Diet feeder on floatations

[michael N123]

thinking of making big longish feeders and putting all the ewes onto a mix next winter.. probably just get a big bucket and do multiple trips with tractor and loader but has anyone modified a diet feeder so it floats better and doesn’t fall over Havnt got one yet will be mixing with skid steer bucket for now but might get a used mixer for a future purchase

 

[tr250]

I wouldn’t bother to try and get a feeder wagon anywhere near a field in winter ours weighs 8 tons empty it would be like pulling a grain trailer about. What we do if we need is drop a load against a wall in the yard and put an 8x4 ft trough in on ideally hard standing and go and tip a bucket full in per trough with the loader

 

[michael N123]

I wouldn’t bother to try and get a feeder wagon anywhere near a field in winter ours weighs 8 tons empty it would be like pulling a grain trailer about. What we do if we need is drop a load against a wall in the yard and put an 8x4 ft trough in on ideally hard standing and go and tip a bucket full in per trough with the loader

That was my plan But had thoughts that someone might of codged tanker tyres onto back of a Keenan or something daft I wouldn’t want a big mixer

 

[JJT]

Would it not be better to make/get some feeders that you can tow back and fill up? Take a full one out bring empty one back.

 

[michael N123]

Would it not be better to make/get some feeders that you can tow back and fill up? Take a full one out bring empty one back.

Takes to much time and would make gateways a bit harder if the sheep decide to be annoying aswell as add cost to the feeders.. for multiple trips I’d just stick a handler bucket on the tractor

 

[tr250]

Takes to much time and would make gateways a bit harder if the sheep decide to be annoying aswell as add cost to the feeders.. for multiple trips I’d just stick a handler bucket on the tractor

How many tons a day are we talking?

 

[michael N123]

How many tons a day are we talking?

Whatever 900ewes eats I’ve had nothing with a weigher so not sure on tonnage
Further 600 ewes on the other farm if this works well

 

[tr250]

Big ewes 90-100 kgs will eat around 5kg in 24hours when housed so be a lot less outdoor depending how much grass they got
Edit that’s with 30%dm clamp silage including cereals

 

[Jim75]

We’re on about 3kg pit silage and pit pit enough for 2.5days, 3 at weekends . Lucky we have a lot of hard standings and tracks we can use to feed on and get the mixer to the trailer feeders. Have often thought bog mats or some of the tracks that are laid down would be handy for wet areas just enough to get in and tip into.

 

[jamesy]

We’re on about 3kg pit silage and pit pit enough for 2.5days, 3 at weekends . Lucky we have a lot of hard standings and tracks we can use to feed on and get the mixer to the trailer feeders. Have often thought bog mats or some of the tracks that are laid down would be handy for wet areas just enough to get in and tip into.

How did the pads work out for the cattle?

 

[Jim75]

How did the pads work out for the cattle?

Great, big improvement in feeding in one yr and with a few tweaks again could almost be a one man job but time will tell. Less fodder crops going in and more yearling cattle going on to the pads for this winter.

 

[Hilly]

Great, big improvement in feeding in one yr and with a few tweaks again could almost be a one man job but time will tell. Less fodder crops going in and more yearling cattle going on to the pads for this winter.

Pads ?

 

[jamesy]

Great, big improvement in feeding in one yr and with a few tweaks again could almost be a one man job but time will tell. Less fodder crops going in and more yearling cattle going on to the pads for this winter.

Not the same I know but I turn a lot of my young cattle out into an old silage pit in Feb to make room for calving. They are bedded on straw there and fairly thrive despite putting in some miserable days weather wise. I’ve thought about making a proper outdoor pad accommodation for them but can’t quite bite the bullet!

 

[Jim75]

Pads ?

Old WW2 runway and side runways. Lots of hard standing areas that back onto barley/forage crop fields for run back. Cleared and created 4 feeding pads and the intention to create a few more for this winter. Relatively cheap and easy to set up with strainers/couple hot wires and feed below the wires. Hard standing decent need fancy straw if it’s wet and they can run back onto the stubbles. Has worked well in combo with a new silage pit and wagon. Feeding the ewes with it has been a game changer but haven’t made an area for them yet rather taking the feed to the field and fill the bunkers

 

[Hilly]

Old WW2 runway and side runways. Lots of hard standing areas that back onto barley/forage crop fields for run back. Cleared and created 4 feeding pads and the intention to create a few more for this winter. Relatively cheap and easy to set up with strainers/couple hot wires and feed below the wires. Hard standing decent need fancy straw if it’s wet and they can run back onto the stubbles. Has worked well in combo with a new silage pit and wagon. Feeding the ewes with it has been a game changer but haven’t made an area for them yet rather taking the feed to the field and fill the bunkers

Looks exellent , well done .