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Tub grinders

I was'nt thinkin about them gaining better,was tryin to figger out how I can get all this poor quality hay we have more palatable,and do something about the 20-30 percent we loose leavin them sit out in the weather,barns just aint big enough to get every thing inside..................good luck
 
HAY MAKER said:
I was'nt thinkin about them gaining better,was tryin to figger out how I can get all this poor quality hay we have more palatable,and do something about the 20-30 percent we loose leavin them sit out in the weather,barns just aint big enough to get every thing inside..................good luck
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If it never rains why does your hay spoil? :roll:
 
Don't give up on grinding your hay yet, I was talked into grinding our hay a few years ago for our calfs and now i won't feed calfs with out grinding, you will find the hay you save will more than pay for the grinding, I will say, I don't think I would ever buy our own grinder, We have a guy come in grind for us with a big grinder, will keep two tractors hopping to keep it full and costs us $200 -$250 an hour. I now grind 80% of the hay for our cows and feed less hay now than when I didn't grind, now feed a lot of straw and other poor hay, do need to watch your protein and mineral tho. Hope you can find someone to grind for you to see if works for you.
 
For reliability, durablity, and the least amount of everyday repairs, if you don't have a Mighty Giant by Jones Mfg., you don't have a grinder. If equipped right, nothing else comes close. New or used? Depends on how much you can afford, I guess. It also depends on if you will be strictly grinding your own hay or custom grinding.
 
Big Muddy rancher said:
HAY MAKER said:
I was'nt thinkin about them gaining better,was tryin to figger out how I can get all this poor quality hay we have more palatable,and do something about the 20-30 percent we loose leavin them sit out in the weather,barns just aint big enough to get every thing inside..................good luck
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If it never rains why does your hay spoil? :roll:
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This Texas sun will bleach it enough without moisture that the cows will pull the outside 20% add moisture and your losses arent negilible anymore..............good luck
 
101 said:
Don't give up on grinding your hay yet, I was talked into grinding our hay a few years ago for our calfs and now i won't feed calfs with out grinding, you will find the hay you save will more than pay for the grinding, I will say, I don't think I would ever buy our own grinder, We have a guy come in grind for us with a big grinder, will keep two tractors hopping to keep it full and costs us $200 -$250 an hour. I now grind 80% of the hay for our cows and feed less hay now than when I didn't grind, now feed a lot of straw and other poor hay, do need to watch your protein and mineral tho. Hope you can find someone to grind for you to see if works for you.
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Feed mill usta grind it,they quit so Im thinkin about grindin it myself.............good luck
 
loomixguy said:
For reliability, durablity, and the least amount of everyday repairs, if you don't have a Mighty Giant by Jones Mfg., you don't have a grinder. If equipped right, nothing else comes close. New or used? Depends on how much you can afford, I guess. It also depends on if you will be strictly grinding your own hay or custom grinding.
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No, I wont do any custom grinding,dont do much custom baling anymore either just do mine and a few neighbors now,so need to shop around on the grinder deal,I will check on the Mighty Giant.............good luck & Merry Christmas.
 
I bought a almost new hesston at a purebred dispersal a few years ago(they didn't advertise the equipment :? )for around $2,000.I didn't like it much, either I didn't know how to use it or I was in a hurry because it seemed to take forever to grind a bale.I sold it about a month later for a very nice profit and they seemed pleased with it,but a dairy friend of mine has a haybuster,I bet it will grind five times as much hay as the hesston

edit.
Now that I think about it I think they have a roto-grid and not a haybuster.
 
If you want to increase the value of your feed and keep it good, spend your money on a bale wrapper.
Noone will ever convince me that a bale processor or tub grinder increases the value or palatibility of spoiled hay.
I have a single bale wrapper, it costs about $5.50 a bale in plastic to wrap and the cows eat ALL of the feed. We do make quite a bit of hay but I believe that it would pay to wrap it also when you consider loss of food value and waste when storing inside or out.
 
All a tub grinder does is allow low quality, less palatible hay to be mixed with higher quality hay so the less desirable hay can be utilized. Many folks around here grind 1/3 prairie hay, 1/3 cane hay, and 1/3 alfalfa.

What is really neat is when you have samples on all your hay, a sharp nutritionist can tell you EXACTLY what percentages to blend together depending on your goals for the cows...different blends at different times.

Hey EAT...I am pretty sure you were looking at a bale processor, not a grinder. Lotsa difference.

Hay Maker.....make sure you have your nitro pills handy if you price a Mighty Giant...they ain't cheap. I believe Old Man Jones told me he came up with his first grinder in 1929.
 
Perhaps you should consider something like a Supreme Mixer. It doesn't grind hay per se but it does cut it to whatever length you want. It has the advantage of processing, mixing ingredients, & feeding with the same unit.

Just a thought. There are other manufacturers with similar machines, but here's a link to Supreme's website.
http://www.supremeinternational.com/feedlot_mixers/feedlot.htm
 
I have a supreme mixer. I like that I can mix differnt things. Simply cutting hay won't get you much, especially factoring fuel and labor to do it. But a mixer allows you to make great rations from a variety of things.

I bought used. I mix three loads a week. Mine came from a fedlot where they mixed 10 loads a day in it. The dealer reconditioned it, replaced bearings and such. I don't think I will ever wear it out at this rate.

I think a rancher would be best buying used on these. they are heavy built meant for feedlots. However, if a feedlot got rid of it, likely it is worn out and expect to recondition it. Once it is, the dang thing is pretty indestructable.

One other thought is getting to where you feed. It I had to do it over again, I might of gotten a stationary with a elevator to dump into a feed truck of some sort. Feed trucks will get you down the highway a lot better. I have several places I'd like to feed in the winter and this would of made that more doable,

PPRM
 
PPRM Could you move it to a truck?? I helped a neighbor move his to a used state highway dump truck with live hydrolics, diesel engine and allison automatic transmission.

Freed up a tractor and gave him the ability to feed several miles from home easily.
 
George, it is a thought..... I think it could be done, just not this year. Time/finances... But it certainly is a great feeder,

PPRM
 
The truck I sold him had been used with a snow plow so it had all the hydrolic valves I needed and with the front pump he is able to pull the transmission down to 1 st gear and feed a bunch or go to 2nd gear and move right down the bunk. We used a hydrolic motor that pulled the sand chain back in the bed to power the PTO shaft on the mixer and everything else just kind of fell in place.

The bed was pretty rusted so it went to scrap. I still have the plow but we don't get enough snow to bother with it. It's in real good shap if someone wants to make me a reasonable offer. I only go out when the state and county are stuck and I can make good money with 3 5 yard machines.

Sure saves hours and tires on his 1086

Even with a full load ( we managed to keep the scales working ) he just pulls it into the top range ( gears 3 - 6 ) and it moves right out and just pulls it down when unloading to allow higher engine RPM to try to unload about 8 tons in 120' Much easier to manuaver than a tractor and trailer behind.
 
It's been awhile since we bought our hay grinder....but if you buy a used one, I'd take a grease gun along and make sure all the bearings take grease, and the grease doesn't come out between the race and bearing, keep the drive belts REALLY tight, and use the biggest screen you can get by with...they grind alot easier. Check out the hammers. Good luck with it.
 

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