# Maybe a stupid question/idea



## Aaroncboo (Sep 21, 2014)

So my sheep waste hay like no other. Not really a surprise to anyone. I do feed out of a round bale feeder that I welded extra bars every 7in. I've fed chopped hay in the past and they don't seem to waste anything. I think it's because it's smaller they don't have to pull out long stem and chew on it as much. So my question is if I can cut and rake hay, instead of baling it could I in theory run a chopper over it and blow it in to a chopper wagon dry? Then I'd just use a elevator to fill the gravity feeder.


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## MIHay (Jun 4, 2018)

Interesting idea, the question I have is where would you store it? Also how many sheep are you feeding


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## Gearclash (Nov 25, 2010)

That will work, but it has to be totally dry or it will mold. Neighboring dairy used to run dry cornstalks through their chopper for stall bedding. They stored it in a pile covered with plastic, but had problems with ground moisture coming up into it. Then they stored it in a bag, that worked I guess.


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## r82230 (Mar 1, 2016)

Don't know the size of your operation, but got me thinking some guys use tub grinders (you would need to be pretty big to justify I'd guess). If you are smaller, how about a small wood chipper or a grinder/mixer with no screen or just driving you chopper over the bales as you need them.

I was thinking about the storage problems GC mentions, BTW. If you only need on wagon or two, then your method would seem to work as long as it's dry and kept dry.

IIRC, when we had sheep, they would go through and eat (pick out) all the alfalfa leaves first, then go back for the stems if they were still hungry. Being we had cows, their bunk just got empty every day (given to cows) and they got more fresh stuff to pick at. We only fed the sheep 2nd or 3rd cuttings, too. Whereas you would be more of forcing them to eat everything (which isn't bad).

Larry


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## Aaroncboo (Sep 21, 2014)

I have right about 35 sheep. I was hoping that would be enough sheep on a round bale feeder to kind of force them to eat as much as they could while they're there. Similar to pigs fighting over feed, they tend to eat more because if they don't they get pushed out of the way. I have old thrower wagons that I could throw walls on and a roof fairly cheap. I have tons of plastic siding thanks to my sister who works for the company. I would just chop it right into there and back it into a fabric shed


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## 8350HiTech (Jul 26, 2013)

That dry material will take more power in front of the chopper, so it depends what you want to pull it with. What kind of round bale feeder are you using now and is there a different type that would solve your issue with less complication?


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## Aaroncboo (Sep 21, 2014)

It's a typical round bale feeder with the sheet metal ring. I doubled the verticals by welding rebar to it so they can't get in the feeder. Seems to work for that but they love to pull hay out... They do make hay saver feeders but they're expensive as hell... You can pick up in this area old usable choppers if you can find one for scrap price


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## Aaroncboo (Sep 21, 2014)

I'm all for getting the same results with less work. Why feed small squares each day if I could feed one round a week. Leaves me more time to work on other projects. Some call it lazy, I call it time management. But only if it achieves the same result... But I don't want so much waste. I guess none of us do... I know a guy with 15 or so sheep that feeds nothing but hay cubes. His sheep look awesome and there's absolutely no waste but it sure costs him. I'm looking to do that on a larger yet cheaper scale.


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## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

Bale grinder or chopper is easier for handling / storage. Handle dry loose used to be common, there was a system of wagons and blowers sold by McKee to do that. Works ok but dust was bad when blowing it into storage. Sparks a problem too with combustible dust like that.


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## Northeast PA hay and beef (Jan 29, 2017)

Can you find a used crop cutter round baler? Or hire a nieghbor with one to do your baling? They can cut down to 2 inch.


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## 8350HiTech (Jul 26, 2013)

Aaroncboo said:


> I'm all for getting the same results with less work. Why feed small squares each day if I could feed one round a week. Leaves me more time to work on other projects. Some call it lazy, I call it time management. But only if it achieves the same result... But I don't want so much waste. I guess none of us do... I know a guy with 15 or so sheep that feeds nothing but hay cubes. His sheep look awesome and there's absolutely no waste but it sure costs him. I'm looking to do that on a larger yet cheaper scale.


Better results with less work is the better bale feeder, I'm projecting around $1300. Figuring out how to chop and store it will be more work. The feeder will also barely depreciate but once you start saving hay without having to change any other part of you're routine, I doubt you'll want to get rid of it.


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## glasswrongsize (Sep 15, 2015)

I have same problem, but different solution. I feed bales on their end and put a 16' cattle panel around it (a 16' panel will fit around a 5' bale/ for a 6' bale, it will take a whole panel plus a @3' piece). I cut out a cross bar 4 places around the panel at two different heights. The sheep tend to stick their head in and leave it in while chewing; they tend to eat the bale to the ground without dragging much out. I feed like this in the barn and also feed like this outside; for outside, I have a cover (top off of old round hog feeder) that I put over it to keep weather out. If sheep have horns, will have to cut a cross out (leaving a @12x12 hole in which to poke their head) instead of just one cross-piece (leaving a @12"tallx6" wide hole). Most ewes and lambs can stick their head through any of the holes already in the cattle panel.

I put it on the ground and bend a general round shape into the panel the first time and use carabiners to hook the ends together.

I know I took a different fork in the road and didn't answer your question as asked, but thought I would share my method.


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## Aaroncboo (Sep 21, 2014)

It's funny that you say that. I have used a cattle panel and it worked well for the sheep but I have a few boer goats that love to get there head stuck in it so I stopped using it after one decided to mess with me and get stuck 3 times just as I was walking out of the pen... Lol


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## Kasey (Jun 24, 2015)

I just came across a video of a guy forking a round bale into a chopper to make a pile of ground hay. If you can think of a better way to get the round bale into it, it could work.


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## notmydaytoday (Sep 16, 2016)

Is it possible that you could mow your hay with a shredder (brush hog) and bale the smaller pieces. Then it don't come out in long stems.


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## StxPecans (Mar 3, 2018)

When we use to run sheep we would put out one round bale per 100 sheep. They would clean it up in 24 hrs. Although they would have some sort of forage to eat also.


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## RuttedField (Apr 24, 2016)

You can make up hay in the field, then before baling it run a flail chopper over the winrows and blow it into a wagon that way, treating it like silage. That works.

Or you can feed green chop.My sheep nutritionist suggested a 60% mix of chopped grass to 40% corn silage and had good results (I even fed a pony on it, and he did well).

My most conservitive method though was making hay racks and feeding the sheep in them, rather then in bales. It took me about 20 minutes to feed 80 sheep, but the waste was so much less, it was worth the time spent.


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## Aaroncboo (Sep 21, 2014)

[quote name="RuttedField" post="945738" timestamp="1544658404"]

You can make up hay in the field, then before baling it run a flail chopper over the winrows and blow it into a wagon that way, treating it like silage. That works.

This is what I was thinking of doing. It would chop it smaller and then I can but it into the feeder. Just was curious if it sounds crazy... Haha


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## RuttedField (Apr 24, 2016)

No, not crazy at all as that was what I was thinking about doing as well. I prefer silage over hay, and researched this a lot.

A person has to let the grass dry down some, as if you direct green chop and then try to ensile it, if you hit a mouse or something, you could get bacherlism and kill the sheep. I had this when I had improperly compacted silage, it molded and I killed a prized ram!

But if you cut the hay, dry it, then flail chop it, it will work.

The pony did well on the 60% green chop/40% corn silage too surprisingly enough. Its name was Gluestick, so you can readily see, my favorite horses on this farm, are SAW HORSES!


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