Chopping hay

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red

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We're chopping hay today. I thought I'd get some pictures for those that had never seen it done.
The first picture is of the merger. They'll blend the rows & allow the hay to dry some before they start the actual chopping.
I'll get pictures as the day progresses baring no breakdowns!!

Red
 

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red

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The next is a picture of the merger again but at a different angle.
The last two are of the chopper filling one of our trucks.
We'll put these into the long white bags to ensilage the hay.

Red
 

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Gypsy

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Is that a UFO behind the tractor in the last pic? :eek:  Looks like a pretty day in your neighborhood.  :D
 

Up North

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Same going on here this week Red, just about 1200 acres in the bunk....it is short and DRY though, alot of 50"s moisture.  Good luck !  I am taking care of the cows (and the maternity pen....close to 200 due !!  ;)
 

Up North

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Are you guys running water, or do you use water soluble innoculant?  I can't tell by the pics----I can see the tank on the back of the chooper though.
 

Up North

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OOOPS !!  I mean the chopper, not the chooper !  HAHA !  TOO much coffee ! (clapping)
 

cowz

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Welcome to the planet!   We could use some of your nutritional advice! (welcome)

I am a sucker for romance!   When is the wedding???
 

red

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They use a water solubable innoculant. That's another thing the freezer always has in it- forage innoculate. Going back to Chambero's post on funny smelling stuff in the fridge.

Red
 

red

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Actually we have 2 of the choppers. Just using the one right now. They have 9 forage wagons on trucks too. The hardest thing is finding drivers. Nope- Red is not asked!

We chop: hay- alfalfa & grass mixtures & also corn, have done a few other forages but not many around here. Have traveled to MI & IN & 1/2 of Ohio.

Red
 

ELBEE

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Blue Rapids, Kansas
How do you cost estimate the process of bagging? Our concrete bunker needs to be replaced, and I wonder if it would be more cost effective to go to bags?
 

red

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Elbee, let me see what they figure. since we do custom work they'll have some figures.
We can blew the silage into bunkers or into silos too.
Also 2 different sizes of bags.
Not a commercial, just thought a lot don't see this done.

Red
 

knabe

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Red,

During college, we did some tests and concluded innoculum was basically a wash economically.  does it do better in the bags, bunks and do you send out for tests.  i think you mentioned there is an attachment no to distribute the innoculum as you go rather than do it like we used to by "scientifially" spreading it by hand.  perhaps this accounted for the vagueness of results. 

on a separate issue as usual, i notice my compost piles have different worms in them depending on what i do.
 

red

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Knabe- the guys have felt the innoculant pays for itself by speeding up the microbial process before it over heats. Also has helped on bunk life. Our applicator spays the mixture on as it's being blown into trucks. Many different methods of applying it.

Elbee- Hubby said to fill a 400 ton bag it costs them approximatly $2,400.00 w/ bag & packing.

Red
 

red

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Well, the chopping caravan left this morning. They're chopping at an Amish's about 40 miles from us. They put the chopper on a flatbed trailer. Had all the trucks & equipment following. We've chopped corn for him but never hay.
Did finish up planting this week! Yea!!
Wheat is heading up & we could us a nice all day rain.

Red
 

Up North

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Hi guys, thought I would add some of my past experience here on using and studying results of feeding innoculated feeds.  First off, I have studied the results of using innoculated forages and seen increased digestibility, resulting in increased mineral utilizition.  This came from several studies done by measuing excretion of minerals in both fecal and urine . Also, the AMOUNT secreted.  I have seen lower PH which results in more bunk life.  Increased cell wall digestibility which results in more energy available to animals.  Also, have used temperature probe to track heating during fermentation.  By reducing trapped oxygen, on day 3-5 the temperature has stayed 100 degrees, then in 3 weeks lowered to 80 degrees.  When the temperature went over 108 degrees, you will see alot of shrink, and carmelization , which results in your nutrients being burned up.  This ends in positive fermentation and increases palatability.

The bottom line here is income over feed cost. Increased feed efficiency, and much less nutrients going back out on the field that are NOT wanted (manure management practices). This also went back to the rations and we could cut back on minerals in the ration because the cows were utilizing it better (it wasnt coming out their back end).

The applicators that are on these choppers are calobrated to put on so many ounces or pounds per ton.  The biggest problem I have seen is when the forage gets wet, the hoses plug up and then NOTHING gets treated correctly !

Hope you all could follow this, it is one of the things that really gets me excited, so I tend to run in circles !  haha
 
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