Bale Silage Self Feeder

[WadeFisher]

I thought I would share this experiment with you all.
In reading Grass-Fed Cattle by Julius Ruechel he had mentioned using silage clutches made in the winter paddock to feed winter stocks with very little effort. He was using an electric polly fence to limit how much they could eat at a time.

So I was having some hay 'wet baled' aka 'silage baled' and they were using a tube roll method instead of the individual rolls. So I instructed the custom worker where to put them. I had them put in my winter paddock.

We started out by putting a fence around them and trying to run 1 strand in front of it with enough height that they could eat through the fence. Only the front face is exposed.

Because of the access being long and narrow compared to a regular silage clutch, this was not progressing as smooth as hoped. So I removed the perimeter fence and the facing fence. They did not bother the sides being wrapped very thoroughly, they were content at eat just at the section we made open to them. We were cutting the plastic off about 1/2 a bale at a time (2 1/2 feet)
BUT
We were experience too much waste.
We learned to let the plastic over the top and hang down a little, forcing them too eat through what looks like a little portal.
There is still about 15%-20% waste at the most. But the waste area is the favorite spot to bed down. Especially as the area gets larger as you can see on the photo.
And I am sure it will be the best grass area next summer with that much mulch and manure. Even after I scoop it up with the skid steer.


It is easy! Every couple days just go out and trim back the plastic covering some.
There are 4 Shorthorn Cows, 2 Dexter cows, 2 Dexter heifers and 1 Dexter Calf working on this clutch since November 1st. This picture is Mid February.


It is ensiled so this may not work in warmer weather because uneaten it would rot quickly. Not a problem in the winter months. I think since so little is exposed it would be okay even in the warmer months.

I don't know if I will do it again because I have access to loaders and feeders that don't waste so much hay.

If I have paddocks that are hard to access this is definitely a choice to consider. If you are buying hay or having your fields custom cut you may want to look at this option. I could see real up side for someone who did not have a front end loader. You could effectively feed all winter with just a pocket knife. It is the 'best' way to preserve the quality of hay. And you don't have to store it in a building or loose the outside 5%-10% to weathering.
I think it would be closely comparable using individual wrapped bales place throughout the pasture to spread the manure better. This will be covered in the winter of 2015.

[WadeFisher]

On the same front of working with different methods of bale feeding.

I have had for 3 years one of the typical round bale feeders. It cost me $450 at local feed store. I have used it for 2 winters previous to winter of 2014/2015. It is the one in photo one in the background of 2 Dairy feeder steers.
Being not impressed with it at all I went out on a limb and bought a "J & L Hay saver" bale feeder. $1250.

Hands down the J & L wastes so little hay it is amazing. And it is built to last 2 or 3 times longer, at minimum. Part of the chaff on the ground in front of the J&L is me going out and cleaning the 'stick' hay out of the built in feed trough that the cows don't want to eat.

Now, with the cost of hay in my area being relatively cheap, this year, it will take a few years to get the money back. My estimate is it will save me $100/year. But that is an 12% return on investment. You just don't get that in most things you are investing in that takes NO extra labor or ongoing inputs.
( $1250 - $450 = $800 investment to realize a $100 savings annually)
This does not calculate the extra life of the implement. The J & L Hay Saver is made twice as heavy and strong. Which means it will last more than twice as long because I do not see the 'Tarter' ring as being built to stand long term punishment from 1000lb cows.
If you do the true depreciation I believe this devise cost no more per year to own except the interest on initial investment, other wise know as lost opportunity costs. So if we assume it will last 3 times longer. It is effectively the same cost per year. But we laid out more cash upfront.
So cost to borrow of 6% is the lost opportunity value.
$450 x 6% = $27
$1250 x 6% = $75
Difference of $50 for easy working.
So this Feeder is costing me $50 more per year to own.
I Save $100 per year. This is giving me a %200 return per year on the long term cost of ownership for the extra money to upgrade to a true feeding deviced, not a circle on the ground to mulch hay around. If your goal is to build soil by making mulch and getting the cows to break it up and add manure to it I suggest the generic rings. If you value the feed value of your hay I would NEVER suggest one.

For more info look at their web site. NO I do not sell them. I am not affiliated with them. I am just an impressed customer. I have already bought the model that is better suited for calves and sheep.
http://www.jlhaysavers.com/
And next year I will have one in the Paddock with my brood cows. I will then use the generic feed ring for just what I said. To feed low quality hay where I want to build up soil by having the cows do the work. Hey.. every tool has a use!