Anyone had this happen

[hoff135]

My silage last year was made with a belt baler, on past experience the bales they make are so hard in the centre the ewes can't eat them in a ring feeder. So I asked the contractor to chop them last year to see if that would help. Seems last night as the sheep were eating their way into the centre the top of the core fell over and landed on of ones head pinning her in the feeder. Got her dead this morning.

The previous few years I've being borrowing a roller baler and there was no problems for the ewes finishing the bale.

 

[Agrivator]

It could be a freak accident which will never happen again. But if you are able, try putting the bale into the feeder on its round side.

 

[hoff135]

It could be a freak accident which will never happen again. But if you are able, try putting the bale into the feeder on its round side.

It my well be, if it wasn't chopped it wouldn't have fallen over. That's an interesting thought, I will try that tomorrow

 

[yellowbelly]

It could be a freak accident which will never happen again. But if you are able, try putting the bale into the feeder on its round side.

I made some extensions for our round feeders to make it easier to get them in.

 

[Bury the Trash]

! bale for sheep is best for them put /split inro 2 or three ring feeders quite how you do that is another matter.

buyt yes seen a bullock killed like that but that was when 2 bales were put in a ring feeder on top of each other

 

[HarryB97]

Never had an issue here with chopped bales out a belt baler, how chopped was the bale?

 

[yoki]

I found there's too much waste with a big bale in a two ring feeder any way as it's too close to the sides and too tall so an awful lot get's trailed out.

So we bought an extra one and made two three ring feeders rather than three two ring feeders.

Much better job

 

[hoff135]

Never had an issue here with chopped bales out a belt baler, how chopped was the bale?

Seems to be about 4 inches long. They can certainly eat the bales better than unchopped hard centres and I'd say they are pulling less onto the ground.

I still prefer soft centre bales for feeding to sheep

 

[hoff135]

! bale for sheep is best for them put /split inro 2 or three ring feeders quite how you do that is another matter.

buyt yes seen a bullock killed like that but that was when 2 bales were put in a ring feeder on top of each other

Yeah I am doing that in a couple of locations, unwinding the outside isn't that bad if more haylage but it's pretty miserable this year as its wetter.

I normally go round the feeders every 2 or 3 days and give the stuff a bit of a shake out, and break up the centre if it's standing up. Didnt get to it quick enough this time

 

[Welderloon]

@hoff135 unfortunately its a fairly regular occurrence with silage bales & sheep.
Bales split with a slice or shear grab or indeed chopped then broken up lower the risk when placed in feeders, bales fed into a feeder with an unwinder or a McHale bedder are probably the least risky method but not everyone has that option

Annoyingly its just another way for them to hit their ultimate goal............

 

[Fat Lamb]

I found there's too much waste with a big bale in a two ring feeder any way as it's too close to the sides and too tall so an awful lot get's trailed out.

So we bought an extra one and made two three ring feeders rather than three two ring feeders.

Much better job

That’s what I do for ewes. Just have to pull a bit in the middle to the edges when you put next bale in. Don’t waste very much at all.

 

[Estate fencing.]

We use square bales and the silly buggers do this if the miss time there jump trying to get on top

I did have 3 dead mule ewe hoggs in a ring feeder last year when they tried to get on top of the round bale and fell in the gap that the others made eating. Bloody things.

 

[d-wales]

I hate the cradle type of feeders, always have had problems, normally 2 or 3 ewes dead every year.

So I've scrapped them now and got the normal round bales,.

I have also changed to putting the bales out in the summer in the corner of a field behind an electeic fende, and then rolling the feeder over them in turn. saves getting the tractor out of the shed in the winter

 

[AftonShepherd]

I found there's too much waste with a big bale in a two ring feeder any way as it's too close to the sides and too tall so an awful lot get's trailed out.

So we bought an extra one and made two three ring feeders rather than three two ring feeders.

Much better job

Is there not quite a bit left in the middle that they can't reach?

 

[Macsky]

Does anyone still make the old roofed round bale feeders with a front door that you put the bale in? Sort of like this:

They were really safe and kept the hay dry, but were perhaps prone to a bit more waste as the hay was pulled out the bottom, wouldnt be much use for chopped stuff at all.

 

[Fat Lamb]

Is there not quite a bit left in the middle that they can't reach?

Just pull it to the edges when you put next bale in. Easy done if bale is chopped.

 

[yoki]

Is there not quite a bit left in the middle that they can't reach?

A bit but not a lot, bear in mind that with the height of the bale as it gets narrower it'll topple out, but only topple out to within their reach as opposed to through the bars and getting trampled.

Graiping out the last wee bit in the middle is a small price to pay for much less waste in my opinion.

 

[HarryB97]

Seems to be about 4 inches long. They can certainly eat the bales better than unchopped hard centres and I'd say they are pulling less onto the ground.

I still prefer soft centre bales for feeding to sheep

Might be worth just chopping it with 6 blades in so it has more structure and won’t fall apart

 

[yellowbelly]

Top artwork @Macsky

Looks just like the sort of feeder that that Angus that @Hilly is always posting would eat from

 

[Hilly]

Top artwork @Macsky

Looks just like the sort of feeder that that Angus that @Hilly is always posting would eat from

Looks like sowt the scrappy would take away.