Plastic hay rings

[Bigfoot]

I was going to start switching to the cone style hay saver rings this year. About half my herd calves in the fall (a few in the winter :shock: ). Anyway, I talked myself out of those, for fear calves wouldn't get any, and price. I've bought 7 plastic rings so far. Hard to say after only half a winter, but I think I like them. Far more durable than I had thought. They don't sink in the mud either. I've been averaging putting out 28 rolls a week, and see no signs of them failing. Price wise, you can't beat the deal, or the durability imho. As I retire my metal rings, I will definitely replace them with plastic.

 

[JSCATTLE]

If you are talking about the black high density plastic I have several that are 5 years old . Mine has stainless bolts and still look new.. abut double the cost of the metal but last much longer ..

 

[MudHog]

Got a link Bigfoot to which ones you have?

 

[Bigfoot]

Got a link Bigfoot to which ones you have?

Not a mark on any of them. All bought from the same place Falders farm supply. Place itself doesn't even have a web page.

 

[talltimber]

I just ordered two last week. I finally found the manufacturer who had made the three my Dad and Grandpa was using when they passed/got out. I think they are probably about ten years old now. I needed a couple more due to "groups". Most places around here sell/stock Century brand, which I am sure is fine, just wasn't the brand I was looking for.

 

[MudHog]

Got a link Bigfoot to which ones you have?

Not a mark on any of them. All bought from the same place Falders farm supply. Place itself doesn't even have a web page.

That's odd. Can you post a picture? Are you referring to the house type that covers the bale or is this a ring like a regular steel bale ring?

I haven't seen anything plastic in my area so I'm curious as to what you have and I know plastic will last nearly forever.

 

[Bigfoot]

Got a link Bigfoot to which ones you have?

Not a mark on any of them. All bought from the same place Falders farm supply. Place itself doesn't even have a web page.

That's odd. Can you post a picture? Are you referring to the house type that covers the bale or is this a ring like a regular steel bale ring?

I haven't seen anything plastic in my area so I'm curious as to what you have and I know plastic will last nearly forever.

Provided it's not dark, when I feed I can snap a pic. Darks been catching most evenings.

 

[Bigfoot]

This concept, but mine appears to be heavier. They were a little over $300 a piece.

 

[MudHog]

Thanks! I'll have to do some looking. Even at $300, that isn't bad considering the price of steel ones.

 

[TCRanch]

We just bought another one like Bigfoot's pic. It's a Century, $260, bought it at one of the local Coops. We have 5 more that we've had for 8 years. And yes, they're bull proof

 

[reeler]

I have 2 that look like the pics, but are yellow instead of black. Had them about 4 years, very durable.Recently saw 9 month old calf inside ring on top of hay- climbed back out, no problem.

 

[pricefarm]

Can u pick them up with a hay spear and not damage them

 

[artesianspringsfarm]

Can u pick them up with a hay spear and not damage them

You absolutely can and put me in the club as a real believer in these. I'd about given up on hay rings because of how quick our bull(s) would bend them up but these things have been great. I have 2 that will be 2 years old come spring and I feed hay 6-7 months a year. Yearlings will still get in them but they can also get out. Waste even seems a little lower than a standard ring to me.

 

[R V]

I have 3 of the black plastic rings that are 9-10 years old. They are very durable. My only complaint is the that the mature cows push them around and waste a lot more hay than the red metal hay rings that MFA sells locally. I wish I knew how to post a video. My son has video of a Charolais cow and her calf inside the black plastic hay ring and she is packing it to a fresh bale of hay that they were putting out. He couldn't catch her and had to lift it off with the hay spikes.
Ron

 

[True Grit Farms]

We just bought another one like Bigfoot's pic. It's a Century, $260, bought it at one of the local Coops. We have 5 more that we've had for 8 years. And yes, they're bull proof

Ma'am I not one to tell someone how to run there operation. But your bull needs a bigger pen.

 

[dun]

We just bought another one like Bigfoot's pic. It's a Century, $260, bought it at one of the local Coops. We have 5 more that we've had for 8 years. And yes, they're bull proof

Ma'am I not one to tell someone how to run there operation. But your bull needs a bigger pen.

Dam, I sure wish Macon would get that thumbs up icon working

 

[TCRanch]

We just bought another one like Bigfoot's pic. It's a Century, $260, bought it at one of the local Coops. We have 5 more that we've had for 8 years. And yes, they're bull proof

Ma'am I not one to tell someone how to run there operation. But your bull needs a bigger pen.

Dam, I sure wish Macon would get that thumbs up icon working

Haha, love it! Bob was our village idiot & a constant source of entertainment (and frustration). I still miss him.

 

[Red Bull Breeder]

I have seen calves get hung up in rings like that. The three rings on the bottom make a great place for a calf to get a leg hung.

 

[Atimm693]

We like them too.

Out of five, we only have one that broke a tube, which wasn't hard to repair.

A bull got his head stuck in one once and carried it off. A funny sight.

 

[warped04]

They don't have a solid ring around the bottom as a "saver." Is the "saver" a marketing ploy, or just unnecessary?