 

[Bez?]

First I take the twine off. Then I use a "cow".

Sometimes a little messy and wasteful. But I think I rolled it up for the "cow" in the first place! Let HER do some work!

:lol:

With you on this.

I have never run one out for a cow - waste of time - they tramp the hay and bed on it.

Bez?

 

[johndeerefarmer]

I don't have a pix to show you but I made a small bumper with two wheels on it. This mounts where the front weights go. I borrow the outside two wheels from my Bushhog batwing mower. They each have a short stub axle that I bolt with one bolt to my bumper.

I pickup a bale with my 3 point fork. I go ahead and cut and remove all of the twine. Drive to the pasture, drop the bale, turn around and unroll it.

Works great.

If you work in town, like I do and are in a hurry you can go ahead and cut and remove the twine on a weeks worth of bales. (I keep them in a shed). Jump on the tractor, pickup a bale, drop it, unroll it, count the cows and head back.

 

[gabby]

Unrolling hay is a pretty good way to maximize wastage, unless you only put out enough that they will clean it up real fast and then you have to feed again real often.

Studies show rings are best at preventing waste. I feed six 1200 lb. bales every three days in rings. I push the rings every time to fresh ground before dropping in the new bale. By the end of winter I have fertilized several acres with just the right amount of manure and wasted hay to be helpful without smothering the grass. This also keeps the bottom of the rings from sittting in the same muck and rusting out faster. The rings last 3 to 5 years.
gabby

 

[MikeC]

Unrolling hay is a pretty good way to maximize wastage, unless you only put out enough that they will clean it up real fast and then you have to feed again real often.

I agree totally. Feeding in rings is the way to go. Move the rings as often as necessary.

Same with feeding pellets. If you string the pellets along in a continuous row, the cows will walk on them and crap on them.

If you put them in little piles the cows will encircle the pile and hardly ever step on them.

 

[johndeerefarmer]

I have not had good luck with round bale rings.

1. The cows trample the grass around the ring (if it's muddy) and it take a year for it to come back, even if I move the ring after each use.

2. If I use rings, I have to put out more hay than necessary because only so many cows can eat at one ring. And one boss cow can take half a feeder to herself.

3. My cows tend to leave hay in the bottom of the ring. This is a combination of the outer weathered layer as well as the good stuff. The cows do not like digging thru it. When I unroll it, the weathered hay is on the ground, not only allowing the cows to eat the good stuff but also keeping the good stuff off of the ground.

4. I feed my cattle hay EVERYDAY (during feeding season). I do not believe in throwing out half a dozen bales and not seeing the cattle for several days.

5. University studies are not necessarily factual. If someone would measure the amount of waste in my feeding method, that would be apparent. But, to each his own..............

 

[Bez?]

I have not had good luck with round bale rings.

1. The cows trample the grass around the ring (if it's muddy) and it take a year for it to come back, even if I move the ring after each use.

2. If I use rings, I have to put out more hay than necessary because only so many cows can eat at one ring. And one boss cow can take half a feeder to herself.

3. My cows tend to leave hay in the bottom of the ring. This is a combination of the outer weathered layer as well as the good stuff. The cows do not like digging thru it. When I unroll it, the weathered hay is on the ground, not only allowing the cows to eat the good stuff but also keeping the good stuff off of the ground.

4. I feed my cattle hay EVERYDAY (during feeding season). I do not believe in throwing out half a dozen bales and not seeing the cattle for several days.

5. University studies are not necessarily factual. If someone would measure the amount of waste in my feeding method, that would be apparent. But, to each his own..............

JDF

When I read your comments and place them with the location you advertise - your comments make sense.

Our feed season is a fair bit longer, and we tend to feed once a week on frozen ground. And starting a tractor in minus 30 and 40 weather is not always fun as I am sure you know.

Our round feeders are not really round - we have built them so they are about 20 feet long and only one bale wide allowing a bunch of animals to eat together. Tombstone style. If memory serves, we can put 4-5 bales in each feeder.

I squeeze the extra bale in by forcing it in with the loader. Sometimes I can get the extra bale in and sometimes I cannot - just depends on initial bale pacement and bale shape and size when they come out of the stack.

If there are too many cows per feeder we get into some increased wastage by simply dropping a few extra on frozen ground - well spaced and about 100 yeards from the feeders.

Sometimes this means we use the feeders less than we probably should because we space the bales on the snow in a real big circle. About 30 yards or so between each bale.

Your number three comment is - I believe - true for all of us. But I move the feeders by taking them apart - this allows the cows to bed on the wasted stuff - when we run the pencil, it oftens pays to do this and not have to buy straw - the dollar trade off works in our favour most times.

I really like your number five comment as those studies are usually very good - but the drawback from my perspective is they tend to be regionally located - often making them unuseable for those of us who live in entirely different areas.

Have a nice day,

Bez?

 

[Bez?]

lukem86

While I am not a proponent of unrolling bales, I had a chat today with a person who does unroll some bales - he runs on the cheap and seems to always have a buck in his pocket.

He told me he drives a pipe in the middle and pulls it with his truck.

Seems like a bit of extra work but ....

I have never seen it work so I cannot vouch for this. Why not give it a try - unless you have a set up like Certs?

Just make sure you have the bale started and you pull it in the right direction.

Regards,

Bez?

 

[KenB]

Another advantage to me by unrolling is I always feed in a different spot. I try to feed in the rougher areas where the grass is thin, and the soil is poor. This way I am reseeding and building the soil with the waisted hay and manure where I need it the most.

;-) This is what works for me, maybe not everyone.

 

[Cowboy15]

Now why would you unroll a round ball.
Sam