BALE FEEDERS

We're looking for some new bale feeders, and wondering what type and brand you've found that work well as far as saving hay and lasting a while - Feeder wagons?  Round feeders with the cone insert?  Cradle type feeders?  Etc?  We feed mostly 5'x6' round bales, with a few 3'x3'x8' square bales.  Grinding hay is probably not a practical option for us due to limited cow numbers.  Thanks for your input!

I think that wagons with the insert(rack)  in them are one of the best options out there. You can feed everything in 1 place with these and they last awhile. Also like the feeders with the cone insert.

As you know all feeders are not created equal. I use the Franklin Super 10/CY-8 Unit (http://www.franklinwaterers.com/bale.html). The cone feeders have been proven in studies to wastes the least hay. This unit is a little pricey but will last and last. Just a suggestion.

I think it all depends on what equipment you have available and how your operation is set up.  I love the cone feeders. I have never had one but like the idea.  I would want to move them from time to time to get them on dryer, cleaner ground.  I think they would be much more difficult tomove so you would have to have a tractor and loader or bale spear to move them when needed.  Also to place the bale in them.  Can't do it with a rear bale spear.  I also wondered what you would do if a larger calf or smaller cow got into the feeder.  It would be impossible to get them out.  I know it sounds stupid but things like that happen.  Much easier to get a regular ring tipped.  I do think they are really nice though.

If I didn't have a processor I would use a hay wagon in my situation because I could control the hay intake better and not let the cows stand and eat all day long.  Much less waste.  But there again, it may not work in your situation.  I know somebody that used their wagon as a kind of fenceline feedng system.  Worked great.  You could also set up in either situation an area that you could feed but lock cattle off the area for a certain period.

I worked in 10,000 head feedlot a while back.We got some flexible round bale feeders in that were supposed to flex. When the calves leaned on it would allow them to get to the last bit of hay. We had some fly weights in the receiving pen getting grass hay. Anyway the next morning I started feeding in the bunks of the growing and fat pens and nothing come up to the bunks. i was in charge of reading bunks so Wayne wanted to know how I had managed to throw 10,000 head of cattle off feed. Anyway we found two dead flyweights dead in two different flex feeders. One broken neck and one suffocated. Anyway these flex feeders were a disaster on the 400# calves for some reason. I haven't noticed any of these flex feeders for sale anywhere lately. Apparently the ruckus they made throwed the whole lot off feed. ;D

We had a couple of those move in type feeders and the only thing good I can say about them is that they are now gone.  The first year we used them, we had 2 cows break a leg in them.   

I like the idea of the cone type feeders...

aj said:

I worked in 10,000 head feedlot a while back.We got some flexible round bale feeders in that were supposed to flex. When the calves leaned on it would allow them to get to the last bit of hay. We had some fly weights in the receiving pen getting grass hay. Anyway the next morning I started feeding in the bunks of the growing and fat pens and nothing come up to the bunks. i was in charge of reading bunks so Wayne wanted to know how I had managed to throw 10,000 head of cattle off feed. Anyway we found two dead flyweights dead in two different flex feeders. One broken neck and one suffocated. Anyway these flex feeders were a disaster on the 400# calves for some reason. I haven't noticed any of these flex feeders for sale anywhere lately. Apparently the ruckus they made throwed the whole lot off feed. ;D

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So if two were dead, why didnt the other 9,998 calves come up?? just wondering ???

aj said:

I worked in 10,000 head feedlot a while back.We got some flexible round bale feeders in that were supposed to flex. When the calves leaned on it would allow them to get to the last bit of hay. We had some fly weights in the receiving pen getting grass hay. Anyway the next morning I started feeding in the bunks of the growing and fat pens and nothing come up to the bunks. i was in charge of reading bunks so Wayne wanted to know how I had managed to throw 10,000 head of cattle off feed. Anyway we found two dead flyweights dead in two different flex feeders. One broken neck and one suffocated. Anyway these flex feeders were a disaster on the 400# calves for some reason. I haven't noticed any of these flex feeders for sale anywhere lately. Apparently the ruckus they made throwed the whole lot off feed. ;D

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AJ - what were the feeders there made of? I have 9 feeders made of high impact gas line pipe. They also flex and there is very little waste from them. I have everything from new born calves to 2800# bulls running against them. The smaller calves crawl in and out of them like a jungle gym and they are the only feeders I have found that the bulls can't tear up. Unless a bale falls over on a calf I'm not sure how one could suffocate in these. I like these because they don't freeze down in the mud as long as something is actively eating out of them. They come in different head spacings, from 12 to 48 inches I think - I prefer the 18" models myself.

We bought two Franklin square bale feeders a few years ago.  They are garbage.  None of the holes lined up to bolt it together.  Very light duty.  Other than hay feeders I've built, the heaviest units I've seen are the Hi-Qual bull feeders. 

6M - Where did you buy them?

Franklin does market some product through farm stores like Orschelns which is lighter. Probably due to the farm store always wanting the lowest price. In bale feeders you get what you pay for no matter what name is on the product. The best "cheap" bale feeder I have ever had was from Preifert but it only lasted 4 years. The Hi-Qual units are heavy and will last.

I personally think the wagons with the removable sides would be the best bet.  You can use them to feed hay, but you can also use them as a hay wagon.

Fluffer

The feeders were hinged in 3 or 4 points so they could actually lay down flat if tipped on side.Both calves had panicked apparently...had their head in a hole...(the feeders were basically empty) flipped the feeder on end somehow with their heads still in the hole...the feeder went down flat and pinched them off.        BCCC ...We read bunks from the main feed truck. It is tricky bussiness. If a pen of 100 head back off feed say 10 pounds(silage,wet corn. alfalfa, liquid protein) a head you have to back off the pen amount by 1000#. Scales on feed truck. You wanted bunks clean in the mornings. You wanted to push pens but if you overfed cattle would go off feed and it goofs up your rate of gain and everything else. When a cold front went through consumption went up...if a hot day came they usually back off etc..The fly weights were away from main pens. Apparently the light weights made so much rack it it upset the other cattle. After a near fist fight...much yelling... the owner\boss had to apologize to me...I guess thats why I remember incident. Animal behavior can be interesting.

thanks everyone for your replies!  After reading the suggestions here and talking to a few people in our area that use them, I think we'll try the Franklin feeder with the cone insert.  They are readily available around here, and probably fit our operation well.  We tend to have several smaller groups of cattle, so they would be more practical than the feeder wagons.    Common Sense - I agree with you concerning the cows not needing to eat hay 24 hours a day - especially most of our "sows"!