do straw choppers/shredders actually save straw

[up to my neck in it]

thinking if buying a straw shredder poss spreadabale this year do you ACTUALLY save straw by using one compared shaking bales around with telehandler or is it myth peddled by manufactures/ salesmen

 

[rc mx110]

Machinery sales men say yes.
Straw sales men say no.
But it probably does imo

 

[milkloss]

In your comparison I would say no, straw use would be the same. You'd save by not needing to use whole bales and can move from yard to yard when there is enough in each. You would lose because of the shredding part of a blower, cattle feet will stir it up quicker and it has less of a matting effect.

If you would use one bale per yard either shook out or blown then I can't see you would save. A yard will look crappy a bit quicker with a blower imo but not enough to bed down a day early.

 

[ProDrive]

Been that much straw baled straight behind the combine this year, straw chopper will the only way unless you put square bale wads out like carpet tiles.

 

[Cows 'n grass]

I'd say no, you won't save a noticeable amount of straw bit depending how much straw you use, you will save a lot of time and sweat.

 

[Ducati899]

all covered yards here are bedded with round bales just rolled out twice a week,tried it with straw chopper years ago and had to bed them more often

 

[milkloss]

all covered yards here are bedded with round bales just rolled out twice a week,tried it with straw chopper years ago and had to bed them more often

Best way if you've got the man power and rounds.

 

[sidjon]

No, unless you have damp/cardboard bales , we use the same amount of straw and we've had one for several years, it will spread it more evenly in the shed. The fuel cost is about the same as the labour cost saved, but is quicker and safer if like us you have young bulls.

 

[up to my neck in it]

currently we are using approximately 200 tons of bought in straw so if it's crap I goes back in midi Hesston bales

 

[sjt01]

We save net and bale handling rather than straw, by using 6' round bales instead of 5', get about 40% more straw in the bales but too heavy to roll out by hand, so the chopper blower is essential

 

[ollie989898]

Time and effort is the main saving I always reckoned. Straw is more evenly spread, might be a cleaner batch of beasts on average?

Plus the safety thing.

 

[fastfish]

The trouble with a spreader is its to easy to put too much straw to make a good bed defeating the whole object of the machine

 

[Extreme Optimist]

I reckon I save around 25% straw but need to bed every other day rather than 2x/week. Very easy and mean bedding is a one man job (Hesston bales). As said before, very much safer.
In addition, very much easier to muck out with the straw being chopped and also composts and spreads and breaks down in the field better. Wouldn't be without it!!

 

[Nearly]

@Dave W has one to sell.
Good things but won't turn clapped bales into golden bedding.

 

[newholland]

warthog machinery is the answer your looking for. Cheap, simple and does an amazing job.

 

[Dave W]

@Dave W has one to sell.
Good things but won't turn clapped bales into golden bedding.

 

[Chae1]

Been that much straw baled straight behind the combine this year, straw chopper will the only way unless you put square bale wads out like carpet tiles.

Will be investing in a few sets of new clutch plates for bedder this year. Never baled so much unfit straw before. Any that isn't wet is short and broken up. Crap straw won't last long and there won't be any extra available for sale.

I wouldn't say bedder saves much straw. As said above just saves doing a dangerous sweaty job. Plan to bed daily to save straw, muck courts more often. Ordered a artic load of sawdust per week till May, have fixed price.

 

[mo!]

Yes, you save straw. Easier to do little and often so when you muck out you don't find pockets of unused straw. Clapped bales you really gain, squares you gain again. If you have a shed then you get more in the shed and make better use. If you can bed up twice a week then I doubt it will pay. We bed 6 days a week.

 

[Wooly]

Bedding cattle with a straw chopper is better for your back and lungs...................... that's worth more than any saving.

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Bedding cattle with a straw chopper is better for your back and lungs...................... that's worth more than any saving.

how's it better for your lungs