unrolling hay

[ERNIBIGB]

Some of you might want to try this. A guy I sold some hay to had a small herd and no rings. He unrolled the hay and ran a strand of electric fence tape down the center so the cattle would eat from either side and not trample on the hay as much. Looked to me as if it was working very well for him. From what I saw from a distance they were cleaning it up very well with much less waste.Some of you may have tried this but it was new to me.

 

[bigbull338]

some people run break wires and feed their cows like that.it works but it can be a pain to move the wires.

 

[JMJ Farms]

I have a deweze super slicer that I use to unroll hay. I've cut my waste to almost zero. The biggest downside is it has to be done every day and you need to feed only what they will eat in a couple of hours. By cutting my waste I have decreased the number of bales fed to almost 1/2 of what I was feeding in rings. One of the best investments I think I have made as winter hay accounts for 2/3 of my total costs.

 

[bigbull338]

we use rings on our hay.right now they are eating 10 heavy 5 by 6 bales in 7 to 8 days.i wouldnt like feeding them every day.

 

[Kingfisher]

I have a deweze super slicer that I use to unroll hay. I've cut my waste to almost zero. The biggest downside is it has to be done every day and you need to feed only what they will eat in a couple of hours. By cutting my waste I have decreased the number of bales fed to almost 1/2 of what I was feeding in rings. One of the best investments I think I have made as winter hay accounts for 2/3 of my total costs.

What side of Ga are you located? How many cows are you talking about?

 

[Bigfoot]

I fed 27 rolls of hay per week, the last 3 weeks in a row. Anything that would cut that down is worth trying. I had actually had the idea, of unrolling a roll, and running 2 hot wire 12 inches apart the length of it. I'd think if they could walk on it at all, it'd be completely wasted here.

 

[Kingfisher]

I fed 27 rolls of hay per week, the last 3 weeks in a row. Anything that would cut that down is worth trying. I had actually had the idea, of unrolling a roll, and running 2 hot wire 12 inches apart the length of it. I'd think if they could walk on it at all, it'd be completely wasted here.

Dang....how many cows are you running now??

 

[JMJ Farms]

I have a deweze super slicer that I use to unroll hay. I've cut my waste to almost zero. The biggest downside is it has to be done every day and you need to feed only what they will eat in a couple of hours. By cutting my waste I have decreased the number of bales fed to almost 1/2 of what I was feeding in rings. One of the best investments I think I have made as winter hay accounts for 2/3 of my total costs.

What side of Ga are you located? How many cows are you talking about?

I live almost smack dab in the center. 35 head of dry cows. 1 4x6 roll per day. 160 pounds of WCS every other day. Fat as buggy horses. But it has been a mild winter so far. All the pairs are on winter grazing. They get fed in rings bc they aren't hungry and they will waste it even if I unroll it. I built a unroller to go behind my tumblebug last year. Problem was that it unrolled 4' wide so they walked on it pretty bad and bedded in it. A hot wire would have fixed that problem. So I bought the processor. The hay processor feeds in in a windrow (adjustable). I can make a 4x6 roll go about 400 yards. The way I have it set up its kinda like throwing the equivalent of two flakes of a small square bale every 5-6 feet. As it processes it it cuts and tears and loosens it so it's not 'compact'. If you're interested I could take some pics. I know everybody has their own way and reasons but I really like it a lot. And I'm still in the stage of the cattle business that I have to save every single penny I can. And if I finish this winter out at my current pace it will have saved me 120 rolls @ $50 = $6K. Paid $4500 for the processor. However it does get old when it's 30 degrees and raining but a broke man ain't got no choice. And all jokes aside, if you were expecting a few days of rough weather, you could put it out in rings or roll it out in advance and just let em waste a little extra.

 

[herefordlover]

we have been unrolling hay for about 7 years. we do not run a hot wire down it they do waste some. we look at it as the calves have a place to lay and what is wasted goes back in to the ground for next year. we try to unroll on a different spot every year and can really see the difference it makes having all that fertilizer not in a pile in a lot just sitting there waiting for someone to have time to spread. also all the cows seem to have a better chance at the hay not fighting boss cows for at the rings. as has been said we unroll what they can eat in a day we have done enuff for 2 days works about the same just a little more waste. when we see a lot of extra laying around we will make them have a clean up day amazing what they will clean up when made to

 

[Tim/South]

One of the neatest bale feeder ideas I have seen was made out of pallets. The guy made an octagon and tied them together. Some were wooden, some plastic, some short ones for the calves. Necessity is indeed the mother of invention.

We feed 3 rolls per day here and one every other day at the other place. The one is fed in a ring. The other three are put out in a window with a bale processor. I blow one in the morning and two in the evening. We make the windrow long and narrow and they are not able to lie down on it.
We bought the bale processor used. It had been sitting on a fence row for years. A contractor had bought it to blow reclamation hay and only used it a few times. Was able to get it for scrap price.

 

[JMJ Farms]

Windrow of hay




Windrow view 2





Hay processor





35 dry cows. 1 4x6 roll per day. Maintaining condition well.

 

[JMJ Farms]

we have been unrolling hay for about 7 years. we do not run a hot wire down it they do waste some. we look at it as the calves have a place to lay and what is wasted goes back in to the ground for next year. we try to unroll on a different spot every year and can really see the difference it makes having all that fertilizer not in a pile in a lot just sitting there waiting for someone to have time to spread. also all the cows seem to have a better chance at the hay not fighting boss cows for at the rings. as has been said we unroll what they can eat in a day we have done enuff for 2 days works about the same just a little more waste. when we see a lot of extra laying around we will make them have a clean up day amazing what they will clean up when made to

My experience is exactly the same. I unroll in a different part of the pasture every day. I have little waste. Cow manure is more evenly spread. Waste goes back into the ground. Pasture I fed in last year, PH jumped up from 5.8 to 6.2 without adding lime. Coincidence? Maybe. But I doubt it. I also have a "clean up day" about every two weeks. As HL said, it's amazing how much they clean up when you make them.

 

[herefordlover]

it also makes it easy to check cows as ours all run up to the row as were unrolling just drive or walk by. I also like to start in the back of the field and work to the gate as the less frozen piles I have to drive over the better the ride.

 

[Bigfoot]

Thanks for putting the picture up. Gives a better idea of what the processor will do. The piles remind me of when I was a kid, and we fed square bales. Spread the flakes around different parts of the pasture, and had very little waste. You got me thinking I need one.

 

[Bigfoot]

Also, I only bring up money because you mention it in your post. Was it new, or used for that price. Is there any maintenance?

 

[Bigfoot]

I fed 27 rolls of hay per week, the last 3 weeks in a row. Anything that would cut that down is worth trying. I had actually had the idea, of unrolling a roll, and running 2 hot wire 12 inches apart the length of it. I'd think if they could walk on it at all, it'd be completely wasted here.

Dang....how many cows are you running now??

Didn't see this earlier, sorry. 80 cows. A sprinkling of odds and ends around to feed. Bulls here, calves there, 5 head of horses to. I don't mind answering questions like that, but Alan gets very upset :lol:

 

[greybeard]

Alan's been upset for a very long time--he's had to put up with those gay lookin Duck uniforms too many years.. :hide:

 

[JMJ Farms]

Also, I only bring up money because you mention it in your post. Was it new, or used for that price. Is there any maintenance?

Bigfoot, it was used. Bought it from my neighbor. Only one I've ever seen in my part of the world. Sure there are more. The reason he sold it was bc he bought a $18k vermeer that is a little tougher. It will also "blow" the hay. I figured if he liked the concept good enough to spend that kind of money I could certainly risk $4500. I've never looked back. As far as maintenance it's a pretty simple machine. PTO runs the sickle bar. One set of remotes run the loading arm. 2nd remotes run the hydraulic motor that in turn powers the chain in the bottom that feed the bale into the sickle bar. The new ones ($13k)(had one at the Expo n Moultrie this year) eliminate the PTO and have a splitter so that you still only need two sets of remotes. The only maintenance I've had is that the PTO shaft had a key way and a shear bolt. Key way was wallowed out so the yoke slipped and busted the yoke. New yoke, new universal joint, welded key to shaft on processor, then slid the PTO shaft on and drilled a hole for shear bolt. Good as new. Not much to tear up. Keep it greased and that's about it. Haven't replaced any bearings yet but they are all pretty accessible. I cut my strings or twine off before I process. You don't have to but I don't want that crap in my pasture or my cows.

 

[Bigfoot]

Thanks, that actually makes a new one out of my price range. No access to a used one here, but I can keep my eyes open.

 

[JMJ Farms]

Bigfoot, check the Fastline & Tractor House website. I seen a couple on there when I was looking to buy this one and was making sure I wasn't paying too much. Even if it was a couple states over, shipping wouldn't be that bad. As long as you don't mind getting on the tractor every day, I think you would be well pleased. I also think your hot wire would work just as good. But I guess that would be kinda labor intensive. I spent I don't know how many hours trying to find a way to quit wasting so much hay. Just too dang expensive to waste. I want to stockpile some grazing, but I really don't have the acres.