Collecting straw with forage wagon?

[Winklepicker]

Does anyone do it instead of baling straw?
Would the straw be chopped enough to go through and ag dispenser type machine?
How much storage would you need to bed 200 cubicles for a winter?

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Does anyone do it instead of baling straw?
Would the straw be chopped enough to go through and ag dispenser type machine?
How much storage would you need to bed 200 cubicles for a winter?

Precision chop harvester would be better,

 

[som farmer]

local farmer used to run a double chop over stubble, surprising how much he got, but for me, a saving to far,

 

[deleted user 837354]

Surely you would need a whopping heap of material to make up for the lack of straw being compressed compared to them being in a bale?

 

[Ormond]

Seen it done with an self propelled... chopping it and banking it up in an indoor silage pit....was grand until the SP picked up a stone!. If you're struggling for shed space....probably best just baling and then chopping it down out the bale every so often with a short chop bedded or tub grinder

 

[dinderleat]

Just use sawdust

 

[Andrew]

I seem to remember @Treemover asking about this a few years back. Could be completely wrong though.

 

[M-J-G]

We used to chop straw with a forager and haul it loose in silage trailers to push it into a shed, almost like pit silage and then fed it through a keenan with molasses and meal.

 

[Chae1]

A guy I bale for sometimes lifts headlands with forage wagon and just emptys it in cattle courts. Saves waiting for trampled bouts to dry out.

 

[Al R]

Most people I know who have used a self propelled have had a Stone go through and smashed the machine up good and proper. Unless going straight into loose housing like @Chae1 said I would use bales.

 

[som farmer]

Surely you would need a whopping heap of material to make up for the lack of straw being compressed compared to them being in a bale?

used to heap it up in an old stone barn, to use for cubicles during winter, like I said, a step to far for me, but he was a tight bagger ! Most round here had the opinion WTF.

 

[deleted user 837354]

Using a self propelled to pick up straw?! Fudge that, be a recipe for it to catch fire I should think.

 

[Al R]

Using a self propelled to pick up straw?! Fudge that, be a recipe for it to catch fire I should think.

So long as it’s not a NH or touch the brakes it’d be fine, stones are the only issues. I know a lot 2-3 years ago in England chopped straw through the forage harvesters as it got wet etc and became worthless, on heavy land where there’s no stone in sight and stubbles cut high its fine. You start picking up 2-4” stubbles on stony ground and you won’t go 10 metres.

 

[Pigken]

Sure was article in farmers weekly several years ago, were some one had two wagons they collected with and had huge heap out side on concrete pad, pushed it up. They reckened lot quicker, cheaper to lead and was only few inch on outside that took wet harm as with shape of stack most water shed off.

 

[Treemover]

I lifted a couple of fields a good few years back with a toro. I retracted the knives, for fear of stones. This was direct behind the combine and late at night.
The fear was heavy rain was forecasted.
Put it in a shed, started to heat. So turned it or aerated it with the Volvo. Thought I was going to loose it all, but it turned into great straw. Stock loved it.

What I really liked was filling the straw chopper, without twine; and it went threw it easier. Was even better with diet feeder.

If I get back into farming, I would def go for a wagon and use it for hay and straw. And silage too!

No experience using knives, so can’t comment.

 

[puntabrava]

I lifted a couple of fields a good few years back with a toro. I retracted the knives, for fear of stones. This was direct behind the combine and late at night.
The fear was heavy rain was forecasted.
Put it in a shed, started to heat. So turned it or aerated it with the Volvo. Thought I was going to loose it all, but it turned into great straw. Stock loved it.

What I really liked was filling the straw chopper, without twine; and it went threw it easier. Was even better with diet feeder.

If I get back into farming, I would def go for a wagon and use it for hay and straw. And silage too!

No experience using knives, so can’t comment.

Excuse me for asking but how come you are out of farming? I remember you were organic dairying with your father and an article with you making cheese and winning an award for it.

 

[dinderleat]

Surely you would need massive amount of space compared to bales?

 

[som farmer]

Surely you would need massive amount of space compared to bales?

like I said, not for most !

 

[michael N123]

Most people I know who have used a self propelled have had a Stone go through and smashed the machine up good and proper. Unless going straight into loose housing like @Chae1 said I would use bales.

Get stone stop fitted to them nowadays