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Feeding Big Squares with a Shredder

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randiliana

randiliana

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So here's our dilemma, we will be feeding about 300 head of cows this winter. We have a Highline 6600 bale processor. We've fed 3x4x8 squares through it before, but have always used a second tractor to load with. That's not too big of a deal when we're feeding at home, but we are going to be feeding 2 miles from home, and don't really want to have to run both tractors over there. And, we're going to be feeding 2-4 squares a day ( rest are round). So, anyone ever fed squares with a shredder designed more to rounds?

DH thinks he might weld a couple pieces of flat iron on either end of the arms and then slide them under from the narrow end. We've tried from the wide side, and that doesn't work, the bale isn't high enough to fall in.
 
Love my hydrabeds, but if they sold many of these deals, there's a buncha pissed off people somewhere......suggest you follow up on modifying the self loading deal.
 
My idea would be to find and old manure spreader and remove the beaters from it. The apron would move the bale back and drop the flakes off.
 
Richardd said:
My idea would be to find and old manure spreader and remove the beaters from it. The apron would move the bale back and drop the flakes off.
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But then they still need a second tractor to load. :?

Or hook and unhook all day, real fun in the cold. :(
 
With just a regular Hydra-Bed pickup, you could easily feed both round bales and square bales. You could travel the two miles back and forth with ease and comfort, and not have the hassle of starting and driving a tractor. If there are two of you, one could get on the flatbed and flake off the square bales. If there is just one person, he or she could turn the pickup loose in low range, and still get on the flatbed to flake off the square baled hay. The arms of the Hydra-Bed load big square bales just as easily as they load round bales.
 
Honestly if it was me and feeding 300 cows with a highline 6600,i would give the 6600 a gold watch and go buy the new processor that you need.
 
OK, we have a truck with a hydra deck, we bought the processor last fall, so upgrading is not going to happen this year :? . And the truck will bring the bales to the processor (rather than drive it back and forth 4 times or so) to save a lot of time.

The thing is we have about 700 3x4x8 squares from last year. They were stacked, but were rained on both before and after baling (baling season from hell) They were supposed to be sold and gone, but who wants to buy hay like that, and then truck it several hundred miles....

This year all the hay we put up was really nice, no rain, put it all up in 2 weeks. SO, the plan is to feed 2-4 (have to figure the ration out more, and get some feed tests back) square bales, and the rest new hay, and grain bales. Now, we could definitely roll out the rounds and flake the squares. BUT, I know from experience, the grain bales will roll out in about 50 feet and be about 4' deep.... The hay bales will roll a bit further than that, and flaking the squares is a PITA especially when it is -30.

Actual fact, was that the processor was bought mostly for bedding. Never saw the need for one to feed with before... BUT last year it rained, and it froze, then it rained and it froze again, got to be so much ice on the bales that you couldn't pull strings off, heck, you couldn't even roll them far enough to loosen the strings up. So, we tried the processor, and that was the end of the fight with the strings. Plus, it stretches the feeding area out, so there's a lot less fighting for feed.

So, the cows will be sorted, old girls and heifers, thinner 2-3 year olds will be in one pasture and the main herd in another. But I expect that there will be about 250 head in the main herd. So the further we can stretch a bale out, especially the grain bales the better, also it will help blow some of the dust and mold out of the squares.

I like BMR's idea, (duh) of just taking half the bale at a time....

Soap, there generally are 2 of us. But I'm a wimp about the cold, so I kinda like sitting in the tractor, don't even have to get out to cut strings with the processor..... And I don't have to feel guilty about making DH always get out in the cold....
 
Better figure fast randiliana-- northern part of the county and up north of the border is all white this morning! Some areas have over an inch of snow- winds gusting to 40+ and temps around 30 degrees...
Ma Nature is telling us to get ready! :wink:
 
Yeah, actually it is not white here. But it has been snowing. Cows have at least a month of grazing, unless we get a REAL dump of snow....

Bale grazing won't be happening here this year...Efficient or not.
 
randiliana said:
Yeah, actually it is not white here. But it has been snowing. Cows have at least a month of grazing, unless we get a REAL dump of snow....

Bale grazing won't be happening here this year...Efficient or not.
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I was jokeing about the bale grazeing to me thats just wasteing hay. We have the same problem we will have cattle in 3 or 4 locations this winter but I'll just drop off a running skidloader then go get the tractor and feeder wagon I'm sure its going to be a pita but thats just the way it is. Would it work to set the bales up on some sort of rails and once a week set them on so the rest of the week you could just drive along and scoop them up.I pretty much haul my skidloader along everyday as were so spread out it is the handiest that and its home at night in the shop so I know for sure one thing will start on a -40 day.
 
Denny said:
randiliana said:
Yeah, actually it is not white here. But it has been snowing. Cows have at least a month of grazing, unless we get a REAL dump of snow....

Bale grazing won't be happening here this year...Efficient or not.
Click to expand...

I was jokeing about the bale grazeing to me thats just wasteing hay. We have the same problem we will have cattle in 3 or 4 locations this winter but I'll just drop off a running skidloader then go get the tractor and feeder wagon I'm sure its going to be a pita but thats just the way it is. Would it work to set the bales up on some sort of rails and once a week set them on so the rest of the week you could just drive along and scoop them up.I pretty much haul my skidloader along everyday as were so spread out it is the handiest that and its home at night in the shop so I know for sure one thing will start on a -40 day.
Click to expand...

I dunno Denny, I've read lots on bale grazing on this board and you seem to have missed the point. As I understand it, if you 'bale graze' 6 bales in an area, the next yr you'll cut 12 there, set 'em out and the yr after that, it'll be 24! The only downside I can see is it keeps costing you more for twine and fuel and them damn cows one has to contend with.
 
Lol. We've bale grazed a bit, but I think its more of a waste as well.

I don't think tat would work, they're too long and too short for the arms to throw in.
 
"Here" if you set a bale out to be grazed the next year you just have a big dead area or straight weeds. Never have understood how bale grazing works.
 
I made extensions for the hydra bed arms, can load our haybuster that way. Even easier if you have a new one with telescoping arms. Either way its still a lot of trips for us, so we bought an EzRation processor, hauls 6 4x4 bales 12 3x4 or 18 3x3 bales.
 

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