Self Feed Silage

[Derrick Hughes]

To Fat imo. Depends how early you wean the calves but I used to condition score after weaning . Fat cows going on a straw only diet

 

[Zoe.rawlings]

@Zoe.rawlings and her farm team are excellent visitors and they make extremely good cakes as thankyou presents, so fully recommend offering them a visit!
Hopefully somebody can show them some self feed some where.
@boyo could maybe show you a system?

Thank you! Yes, we will bring cake!

 

[boyo]

I'd be happy to

 

[boyo]

We are considering self feed silage, but would like a farm to come and visit who is succesfully doing it. we are based in North Wiltshire, near Malmesbury, but would be happy to travel a bit to visit a farm. Does anyone do it or know if anyone who does that would be happy for my husband and myself to visit?

Thank you.
Zoe

We are down in Pembrokeshire. 160 on self feed system. Will be our 10th winter this year

 

[j6891]

Any pics of your different setups? My old man always used to self feed silage but with more cows, meant more shifts of groups to it and as mentioned couldn't make pit any deeper as cow would just eat under the face making it collapse. Then proceed to tramp collapsed silage into waste. Been bales last few years and certainly has its benefits.

 

[milkloss]

We now put twice the amount of silage in the self feed pit and feed out using the straw blower. I’m against hassle and money being spent but there is less wastage and the cows really do look better on it. Sucklers.

I have pictures from when we self fed a little high and used the too cut away to feed stock in another yard.

 

[milkloss]

 

[Zoe.rawlings]

We are down in Pembrokeshire. 160 on self feed system. Will be our 10th winter this year

Thank you, we would like to come and visit if possible. my husband, Eds number is 07831280173 if you could message or call the discuss.

We were wondering if you feed cake? and where/how you do it?
Do you calve all year round of at specific times?
what are your yeilds?

Thank you!

 

[boyo]

We feed cake in the parlour. All year round calving. I'll give a call

 

[Range1]

Really? Didnt use any manual or mechanical device to feed this clamp. Just slide the wire foward. View attachment 790666

We are in the proces of setting up a similar system. How much power are you putting through the wire and at which hight is the wire set? Thanks

 

[Beef farmer]

We are in the proces of setting up a similar system. How much power are you putting through the wire and at which hight is the wire set? Thanks

Messaged you

 

[LandcruiserLad]

Anybody in Scotland (Scottish Borders) doing this with suckler cows?
how often do you scrape up?

 

[Weasel]

Anybody in Scotland (Scottish Borders) doing this with suckler cows?
how often do you scrape up?

Where about in the borders are you?
I can't think of anyone in my area doing it

 

[LandcruiserLad]

Jedburgh
I’ve an old stone quarry I was looking to do something with.

 

[Weasel]

Jedburgh
I’ve an old stone quarry I was looking to do something with.

Ring feeders or feed trailers??

 

[LandcruiserLad]

I currently do trailers, but was looking to build something a little more permanent.
Or have the silage closer to the cows ?

 

[Top Tip.]

I worked on a farm in the seventies that had fattening cattle on a self feed system, worked really well.

 

[jackrussell101]

Yep, 600 cows on self feed here. 300 next door and 250 a few miles away. We all love it. Tell your friend after he has gained a bit of money not to spunk it on a feeder wagon. Allow 9 inches per cow. Make the best silage you can, not too dry, not too wet. If its out side clamps, a lot of effluent will be gained. But it grows grass in a dry time.....do you get dry times?
This year ive bought 10% inclusion of concs to push away with the silage, so hoping to feed cheap straights instead of relying on the cake firms.

What concs do you mix in with the silage?

 

[Forever Fendt]

Made quite a few self feed barriers in the 80s from a 5" horizontal tube on legs about 10' apart and an adjustable arm that went to the silage they had a timber along the bottom to stop them trampling the feed, worked well apparently

 

[netherton 25]

We feed 120 fattening cattle in self feed silage and it works a treat !! Done it since 1971 maybe old fashioned now but i still have belief in it . Just have seen this forum sorry being 4 years out of date .