The one BIGGIE about unrolling hay is if your calving anytime during the hay feeding time .....you are way less likely to lose a calf to trampling, because they want to get somewhere dry and thats usually right next to a hay ring. Someone told me just the other day about losing several calves from trampling around a hay ring. I've never had a calf trampled where the hay was unrolled. Losing just one will offset any hay you think you might be wasting.
Unrolling hay
- Thread starter Cress27
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I have. In fact, lost one this year. Hadn't even started feeding yet, and the forecast called for a significant amount of snow so I unrolled some hay for each group just in case. You'll have that.
dave_shelby
Well-known member
What unroller are you all using?
bird dog
Well-known member
If you want a super nice very heavy duty one, heres the ticket. I have one of these that I bought years ago before steel got so high. They are very nice.
https://www.everythingattachments.com/4-or-5-foot-WIde-Round-Hay-Bale-Unroller-p/ea-hbu-4-5w.htm
I also have a cheaper one from Armstrong Ag that I bought off Craigs list. It stays on the tractor during hay season at a distant farm. It works fine just not as nice.
https://www.everythingattachments.com/4-or-5-foot-WIde-Round-Hay-Bale-Unroller-p/ea-hbu-4-5w.htm
I also have a cheaper one from Armstrong Ag that I bought off Craigs list. It stays on the tractor during hay season at a distant farm. It works fine just not as nice.
Rydero
Well-known member
Front tractor tire.
A couple Hydrabeds, a DewEze and a Worksaver brand 3pt unit.
Lucky_P
Well-known member
Bigfoot put his finger on it. Only unroll what they'll clean up in a 2+ hr period. That's enough for a cow to hoover in 25-30# of hay. Any longer than that, and they're gonna pee, poop, and lie on it, and not eat it.
First time I unrolled one, 20 yrs ago, we didnt have enough cows to clean it up in short order, and most was wasted. "I'll never do that again", I said. But, I'd just done it wrong.
First time I unrolled one, 20 yrs ago, we didnt have enough cows to clean it up in short order, and most was wasted. "I'll never do that again", I said. But, I'd just done it wrong.
Dave
Well-known member
Those who feed round bales here all use those hydraulic spinners to feed with. Spin off a clump and keep moving ahead another 20 feet or so to spin off another clump. That way they tend to be face fist into the hay and not standing on part of the hay while eating.
Same here, except I use a pickup most of the time. Unroll one rotation of the bale, pick it up, and drive 20' or so, then repeat. Imagine cows standing around a kitchen table, versus walking down the middle of the buffet line in town.
