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I saved $150.00 this past week!

R

Ralph wd45

Member
I have 3 bred angus cows, and am feeding 1000 lb, net wrapped grass hay. My pasture has lasted real well into the early winter, and put out my first bale 3 weeks ago. The cows dragged a lot of it out away from the bale, and walked and pooped, on it, loosing quite a bit of it. I decided to buy one of those round cages that I see around in pastures, so I can cut down the loss.I went to two of my local farm stores, and the cheapest one was $250.00, and the bale would sit on the wet ground. I went to a local wrecking yard and bought the bed from an 85 chevy pickup, brought it home, and lagged it down on 2 10"x10"x10ft treated skids, put a round bale in it, and skidded it out to a hillock, in the pasture, and turned the cows loose on it. The cost was $50.00 for bed, $25.00, for the skids, and $25.00 for the galvanized i/2" lagbolts, for a total of $100.00, not counting gas and labor, but who does count that?
 
Ralph,

Sounds like a pretty crafty idea to this young fella.. A penny saved is a penny earned.

Heck, I'd probably never have thought of it, seems too simple LOL



Brad
 
IMO If you got only 3 cows,you're better off to cut that bale up and feed it out daily as needed or feed small square bales.Stupid cows will waste hay any chance they get.
 
Did you set it up so the bed will not hold water when it rains?

If not, you might consider drilling some holes in the bed or raising one end so the water will run out.
 
Yes Nancy! I took the axe and put about 8 different holes in it, also made a 13" tall guard rail, out of old rusty 1 1/2 " well pipe, that fits in the stake pockets like sideboards. I omitted those things to keep my post smaller.
 
Actually Bison, I am a lazy person, and dont want to handle a bale every day. My wd45 and loader, handles the round bale as needed, and if it is raining I dont have to be out in it every day, any longer than to give then there daily mouthfull of cracked corn, and maybe break the Ice on the water tank. This is western washington, and rains all winter.
 
Here's betting one of those cows will find a way to seriously hurt itself on that pickup bed this Winter.Best way to feed cows is to give just what they will eat in 1 day.You need an unroller.And if you're lazy as you described yourself farming is the wrong job go to work for the Gov't.
 
With only three cows, it would be very easy to rip enough of the bale each day to feed them in a bunk, but adding some pipe frame to the feeder was a good idea, and let them feed themselves. Might not hurt to double the height of the pipe frame if they do waste hay. I built a covered feeder years ago for the younger calves- sort of like a round bale feeder, but was square, with one hinged side, with a roof to keep the rain off- since a round bale lasted several weeks. Ingenuity is not laziness- it is progress and efficiency.
 
If it works for you and the cows in particular.. well done.
With what was left over you can buy them a mineralised salt block and container.An old refrigerator inner might do it.
 
Im suprised the ring was that much. I bought one at tractor supply 3-4 years ago and it was $119.00, you know not the top of the line model, but it works.
 
You can't be that lazy if you went through the hassle of hunting for material and building that feeder.
A lazy guy would've bought a factory build one and had it delivered.

If it rains as much as you say,how do you keep that open bale from spoiling before its ate?
You're still better off to feed daily as needed,how much work can it be to feed 3 cows,mebby 5 minutes.
 
It sounds to me like he is as lazy as me.Any time you can cut out of when you only have so little it's hardly worth having,,you need to spend as little time as possible with the critters.Been there for 10 years and when I feed 3 cows I like to start the tractor once a week and will often not do more than look at them as I come home from work,for 3-4 days.When we poor sapsdon't want to borrow money but would like to get into farming a little we have to do what we can inbetween what is making us money at the time.After 10 years I may not be rich and never will be but now I can play with my few cattle no dept and things are starting to turn for the better.
To spend an extra100-200 bucks takes all the profit away on a couple of cattle.once you have 10 it starts to make sence to buy a real feeder as yiou can spread the cost out more.

I think it is great to use what you have to spend less time doing what you would rather do but is not practical.
 
just who do you think you are ,i use old rubber cat tracks for my hay feedders cheap as free why dont you post your real name and see how a traditional farmer you really are some people dont have time to feed hay everyday
 
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