Cow feeding service…

[Beef farmer]

I thought the design of this machine was pretty ingenious and it has a capacity that would feed any herd in one fell swoop surely.

It would only work if the operator is the sort who takes pride in everything they do and is accurate in how he loads and mixes and feeds out. Not all machinery operators are like this. Cripes, I see they make a 6 wheeled version as well.

Seeing that makes me appreciate self feed way more.

 

[ollie989898]

Seeing that makes me appreciate self feed way more.

All the rage in some parts of Europe. Don't ask me what the financials are on it all.

 

[Kiss]

Who’s responsible for moving the tyres and sheet back when it’s hammering it down

 

[ollie989898]

Who’s responsible for moving the tyres and sheet back when it’s hammering it down

If you're being charged by the minute you bet your bottom dollar the sheet is sorted, the cows are out the way and the doors are open!

 

[Cowfeeder87]

I use 15litres a day to feed out and mix x4 tub mixes,it takes me an hour,I wouldn’t be keen on paying for travel diesel etc
Also being housed 365 means I’d want someone every day of the year,it wouldn’t fit in well with a contractor as it would put pressure on in the silly season.
So what would be a profitable rate for a contractor soon becomes expensive for the farmer.

It would be a stand alone business, not connected to a traditional contractor so would be a 365 day offering. What price do you put on the mix being consistent and accurate every load?

 

[Cowfeeder87]

Who’s responsible for moving the tyres and sheet back when it’s hammering it down

The farmer

 

[Agrijas]

Who’s responsible for moving the tyres and sheet back when it’s hammering it down

Surely they just go in the mixer and eventually end up in the slurry lagoon

 

[michael N123]

.

You also have to look at the second hand market,there’s feeders with all sorts of configurations,not every farm has a central feed passage,lots of different style troughs out there,even some that can’t be filled till the cows are out of the way.

If you where to run a feeder between multiple farms as a contracting business you’d need the farms to be well set up so you can arrive load up with feed and feed out without moving cattle about/relying on the farmer or else it’ll never work

If the first farm holds you back your late for the rest

 

[ollie989898]

If you where to run a feeder between multiple farms as a contracting business you’d need the farms to be well set up so you can arrive load up with feed and feed out without moving cattle about/relying on the farmer or else it’ll never work

If the first farm holds you back your late for the rest

Like I said- farms get billed for every minute the machine is on their farm so the onus is on the farmer to have everything ready for the driver.

 

[Cowfeeder87]

Like I said- farms get billed for every minute the machine is on their farm so the onus is on the farmer to have everything ready for the driver.

Any idea how much a minute usually?

 

[Grassman247]

Any idea how much a minute usually?

I used to have a contractor feeding 1000 cows between 2 farms, worked very well for both of us as kept them busy during the winter. Eventually the novelty wore off for us both, they ended up sending 5 different drivers in one week as no one wanted to do it and we ended up with inconsistent feeding. I think they were glad to have there time off over Christmas again. There’s just far to many variables in the feeding job for it to be contracted out in my opinion. For instance who picks up the bill because the feeder driver over does one ingredient or puts mould in the ration and there’s a load of sick cows?

 

[Blue.]

It would be a stand alone business, not connected to a traditional contractor so would be a 365 day offering. What price do you put on the mix being consistent and accurate every load?

I’m the wrong person to ask,as I was weighing up offering the same service a few years back,too many variables put me off.

If you where to run a feeder between multiple farms as a contracting business you’d need the farms to be well set up so you can arrive load up with feed and feed out without moving cattle about/relying on the farmer or else it’ll never work

If the first farm holds you back your late for the rest

Mixer breaks down your late for them all.

What about when a haulier is parked in the way having his 45 minute break,who pays then?
So many variables on different farms hold the job up,lad doing the mixing will go and do another job while waiting,lad from contractor will sit there costing you money.

 

[Scholsey]

I’m the wrong person to ask,as I was weighing up offering the same service a few years back,too many variables put me off.

Mixer breaks down your late for them all.

What about when a haulier is parked in the way having his 45 minute break,who pays then?
So many variables on different farms hold the job up,lad doing the mixing will go and do another job while waiting,lad from contractor will sit there costing you money.

It would be so reliant on everyone getting on with the contractor, the driver and the other farmers on the round, if farmer b doesn’t get on with farmer c due to a bidding war on rented ground etc it would cause issues for farmer c, d and e.

Or farmer D could be annoyed his cows aren’t fed until mid afternoon just when he wants to milk so decides to offer the lad on the wagon 5k more and buys him a 724 and big wagon and then farmer a, b, c and e are completely rollocksed.

 

[Cowfeeder87]

It would be so reliant on everyone getting on with the contractor, the driver and the other farmers on the round, if farmer b doesn’t get on with farmer c due to a bidding war on rented ground etc it would cause issues for farmer c, d and e.

Or farmer D could be annoyed his cows aren’t fed until mid afternoon just when he wants to milk so decides to offer the lad on the wagon 5k more and buys him a 724 and big wagon and then farmer a, b, c and e are completely rollocksed.

It definitely needs to be win win for all parties and farmers would need to want the service and see the value in it or it’s just not going to work.

 

[crashbox]

I believe the local Ag college uses a contractor to do the feeding.
I think 2 or more local farms teaming up and share-owning the kit has mileage too.
But I wouldn't do it here, set up too antiquated and challenging. Cows must be pushed off the yard for feed to go in so timing critical.

 

[michael N123]

I suppose getting between farms at winter time is another thing to consider as the diet feeders I’ve towed are fecking horrible in snow and ice

 

[dave mountain]

It definitely needs to be win win for all parties and farmers would need to want the service and see the value in it or it’s just not going to work.

I don't think it's very realistic, a lot of the farmers who claim to be interested will suddenly not be when you work out the rates you need to charge. The travel time and fuel will kill it, before you get on to who is liable if something goes wrong and kills 100 cows.

 

[Cowfeeder87]

I don't think it's very realistic, a lot of the farmers who claim to be interested will suddenly not be when you work out the rates you need to charge. The travel time and fuel will kill it, before you get on to who is liable if something goes wrong and kills 100 cows.

Not sure how the mixer would kill 100 cows? If the farms were close which they would need to be the travel time would nearly be irrelevant.

 

[ollie989898]

Not sure how the mixer would kill 100 cows? If the farms were close which they would need to be the travel time would nearly be irrelevant.

I'd leave the machine on the first farm and drive to the first farm in the van/car/truck etc. Then go on from there.

It would only work if there are some very dedicated and reliable operators involved.

 

[dave mountain]

Not sure how the mixer would kill 100 cows? If the farms were close which they would need to be the travel time would nearly be irrelevant.

You never know with these things, do you remember when a dairt was having.a large number of cows die and catching bse and they couldn't figure what it was until they got to the back of the silage pit and there was a carcass in their, now imagine that spread across how ever many farms...
Yes if the farms are close, but I think you issue will be finding enough farmers in one area who would genuinely be interested.as it certainly isn't something the majority of farmers would entertain.