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Round bale unwinder

  • 20-04-2020 2:22pm
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,340 ✭✭✭


    Hi all, usually the majority of my silage is pit but going with all bales this year, want to make it as handy as possible in the mornings so looking to buy a round bale unwinder, don't know a whole lot about them.
    Anyone recommend a particular model.
    Old style slatted sheds with narrow passage.
    Bales will be chopped too if that matters.
    Thanks for any suggestions.


Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 786 ✭✭✭Cattlepen


    jfh wrote: »
    Hi all, usually the majority of my silage is pit but going with all bales this year, want to make it as handy as possible in the mornings so looking to buy a round bale unwinder, don't know a whole lot about them.
    Anyone recommend a particular model.
    Old style slatted sheds with narrow passage.
    Bales will be chopped too if that matters.
    Thanks for any suggestions.
    If bales are chopped, would you need an Un winder? Chopped bales shoved in with a loader is handy enough


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,340 ✭✭✭jfh


    Cattlepen wrote: »
    If bales are chopped, would you need an Un winder? Chopped bales shoved in with a loader is handy enough

    Maybe, I didn't chop this year but changing contractors, you might be right, twas a pain forking in the silage and father is not able for it anymore


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,328 ✭✭✭tanko


    Once the bales are well chopped i think a bale splitter would be a better investment. You shouldn't have too much graping to do with the narrow passages.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,626 ✭✭✭visatorro


    tanko wrote:
    Once the bales are well chopped i think a bale splitter would be a better investment. You shouldn't have too much graping to do with the narrow passages.


    Can you get a bale splitter for the loader. ?
    Not a bale shear


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,328 ✭✭✭tanko


    visatorro wrote: »
    Can you get a bale splitter for the loader. ?
    Not a bale shear

    Yeah, it's just a matter of putting loader fittings on the bale splitter frame. I assume they can be bought like this but i'm not certain.

    Edit. Google McHale RS4 bale splitter and you'll see the loader model.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 786 ✭✭✭Cattlepen


    tanko wrote: »
    Yeah, it's just a matter of putting loader fittings on the bale splitter frame. I assume they can be bought like this but i'm not certain.

    Edit. Google McHale RS4 bale splitter and you'll see the loader model.

    I think this would be a far better job than an unwinder. Faster simpler and easier. The unwinder to me seems like an expensive toy that just complicates things. The cattle are there all day with nothing to do only pull the silage out of a chopped bale. Let them at it and keep your few pound


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,733 ✭✭✭✭Bass Reeves


    How many and what type of cattle in the pens

    Slava Ukrainii



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,340 ✭✭✭jfh


    How many and what type of cattle in the pens

    About 100, mixture of cows, stores and weanlings, just trying to make things easier


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,471 ✭✭✭Panch18


    jfh wrote: »
    About 100, mixture of cows, stores and weanlings, just trying to make things easier

    What was your feeding regime this winter just gone? Like how often were you putting in bales?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,017 ✭✭✭mr.stonewall


    Don't have one. Just use the tine grab. Open the bale and shake it out. Put enough for 2 days in with grab and then shove in remainder. Barely pick up fork and that's for 200 cattle. Under an hour puts in 8 bales and has them has all feed out Keep it simple is the motto. Better to put money into real time savers. Gates hanging and fencing and good lighting


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,733 ✭✭✭✭Bass Reeves


    Don't have one. Just use the tine grab. Open the bale and shake it out. Put enough for 2 days in with grab and then shove in remainder. Barely pick up fork and that's for 200 cattle. Under an hour puts in 8 bales and has them has all feed out Keep it simple is the motto. Better to put money into real time savers. Gates hanging and fencing and good lighting

    I stay at the way you are doing it. It works bake unwinders may not make what you are doing any easier. You may still need the time grab to tidy after the unwinders.

    Slava Ukrainii



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,340 ✭✭✭jfh


    Panch18 wrote: »
    What was your feeding regime this winter just gone? Like how often were you putting in bales?

    Feed bales up to Christmas from a glas field so stemmy enough, perfect for sucklers, dragged out by hand. Weanlings got bales that were cut in Apr last so easier to fork out. Pit silage is dumped in heaps and forked out, no room for manoeuvre with tractor


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,340 ✭✭✭jfh


    Don't have one. Just use the tine grab. Open the bale and shake it out. Put enough for 2 days in with grab and then shove in remainder. Barely pick up fork and that's for 200 cattle. Under an hour puts in 8 bales and has them has all feed out Keep it simple is the motto. Better to put money into real time savers. Gates hanging and fencing and good lighting

    Agree, totally. That's we're money goes into fencing and gates. My passageway is too narrow, old shed.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,017 ✭✭✭mr.stonewall


    jfh wrote: »
    Feed bales up to Christmas from a glas field so stemmy enough, perfect for sucklers, dragged out by hand. Weanlings got bales that were cut in Apr last so easier to fork out. Pit silage is dumped in heaps and forked out, no room for manoeuvre with tractor
    Maybe a wedge to push in fodder when cleared from the barrier could be a solution. One that can be picked up and used with the grab on the loader


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,471 ✭✭✭Panch18


    jfh wrote: »
    Feed bales up to Christmas from a glas field so stemmy enough, perfect for sucklers, dragged out by hand. Weanlings got bales that were cut in Apr last so easier to fork out. Pit silage is dumped in heaps and forked out, no room for manoeuvre with tractor

    you're doing far too much forking - and forking silage is 1 thing that will f##k up your back - speaking from experience.

    if your passage is that narrow there are a couple of things you could do - if you had a rope barrier or something which would allow the cattle to reach further onto the passage then they could clear it from both side - or certainly reduce your forking.

    With bales we never split them - only pull the top few layers down to the side - we have the cows eating the flat side of the bale - they eat as far as they can reach and next day give the standing bale a little shove and it falls in as far as the barrier - then minimal amount of spreading out again.

    I personally see no point in spreading out bales - it only increases the workload. Put in enough bales to last at least 2 days - then second day just tip them in


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,733 ✭✭✭✭Bass Reeves


    Panch18 wrote: »
    you're doing far too much forking - and forking silage is 1 thing that will f##k up your back - speaking from experience.

    if your passage is that narrow there are a couple of things you could do - if you had a rope barrier or something which would allow the cattle to reach further onto the passage then they could clear it from both side - or certainly reduce your forking.

    With bales we never split them - only pull the top few layers down to the side - we have the cows eating the flat side of the bale - they eat as far as they can reach and next day give the standing bale a little shove and it falls in as far as the barrier - then minimal amount of spreading out again.

    I personally see no point in spreading out bales - it only increases the workload. Put in enough bales to last at least 2 days - then second day just tip them in

    As Panch posted. I never break up.bales either. Lads have a vary about breaking up bales along barrier. What has happened over the years as well is lads have gone from 60-70 HP tractors to ones that are over double the HP that are way bigger tractors.

    I use a double spike on loader. I taken off ring of plastic on one end. I spoke bale drive into shed and remove netting/ plastic and place bale up near barrier. Sometimes bale will be angleways to barrier so corner may be tipping barrier. I use spike to push bale in.unless cattle are very hungrily I seldom bother breaking silage off top of bale. When half is eaten it's easy to tip over.

    However I have the slanted feed barrier not two bar gates.if you have a two wheel drive 60-70 hp tractor you feed them very easy in small sheds

    Slava Ukrainii



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,340 ✭✭✭jfh


    As Panch posted. I never break up.bales either. Lads have a vary about breaking up bales along barrier. What has happened over the years as well is lads have gone from 60-70 HP tractors to ones that are over double the HP that are way bigger tractors.

    I use a double spike on loader. I taken off ring of plastic on one end. I spoke bale drive into shed and remove netting/ plastic and place bale up near barrier. Sometimes bale will be angleways to barrier so corner may be tipping barrier. I use spike to push bale in.unless cattle are very hungrily I seldom bother breaking silage off top of bale. When half is eaten it's easy to tip over.

    However I have the slanted feed barrier not two bar gates.if you have a two wheel drive 60-70 hp tractor you feed them very easy in small sheds
    Do you leave them on their side or standing?


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 3,713 ✭✭✭Gods Gift


    I put bale in front of cattle. Take off net. Stick in the middle of bale and flick over top half. The 2 halves are 2 foot high and they won’t pull it in.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,051 ✭✭✭I says


    Get a bale splitter I’ve a mchale splitter handy to have reverse up to barrier remove plastic, split bale and push it in.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,733 ✭✭✭✭Bass Reeves


    jfh wrote: »
    Do you leave them on their side or standing?

    Mostly on there sides. Now and again one on end.

    Slava Ukrainii



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  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    Hello,

    I know this is an old thread.

    Thinking of buying a mchale rs 4 bale splitter for the loader.

    It is pricey in my opinion but it it saves the labour I think it will then it will be worth it.

    Does anyone have one? If so does it save time?

    I normally
    1) put the bales on the flat side like a coke can
    2) strip the plastic
    3) move the bale to the feed rail
    4) take off the net
    5)split up the bale with the grab

    Steps 2 and 4 require coming off the tractor which is a pain. The 5 of these steps take about 6 minutes per bale and you have the tractor running.

    I was thinking with this device you could feed say 5 or 6 bales piling the plastic/netting then come off the tractor and pike in any silage sticking to the nets.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,733 ✭✭✭✭Bass Reeves


    Hello,

    I know this is an old thread.

    Thinking of buying a mchale rs 4 bale splitter for the loader.

    It is pricey in my opinion but it it saves the labour I think it will then it will be worth it.

    Does anyone have one? If so does it save time?

    I normally
    1) put the bales on the flat side like a coke can
    2) strip the plastic
    3) move the bale to the feed rail
    4) take off the net
    5)split up the bale with the grab

    Steps 2 and 4 require coming off the tractor which is a pain. The 5 of these steps take about 6 minutes per bale and you have the tractor running.

    I was thinking with this device you could feed say 5 or 6 bales piling the plastic/netting then come off the tractor and pike in any silage sticking to the nets.

    When I am feeding bales the method I use only requires one hop off the tractor. It works for a back or front loader spike. I cut the plastic off the circular end of what ever amount of bales I am going to feed. I spoke the bale and take it to the feed barrier, I then strip plastic and netting one after the other. I then push the bake into the barrier and collect next bale.

    I can also split a bake up with the front loader. Mine is a two spike bale lifter. I spoke the bale 2/3 of the way up the bale with allows you to lift 25-30% of the bale to the rest of the barrier, another barrier or into a round feed if the silage is dry. 50-60% of the time you can also lift the center portion of the bale to another position if you need to.

    I seldom break bales up rather I feed them whole and keep pushing them in. I put a single bale in front of the barrier and pull down a bit each side if cattle are very hungry. The two spike bale lifter is a spared one it was very reasonable to buy. I think about 200euro. It a light one but I imagine it will last 5+years before I have to do anything with it

    Slava Ukrainii



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,051 ✭✭✭I says


    Hello,

    I know this is an old thread.

    Thinking of buying a mchale rs 4 bale splitter for the loader.

    It is pricey in my opinion but it it saves the labour I think it will then it will be worth it.

    Does anyone have one? If so does it save time?

    I normally
    1) put the bales on the flat side like a coke can
    2) strip the plastic
    3) move the bale to the feed rail
    4) take off the net
    5)split up the bale with the grab

    Steps 2 and 4 require coming off the tractor which is a pain. The 5 of these steps take about 6 minutes per bale and you have the tractor running.

    I was thinking with this device you could feed say 5 or 6 bales piling the plastic/netting then come off the tractor and pike in any silage sticking to the nets.

    Reverse up to bale open one side of bale. Spike it reverse over to the feed passage and split the bottom of bale, it’s wrapped with a second layer of plastic instead of netting. Split bale and push it in job oxo. Apart from opening the end of the bale I’m only down from the cab once each bale.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 591 ✭✭✭divillybit


    I actually have a hustler bale unwinder, and it's a great job for sheds with narrow passageways that you can't reverse perpendicular to the barrier. If driven right there is no graping and no waste silage. Sure they seem pricey and they are, I bought mine second hand and twas good value. No more pulling and dragging silage. It has paid for itself after 3 winters.


  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    divillybit wrote: »
    I actually have a hustler bale unwinder, and it's a great job for sheds with narrow passageways that you can't reverse perpendicular to the barrier. If driven right there is no graping and no waste silage. Sure they seem pricey and they are, I bought mine second hand and twas good value. No more pulling and dragging silage. It has paid for itself after 3 winters.
    I think the unwinder is good for someone with an enclosed shed with feedbays on both sides

    We have front feedbays only

    Looking for a time saver, I was thinking in theory this looks looks good if the rs 4 works


  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    When I am feeding bales the method I use only requires one hop off the tractor. It works for a back or front loader spike. I cut the plastic off the circular end of what ever amount of bales I am going to feed. I spoke the bale and take it to the feed barrier, I then strip plastic and netting one after the other. I then push the bake into the barrier and collect next bale.

    I can also split a bake up with the front loader. Mine is a two spike bale lifter. I spoke the bale 2/3 of the way up the bale with allows you to lift 25-30% of the bale to the rest of the barrier, another barrier or into a round feed if the silage is dry. 50-60% of the time you can also lift the center portion of the bale to another position if you need to.

    I seldom break bales up rather I feed them whole and keep pushing them in. I put a single bale in front of the barrier and pull down a bit each side if cattle are very hungry. The two spike bale lifter is a spared one it was very reasonable to buy. I think about 200euro. It a light one but I imagine it will last 5+years before I have to do anything with it

    You are coming off twice though, once to cut plastic, second time to take off net

    I could be wrong there, maybe you come off once and delivering two bales each time and do the net and plastic in one go?

    If this model works as shown then it could be a good fit for feeding cattle across multiple bays


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 591 ✭✭✭divillybit


    I think the unwinder is good for someone with an enclosed shed with feedbays on both sides

    We have front feedbays only

    Looking for a time saver, I was thinking in theory this looks looks good if the rs 4 works


    https://youtu.be/03OGLs8qbqw
    By front feedbays you mean one's you can reverse up at 90 degree angle to the barrier yea? If that's the case you can't beat a bale splitter for that way of feeding bales. I think the you tube clip I've copied is what you are referring to. It looks like a good job, but you'd want a good lump of a tractor and front loader. I'd imagine that the plastic would get snagged on that RS4 though and by times the operator would need to get off the tractor to pull it off. Getting in and out of the tractor alot is unfortunately one of the aspects of feeding round bales but if you have a shed you can reverse up perpendicular (rather than parallel) to the barrier you could be able to put in a week's worth of silage in one go and split them nicely and push it in with the tractor as required. Only thing is there can be a good bit of waste silage if the silage is left nearly a week. Hunger is the best sauce they say and cattle will eventually eat out the stale silage but I dunno, I think they thrive that bit better getting the fresh silage.


  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    divillybit wrote: »
    https://youtu.be/03OGLs8qbqw
    By front feedbays you mean one's you can reverse up at 90 degree angle to the barrier yea? If that's the case you can't beat a bale splitter for that way of feeding bales. I think the you tube clip I've copied is what you are referring to. It looks like a good job, but you'd want a good lump of a tractor and front loader. I'd imagine that the plastic would get snagged on that RS4 though and by times the operator would need to get off the tractor to pull it off. Getting in and out of the tractor alot is unfortunately one of the aspects of feeding round bales but if you have a shed you can reverse up perpendicular (rather than parallel) to the barrier you could be able to put in a week's worth of silage in one go and split them nicely and push it in with the tractor as required. Only thing is there can be a good bit of waste silage if the silage is left nearly a week. Hunger is the best sauce they say and cattle will eventually eat out the stale silage but I dunno, I think they thrive that bit better getting the fresh silage.
    Our set up is just like in the video as in cattle eat out of the front of an open shed

    I was thinking this would be good, I was wondering if someone here had experience with it?

    Id agree on the waste silage, if you put out too much it goes stale and you could end up wasting around 10% of the bale


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 591 ✭✭✭divillybit


    I'd say a tanco bale shear might be worth considering too, I've never seen one of those rs4 balesplitters. It may need a 3rd and a 4th service connection on the loader for the two double acting rams on it. It just depends on what size tractor you have and your budget, how well chopped the bales are, how many bales you fees, etc. The bale shear would be a better machine for holding the plastic and mesh and releasing it cleanly I would think if that's a big consideration for you


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