Automatic calf feeders

Coolfresian

Has anyone installed an automatic calf feeder and if so would u recommend it? Does it actually save labour? Or is it a more expensive way to rear calves?

davidk1394

I work on a farm that has one. During the height of spring it is a great job. Saves a lot of labour. This farmer keeps all the stock so his getting full use out of the feeder. If you sell the majority of the bull calves, I personally wouldn't buy one then. I don't think you'd get the full value of it.

It takes about 2/3 days to get a calf fully trained in on it. Ideally they'd want to be over 2 weeks of age to train them in. The new feeders work off the tag and not the collar which is a good job.

Lely and Volac use the same company which is Foster Technik and Dairymaster use Holm & Laue. JFC have their own make.

GrasstoMilk

Bought a 2 station jfc one in the spring, very happy. Had 70 calves on it by the start of March- mostly heifers.
Saved us alot of time feeding calves.

Jfc have taken the best from the 2 other feeders on the market and made there own.

PinkSunset

davidk1394 wrote: »

I work on a farm that has one. During the height of spring it is a great job. Saves a lot of labour. This farmer keeps all the stock so his getting full use out of the feeder. If you sell the majority of the bull calves, I personally wouldn't buy one then. I don't think you'd get the full value of it.

It takes about 2/3 days to get a calf fully trained in on it. Ideally they'd want to be over 2 weeks of age to train them in. The new feeders work off the tag and not the collar which is a good job.

Lely and Volac use the same company which is Foster Technik and Dairymaster use Holm & Laue. JFC have their own make.

Not sure about calfs but it took almost a month for my chicken to feed themselves, and I was told it usually takes 2 weeks. But anyway yes, it saves much time, one less thing to worry about. By the way, I had to replace the feeder and took te shiny one, not sure if that helped but it's more noticeable especially when it's sunny weather

farisfat

Alot of auto feeders fitted the last 12 months. How are they working.

Is their much maintance needed and what are the down sides.

funkey_monkey

Anyone got one of these installed? Not as fancy as the others, but would have a place probably for those rearing small numbers of calves:

https://www.shearwell.co.uk/heatwave-milk-warmer-by-pyon

Having to clean the lines out daily might make the advantages minimal from manual feeding. plus there is no way to prevent gorging.

Grueller

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118942271#Comment_118942271

I put one in. A JFC 2 station. It really has been a godsend and is the one labour saving device that I wouldn't be without again.

As for maintenance, it's self cleaning, just attach a can of bulk tank detergent and then do an acid descale manually once a week. Other than that keep an eye on the teats and replace as necessary. An odd wipe down and keep her full of powder.

timple23

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118942798#Comment_118942798

Any issues with calves not coming in for a drink? Seen a place where they used spend an hour morning and evening shoving calves in to drink, wasn't overly impressed.

Mooooo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118942798#Comment_118942798

Do you put all calves on it? Have to do something for next spring. Thinking of putting heifers in other yard on milk replacer and keep bulls/ beef at home on whole milk. So either a trailed feeder or an auto feeder for other yard. Hay shed and lean-to in other yard, I assume you'd need a training pen for calves initially as well?

Grueller

I have all calves on it MOO. I put them on as soon as waste milk dries up. That could be 4 days and it could be 2 weeks. I think about a week is the sweet spot for training the calves. At the moment I have 49 calves being fed on it and it takes 20 mins per day once calves are trained and that is mainly spent on bedding, meal, checking water troughs etc. I haven't had any scour problems touch wood and have a serious even batch of calves. There wasn't a peep from the calves being weaned as it was done so slowly and consistently.

Just a question MOO. Why are you keeping any calves on whole milk at all?

farmerphil135

were using 2 urban calf moms rearing 150 calves each. 1 feeder is 5 years old and the other is 4. Absolute godsend for rearing calves before getting the 1st one it would take me 4 hours twice a day to feed 280 calves. Also calves off the feeder I’ve always found to be much better but maybe a little bit more flighty. The trick to training them onto it is a small pen with one station till they get the hang of it

Enda78

Can I ask about machine washings?

I am looking at getting a feeder in. Was thinking of piping the washings from it into a channel and from there into an internal slatted tank. The tank is 45 ft by 12ft. Just wondering if anyone has the same? One of the pens will be on it.

Bit worried about it stinking to high heaven though.

Trying to achieve the opposite.

Grueller

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119242337#Comment_119242337

I have mine piped through a wall and out into a scraper passage of a cubicle house. Never got any smell. What you are suggesting is bang on I'd say

Base price

Every year we rear a good few calves in a 5 bay slatted shed - the slats and lye backs are bedded with straw. Other than using the slatted shed for rearing calves it's only other use is as a holding area for older cattle for our annual BTE herd test. The slatted shed works great as it allows the urine to seep through the straw and helps to keep the bedding dry. We've found that as the weather gets warmer and temperature rises in late April/May we get a few cases of pneumonia even though the calves would have been vaccinated on arrival. Our Vet reckons that it is due to spores/bacteria in the tank multiplying in moist warm weather.

TBH, If I was in your situation I'd prefer that the CMR washings were transferred to an outside slurry tank.

Edit to add that we rear our calves on teat feeders.

Mushy06

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119246648#Comment_119246648

Any issues with Calves getting legs caught in between the slats? it was always my worry. i'd have comfort rubber on the slats as well. it'd save me a world of straw

straight

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119242337#Comment_119242337

I have mine piped into a channel to a tank next door like that. No issue whatsoever. Last thing you want is water around the feeder.

Donald Trump

Does anyone just feed whole/waste milk and not use milk replacer? I know it's more expensive but I'm sure plenty must still do it

straight

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119265830#Comment_119265830

Most feeders only take powder. At least that's all my JFC takes.

Donald Trump

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119265985#Comment_119265985

I meant in general. Are there many lads who don't feed replacer at all?

(I think there are some feeders that can handle whole milk as well but it is probably more complicated.)

Bazzer007

I'm hoping to install a two station feeder this autumn. Building a handy calf shed first. From speaking to a few milking machine technicians they said to avoid using whole milk, supposedly can cause issues even in a dual feeders. With the price of milk is another reason. I plan to use one station to train less than 10 calves and keep the trained calves together in a bigger pen, no more than 20ish. Will also have separate pen to feed whole milk in teat feeders if required. In a few months, I'll look at the JFC, Foster Technik and Holm & Laue. Grant going as well for those interested.

Base price

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119249714#Comment_119249714

No, thankfully we never had that problem as we bed the slats with straw. We put lime on the straw when it starts to get dirty before adding more. Each pen is cleaned out, power hosed and sprinkled with lime before a new batch is introduced.

We don't have comfort slats as that shed is really only used for rearing calves, wintering weanlings and as a holding shed for the TB test. I would have thought that the smaller gaps on the comfort rubber would prevent calves hooves from getting caught. Other posters that have them may advise you better.

jfh

Is this the last year for the Tams grant for these?

patsy_mccabe

Out of interest, how much do these automatic feeders cost?

Mooooo

Same as everything gone up in last 12 months plus grant pushes up prices as well. Anything from 12 to 16 for the jfc depending on model and no of stations. 4 stations would do 140 calves. Extras then if wanted cost more then as well. Last day for current tranche was last Thurs

Grueller

Has anyone had a service done on the jfc feeders yet? What is it costing?

straight

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119664617#Comment_119664617

It was either 425 or 435 euro. Got it done the other day. 2 station.

jfh

Hi straight, how many calves would the two station feed? Regarding servicing, how often? Thanks

straight

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119665212#Comment_119665212

70 they say. I'd only ever have about 50 at peak on mine. Mine doesn't work too hard so I just serviced it every 2 years. No problems.

Grueller

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119664687#Comment_119664687

Quoted €375 here for a 2 station. I told him I wanted it serviced, not to trade up to a new one. The delaval machine cost €170 to service.

€375 is robbery.

straight

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119667494#Comment_119667494

That's plus VAT. Parts are included. I was happy enough with it considering the prices of everything else.

Grueller

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119667639#Comment_119667639

The service kit for a delaval with all seals , pipes etc is €80 to buy

Wildsurfer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119667639#Comment_119667639

In a service what parts would they be replacing, a few seals, the pump diaphragms, the tubing? If you watch them next time they are at one you might do the following one yourself handy enough

Ubbquittious

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119668570#Comment_119668570

Tubes yes they love getting clogged up

straight

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119668570#Comment_119668570

I don't mind getting them to give it a once over and keeping it right for the spring. I left him at it as I was on the school run and homework. It's quite a new machine so they often have little upgrades to add. I am happy with the calf feeder but that's not to say that I wouldn't be happy with other types. Have the CVRT tomorrow for example, what is that going to end up costing me.