Forage Wagons.

[ploughman1963]

Are they not too keen on heavy and stemmy silage? Currently got a field that’s got away from us and it’s like chopping straw. If I had to keep the mengele for old grass then I don’t think I could justify having a wagon.
Drivers and old tractors are starting to become an issue for the trailed chopper.

As a contractor we come across this situation and my advice would be to ensile that field early on in the pit leaving some younger more easily compacted grass to top the pit off with. Picking up the older , stemmier grass early on whilst the knives are at their sharpest will make the job easier.
As you will read elsewhere, using a wagon can be really successful and cost saving but it often requires adapting or tweaking your system rather than assuming it is a straight swap in for a chopper - from as simple as adjusting how you rake to making filling the clamp properly the priority. Seen as a cheap way of silaging you won’t get the best out of it - seen as a way of making good silage with reduced labour, stress and fuel consumption you will be happy.

 

[Yale]

Are they not too keen on heavy and stemmy silage? Currently got a field that’s got away from us and it’s like chopping straw. If I had to keep the mengele for old grass then I don’t think I could justify having a wagon.
Drivers and old tractors are starting to become an issue for the trailed chopper.

Wagon cut grass is far less forgiving in poor weather conditions,especially if the grass has gone a little mature.

Whilst clamping yesterday I was thinking a silage compactor would complement the difficulty of getting the grass tight in the pit.

If you have the ability to have a front buckrake and either a compactor on the back or on a separate tractor then that is one way to maximise silage coming out better.

I was wondering whether to have a half compactor made to fit the telehandler as I use a simple fork which I tend to drop off to roll any way.Could pick the half compactor up on the front carriage and weigh maybe 2.5 tonne.

 

[caleb]

As a contractor we come across this situation and my advice would be to ensile that field early on in the pit leaving some younger more easily compacted grass to top the pit off with. Picking up the older , stemmier grass early on whilst the knives are at their sharpest will make the job easier.
As you will read elsewhere, using a wagon can be really successful and cost saving but it often requires adapting or tweaking your system rather than assuming it is a straight swap in for a chopper - from as simple as adjusting how you rake to making filling the clamp properly the priority. Seen as a cheap way of silaging you won’t get the best out of it - seen as a way of making good silage with reduced labour, stress and fuel consumption you will be happy.

That's good to know.

 

[Ted M]

Personally I'm a big fan of the wagon principle. I like it's simplicity and the fact you don't have half a dozen heroes in hoodies and trainers tearing around the lanes on their phones and ripping out your gate posts. (sweeping generalisation I know )
One customer of mine that I mow for(multi cut system) is keener on the spfh set up especially for 1st and 2nd cut, his reason being that the cows can eat more precision chopped grass than wagon grass.
The counter argument so I'm led to believe is that the longer cut grass stays in the cow longer so she can extract more out of it?

 

[ccp contracting]

Wagons are fantastic for making quality silage , if you want bulk from a long distance they will do it but not ideal.

 

[caleb]

Wagons are fantastic for making quality silage , if you want bulk from a long distance they will do it but not ideal.
How much do you call a long distance ?.

 

[davidroberts30]

Over 2 mile

 

[caleb]

Wagons are fantastic for making quality silage , if you want bulk from a long distance they will do it but not ideal.

How much do you call a long distance ?.

 

[ccp contracting]

I would agree 2 miles is far enough , but it also depends on the roads and traffic .