Automatic Stall Feeder

Automatic Stall Feeder Individual cows are served a measured amount of silage with a first-of-its kind automatic stall or stanchion feeder introduced by Johansen Mfg Lakeville Minn A prototype installation has been operating for three years “We’ve monitored it closely making a few refinements and ironing out the bugs We’re now tooled up to produce the feeders commercially ” Loren Johnasen a mechanical engineer who with his father Clarence a DHIA tester in Ottertail County Minn teamed up develop the patented silage/haylage feeder The automatic feeder readily adapts to new or existing barns and can be preset to feed from 0 to about 2 bu of silage per cow per feeding One cow for example can be fed 2 bu of silage the cow on her right 1 bu and the cow on her left can be bypassed completely Silage can be dispensed immediately after the feeder is filled or the feeder can be “loaded” and a timer set to drop the feed automatically at a given time during the day or night Johansen is exploring other uses for the feeder “In feedlots for example it could be used to feed all the cattle simultaneously the entire length of the bunk thus eliminating the usual fighting for position when cattle have to wait to be fed ” he points out It takes about three days to install a complete system for 75 to 100 cows Measurements are taken and the feeder housing then fabricated to the specs Cost of a complete system for a stall or stanchion barn is estimated at about $100 per cow installed For more details contact: FARM SHOW Followup Johansen Mfg Loren Johansen Pres 17971 Ixonia Ave W Lakeville Minn 55044 ph 612 435-8373

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