The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Cattle => Topic started by: Saval on March 01, 2015, 08:07:36 pm
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Hi, we currently feed 12 suckler cows with calves(bad timing) and a few bullocks which are kept each for the freezer.
We feed in two standard rings with mainly silage and straw, plus concentrate concentrates and sugar beet pulp.
However we are experiencing quite a high loss rate of feed, which is pulled out of the rings and trampled into the ground. We use two rings because of the numbers and bulling around the ring.
I'm considering installing a locking feed barrier with bunks and purchasing a shredder or old feed wagon ie Keenan. A tomahawk shredder could be use to both feed and bed cattle so could be useful
But I've no experience of these and don't know if they'd actually help reduce wastage
Can anyone help suggest ways to reduce this wastage?
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IF you can find a contractor with a chopper baler this helps a lot , wastage of long material in ring feeders is normal , A shredder would work but also needs a powerfull enough tractor to lift it and chop , locking feed barriers would also work ideally needs a concrete pad front and back , seems a lot of expense for a few cows , chopped silage or accept the loss would be cheaper
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If you go on the internet and research bale feeders, you'll see there are some very expensive ones which are essentially a ring within a ring, and they cut feed wastage down to a minimum. But whether you can justify £800 or so per feed ring is a matter of personal choice.