Drought conditions in regions throughout the Ozarks have placed a great deal of pressure on cattle ranchers and dairy farmers, particularly in regards to the cost and availability of hay this winter.
Fortunately, new and improved hay feeder and bunk designs are going a long way toward maximizing on-hand stocks of hay so they can last through the winter.
This includes new square hay bale feeders (previous options were limited to smaller round bales) designed to conserve up to 33 percent of hay resources and new heavy steel feed bunks.
Saving on feed spillage
Using conventional hay feeding rings cattle ranchers can lose thousands of dollars per year in avoidable feed loss. With traditional feeding rings, cattle stand outside the feeder, tear the hay out and let the excess fall from their mouths. The hay falls to the ground and gets trampled and otherwise damaged – and will not get eaten.
Conserver hay feeders, on the other hand, force cattle to place their heads through metal bars to get the hay. Any feed the cow drops falls right back into the feeder.
“We’ve sold a lot of bale conservers over the last 4 or 5 months. We’ve sold more this winter than last winter. Producers are trying to eliminate waste with hay prices being so high,” explained Todd Wells, manager of Wheeler Metals, Springfield, Mo., location.
The success of the hay conserving bale feeders has led to new options that accommodate large round bales and square bales.
“The square feeders are based on the same principles, so a farmer can save roughly a third of is existing hay resources as well as the time, trouble and cost of locating and transporting additional hay,” continued Bob Studebaker, president of GoBob Pipe and Steel.
Feed bunks
The other option for feeding cattle is feed bunks. Like the hay feeder, there are important considerations that go into the selection of bunk, its construction and how to avoid unnecessary feed waste.
A typical feed bunk from a feed store or farm supply center is 8 to 10 feet long, has a light tubular frame and a plastic trough.
Unfortunately, because they weigh about 50 pounds, cattle can push plastic bunks around the field. If livestock inadvertently step into the trough they can punch a hole right through the plastic.
A highly efficient alternative to plastic and concrete pasture bunks is the “half pipe” metal feeding bunk. Constructed of a 20-foot metal pipe split in half, these feed bunks are plated to seal the ends, with metal legs welded underneath. The product is also available by the foot for constructing long, fence line bunk systems.
The metal bunks feature a trough that is 5/16-3/8 inch thick. At a little over 1,000 pounds, they are too heavy for cattle to move. Although they cost about 30 percent more than plastic, cattlemen never have to replace them.
Whether bunk or hay feeder, cattle ranchers and dairy farmers would do well to examine the latest options that can help them stretch existing feed resources.
