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Child Item

Round Bale feeders

Havenowt

Hi All

We have moved away from pit silage this year to round bales. They are a little awkward to feed with, but we have less waste.

Thinking of getting a round bale feeder for the tractor or fit on loader.

Are any of ye using round bale feeder that unwind the bale?

What make are you using?

pro/con's?

price?

Thanks

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ruwithme

I was interested to read this given the thread title op,you probably haven't gotten any replies as I reckon a few on here would be " absolutely disgusted "at the suggestion of a round bale feeder in the month of November .(imagine the gutters ,if ya had a few heavies round that)

Sorry I can't help on the unwinder as I don't have one, but I'd suggest changing the thread title to bale unwinder or something close to it.

Bass Reeves

What do you need to the unwinder for. I feed bales. Mostly I just place full bales at barrier. If I need to split a bale I put the spiked in around half way and lift bale with a little shake or two it will split in half and you can carry the half a short distance..

If you had a pit you must have a tine or shear grab. Either will split bales and and feed them.

StevenToast

No need for an unwinder....

I use a pitchfork to break up the bale...horse it into them.

divillybit

https://www.donedeal.ie/feedingequipment-for-sale/hustler-sl360x-bale-unraveler/29714545

Bale unrollers are a great machine. Bought a 2nd hand one a few years ago, wouldn't be without it. 3 locals have bought unrollers after seeing how we've gotten on with ours. Feed about 400 bales a year with it. Have a hustler, but they are all very similar mechanically. Id buy a used one like in the link above if you were looking seriously at getting one as they are pricey from new. There's very little to go wrong with them and hold their value well.

There's very little waste silage as the cattle get new silage every 24 - 36 hours. Theres very little graping to be done now.

divillybit

As @funkey_monkey mentioned above, an unroller is heavy enough when loaded and would be hard on a front loader so it's best to use the 3 point linkage unless you have a tele handler. They are quite wide but you get used to it. They are a great job in sheds where you can't reverse up perpendicular to the barrier, a bale splitter is best for those types of sheds but for a 3 Bay back to back slatted shed like what we have its the best feeding option for us anyway.

A front loader is very handy for putting the bale onto the unroller as you can lift the bale higher than using the spikes on the 3 point linkage. This is important as when taking off the mesh off the bale you have to be fairly quick cos if a lump of silage falls from the bale and brings the mesh with it then the mesh gets caught In the spikes on the conveyor.

A hydraulic top link is a must also, it helps keep the unroller level or slightly tilted.

Havenowt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118208151#Comment_118208151

I'm away all day and the old lad is near 75 and isn't as fond of the grape as he used too. With a un-winder he would be able to tip away on hes own.

Donald Trump

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118208695#Comment_118208695

Big advantage of the bale shear is not having to get in and out multiple times if you are feeding a lot of bales outdoors and it is pissing rain. They are very heavy though so you need a decent loader

The unwinder thing looks neat though. Never had one here so couldn't comment on their practicality as regards time.

Havenowt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118208122#Comment_118208122

I'm not around and old lad is nearly 75, so the less forking the better. It will be a good investment as it will enable him to tip away.

Havenowt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118209124#Comment_118209124

Tractor 4wd 95hp JD6220.. so would use on rear of tractor. He wouldn't be going through to many bales a day. It would be just to take the labour out of it.

Bass Reeves

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118215632#Comment_118215632

I am nearly 60 myself and seldom have to fork in silage I just put complete bales in front of pens, cattle get fed no more than three days silage and usually only two days at the time. as bales are not broken up they hold well. I just push in bales as need.

I can split a bale in two with the bake spike as well. Total Net cost of my feeding implement is 250 euro. It's a cheap two spike bale lifter.

You just have to forget about being fussy.

I can understand maybe if it's a narrow central passage bit if it a shed with access just feed complete bales the cattle will do the rest.

And I have no waste

Jb1989

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118216831#Comment_118216831

And show him YouTube clips of all the different machines so he can see in reality.

Havenowt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118216831#Comment_118216831

Slatted shed is about 30yrs old 3 bay either side. Passage-way wouldn't be very wide, so would be driving parallel to feed area

We have loader and shear grab, but you still end up grapping as you cant have a bale in the middle of the pen either side or there be hardly any room to walk around with bags of nuts morn/eve.

The unwinder would leave center passage free and minimal pushing in of silage.

divillybit

@funky_monkey makes some really good points in his post there. We have a 3 bay shed like yours with pens either side of the feed passage. The bale unroller we have was got specifically for this kind of shed configuration but now its used to feed silage even in another shed where the bale splitter would be a better option.

There is alot of looking around as the bale is being let out of the unroller. As you're quite near the feed barrier you gotta watch the cattle. But if the tractor is put in low low gear you can creep along and occasionally glance forward but mainly be looking back. One full rotation of the unroller with a new bale will let off alot of silage compared to if you have half a bale on it so you're usually increasing the speed of the unroller as the bale gets smaller to ensure the volume of silage at the barrier is the same. There is a bit into using it but you get used to it quickly and it's enjoyable. The cattle get used to it too. The spikes on the conveyor are quite sharp so it could cut an animals nose but I've never had an animal get a bad cut. It's nice to be able to walk up the feed passageway afterwards with two neat rows of silage left in by the barriers and not have to be climbing over silage left in the middle of the passageway if you are carrying a bag of meal. You can then pay more attention to inspecting the stock and drinkers etc. that's been my experience with it anyway

White Clover

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118215673#Comment_118215673

My advice is go and buy it straight away. The cost is not going to put you out of business and as you say will make life easier for your father.

trg

Would the tanco bale shear be more versatile? Would be still useful if you switched from bales to pit and no getting out of the tractor at all + facing forwards not turning around

hopeso

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118217147#Comment_118217147

To me, this sounds like your passage might be too narrow to work an unroller comfortably?

Bass Reeves

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118222954#Comment_118222954

Often the solution to a narrow passage is to consider taking out a side wall. If you are lucky enough to have a side wall either North or North East take it out and put a feed passages outside and barriers on it if possible. You can bolt on an overhang in time to keep silage from getting wet.

divillybit

https://www.donedeal.ie/feedingequipment-for-sale/nugent-bale-unroller/26926606

https://www.donedeal.ie/feedingequipment-for-sale/bale-unroller/29785394

https://www.donedeal.ie/feedingequipment-for-sale/hustler-360-slx/29708964

https://www.donedeal.ie/otherfarmmachinery-for-sale/bridgeway-rotospike/29636365

Id look at used unrollers before buying new, great savings to be made. The Hustler in the link above seems to be keenly priced but it's in Sterling. It would be my choice. I'd imagine it'll sell very quickly.

The Nugent one in the 1st link is there at the dealer in Athlone a while it looks but looks very clean. I've tried ringing these guys before about a trailer and they never answer so if you're in the Midlands it'd be worth the spin to check it out in person.

The Record in the 3rd link is interesting as it feeds out at a higher level but needs a 2nd machine to load it and only feeds out to one side. I thought it was worth adding as the video shows it working but I don't think they are a runner in this case.

Lastly the Bridgeway spike unroller would be the cheapest option but realistically are only good for unrolling a bale into a diet feeder.

Havenowt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118224604#Comment_118224604

Nugent in Athlone @ €4900 has high bars for saggy bale there but not fitted.

Hustler in North £3500 (€4200 ish) plus getting it costs. looks a cleaner one.

divillybit

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118225455#Comment_118225455

I think that's good value for the Hustler, even allowing for maybe 300 or 400 euro to get it brought to you by someone.

Like what @funky_monkey said, the Huster is the newer version and can be driven from either end and has the automatic latch mechanism rather than using a rope to release it from the spike unit.

Being able to swap sides is very useful if you get a bale that doesn't want to unroll correctly. You do get unclipped bale which can refuse to unroll as you are trying to feed it out in the same direction the bale was made if that makes any sense. Eventually it will feed out but I've found it happens with dry unchopped bales especially

divillybit

That's a good video to show the unroller working in a narrow passage way. That operator has a good system going. The tractor would be under pressure with a wet bale on the loader but it works well. His bales look fairly well chopped which helps alot.

Our passage ways wouldn't be as narrow as that. Being able to work the unroller from both ends is a good job.

@Havenowt let us know what you decide on.

Jb1989

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118225908#Comment_118225908

Never really seen it going till that video.

Youd want to be nimble at the reverseing in a passage way of that size or an animals head could be hit, and good at aiming the spikes into machine after dropping the bale off.

Does spread out the silage great alright, just a bulky item for safety reasons.

Bale splitter and a silage pusher for front loader would be safer for elderly and tight sheds in my opinion.

Bass Reeves

A couple of point to feed any bale you have to get up and down off the tractor twice to take off plastic and netting.

You will need a big tractor with good hydraulics to operate it with a front loader. It would be awkward to operate on the rear of a tractor trying to look where you are going and watching silage at the rear. Another issue with a rear operated is the hydraulic sensitivity on the leavers will not be near as good as on a joystick.

With the be dispenser on your weight is well out from loader. I expect it the equivalent if having two bales on a front loader. I am not sure how maneuverable a tractor would be with a machine like that on it. Visibility around you might not be great either.

I seriously consider a shed adjustment before I consider a piece if kit like that. There is a lot of moving parts therefore there will be maintenance issues longterm. You will be putting a large amount of strain and stress on you tractor and loader. You will need dry bales, if they are wet heavy bales even a big 110+ HP tractor might struggle

divillybit

Just with regards to maintenance of bale unrollers, there's just 4 bearings that need a very occasional shot of grease. That's it.

divillybit

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118224604#Comment_118224604

@Havenowt , did you buy that Hustler? I see its sold already

Havenowt

A few updates so it may help other people in future.

The Shed passageway is 12ft wide,

Bale unroller is approx 6.5ft so it should work.

Old lad isn't fussed about getting one, plus he has a practically new shear grab in the shed he would want to sell first.

We using a shear grab that he was got from retiring uncle.

I'm in the middle of house build so not going to be dropping €4k+ on one just yet.

Thanks for all the help and advice, I will up date the post when we get the bale unroller.

Havenowt

8 foot, you wouldn't want to be shook after a hard night.

divillybit

In a 12 foot passageway you might have 2.5 foot of space either side of the tractor. Thats not much, and there's lots of blind spots so you'd want to be stopping and feeding both sides of the passageway, then moving forward to the next span and feeding both sides so you get both sides of the passageway fed in one pass of the tractor through the shed. Otherwise you'd just be driving over the silage if you were to feed one side of the passageway in one go and then feed the other side of the passageway in one go.... So I think if you were using a bale unroller in a 12 foot passageway the main thing would be that your bales are very very well chopped to ensure you can feed both sides.

I've seen unchopped bales on our unroller being hard to feed out as I was rotating the bale in the same direction that it was made in the baler e.g. if the bale was being rotated anticlockwise as it was being made, and trying to feed it out turning it anticlockwise on the unroller. These would have been dry silage bales. You nearly be looking at what way the mesh comes off the bale to give an idea of how the bale was made to then know what is the best way to face the tractor so it will feed out.

wetter chopped silage usually feeds out fine. It's just the dry unchopped stuff that can be bother sometimes.

Sorry for the overly long post

twin_beacon

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118208151#Comment_118208151

My dad, with 2 hip replacements would disagree.

We bought a bridgeway bale unwinder around 5 years ago, wouldn't be without. It was around €6.5k if I remember correctly. Some people will complain about the price, but its attached to tractor for 6 months of the year. They are not complicated machines, just keep them greased and oil on the chain and they will last a very long time.

I would not suggest putting it on the loader of a JD 6220, as the unwinders themselves are very heavy, you would be better off on the 3 point linkage. You must have 2 double acting spool valves, one for the machine, and one for the hydraulic top link thats is also required.

They take a little time to get used to them, but once you get into the swing of it, there is no looking back. Cattle get fresh silage every day. Our big issue was with cattle caving, we had to move them in and out of bays, so we couldn't leave bales in front of the feeders at times during the year, so we had lots of forking of silage.

divillybit

Adrian from the IfarmWefarm YouTube channel had a new Huster on demo and as he said himself, if he had it for longer he would be a better judge of how to use it more effectively but the bale splitter system works well for him and he's got a big pit of silage so the Huster isn't really needed. 4 year warranty on new ones. We're all bales here so an unroller does suit our set up.

https://youtu.be/cEo9A7jru3k