Getting rid of the diet feeder?

[More to life]

Depreciation, diesel, repairs, labour, for 16k/yr? Sounds a bit light?

I guess the other thing would be to change the kit, and keep it in warranty? Swap repair costs for finance costs?

But really think clamping the rape, and maybe some other concs, and feeding with a very big bucket/ grab is the best idea.

I've not tried it but I fancy a wagon would use less labour and fuel than grab and carry. I've had the same tractor on my wagon for 20 years and they have been lasting 8-10 years.

 

[PREES]

The layout will obviously be significant in determining whether it is quicker and cheaper with a big shear grab or block cutter but Gelli Aur gave up their diet feeder a few years ago and they are adamant that they have saved time and significant costs (diesel, depreciation, repairs and labour)!

 

[glasshouse]

diet feeders seem awfully expensive

 

[farmer on a bike]

We had previously had a diet feeder when we farmed in Sussex. Hardly missed a beat, very little repair cost. It was amazing how much our overall machinery costs reduced when we got rid of it.

In the last year we have spent over £20k in repairs on the wagon, telehandler and Claas. To be fair the Claas has been fine since a major overhaul but the telehandler and wagon have been rather abused, but that is probably more about time pressure on staff with the system than simple slackness.

I am not a great fan of the opf idea as it is more to potentially go wrong, although the cows have the auto id in place which would drive it, plus the 20t rape bin could supply it, so it is not a daft idea.

We are contract farming the farm, so the savings on the wagon etc, would benefit us, whereas the farm owner would fund the OPF, which would be an issue.

I was tempted to change the cows, but we are on a red water farm and although we used a new vaccine on some bought in cows we still had issues, that plus the TB issue, makes it very complicated. Finding the right cows is not very easy either, there are plenty of cows for spring calving but not many suitable for autumn block calving.

On our established herd we don't open the clamps until mid October, but on this farm many of the current cows would melt, plus our grazing area is somewhat limited in area currently.

I think adding rape to maize silage has good possibilities, anyone any experience of this ?

 

[More to life]

If it's contract farming @farmer on a bike sell all the kit and lease it,that's what a few large contract operations have done in this area.

 

[DairyGrazing]

Biggest danger is underfeeding the cows you have today, not the cows you want to have in the future.

If you try to force it now all you'll end up with is no milk, thin cows and none in calf.

There's this myth you can't coin it in with cows giving plenty of milk.

 

[BELOWAVERAGE]

We had previously had a diet feeder when we farmed in Sussex. Hardly missed a beat, very little repair cost. It was amazing how much our overall machinery costs reduced when we got rid of it.

In the last year we have spent over £20k in repairs on the wagon, telehandler and Claas. To be fair the Claas has been fine since a major overhaul but the telehandler and wagon have been rather abused, but that is probably more about time pressure on staff with the system than simple slackness.

I am not a great fan of the opf idea as it is more to potentially go wrong, although the cows have the auto id in place which would drive it, plus the 20t rape bin could supply it, so it is not a daft idea.

We are contract farming the farm, so the savings on the wagon etc, would benefit us, whereas the farm owner would fund the OPF, which would be an issue.

I was tempted to change the cows, but we are on a red water farm and although we used a new vaccine on some bought in cows we still had issues, that plus the TB issue, makes it very complicated. Finding the right cows is not very easy either, there are plenty of cows for spring calving but not many suitable for autumn block calving.

On our established herd we don't open the clamps until mid October, but on this farm many of the current cows would melt, plus our grazing area is somewhat limited in area currently.

I think adding rape to maize silage has good possibilities, anyone any experience of this ?

If the buildings suit using a wagon, why not stay with it, that £20,000 is roughly 1 litre per cow per day for the winter, surely you'll loose more milk than that if you get rid.

 

[newholland]

600kg shear grab???? - You need a 2.5 ton shear grab on a 3.5ton loader........then you would only do 7 trips with you silage which is very fast. Somebody near us feeds 700 cows no bother like this. Its a lot less wear on the loader too, when compared to constantly lifting, shaking and extending the boom to fill a diet feeder.

The blocks of silage mean the cows can't push it away, therefore they eat more and you get more milk. Do you really what to weigh how much silage the cows eat?...surely you just want them to eat as much as they possibly can...
£50 for a ketone tester and you will then know your not underfeeding your cows and can adjust parlour feed week by week......your milk will increase, your calving block will get to 9 weeks and you will maybe spend £3.50 on grease for the sheargrab?
If you go over 9000litres then maybe think about the mixer wagon as a possibility.

 

[Beef farmer]

600kg shear grab???? - You need a 2.5 ton shear grab on a 3.5ton loader........then you would only do 7 trips with you silage which is very fast. Somebody near us feeds 700 cows no bother like this. Its a lot less wear on the loader too, when compared to constantly lifting, shaking and extending the boom to fill a diet feeder.

The problem with that is, clearly 420 cows can't get enough feed space from 7 blocks, but if enough was put out for 3 days then they would.

Running cost off the wagon is one part of it, skilled operators to use said machine are then needed. Blocks of forage and cake in the parlour is a fool proof eating feeding a middle off the road cow. But it does have it's limitations

 

[Headless chicken]

I think if your going down the blocks route then I think you need to have a silopactor on the clamp all time. Higher density silage = more in each grab

 

[newholland]

Do 21 blocks and spread each block along 20ft - that will last for 3 days @75cm feed space per cow. Then you can have 2 days of not doing silage and have a day off. You could share a loader with another farm and sell existing loader maybe

 

[early riser]

Do 21 blocks and spread each block along 20ft - that will last for 3 days @75cm feed space per cow. Then you can have 2 days of not doing silage and have a day off.

But I thought the idea is that you don't break the blocks up? If you start pulling them apart and spreading them along a barrier then won't the silage start to heat up after 2-3days?

 

[Glaswellt]

Would it mean less wear and tear on the wagon if it's just used to carry silage to the through with minimal mixing? As opposed to mixing a ration for 15-20 mins or whatever you wagon people do?

 

[multi power]

I think if your going down the blocks route then I think you need to have a silopactor on the clamp all time. Higher density silage = more in each grab

Silopactor here, very expensive lump of steel, works very well, as long as you keep the tractor arms up, a heavy tractor does just as good a job

 

[Beef farmer]

Silopactor here, very expensive lump of steel, works very well, as long as you keep the tractor arms up, a heavy tractor does just as good a job

Contractor here has a class handler, on fairly narrow wheels, that weighs 9ton. That things helps when rolling the pit.

 

[Ducati899]

In the last year we have spent over £20k in repairs on the wagon, telehandler and Claas.

id be looking at the staff using this kit if i had to shell out that kind of money in repairs

 

[maen]

Having tried all options offered, i know what suits us best. There is no easy solution to feeding cows well. As interesting is the two scenarios of one-very low input low capital cost to two-auto milking, tech buildings auto bunker feeding. I suspect the middle ground is somewhere sound.
And the ability to find capital.

 

[daibach57]

You'd need 17 stalls, can't remember what size your parlour is, but if it 20 a side, just as well have 20 stalls and done with so that each side can eat as they come out with no fighting. Probably cost 30-40k with a bin, maybe more.
Could work well, being able to feed high protein feed in one system to match the maize, and a general concentrate in the other.
The capital outlay would only be once, no maintenance unlike the mixer wagon, or labour

I binned oopf years ago too much fighting and bullying around the feeders causing feet probs and downer cows

 

[Headless chicken]

Silopactor here, very expensive lump of steel, works very well, as long as you keep the tractor arms up, a heavy tractor does just as good a job

Agree but I think it's about having enough weight on it at all times and someone who enjoys rolling

 

[multi power]

Agree but I think it's about having enough weight on it at all times and someone who enjoys rolling

Somebody who enjoys rolling is the correct answer , very seldom I get involved with the silage, but this year I done some buckraking, loader never stopped, unlike usual driver, more time sleeping than buckraking