Spread a Bale and straw saving

[speedy]

We are down on straw this year and for the first time ever are looking like we may need to buy straw in

The alternative is to buy a straw spreader/chopper and looking at a Spread a Bale as most suitable and note that Spread a Bale boast of upto 50% straw saving which would be optimistic but I would be keen to know what straw saving any one using these think is realistic.

Also would be looking for an older/cheaper end machine and would like to know problems they give and what to look out for on a machine

 

[Hilly]

We are down on straw this year and for the first time ever are looking like we may need to buy straw in

The alternative is to buy a straw spreader/chopper and looking at a Spread a Bale as most suitable and note that Spread a Bale boast of upto 50% straw saving which would be optimistic but I would be keen to know what straw saving any one using these think is realistic.

Also would be looking for an older/cheaper end machine and would like to know problems they give and what to look out for on a machine

A lot say they save a lot using bedding machines , my experience is don’t save any just easier with a machine but a lot do say they save a lot .

 

[Speedstar]

We are down on straw this year and for the first time ever are looking like we may need to buy straw in

The alternative is to buy a straw spreader/chopper and looking at a Spread a Bale as most suitable and note that Spread a Bale boast of upto 50% straw saving which would be optimistic but I would be keen to know what straw saving any one using these think is realistic.

Also would be looking for an older/cheaper end machine and would like to know problems they give and what to look out for on a machine

We have had a bedding machine for 20 odd year's and yes you will save a lot of straw but you need to bed them every day

 

[goodevans]

Not sure they save as much as quoted but certainly make life easier,spread a bales here and a kverneland,wouldn't like to go back

 

[speedy]

Thanks for the responce, Making life easier is alway nice be the main reason to buy would be to save straw on a year where straw prices are looking to be high, can anyone guess the possible % of straw it could save, I know it is an impossible question but any guide would be usful

 

[Hilly]

I think the saving will depend more on how you bed etc at the moment as the actual machine .

 

[e3120]

Hilly's right - if you bed generously/infrequently currently, you will make savings, maybe 30%. If you already adopt a little & often approach, the savings will only be in time.

 

[speedy]

We currently dont have a machine so put a full bale in when needed with quadrant size bales and spread the wads around by hand, so we would be on the generous and infrequentyly side

 

[Horn&corn]

You would likely save 25% on this basis. Regularly scraping feeding areas has the biggest impact and leave cattle out as long as possible
Ours has only had a couple of hydraulic pipes in 10years but others that are less careful will get through belts regularly. Have a designated parking area in the dry!