ot: feeding wrapped rounds of baleage ?

jiminct · Jan 15, 2011

this winter has been a bit tough out here in ct lately and w/ a few extra cows i didn't plan on feeding for the winter, i am going to need to buy some extra feed. i currently feed grain probably too much and hay small squares that i put up myself. i am thinking about getting some wrapped rounds of baleage, but i am trying to figure out the best way to feed them out. i have been told you can just put them out in the pasture and open a few holes around the plastic wrap and cut the stings and pull them out and the cattle will just eat what they want, and as the bale gets down in size you just take away more of the plastic. my idea was to take the plastic off and unwind them w/ a pitch fork and place the baleage into my current outdoor feeder. or should i just get a cheap round feeder and take the plastic off and let the cows have at it. i have never fed round bales yet, as we usually just feed grain and hay, but we used to feed corn silage yrs ago, b4 the corn field we rented became mcmansions. thanks for any insight on this,jim

Anonymous-0 · Jan 15, 2011

I feed round bales and wrapped bales, I have a wrapper. The only way to feed wrapped bales, in my opinion,is to remove the plastic & strings and feed in a round bale feeder. Any other way is asking for lots of waste and a mess.

Anonymous-0 · Jan 15, 2011

The best way that I am aware of requires a round bale feeder that is a powered device. You put the bale on the feeder without the wrap or strings and basically drive down the manger. It automatically unrolls the bale into the manger as you drive. Two manufacturers that are common are WIC and Rissler. They work great and we have been using one for the past 15-20 years in the dairy barn.

Nebraska Cowman · Jan 15, 2011

I've never fed wet bales but yes, I'd say unwrap and
place in a feeder. I assume it would be rather tough
to unroll and feed with a pitchfork but for a few
cows you might try it. I'd stand the bale on end.

NEKS · Jan 15, 2011

You can unroll it on dry ground to feed, if they will clean it up in one day. What is left over will be bedding for them. If you don't have enough cattle clean up in one day, better get a feeder. Cattle are wasteful critters if you let them. If it is very cold out and the feeder is not quite empty will move it and feed another bale anyway to give them something to lay on. I don't buy high priced hay saving feeders, because what is wasted is bedding to lay on. Simple bale ring will do.

DoubleR · Jan 15, 2011

I put the bale on end on a pallet by the fence where the hay feeder is. I unwrap it and throw about a days worth of feed into their feeder at a time. I get alot less waste doing it that way. I'm only feeding ten steers though and they are also on full grain on a self feeder. They also have dry bedding in the barn to lay on so I don't use the hay for bedding too. Seems to work good for me and my small operation.

camju · Jan 15, 2011

If you don't take off the plastic and twine soom steers will eat it and evetualy plug up and die.We had two of them,cut them openwith chain saw to do autopsiy and found a huge ball of twine and plastic in the first stomach.

old · Jan 15, 2011

when ever I helped a friend feed some of those wrapped bales we would have it on a loader up in the air some and take the wrap off before we set them in the feeder. I would never leave the wrap with the bale because it makes a mess in the field and the animals can get hung up in the stuff and then you have the fun of trying to get that stuff off an cow or horse etc that is very up set and that can be painful for both of you

Ralph wd45 · Jan 15, 2011

I am feeding net wrap 1000 lb bales to my few beeves, and was having way too much waste, feeding on the ground! Both local feed stores wanted around $250.00 for a hay ring, so I went to a local wercking yard. and bought an 8' chevy pickup bed, slashed holes in the bottom with an axe, and lagged it down to two 10"x10"x10' wooden skids. I made 20" guard rails out of old 1 1/2" galv pipe, which fit in the stake pockets. I use the loader and bale fork to drop a bale in the feeder, and so far it is working great. I take the net off just before dropping it in the bed. $100.00 for bed and skids. already had the pipe!

Tony in SD · Jan 15, 2011

First off let me say, you for sure want to remove and dispose of the
wrap and strings. Otherwise you will have a mess in your feed lot
and where ever you dispose of you manure. The plastic will last
forever. Second, I would not put i on the ground. Id use a bale
feeder. Depending on how many cattle your feeding and how many
years you plan to feed will determine which feeder you buy. The
ones I like best and use come from Common Sense Manufacturing
out of Faulkton SD.

Anonymous-0 · Jan 15, 2011

How I do it.No snow.. only have a few then feeding them with the ring is my best option, when it gets down they push the ring along to get the rest, spreading on ground is wasteful because they walk in it[ no table manners] deposit Number 1's and number 2's and will not eat. Remove strings and plastic because they like chewing that and their stomach is not designed to allow passage result sick then dead cattle. A mineralised salt block also helps.

DiggerDick · Jan 15, 2011

Feed wrapped baleage all the time. With the bale on spear of loader leave it 2 feet off the ground and slit plastic across the top and down the ends then pull the plastic off, remove all strings and drop in a round bale feeder. You can find feeders for $150 to $250 depending on how heavy of pipe they are made with. My dairy cows will clean them up completely (if its good feed). Biggest problem is when its real cold out- 10 degrees or less the plastic is so frozen to the bale it is hard to peel off. Just my opinion.

ot: feeding wrapped rounds of baleage ?

jiminct

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Anonymous-0

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Anonymous-0

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Nebraska Cowman

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NEKS

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DoubleR

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camju

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old

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Ralph wd45

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Tony in SD

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Anonymous-0

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DiggerDick

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