What's everyone bedding their cubicles up with?

[Valmetal Inc]

Its true that some of the older machines manufactured by other in the past had these type of problems but the valmetal machine has a system where the tub flips over and gives the oeprator access to the knives, in this case the shaft which holds the knives is changed as a 1 piece with all the knives prefitted. This is now simple operation where all the hazards have been mitigated and this is a very safe operation ....note a set of blades will last for about 3 years using the machine 7 days per week so its not a very frequent task anyway..machines are fully CE marked and approved as a device to improve farm safety...

 

[Valmetal Inc]

Benefits of the system: Chopped straw creates a very soft traditional bed, that’s naturally strong and warm. Not only have farmers seen an increase in production from providing clean bedding for livestock, good bedding should be very absorbent with a short drying time and be readily available and relatively inexpensive. To reduce the drudgery and time-saving, farmers are increasingly driven to mechanize the bedding. Some of the benefits include:

Animals:Improve the comfort and welfare of animals - Low incidence of environmental infections & improved cleanliness and minimal lameness
Litter: Chopped straw will compost quickly post removal from the animal house. With our solution you could save as much as 50% of bedding time every day & reduce the amount of straw your farm consumes by 40%.
Operator: A better working comfort (alleviate a chore, keep employees), Bedding chopper cuts straw with knives and spreads simultaneously improving productivity; Minimum dust and flying stones as litter is projected onto the ground away from operator, Improved Manual Handling
Machine: Self-propelled c/w independent power pack; Reliable Honda Engine; Manoeuvrable in confined areas; Simple machine with easy maintenance; Low capital cost solution relative to other solutions in market

 

[Sid]

Ghl used to make a straw chopper similar to that, very dusty, time consuming job, although much better than putting straw in the cubicles by hand !!!!! had to change the blades around, lost a lot of blood doing that job, fingers cut to shreds, as you had to do it through the side where the straw comes out, and the blades were razor sharp. now bed with a teagle 404, much healthier inside a tractor cab, and much quicker.

Benefits of the system: Chopped straw creates a very soft traditional bed, that’s naturally strong and warm. Not only have farmers seen an increase in production from providing clean bedding for livestock, good bedding should be very absorbent with a short drying time and be readily available and relatively inexpensive. To reduce the drudgery and time-saving, farmers are increasingly driven to mechanize the bedding. Some of the benefits include:

Animals:Improve the comfort and welfare of animals - Low incidence of environmental infections & improved cleanliness and minimal lameness
Litter: Chopped straw will compost quickly post removal from the animal house. With our solution you could save as much as 50% of bedding time every day & reduce the amount of straw your farm consumes by 40%.
Operator: A better working comfort (alleviate a chore, keep employees), Bedding chopper cuts straw with knives and spreads simultaneously improving productivity; Minimum dust and flying stones as litter is projected onto the ground away from operator, Improved Manual Handling
Machine: Self-propelled c/w independent power pack; Reliable Honda Engine; Manoeuvrable in confined areas; Simple machine with easy maintenance; Low capital cost solution relative to other solutions in market

Do not underestimate the amount of dust a mill type machine will create.
I have a teagle 505M , best thing for bedding cubicles with straw, less straw used , stays in the beds, fluffy. But i would not want to be in the passage when its being chopped. Safely sat in the tractor seat in a dust free environment for me.
Use 2 round bales a week in 96 cubicles.

 

[Jgs]

Is anyone still using gypsum? @Chips I believe you used to be a big fan of it? I see ag products do a gypsum/sawdust mix.

 

[Chips]

Organic banned it , so now using paper sawdusy mix . Had a really bad load of gypsum of one rogue supplier , tested higher in bugs than fym ! Stick to British Gypsum Supplies ( i think thats their name ) if you are going to try it

 

[Happy hillbily]

Do not underestimate the amount of dust a mill type machine will create.
I have a teagle 505M , best thing for bedding cubicles with straw, less straw used , stays in the beds, fluffy. But i would not want to be in the passage when its being chopped. Safely sat in the tractor seat in a dust free environment for me.
Use 2 round bales a week in 96 cubicles.

How does the 505m cope with stones ?
I have a 404 here and last year i had a load of straw full of stones, came from a farm in shropshire somewhere, they were round stones and ranged in size from about th size of a 2 pence piece, to ones the same size of a jacket potato !!!!!!!
The blades in the teagle now :look like a broken mouth ewe !

 

[Sid]

How does the 505m cope with stones ?
I have a 404 here and last year i had a load of straw full of stones, came from a farm in shropshire somewhere, they were round stones and ranged in size from about th size of a 2 pence piece, to ones the same size of a jacket potato !!!!!!!
The blades in the teagle now :look like a broken mouth ewe !

tip of the day...bale your own straw!

 

[Happy hillbily]

Its hard enough growing grass @1200ft never mind trying to grow wheat or barley !!!

 

[Sid]

Its hard enough growing grass @1200ft never mind trying to grow wheat or barley !!!

tip still stands bale the straw using own baler....ie off someone elses straw you have bought. You also get heavy bales as well

 

[Farmersdaughter]

Is anyone still using gypsum? @Chips I believe you used to be a big fan of it? I see ag products do a gypsum/sawdust mix.

Don't use gypsum yet, but been looking to buy it to put on our high mag clay soil and wondering if using as bedding would get two uses out of it. As above anyone using it how is it on beds and have you noticed any effect on slurry.

 

[Headless chicken]

Gypsum is evil stuff. Place I worked before used it and we ended up wearing mrsa grade masks and googles were an abosolute must! One guy got some In his eye and it was a hell of a mess. Had to opticlox it in the end. He said it was the most agonising thing in the world

 

[Farmersdaughter]

Gypsum is evil stuff. Place I worked before used it and we ended up wearing mrsa grade masks and googles were an abosolute must! One guy got some In his eye and it was a hell of a mess. Had to opticlox it in the end. He said it was the most agonising thing in the world

Thanks for info, less likely to use it now.

 

[Headless chicken]

Thanks for info, less likely to use it now.

Don't totatlly discount it but please do be careful

 

[Fergieman]

Gypsum in slurry, does that not make slurry gasses worse when mixing?

 

[Headless chicken]

Gypsum in slurry, does that not make slurry gasses worse when mixing?

Yes it does so I would say on slats would be a massive no go. Also I'm not totatlly sure your allowed to use it? One other farm I was on tried it for a load before but didn't like it and then the vets reconed they couldn't sign they're herd health plan if they used it

 

[coomoo]

http://www.rvwpugh.co.uk/images/user/PMIQBed.pdf

How do people get on with these type of machines? Barrow and shovel the getting great results with sawdust and lime. Could need to make it less physically demanding in time and these are certainly a plus on that but sawdust usage must go up considerably also does brush clean far enough bed if a smaller cow/heifers been leaking milk.

 

[Homesy]

http://www.rvwpugh.co.uk/images/user/PMIQBed.pdf

How do people get on with these type of machines? Barrow and shovel the getting great results with sawdust and lime. Could need to make it less physically demanding in time and these are certainly a plus on that but sawdust usage must go up considerably also does brush clean far enough bed if a smaller cow/heifers been leaking milk.

There's some videos on Youtube

 

[richy]

http://www.rvwpugh.co.uk/images/user/PMIQBed.pdf

How do people get on with these type of machines? Barrow and shovel the getting great results with sawdust and lime. Could need to make it less physically demanding in time and these are certainly a plus on that but sawdust usage must go up considerably also does brush clean far enough bed if a smaller cow/heifers been leaking milk.

I have a Q bed and it's really good. I do scrape the beds before it with a little plastic scraper when I am gathering the cows for milking. I just scrape the sh*t off but I find the bedder tends to splash it over the beds. I don't have brisket boards so maybe they would help anyway I must scrape crossovers.

 

[ollie989898]

Gypsum in slurry, does that not make slurry gasses worse when mixing?

Yes, best avoided. No second changes with hydrogen sulphide. Kills man or beast with impunity.

 

[ollie989898]

Please do not use lime in cubicle beds, it is not safe. Even with goggles on. Lime can lodge in the folds of your clothing and if it gets in your eye its cornea replacement time. It isn't worth the risk to your eyes.