how long do these tarps hold up.chevytaHOE5674":36e3j495 said:I have tarps from Missouri hay tarp as well as inland hay tarp. The ones from inland are nicer but for the price the Missouri have help up real well.
chevytaHOE5674":3uran46d said:ddd75":3uran46d said:lol.
I keep fairly accurate records of my hay consumption and can tell you that it cut my yearly hay consumption down by 15%. On a typical year I used to feed ~400 bales in your standard bale ring. Those rings would typically last 3-5 years with our climate and use, and they cost around 300 bucks a pop or ~60-100 bucks a year.
Switched feeders and now feed ~340 bales in the expensive feeders for the same number of animals. If I was to buy 60 bales of hay at $30 bucks a bale that's 1800 a year in saved hay. Feeders were 900 a piece so on year one the first two were paid for, halfway through year 2 the 3rd was paid for.
So since I make my own hay I can either sell those 60 bales or buy some extra cows to eat them. On top of that I am on year 5 with the first hay manager feeder and it shows zero wear and I should easily get 5+ more years out of it. So if I get at least 10 years of life at 900 purchase that's 90 a year of use. And honestly I think more than 10 years shouldn't be a problem.
Forgot to say I'm not a salesman for them just sharing my personal experience take it for whats it worth. I was very skeptical but being a man of numbers once I saw the data I was sold.
ddd75":138yzu1d said:how long do these tarps hold up.chevytaHOE5674":138yzu1d said:I have tarps from Missouri hay tarp as well as inland hay tarp. The ones from inland are nicer but for the price the Missouri have help up real well.
looks like to hold around 90 bales of 4x5's it'd be about 530 for tarp and stakes.
Texasmark":qi4dsiwv said:I saw a plastic one advertised yesterday. Think it was in a Gebo's ad (small chain operation in Tex. and all). $250 would hold a 5x6 roll. What happens to that when the temp drops below 32F? Last one I bought was square steel tubing with pre-formed rings at $100 in a kit. Took about an hour to weld it together.
Problem I have with feeders is not the feeders it's the cows. They won't eat their scraps off the ground unless you starve them into it. They have to go back to the bale, pull out a mouthful, spill half of it on the ground while chewing the other half, all the while looking around and the stuff falls on the ground. But it's good for the soil if worked in after feeding season.....for a peek at the bright side.
slick4591":k1ksflmz said:Texasmark":k1ksflmz said:I saw a plastic one advertised yesterday. Think it was in a Gebo's ad (small chain operation in Tex. and all). $250 would hold a 5x6 roll. What happens to that when the temp drops below 32F? Last one I bought was square steel tubing with pre-formed rings at $100 in a kit. Took about an hour to weld it together.
Problem I have with feeders is not the feeders it's the cows. They won't eat their scraps off the ground unless you starve them into it. They have to go back to the bale, pull out a mouthful, spill half of it on the ground while chewing the other half, all the while looking around and the stuff falls on the ground. But it's good for the soil if worked in after feeding season.....for a peek at the bright side.
I'm looking at the Gebo's ad right now. Poly 48" for $239.00, but drop below that ad to the bunk feeders and there's another poly hay ring (same 48") listed for $79.99 with a different skew.
Jeanne - Simme Valley":w42ljwsp said:The only poly feeders out here are too short & the pipes are too wide apart. All calves & weaned calves can crawl into them.