How many of us find a product these days that does what it promises?  Even rarer to find one that does 2 or 3 different jobs - even more than it promises.

Farmers are finding the "Waste-Not" Stockfeeder to be much more versatile than they first thought.  The Feeders are usually bought with one purpose in mind, but farmers soon recognise that they can be used in many other ways, with many different benefits.

A family from the beautiful Kiewa Valley recently started using a Feeder to keep hay in front of their poddy calves.  An original round model Feeder was filled up with a roll of high quality, pure clover hay to keep 45 Jersey and Friesian poddies happy and growing.  In this type of system, the Feeder works very well in reducing waste, and cutting time spent feeding.  Because the calves can't quite reach into the centre, a small core is left until the Feeder is moved and refilled, allowing the calves access to the centre core. Each individual calf gets better access to more hay resulting in better growth - the Feeder tends to take the "tail" out of the mob.

Terry and Thea Allan, the designers of the "Waste-Not" Stockfeeder, are finding that dairy farmers often buy the Feeder to stop wastage in the calving pad or calving paddock, but then discover that it is excellent in the poddy calves paddock,  and can then follow the poddy calves out onto the run-off block as yearlings. Growth rates are usually very acceptable on just hay, but grain can also be added to the hay in the Feeders for an additional boost.

"Waste-Not" Stockfeeders offer this versatility as well as the huge benefits of time and labour savings.  The Feeders only need to be filled every few days because the hay you feed goes further and you can put out more hay to start since the Feeder eliminates the usual waste. You can continue to use rolls all year even rolls of silage.  These time and labour savings are even greater if the mob is carried on the run-off block away from home.

The "Waste-Not" Stockfeeder now comes in a large range of models to suit any feeding system.  A feeding system can be designed to suit your operation and Terry will be happy to discuss any special needs or feeding situations.

One example of using a "Waste -Not" FAIR GO Dairy Feed Pad system next to the dairy and without a shed, would allow:

• All the milkers to be fed as they leave the shed after each milking
• Feeding 20-40 minutes of hay to each cow night and morning  if required (they will get "oodles"      of hay - probably more than they are getting now)
• Only taking 15-20 minutes each 3 days to do all the feeding up.
• Save wear and tear on the laneways and wet paddocks.
• Use the same hay and Feeder for springers or even dry cows (they could be on an adjacent calving   paddock or ricehull/sawdust pad - a  "lounge room").
• Lead feeding some grain to the springers to prepare their rumen for grain in the shed when they calve.

This plan was based on an operation of 250 milkers.  The secret was using a rectangular "Waste-Not" FAIR GO Dairy Feed Pad long enough to hold three sides of the herringbone on each side of the Feeder.
   
If you're contemplating a calving pad or loafing barn, talk to us first. Systems for feeding pads, rice-hull pads, silage pits, sheds and hay stacks feature:

• Waste is virtually
• Saving of valuable leaf
• Reducing bossing and encouraging shy feeders
• Constructed of high tensile, galvanised steel and is usually free-standing
• Saving time spent feeding up
• Made to your specifications
• Set up on gravel as cows are only on the Pad for about "1/3 of a crap" per day!

A feeding system can be set up to incorporate units that would:

• Feed a set ration of hay or silage to all milkers; and ad lib hay to the springers
• Utilise the same feed pad for feeding milkers as well as springers and dry cow
• Allow Feeding up to be done quicker and more efficiently - 15 minutes each 2-5 days to feed the whole herd.
• Allow the feeding area to be kept as small as possible to save on concrete or gravelled area