GoBob round bale hay ring feeders
- Thread starter Farminlund
- Start date
Help Support CattleToday:
JMJ Farms
Well-known member
Lazy M":vctt3wub said:
Depends on whether it really cuts down on waste as advertised and longevity of the feeder. I know folks that buy those cheap $250 rings every year. If the $1300 ring lasts 6 years instead of 1 then you're money ahead. However I don't know if this is the case.
chevytaHOE5674
Well-known member
Lazy M":2bqz3ycf said:
If the feeder saves you hay and lasts longer than a cheap disposable ring then $1300 isn't too hard to pencil out.
On an average year, I'll feed 450-500 rolls. They are fed through 9 hay rings. I could make myself cut down to 5.
5 hay rings x $1300= $6500
%10 of 500 rolls = 50 rolls
50 rolls x $45= $2250
In 3 years, it would pay for itself. I doubt I get 2 years out of a traditional hay ring. That figures in somewhere?
That all begs the question----------Do they actually save hay, and do they really last?
5 hay rings x $1300= $6500
%10 of 500 rolls = 50 rolls
50 rolls x $45= $2250
In 3 years, it would pay for itself. I doubt I get 2 years out of a traditional hay ring. That figures in somewhere?
That all begs the question----------Do they actually save hay, and do they really last?
JMJ Farms
Well-known member
Bigfoot":3nkl59ue said:
As I posted while ago I have no experience with the Go Bob feeders. However from looking at one in person, I personally believe they'd last ten years or more. They are built like a tank. If a feller would clean the bottom after winter use each year and apply a little paint to that area if needed I'd be scared to say just how long they might hold up.
jedstivers
Well-known member
The tractor tires I feed hay in are cheap (zero cost) and don't waste much hay. Bet they last a long time too.Lazy M":1euojlwf said:
http://www.barnworld.com/cattle-guards/ ... ay-feeder/[/quote]
I guarantee that any farmer that buys a single $1300 hay feeder either has made a bunch of money doing something other than farming or won't be a farmer for long[/quote]
The tractor tires I feed hay in are cheap (zero cost) and don't waste much hay. Bet they last a long time too.[/quote]
Can't beat that price! I'd say that they'll last for a long time too
I guarantee that any farmer that buys a single $1300 hay feeder either has made a bunch of money doing something other than farming or won't be a farmer for long[/quote]
The tractor tires I feed hay in are cheap (zero cost) and don't waste much hay. Bet they last a long time too.[/quote]
Can't beat that price! I'd say that they'll last for a long time too
OP
OP
Farminlund
Well-known member
Don't disagree that the hay hopper is very pricey (~$1200 ea). If you use the hay loss calculator (http://www.noble.org/ag/tools/livestock/hay-ring/), the hay loss cost difference between the standard skirted feeder & the modified cone feeder (the most efficient feeder in their calculator), in conjunction with my inputs ($40/bale, 1200# bale, 15/mo, 4 mo/season) was $185/yr ($312 - $127). If I assume that the hay hopper would improve that savings by just 1% (expect that is low), then the savings increases to $209/yr. The difference between the hopper & a skirted standard feeder outlay is $950 ($1200 - $250), calculating the the amount of time to break even yields ~4.6 yrs ($900/$$209). I would say that is not a fantastic ROI, but given that I assume the life of the feeder is 6 yrs with some additional maintenance (ie coating the bottom ring with tar/asphalt sealer/spray-in bed liner), then the additional savings over the life of the feeder is $293 ((6 - 4.6) X $209). Certainly, ~$300 is nothing to go around bragging about, but it's still an extra $300 in your pocket over the life of the feeder & given hay availability is a real issue with me - just the fact you use less hay is a peace of mind advantage. In conclusion, it's not a "slam dunk decision" but neither does it fall into "this is a bad idea" IMO. My hope is that the hay waste approaches 2+%, another 2% more than the 1%increase over the modified cone feeder used in the Noble hay waste calculator I sighted above!
JMJ Farms
Well-known member
Farminlund":9nmbs1qc said:
If you want to be really fair then also figure the gas, wear and tear on your truck, and your time saved not having to make those extra trips to buy a cheap rings every year during the life span of the heavy duty feeder :nod:
chevytaHOE5674
Well-known member
Farminlund take your numbers and say you feed 20 or 30 bales a month and 6 or 7 months of the year. Suddenly your ROI gets even better.
quartermeter
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jun 1, 2014
- Messages
- 125
- Reaction score
- 0
Well I never got more than 3 days out of one good round bale feeding on a cradle using a cattle panel on top of the cradle. I'm on my 4th day on one round bale using the gobob feeder. The whole bottom still has good hay in it. So at the end of the day today thats four days with one bale save me 25%. They're acting like they're hungry and want another bale but I'm going to make them finish it.
quartermeter
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jun 1, 2014
- Messages
- 125
- Reaction score
- 0
I've been feeding 1 round bale every 3 or 4 days now. before the go bob feeder I was only getting two to three days from a round bale. Saving hay.
Clodhopper
Well-known member
We bought two GoBob doubles (which actually feeds three if you stack them right) and a similar feeder from another builder this winter. There is considerably less wasted hay around the feeder. We find it's best to make them clean it up pretty well and move the feeder at least every other time you set out bales.
