Round Bale unroller

twin_beacon

funkey_monkey wrote: »

However, a concern I have with the unroller is that you are driving along the feedgate watching the unrolling. Hungry cattle are sticking their head out to try and get fed - strong possibility that are some stage a head will get caught in the gate by the tractor wheel. I've seen it happen here - you can't have eyes looking everywhere.

yea, thats a real danger.
There is a lad that makes them in longford, his one can be moved more the the right or left of the tractor. The drawback is that it requires another spool valve, which means you need 3 spools as you need the hydraulic top link too.

funkey_monkey

Maybe something like this would be a better machine - bale splitter on 3pt linkage - even better if it had a plastic grab on it.
Possibly Tanco or Keltec can get you one with fittings for 3pt linkage too...

Goweil website is down at the minute, so I can't get more details on them:

obi604

Lady Haywire wrote: »

If I can convince my father, you can do it too!!
You just have to make him think it's his idea....:p


"Dad I was thinking of getting one of those bale unrollers but they're fierce expensive, it'd be much cheaper to put in 2bales (or three) at once. Then we'd only be using the tractor once a week to put in the bales & we could have more time to fix fencing/look at neighbours stock/watch TV (delete as appropriate) "

We'd been putting in bales similar to your set up for 20 years or so, only got a front loader last summer on the new (to us) tractor. Working in a very narrow passage & door too. As mentioned above, I'd be terrified of catching a head in the barrier, still am when reversing out of the shed after dropping bales in & that's when I can fully concentrate on the cattle, not looking behind me as well!

this made me laugh

but may work .

obi604

funkey_monkey wrote: »

Strong cattle like that will eat the silage up clean before it gets a chance to spoil.




If you had a spike you could stab the bale partially and lift it, this would break up and loosen the bale making it easier to graip out instead of having to go around it like a swiss roll. Well packed tight bales can be a nightmare to graip. Attack them with a spike and break them up before graiping out.

thats what we end up doing, put bale up on its side (like an upright tin can) and go round and round it like unraveling a swiss rool and then fork it up along the bays.



noted on the spike.

Lady Haywire

obi604 wrote: »

this made me laugh

but may work .

Working with contrary auld farmers is my speciality
As mentioned above, you can break apart the bale with the spike, challenge the father to do it!

obi604

funkey_monkey wrote: »

Maybe something like this would be a better machine - bale splitter on 3pt linkage - even better if it had a plastic grab on it.
Possibly Tanco or Keltec can get you one with fittings for 3pt linkage too...

Goweil website is down at the minute, so I can't get more details on them:

how much is this roughly?

funkey_monkey

I've no idea TBH. Like I said their website is down and I can't see any information or videos on its operation.
Will check again to see if their website comes up again.

Found this link, maybe you can contact them and get a UK price for the 3pt linkage option:

https://www.agriexpo.online/prod/goeweil-maschinenbau-gmbh/product-169147-17073.html


Would be suprised if you couldn't get a used Tanco or Keltec slice and get a local fabricator to make a 3pt linkage frame for it.

obi604

Lady Haywire wrote: »

Working with contrary auld farmers is my speciality
As mentioned above, you can break apart the bale with the spike, challenge the father to do it!

LOL

we don't have a spike either, just a standard bale lifter: https://www.farmcompare.com/products/dowd-engineering-single-bale-lifter

tanko

obi604 wrote: »

LOL

we don't have a spike either, just a standard bale lifter: https://www.farmcompare.com/products/dowd-engineering-single-bale-lifter

Don't take this the wrong way but it's starting to sound like your father is beyond help at this stage:D

josephsoap

tanko wrote: »

Don't take this the wrong way but it's starting to sound like your father is beyond help at this stage:D

Let him at it.

obi604

tanko wrote: »

Don't take this the wrong way but it's starting to sound like your father is beyond help at this stage:D

I hear ya. he is probably beyond help at this stage, see below :D :pac::pac:





> Silage wont be fresh if you put in more than one bale a day.

> If not forked in to them and broke up with fork, the cattle will only pull in large clumps and clog up slats = more work
(but in reality, he is making their eating job too easy and they probably pull in more with his way as opposed to making them work harder and pull and eat from the bale)

> Since cattle went in last week, he is on about mold on some older bales (from last year that he has left over) makes out its bad for animals lungs ..........so not only is he forking, but he seperates out all the moldy stuff and puts in wheelbarrow and up to dung pit. He has done this often in the past too with bad bales.

> My father is 75 and obviously based on above, healthy as a fish. does this all himself, but as I said, he just loves making work for himself. To me, its all just too much hardship, as I said to him, I bet all the other/bigger farmers are not removing mold or messing around like this, and with all your messing, are you getting 100 quid more a head for your cattle? etc etc etc



:pac:

Jb1989

obi604 wrote: »

I hear ya. he is probably beyond help at this stage, see below :D :pac::pac:





> Silage wont be fresh if you put in more than one bale a day.

> If not forked in to them and broke up with fork, the cattle will only pull in large clumps and clog up slats = more work
(but in reality, he is making their eating job too easy and they probably pull in more with his way as opposed to making them work harder and pull and eat from the bale)

> Since cattle went in last week, he is on about mold on some older bales (from last year that he has left over) makes out its bad for animals lungs ..........so not only is he forking, but he seperates out all the moldy stuff and puts in wheelbarrow and up to dung pit. He has done this often in the past too with bad bales.

> My father is 75 and obviously based on above, healthy as a fish. does this all himself, but as I said, he just loves making work for himself. To me, its all just too much hardship, as I said to him, I bet all the other/bigger farmers are not removing mold or messing around like this, and with all your messing, are you getting 100 quid more a head for your cattle? etc etc etc



:pac:

The other bigger farmers may not be fit at 75.

minerleague

obi604 wrote: »

I hear ya. he is probably beyond help at this stage, see below :D :pac::pac:





> Silage wont be fresh if you put in more than one bale a day.

> If not forked in to them and broke up with fork, the cattle will only pull in large clumps and clog up slats = more work
(but in reality, he is making their eating job too easy and they probably pull in more with his way as opposed to making them work harder and pull and eat from the bale)

> Since cattle went in last week, he is on about mold on some older bales (from last year that he has left over) makes out its bad for animals lungs ..........so not only is he forking, but he seperates out all the moldy stuff and puts in wheelbarrow and up to dung pit. He has done this often in the past too with bad bales.

> My father is 75 and obviously based on above, healthy as a fish. does this all himself, but as I said, he just loves making work for himself. To me, its all just too much hardship, as I said to him, I bet all the other/bigger farmers are not removing mold or messing around like this, and with all your messing, are you getting 100 quid more a head for your cattle? etc etc etc



:pac:

In fairness I do this myself with old bales with mould

divillybit

funkey_monkey wrote: »

Would he even meet you half way and put in two bales as a starting point - one between 1st & 2nd bay and the other between the 3rd and 4th bay, about 1ft out to stop them pulling it into the slats?
With cattle like that - the silage wouldn't get much of a chance to spoil.

A splitter would be no use to you unless you can get in perpendicular to the feed gates as it splits the bale like an open book.
My thoughts on the rotospike is that although it will loosen the bale up for you it would seem like you have little control over the distribution of the silage. Dry bales and wet bales will unroll differently and more than likely wet bales would fall off before you want them to.

However, a concern I have with the unroller is that you are driving along the feedgate watching the unrolling. Hungry cattle are sticking their head out to try and get fed - strong possibility that are some stage a head will get caught in the gate by the tractor wheel. I've seen it happen here - you can't have eyes looking everywhere.

So, for the rotospike you need to vary your forward speed based on the unravelling of the bale - if you unravel far enough out that you won't catch a head, you'll still be graiping the full bale for the 4 bays.
For the unroller - I'd want one with an extension chute so you can stay away from the heads and concentrate on the feeding.

It would seem that an roller is around 4.5k - 5k and a rotospike is approx 1k.

TBH - I would try putting in a couple of bales first and see how that goes. If you had a spike I would tell you to set the bale down and then lift it half way up to separate it and that would make what bit of graiping you have to do easier. The cattle eating at it too should help prevent it get awkward to shift.

Who puts in the bales - you or your father? If it is him (as he seems to be doing the graiping) would he be fit to work an unroller?

Have to disagree with your point about the bale splitter, you can put the bale in parallel to the barrier and split it, put a few more cuts in the silage that near the barrier and then pick up the other half with the bale splitter and pull that to the next pen of cattle and split it. Some of the silage next the barrier may get pulled a little as you pick up the other half but it's to be expected.You've a good 2wd tractor with a great lock on it so it's not hard managed. Ive split 100's of bale this way, in a shed the same as in your picture but we've the bale unroller now. I'd be in tight to the barrier (about 2 foot away) when using the unroller, creep along in first low when using it. Cattle get used to it quick and I've never had an animal get caught cos they will just pull their head back. You need to travel slow with an unroller to ensure an even feed, as the bale gets smaller you'll need to run it faster to keep the quantity of silage being let out constant.. I think you just need to take the plunge and buy some implement to make life easier for yourself. Old fellas on some farms love hardship. My old man would go back to the days of mowing meadow with a fingerbar if he were let. I'd highly recommend a bale splitter for the set up you have, even a second hand one on done deal for a few hundred quid is worth a punt. Ye can't justify a bale unroller for one bale a day. If you decide to get the splitter don't tell yer old man you're going buying it at all. Back yourself and have a bit of confidence and just do it yourself.

funkey_monkey

It's really up to the op to determine whether their father would be willing to do that.
A bale spike would loosen it up and can be dragged forward too at a fraction of the cost.

I would not recommend the op going behind father's back and purchasing a splitter unless there is an agreement to purchase.

JeffKenna

obi604 wrote: »

I hear ya. he is probably beyond help at this stage, see below :D :pac::pac:





> Silage wont be fresh if you put in more than one bale a day.

> If not forked in to them and broke up with fork, the cattle will only pull in large clumps and clog up slats = more work
(but in reality, he is making their eating job too easy and they probably pull in more with his way as opposed to making them work harder and pull and eat from the bale)

> Since cattle went in last week, he is on about mold on some older bales (from last year that he has left over) makes out its bad for animals lungs ..........so not only is he forking, but he seperates out all the moldy stuff and puts in wheelbarrow and up to dung pit. He has done this often in the past too with bad bales.

> My father is 75 and obviously based on above, healthy as a fish. does this all himself, but as I said, he just loves making work for himself. To me, its all just too much hardship, as I said to him, I bet all the other/bigger farmers are not removing mold or messing around like this, and with all your messing, are you getting 100 quid more a head for your cattle? etc etc etc



:pac:

I dunno I tend to agree with your father on a lot of this. With the splash plates gone I'd be worried about silage being pulled into the slats and it never occurred to me not to remove mold before it goes into the cows.

Just a bit of advise and it probably sounds harsh but take it with the best intention that it's meant in. We're talking about one bale a day your dad puts in. Let go of the control and let him do it his way, your time will come to do it how you want. You're wasting a lot more time fighting with him than he is doing it his way!

obi604

JeffKenna wrote: »

I dunno I tend to agree with your father on a lot of this. With the splash plates gone I'd be worried about silage being pulled into the slats and it never occurred to me not to remove mold before it goes into the cows.

Just a bit of advise and it probably sounds harsh but take it with the best intention that it's meant in. We're talking about one bale a day your dad puts in. Let go of the control and let him do it his way, your time will come to do it how you want. You're wasting a lot more time fighting with him than he is doing it his way!

hey, thanks for the comment, trust me - there is no fighting here whatsoever, twas just me throwing them couple of remarks in a friendly tone.
I just see him slaving away every day and was trying to make things easier on him.
But my idea of him slaving away is most likely his idea of happiness and contentment.

So im just going to forget all about unrollers, unwinders and shear grabs etc
And instead just try and get him to put more than one bale out at a time.

obi604

On another note, I actually had to google the word graiping
I had never heard of it before


I just always referred to it as forking silage etc

Panch18

obi604 wrote: »

On another note, I actually had to google the word graiping
I had never heard of it before


I just always referred to it as forking silage etc

don't mention the war!!!

it's clearing forking silage by the way!

The Rabbi

obi604 wrote: »

On another note, I actually had to google the word graiping
I had never heard of it before


I just always referred to it as forking silage etc

You must have been in hibernation during the great war of "What do you call this"back in 2015. It was pure carnage.

funkey_monkey

Panch18 wrote: »

it's clearing forking silage by the way!

Graiping!

Water John

Had single horizontal bars up until now, a good bit getting pulled in. Fitted four diagonal barriers last Sat, really great nothing being dragged in. Cost €1K + fitting. Put out 3 bales to 3 bays this morning, standing and 6/9" from the barriers. Eight were feeding in one bay and six in each of the other two.

obi604

The Rabbi wrote: »

You must have been in hibernation during the great war of "What do you call this"back in 2015. It was pure carnage.

must have been. suppose its like hurl and hurley.



I call it a hurl :pac:

funkey_monkey

Water John wrote: »

Had single horizontal bars up until now, a good bit getting pulled in. Fitted four diagonal barriers last Sat, really great nothing being dragged in. Cost €1K + fitting. Put out 3 bales to 3 bays this morning, standing and 6/9" from the barriers. Eight were feeding in one bay and six in each of the other two.

I was thinking of just doing a horizontal bar to a couple of pens we were adding - so you're not a fan then of them?

lab man

funkey_monkey wrote: »

I was thinking of just doing a horizontal bar to a couple of pens we were adding - so you're not a fan then of them?

They are a disaster

funkey_monkey

Okay - good job I read here as I'd seen them done with crash barriers etc and I thought they looked a great handy job.
I seen Gerry6420 on YT was clipping some cattle he had in a shed with that type of gate and thought it would com in handier/cheaper than the diagonal gates.

ruwithme

Horizontal bars here in the main. Stock pulling in silage from bales is minimal here fortunately. You get the odd tramp.

DBK1

The Rabbi wrote: »

You must have been in hibernation during the great war of "What do you call this"back in 2015. It was pure carnage.

I wasn’t here for that myself, I must look up the thread! Although I can’t understand how there’d even be a debate on it, is it not just a fork and thats it? A grape is a fruit you make wine from! And I’ve never heard of anyone asking for a knife and grape to eat their dinner!!

Jb1989

Handy to have one pen with just a horizontal bar for times you might have an animal with horns or a broke horn.

obi604

Another general question

Is the even such a thing as a front loader for a 2004 Massey Ferguson 4355 TWO WHEEL DRIVE.

If so, what’s the average price of a second hand loader? (Ballpark)

As well as the actual loader does something have to be added to the tractor to allow the loader to be attached? Or does this attachment come with the loader?

Sorry, I know absolutely nothing about loaders as we never had one, so just querying. Apologies in advance for the dopey question