After relaunching the Irish Farmers Journal labour-saving tips in the paper last week, we got some very interesting and innovative ideas sent in.

We picked out this simple idea for feeding multiple calves at once. Matthew and Christopher Ryan from Kilfeacle, Co Tipperary, use this system for feeding 70 dairy calves at the same time.

The idea came from Christopher’s cousin Larry O’Dwyer. He thoroughly cleaned out an old blue barrel and drilled holes in the base. He then fitted 25 plastic teats into the holes.

A chain was secured on to the barrel and the shear grab on the front loader of the tractor was used to lift the barrel full of milk into the field to feed 25 calves at once.

The Ryans further enhanced Larry’s idea by designing a special cross-shaped frame that would increase the number of barrels that could be used at the one feeding time.

The frame is made from box iron. The two outside teeth of the shear grab fit into the arms of the frame. There is also a lip on the frame that allows the grab to close in and fully secure the frame so that it cannot fall away.

Two more barrels were made to feed calves and metal chains were attached to the barrels.

In total, three 200-litre barrels are used to feed approximately 70 calves at the same time.

At feeding time, the Ryans find the barrels very handy for mixing milk replacer and when they are filled, the tractor doesn’t even enter the field, it just lifts the barrels over the gate and lowers to calf-feeding height.

Christopher says it’s very safe because they aren’t struggling to get into the field full of hungry calves every morning and because they are part-time farmers, the system saves them a lot of time.

We want your ideas

The Ryans will receive a €50 One4All voucher because they had a good, simple idea that’s safe to use and could be replicated on other farms. We want to know what ideas you have implemented on your farm to save labour or time.

To send us pictures of your idea, you can email pvarley@farmersjournal.ie or text your pictures to the Irish Farmers Journal on 00353 (86)-836 6465 via Whatsapp or normal text message.

Remember, no idea is too small.