I am curious what you other guys are charging to feed cows during the winter; mainly what I am looking for is labor cost per cow. We have been charging 25 cents a day per cow to feed. I am thinking that is maybe to low. This is what dad has been charging my uncle, dads brother.
Going to see how good my fences are. The articles I have read through make no mention of a recommended time frame to reintegrate the animals back together and not have the calves go back to nursing. Was curious if anybody has done this.
Kuhn now allows you to access parts catalogs of equipment that you own. https://www.kuhn-usa.com/
Have to register your serial number and sign up in order to gain access to the portal.
From Progressive Forage Grower.
Regards, Mike
https://www.progressiveforage.com/news/product-and-services/november-2018-new-product-rollout
I did not get what I had hoped for, but that is how the ole ball bounces sometimes. That is not the worse thing; they lost two calves. I took in 21 calves, 12 steers, and 9 heifers. In between the time I dropped them off yesterday, and the brand inspector looked that them there was only 20. When they sold today, they only sold 19, so they lost another one for a total two; now I am missing one steer and one heifer. What really makes me mad is they tried to tell me all I brought in was 20. I know damn well that I did not mess up on my count. I plan on going back tomorrow and see what they are going to do. I hope they find them. I think what they did was they were short on pens and they put my calves in with someone else's. To say the least I am little pissed at the moment.
This may sound like a sales pitch but I am trying to do some market research...I hope it's ok.
We are starting on winter maintenance for the equipment that we've sold. This year we are especially focusing on the 6-star tedders but will be also servicing balers and mowers.
I was wondering if there is interest in video service consulting? If I see and hear a yellow baler run, and get a close look at a few key areas, I believe I have enough experience to tell you what needs done and how to do it. I also have experience servicing most brands of single bale wrappers due to consolidation of various brands. I also have experience on Tubeline wrappers and yellow mowers Do you think it is worth working on a setup for video consulting? What do you think it would be worth to you?
I'll be building a new hay barn in the coming months, and was pondering flooring options - my current barn is hotmix (paved) asphalt, which I loved everything but the cost of putting it in (I'm sure Larry knows my pain here), and was curious if anyone had used a good bed of rolled millings (mixed grade to let it all lock in) to obtain a similar result at a fraction of the cost?
I am looking for options in a pull type square bale accumulator in the 10 bale stack and came across Hay Master's pull accumulator. Have only seen on line but like it based upon what I have found. Price is just under $8,000. The accumulator and grapple are just under $11,000. Have not even watch the grapple video but $3,000 for grapple depending on the unit is a good price I think. But watching video is not same as experience.
Open for recommendation on any pull type accumulator. I am sorry but do not remember who in SC here said he used I think a Parrish unit.
Thanks
I have some weak pastures that were put in last fall, but due to the incredibly wet winter/spring, I had parts of my place that only have about 25-30% take. Everything else is weeds. I wanted to overseed this fall, however, again, the wet weather kept me out of the pastures.
I don't know what this winter will be like. Last winter, I couldn't get out in the fields at all because they were wet and soft. The winter before, I could drive over everything without leaving a tire mark. However, I am trying to figure out what to do with these weak areas of my pasture.
They currently are OG/KBG planted into a soybean/corn field. Some areas are great and others are awful. I am fearful that the amount of 'bare' ground will allow lots of henbit to grow over the winter. I've even thought about pulling out the sprayer and spraying it, to clear the ground for seeding (should it show up again in the weak areas.)
But, I was also thinking that if I had enough cold days in Jan/Feb to get a hard ground, could I take a NT drill over the ground and overseed OG/KBG directly? I know people try broadcasting, and there is a thread here discussing it, but it seems like there is significantly varied results. OSU has an article discussing using a NT drill in such a manner, but I wanted your opinions as well. https://wayne.osu.edu/news/frost-seeding-drill
My issue is, I have weak grass (with good soil samples although I am going to recheck samples hopefully next week, if I get a day of dry enough weather.) and either need to spray the weeds which showed up this summer or put something in which can out compete them and fertilize the heck out of it.
Spraying dicamba/2-4D (Weedmaster) pushes me back 30 days for reseeding. If I spray mid march, that pushes me to mid/late April to Overseed. I was hoping that by seeding in winter, I could get the grasses growing, and spray weeds In April or so, hopefully not hurting the new grass that much and getting a better handle on weeds. I think if I can just get the grass growing well, the weeds won't be an issue.
What herbicide would put a hurting on horsenettle or what is the best way to get rid of horsenettle. Is it to late now to apply herbicide for horsenettle. I was reading there are several herbicides that have a Supplemental Labeling so that you could sell the hay that was treated to someone off the farm or ranch. Thanks for the help
For those who have Medicare the time to look at their drug coverage normally a PDP or Prescription Drug Plan, if they have a MAPD or Medicare Advantage Plus Drug or they are considering one. Your time table is now till December 7th. This year you have a new time table or option for changing coverage on MA plans only for the first three months of 2019 to change your MA plan one time only. This new this year.
Some quick thoughts there: the web site Medicare.gov look on the left side for Medicare or Drug coverage. It takes a few minutes but well worth it. If you work with an agent they should do this for you. You will need list of all your prescriptions, dosage and frequency. Also the pharmacy you use.
If you have a MAPD plan you need to do same but also check the providers you are using are still in the plan or new ones you may wish to use are in their network. Also verify changes in your plan.
The web site will compare different plans in reasonable detail. Please know plans can change each year and many are caught off guard.
For those who are on an ACA, Obamacare or Affordable Care Act plan November 1st till December 15th is your window to apply for the coverage or change your coverage. If you think you may be eligible for a subsidy to help pay for it the time to complete the Federal Market Place Application to see if you do and if so the amount. Again if you work with an agent they ought to help you with this. If you think you make too much to do me a favor and yourself, go to the web site KFF.org and search for subsidy calculator. No info is given to any one by you unless your zip code and income together identifies you. Some of you will find you are eligible for subsidy and did not realize it. Have couples who make $70,000 and still get a subsidy. Now they are in their sixties. For a younger couples they would not for their insurance will cost less.
Now if you have self employed income and your income is just a few thousand above the limit do yourself two favors: lower your income and this is your NET income, by a few thousand till your income is low enough to qualify. If that is say no more than less say $10,000 the look at a HSA (health savings account) and a High Deductible Plan (you must has a HDP as defined by the IRS) and also a Tax Deductible IRA. Helped a client with this and his subsidy is large enough to fund both for him. He now is building retirement and Health Savings Account. All is legal under tax code. Just know how to place it. If you have a good accountant they should be able to help you with this and again your agent should know all this and help with the numbers.
I truly recommend working with an Independent agent who is licensed with and sells with several companies. It is amazing how much the drug coverage for those on Medicare can vary between plans especially if you take expensive medications. Also for those on Medicare if your individual income is less than about $19,000 annually and for married couple think the figure is about $24,000 you need to do a simple search for "Low Income Subsidy" for drug coverage. You can do it on line again with option to do an inquiry without providing personal info but also do formal app or call for help. There are boxes on the very bottom of that page to make your selection.
A couple of hours can make a huge difference for some of you and your family. If you have a simple question I will be glad to help. Hope you well in your insurance needs.
Still working on getting my neighbor's 644 working, and am almost there except the net wrap wasn't spreading out correctly. Found the spreader roll was stuck, so after working it a little it spins now but not easily. I'd like to replace the bearings, and am following your instructions but am having a hard time finding the proper spot of the duckbill and sledge where it will line up with a hole in the case. My 644 looks a little different than the baler shown in your pictures. I have the holes where the sledge gear idler bolts are visible and then one smaller hole down lower and forward a little, but nothing seems to line up with the spreader roll. I've pushed the sledge forward and back, and extended and retracted the duckbill all the way. Is there a trick I'm missing?
I just purchased a 458 net wrap baler with approx. 23,000 bales on it, with a broken belt tension arm. I is broken near the RH gate hydraulic cylinder. My question is there is a sensor at the end of the tension arm with holes in the bracket. The tension arm has a "peg" on the end. Any idea which hole it would go in? A place to start would be a help.
I know this has been a thread but searching for soil sampling did not reveal it. Due to old age and worn out rotator cuffs irritated by rock wall construction and wood stacking along with the first dry ground of the season, I was convinced to try the soil sampling device that has been discussed on HT. Got my two gal supplement bucket, drilled a 1-1/4" hole in the bottom with a hole saw, and put a 1" conduit coupling above and below. Found a 1" ship auger 18" bit on sale at the hardware store and with my trusty dewalt 18v cordless was ready to go. Man that was the easiest sampling I ever did and the auger bit broke the soil up so I was not toiling over it with a rolling pin before mixing and putting it in the sample box. Now my only question is why didn't you guys convince me to do this sooner? 
How do I get this thing apart to fix it???
This is the story of the winning alfalfa that beat out our FarmerCline in the SE Hay Contest.
Regards, Mike
This is a fascinating piece of machinery that we have talked about a little bit in the past. If you care to read a little more, click the Tribine link at the end of the short update. There is some very good very short videos on Tribine and its ongoing development and operation.
Regards, Mike
https://www.agweb.com/article/tribine-builds-strength-names-new-coo/
AgWeb.
Regards, Mike
https://www.agweb.com/article/bird-repelling-corn-seed-treatment-available/
Wondering if anybody had an experience in baling green feed oats with a precutter on the baler, if so, do the knives tend to hull the oats?
AgWeb.....Fallon, Nevada.
Regards, Mike
https://www.agweb.com/article/is-myles-getto-18-the-farming-future-of-teff/
I have had 3 and when working they did good but not that impressed with the life span. But now thinking about it one was given to me so I don't know its age. I don't use them that much and store inside with battery disconnected when not in use. I am guessing 5 years of ownership with 2 years of real use,and several new batteries in them.
Has made me wonder if the older style with a automotive battery and independent solar trickal charger would be a better way to go.
Anyway I need another one soon so any thoughts on what has been good or bad.
Background...about the only real experience I have with cattle is eating them. I am contemplating buying another bred cow and the seller advertises that she is being treated for ear mites.
I called him and asked about the mites as I have NO experience with that; he states that he doesn't know much about them either but had another cattle guy tell him that was her problem. She was shaking her head a lot. He has been treating her with (I assume) a pour-on worm/parasite treatment; he has it one of those back-rub deals. He claims “she's about over it” and has all-but stopped shaking her head.
Are ear mites a big deal?
Need to quarantine her for awhile until they're gone?
Will they spread to my other critters (sheep and another cow).
Does it EVEN sound like an ear mite issue?
Thanks, Mark
Starting to get calls from multiple sources as locals are looking for horse quality squares and not much in the supply department. Most say "we guy we normally get hay from just could not get as much made this year and has none for sale". From comments on HT, not much better a fair distance south and into PA and southern NY. Going to be a long winter for some and they will hit spring with much lighter wallets. I am sold out for the year. People who normally use squares are talking unrolling rounds in the barn to feed. Did that one time, will only repeat the process if desperate. Hearing Jr Walker's sax in the background...
Add to our shortage the hurricane damage to farms and buildings and it is likely to get butt ugly this year.
Well I have talked myself into trying this . I have some ground that needs to be redone next year anyway . I have plenty of hay . Thinking I can do this , resew in spring without fert cost . build the ground so to speak . and I don't have to feed hay every 2 days .
Talk me out of it if you can .
Or let me know your experience if you have done or do this .
Thanks Dave
We have a McHale 995 wrapper. The electronic control box has some problems inside from getting wet. The local dealer said we can send it back to Ireland for repair. Said about $250 to send , $250 return mail and Around $250 to repair. Does anyone know of a company in the unites States that could do the repair? Thanks Bob Miller
My yard is a mix of KY31 fescue with volunteer KBG. Some fairly significant sized areas are turning yellow orange. Not close to frost yet, mid 40s is the lowest we have had. Plenty of slope, good surface and soil drainage. Kind of looks like cereal rust. What puzzles me is that KY31 is the go to grass around here that will withstand anything. Any Ideas?
For the foreseeable future I'll only be bringing two steers, twice a year to the butcher. Of course it's always nice to leave some extra space for the future. I recently tried to get two steers to load into my little two horse and that didn't go that well. Thinking if I had something bigger they would load a little easier since it shouldn't look like a trap. Also not exactly sure of the weight capacity of my two horse, would be nice to be able to load and not have to worry about it. Been looking in the 14' to 16' range. My first thought was my typical, buy something used and cheap and fix it up. Around here you're looking around $1500 for a rusty used 16' stock trailer. A decent used one is $3000, at that price it should be pretty much good to go. I quickly started liking the idea of just paying the extra now and not having the frustration of a beat up one. 3rd option is just to go new and really not have to worry about it. 14x5 WW brand, $4700, 16x6 Calico $5400, 16x6 Cornpro $6000. I was liking the idea of the 14', that seemed like it would suit me pretty well but am a little concerned about only being 5' wide. Again don't want the steers to feel pinched and be a pain about loading.
This is the first year I've had alfalfa on this property. It has been a rough year as it has not done well. But each cutting it is much better than the last.
Anyway, last cutting was about 2nd week of September, and we thought it was going to be done. My guy packed up and took his equipment home for the winter.
But we have had hot weather and lots of rain, and now my alfalfa/OG looks the best it has all year. It is about 14-16" high without blooming.
The question I have is... do I cut it this late or just leave it? I don't have a 'need' for it and my major goal would be to do whatever would be best for the field for NEXT year.
What is your opinion? Wouid just leaving it be best for next year's crop or should I just have someone take what they can get this late in the year? The weather has NOT been great for haying and given the hurricanes, I suspect it won't be very good for at least a week if at all.
Anyone have any first hand experience with drying times using steel rollers and flail conditioners on a disc mower conditioner?
I've got an old Vermeer 7120 with the steel rollers and my father just picked up a nice 1412 NH with the flails, and I used the latter to cut a couple of fields last week. Granted it was mostly short, blade hay but I didn't notice any difference in drydown. I did notice the flail machine didn't crack the stems on the taller grasses like my steel roller machine does, and am curious how they will perform on 1st cutting hay with taller stems.
I need to pick up a newer discbine in the next couple of years, and was planning to look around for a well kept Vermeer 840 and keep my old 7120. The NH is built a lot lighter, but seems to do a good job so it's got me wondering.
Any opinions would be appreciated.
OK...looking for some very basic practical advice. I just bought a used 3pt ,150 gal., 20ft boom sprayer ,3 section manual valve, with a roller pump to do pastures and hay fields. Previously I hired my spraying of bigger hay fields , but I used a small 10ft, 12v, 25 gal sprayer for small paddocks. So I have been through the basic calibration process.
I plan to spray 2-4 d, or Crossbow or Grazon Next HL ...depending on the field.
I got the manual for the sprayer on-line (not very good) , But here are my very basic questions.
I don't want to run the pump dry so how does it prime with a full tank? What valves do I need to open? My previous sprayer did not have aggitation so how much should that valve be opened?
Can I run at low RPM or do I need higher RPM to make the pump get up to the proper PSI?
What PSI do you try to use for spraying? What boom height with 20" nozzle spacing?
How many gallons per acre do you suggest as a target to get good coverage?
What else do I need to know to run this sprayer? What is the best clean out/ draining and winterization process?
I know these are very basic questions, but you have been down this road and I would like you experienced advice.
Thanks,
I recently bought a JD 6430. I have a friend that has a 6330. My question: is there a secret to changing 540 to 1000 or vice versa. Holding the snap ring and pushing it in does not always work. We keep fiddling with it and finally it goes in and don't know why it works in that spot. One of the selling points is it is a dry changeover but I can change my 4440 or 50 faster but it is messy even when you set the tractor on an angle. The manual does not give clear directions. Do you just have just changing until you find that sweet spot? Is there something better than a pair of pliers to hold the snap ring? You get it about right and have to move it a little and bam snap ring comes off the pliers. 
If this has been discussed please delete and send me a link to the thread, I couldn't find it.
Just curious on what others' do besides make hay. Do you have a day job, farm other stuff, also how many acres of hay do you cover in a season.
I'll start us off. My dad and I raise a few head of black angus. I make hay becuase i like to, it feeds our stock and i sell some as well. My grandpa always had cows growing up and we now run his farm, with his 87 years of knowledge (good or bad) to help out, we are both thankful for that most of the time. I'm a Civil Engineer and have a day job. I do about 60 acres of hay a year, 3 or 4 cuttings depending on weather.
What do you all do.
From Progressive Forage Grower.....and commentary from several HayTalk members. 
Regards, Mike
https://www.progressiveforage.com/news/industry-news/2018-hay-season-wrap-up
Ok, over seeded orchard grass around the 13th of Sept after the field was clipped as short as I could get it with the bushhog. It is about 1-2" tall now. Grass around is mostly orchard, averaging about 6" in length but obviously some is 12". Tomorrow is dry. Would you clip the fields again to say 4-5" and risk the damage to the new seedlings or let it go a while. Would you clip later after it dries out from the TS remnant we get Thurs. Just curious. thanks.
looking at 4 foot wide round balers. I know how many bales matters but how old is to old from a parts stand point. I looked at a 1993 8455 case but the monitor was discontinued so if it was bad no replacement.
I am not sure when company's stop making parts.
I can't afford a new one but I would like to be able to get parts for a few years at least till I get a better understanding of what I am doing.
and can justify newer equipment.
With the tractors I have I am thinking a 504 Vermeer or a John Deere. the thing I want it to have is a monitor and auto tie.
The 5800 Rounder Heston is to big for my tractors and manual tie is to hard to see how the strings are wrapping around the bale.
No tilled 17 acres with rye today with a rented drill. Through a misunderstanding of feed settings I ended up planting about 17 lbs / acre rather than 25lbs/ acre recomended.
Should I go back and cross drill or just not worry about it? Will I get a decent stand at 17?
Operators of Vermeer rd balers especially the model 604M need to be careful ejecting bales on slopes because bales can fall over!! 
We bought a bull yesterday I hate any purchases like this. I question my decisions more and more these days.
Anyways...……………
I sorta liked this one.
She liked the one on the left.
This time around it was her call.
I have a recently purchased John Deere 568 round baler. Makes great bales with the exception of one issue. After 10 -15 successful bales it shows the bale door isn't shut after ejecting a finished bale. It appears to be collecting hay chaf at the bottom of the baler, where the door closes therefore not allowing the door to close all the way. This issue varies with the quality and dryness of the particular hay I'm baling that day.
Any ideas on how to avoid this...
Getting it done in a hurry.2-12 rows.
https://www.facebook.com/cy.eisele/videos/2150619451617422/
As had been suggested my wear plates evidently are shot... so much so that I'm not really sure how to install new ones. When I took off the knife clips I find a mix of one or two remains of what I assume used to be wear plates.. then washers on the bottom. Is having the washers on the bottom correct? I feel they may have been added as spacers of some sort as the new (tractor supply universal) wear plates are thicker than the remains of what was left over.
Then... my assumption is that the wear plates "waterfall" down and should go over the upper edge of the guard. While certainly tighter, this seems to make sesne to me as a wear item and the bar still runs smooth (I've only installed too thus far). If that's not correct, what is? Thanks!
Or am I so far off that I need to buy another photo copied manual to add to my collection of over priced poorly made manuals?
Does any one still use straight 2-4 d Amine in grass hay. Restrictions? Cost? Safety? Manure carryover? Will it kill dogbane, thistle, and cockleburr?
So Sunday and today (Tuesday) I made about 75 4x5's because of a rare break in the typical frequent rain we've had for 2 months. Also pressure from the property manager to get the fields baled up.
The hay was cut 10 days ago and teddered twice. It was mostly brown. Ground could be described as damp, but not wet mud. Temp was 80 degrees. While raking, the hay "sounded" fairly dry (lots of "swish" sound).While baling, the in cab readout of the Harvest Tec was reading 17-19% which is fine for my buyer.. First 5 bales were bad. They had "HI" readings intermittantly through the bales. 18-HI-19-HI-18 etc. Then, I hit my stride and as the sun got into the raked hay, the readings settled in the 17-19 range.
BTW: None of this hay will ever go inside. Its mulch king hay.
At end of the day today, I stabbed the bales I made Sunday (48 hours ago) with my hand held (typical $150 rebadged JD or NH type) as I always do after i make bales, and man the readings were sky high. Like 25-99.9 on the hand held readout. I was pretty blown away. I was tired and it was getting dark, so I left for the night.
The temps on the bales made Sunday afternoon (48 hours ago) were about 100 degrees, which seems ok. A little heating is expected with 19% round bales. Also noteworthy that when I stabbed the bales, most times, the probe slid in quite easily, another sign I thought meant decent hay.
Most times both my meters read real close, like 1-2* difference if anything at all.
Anyone have their Harvest tec in cab get really inaccurate?
Has anybody baled teff grass after it has been frosted? If so what was the outcome?
The amish guy up the road from me has gotten into the veal calf business and has set up his barn to have a manure pit (liquid manure). He has been emptying it himself with a 300 gallon tank on the back of his wagon, but after talking with him, he would be fine with me taking the manure for free just to get it out of his way. I do have a small Knight side slinger spreader that needs some work, but I noticed a Better-Bilt 1100 gallon liquid spreader in an online auction. I have never dealt with liquid spreaders before, but from what I can tell about this unit, it has a pump for loading the tank, but just uses a manual valve on the back to empty it without the pump. I would probably build something on the back to help spread the liquid out a little (the amish guy used an angled board behind his tank and it seemed to work ok). I also wouldn't necessarily have to use the pump to fill it since his pit is built into the side of a hill and has the drain pipe high enough in the air that I could back under it.
I currently have a JD 4230 as my 'big' tractor and also have a JD 4020. I'm thinking these should be big enough for the job and I do have extra bolt-in weights I can put in the rear tires. Am I being overly confident?
Anyone on here ever seen/used one of these Better-Bilt units? Any pros/cons to using the liquid manure on my hay fields?
From Drovers....some good tips.
Regards, Mike
https://www.drovers.com/article/starting-newly-weaned-calves-feed
