# GREAT READ about round bale feeders.



## JD3430

http://www1.extension.umn.edu/agriculture/horse/nutrition/selecting-a-round-bale-feeder/

I found this to be very informative regarding feeding round bales to horses:


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## swmnhay

Just to add from my expieriences and observations on hay feeders.For cattle anyway.

The amount of waste also will vary with how big the openings are,number of bars.Smaller the opening the leass hay they pull out.

Diameter of feeder.A 8' feeder will waste alot less hay then a 7' feeder.Loose hay falls down between ring and bale instead of outside.

A smaller bale will waste less hay.It gives more room between ring and bale for loose hay.Cattle are more apt to keep head in feeder instead of reaching in and out.

A taller bottom ring will have less feed waste.

I use mostly cone type feeders now with little feed waste.


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## JD3430

My neighbor is wasting a 1/3rd of the hay I'm selling him. They pull it out and pee on it. Huge mess to clean up in spring, too.


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## rjmoses

I had two feeders, that I bought at Farm & Home--J-U-N-K. Lasted one year. Thin metal, poor welds. Went out one day and found one of my horses standing in the middle of one of them. Had to take a 3 lb hammer to bend the sharp edges back so he wouldn't cut himself up getting out. (Good thing he was tolerant of me banging between his front legs.)

I have a Klene Pipe feeder that has almost zero waste. Here's a link: 



 They're expensive, but delivery was included in the price.

I also built a covered wood feeder 8x10 based on an Amish design I picked up someplace. More wastage than the Klene but not as much as the F&H feeders.

I'm not sure why, but the horses seem to prefer to eat under the covered feeders more than the uncovered.

Ralph


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## JD3430

Ralph Thats an awesome feeder. The way the pipe grills slant in keeps the hay from falling out. The roof is great.
I have one horse customer with a smaller, similar feeder and she buys rounds from me and loves it.
I wish I could get my customers to bite the bullet, buy a good feeder and then enjoy the savings on round bale hay.


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## rjmoses

JD3430 said:


> Ralph Thats an awesome feeder. The way the pipe grills slant in keeps the hay from falling out. The roof is great.


Thanks.

It was delivered from Indiana for $1600. I built the roof, although it comes with the mountings for the roof. A 66" bale does cause the sides to keep from falling sometimes, especially if its a tight bale. 60" works great!

BTW: The picture is not mine, but mine looks just like that.


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## somedevildawg

JD3430 said:


> Ralph Thats an awesome feeder. The way the pipe grills slant in keeps the hay from falling out. The roof is great.
> I have one horse customer with a smaller, similar feeder and she buys rounds from me and loves it.
> I wish I could get my customers to bite the bullet, buy a good feeder and then enjoy the savings on round bale hay.


Several reasons why they like it in small square, mostly so they can pull every flake, and if they see a weed, you've had it.....dust? Had it again........


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## JD3430

Never thought if it that way.......the small bale allows buyer to see every flake.....duh.....man I have a ways to go. .....


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## askinner

Thanks very much JD, I'm going to print this off for the few customers I have that just dump my best alfalfa rounds on the ground and let their horses rip it to bits. Near brings me to tears to see a nag using half a bale as a toilet....


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## foz682

We sell some round bales of hay that we use our rotocut knives on in our baler to some horse folks, it blows their minds how little waste there is compared to other hay that they buy.


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## Tim/South

Our winter has been very wet. Two days and the hay ring is a mud hole.
I unrolled a bale this morning and I believe will unroll for the remainder of the winter. They are cleaning it up unrolled.

Next year I am feeding under a roof. I have dodged foot issues this winter and am lucky in that.


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## JD3430

askinner said:


> Thanks very much JD, I'm going to print this off for the few customers I have that just dump my best alfalfa rounds on the ground and let their horses rip it to bits. Near brings me to tears to see a nag using half a bale as a toilet....


I think people look at spending $750-$1,500 for a round bale feeder and get cold feet because the payback period is too long.
I know thats flawed thinking, but Americans are only looking a few weeks into the future.


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## askinner

JD3430 said:


> We sell some round bales of hay that we use our rotocut knives on in our baler to some horse folks, it blows their minds how little waste there is compared to other hay that they buy.


I often wondered whether the knives were really worth it in hay, sounds like it is huh?


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## JD3430

I am kicking myself for not buying the crop-cutter feature....... and not buying a 4x6 baler.
Ahhhh...... someday I'll buy something without buyers remorse.


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## askinner

JD3430 said:


> someday I'll buy something without buyers remorse.


When you work out how to JD, please let me know, cheers!


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## whitmerlegacyfarm

It bugs me to no end when our horses pee all over the hay i throw out. It doesn't matter whether it's inside or outside in barn yard. I only feed small squares just for ease of use, if i had a an area that i could set a round bale out under cover i would try rounds for sure. Which then means i need a bigger tractor and a round baler lol. I need to buy the farm first... I got way to much going on right now im going to sit back and chill for a little here.


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## JD3430

A farmer & horse owner told me they like to pee on hay so it doesnt hit the hard ground and splash up on their inner legs. When this happens, their legs get irritated and their hide gets rashy and irritated


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## rjmoses

JD3430 said:


> A farmer & horse owner told me the like to pee on hay so it doesnt hit the hard ground and splash up on their inner legs. When this happens, their legs get irritataed and their hide gets rashy and ittitated.


Exactly! They ain't dumb!

Ralph


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## whitmerlegacyfarm

rjmoses said:


> Exactly! They ain't dumb!
> 
> Ralph


NO BUT THEY SURE ARE HAY BURNERS!!! But that's why i enjoy making our own hay.


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## rjmoses

whitmerlegacyfarm said:


> NO BUT THEY SURE ARE HAY BURNERS!!! But that's why i enjoy making our own hay.


Pat Parelli has stated that horses are 7 to 10 times smarter than humans. Working with horses and teaching human 20 hours a week or more, I have to agree.

And I can prove it mathematically: My main horse works 4-6 hours/week; I work 40-60 hours/week. Works out to 10 times in my book.

Ralph


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## Nitram

And most dogs don't work a day of their life get food brought to them and seldom make the owner a cent! I sure do miss mine!


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## urednecku

Nitram said:


> And most dogs don't work a day of their life get food brought to them and seldom make the owner a cent! I sure do miss mine!


AND, they really love ya. Don't believe me? Lock your wife & dog in the trunk of yer car for about 1/2 hour, & see which one loves on ya when you open the lid.


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## somedevildawg

Famous quote by Paul Harvey " next time you call your dog stupid, think about who's working to feed who.....good day!"


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## askinner

rjmoses said:


> Pat Parelli has stated that horses are 7 to 10 times smarter than humans.


I believe him, though I'd imagine the horses are quite embarrassed when they look at the avg sheople these days and think they're only 7-10 times smarter than them lol....


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## mudassar1

You say you have the oval troughs....you could put a net over it, making sure it is big enough to reach to the bottom of the trough( so they can get to what's left in the bottom), attach half of it permanently, the other half to open( string around half of trough, string attached to net, lift off, fill, cover with net and mend to string on trough). I assume your horses have shoes.


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## Vol

Where is Lahore mudasser1?? Pakistan?

Regards, Mike


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## Dill

I've been seeing more and more of those hay huts around here. The nice thing is if the horse eats slow it doesn't go bad in the rain. My father has a tombstone style feeder in the horse paddock. Works well with the yearling steers out there as well. Really anything to keep them from laying on the feed.


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## mudassar1

vol yes lahore in pakistan


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