Feed blocks

[llamedos]

They have no nuts or cobs at feed merchants, so have bought some blocks.
how do others put theirs down to feed to prevent them getting walked and mucked on? i have never bothered with them before due to that reason. No choice now.

 

[Bull beef]

Goodness me that's terrible where are you based

 

[Bull beef]

We put blocks out they are usually all gone very quick so never see any muck in them

We just put ours on floor I know people to wash the top of them with water if they are dirty

 

[exmoor dave]

Find a bucket or tub the block can fit in. Otherwise the stock will eat it just for the sake if it. I do feed blocks bare sometimes if high intakes are needed but always on the piles of stones dotted round the farm. If it's just on the ground the stock cover the blocks with mud and turn their noses up them. All in all though I much prefer blocks over cake for ewes outside pre housing and post lambing.

What brand block have you opted for?

 

[Devil's advocate]

They have no nuts or cobs at feed merchants, so have bought some blocks.
how do others put theirs down to feed to prevent them getting walked and mucked on? i have never bothered with them before due to that reason. No choice now.

lord, I'm struggling to get nuts my side of the pennines too. Will have to borrow a few for tomorrow morning, got some nuts promised for tomorrow at 11am.

If rumervite blocks you should have been given some heavy duty orange containers to put them in.

 

[llamedos]

Goodness me that's terrible where are you based

Lancs, merchant cant keep up with demand, there were several of us in there today, they rang, will have some by sunday, they make their own blend.
See the thread from those in Pembs though, seems same predicament.

Find a bucket or tub the block can fit in. Otherwise the stock will eat it just for the sake if it. I do feed blocks bare sometimes if high intakes are needed but always on the piles of stones dotted round the farm. If it's just on the ground the stock cover the blocks with mud and turn their noses up them. All in all though I much prefer blocks over cake for ewes outside pre housing and post lambing.

What brand block have you opted for?

Merchants own blocks, with a raised mag content, lost a ewe last weekend.
I have some blue ex chem type drums knocking about that I cut up to put lick buckets in a few years ago, so I can cut the bottoms off those, was going to take them to the tip recycling at its best hadnt given those a thought.
Just hope ewes go for them, not having had them before. I may be a convert, certainly saves the crush at feeding time.

Thinking out loud, has anyone ever tried any sort of ad lib type creep feeder for ewes? If they have it in front of them all the time do they settle down to not gorging it as lambs do? or would they just pig out.

 

[DRC]

Lancs, merchant cant keep up with demand, there were several of us in there today, they rang, will have some by sunday, they make their own blend.
See the thread from those in Pembs though, seems same predicament.


Merchants own blocks, with a raised mag content, lost a ewe last weekend.
I have some blue ex chem type drums knocking about that I cut up to put lick buckets in a few years ago, so I can cut the bottoms off those, was going to take them to the tip recycling at its best hadnt given those a thought.
Just hope ewes go for them, not having had them before. I may be a convert, certainly saves the crush at feeding time.

Thinking out loud, has anyone ever tried any sort of ad lib type creep feeder for ewes? If they have it in front of them all the time do they settle down to not gorging it as lambs do? or would they just pig out.

You could put them inside or on tyres,if you use them on silage pit.

 

[llamedos]

See here too http://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/rationing-rations.3253/#post-45704

 

[llamedos]

You could put them inside or on tyres,if you use them on silage pit.

did first think of that but thought the greedy devils would just shove them on the floor.

 

[Poorbuthappy]

Thinking out loud, has anyone ever tried any sort of ad lib type creep feeder for ewes? If they have it in front of them all the time do they settle down to not gorging it as lambs do? or would they just pig out.

Think they would pig themselves to death. Mine would , anyway.
There is a new type creep feeder on the market which can be set to limit intakes. It was mentioned in a thread awhile back, can't remember what it's called, someone will post a link perhaps.

 

[llamedos]

Think they would pig themselves to death. Mine would , anyway.
There is a new type creep feeder on the market which can be set to limit intakes. It was mentioned in a thread awhile back, can't remember what it's called, someone will post a link perhaps.

think mine would too, chaps small flock where I have just moved too, have ad lib nuts available in an open trough, and have done so from being lambs moving on from creep, they just browse. In the snow i gave them one of my multi vit buckets, but had to take it away as they were fighting over it, where as mine dont. So it must be how& on what they have been brought up.

 

[General-Lee]

Think they would pig themselves to death. Mine would , anyway.
There is a new type creep feeder on the market which can be set to limit intakes. It was mentioned in a thread awhile back, can't remember what it's called, someone will post a link perhaps.

I saw one of those at a beef event where they lick it to get the feed Aussie/New Zealand design?? Big money irc!!

 

[Devil's advocate]

Lancs, merchant cant keep up with demand, there were several of us in there today, they rang, will have some by sunday, they make their own blend.
See the thread from those in Pembs though, seems same predicament.


Merchants own blocks, with a raised mag content, lost a ewe last weekend.
I have some blue ex chem type drums knocking about that I cut up to put lick buckets in a few years ago, so I can cut the bottoms off those, was going to take them to the tip recycling at its best hadnt given those a thought.
Just hope ewes go for them, not having had them before. I may be a convert, certainly saves the crush at feeding time.

Thinking out loud, has anyone ever tried any sort of ad lib type creep feeder for ewes? If they have it in front of them all the time do they settle down to not gorging it as lambs do? or would they just pig out.

Seems a bit early for staggers? You must have more grass than I have, my ewes are on winter rations, staggers usually early to mid May here, when you can nearly see the grass growing & there comes a cool windy wet day.

 

[neilo]

A 45 gallon drum is about the right diameter for feed blocks. If you cut them off at 1/3 & 2/3 of the way up (often a helpful line about there too), then you can make 2 block feeders from each drum.

That said, I've chucked a few out on the ground this year too, and been surprised at quite how little has been wasted.

 

[llamedos]

Seems a bit early for staggers? You must have more grass than I have, my ewes are on winter rations, staggers usually early to mid May here, when you can nearly see the grass growing & there comes a cool windy wet day.

Thought so too, but she was couped and paddling, vet agreed, she rallied after cal/mag I gave her, enough to be eating same night then had bouts of fitting/ comatose/ dead, 2 days after

 

[Big Al]

Think they would pig themselves to death. Mine would , anyway.
There is a new type creep feeder on the market which can be set to limit intakes. It was mentioned in a thread awhile back, can't remember what it's called, someone will post a link perhaps.

They are called advantage feeders, think they are imported from Australia. About a grand each if I remember rightly. You do get discount if you order more then one...

 

[Y Fan Wen]

A 45 gallon drum is about the right diameter for feed blocks. If you cut them off at 1/3 & 2/3 of the way up (often a helpful line about there too), then you can make 2 block feeders from each drum.

That said, I've chucked a few out on the ground this year too, and been surprised at quite how little has been wasted.

I don't use anything at all now and see no wastage except in the wettest weather.
You can use all the drum by cutting circles and then putting a crisscross of smooth fencing wire across the bottom for the block to lay on. This type are less prone to windblow as well.

 

[neilo]

They are called advantage feeders, think they are imported from Australia. About a grand each if I remember rightly. You do get discount if you order more then one...

Wasn't Cheggars trying one out? I wonder how he got on. Did he ever make it on here, or back onto BFF? I haven't seen him.

 

[neilo]

I don't use anything at all now and see no wastage except in the wettest weather.
You can use all the drum by cutting circles and then putting a crisscross of smooth fencing wire across the bottom for the block to lay on. This type are less prone to windblow as well.

I was chucking them out without tubs onto fodder beet ground, and there was very little waste. Never dared try it before, but was quite surprised at the result. Ewes now having blocks scattered about the (non existant) grazing, some in tubs & some just dropped off the ATV trailer.

 

[Y Fan Wen]

I was chucking them out without tubs onto fodder beet ground, and there was very little waste. Never dared try it before, but was quite surprised at the result. Ewes now having blocks scattered about the (non existant) grazing, some in tubs & some just dropped off the ATV trailer.

Back in the day of production at all costs(!), I would carry anything up to 15 tons of blocks up to the high pastures in August, September and store them in 45 gall drums, 8 to a drum with it put onto the pile upside down. Through the Winter, tip it over a bit, and slide the bottom block out. Transport was an ancient (even then) Zetor with front and back box to even out the load. No trailer 'cos you can't get the traction going through the woods. In the Winter a 2 wheel Honda 125 to go round in good weather and Shank's Pony in the white stuff.
Does anyone remember Rumevite discs in cardboard boxes? We used those for 2 seasons before they changed to the present bag. I would imagine the date was about 1966?