Hay and Haylage Management

My first hay/haylage feeders were built from spare lumber.  I do everything I can to minimize my hay costs.  This has more do do with the time it takes to haul round bales to the farm than with the price of the bales.  I have found with time that the round bale feeders that are most efficient (have the least amount of wasted hay/haylage) are the ones that are like a giant covered dinner plate.  This type of round bale feeder prevents the 30% or more hay/haylage loss that one gets with other round bale feeding methods. Even though I am baling my own hay now, I try to minimize loss.

This type of feeder saves some hay: the bale is not on the ground and there is no spoilage from the wet ground. Wooden feeders like this do not hold up well, 1000 to 2000 pounds over time causes it to fall apart.

All most all of the hay/haylage is eaten by the cattle with this type of feeder. 30% savings on each bale over a winter adds up to alot of round bales saved. This feeder is from http://www.dillerag.com.

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Metal round bale feeders hold up much better than wooden ones, at least with my carpentry skills. This type of feeder saves the 30% or more of hay that would be lost if the bale is placed on the ground. When the winter is rainy like it has been this year, a cover or roof is needed if the bale is not eaten in a day or two.

For a small cattle operation like mine, where a round bale will last for a week, it is best to have the round bale feeder covered.  If it is not covered and it rains, the hay/haylage in the bottom rots and you loose 20% or more of your hay.  For larger operations with more cattle, the bale is eaten so fast that a cover is probably not needed.