Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Hi there,
There is an issue with role permissions that is being worked on at the moment.
If you are having trouble with access or permissions on regional forums please post here to get access: https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058365403/you-do-not-have-permission-for-that#latest

Feeding hay on slats

  • 08-11-2010 9:59am
    #1
    BeeDI
    Closed Accounts Posts: 805 ✭✭✭


    This year I have a rake of hay, to feed to the cows on slats, up to calving time. Silage afterwards.
    Will they pull more of it in? And will the slurry be difficult to move? What has been yere experience with this?

    Another question, has anyone tried chopping hay at baling time?
    I suppose there would be more of a chance of the hay heating if it were chopped? Or would there?


Comments

  • #2
    vanderbadger
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,087 ✭✭✭vanderbadger


    in my experience is they have the diagonal bar feed barrier they wont drag in much, have another shed with just a single bar accross the top that they put their heads under and I had to stop giving them hay as they pulled in a heap of it so left them on silage after that


  • #3
    barryoc1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 160 ✭✭barryoc1


    We have chopped hay at home before. The guy balin it made a mistake and forgot to turn the knives off. It was fit and turned out perfect. Actually made it easier for the cattle to eat it too i thought as it wasnt comin away in lumps.


  • #4
    bbam
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,410 ✭✭✭bbam


    Hi..
    We feed at a single horizontal bar on slats... They will pull some in and it requires to be cleaned back out before they walk it down between. We had one heifer last winter and she was unbeleivable a bloody nuisance.
    When it came to agitating it was hard work for the first 30 minutes or so, constantly lifting the agitator to clean out the silage...

    We've never fed hay there, just silage I imagine hay would be even worse :(


  • #5
    Shauny2010
    Closed Accounts Posts: 657 ✭✭✭Shauny2010


    I ve been feeding hay to cows on slats for a while. The contractor does a fair bit of moaning when it comes to agitating. Usually the hay ends up in a big lump inside the tank. I ve had to go down into the tank and break up the big lump but I usually wait till the end of the summer when its well rotted so its then an easy job enough But still not the nicest :D


  • #6
    kay 9
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,676 ✭✭✭kay 9


    Jes, they be some smell in there and off you after:D


  • Advertisement
  • #7
    pakalasa
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,552 ✭✭✭pakalasa


    Shauny2010 wrote: »
    ....I ve had to go down into the tank and break up the big lump ......:D

    Dangerous thing to do, with all those gases around. Hydrogen Sulphide will knock you out with just a few breaths.:eek:


  • #8
    Shauny2010
    Closed Accounts Posts: 657 ✭✭✭Shauny2010


    pakalasa wrote: »
    Dangerous thing to do, with all those gases around. Hydrogen Sulphide will knock you out with just a few breaths.:eek:

    Yeah its fair dodgy all right, I had to do it though and there was only a couple of inches of slurry at one end of the tank only


  • #9
    pakalasa
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,552 ✭✭✭pakalasa


    You could leave the Slurry tank pipe in the tank just sucking away too. That would suck out the dangerous gases as you work. Better to have at least 2 people standing there to pull you out (homemade harness), if they have to. :D


  • #10
    Min
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,550 ✭✭✭Min


    One should get a gas mask for that job.


Advertisement