Round Bale Feeders

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SRBeef":15rfzocz said:
I like keeping the bale up and out of the mud.

Sounds like a better way to me too. A big plus for the haysaver type, it has a plywood bottom in it.

1982vett":15rfzocz said:
Some feeders just reduce part of the waste.... Generally try to move the feeder a bit each time I put a roll out...
Seriously thinking about getting an unroller to try to scatter waste and manure over a larger area.

That's what i'm looking for Feeder that reduce waste :D yea, if left the feeder in the same spot i'd never be able to fill it, it get's pretty muddy here when it thaws out! I don't need the unroller, just head it down the hill and watch out for the fences. I watched my neighbor unroll them with the spear on his tractor, just got it started and pushed
 
1982vett":1ywdx2mm said:
DirtDoctor, try again. The study in Dun's link was done by Michigan State University. It was in a publication by University of Missouri Extension. Here is a link I found to the study refered to in Dun's post.
https://www.msu.edu/~buskirk/Publicatio ... 81-109.pdf

Dang, caught, I just checked the link without re-reading. Now I stand corrected. :oops:
Ed
 
Took a bit before I got it right too. I knew I had run across it once before just could not find it back. I though it puzzling that they waste more out of the trailer and rack than the ring and cone till I read the study. So if the study is correct, rings and cones are the way to go.
 
dirtdoctor":34dhob0b said:
1982vett":34dhob0b said:
DirtDoctor, try again. The study in Dun's link was done by Michigan State University. It was in a publication by University of Missouri Extension. Here is a link I found to the study refered to in Dun's post.
https://www.msu.edu/~buskirk/Publicatio ... 81-109.pdf

Dang, caught, I just checked the link without re-reading. Now I stand corrected. :oops:
Ed
Thanks for the link - I checked it out and the "cradle type" they tested looks nothing at all like the one I use. If you look at photo (d) it has a big bottom structure which keeps the cattle back away from the feeder and they almost have to pull some out to eat it or so it appears.

If you look at my photo above with my cattle eatign a bale it's totally different. They can get into the bale and in fact rarely pull any hay out at all. They just stick their heads in and eat. The study mentioned instances of cattle going over the top rail of the cradle feeder - there is no way they can do that in the Common Sense feeder I use.

They mentioned that one possible cause of the results was that round feeders had less "antagonistic" interaction between cattle eating than did rectangular feeders...
Once mine stick their head in a slot I don't see any antagonistc interaction.... Unless you have a lot of feeders there will always be the dominant ones eating before the less dominant ones but as long as there is enough hay for I don't think waiting for space is a big issue. jmho.

Thanks for the info.
 
SRBeef":3kyofkst said:
dirtdoctor":3kyofkst said:
1982vett":3kyofkst said:
DirtDoctor, try again. The study in Dun's link was done by Michigan State University. It was in a publication by University of Missouri Extension. Here is a link I found to the study refered to in Dun's post.
https://www.msu.edu/~buskirk/Publicatio ... 81-109.pdf

Dang, caught, I just checked the link without re-reading. Now I stand corrected. :oops:
Ed
Thanks for the link - I checked it out and the "cradle type" they tested looks nothing at all like the one I use. If you look at photo (d) it has a big bottom structure which keeps the cattle back away from the feeder and they almost have to pull some out to eat it or so it appears.

If you look at my photo above with my cattle eatign a bale it's totally different. They can get into the bale and in fact rarely pull any hay out at all. They just stick their heads in and eat. The study mentioned instances of cattle going over the top rail of the cradle feeder - there is no way they can do that in the Common Sense feeder I use.

They mentioned that one possible cause of the results was that round feeders had less "antagonistic" interaction between cattle eating than did rectangular feeders...
Once mine stick their head in a slot I don't see any antagonistc interaction.... Unless you have a lot of feeders there will always be the dominant ones eating before the less dominant ones but as long as there is enough hay for I don't think waiting for space is a big issue. jmho.

Thanks for the info.

We shoot for 3 holes per cow, 2 at a minimum, cuts down on the dominance problems. Feeders that have a bottom to prevent the hay from falling completely clear will form a slimey mess in the bottom after a couple of rains. The bottoms will rust out aftyer a couple of winters if you don;t clean out the gunk after each rain.
 
1982vett":15kp5fc8 said:
gabby":15kp5fc8 said:
...You can also move the rings every feeding to scatter the manure. Use extra rings and you won't have to go out there and feed them every day like you do if you unroll the hay. For $800 you could buy some extra rings and save time and fuel.

It doesn't really matter how you feed hay, if you put more hay out than a group of cattle can eat in a day they are apt to waste more. Some feeders just reduce part of the waste. I don't want them so hungry that they push and shove to get to the hay, but I don't want two rings with a half of a roll left after they have had their fill for the day. This is when the tend to stand at the ring and pull hay out and let it drop on the ground no matter what type feeder you use. Generally try to move the feeder a bit each time I put a roll out.
Seriously thinking about getting an unroller to try to scatter waste and manure over a larger area. Will envolve more time and effort to adjust feeding to consumption, but that is part of the input cost for the hopeful outcome gains.

If you give them time with the rings they will clean it up. Just don't feed them again until they clean it up. You're never going to have zero waste regardless of how you feed 'em. I use 8 rings and I feed my cows every 3-4 days depending on when they clean it up. I move the rings every time and by spring I have fertilized a few acres of pasture for free.
 
Buy a 4 bale wagon from Apache and it will last forever. Saves more Hay than any round bale feeder will.
 
bigbull338":12kmthgt said:
i buy round bale feeders thats made out of 1in sq tubing.an they last for 8yrs or so.if you dont bend them up dropping the hay forks on them with the loader.i gave $96 for 1 last yr.i need to buy 3 to 5 more this yr.buy i may just get 2 or 3.


Bigbull....where you buying these at? I just bought one, used. Haven't used it yet, but it seems stout. Prior to this year I haven't been using rings at all, but intend to change that, and would like to get a couple more like that.
 
Build the cradle feeders with old trampoline frames. People everywhere have the old trampoline frames. When a mat goes bad, their options are to buy a new mat for $250 or a complete trampoline for slightly more. Most buy a whole new unit.

These are light, they are galvanized, and they need plenty of gussets. I use the bow from cross braces and weld a piece of cow panel in the bottom. The tampoline frame uprights are the uprights for the hay cradles.

My hay waste was cut dramatically. So yes the studies are correct. I will never use the rings again.

Caustic Burno put me on to the cradles with his posts a while back. I now have 8 that I have built for myself and there is less than $25 in most of them (lots of time tho). Half a cattle panel is the biggest expense. I have built 6 for friends. I have another that just needs gussets and a couple of more frames that have been given to me.

So in the end I have the cradles for much less cost that your typical hay ring and it is merely an effort of recycling steel from tampoline frames.

I can post a pic again if someone would like to see it. Nothing pretty and nothing special. Just heavy enough to support two round bales and light enough to load in the pick-up by myself.
 
bobby22":35guod1t said:
Buy a 4 bale wagon from Apache and it will last forever. Saves more Hay than any round bale feeder will.

I looked at their website and that looks pretty expensive. I haul 8 bales to the rings on a big cotton wagon I bought for a $400. I thought about getting a feeder wagon but then I saw a study that showed rings have less waste than feeder wagons and I quit thinking about feeder wagons after that.
 
gabby":3d7n62jb said:
...
If you give them time with the rings they will clean it up. Just don't feed them again until they clean it up. You're never going to have zero waste regardless of how you feed 'em. I use 8 rings and I feed my cows every 3-4 days depending on when they clean it up. I move the rings every time and by spring I have fertilized a few acres of pasture for free.

Sounds like the plan for me, probably using rings w/ skirts, just smaller scale.

SRBeef; thanks, that does look like a sturdy unit that could be easly moved which I believe will be critical here.

Thanks for everyones input, it really helps me to toss ideas around :D
 
backhoeboogie":3iviihqt said:
I can post a pic again if someone would like to see it. Nothing pretty and nothing special. Just heavy enough to support two round bales and light enough to load in the pick-up by myself.

Yes, please post the pic. Yuo've got me now looking for trampoline frames :eek:
 
dirtdoctor":2che25mz said:
backhoeboogie":2che25mz said:
I can post a pic again if someone would like to see it. Nothing pretty and nothing special. Just heavy enough to support two round bales and light enough to load in the pick-up by myself.

Yes, please post the pic. Yuo've got me now looking for trampoline frames :eek:

Here you go if it works:

http://www.ranchers.net/photopost/data/500/feeder3.jpeg

feeder3.jpeg
 
Here in NY we wouldn't even THINK about feeding on the ground. Also, as pointed out, calves (AND COWS) will lie on it for bedding.
If you own an expensive wagon type feeder, yes, you will "think" it's the best hay saver - but those researches (and there have been several) are NOT biased. Cone best, round feeder next, wagon type next, and worse is no feeder.
We have a wagon type - cut it in two lenths & use as a grain feeder for weaned calves. Been using round ring feeders for 30 years. Never used to buy them with skirts because they were too heavy for me to pick up. Waste more hay without skirts - I use tractor spear to pick up & move.
In our area we can buy round feeders WITH SKIRTS (I highly recommend) around $200+ up to $300+. It is worth the extra money to buy the HEAVIEST thick walled pipe. Also, some styles are taller than others. I recommend the tallest. Cows will stick their head in & sometimes can pick up the feeder & push it, ending up stepping on the hay that had been within the feeder ring. We feed enough for 2-4 days & only refill after the cows have cleaned up. We're not so "mean" to our replacement heifer group & our bred heifer group. Basicly never let them run out.
A new research (had a speaker here in NY past winter) shows the absolutely best way to save hay is to limit the hours they cows have access to the feeders. Now this method requires 2x day opening area to let cows in & chase them out. They showed with 4 hours feeding daily, cows gained almost the same amount thru winter as full feeding them, but wasted a lot less.
Some people posted on here saying they had eye problems with their cows eating out of the cone type. From what I've read, I don't think there is enough hay saved between the cone type & the round skirted feeders to pay for them.
 
backhoeboogie":1amjbgmc said:
dirtdoctor":1amjbgmc said:
backhoeboogie":1amjbgmc said:
I can post a pic again if someone would like to see it. Nothing pretty and nothing special. Just heavy enough to support two round bales and light enough to load in the pick-up by myself.

Yes, please post the pic. Yuo've got me now looking for trampoline frames :eek:

Here you go if it works:

feeder3.jpeg

Your welcome backhoe. ;-) :)
 
Without some type of feeder the old adage applys: "First day dining room, second bedroom, third day bathroom."
 
Jeanne - Simme Valley":2wljzakv said:
In our area we can buy round feeders WITH SKIRTS (I highly recommend) around $200+ up to $300+. It is worth the extra money to buy the HEAVIEST thick walled pipe. Also, some styles are taller than others. I recommend the tallest.


This seems to be the route I'm on now, rings with skirts.

As to the 2x day feeding, when I was little we fed twice a day(small squares) as much as they'd clean up. I think the cows looked better then but they sure were a lot bigger :D oh but what a PITA, that's one reason I'm doing rounds.

backhoeboogie, Thanks for the pic, is that sq tubing that slides down the uprights?
 

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