south central IOWA | dfarmann - 11/20/2012 19:00
I'm doing the same thing only to Beef Cows and Heifers.
Profits will go DOWN because of that $4.00/gal diesel fuel you'll be burning.
40 gallon fuel in the loader tractor(6420) would last most of a month feeding dry Baled Hay last few years, now 5083E on TMR uses 40 gal a week.
I'm not liking this.
Dave
I thought about that too as we are feeding our cattle every day with the mixer wagon and have nothing sitting in the bale rings.
Using your numbers...... Say a guy has 30 cows eating a 1500lb bale/day out of the bale ring. That's 50lbs/cow/day. Out of the TMR into bunks or tires or whatever, there is basically no waste so you feed them 35lbs./cow/day. That's a 30% savings in hay.
Right now you can buy CRP hay for $75/bale but let's use $100/bale as that would get better quality if hay is all you are feeding. So in a month they eat 30 bales out of the ring =$3000
Out of the TMR they are eating 30% less so that is 21 bales/month =$2100.........for a difference of $900.
To feed out of rings you are spending $160/month in fuel ($4.00x40) and the TMR is $640/month ($4.00x40x4)......for a difference of $480.
You just saved $420/month. Just think what you can buy with an extra $14 per day.
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dry hay in vertical TMR
