Automatic calf feeders

sucklerlover

Anyone on here using the computerised feeders.
Would like to hear your views good or bad. I'm going cutting back in sucklers and going to buy about 50 calves in next few weeks. I was lookin at one few weeks back and farmer is delighted.
Thanks.

Base price

A big investment to rear only 50 calves.
Here is a another thread about them
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056040403

Ruxin

We got one this year simply the best thing we ever bought dont even know we have calves anymore takes all the work out of the rearing calves.

Couldn't recommend it enough.

sh1tstirrer

Base price wrote: »

A big investment to rear only 50 calves.
Here is a another thread about them
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056040403

The cost of the feeder would buy the 50 calves.

Sacrolyte

Suckler Lover no more.

sucklerlover

Ruxin wrote: »

We got one this year simply the best thing we ever bought dont even know we have calves anymore takes all the work out of the rearing calves.

Couldn't recommend it enough.

How many calves do you have on it. How much time do spend at it cleaning etc.
I'm lookin at the volac machine with 2 stations and maybe add another one if I cut back further n the suckling.
The farmer I seen it with loved it because he wasn't committed to feeding calves after the cows and could check them at a time that suited him. Also he's goin up 20 cows so he needs to use his time more efficiently. Calves looked bloody fine.

Ruxin

sucklerlover wrote: »

How many calves do you have on it. How much time do spend at it cleaning etc.
I'm lookin at the volac machine with 2 stations and maybe add another one if I cut back further n the suckling.
The farmer I seen it with loved it because he wasn't committed to feeding calves after the cows and could check them at a time that suited him. Also he's goin up 20 cows so he needs to use his time more efficiently. Calves looked bloody fine.

We have a volac machine with 3 stations on it would have had up to 80 calves on it at peak calving we sell the bulls about 3 weeks old.

No clean it cleans itself has been trouble free since it went no blocked lines etc.

frazzledhome

Ruxin wrote: »

We have a volac machine with 3 stations on it would have had up to 80 calves on it at peak calving we sell the bulls about 3 weeks old.

No clean it cleans itself has been trouble free since it went no blocked lines etc.

What's your procedure from birth to machine. How old when go to machine?

Will be building new calf facilities in 16 and thinking about auto feeder. Only thing is I like to get calves out on OAD at 4 weeks

Ruxin

frazzledhome wrote: »

What's your procedure from birth to machine. How old when go to machine?

Will be building new calf facilities in 16 and thinking about auto feeder. Only thing is I like to get calves out on OAD at 4 weeks

Stomach tube at birth left on cow for till following morning then straight to calf house and trained to feeder the next morning no problems so far. We did think about training them on the teeth bars for a few days first but I dont think this is necessary.

We put on a new shed this year for this feeder has made a huge deference to calf rearing no more dragging buckets of milk around the yard.

frazzledhome

Ruxin wrote: »

Stomach tube at birth left on cow for till following morning then straight to calf house and trained to feeder the next morning no problems so far. We did think about training them on the teeth bars for a few days first but I dont think this is necessary.

We put on a new shed this year for this feeder has made a huge deference to calf rearing no more dragging buckets of milk around the yard.

So colostrum for 1 day only?
With us we tube and snatch calves as soon as they are born to reduce risk of contracting infection from calving shed.

How many stations can a feeder manage and how many calves per station?

Ruxin

frazzledhome wrote: »

So colostrum for 1 day only?
With us we tube and snatch calves as soon as they are born to reduce risk of contracting infection from calving shed.

How many stations can a feeder manage and how many calves per station?

Basically yes colostrum for one day. But you have got me thinking maybe we should be doing the same as you are

we have the urban 3 stations is the max on that feeder 25 -30 calves per station. The next feeder up cant rememeber its name can handle more stations.

Dawggone

Have a Delaval (volac) here.
The best bit of kit on the farm.
Will do up to 80/batch with a concentrate station as well.
You can do each calf individually or by weight etc.
I've said it on here before...the man that invented it should get a medal.

Regime here; mothers milk for three days then straight onto auto feeder. Simples.

visatorro

lely powder feeder only, 50 collars 2 stations 8500

RightTurnClyde

visatorro wrote: »

lely powder feeder only, 50 collars 2 stations 8500

Vat?

visatorro

RightTurnClyde wrote:

Vat?

only asked a fella in passing didn't ask about vat, I presume it's plus vat

mattthetrasher

the collars may not be needed if you get the tags with chip in.makes it a lot cheaper:cool: