Chopping Sorghum-Sudangrass/Filling an Upright Stave Silo

We finally wrapped up all of the first crop hay of 2022. Now it's time to handle the sorghum-sudangrass. We have tried planting it before, but the crop never amounted to anything. That is definitely not the case this year. Alan's plan is to chop it and put it in our smaller silo. The 820 John Deere Tractor and New Holland 489 Haybine really had their work cut out for them as there were times you couldn't even see it from the tractor. After a couple days of drying, the sorghum was ready to chop. While lifting up the silo unloader, the tripod pulley broke, so with help from our neighbor, Caleb, and Alan's brother, Paul, they quickly took apart and removed the Van Dale Silo Unloader. The Gehl Long Box Blower was attached to the Silo, and the Case 830 was revving up to run it. The International 1256 and New Holland 790 Chopper started out chopping. The Farmall 560 was used for pulling wagons. In 2 days it was all done, but there is still a little more room in the silo, so Alan is going to chop some second crop hay to fill it all the way up. Once the silo is full, Alan can replace the tripod and pulley.
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Trinity Dairy was established in 2006, in Minnesota. Alan and Jennifer farm with their 5 children; Jessica, Justin, Jordan, Joshua, and Jason. We milk a mix of 33 Jersey, Holstein, Brown Swiss, Guernsey, and Ayrshire cattle. We also enjoy sharing our family's love of Draft Horses and using them for logging and other farm work. Dairy Farming in Minnesota can be challenging, but it's a lifestyle we really enjoy. Subscribe today to watch our small family dairy farm and family grow while continuing to thank our Lord for the blessings we've been given.

[@davevonmuenster6649]

Your men folk are awesome fixing stuff. You ladies run a good crew. Thanks I grew up just like this.

[@KUD6174]

Your children are your greatest assets. Give them love, good education and training. They will be very successful citizens and make you and your family happy.

[@cadcad4974]

Your videographer does an excellent job; it's crisp, clear, and with great content. It's as if I'm right there on the farm; it's beautiful; thank you for sharing!🙂

[@markheckert744]

It’s so heartwarming to see the children helping you with the things that they are able to do. It makes them feel proud helping you with your chores. Before long they will be helping you out more and more. Hopefully at least one of your children will want to farm like you do. A small family farm who works with older equipment the way they did before the big farms moved into agriculture. Keep up the good work you and your wife should be so very proud of your family and friends with a special appreciation for your children. God Bless you and your family and friends.

[@trinitydairy]

Thank you!

[@rodneyrtennis1279]

Absolutely love the older equipment. Definitely still getting it done. Memories of my Grandparents dairy farm in Vale, South Dakota.💞🇺🇸

[@donaldoswald5329]

Great seeing these older and smaller tractors continue to work the farm, reminder that horsepower does not need to benew and shiny, also appreciate the fact using, Deere, International Harvester, Case and New Holland, each good companies, keep up your fine work!

[@canvids1]

Filling that silo is old school. takes me back to my young lad days back in the early 50's. Thanks Allan for the great video.

[@tenkiller9999]

I'm love the way the kids are pitching in with the work. The little guy was so proud being able to help hitching up the wagon. May God bless your family!

[@wreckandraceify]

You made the right decision to chop it. We made wet Sudan bales a few years ago, they love the leaves, but sort the stalks pretty hard

[@falconaviator1]

I love the older equipment.

[@mattlundeen9358]

Great video! My dad was doing some fencing years ago and was using a silage wagon to haul fence posts. H e forgot a couple up in the front of the wagon and then chopped a load of silage into there. Fired up the wagon to unload and luckily my brother caught the two fence posts before they made it to the impeller of the silo filler. When my dad found out, he said “I forgot all about those!” Could’ve been a bad, bad day!

[@trinitydairy]

Oh man that would've been bad, thank goodness they were spotted.

[@terrynoland487]

Another great video with excellent content and all hands on deck

[@raymondo162]

WOW that's an enviable collection of classic tractors.

[@bruceprentice6441]

I enjoy watching the classic tractors doing the job. The chop length could make pitching the feed out of the silo a job

[@robertgonzales5515]

Awesome video. Good to see hard working folks. That little guy does a good job hooking up trailers. God Bless .

[@dennisholst4322]

He is learning more at the same time

[@ronmetz9172]

My granddad didn’t have a silo unloaded. Whenever I was around, I was his silo unloader. Forking that corn silage down the chute was hard work but I loved the smell.

[@trinitydairy]

I've had to do that a few times. When Jen was pregnant, I throw it down the chute and she'd fork it around the bunk. Never did bring on her labor like she hoped.

[@somethinburnin]

Woohoo!! We use to fill 14x45 Harder with Sudex Triple Cross. Dad loved it.

[@robertguidry4577]

Enjoy watching your videos. Have a good day, God Bless.

[@pinesedgefarm1155]

Looks like good feed. Lots of music to my ears. A least the unloader didn't fall.

[@trinitydairy]

Yeah I was very happy about that!

[@geraldsundberg3610]

The ol Case sounds good working!

[@mattutke4704]

Thanks for the video Alan 🚜 I went to the breakfast on the farm by Perham this morning so that was pretty fun, good food too 😋🥞🍳

[@french-canadianfarmer5049]

Very nice feed. Despite the volume the sorghum seems to flow very nicely through the haybine. We got a bit closer to getting a interview with your grandpa. I'm sure he has good stories to tell.

[@fasrfreddy]

sorghum looks good, you all got it going on….be careful, god bless your family…

[@carsonward665]

Thanks for sharing.

[@robertwhitfield8462]

No electronics on that old girl. Way to go

[@hartungdairyfarm0713]

Always hated raising the silo unloaders. We had a tripod give out once, kinda same deal you got going on. I had a crew come in and put in a new one with it empty, they had to be crazy to do that for a living lol. Nice looking crop 👌

[@juniorramirez1073]

Beautiful fields. Nice job.

[@Pennies_on_the_dollar]

Man yeah, getting that stuff chopped and in the silo!! Seems that sorghum did fairly well!! That's case sure does sound good with the 560's straight pipe 😁😁 Hope y'all get a chance this winter to fix that valve, that is a sweet tractor!! That was awesome seeing grandpa out there, what I would give to have that chance right now with doing what I'm doing 😁😁🙏🙏 Thank goodness the unloader was able to be lowered! Hopefully y'all can get the tripod fixed up! Really enjoyed seeing the little one helping hook the wagons!! Y'all are amazing!! Love every min of it!! Looking fwd to more!! 😁😁😁🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

[@dennisholst4322]

Guy told me oats was tough to get up the pipe

[@br927]

Silage is good, you can also let dry about 75 percent, and makes good bailage! We used some neighbor's silos, I was the unloader! Back the truck under the chute! That Farmall sounded like my old 52 JDB on the chop wagon! 🤣

[@dobberaaron6658]

Another great video glad that all fit in there get them other ones silos filled up and tractors are in good I like to hear the sound of animal girls you guys take care stay cool God bless and make some more good videos

[@danmaggert7119]

wish we had smellavision i love the smell of fresh chopping

[@mikebrown1188]

I was suprised how easily your haybine cut it. That will make some nice feed.

[@naturegirlmia]

I feel for ya. Once my pully wasnt turning and it snapped the old cable on a very old but great running unloade in my 14-50r!!! It hit the bottom of the silo and became, well two, three maybe four unloaders on impact. Found a nice Clay unloader to replace it with. Neighbor had a unloader break the cable as he was filling. He put 6 loads of Corn Silage on top of it before he noticed it. Myself and a couple of neighbors along with him forked down to it and got it back up. Little to no damage as it landed on fresh chopped C Silage!!! The looks like GREAT feed your cutting btw!! Kev!!

[@ronniewayne5748]

Awesome video as always !!!

[@drknockers5716]

Love your videos Keep up good work

[@farawayfarm2520]

That will make nice feed. Your haybine does a nice job on that. I guess I don't have to worry about cutting mine. 👍🙂

[@richardhoover7569]

Your cows will love this, has a high sugar content. We used to feed this in place of corn silage and it worked well.

[@rick5482]

We planted Sorghum in the row with the corn for dairy feed. Worked extremely well.

[@johnallford7053]

Good show,👍

[@MUFFLERDELETE101]

1st wooohooo..oh man I can't wait to see my Minnesota famliy in a few weeks love yalll..

[@trinitydairy]

Everyone here is really looking forward to it! The kids want to show you around the threshing show.

[@MUFFLERDELETE101]

Awesome I been ready to come out for months now..

[@HumbleHaymakers]

Great video...👍

[@ralphriddle8864]

Good job and God bless yall

[@johnalexander8589]

Poor grandpa we all get to that point make you feel sad you can’t drive tractors no more I’m already there

[@tenkiller9999]

Me too John.

[@ronaldfeuerstein435]

Thanks for the video. You a keeper farm hand there.. he know how to pin a wagon. You look pretty proud there when your grand dad showed up.. it seen like with us.. silo unloader will always break when it all the way to the top... those electric motors are heavy.. lol

[@trinitydairy]

I just wish I had some video of him when he was still able to be out there himself driving tractor.

[@tomcrane3115]

Like your channel very good job

[@JGDIXON88]

Looks like the 489 did a good job cutting that. Wasn’t sure it would cut that stalkier grass quite that good. Should be some good feed.

[@williamspates1015]

Old 830 just purring three of the best tractors built your using 1257,560 and 830

[@dennisholst4322]

What's a 1257 a scraper CAT hasn't built

[@williamspates1015]

@@dennisholst4322 it was supposed to say 1256 glad you caught that a year later.

[@floridamanrun463]

Nice 👍🐊

[@rebelgaming7718]

Back at it again eh alan

[@richardjohnson5883]

We started running autolite 283 plugs in our 560 we hauled with. Sitting idling while unloading wagons it would foul plugs every year. They made a big difference on the carbon build up.

[@dennisholst4322]

Put some good gasin

[@vishavvishavsekhon2836]

In indian we also grow sorghum but we give it fresh a cut with scyth when it grow around 5 foot and then chop with chaff cutter and f mix with chaff and directly feed to cattle on daily basis

[@danaedwards5464]

is that crop a high sugar content crop have never dealt with it before the stalks almost look like sugar cane and thumbs up for the Case on the blower she was working hard

[@trinitydairy]

Yeah I think it is pretty high in sugar

[@tenkiller9999]

@@trinitydairy It will make good sweet milk!

[@redbovine]

Yep. Chopping with a silage cutter is better. If you do have to bale it use a baler with a crop cutter in it.

[@anthonyhengst2908]

Wow! That's a bit of bad luck about the silo unloader. Glad you were able to lower it without it falling and no one got hurt. When we ensilage sorghum Sudan grass the cows milked pretty good on that. When I green chopped it, they pooped a little thin. That was our experience anyway. I was wondering what your haybine cut is? With that Sudan grass it almost looked like a 7 ft. With that tall grass, my eye may have deceived me.

[@trinitydairy]

It's a 9 foot cut. Yeah I was glad nothing and no one got hurt.

[@ronmetz9172]

Sounds like the 560 has a miss. Am I right? Sure is nice to see a part of the country that’s green.

[@trinitydairy]

It has a bad valve that I'm hoping to get fixed this winter

[@Chico-td2fy]

Good one ya'll....time to go chop some grass .....I mean mow the lawn 🚜 😁 🐄

[@missourirob7712]

The ss always feeds good in a ration. Everyone has said it' doesn't test well, I always gain milk and components. So it feeds better than it tests, makes alot of tonnage, and doesn't need much water to grow. I plant some after I chop wheat, usually mix millitt in with.

[@trinitydairy]

I had millet mixed with this, seemed to turn out really good. Thanks for watching!

[@missourirob7712]

You bet. Is there any milk markets to be had up there? Looking to get to a cooler climate. This is too hot for milking cows down here.

[@trinitydairy]

@@missourirob7712 I'm not sure if they are taking any new milk, there is a couple creamery's in our area, but I think they are full. It's so sad, they used to compete for milk, now a new person can't even start up.

[@missourirob7712]

@@trinitydairy I guess they have enough milk with the big farms. They better be careful, one of these days they may not need the co-op. Some of the big ones bypass and sell directly to the market.

[@trinitydairy]

@@missourirob7712 yeah, that's what I say too.

[@ethanlee9441]

Before i forget Happy Thanksgiving

[@trinitydairy]

Thanks! Same to you

[@ethanlee9441]

@Trinity Dairy i just got done taking pics of it

[@rogerhance2057]

I New Jersey they usually wait until fall when the heads are right on the sorghum

[@michaelgrant4825]

If there is a chance you might lose what you have to drought (which was evident on the high ground), best to cut it "now" before it looks like straw.

[@tonybunch543]

👌

[@jaycool7805]

👍👍

[@rogerhance2057]

Keith Fink Green chop‘s sedan grass in the feeder wagon for the cows

[@dennisholst4322]

Different maturities with green chopping

[@richardhawks4684]

I seen sourgum in Florida around 6-7 feet tall

[@brentalbrecht4837]

About how many wagon loads does it take to fill that silo? What is the size of it? Thanks. Keep up the hard work

[@trinitydairy]

I've never kept track of the loads. It's a 14/25.

[@dennisholst4322]

Empty the gas tank replace the screen and rebuild the carburator

[@intheknow7659]

Ever have any issues with Prussic Acid? We grew 3 acres this year, really scares you when you read about it. But I did read with forage, vs grazing it breaks down to where its not an issue.

[@trinitydairy]

Yeah, it's pretty scary to read about. I've never had any issues with it, but I haven't planted sorghum Sudan grass, much.

[@rubenmanitowabi5671]

Cool video new to the channel what’s that thinga ma jig on the side of the wagon that’s working like a clock?

[@trinitydairy]

That's the ratchet, that pulls the main apron chain .

[@dorperranch3748]

Alan, how fast are you able to cut that? Looks like you’re moving right along. We’ve always had pretty good luck with sorghum Sudan. Tried millet this year.

[@trinitydairy]

I'm not sure the speed, but I run in 5th gear.

[@dorperranch3748]

@@trinitydairy thanks for the response. One thing I wanted to complement you on is your interaction with your viewers. I’ve been watching since the get go and I’ve yet to have a question you haven’t responded to. No many channels maintain their interaction like you do as their channel grows. Appreciate the content and interaction!

[@trinitydairy]

I always appreciate when I comment on a video and get a response. Jen and I tag team it so we get through the comments pretty fast

[@tm679]

If your looking for silo unloader parts contact Hanson silo lake Lillian mn still service and sell parts for silo unloaders

[@ronaldvadnais9256]

Sounds like the tractors skipping

[@blainsaunders8378]

it sounds like the 560 is missing

[@trinitydairy]

Yup it has a bad valve. I'll get it fixed this winter

[@blainsaunders8378]

@@trinitydairy hope you make a video about it please

[@johnalexander8589]

Yeah at 560 sounds like it’s got a miss

[@trinitydairy]

Yup bad valve I'm hoping to fix this winter

[@tpfromcentralpa1692]

560 foul some spark plugs?

[@trinitydairy]

It has a bad valve, probably get it in the shop this winter.

[@roseemelyperez8653]

In what STATE is the FARM IN. ?

[@trinitydairy]

Minnesota

[@jamesbristow5740]

Is that a one and done crop or with some rain you can see a second cutting?

[@trinitydairy]

It's supposed to grow back. We got some much needed rain today, so hopefully that will give it a jump start.

[@anthonyhengst2908]

@@trinitydairy when we planted it we got 3 cuttings.

[@ronriehle1337]

Annuals like sorghum -sudan are an expensive way to feed a dairy cow. Have you run the cost per ton numbers on this crop ?

[@trinitydairy]

I haven't figured it out, but that field needed to be tilled, anyway, so it basically was the cost of the seed, and will a little rain, we should get another cutting.

[@hankelrod7315]

Disagree, when you compare high yield Sudan vs low yielding perennial grass, no comparison on a per ton basis

[@dennisholst4322]

When you sow it is there anything else you can add and mix in to increase the protein content while at the same time lowering the acidity

[@tractorsfamilyandwildlife1342]

You ever think about a Trench Allan? Less maintenance 🤷 I know you have the silo's and you wanna utilize what you have just asking if it ever run across your mind

[@trinitydairy]

I have thought about it.we used to pile silage on the blacktop pad that I put the bags on.

[@tractorsfamilyandwildlife1342]

@@trinitydairy that's how we did ours blew it on a pile

[@chriseilers5041]

How long did you wait, between cutting to chopping?

[@trinitydairy]

I think it was about 4 days.

[@robbsmith1560]

Could you have greened chopped it and then put it the silo.

[@trinitydairy]

It would have been to wet.

[@r.scotthill3082]

August 1 is time for third cutting. What happened to the second?

[@trinitydairy]

The 2nd crop pretty much burnt up, from it being so dry. This is about normal time for 2 nd crop around here.

[@michaelwood5327]

Was that a 2010 pulling the swather?

[@trinitydairy]

It's a 820

[@andylieffring2461]

Is the silo by the barn empty yet?

[@trinitydairy]

Nope not yet

[@tomhall7250]

Is that a chopper blower ?

[@trinitydairy]

No, just a blower.

[@markkrauss5994]

800 case on the blower

[@trinitydairy]

830

[@markkrauss5994]

Was that a jd 830

[@trinitydairy]

820

[@pocketchange1951]

👍👌❤🇨🇦

[@toddstreight6718]

Cutting feed in road gear

[@trinitydairy]

3rd and 4th are hardly road gear.

[@dennisholst4322]

​@@trinitydairykeep some spare roller chain on board

[@dennisholst4322]

I thought it would come off wetter looking

[@dennisholst4322]

That 560 is older than him

[@carlwolf4865]

What is the height and diameter of that silo ???

[@trinitydairy]

25ft high, and 14ft diameter.

[@dennisholst4322]

The base is probably about 4 ft of concrete they are tough to take down

[@mikehulcher3240]

How tall is that silo

[@trinitydairy]

25ft

[@joeullrich2767]

@@trinitydairy just rent a high lift to fix the unloader pick up a part at a time.

[@trinitydairy]

@@joeullrich2767 we were just talking about that.